Tips and Tricks From The Speech Coaching Trade

AOC and the Art of Public Speaking

speakclearcomm@gmail.com (Jeffery Davis) — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 18:37:52 GMT

AOC does not become a victim of her adversary's expectations for her English or her intellect. It fires up her public speaking craft. Does inequality fire you up to prove your adversaries wrong? For more on how AOC handles public speaking challenges, click here.

Accent Reduction Hacks for Chinese Speakers of English

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 17:20:06 GMT

Focus on ending consonants!

How to Craft a Tight VC Pitch

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 17:16:03 GMT

Stay flexible!

Accent Reduction Hacks for Indian Speakers of English

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:28:51 GMT

Focus on your consonants!

Check out the online courses tab for courses curated by accents: https://www.speakclearcommunications.com/online-courses

Relaxation Exercises for Public Speaking

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 17:44:02 GMT

Get your public speaking chill on

Watch Jeffrey as he leads you through three breathing exercises specifically designed for public speaking.

Accent Reduction Hacks for ESL Executives

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 18:15:09 GMT

Simple, quick tips to reduce your accent

This video explains some simple things you can do to enhance your spoken English fluency skills, reduce your accent, and nail your presentation or speech!

What is the Fastest Way to Speak Clear English?

Tue, 28 May 2019 17:54:06 GMT

Focus on consonants!

A Speech Coach's Perspective on Bill Gates's Ted Talk

Thu, 23 May 2019 15:52:12 GMT

A short analysis of a memorable speech

If you are a student of public speaking, Bill Gates 2009 TED talk "Mosquitoes, Malaria and Education" is a must view. This speech is an excellent example of the power of persuasion. How is the address structured? What makes it work? Let's break it down.

The speech revolves around two main topics; how to cure malaria, and how to improve teaching in America. Notice the way Mr. Gates limits his topics, and keeps his speech focused. After proposing his topics, he proposes two questions per topic; "How do you cure a disease that is spread by mosquitoes?" and "How do you make a teacher great?". The main body of his talk tries to answer these two questions. The speech is structured in pairs; a pair of topics, a pair of questions, a pair of answers. What a wonderful symmetry! How elegant in design! The economy of structure enhances Mr. Gates's argument.

Another thing that makes Mr. Gates's argument persuasive is the use of comparison and contrast. For malaria; "There is more money going into baldness drugs than malaria." For education; "If you are low income, you have a higher chance of going to jail than getting a four-year degree.". While presenting, we must challenge ourselves to arrange our logic creatively.

The only criticism I have is that I don't think Mr. Gates should put his hand in his pockets while speaking. It conveys a casual attitude that does not fit the themes he is addressing. Otherwise, this is a fantastic presentation! What do you think?

Should Your Expectations Be High or Low Before You Present?

Tue, 14 May 2019 19:50:19 GMT

Your High Expectations Might Be Tanking Your Presentations

When I begin my coaching sessions, one of the first things I ask is "what do you tell yourself before you present? What is your pre-presenting storyline?". The phrase I hear the most is "This needs to be perfect" or "This needs to be a ten out of ten."

I get it. We all want to be brilliant and nail our presentations. But what good does putting this kind of pressure on yourself before you speak do for you? I've observed it generally leads to frustration, stumbles, and nerves. Perfection is impossible, so if you try to reach it, you will inevitably fail.

I suggest expecting "ok" when you present. "But that is mediocre!" my indignant, high-performing clients claim. I beg to differ. I think there is a difference between expecting something, and valuing something. Valuing public speaking excellence, and working on your preparation is helpful. Expecting perfection before you present is not, for two reasons. The first is, as we've stated, high expectations lead to frustration when mistakes happen (and they inevitably will). Perfection is not possible. Second, it implies to me that the focus is too much on the result, and not enough on the process. Focusing laser-like on the result of presenting is a little like an archer holding the arrow and placing it in the bullseye. To perform well, we must release our preparation, release our work, release the arrow to find its mark. We must set aside our work, and improvise. The best presentations are alive, loose, moment-to-moment, risky.

So prepare thoroughly, but expect reasonably. Allow yourself room to make mistakes, rebound, improvise, smile, laugh, re-think, inspire, move, and live. A "perfect" presentation is a static presentation. An "alive" performance develops, changes, and fluctuates.

How to Pace Yourself While Presenting

Tue, 07 May 2019 15:40:27 GMT

Speed does not equal power

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How to Maximize Accent Reduction Coaching

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:00:58 GMT

"Free Solo" and Handling Performance Anxiety

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 18:44:44 GMT

What is the difference between fear, and a rush of adrenaline?

I recently watched "Free Solo" the award-winning documentary on the National Geographic channel about Alex Honnold, the only climber ever to ascend El Capitan without ropes and harnesses. It's a harrowing documentary about the limits of human endurance and raises some disturbing questions.

As a public speaking coach, I was most intrigued by Mr. Honnold's approach to anxiety. He differentiates between an "adrenaline rush" which he sees as a bad thing, and "fear" which he sees as a good thing. What's the difference? Bottom line, an adrenaline rush is temporary, fleeting, but fear is pervasive and lasting. The pervasive, lasting effect of fear makes it useful (ironically). Before a big speaking event, it can motivate the speaker to prepare thoroughly, and contemplate the audience. While speaking, it can sharpen the mind, and energize the body. The key is to accept fear as it comes and re-frame it as excitement .

How do you prepare to climb your "El Capitan"? How do you prepare?

How Do You Measure A Speech Coach's ROI?

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 16:01:33 GMT

It's all about the data yo

Did you know the return on investment for any form of coaching, be it speech coaching, leadership coaching or the like, is seven times the initial investment according to the Association of Talent Development ? So how do you know which coach to work with, and with what specialty? Moreover, how do you measure a coach's ROI?

Here are a few thoughts I have: If you have a talented employee who is having some trouble with their job performance, consider doing a 360-degree survey. A survey will allow you to access how they are coming across to colleagues, management, and clients. Getting your employee's buy-in beforehand is essential. Once you've narrowed down the areas of concern, start reaching out to coaches. Be sure to schedule a free consultation with the coach to gauge their demeanor. They should be able to clarify their way of working and come across as emotionally available, sincere, and organized. Be sure the coach you hire has an evaluation process in place. They should be able to access their coachee's progress throughout the coaching process.

That said, it's your gut that should make the decision. Your gut is going to tell you whether a coach is likely to create individual and organizational change. So listen to the data and follow your instinct.

Is It Ok to Read Your Speech from Your Iphone?

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 21:47:20 GMT

Sure. But have it mostly memorized people.

The Oscars happened last weekend, and Hannah Beachler had a historic win for best production design. During her acceptance speech, she read her notes from her iPhone. I polled my social network to see what they thought of this, and most felt it was fine. I would agree, with one caveat. I don't think it matters that she read from an iPhone rather than a notecard, but I do believe that it matters that she read from sentences , rather than bullet points .

I imagine it must be an incredibly difficult thing to keep your composure in such a moment; however, it's important to breathe, speak slowly, and make eye contact with the audience. Because Mrs. Beachler was reading full sentences, rather than bullet points, her delivery is quite rushed and feels a little canned. My suggestion: whittle the thank you's down, speak from bullet points, and keep it loose! What do you think?

Love Your Audience A Little More

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 17:49:06 GMT

What We Can Learn From Gabriel Iglesias From A Public Speaking Perspective

Watching comics is a great way to work on delivery and timing. What I love most about Gabriel Iglesias is the way he loves performing, and by extension, his audience. He talks to his audience as if they are old friends; "what do you think, y'all?". It's this relaxed, personal, audience focused approach that makes him so relatable and likable. What do you think about his performance? Is there anything in it that you can use for your next speech or presentation?

Did the Halftime Superbowl Show Rock or Not?

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 17:15:14 GMT

What We Can Learn From Maroon 5's Miscues

Maroon 5's performance was lackluster. What can we learn from it from a public speaking perspective?

The Story Behind Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" Speech

speakclearcomm@gmail.com (Jeffery Davis) — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 20:23:51 GMT

Did you know the most famous parts were improvised?

Why I Became a Speech Coach

speakclearcomm@gmail.com (Jeffery Davis) — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 01:35:58 GMT

It Started a Long Time Ago...

3 Tips For Finding Time For Your Presentations

speakclearcomm@gmail.com (Jeffery Davis) — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 16:49:47 GMT

Beat Your Bad Presenting Habits In 2019

Let’s face it; there’s never enough time. In work or relationships, we often find ourselves harried, either consumed by the various minutia that is a part of staying afloat in modern society, bills to pay, jury summons to satisfy, or swamped by work requirements, clients to please, dinners to attend, and paperwork to finish.

Of course, this often leads us with little time for our presentations. So how do we know how much time to spend on our speeches? Moreover, what do we do if we feel we are too busy to prepare?

I recently had a young woman come to me requesting help with a TED speech that she was to give in Bali in two weeks. I was thrilled to get the call. An invitation to speak at TED is close to the pinnacle of success in the world of public speaking.

However, she had no time. The irony of her success was that she was swamped, and she didn’t have time to prepare for the speech of her life. Luckily we were able to work with the confines created by her new-found success and carve out a powerful speech.

I would recommend asking yourself a few questions if you feel that you are short on time:

1) How important is the speech, or presentation? If the presentation presents an unparalleled opportunity for you or may be necessary for your career, you must find a way to carve out time even if it means telling your immediate supervisor you need the day off, or your spouse you have to cut dinner short.

