In our coaching approach, we are really high on practice. My standard instruction is, “You should have your content complete at least a week before you are going to present, so that you don’t have to adjust at the last minute.” But let’s have some real talk. It’s rare that we’re working that far ahead. … Read more
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When we commit to memorizing all or part of our talk, we also have to make another commitment. It’s this: we must commit to rehearsing in a way that ensures that our intention isn’t “to say the words in the right order.” This came to mind for me recently when a client told me he … Read more
We’ve all had that feeling. I don’t know what to do with my hands. We use our hands naturally, effortlessly, day in and day out, but certain situations make us suddenly acutely aware of them. What are they doing out there, flopping around? What have I ever done with them in the past … Read more
There seems to be an inherent insecurity around being able to accomplish good public speaking consistently. Even people who are skilled speakers worry about “losing the magic” or not being “in the zone.” I get it—I’ve definitely had experiences when it feels like a talk I’m giving reaches a place it hasn’t gone before, where … Read more
In our coaching approach, we are really high on practice. My standard instruction is, “You should have your content complete at least a week before you are going to present, so that you don’t have to adjust at the last minute.” But let’s have some real talk. It’s rare that we’re working that far ahead. … Read more
When you have to do something you don’t want to do, how do you talk to yourself about it? I guess I’ll get it over with. This isn’t fair. I’ll probably screw this up. There are a million reasons I shouldn’t have to do this. I’m always bad at this. I’m resentful, so I’ll won’t … Read more
Research has just come out that tracks neural activity between people interacting on Zoom and compares it to activity between people interacting in person. The results are definitely in line with what I, and lots of people I’ve talked to, have experienced in our virtual environment. The lead researcher, Yale neuroscientist Joy Hirsch, said, “Zoom … Read more
This morning, I woke up thinking about an old friend. In fact, I had dreamed that I ran into her and her wonderful family, and I was so happy to see her. “Right,” I thought, “this is a sign that you need to text her.” I had actually been meaning to text her for the … Read more
This one’s a re-post: enjoy! Even if you’re late to the meeting, don’t look rushed. Even if the speaker before you cut into your time by ten minutes, don’t look rushed. Even if you overcommitted and have two other places to be, don’t look rushed. Looking rushed is a default intention. It’s an effort we’re … Read more
Hi friends! This will be my last blog post for a while. I have been playing with the idea of phasing out this element of my creative work for a month or so, and it feels like the time has come. I want to thank you for reading, for sharing my posts with others, and … Read more
