Habits Are Neutral (until they’re not)
I’m taking a sabbatical from writing new blog posts. You’ll be seeing some re-runs and old favorites for the next little while. You can always write me back with suggestions or ideas just by responding to this email! Anything you frequently do leads to habits. You probably brush your teeth, wash your hands, and get …
Be Quiet.
I’m taking a sabbatical from writing new blog posts. You’ll be seeing some re-runs and old favorites for the next little while. You can always write me back with suggestions or ideas just by responding to this email! Many people find silence difficult: a pause of even a few seconds can feel awkward and interminable. …
What’s Different When We’re There in Person
I’m taking a sabbatical from writing new blog posts. You’ll be seeing some re-runs and old favorites for the next little while. This post was originally published in August of 2021. You can always write me back with suggestions or ideas just by responding to this email! I attended a funeral last week. The woman …
The Very Obvious Reason to Slow Down
One area we often coach in public speaking and presentation skills is pace, and specifically, speaking quickly. There’s a lot to be said about the reasons for different vocal speeds, why it matters, etc. But the point I want to make today is this: when you slow down, you make fewer mistakes. That’s it. When …
Who Is This For?
I am a big fan of the writer and thinker Seth Godin. His approach to marketing, in particular, is refreshing and innovative. One of the questions Seth asks is: “Who is this for?” It can apply to a product, a service, or an experience. “Who is this for?” It helps the creator get very specific …
A Celebration of Uniqueness!
I want to take this space today to celebrate Ignite CSP senior coach Neela Munoz—it’s her birthday! In honor of this special day, I’m sharing a video Neela created to help our clients stop underselling one of their most unique attributes–their names! Happy birthday, Neela! We love you!
Are You Hiding?
There are great reasons any speaker might have notes, slides, or a podium to speak from. But in each case, these should be tools to help the speaker deliver their message, not a way to hide from the audience. Do you rely on your slides to carry the bulk of your talk? Are they loaded …
Bad Feedback
When we ask the nearest person for their feedback, there is no guarantee that they are knowledgeable about the things we want to know about. Usually, they will still agree to weigh in. This is how bad advice gets traction in the world. Here were a couple of things I heard recently that this blog …
Your Outside Affects Your Inside
You know that I like to think about communication as starting from the mental (intention) and moving to the physical (alignment). But it’s also true that changing your body can affect how you feel! (We’re complicated creatures.) When you’re nervous, what do you do? Many people focus on why they’re nervous, maybe going over the …
One Way to Deliver Your Three-Point Talk
Yesterday I wrote about the classic three-point talk and its benefits. Today I’m going to give you a technique to use to deliver your next three-point talk. It’s the Overlapping Circles technique, beautifully sketched by me below: One way to help your audience follow your talk is to physically locate the different elements in different …
