by Alan | Mar 31, 2009 | Communication skills, Content, PowerPoint, public speaking
I’ve seen a rash of presentations in recent days that have recycled PowerPoint slides. The mere fact that I know this is a problem. But it usually manifests itself in words as well as the faulty visual. Some examples:Presentation date...
by Alan | Feb 16, 2009 | Communication skills, Efficiency, public speaking
I was teaching/coaching a group last week and they were hitting their head against the wall. We were discussing making things interesting with good openers, and the basic tenor in the class was “I don’t think this topic (I) is (am) very...
by Alan | Feb 15, 2009 | Communication skills, Parenting, public speaking
I’m reading Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers book. He could write about cow dung and make it interesting. This one caught my eye because he asks what it takes to be really good — no, GREAT — at something. I’m facing that most with my kids....
by Alan | Dec 9, 2008 | Communication skills, Delivery, public speaking
I watch a lot of speakers use rhetorical questions to get the audience’s feedback, make them think, or try to engage them. I probably do it more than anyone I’ve ever watched. But it’s not easy to do well.The hardest part about asking questions...
by Alan | Aug 21, 2008 | Communication skills, public speaking
Got a bad haircut yesterday. It looks pretty weird. But in my world, the difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut is about 2 weeks. It’ll be fine.But I hate it. It bothers me. I want so much to make sure everyone knows I hate it. That way I can make...
by Alan | Aug 20, 2008 | Communication skills, public speaking
With the folks I coach, it seems that many believe looking at notes is a bad thing for a speaker to do. People try all sorts of sly ways to get around pausing to look at their notes: from furtive glances to drive bys to strategic placement of cue cards.I’ve...
