It’s becoming a national nightmare for the working class in this country.
According to a recent survey — ONLY 45 percent of today’s employees are satisfied with their work.
Not surprising, this was the lowest level ever recorded by the Conference Board research group in more than 22 years ... Views: 1619
It was 1990 and I was back in NYC from LA dealing with my terminally ill mother in Cedar Sinai Hospital. Three years earlier, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. As you might have experienced yourself, back in those days the dreaded chemo was really the only treatment available. She put up the ... Views: 1634
Perhaps you've been there yourself. You are listening to a speaker drone on with facts and figures… and figures and facts. At that moment your eyes are rolling towards the back of your head. As I always say - audiences will forgive a lot of things from you -- but they will never forgive a ... Views: 2993
Talking to the Bureau in Person or On the Phone
Before you call a speaking bureau, do some research to figure out which ones match your goals. Just as two snowflakes aren't a like -- it's the same with speakers bureaus.
Your best plan (and you'll discover if they are truly interested in ... Views: 2443
Okay, you've decided to go into business for yourself. You have some seed money to start your new business, but you know you need to get the word out to your targeted audience that you are open for "business". Problem is, your seed money can only buy a few plants. :) Well, lucky you. I am about ... Views: 1383
There's no getting around it: The moment you bound onto the platform or stage your credibility is at stake. And one way to cement your credibility is to master the art of Q & A (short for Questions and Answers)
Look at how Q & A's are done on the political battlefields. Remember the Hillary ... Views: 1833
Whether you’re a professional public speaker or someone occasionally called upon to speak at company meetings… or to prospective clients… you want to make sure your audience quickly “gets” your message.
The way to do it is to brand yourself. In other words, to sum up your message with a ... Views: 1722
The speakers people like the most, or who have the greatest impact, are said to have “presence.” Something special that leaps out at you. Certain actors have it, and that makes them "stars." Certain models (who by the way are sometime average looking people in real life) somehow "click" with ... Views: 3625
Have you ever really sat down or studied what it takes to become and effective speaker? Well, to begin, you should first determine where you are in the speaking world.
Do you want to be a professional speaker who makes this your livelihood? Are you a weekend warrior who does this part-time to ... Views: 1552
Humor and the Size of the Audience
Welcome back to part II. In a group of ten or more, there is emotional protection and thus it is easier for someone to laugh. The jokes that work for a large group of people are those with generally accepted interests or concerns.
Example: Here’s a ... Views: 1552
Peter Fogel's "How to NOT to Compete With Food While Delivering a Speech or Presentation!"
This truly could be the bane of any speaker's existence.
Just think: You have to WOW your audience (who might never have seen you before)…. you have to deal with the set of the room (location ... Views: 1687
This truly could be the bane of any speaker's existence. Just think: You have to WOW your audience (who might never have seen you before)…. you have to deal with the set of the room (location of chairs and tables near platform) and NOW, you have the nightmare of having to deal with food that is ... Views: 1372
The first part of connecting with the audience is to do the proper research for the event. And by that I mean, you have to do your homework.
You have to consult with the client and event planner and truly understand the reason your presentation has been arranged-- and why they chose ... Views: 3606
When transitioning from my former career as a stand-up comic into my new one as “The Reinvention Guy,” I realized that one of the things that had been holding me back from accomplishing my goals was the desperation of wanting success too badly.
I swore that once I transformed myself, I would ... Views: 1442
Preparing your speech and writing appropriate stories can be a challenge at the best of times, but the real challenge is in using and writing those stories in such a way that they really engage your audience.
First, think about how other speakers and presenters manage to grab your ... Views: 1597
Welcome back to Storytelling Tips and Tactics. As I mentioned in my previous article… specificity sells and makes a story more personal!
When it comes to effective story telling give your audience a place to envision by telling them the specific location of your joke or story. For instance, ... Views: 3794
I always say when it comes to speaking or performing, you must adhere to Murphy's Law. What can wrong … will. I don't know who this Murphy was, but perhaps he should get in touch with Montezuma (and his revenge.)
