Monthly Archives: April 2016

[On] Point to Ponder: When You’re the Speaker

Remember giving speeches in high school? How you hated standing at the podium in front of your friends? How you were sure they’d laugh at you, point out all your weaknesses, or just plain ignore you? You’d think these experiences of fear, dread, and severe nervousness would be a thing of the past for speakers…

[On] Point to Ponder: “Do Stories belong in my Slide Deck?”

When you tell a story during a presentation, which slide is on the screen as you tell it? The truth is, I have a love-hate relationship with slide presentations. Microsoft launched Power Point in 1990, almost 26 years ago. The business world has changed dramatically as a result of this tool, for better and for…

[On] Point to Ponder: Why do Speakers Ramble?

Last week I took questions at the end of a talk on Storytelling in Business. One woman raised her hand and asked, “Why do so many speakers ramble? Why do they sometimes go on and on … and on?” She had obviously been held captive – on numerous occasions – by speakers who have committed…

CTL 2016 – “Strengths Finder” on Public Speaking

I just spent 2 days at the Career Thought Leaders Conference in Denver and presented alongside a talented group of business owners. When I was in the audience, I was able to engage in one of my favorite activities: Watching speakers, and finding their strengths. The speaker lineup was excellent overall. Here’s a rundown of…