SpeakHQ Blog
A special public speaking challenge is to be the emcee (MC), or host, of an event. Unlike giving a talk where you are the star, the primary job of the emcee is to help the whole event function well. It requires a different framework for thinking about what success looks like. Instead of just delivering…
Read MoreOne of the most common bad habits people have when speaking to groups is saying “ummmm” or “uhhhh” between words. Here’s an excerpt from Confessions of a Public Speaker that explains why we do this: Most people say umms and uhhs when they speak. These are called filler sounds and we make them mostly to…
Read MoreSince the release of Confessions of a Public Speaker, I’ve been quietly coaching and training speakers, both individually but also as speake coach for Ignite Seattle, the largest open submission public speaking event in the Pacific Northwest. Over the years I’ve refined a full day workshop, filled with fun exercises and effective lessons, and I’m proud…
Read MoreIf you know anything about my story, you know I’ve been speaking in front of audiences for many years. I wrote the book Confessions of A Public Speaker to teach the lessons I’d learned, largely the hard way through hundreds of presentations, in a way more practical and honest than most books I’d seen. But…
Read MoreI did an entire presentation on How To Overcome Tough Presentation Situations, based on Confessions of A Public Speaker. If you’re looking for the raw list of situations and remedies, they’re in the slides below.
Read MoreBased on the national bestseller Confessions of a Public Speaker, this fun, fast paced and practice centric workshop will surprise you. Taught by one of the best and most experienced coaches in Seattle, this day makes it fun and easy to improve speaking skills for a variety of common professional situations. You’ll gain confidence through constructive expert…
Read MoreFor any skill, the only way to improve is through practice. Reading about that skill is not practice. Watching other people do something is not practice. Reading and watching can only help you develop a skill if you apply what you learn while you are practicing. Most people do not practice, which is why most…
Read MorePeople laugh when I tell them I’m a professional speaker. They assume at first that I’m some kind of self-help guru or infomercial star. But when I explain that the average American says 15,000 words a day[1], mostly at work, and frequently to convince others of their ideas, they stop laughing. I explain I’m primarily…
Read MoreLast week I had the pleasure of speaking for a second time at Webstock in Wellington, New Zealand. Natasha Lampard, Mike Brown and all the organizers exemplify many great things organizers hope to achieve. They run an amazing event and I was inspired to share what I thought they did so well. Like great design, a…
Read MoreI did an entire presentation on How To Overcome Tough Presentation Situations, based on Confessions of A Public Speaker. If you’re looking for the raw list of situations and remedies, they’re in the slides below. Watch the presentation online here for free. Or view the slides below (download if you prefer – 2MB PDF): Below is the Q&A…
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