2) Are you that busy? Ask yourself tough questions. Are you working, or scared? It’s okay to be nervous about public speaking, it’s perfectly natural, but it’s not good when you start avoiding the hard work it takes to pull off a great speech. If you feel that you are preventing your progress, talk to a trusted advisor or colleague. Share your feelings. Then put together a plan of action and break through your block.

3) Can I re-arrange? If there is just no time or the time allotted to you for preparation is not adequate, it’s fair to ask for more time.

If all else fails? Just be in the moment. Time stress happens to the best of us, and when we run behind, there is no point in beating ourselves up. If your speaking day has arrived, remind yourself you’ve done the best you can, and step up to the podium with as much courage as you can muster. You never know, you might still knock it out of the park!

What Did You Think Of Christian Bale's Acceptance Speech at the 2019 Golden Globes?

speakclearcomm@gmail.com (Jeffery Davis) — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 21:56:15 GMT

Can thanking Satan make your speech go viral?

Here is a clip of Christian's acceptance speech.

Accent Reduction Tips for Mandarin ESL Students – Part Two

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 19:58:20 GMT

Type “Mandarin” in the search bar for more accent reduction tips!

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is an executive public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City.

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Video Analyis of a Great Ted Talk

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 23:55:43 GMT

This is my analysis of the TED Talk “404 The Story of a Page Not Found” by Renny Gleeson.

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Some Questions to Ask Before Beginning Speech Coaching

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

This entry was posted in Sp eech Preparation and Anxiety Reduction
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A Creative Way to Rehearse Your Speech

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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Four Tips for Selecting a Topic for Your Speech

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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“A Star Is Born” and Speaking Bravely

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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Should You Talk About Your Failures While Presenting?

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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What We Can Learn From Comedians About Pacing

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

I think John Mulaney is one of the best comedians around these days. What can we learn from him from a public speaking perspective? Here are three things I think we can take away:

His pacing is very deliberate – Notice the tempo at which Mr. Mulaney speaks. It’s very measured, but it never feels belabored. That’s because he is using his tempo to create vocal variety, emphasizing certain words with volume and pitch.
He makes eye contact with his audience – Pretty straightforward, right? If you want to create a relationship with the audience, you need to look at them.
He has clearly rehearsed – It’s never a good idea to wing a presentation, but we don’t want to sound too canned either. It’s often best to rehearse from a set of simple bullet points and allow yourself to improvise within that structure. Mr. Mullaney clearly has a few “bits” he is working with, but he doesn’t sound like he has thought out each word he is going to say. He stays loose with his execution.

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How Managers Can Assess an Employee’s Need for Speech Coaching

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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How HR Managers Should Approach an Employee who Needs Accent Reduction Training

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Do you have a talented employee with poor English skills? Do you wish you could help him or her but are afraid of coming across as insensitive or discouraging? Here are five tips for helping your employee get the help they need:

Begin by emphasizing the employee’s value to the company. If your employee feels that they are valued, they are more likely to embrace constructive feedback.
Ask the employee how they feel about their English skills. Often, people with poor speech know they need to get better. If your employee is capable of accurately assessing his or her deficiencies it will be easier for you to get their buy-in for training.
Avoid using the phrase “accent reduction” – the term tends to put people off. Begin by suggesting “articulation courses” or “speech enhancement”.
Make the lessons voluntary. It’s never a good idea to force training on an employee who doesn’t want it. Your employee will become bitter, and the training will not go well.
Offer to compensate your employee for lessons. Think about the added value your company will have when your top talent can truly express themselves in important meetings!

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A Presentation Coach’s Secret Tip About Optimal Performance

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Do you find yourself obsessing about the “right” way to present? The “right” way to speak? Watch my tip, and learn to break the rules on occasion and just let things fly.

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Why Do People Doubt You When You Speak With An Accent?

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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Jerry Seinfeld on Having Confidence as a Performer

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

I’m often asked by my public speaking clients in New York City and New Jersey, “How Can I Have More Confidence?” Jerry Seinfeld recently addressed this question. Check out my video for his answer!

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Madonna’s Aretha Franklin Tribute from a Public Speaking Persepctive

Thu, 23 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The obvious problem is she spends a lot of time talking about herself, and not a lot about Aretha Franklin. She has tried to clarify recently, saying that MTV asked her to “share an anecdote” about Aretha, not “give a tribute” but that hasn’t quelled the backlash. Here’s my take; if you think that your speech has the possibility of being misconstrued, ask the organizers for a clarification! When you take on a speaking event, it’s important to think very carefully about your material and your audience, and this is doubly true for solemn events like tributes, funerals and the like. Madonna would have done well to ask directly if her speech was meant to be a tribute beforehand, and then tailor her speech accordingly.

What do you think about her speech?

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Why Do Some Speakers Bomb While Others Excite?

Thu, 16 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

If you’ve ever watched the tv show Chopped , you’ve probably noticed that some of the chefs excel at handling pressure, while others bomb. Why is that? Check out my #protip above for my answer. #speechcoach #newyork #newjersey #publicspeakingtips

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Brilliant Content for Your Speech? Great, but Delivery Is Everything

Thu, 09 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Majora Carter gives an impassioned, brilliant speech in the video above, taken from TED in 2006. There’s a number of things she does very, very right from a public speaking perspective. What’s most impressive is the way she uses personal stories to illustrate larger social problems; her family’s migration story became a basis for stats and facts about redlining and economic injustice in the South Bronx, the story of her childhood neighbourhood’s tragic downfall and her brother’s death is used to contrast her experience with her largely white audience, and to point out economic inequality.

But, alas, Mrs Carter falls prey to the same problem that bedevils many TED talkers; she speaks much, much too fast. Facts and figures rush by the audience in a blur. I would guess that is because she is trying to cram a 45-minute speech into her 20-minute time allotment. She would benefit greatly from pairing her speech down and breathing at the end of each thought. A recent study found that pausing 5x in a one-minute speech makes your material more memorable. So take your time! If you are a quick talker, try using a metronome to control the rate at which you speak.

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Articulation Exercises for your Next Big Presentation

Thu, 02 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know that over 20% of English speakers can’t pronounce the words “espresso” or “prescription”? In my executive presentation coaching business in New York City and New Jersey , I am often stunned at how frequently seasoned presenters mispronounced words . So how can you avoid this? The problem is solved by engaging your articulators more; your lips, your tongue, your lower jaw and your soft palate. Try watching this video and take my tongue twister challenge! Post your results here.

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How to Use a Metronome to Control Your Rate of Speech

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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How to Control Anxiety Right Before You Present

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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How to Remember the Proper Articulation for Important Business Words

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Click the “Online Courses” tab to register for our “Mastering English Business Words” class!

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Five English Words Commonly Mispronounced While on Vacation

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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Is Donald Trump Good at Public Speaking?

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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The Science Behind Pausing While Speaking

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know there is science behind speaking slowly? Researchers from the University of Michigan analyzed the phone calls of telemarketers and found that people who paused frequently during their pitch were more persuasive than callers who spoke uninterrupted. The researchers say people typically pause about five times a minute. This speech pattern sounds more believable to listeners than when you spit out words without any breaks.

Nighat Dad’s speech above is a good example of the power of pausing. She gives a passionate, intelligent speech, with a very powerful premise. But occasionally she rushes, and when she does, her words come out in a nervous jumble, and she has trouble with syntax and grammar. Her speech is markedly better when she pauses at the end of each thought.

What do you think? Does pausing work for you?

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Five Common Business Idioms for ESL Speakers of English

Tue, 15 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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What Makes for a Great Attention Getter?

Tue, 08 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

I LOVE this acceptance speech. And a big part of what makes Sam Rockwell’s acceptance of the 2018 Best Supporting Actor Award so excellent is the attention getter he gives at the top. What makes it so great? Here’s my thoughts:

It includes a touching personal story about his parents! – Stories are your STRONGEST weapon against audience boredom, y’all.
It’s not only a story, but, also, a short joke, with a great punchline – notice the way that Mr Rockwell sets up his story to be solemn, and then takes us in a surprising direction. Jokes are GREAT icebreakers. A great joke needs to be BRIEF and have the ELEMENT OF SUPRISE. Mr Rockwell’s joke has both.
His icebreaker is appropriate for the occasion – it’s about going to the movies with his parents, and he uses the story as a way of demonstrating both his love of movies and his appreciation of his parents.

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How to Pronounce Five Core Business English Words

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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Public Speaking Analysis of Mark Zuckerberg’s Testimony

Sat, 14 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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How to Pace a Tech Talk

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

A good percentage of my client’s presentations deal with technology and science. There are numerous hurdles to overcome when presenting technology; how to make data interesting, how to use metaphor to make complex concepts digestible, how to use wit and humor to engage the audience, etc. But the most difficult aspect of talking science for many presenters is the manner in which they speak.

I think Pranav Mistry gives a good speech here despite having imperfect English. There are moments when his excitement gets the best of him, and he talks too quickly , but the bulk of his presentation is done at a measured pace. When he takes the time to breathe in between thoughts, and slow down, he is much more clear. These “micro-pauses” allow his brain to process what his articulators (lips, tongue, lower jaw, and soft palate) are doing and gives him a moment to think about language. Most of Mr. Mistry’s pronunciation mistakes (some w-v confusion, syllable stress mistakes, problems with phrasing) occur when he is speaking quickly. His brain doesn’t have time to think about pacing, articulation and the like.

