Don’t want to be too bossy in your presentations? Think again. When you give a presentation, it’s important to tell your audience what you’d like them to do…and why they should do it. Two reasons: From your point of view: You have an agenda…a reason for giving the presentation. Typically you want something of them…. Read More »

Being questioned and questioning others in meetings can feel uncomfortable…but they don’t need to.  There’s a saying that’s a little off-color, but it describes the phenomenon perfectly. “Piece of crap in the center of the universe.” We feel both superior and inferior at the same time and that reflects in our communications with colleagues around… Read More »

Do you have trouble speaking up in meetings? With your friends you are fine, but in a business setting you clam up? I’ve worked with numerous people who experience this phenomenon. Some came from families who rebuffed their opinions so they learned not to offer them. Whatever the root cause, these clients feel scared of… Read More »

Turn your next dinner party into a learning opportunity! What your do naturally at the table can help guide your behavior in business meetings. Think about these components the next time you share a meal with friends, and consider how you might apply them to your next meeting. 1. Tell a story Telling a story… Read More »

When you give a presentation or a speech, do you sound like an author reading from your book or like a person having a conversation? If you chose the former, chances are you are not connecting with your audience as well as you could be. Humans have conversations with each other. We don’t like to… Read More »

I was recently reminded of the importance of the balance between visuals and the spoken word. I led a session for a small group from a very successful boutique branding and design firm. After discussing the content of an effective presentation, they each delivered a sales or progress report presentation. I knew they would blow… Read More »

Would you notice a gorilla in the midst of a basketball game? That’s what participants saw in an experiment mentioned by Manohla Dargis in her article from the New York Times entitled “What You See is What You Get.”  She describes a phenomenom called “Inattentional Blindness.” In terms of film, it’s when we don’t notice… Read More »

If you’ve ever sold or shopped for a house or apartment, you know that staging your home has become de rigueur for finding a buyer and getting a good offer. An article in the New York Times, “Ruthless Came the Home Stager”  describes the art of staging. My take-away? A good home stager is a… Read More »

William Zinsser, author of the classic book “On Writing Well,” wrote that the four basic premises of writing are clarity, brevity, simplicity and humanity. Today, let’s examine “humanity,” defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary as “the quality or state of being human.” What does “humanity” mean in the context of writing a presentation? For me,… Read More »

A recent client was preparing to give a PowerPoint presentation at an industry event. A freelance colleague of hers had done a good job helping her create a preliminary presentation, writing the copy for the slides and the notes sections. In a creative field, my client produced the visuals. Although they are both experts in… Read More »