In this post I’ve listed a few of the rhetorical devices you’ll often find in speeches, poetry, and prose. It might not be your first thought to include them in your own works. Reconsider, because they can genuinely raise the quality of a talk and provide your audience with a richer experience. [...]
Did you ever watch a speaker and grow to trust them as a result of the bits of information they subtly shared? If so, you probably saw 'seeding' in action. As a professional singer as well as a speaking coach, I like to use examples from the world of pop music, so bear with me [...]
Did you ever fluff your Q&A session, coming away from a speech thinking you could have made a better impression? It’s a good idea to conclude your talk after the Q&A rather than before. Q&A sessions can be difficult to control and it’s better for you to leave the audience with a positive final image [...]
How To Be A More Authentic Public Speaker - Identify Your Why One way we can become more authentic public speakers is to know and share our ‘why’. Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why puts forth the idea that people will identify with your why—your overarching mission in life—more than with your job title, goals, [...]
How To Be A More Authentic Public Speaker - The Importance of Knowing Your Values Our values are what drive us in life. Knowing your values as a speaker will help you become much more powerful on stage. By knowing your values you’ll be fully aware of your strengths and can use them to become [...]
What do the phrases below have in common? The path from sickness to health The blind woman who had the vision to do what was right One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind (maybe you've already come across this one!) Each phrase contains contrast. The inclusion of contrast is a straightforward [...]
In our most recent DIVA live meeting the focus was on how to INSPIRE with our speaking. In particular, we were talking about sharing failure as a route to inspiring others. The very next day, I saw this article in The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connect/small-business/public-speaking-tips-for-small-business-owners/ Check out point 2 about sharing failures. Please don't be afraid to [...]
As we reach the end of the year, it's often a time for self-reflection. Time for an assessment of what went well, what could have gone better, and what to focus on in the coming year. In the last month or so I've done a bunch of self-assessment tests around personality type, values and strengths. [...]
Recently, someone bought me Alex Ikonn's The Five Minute Journal. I've always struggled with journaling but TFMJ has made it easy for me to write down my daily goals and my end-of-day reflections. It struck me that a great place to record public speaking goals is in a daily journal. Public speaking is a journey. [...]
Do you need to create slides for work? This week a new 1-to-1 client started coaching with me. She works in finance and has to prepare an important presentation for her boss. She confessed that she didn't know how to use PowerPoint and was worried she didn't have the time to get to grips with [...]