You can imagine the left frontal lobe to be a little like a busy highway. The more congested the neural pathways are that connect the brain together, the less likely they are to transmit information. If you speak fast, you clog your frontal lobe with information, and it cannot do what it does best, produce language. So take your time!

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How Fred Rodgers Saved Public Television with a Six Minute Speech

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

“On May 1, 1969, Fred Rogers, host of the (then) recently nationally syndicated children’s television series, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (named Misterogers’ Neighborhood at the time), testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce Subcommittee on Communications to defend $20 million in federal funding proposed for the newly formed non-profit Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was at risk of being reduced to $10 million. The subcommittee chairman, Senator John Pastore (D-RI), unfamiliar with Fred Rogers, is initially abrasive toward him. Over the course of Rogers’ 6 minutes of testimony, Pastore’s demeanor gradually transitions to one of awe and admiration as Rogers speaks. Eventually, Pastore is won over, and the CPB is awarded its full funding.” – Daniel Deibler

The question is, how did he do it? I think there are six things that Mr. Rodgers does that makes this one of the best speeches I’ve ever seen:

He speaks from a clear, logical set of points, centered around a simple argument – that public television can be used to enhance a child’s emotional life, not hinder it.
He centers his speech around a story; how he created Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood – and that story has a very clear beginning, middle, and an end.
He makes fantastic contrasts – he compares what $6000 dollars could do for television; pay for one hour of quality children’s programming or two minutes of violent cartoons.
He knows his audience – the senator he is speaking to was an advocate for educational television, and Fred Rodgers makes mention of it in his speech.
He makes piercing eye contact – effective nonverbal communication enhances your impression with your audience, and it all starts with the eyes.
He just really knows his shit – he can quote statistics about arcane budgeting tasks, but also snippets of songs he worked on months ago.

Ultimately what makes this speech work is compassion. Fred Rodgers believed passionately in what he spoke about, so he had the energy and focus to do the hours of work necessary to put together this short speech. And that passion shows through in his every gesture, his every word. So, today, think about what you care about before you begin speaking, and remember, if you keep in mind that every speech is an opportunity, you too can change the world.

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Should You Promote Your Product in Your Ted Talk?

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The short answer is yes, but how you do it is very, very important. If you make your product the primary focus of your speech, or Q and A, you will bore the audience, or worse, annoy them. Nobody comes to a major conference like TED to hear a product pitch. People come to hear new ideas. You must be able to craft a dynamic, purposeful, wildly creative premise to your speech first, and then strategically weave mentions of your product into the speech as you develop your material.

Take Elon Musk’s brilliant TED Q and A. The premise of his talk is really the nature of innovation, but he manages to use his three current companies, Tesla, SpaceX, and Solar City, as examples. It never really appears that he is promoting his companies, because his first loyalty is to his premise (the nature of innovation). As long as you prioritize your premise and keep it innovative, inclusive, and not sales oriented, then, ironically perhaps, it is safe to do a little selling.

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Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address from a Public Speaking Perspective

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Most of the pundits have weighed in on the political ramifications of Donald Trump’s State of the Union address last night, but what of his public speaking craft? To be blunt, I think he does some things well, but many things poorly. Let’s break it down.

To start with, he is clearly reading off of two teleprompters. This is not a problem if you are able to coin phrases in a conversational manner , and you are very familiar with your material. Mr. Trump does neither well here. He seems unfamiliar with the language he is using, and he makes very little eye contact with the television audience or his constituents. It’s very important to be familiar with your material, and to lift your eyes off of the page, in order to make a personal connection to your audience.

As a result of this lack of familiarity with his material, Mr. Trump’s delivery is uncharacteristically tentative. When he is speaking off-the-cuff, he has some vocal variety, and punch to his language. But his voice fades when he is working with an outline, and he becomes quite monotone.

What he does well here has nothing to do with his delivery, but with his speechcraft. He utilizes personal stories well, highlighting numerous stories about heroic everyday Americans. But non-verbal communication trumps material (no pun intended), and the president’s poor delivery undermines his message.

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Seven Tips to Help You Master Your Public Speaking Anxiety!

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

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Five Reasons Oprah’s Golden Globe Speech Rocked

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

When we are called upon to make a speech, we can go through the motions, and pull together something that is adequate, or we can think carefully about the tremendous opportunity we have for creating change, and craft something that calls people to ACTION. Thankfully, Oprah chose the latter last night with her rousing Golden Globe speech. Here are five reasons the speech ROCKED:

She opens with a powerful, personal story – Her story about being a little girl watching Sidney Poitier win the Cecil B Demille award was deeply affecting. The reason it worked was that she shared personal details about her life , and brought us into the sensory experience of what it was like to be there; sitting on the cold linoleum floor watching the television, seeing her mom come home from a hard day of work cleaning other people’s houses, etc. It’s important to share your story, but it’s equally important to draw the audience into the experience of your story.
She had a single, powerful theme – And she states it clearly at around the 4 minute mark. “Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we have”. It’s important to believe in your theme deeply, and to know your audience well enough, and the occasion well enough, to have confidence that your theme will resonate with them.
Most of the speech is made of stories that dovetail with her theme – Her story about how Recy Taylor endured a horrible sexual assault, and how it is time for such behavior to end, dovetails beautifully with her theme.
She finishes her speech with a powerful call to action – With a minute remaining in this relatively short speech, Oprah assures all the little girls watching her that a new day is arriving, returning thematically to the beginning of the speech, the image of her watching Sidney Poitier on tv as a little girl. The conclusion mirrors the introduction; we have come full circle.
She uses language powerfully – Notice the way that Oprah engages language. She hits her verbs , uses her full vocal range , and projects her voice .

Don’t waste speaking opportunities, folks. Each one, even the most mundane, can encourage change in people and organizations around you. Oprah’s speech is just one example of the power of the spoken word. Speak your truth!

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Three Reasons Doug Jones’s Acceptance Speech Was Amazing

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

It was an electric moment for Alabama last night, and for the country. Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore in an election for a seat in the U.S. Senate, an election that had broad implications for the state of Alabama and for the country at large.

I’d like to focus on his victory speech. It would have been easy for Senator Jones to surf the adrenaline of the moment, and disregard good public speaking technique, but he didn’t do that. He spoke with intention, structure, and purpose. Here are three things that rock about this speech:

It’s selfless – unlike Donald Trump, Doug Jones wasn’t quick to take credit for his victory. He rightly laid the victory at the feet of the people of Alabama. Nothing unifies an audience more than selflessness.
It uses southern myth brilliantly – After giving the victory over to the people of Alabama, Jones credits them for taking the right road at “the crossroads”. “The Crossroads” is a common motif in the music of the deep south, evoking memories of a hodgepodge of southern people and events: Robert Johnson, the Civil Rights Movement, the Alabama Bus Boycott, Segregation, etc, etc. But it’s bluesman Robert Johnson who owns the most common iteration of this myth ; the story of a man who sells his soul to the devil in order to play the guitar. Every man, woman and child from Alabama, and many people from other parts of the country will immediately understand the allusion, and likely feel thrilled to be walking in Johnson’s footsteps.
It uses southern myth brilliantly part two – I don’t think you can be a Democrat giving a major political speech in Alabama without quoting Martin Luther King Jr, but the question is, which quote? I’ll admit when Doug Jones trotted out the “the moral arc of the universe” quote from King’s 1964 speech at Wesleyan University, I was a little weary. It is a quote that is often overused. But it really is the best quote for this moment. This race had everything to do with morality and doing what is right. The Doug Jones moment, for so many reasons, is personified by Martin Luther King Jr, a man who fought against the establishment in the name of dignity, grace and human rights.

Again, it’s very easy to get caught up in the moment during these big emotional speeches and lose track of what you are saying, It’s very important to remember the importance of structure, allegory, and symbolism when you speak. I hope Doug Jones will remember this when he runs for president in 2020.

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Why We Should Change the English Language and Promote the New Version in Video Games

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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Two Major Mistakes to Avoid While Planning to Moderate a Panel

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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What Do You Do If You’re Heckled During a Major Speech?

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

It all started out so well . She was firing on all cylinders; strong voice, good eye contact, inspired writing with a personal touch, a couple of good self-deprecating jokes. However, Theresa May, giving a conference speech aimed at revitalizing her standing after a disastrous few months , found herself seriously derailed when a heckler handed her a “P45” form which is the British equivalent of a “pink slip”. What went wrong?

My feeling is she didn’t handle this guy quickly and firmly enough. Let’s see some fire, Theresa! This heckler is making a mockery of you in public, and stealing a crucial moment from you (not to mention creating a major security risk). Maybe say something like, “you may think the problems of income inequality, affordable housing, and the sinking pound are laughable, but I assure you I do not . Get off my stage, young man. ” Instead, Prime Minister May takes the P45 when it is handed to her, as if she is obligated to do so , and tries to continue as if nothing has happened . After a moment or two, she makes a nice joke, and hits back a bit , but not before her momentum is lost.

What do you think is the best way to handle a heckler?

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How to Make a Great Speech About a Simple Subject

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

It’s hard to make a great speech about grain , but Pierre Thiam has managed to do so in this wonderful TED talk. He starts with a simple opener: “I was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal”. By signaling that this will be a “personal creation” story at the start, he has us hooked. Storytelling is the lifeblood of any good speech, and personal storytelling is king.

