Looking for a way to spice up your speeches and presentations and connect better with your audience? Metaphors can help you do just that. Last week my husband, Michael, asked me for some public speaking help. He was preparing to speak at a human resource conference about building a leadership coaching culture in business. “I…
Imagine this. You’re really good at what you do, yet when the time comes to give a presentation, speak in public or conduct a meeting, you feel uneasy. Maybe your heart races, or you have a hard time organizing your thoughts. Maybe you look around the room and wonder, “how the heck did I get…
This one’s for the thinkers and problem-solvers. Do you love a good challenge to think things through, connect the dots and come up with a solution? Me, too. And that leads to burnout, fast. I didn’t know I had a problem until my friend and client, Gwynne, a former lawyer turned non-profit executive Director, pointed…
Has this ever happened to you? “In meetings I can see eyes glazing over and sometimes the client gets up and takes a phone call! How can I keep people from tuning out when I talk?” This question came up in a recent workshop on making meetings more engaging. And it’s not the first time…
I hear from clients all the time who say, “My employees don’t talk to each other!” To which I’ll ask, “Are you giving them a reason to talk?” A Reason to Talk My 14 year old niece, Abby, called the other day. She’s not a phone person, so my heart skipped a beat when I…
I love rock & roll. So when my husband, Michael, and I had the chance to see Joan Jett & the Blackhearts play at the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston last month we jumped at the chance. At 59 years old, Joan Jett still knows how to rock the stage! Her look hasn’t changed…
I recently gave a talk that didn’t go as well as planned. Humor fell flat. New elements didn’t engage the audience in (what I consider) a meaningful way. Nerves got the best of me. As I drove home this ticker tape ran through my mind: “That was awful” “What were you thinking?” “You’ll never speak…
Over the winter my husband, Michael, and I hung three bird houses in the back yard. We got inspired last Spring after a bird family built a nest in one of our backyard rose bushes. Unfortunately the babies didn’t make it. They were exposed to predators. So, day after day we watched the houses waiting…
Who do you need to become to get the results you want as a speaker, leader or business owner? Let me explain what I mean. Example 1: In charge and in control Last week during a coaching call with Terri, she told me about an upcoming meeting with someone who always makes her feel nervous….
Want to feel more confident about an upcoming presentation? Marie, VP of Operations at a boutique consulting firm, did when she emailed me for help. “I don’t have a lot of time to prepare!” she told me. Luckily her presentation was short – 15 minutes on a topic she knew well – the history of…