Psst! You're a windbag!
Speak Schmeak
by
2M ago
Hey you! You're a windbag. ?‍? ?️?️?️ Sure, you're an esteemed expert and authority in your field. You're sought out for the value you bring to conferences. You have knowlege and experience that's not easy to find in a speaker. But... ? You looooove to hear yourself talk. ? Your ratio of lecture to engagement is wayyyy off. ? You're so verbose that your audience can't even breathe. ? Your language is anything but plain, and way over their heads. You've been doing this so long, that you've forgotten the most basic concepts about giving a presentation: ?You can't expect bored attendees ..read more
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If you're not nervous, your presentation might suffer
Speak Schmeak
by
6M ago
If you're not nervous, your presentation might suffer. It doesn't mean you have to be shaking in your boots to give a good performance (because that's not good for anyone), and it doesn't mean that you can't experience incredible energy and a sense of flow and connection during the performance. What it means is that, in order to do a good job, we have to *care.* We have to be committed to delivering our best AND delivering what the audience needs, wants, and cares about. And there is ALWAYS uncertainty when you're getting in front of a group for the first time. I'm giving my first significant ..read more
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Make a fool of yourself
Speak Schmeak
by
7M ago
When we were in LA recently, I made my husband drive around the block into an alley with this blue wall, and then take about a hundred pictures of me so I could make graphics like this one. ? Do I feel foolish doing these poses in public while people walk and drive by? Maybe a little. ?? My husband is very patient with my requests; he knows that any time we go somewhere together, I might ask him to stop in a weird place and take some weird pictures. But taking silly pictures and videos in public is probably the LEAST embarrassing thing I do on a regular basis. I make a fool of myself practica ..read more
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Sometimes you're not meant to be part of the conversation
Speak Schmeak
by
8M ago
I was once reading a conversation started by a Black person about anti-Black hate crimes, and I thought it would be helpful to mention antisemitism and the hate crimes that Jews experience. Why did I think that would be helpful? ?? Maybe I thought Black people needed to know that Jews are also victims of violence? (Nope, they already know that.) Maybe I thought I was offering solidarity? (I wasn't. I was making it about myself.) Maybe I thought the conversation needed "different perspectives?" (It didn't. It was a conversation meant to educate and bring awareness about people's lived experien ..read more
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Do your slides advance and enhance your message?
Speak Schmeak
by
8M ago
Me: Introduces the Van Gogh of slides. Audience: So, about those quarterly reports. When you're using slides, you have to balance visual engagement and relevant information. ⚖️ A slide that's beautiful but doesn't advance your message is just as pointless as a slide with 12 bullets and a title that says, "Why Bother? No Choice Soon = Science (testing) Advances, Media 'Instant Messaging' Globally, Risk Management, Sustainability No Longer Altruistic." (Yes, a real slide from a conference I attended.) ? I'm a huge fan of slides, and I use them in most of my presentations. However, I don't use b ..read more
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Are your identities "real?"
Speak Schmeak
by
8M ago
Are you a "real" writer? A "real" artist? A "real" speaker?? I've published a nonfiction book, a microfiction story, and I write practically every day, as well as competing in writing challenges. I even wrote a children's book that I've never published. Why does it feel weird to call myself a writer? Do you have the same barrier?? We watched the movie "A Little White Lie," and this bit of dialogue hurt: "Teresa: I'm excited for the students to meet, like, a real writer. Shriver: Well, aren't there plenty of real writers here? T., Simone? Teresa: It's like the only place you can find their boo ..read more
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You get the courage after you do it
Speak Schmeak
by
10M ago
You're not going to build public speaking confidence before you do it. That's not the way it works. You have to actually do the presentations, build the skills, get the experience, survive and learn from your mistakes. That's how you build your confidence. And every time you you mess up and you don't die, you put that in your back pocket and you pull it out the next time you need a little bit of courage to get in front of an audience or to do something risky. Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to build courage or confidence if you're not doing the thing you're scared shitless of. [Thanks to "Thr ..read more
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Time, flow, engagement: Top three presentation challenges
Speak Schmeak
by
10M ago
You're a business leader in the cutthroat corporate world, and presentations are one of your battlegrounds. You may or may not love giving presentations, but they're a critical part of getting your message in front of the people who need to hear it. So what's getting in the way of you delivering your most compelling, concise and powerful message? There are probably more, but let's just focus on these three... 1. No time You're busier than ever, juggling countless tasks and projects, and barely coming up for air. So when it comes to prepping your next presentation, let's just say you wing ..read more
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Is "fake it till you make it" bad advice?
Speak Schmeak
by
10M ago
Do you hate the expression "fake it till you make it?" To me, the issue isn't so much with the idea of "faking it" as it is with "making it." Honestly, I fake it all the time. When I attend an event where I'm nervous and don't know anyone, and would rather be at home with my laptop and cats, you can bet I'm faking confidence when I first walk in. I kind of play a character, but the character is ME: the most confident, outgoing version of me. And the beauty of it is, as I warm up and meet people, the character goes away, and the confident, outgoing version of me remains. It's one thing to pret ..read more
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Visibility can be awkward; do it anyway
Speak Schmeak
by
11M ago
You hate bringing attention to yourself. Taking selfie pics and videos makes you want to hurl. I get it. But if you're an entrepreneur, you need to be seen and heard. And those images and videos of you working, playing, and living your life help people get to know you. When you go to someone's social media or their website and all you see are stock photos, aren't you a little bit put off? We want to know who's behind the curtain! ? Here are my thoughts on how to make selfies less awkward (keep in mind, it takes a LOT to embarrass me, and even *I* feel weird walking around town shooting videos ..read more
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