As he reveals his story, he eloquently weaves in his argument for a solution to desertification in Africa. His speech overflows with rigorous research and startling stats about migration patterns, immigration, and food sustenance in Sub-Saharan Africa, but we never really lose the sense that this is a personal journey . It’s this combination of careful research, intellectual rigor and personal revelation that makes this simple topic dynamic .

I’d like to call attention to Mr. Thiam’s articulation. Clearly, English is not his native language, but he is able to get his points across (despite some mispronunciations) for a few simple reasons . First, he is taking a clear and deliberate pause at the end of each phrase. Second, he highlights one focus word per thought group with his intonation , and finally, he uses proper intonation on “road sign” words that signal a change in thought like “however”, “then again” and “although”. Mr. Thiam’s articulation is clear because he prioritizes proper rhythm, stress, and intonation.

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How to Organize Your Stories in Your Speech

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Every once in a blue moon, a speaker does everything right . Such is the case with Rita Pierson’s gem of a speech on the need for school reform. She has a powerful, expressive voice and an actress’ touch with language . She utilizes gesture effectively, effortlessly timing her movements with her content. But what works best in this speech are the stories . Well told stories are the lifeblood of any good speech.

I’d like to call attention to the way she builds her stories. Her initial stories are about her students, and the way she interacts with them, but the most powerful story , the story of her mother’s impact on the lives of her students, comes at the end of her speech, just before her call to action . With each story, she takes us deeper into both her thesis, and her own emotional life. The speech builds both intellectually and emotionally . Just beautiful.

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Two Small Nuances that can Make or Break a TED Talk

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I recently poised the question, “ is it possible to speak too slow while presenting “? My answer was “no”, but Brian Little’s pace of speaking would challenge that assumption. I think he picks up the pace adequately around the middle of his TED Talk, but I found my mind wandering off at the beginning. This is because he is speaking just a bit too slowly, and because he doesn’t have a good story up front in order to attract the audience’s attention.

This changes dramatically half way through the speech. At about the ten minute mark, we get a series of wonderful, hilarious stories, starting with this gem , and the speech really comes to life. Its amazing how a few small changes can lift a speech from good to great. When it comes to presenting, the devil is in the details.

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What Makes for A Great Presentation Opener?

Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

One of the trickiest parts of crafting a speech is figuring out how to start it. Some recommend launching into a story, others recommend letting the audience know where you are heading with the speech, and others suggest using a startling statistic or fact. I don’t think there is a “right” way to start a speech, but there are a few things that matter. An opener should be short, and create an immediate impact on the audience; a laugh, a giggle, a sigh, a gasp, etc. Here are a few great speech openers from some recent TED Talks:

1) Monica Lewinsky – Ms. Lewinsky is one of my favorite speakers. I really love this TED Talk. It’s chock full of courage, wit, pathos, and great storytelling. She starts the speech with a hilarious, BRIEF story about a young man who tries to pick her up at a bar. Check it out to hear his pick up line…

Needless to say, humor is one of the best ways to open a speech. If you can get the audience laughing at the top, they will be more receptive to your ideas . What makes this opener so brilliant is the way Mrs. Lewinsky manages to get a laugh out of a terribly painful and embarrassing moment in her life.

2) David Miliband – One powerful way to open a speech is to tell a story , but the type of story you tell matters. In an opener, you need to keep things brief , and personal . Watch the way Mr. Miliband uses his family heritage to make a startling point about immigration:

3) Anne Lamott – I think this opener is both subtle and startling . What’s subtle about it is Ms. Lamott’s delivery, which is pleasing, but subdued. What’s somewhat startling about it is the way she talks about her grandson’s nightmares. Openers can incorporate paradox:

So what are your favorite openers? Post here or at my twitter .

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Is it Possible to Speak too Slow while Presenting?

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

One of the biggest concerns of my executive presentation training clients in New York City is pacing. “How fast should I speak” is a question I get a lot. I tend to think you cannot speak too slow while presenting. Adrenaline is a powerful substance, and it tends to take over a speech. Without awareness, it’s all too easy to rush. But there are those that think speaking too slow is a legitimate problem while presenting. Let’s compare two TED talks, and analyze their rate of speech, starting with Laura Galante’s speech on Russian hacking:

I think Laura’s pacing is good. She takes a clear pause at the end of each thought , and highlights important words with her intonation. By taking her time, she makes complex material clear.

Now let’s check out Bendetta Berti’s TED talk from 2016:

Interesting comparison on a number of fronts. I would say she is speaking much too fast, especially toward the middle of the speech. Occasionally, she will take a break at the end of each thought group to allow her thoughts to land, but in general, she is rushing through ideas and concepts. The problem is made worse by the fact that she is mispronouncing some important words, and dropping the “th” sound entirely.

I did my best to find an example of a TED-talker who was speaking too slowly. I couldn’t find one. So I stand by my original premise; you cannot speak too slow while presenting. What do you think? Comment below or tweet me your thoughts.

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Should ESL Executives Focus on Mastering the Written Language or the Spoken Language?

Fri, 16 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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The Quickest Way to Reduce Your Accent

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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Three Big Mistakes ESL Executives Make with their Presentations

Thu, 11 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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What Should Obama Be Speaking About and to Whom?

Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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The Power of a Single Sound

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Let’s give Benedetta Berti her due. Her TED talk is packed with fascinating information about the way that terrorist states operate, and how to effectively combat them. I love her inventive Power Point slides, her creative use of statistics, and her rousing call to action.

But as is the case with many Ted-talkers, there is something to be desired in the way she is delivering her speech. To begin with, she is speaking much too fast . Keep in mind folks, the audience does not know nearly as much about your topic as you do . It’s important to take your time, so your concepts can really land . She also appears to be reading her speech , rather than coining her ideas in the moment. Since she is so knowledgeable about her topic, it might have been a better idea to bullet point her speech, rather than write it all out, so she could keep things loose.

I’d like to call your attention to her articulation . She is mispronouncing the “th” sound consistently throughout the speech, lending to some confusion. Is that “den” or “then”? “That” or “dat”? This single mispronunciation is a major flaw in the speech. Yes, native English speakers will probably be able to translate, and understand the mispronounced word, but what about non-native English speakers? Will they be able to parse her speech, identify the mispronunciation, and figure out which word she is really getting at? Maybe. Maybe not.

If English is not your native language, and you have a speech coming up, run it by a friend, or a coach, or your spouse… anybody who has good speech . This will allow you to identify where your articulation problem areas lie , and correct them before your big day .

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Great Speech, Bad Body Language

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Intellectuals like professors, students, scientists, etc, tend to giv e great speeches . They have a firm grasp of their topic and they are used to thinking about an issue from a creative perspective . This is certainly the case with Mr. Flynn’s TED talk on society’s upward I.Q. progression, but there’s a key component missing .

What Mr. Flynn does extremely well is use metaphor and analogy to build his points during the discussion section of his speech. A wide variety of strange and creative contexts become organizational tools for Mr. Flynn’s thesis; a sharpshooter hitting a target and a martian archaeologist sifting through human artifacts t o name a few.

But what is missing from this speech is body awareness. You can tell the good professor has spent a lot of time in his head! His voice is booming , stentorian even, but he puts his hands in his pocket , shuffles about on stage without clear direction , avoids eye contact, and muddles his gestures . Not so good. It’s a statistic that has been trotted out quite a bit, but it bears repeating; 80% of our impression of a speaker is non-verbal .

The first step toward improving the way you present, is to be aware of what your body is doing while you present. I don’t mean being self conscious. I mean simply being aware. Do I saw the air when I present? Do I fold my arms across my chest? What is my body saying about me ? When you fidget on stage, make a mental note, and write it down later. Build awareness, first, and build power and nuance later. One step at a time!

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A Speech Coach’s Big Secret

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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Job Training Directly Linked to Employee Satisfaction

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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Three Sounds Often Mispronounced by ESL Executives

Sun, 19 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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What’s Your Proudest Presentation Moment?

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Did you recently have a bad presentation? Feel out of touch with your audience? Maybe you’re thinking, “I can barely form sentences when I’m speaking in public.” If you are in need of some motivation, let me tell you the story of one of my first clients, Leslie.

Leslie was a hardworking master’s degree candidate at the School of Social Work at Columbia University. She had graduated at the top of her class, and was asked to give a major commencement address. She was thrilled…and terrified. That’s when she called me.

When I showed up at her office, her brow was knitted, and her arms crossed. Her floor was scattered with public speaking textbooks. Drafts of her speech were littered about her desk. Leslie felt that she did not have a solid structure to her presentation, and she believed her material would not connect to her audience. She was stuck, and the commencement was days away.

I suggested that she view the speech as a major opportunity to change lives, and craft a thesis that reflected that ambition. I gave her a simple, effective structure she could use for the speech. I suggested she use personal stories, analogy, contrast and comparison. And then I gave her a healthy dose of encouragement.

Leslie rose to the challenge. She dug into statistics and stories about homelessness in New York. She calculated the number of times the homeless in New York could fit into the venue for the commencement address, and added the figure to her speech. She worked with me on her non-verbal communication, and her voice. I taught her to hit her content words, and breathe from her diaphragm. We worked on calming her nerves, and envisioning success.

On the day of the commencement, Leslie stood in front of two thousand students brimming with optimism, and called them to be active and engaged citizen. She received a standing ovation. Then, she came off the podium, and was greeted by her husband who had tears in his eyes. To this day, she still hears from former students about how much her speech meant to them.

