Utilizing pauses in speech can create a deeper connection with your audience. At a recent speaking event, I was conversing with an audience member before I took the stage, and the concept of “ma” came up. What is “ma”? No, it’s not another word for your mom. It’s a Japanese concept that translates to “pause”, […]
How to Build a Successful Relationship with a Meeting Planner
One important element that should not be overlooked is the relationship one builds with the meeting planner. One of the best ways to keep your speaking pipeline filled is to build a successful relationship with a meeting or event planner as their success is related to your success. The following are several ways to ensure […]
How Vulnerability Can Make You a Better Speaker
Transform into a more compelling, relatable speaker by being vulnerable. I recently worked with a client on crafting a presentation for her organization’s internal conference. She had a compelling story she wanted to share, yet wondered how much detail she should share. The question that arose was how vulnerable is too vulnerable? When does sharing […]
5 Tips to Make Your Presentation Memorable
When you make your presentation memorable you keep your audience engaged. In a recent conversation with a meeting planner, she asked me about the ‘take-home’ message in my presentation. What will the audience remember when they leave my session? Quickly, I rattled off the phrase: ‘consciously connecting through communication’. I like alliteration, so I intentionally […]
5 Ways to Ensure Effective Cross-Cultural Communication
Become a more effective speaker by strengthening your cross-cultural communication skills. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to audiences in other countries (virtually) as well as coach professionals not from the United States who wanted to improve their presentation delivery to a US-based audience. Whether speaking to an audience from a country […]
Alternatives to Resolutions for Achieving Your Goals
Alternatives to resolutions can shift our approach and can ultimately make achieving our goals more likely to happen. Options for creating “resolutions”: 1. Reflection and Gratitude Before setting new goals, spend time reflecting on the past year. Reflection has been shown to accelerate our learning and performance. Acknowledge your accomplishments in the past year and […]