Speaking tips blog
Communication matters. What are you saying?
Speaker Evaluation: Three Tips for Dealing with a Negative Review
Dealing with a Negative Speaker Evaluation A speaker evaluation is important to all speakers who sincerely want to improve their craft. As a speaker, I get lots of gifts. The crystal clock (that got tossed in my carry-on and security picked up as a “dense object”). ...
Technology Failure During Your Presentation: 3 Tips for How to Handle
When Technology Fails During Your Presentation Having a technology failure during a presentation is almost inevitable. I recently gave a one-hour lunch-and-learn for some folks at a tech company. They wanted me to talk about some of the common pitfalls that...
Three Skills that Drive Confidence in Public Speaking
The most popular phone call we get at MillsWyck Communications The situations are different but the calls are the same about confidence in public speaking: conference speaker, all-hands meeting, wedding toast, stand before peers speaking in a second language, or asked...
Speaking and Writing: Similarities and Differences
Similarities and Differences Between Speaking and Writing There are many similarities between speaking and writing. While I’ve never considered myself a writer by trade, I have long recognized the similarities between writing and speaking. Writing my book was the...
Storytelling: The One Skill Every Master Communicator Uses
Storytelling in Public Speaking: The number one characteristic that makes a speaker great. That’s my story (and I’m sticking to it) Storytelling in public speaking is the number one characteristic that makes a speaker great. I had an attendee at one of my speaking...
The Speech Coach Genie’s Wish
What is the Speech Coach Genie's Top Wish? The first question a speech coach asks starts with the end in mind. As kids, dreaming and wishing were part of our daily ritual. Whether it was trying to put ourselves into a fantasy world with a Disney character, imagining...
Three Tips on How to Avoid Being Misinterpreted When Speaking
Do you know how to avoid being misinterpreted when speaking? Ever had a child, a co-worker, or a friend misquote you? It can be embarrassing, inefficient, or perhaps hurtful. Or worse. Read on to see what you can do to ensure communication success. What they say...
Communication Principles for Effective Managers and Teachers
Three Communication Principles Every Manager and Teacher Should Use Communication skills matter. High school finals are coming in our house. It’s been a long time since I last took a final exam, and it’s hard to imagine having the mental discipline to study for one...
Emceeing an Event — Dealing with Unexpected Issues
Emceeing an Event A Speaker's lessons from the trenches I recently had the opportunity of emceeing an event, a large fundraising banquet. It presented several challenges: Introducing a speaker who I would not meet and did not know personally Connecting several parts...
Public Speaking: Creating the Impression You Want
Public Speaking: Creating the Impression You Want In public speaking, creating the impression you want isn't always easy. Aristotle wisely said: “The impression created by the speaker as he utters the speech is the single greatest power of persuasion.” How you...
Mythbusters: Public Speaking Edition
Public Speaking Myths In the last two weeks, I’ve had multiple students in my workshops ask incredulously, “I get what you’re teaching, but I was taught the exact opposite. Which is correct?” Those are the sorts of questions that can strike fear into the heart of an...
Public Speaking Tips from the Trump and Clinton Debate
On September 26th, America endured the first U.S. Presidential debate. There are many Public Speaking tips from the Trump and Clinton debate you can learn and apply to your own speaking. Don’t expect me to weigh in on fact checkers or who won or who leads or who is...