The most powerful speeches come from people who want to make a positive change — whether it is through an improved social condition, an improved product launch, or an improved business relationship. Does that sound like you? Leave a comment below to share your proudest presentation moment.

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The Science Behind Successful Presenting

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

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How To Give A Toast At Your Holiday Party

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Mistakes to Avoid While Finding a Topic for Your Ted Speech

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Five Powerful Public Speaking Tips Gleaned from TED’s Biggest Star

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Comparing Hillary’s Concession Speech and Trump’s Victory Speech

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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The Third Debate Between Hillary and Donald Trump from a Public Speaking Perspective

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The third presidential debate is now a thing of the past, and many are glad it is! Interruptions, name calling, viscous allegations. ..this has been one of the most tawdry debates in recent history. But let’s take a moment to put all that aside, and analyze the candidates on their debate skills starting with Hillary Clinton.

I think Hillary won this one . One of the surest ways to win a debate is to consistently pivot difficult questions back toward a topic of your choosing. A prime example of this was the way Hillary turned a question about her stance on open boarders to an indictment of Donald Trump’s cozy relationship with Vladimir Putin. She does this time and again in the debate to excellent effect . From a non-verbal perspective, I think she had mixed results . She has an odd tendency of bringing her eyes down when answering a question. It may be that she was looking at notes , but making eye contact with the audience and the camera is very important. I would suggest she look up a bit more. Additionally, she tends to use her left hand to gesture while speaking, and could probably benefit from using both hands a bit more.

I think Donald Trump did a good job of identifying when Hillary Clinton was evading questions and holding her feet to the fire, especially with her answer on open boarders. He had a powerful delivery while debating, and used his voice to great affect. His tendency, however, to talk over Hillary, and put her down outright , is, of course, outrageous. We will see if it will happen, but the Donald would benefit from boning up on foreign and domestic affairs and limiting the personal attacks, which only aid Hillary Clinton’s candidacy.

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Clinton vs. Trump Round Two

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

A lot can be said about a person based on their non-verbal communication, and Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are no exception. Based on their second debate, here is my assessment…

Hillary Clinton made a concerted effort to use hand gesture to mixed results. Their were moments where her gestures appeared muddled and indirect to me , and moments where she used gesture to much bolder and better effect . She made much better use of the audience than Donald Trump, addressing answers directly to the questioners .

Watch Donald Trump debate with the sound off. It’s an interesting experience. He tends to gesture on two planes , either sawing the air back and forth, or up and down. Their is little else in his movement vocabulary. Additionally, he tends to pace the stage like a panther, in a rather menacing fashion. His non-verbal communication really shouts contempt.

So Hillary is the winner here. She uses stillness effectively, addresses questioners with direct eye contact and sincerety, and she uses hand gestures to powerful effect. I think she comes across as presidential.

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How to Use Timed Gesture to Enhance Your Speech

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Jim Hemerling gives a great speech here. What he does most effectively is use pacing, breathing, word stress, and gesture to accentuate his points. He pauses after each thought group, takes a nice relaxed diaphragmatic breath, and speaks with deliberate intention, often hitting content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs) to make his points. Notice how each of his gestures is timed with a content word. This deliberate pacing really helps him pull out key concepts.

If I were to quibble, I would argue that Mr. Hemerling could benefit from keeping things a little more conversational while he speaks. It’s possible to be both deliberate and easy in your delivery. When speaking, it’s best to balance the two.

Test out timing gesture and word stress with a colleague. Read a passage from your presentation with timed gesture, moving your hands in unison with your words, and then try reading without any movement or word stress. Ask your colleague which is more impactful.

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How Accurate is Your Perception of Your Speaking Voice?

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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The Unexpected Key To Presenting Successfully

Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In the last presentation skills workshops I gave, I had a few clients who were having trouble being understood . They had amazing content , and dynamic non-verbal communication , but not a word came across. Part of the problem was their accent , but more specifically , the bigger problem was their sentence stress and intonation .

Let’s take the word “syllable”. If you mispronounce this word and say “swablle”, you’ll likely still be understood. But if you say “syLAble”, and hit the wrong syllable, you will definitely not be understood.

Check out the video above. I think Mr. Scalabre has an excellent presentation here, but a very bumpy delivery . It’s possible to understand him , but it’s a strain to get his ideas. Why? Syllables . He’s hitting the wrong notes.

Don’t forget to circle the words that give you trouble when presenting. Look up their proper pronunciation, and work them. A lot. You’ll be glad you did.

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Three Presenting Tips for Sales Executives

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Hillary Clinton and the Endless Nod

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Do you think public speaking has to do solely with what you do behind the podium? Are you aware of your body language when you are onstage but not presenting ? According to Bloomberg Politics, Hillary Clinton nodded a whopping 406 times during Bernie Sanders endorsement speech, which proves a very simple public speaking truism: be aware of your body language anytime you step on stage. Keep this in mind if you are leading a Q and A, or taking part in a roundtable .

Gesture is very important when giving a speech; using definitive hand gestures are proven to enhance our impression of a speaker. But gesture is less important while listening to another speaker. It can pull focus. Mrs. Clinton would have been bettered served by utilizing stillness in this context.

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Analyzing One of the Most-Watched TED Talks of 2016

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This is one of the most watched TED talks of 2016. What makes Tim Urban so engaging?

To start with, his speech is about one simple subject: procrastination and how to beat it. From there, he gives us a great opener. He contrasts two mock-charts : one that analyzes his flow of work when he procrastinates, and one that analyzes his flow of work when he does not. What’s cool about this is it allows him to use his PowerPoint slides as punch lines to his jokes . And there are a lot of jokes. Little, pithy, observational-humor-type jokes. These self-directed bon mots keep his material light, and engaging.

This does not mean he skips out on philosophy and data . A good TED talk should be well researched, and very thoughtful. Mr. Urban has thought (and read) a lot about his subject, and he comes up with some interesting conclusions, specifically on the topic of long-term vs. short-term procrastinating.

Finally, what makes this Ted Talk so delightful, is Mr. Urban’s use of gesture, and pacing . If you are going to craft a lot of jokes in your speech, you need to know how to deliver them . Notice the way he emphasizes content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) in his punch lines , and pauses at the ends of his jokes to give his audience time to laugh. All this craft makes his call to action well earned.

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Marco Rubio, Over-Rehearsing, and The Republican Debate

Mon, 08 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Marco Rubio broke the internet last week when his performance at the Republican Debate went viral. Rubio repeated the same rehearsed lines five times, and was called out on the carpet by none other than New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. What can we learn from his gaffe?

Don’t over-rehearse, and stay loose. If Rubio were smart, he would have recognized that he was sticking to his script too much, and dropped the canned lingo. In any speaking scenario, it’s best to speak loosely from a set of bullet points, three to four words a piece, and not from a script. It seems as if Rubio scripted his answers too tightly, and become too wedded to his wording.

If you find yourself sounding canned as you rehearse, or repeating the same phrase, stop rehearsing ! Try to get back to the emotional essence of what you want to say, rewrite the script in bullet point form using different words, and quietly go over your main ideas.

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Four Public Speaking Tips from the Sixth Republican Debate

Fri, 15 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

1. Don’t stick your tongue out like this:

It’s weird. Trump does it at moments of high tension as if to say “Hey I’m just kidding!!” Not a good idea. Be aware of your non-verbal tics. This is national television people!

2. Know your facts cold – If you are speaking in an impromptu format (debates, q and a, etc) you need to know your facts better than if you are giving a planned speech. Ted Cruz seems to have an encyclopedic mind for facts and figures. He used it to great effect when he nailed the Donald on the birther issue.

3. Don’t Rush – This means you Senator Rubio. Rubio tends to speak very, very quickly. It cost him when he got his facts mixed up in regard to gun violence. Take your time and pace yourself out.

4. Use Bold Hand Gestures – Ben Carson tends to gesture like his hands are wet rags. Amp it up a little Ben! Gesturing with your hands is scientifically proven to improve your impression with an audience, but it’s important to gesture confidently.

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Five Presenting Tips Scientifically Proven To Enhance Your Speech

Fri, 08 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

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Four Unconventional Public Speaking Tips for 2016

Tue, 29 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

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Five Common Public Speaking Tips You Should Ignore

Fri, 11 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

If you’re an avid public speaker, you’ve probably gotten many tips. Here are five tips I think you can avoid:

“Just Try To Relax” – A recent Harvard study proved that “trying to relax” before you speak doesn’t work so well. It’s a better idea to try to re-frame your pre-speech anxiety as excitement . Try telling yourself “I’m excited to give this presentation” just before you speak.
“You Have To Have PowerPoint to Present Well” – Nope. The most important part of any presentation is a strong, unconventional premise, and a good story . PowerPoint visuals are a nice aid, but there are many presenters who forgo PowerPoint and still give a great presentation.
“You Have Too Much Data” – Data is not your enemy. Well-placed statistics can build your argument. The danger is misplaced data. Make sure each statistic builds your argument logically, and don’t add data you don’t need.
“Speak Quickly To Meet Your Time Limit” – I see this one get many speakers into trouble. You never want to rush when you present. If you feel that your presentation is too long, cut it down , but don’t speed up.
“It’s Important To Gesture” – It is good to gesture, but the most powerful speaking tool is your voice. Stillness helps the audience pay attention to your words, and your ideas. Too much movement can distract from your speech.