Please note, dear reader, I am not a fatalist. I am more of a realist. Yes, you ... Views: 2971
OK If I Laugh Now?
It seems the jury is out on this one, with opinion divided on whether or not it is okay to laugh at your own jokes. Maybe it's just me (although I doubt it given the number of comedians and humorous speakers who also laugh at their own jokes.
But I believe the aim of a ... Views: 3272
One of the reasons I like writing articles is that I can test out real world public speaking techniques and then share my results to you.
Which brings me to a recent speaking engagement that was… how do I say this delicately …well, NOT the ideal speaking situation.
In fact, for any ... Views: 1691
Ever drive a stick shift in a car? If you have, then you soon discovered if you don't use the clutch the right way (too fast or too slow -- or not at all), the gears will collide and you'll hear an annoying and scary grinding of metal. Most new teenage drivers know this hellacious sound. ... Views: 1896
I don't know how to say this any clearer: But most people are lazy. (Not you, of course, I am talking about other people who are reading this article.)
And being lazy is part of human nature. A body at rest; stays at rest… a body in motion yada, yada, yada…
Anyway, the reason I am asking ... Views: 1592
If you want to reboot your career and get results, you need to start a career journal that will allow you to review those "old contracts" with yourself.
They help you realize that those “contracts” are just expectations you set for yourself when you were younger and enable you to evaluate ... Views: 2008
If you are thinking of changing careers or reinventing yourself at your present job, (and you don’t think you’re up to the task), well here’s a survey you should know about.
According to the University of Chicago study done on achieving goals — it was shown that those who relish challenge are ... Views: 1410
There's no getting around it: The moment you bound onto the platform or stage your credibility is at stake. And one way to cement your credibility is to master the art of Q & A (short for Questions and Answers)
Look at how Q & A's are done on the political battlefields. Remember the Hillary ... Views: 1788
The beleaguered carpenter ran his hand over the wood the way a horse trainer stokes the back of the thoroughbred that he is about to take out for a run.
In happier times this artisan was in high demand. Of course, this was before “the accident” that shocked the town. “No mistakes… not THIS ... Views: 3946
Before the turn of the century breaking into the world of consulting and freelance
work was a buyer's market, but that has changed. What changed this market were
the corporate structures themselves.
Corporations and even smaller companies decided that they could no longer maintain a large ... Views: 1818
There are basic principles of humor that can enliven your talk. Perhaps the most important one is to avoid telling generic "funny stories," Instead, find and build more humor within the context of personal stories.
To make your mark as a speaker… to get into the hearts and minds of your ... Views: 1823
New speakers (as well as audience members) occasionally approach me after one of my keynote presentations and ask me how I knew I wanted to be a speaker.
Well, that is certainly a good question that has many answers. However, the one resounding theme that percolates inside my head as to why I ... Views: 1596
It seems the jury is out on this one, with opinion divided on whether or not it is okay for a professional public speaker to laugh at your own jokes.
Maybe it's just me (although I doubt it given the number of comedians and humorists who also laugh at their own jokes), but I believe the aim ... Views: 4162
There is a major 'problemo' that a lot of speakers sometime fall into when using Power Point. I call it upstaging yourself. 'Upstaging' is a 'technique' that stage actors have been using 'against' each other since Greek times. It happens when one actor moves up the stage which in turn makes ... Views: 3218
As I mentioned in Part I, being specific sells and makes a story more personal. Give your audience a place to envision by telling them the specific location of your joke or story. For instance, say you were in Tommy's Diner in Hoboken, New Jersey -- as opposed to just saying New Jersey. Your ... Views: 1693
Have you ever really sat down or studied what it takes to become and effective speaker? Well, to begin, you should first determine where you are in the speaking world.
Do you want to be a professional speaker who makes this your livelihood? Are you a weekend warrior who does this part-time to ... Views: 1496
Have you ever thought about speaking on cruise ships?
Now, I’m not talking about chit chat at your assigned dinner table here.
