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After the third attempt by my 6 year old to ride her new bicycle, she predicted that by age 8 she’d be able to ride on her own without help. She kept practicing almost every day. Three days later I was able to release my hold on the saddle in little bits at a time, still...

After hearing a fellow Certified Speaking Professional deliver a peach of a speech recently, I asked him how he manages to speak to audiences with such ease and confidence. He surprised me by replying that it was not always so. On probing a little, he revealed to me how he got to...

Since presentation skills training is one of the things we are best known for, I thought of giving you some really important pointers on presenting, just in case you have a presentation looming and you haven’t the time to get yourself on to a programme. No-one starts out as...

Imagine a sports person taking the field for a key match without months of preparation coupled with the required experience? But this is what so many presenters do – they step up to the podium inadequately prepared thinking their product knowledge and charm will get them...

You may vividly remember the first time you ever gave a presentation of some sort, or perhaps you don’t. What you should however remember, very vividly, is the first presentation you delivered that went wrong. What you’ll remember is the panic of being out of control....

There is such a proliferation of content available on just about any topic now that if your content is not interesting and well presented – be it written or spoken, it is unlikely to receive much attention. This applies not only to the written word where the reader can...

It may seem obvious to the seasoned presenter that excellence develops as a result of consistent planning and ultimately by gaining experience. But with experience comes another tool for advanced presenters who have moved their focus beyond worrying about popularity. Presenters...

Fear of losing one’s way in a presentation is the underlying reason why presenters become so dependent on their slide shows. The more dependent you become on your slide show, the more slides you create. The more slides you create the longer it takes to create – and...

Could you drive your car, speak on the phone, eat a pizza, read the newspaper and watch a movie all at the same time? Probably not, particularly if you’re male. But that’s what many audiences are expected to do all across the world, every day as presenters toil to...

I have heard that the number one reason prospects don’t buy from a salesperson is that the former failed to actually ASK for the business. If my personal experience is anything to go by, this must be true. But it goes a little further than this. You can ask for the business...

To almost everyone who delivers them, presentations mean pressure. Time pressure, preparation pressure, content pressure, rehearsal pressure – you name it! Subliminally we all experience it, to a greater or lesser degree. The degree is more often than not related to the...

Have you ever reached the 5 minute mark during a presentation, turned to the person next to you and inquired “What on earth is he on about?” I’m sure you have. Me too. There can be several reasons for this confusion. Let’s look at them, or more...