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Three Core Sounds Every ESL Executive Should Master

Wed, 02 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

There are 44 different sounds in American English. All are important, but some sounds are more important than others. Which sounds should you tackle first?

Vowel sounds play a very important part in language. We lengthen and intone vowel sounds when we emphasize certain words in a sentence. We also lengthen vowel sounds to indicate syllable stress. Vowel sounds play an important part in making words, and sentences, knowable.

Practice these sounds:

1.) The “Cat” Vowel Sound – This is a very common vowel sound. To make this sound, bring your lips into a smile. Keep the tongue flat. The sound is short.

2) The “Fun” Vowel Sound – This sound often gets mispronounced. Many executives, especially Russian speakers of English, make it more complicated than it is. This sound is made by keeping the jaw and tongue very relaxed. The sound is short. It sounds like a small grunt.

3) The “High” Vowel Sound – This sound is long and your lips, tongue and lower jaw move while you make it. To start, round your lips as if you are holding a small ball in your mouth. As you make the sound, move your lips into a slight smile, and arch the middle of the tongue high toward the hard palette. Count to two as you make the sound.

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Four Mistakes to Avoid When Presenting at TED

Mon, 23 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Richard St John has an amicable presence while presenting in the above TED talk, and a sharp delivery. He also has a way with one-liners, evident by the great joke he makes about motherhood halfway through the speech. However, there are some mistakes he makes while presenting that we can learn from:

He is rushing. This is made clear by the speed at which he clicks his powerpoint button. It feels as if he is trying to get to the end of the presentation rather than focusing on the audience moment by moment. Don’t rush!
He doesn’t have a PowerPoint remote. This may seem like a small issue, but it isn’t. He has to constantly look away from the audience to push his space bar on his Mac to forward his slides and this disrupts his connection to the audience. Keep eye contact with the audience, especially at the beginning of the speech.
No data – A good TED talk generally is backed up with interesting data. There are no hard facts here to prove his point.
No dynamic central idea – TED talks benefit from a dynamic central idea. One of the best TED talks I ever saw was about the need for independent, unsupervised play among young children. That is a radical idea to this helicopter parent! It’s a good idea to sit for a while with your central idea and try to come up with something very creative. I’ve seen a lot of speeches about what makes someone a success. I would have preferred to see a different spin on this oft-repeated theme.

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Body Language and the Second Republican Debate

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Last night’s Republican debate displayed a number of jarring contrasts in body language . Let’s look at three examples:

First, Chris Christie:

Governor Christie is a strong debater. He has a firm command of policy and he answers questions with confidence and finesse. I think his non-verbal communication is not helping his cause, however. He has a tendency to lean on the side of the podium as if he was saddling up to a bar. Clearly, he is trying to play up his image as a maverick. His casual body language is inappropriate when he speaks about such weighty issues as nuclear proliferation or abortion rights. It reeks of arrogance.

Next, (of course) Donald Trump:

Ahh Donald. Of course, Mr. Trump has a commanding presence. But he can barely control his contempt for his fellow candidates. He often rolls his eyes and smirks while other candidates speak of him. He has terrible posture. He scowls. His body language suggests intense disgust for people and ideas that are foreign to him, and I predict this will eventually be his downfall.

Finally, Mark Rubio:

I like the way Senator Rubio projects himself on the stage. He has an upright bearing, crisp diction, and a confident delivery. He makes direct eye contact with the camera, and by extension, the home viewers. He also manages to smile on occasion! It seems ironic that this debate, with all its rage and righteous indignation, should take place at the Ronald Reagan Library, an institution named after a man who won debates with folksy charm . In any case, I think Rubio’s command of basic public speaking craft will propel him forward in the polls, and bode well for his chances at the nomination.

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When is Having an Accent a Problem for a Presenter?

Tue, 25 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

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Humor, Irony and Speechmaking

Thu, 20 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Rich Benjamin gives a wonderful speech here about a very difficult topic: racism. I think what makes this speech so successful is it’s surprising light touch, and its use of irony. Mr. Benjamin imagines himself a tour guide through “Whitopia” or some of the most segregated parts of the country. By creating a character, and taking a mock-documentary approach, he lightens up a difficult subject, and lines the audience up for some shocking statistics about institutional racism.

If I were to give some minor feedback, I would suggest that Mr. Benjamin resist the urge to emphasize structure words (articles, pronouns) and try to emphasize content words like verbs and nouns. This will help the flow of his speech. But overall, this is excellent speechmaking.

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What Should Foreign Language Executives Do To Learn English Properly?

Wed, 22 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

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Donald Trump and Staying on Topic

Sat, 18 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump gave a speech at a rally in Iowa the other day. It was all over the place . He talks about illegal immigration, his hair, Scott Walker, the negotiating skills of the Mexican government, the term “sanctuary city”, and his wife’s travel habits all in the first ten minutes . I desperately searched for a common thread. I found none .

I’ve come to the conclusion that Mr. Trump makes bare bones notes, and then trusts himself to just “speak from the heart” when delivering a speech. Speaking from the heart is great, but it’s imperative to have a central theme to your speech, an organized argument , and a coherent, fluid delivery . This work requires an hour of preparation for each minute of speaking. I’d say Mr. Trump was woefully under-prepared for this speech.

How can you stay on topic? Try theses hacks:

1) Find a Quote – Find a quote that perfectly encapsulates your speech, and return to it throughout the speech. Be sure all of your data, supporting arguments, stories, contrasts and comparisons fit into the theme behind your quote.

2) Form a Work-Group – Get some colleagues in a room whom you trust to give you straightforward feedback. Ask them to stop you if you get off topic. Strike out the sections that are extraneous.

3) Craft your Closing First – To stay on topic, you must know where you are going. By crafting your closing first, you can sharpen your speech’s focus.

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Should You Memorize Your Speech?

Wed, 15 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

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How To Give A Great TED Talk With Imperfect English

Fri, 10 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Suki Kim gives an inspired, unconventional TED talk here. Ms. Kim spent a few years teaching in North Korea and her stories from that time are heartbreaking and harrowing. They deserve to be heard, and thankfully, despite having some difficulty articulating certain words and phrases in English, each idea is clearly conveyed. Let’s take a look at a few things Ms. Kim does to ensure she is being understood.

1) She reads from a script – For many speeches, it’s best to read from a loose outline. But if your English is not perfect, it may be better to write the entire speech out. Make sure to look up the pronunciations for the words you have trouble with, and circle them in your speech so you know to slow down and take your time with the articulation when you pronounce them.

2) She speaks slowly – I repeat this quite a bit in this blog because it’s so important. You can fix 50% of your articulation problems simply by pausing at the end of each thought, and taking your time with the language.

3) She uses simple words- There is no need to use complicated language. Some of the best speeches in history used very simple language .

It should be noted that Ms. Kim’s use of live music while speaking is odd, and not to be reproduced. It is your ideas and your words that are most important when speaking. It’s best not to do anything that will pull attention from these important factors.

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Three Tips for Using Group Feedback to Sharpen Your Speech

Wed, 08 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

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How To Use Analogies In Your Presentations

Wed, 06 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

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Charlie Day and the Art of the Successful Commencement Address

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

What is it that makes a great commencement address? Look no further than Charlie Day’s rollicking address for his alma mater, Merrimack College, for the answer. Here is what he does in order to make the speech successful:

1) He keeps it loose – There are “glitches” in the execution of this speech, but one hardly notices: a hoarse throat, a baby crying, a skipped word or two. Why does the speech work regardless of theses issues? Because Mr. Day keeps the ball rolling. He improvises when his throat goes dry on him, or when a baby cries in the middle of a great laugh line. Life happens during our speeches, it’s best to let it happen, and use it to our advantage.

2) He starts with his strengths – Mr. Day is not known for his wisdom and sobriety, and yet the occasion demands gravitas. How does he solve this dilemma? He starts with a lot of bawdy stories and jokes to get the audience laughing, to warm them up before dropping some of the more serious life lessons on them.

3) He loads the speech with personal anecdotes – Every great commencement address needs to have the speaker’s life journey in it. The more personal and detailed the delivery, the better the address. Here we learn about Mr. Day’s penchant for dorm room pranks, his hilarious first interview with Fidelity, and his life altering decision to shoot and star in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. We get to know him, so we are more willing to listen to his advice.

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Monica Lewinsky and the Art of Crafting a Dynamic Ted Talk

Tue, 31 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

A good TED Talk needs to be simultaneously intellectually stimulating and personally revelatory. Lean too far toward the revelatory and the speech will become too maudlin, lean too far toward the intellectual, and the speech will become too dry.

I have seen few TED talkers balance the intellectual argument of their speech with personal revelation quite as well as Monica Lewinsky. She starts the speech with an engaging attention-getter. From there, we move quickly to the moment by moment details of the Clinton scandal; the sensory experience of what it was like to be interrogated by Kenneth Starr’s team, the shame and humiliation she felt, so much so that her parents insisted she shower with the door open in case she attempted suicide, and the experience of seeing her name slandered over and over again in the media. Concurrently, Ms. Lewinksy builds her argument against the “culture of humiliation” which has been accelerating since the advent of the internet. Her argument is loaded with pertinent data, and compelling contrasts and comparisons. All this builds to a righteous, and well-deserved call to action.