I am talking about standing in front of five hundred to a thousand people in a gorgeous show room (or smaller lounge) and sharing your passion and expertise on ... Views: 2071
New speakers (as well as audience members) occasionally approach me after one of my keynote presentations and ask me how I knew I wanted to be a speaker. Well, that is certainly a good question that has many answers. However, the one resounding theme that percolates inside my head as to why I ... Views: 2160
As a professional speaker, not all of your talks will be designed to be humorous or entertaining in that fashion.
Sometimes your talk may be on serious subjects to elicit
donations or certain actions from people in positions of influence. In these instances, you still need to wear your ... Views: 4074
Biorhythmic differences aside, generally speaking, the majority of people are not at their peak first thing in the morning. What does this mean for you if you want to public speak like a pro? Especially if you're expected to "warm them up" with your witty repartee?
Well, it means that ... Views: 3422
I've been studying and as a copywriter writing for the financial markets for quite a while now. Of course, I am not an expert, more than anything I come from school of hard knocks. So here are some aspects that you should think about when and if you want to take the prudent approach to financial ... Views: 1483
Striking out on our own can be liberating and a bit scary. I don't know of anyone
who has taken a real jump and regretted it, but I haven't talked to everyone who has either. I have talked to several who wound up going back to the corporate cubicles, licking a few wounds, but they still didn't ... Views: 1458
It would be nice to think that the companies on the leading edge of work/life balance programs are simply being good citizens and doing the right thing! But, the fact is that these programs make good business sense.
In addition to increased productivity and employee satisfaction, companies ... Views: 1565
New speakers make the mistake of focusing all their creative efforts on the body of their talk, and maybe the opening. But guess what? The 'close' is just as important as the 'opening' of your talk.
In fact, your audience may remember you more from your close than from your opening. If ... Views: 3418
Persuasive public speaking is all about connecting with your audience. One of the quickest ways to heighten your audience connection is to use a theatre acting technique called 'Breaking the Fourth Wall.
One of the reasons you go to the theatre is to be transported to a different time
and ... Views: 3449
From an audience perspective, there is nothing more boring than listening to somebody drone on and on, using correct but unexciting language and ruining what might otherwise have been an interesting subject.
And there is nothing more mind numbing than having to listen to somebody drone on ... Views: 1607
When you’re speaking, do you rely too much on your audience? Are you always getting negative messages from their body language and facial expressions?
When you’re speaking, do you rely too much on your audience? Are you always getting negative messages from their body language and facial ... Views: 2835
With over twenty-four years experience performing stand-up comedy, writing comedy, and doing audience warm-up on sitcoms, I've learned that using humor in a corporate setting is a lot different than in a comedy club. For success here, you must tread carefully. To that end, I offer you my five ... Views: 3702
If you want to clearly get your message across in front of an audience, guess what? You can communicate in a very effective fashion with not only your words, but with other methods of communication that do not involve speech at all. Alright, now you're wondering how a speaker can speak to an ... Views: 1812
I have an entrepreneur friend who is an engaging speaker. He always gets high marks on audience evaluations.
On stage, he comes off as quite confident. Watching him, you’d think he was loaded with self-esteem.
In fact, the opposite is true. And at a recent presentation, he let his audience ... Views: 2420
"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." ~Victor Frankl
Did you see the HBO movie The Life and Death of Peter Sellers? Sellers was always transforming himself. The man slipped into a persona as easily as you or I would slip into a pair of ... Views: 1631
Speakers and writers share one thing in common – they’re both susceptible to mind blocks.
This is where your mind goes blank and you can’t think of anything new to write and speak about. You feel like you’re facing a blank wall; your creativity has left you. ... Views: 2716
One of the most important things as a speaker has to do to make an impact with their audience - is to control the environment they are in.
Believe it or not, some speakers get the “gig” (aka the engagement) show up at the correct time and realize the seating arrangements or the lighting is ... Views: 2820
There’s no doubt that speakers put a lot of time into developing the content for their speeches. Unfortunately, as you’re well aware of, because of sensory overload
audiences will only be able to digest two to three points of your talk. (yes, they will channel surf when you speak) So your rule ... Views: 2805