If I were to nit-pick, I would suggest Ms. Lewinsky relax her hands a bit as she presents as she has a tendency to wring them as she speaks, but this is a minor distraction. Overall, this is one of the best TED talks I have seen in years.

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Scott Walker and Accent Reduction

Sat, 21 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Many people believe that accent reduction is for recent immigrants and ESL students. The truth is accent reduction is about building spoken English skills, and anybody can benefit from that, even native English speakers. It’s possible someone could be a native speaker of English, and still have a thick regional accent, or serious articulation issues.

But what about the case of Scott Walker? Mr. Walker is a presidential candidate who is a native speaker of English. He speaks with a thick Wisconsin accent and has reportedly been undergoing accent reduction lessons in order to neutralize his accent and make himself more marketable to a wider audience. Is accent reduction necessary for him?

I would argue no. Mr. Walker’s English is good, and despite his accent reduction lessons, he has not reduced his accent very much, as is evidence from the video above. I would suggest he embrace his accent and use it as way of discussing where he’s from, and what he’s about.

For me, accent reduction is about building English fluency, and avoiding miscommunication. It isn’t about changing who you are. It’s simply about being understood, and feeling a part of the cultural fabric.

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How to Execute a Proper Elevator Pitch

Wed, 04 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Do you find yourself at a loss for words when someone asks you what you do for a living at a networking event? You’re not alone. Many people find it difficult to articulate what it is that makes their services unique in a short time frame, or they bobble their delivery. Try these five tips:

1) Know What it is that Makes Your Business Unique – This is crucial. For example, when I am asked what it is that I do better than other speech coaches, I’m sure to emphasize that my training is tailored to each client’s unique personality.

2) Keep it Short – Keep it to two minutes or so, not ten. We’re all busy.

3) Take your Time – Keep in mind that even if you have said your pitch a hundred times, your listener is hearing it for the first time. Don’t rush. Take your time.

4) Run your Pitch by a Colleague – Get feedback. Many pitches aren’t as clear and consice as they could be. A colleague can help you identify where the gaps are in your pitch.

5) Avoid Lingo – Keep your pitch very simple, and keep in mind the person or people you are talking to may not work in the same industry you work in. Avoid lingo, and be very consice.

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What We Can Learn From Jeb Bush’s Speech Flubs

Fri, 20 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Jeb Bush gave a major foreign policy speech two days ago in Chicago. By many accounts, it was littered with flubs . According to Dana Milbank at the Washington Post, Bush started the speech with a misstep:

“We definitely no longer inspire fear in our enemies,” the nominal front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination said at the start of his ballyhooed address in Chicago. “The problem is perhaps best demonstrated by this administration’s approach to Iraq . We’ve had 35 years of experience with Iran,” he went on, then realized his earlier mistake. “Excuse me, Iran. Thirty-five years’ experience with Iran’s rulers.”

Yikes! And on the economy:

“A top priority, he explained, is “reforming a broken immigration system and turning it into an economic — a catalytic converter for sustained economic growth.”

He was most likely searching for the word “catalyst” but instead evoked an automobile exhaust converter. He eventually admitted his foreign policy was in the training phase:

“Look, the more I get into this stuff, there are some things where you just go, you know, ‘Holy schnikes.”

Holy schnikes indeed. What can we take away from this speech? How do you avoid flubs, tangents and malapropisms? To a certain degree, you can’t. Making mistakes is part of speech making and can only be partially avoided. But knowing your material cold is essential if you are going to give a speech and Q and A. Simply put, if Bush is not well versed in foreign policy yet, he should not be giving a major speech on it.

As in life, timing is everything when it comes to public speaking. Knowing when to address a topic in your speech, and when to leave it alone, is half the battle of putting together a dynamic presentation.

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Senator Cruz and Why You Should Not Restart Your Speech

Fri, 23 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Senator Ted Cruz delivered a rebuttal to President Obama’s State of the Union Address this week. He got one minute through the speech and then decided he needed to start over. So he offered up a “Meh, let’s start over”, and then began from the top. Yikes.

Don’t do this folks, for a few reasons:

1) Our Second Take Is Usually Similar To Our First Take – If you notice the senator’s second take in the video above, it’s not that much better then his first take. Which brings me to my second point…

2) Sometimes We Think We Suck, But The Audience Feels Differently – Perhaps the senator thought he could improve his first take, but it was not likely that the audience noticed he was off. If he just worked to get himself back in the groove, it’s unlikely the audience would have noticed he was off.

3) Starting Over Makes It Look Like You’re Not Prepared – A rebuttal to President Obama’s State of the Union shot on an iPhone? Really Ted? This speech reeks of a lack of preparation.

Don’t ad lib your speeches. Don’t throw them together. It always shows. Bullet point your ideas. Review them thoroughly. Even if you’re in a rush. You’ll be glad you did.

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What We Can Learn From Tony Robbins’ Public Speaking Mistakes

Fri, 09 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

I came to Tony Robbins Ted speech with an open mind. I wanted to like it. I didn’t. Here’s why:

1) He comes onstage with his hands in his pocket. Really!? I thought Tony Robbins was suppose to be a speaking expert? Why is he conveying ambivalence with his gestures? Downward gaze, wiping his eyes in frustration, hands in pocket… these are tell-tale signs that he is not truly engaged with what he’s speaking about. Which brings me to my second point…

2) He speaks really, really, really, really fast. I dare you to comprehend what he is saying in the middle of the speech. You can’t. It all goes by in such a blur it’s impossible to grasp. My guess would be that Mr. Robbins has done a version of this TED talk 1,000 times at other venues and is simply bored with it. He’s speaking to finish the speech, to wow the audience with his inarticulate energy, rather than to truly make his point, and connect with the audience in an authentic way.

3) He displays contempt for the audience. Count the times he swears at the audience. I counted four. It may have been more. He even managed to insult Al Gore who was sitting in the front row . A great speaker never does this. A great speaker takes care of the audience and attempts to convince them.

So what can we learn from these missteps? Take a look at Ken Robinson’s speech for a truly great speech. He speaks briskly without rushing. He uses gestures to engage the audience. He doesn’t show contempt for the audience but rather respect. He uses wit and humor. His ideas are not obvious or predictable.

It’s easy to fake a good speech. It’s worth it to really take your time, discard stale concepts, and show respect for who you are speaking to.

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Prince Harry, Public Speaking, and the New Year

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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Accent Reduction, Presentation Training, or Both?

Mon, 01 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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Accent Reduction, English Fluency and Business Interviews

Fri, 14 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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Power Posing and Presenting

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

As a public speaking coach I talk a lot about how non-verbal communication impacts a speaker’s audience. But can powerful non-verbal communication make you feel more confident while speaking? The short answer is yes.

Amy Cuddy’s TED talk above demonstrates how certain poses influence the way we feel. Wide or open gestures tend to boost our testosterone and our endorphins, while closed gestures tend to increase cortisol levels (stress hormones) in our body. This is good news for those of you that feel uncomfortable presenting. By taking a “fake it until you make it” approach, you can learn to develop more confidence. Check out the video above, and try some of the 2 minute “posing” exercises before you speak. Research suggests that over a period of time you will gain more confidence, and lower your public speaking anxiety.

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How to Beat Our “No-Note” Culture

Wed, 10 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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Michael Bay’s Public Speaking Panic Attack

Mon, 18 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Michael Bay recently had a very public public speaking meltdown at a Samsung event. There are a few things we can learn from his missteps. Here’s my take:

Pace Yourself – Mr. Bay doesn’t take the time to stop and connect with the audience at the beginning of his presentation. He doesn’t breathe. He just rushes right into his speech. No good. Make sure you take your time, and make eye contact with the audience, especially at the top of your speech.
Don’t Shill if You Don’t Want To – I would guess that Mr. Bay was uncomfortable with the promotional aspect of this event, and perhaps felt conflicted about the wording he was forced to read from the teleprompter (most likely scripted by Samsung). If you don’t feel truly connected to your material, you double your chance of panicking. It’s imperative to believe in what you are saying.
Know your Pitch if You Choose to Shill – If you are asked to use specific wording for an event, and you are comfortable with the phrasing , write the text down on your phone, and keep it on you while you speak. Don’t just trust the teleprompter because it will break (as it did in Mr. Bay’s case). It’s OK to read from your phone if you have to, and it beats the hell out of blanking.
Rehearse – Don’t walk onstage for a big event without going through your bullet points numerous times. It’s a recipe for disaster. Get a coach. Review your speech with a friend. You will be happy you did!

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What to Do When Your PowerPoint Fails

Thu, 07 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

It happens to nearly every speaker at some point. They turn to their PowerPoint, but their PowerPoint is not there. It has crashed, gone away, disappeared into the computing netherworld. The speaker stammers, and tries to get back on track, but is really unable to. The entire speech is lost.

How to avoid this fate? 3 tips:

1) Don’t over-rely on PowerPoint – It’s a theme I reiterate a lot on this blog. Remember you and your ideas are the speech. Try to keep your PowerPoint to ten or fewer slides. Challenge yourself to use the spoken word to dazzle rather than visual images.

2) Have a back up plan – Think about how you might handle it if PowerPoint crashes. Find a good joke, or a witty saying to slip in. But most importantly…

3) MOVE ON QUICKLY – This is where people get hung up. They keep pressing their little PowerPoint remote for what seems like an eternity. Remember you have an audience in front of you. Say something to the extent of “who needs PowerPoint anyway..” and dive into your content as if nothing happened. If you prepared properly, you can still knock it out of the park.

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Kill “The Deck”, Win The Audience

Fri, 25 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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How to Concentrate Your Audience’s Attention While Speaking

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Mint.com founder and Speak Clear client Poornima Vijayashanker gives a compelling speech here on taking the time to tinker. Poornima does many things well, but what I think really makes her shine is her fluid and vibrant vocal delivery style, and her use of “the personal touch”. By beginning her speech with a heartfelt story about her father, she immediately lets us into her world, and naturally, we want to go on the journey. Her PowerPoint slides are well designed and accentuate her welcoming style.

Think of how you want to concentrate the audience’s attention before crafting your speech. Do you want to take them back in time? Into your kitchen? To your favorite vacation spot? Dare to take your audience on a journey, and I promise they will go with you.

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Brevity is the Soul of TED

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Simon Anholt gives an interesting speech here. It’s chock full of fresh ideas, his delivery and pacing are sharp, he has ample data to back up his thesis, and most importantly, he has a strong call to action. But I would like to call your attention to it’s length… nearly 2o minutes . I would argue that this is a 12-15 minute speech, and not a twenty minute speech.

What could be cut? A good portion of the first half. The speech really picks up when we get to the concept of the “Good Country Index”. The first half strikes me as redundant. Mr. Anholt criticizes the organization of nation states repeatedly in the first half, but he offers no statistics, no analogies, no comparisons, and no interest. So what we are left with are largely platitudes. But a great speech needs to be more than an interesting idea, it has to be backed consistently throughout with data , and then enlivened with comparisons, contrasts, quotes, stories and analogies.

Time your speeches. Get feedback. Whittle unnecessary filler. You’ll be glad you did.

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TED Talks and Non-Verbal Communication

Thu, 26 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Speak Clear Client Robyn Stratton-Berkessel gives a wonderful speech here on the power of positivity. I think what Robyn does better than most presenters is pacing. Notice the way she breathes at the ends of her thoughts, and deliberately controls the tempo of her speech. She is not in a rush. Notice how her gestures accentuate her ideas. She moves in a way that is firm and bold, not muddy and small.

In addition, Robyn’s speech is filled with vivid anecdotes (my favorite is the story she tells about the 90 year old cab driver). Each story relates to her main premise, the power of playful inquiry.

Well done Robyn!

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Sting, Public Speaking, and the Art of the Personal Touch

Tue, 10 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

As a public speaking coach, I often get asked the question, “should I tell my story in my presentation?”. As Sting illustrates above, almost every good presentation is illuminated by the personal touch. It adds color, nuance and personality to our topic. Speaking from a personal place also serves to bring us to life non-verbally, helping us to engage our voice and body in surprising and powerful ways.

But how much should we tell, and in what order? These are difficult questions. In short, we need to think first about what the audience’s expectations are for our speech. Are they looking for information? Emotional transformation? Inspiration? Knowledge? Knowing what the audience wants can help us choose what stories to tell. Second, we need to think about how comfortable we are with what we plan to reveal. The more we reveal about ourselves in a public speaking setting, the greater the possibility of transformation. But we all have our limits. Check in with yourself and ask, “how comfortable am I telling this story?”. If the discomfort is more than a seven on a scale of one to ten, I would put the story aside, and consider coming back to it at a different time.

But do come back to it. I have seen countless speeches, and it is always the brave who inspire the most.

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Three Ways to Make a Heartfelt Connection to Your Speech

Tue, 08 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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Tips for Preparing a Ted Talk

Fri, 14 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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How to Encourage Discussion During a Client Meeting

Wed, 19 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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Do Presentations About Financials Need to Be Boring?

Fri, 14 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In a word, NO. As a public speaking and presentation coach in New York City and New Jersey , I occasionally see presentations by financial service executives that are needlessly boring, and I say it’s time to put an end to it !

The key to creating a good data driven presentation is to understand that a presentation must first and foremost be engaging and entertaining . If you are merely reviewing data, there is no need to present. You may as well simply email the information out. So how do we create an entertaining, yet data driven, presentation?

Check out Chris McKentt’s presentation on the investment logic of sustainability posted above. Chris does a few things well to help engage the audience:

1) He has a very clear premise – His premise is “investment strategy and global sustainability do not need to be incompatible” . He uses his presentation as a way to call the audience to action (a persuasive speech always trumps an instructional speech).

2) He uses Power Point as a visual medium – Power Point is very useful when it is used simply , and in a design capacity. Think color, shape, form, and stick your extraneous data into a handout.

3) Quotes, quotes, quotes – Notice the way he sprinkles the speech with meaningful quotes . They enhance the power of his premise.

4) Analogies, analogies, analogies – Creative comparisons are another way to engage the audience. I love how Chris compares the reduction of one company’s carbon footprint with the effect of taking 2100 cars off the road.

5) The power of three – Chris has an introduction, a discussion section, and a closing section. He tells us what he is going to tell us, tells us, and then tells us what he told us. It sounds absurd, but if you watch the speech, there is a real sense of satisfaction with his closing section. That sense of satisfaction exists not just because he has made his point, but also because the point he has made was designed artfully.

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Four Public Speaking Tips for Introverted and Shy People

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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Is Excellence In More Than One Language Possible?

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT

As an accent reduction specialist in New York City and New Jersey , I am occasionally asked by students whether learning English better will harm their ability to speak their native tongue . I usually make my point by way of analogy: if you are good at calculus, you can also be good at composition; learning one subject well does not negate the ability to learn others equally as well.

In fact, as Susan Talhouk points out in her speech above, perfecting your mother tongue can enhance your ability to speak a second language . By expanding your ability to express yourself in your native language , you expand your vocabulary base, and thus the possibility for an expanded vocabulary in your second language . The same applies to sounds. Most languages share a core set of sounds , so by learning the specific sounds of your native tongue well, you increase the likelihood of pronouncing the sounds of your second language accurately .

So don’t be daunted by the prospect of being bilingual ! Excellence in more than one language is possible .

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Three Signs Your Presentations Need Help

Wed, 15 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT

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How To Like, Um, You Know..SPEAK WITH CONVICTION

Mon, 06 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Enough said.

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How to Incorporate Technology into your Presentation

Tue, 17 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMT

This summer I had the opportunity to work with John Shammas and many other wonderful speakers at TedX Navesink, a Ted event organized at the Jersey Shore.

John is a computer programmer, and I think he did a particularly good job of incorporating technology into his presentation. If you watch the video above you’ll notice at the end of his speech he asks the audience to snap a selfie and send it to an email address. A program he created aggregated the selfies into a mosaic online. This was a wonderful way of engaging his audience while making his point; that coding will soon be a ubiquitous skill, made useful by young and old.

Not all of us have the same level of computer prowess that John has, but we may know someone who does. Ask your computer programmer friends for advice about how to do a little bit of coding and weave it into your presentation. You may find yourself enjoying your newfound skill, and engaging your audience in new and exciting ways.

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Three Common Speaking Mistakes Made By ESL Executives

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMT

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Three Tips to Help You Slow Down Your Pace While Presenting

Thu, 31 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

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Three Tips for Presenting Complex Material

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Are you a scientist? Macroeconomics professor? Do you find yourself presenting complex material on a regular basis? Take a look at the TED talk above, and follow these three tips to simplify and enhance your presentations:

1) Use Cool Analogies – Analogies and metaphors are life-savers for those who are presenting complex material. Notice that Gian, in the video above, compares the Higgs field to a sand dune, a very creative and practical analogy that makes this complex concept digestible.

2) Use Striking Visuals – Gian also has some really cool visuals. He has two slides that have animated effects that represent two different versions of the Higgs field. The slides are different colors and textures, and each effectively mimic the density of their respective fields.

3) Take your Time – As I mentioned in a previous post , rushing is an epidemic speech problem. It is doubly important to take your time when you are presenting really dense material. If you are rushing, count to two after each big idea, and breath. This will force you to slow down.

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Speak Clear Client Elizabeth Schofield’s TED Speech

Sun, 13 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Elizabeth worked very hard on this speech, and she executed it flawlessly. Notice the ease with which she moves, how she takes her time with the language, how she tells stories to illuminate her point, and, finally, her dynamic call to action. Excellent stuff.

If you need coaching on a presentation or speech, contact me to set up a free, twenty minute, in-person consultation.

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Three Things to Avoid in an Accent Reduction Class

Fri, 13 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

As the video above attests, more and more people are seeking out accent reduction classes. Initially, accent reduction was popular in large cities like New York City, but it is growing, and reaching into bedroom communities all across the country. Many professionals in states like New Jersey, Washington, and Arizona are signing up for accent reduction.

So what should you look out for while considering a class? Here are three things to avoid:

1) No relevant experience – Anyone can call themselves an accent reduction coach, so it’s important to check on your teacher’s credentials. Validate that your teacher has experience teaching at the collegiate level or a Masters Degree in Speech Pathology.

2) No lesson plan – if you’ve spent any time researching options for accent reduction classes, you are probably aware that there are many teachers who tend to wing it when it comes to the lesson plan. Not so good. A solid accent reduction program will take between 8-12 hours and will involve a full evaluation to start. Your syllabus (yes you should have a syllabus) should cover core vowel and consonant sounds, but also more advanced concepts like sentence and syllable stress, and intonation.

3) No patience – is your teacher rolling his or her eyes at you every time you struggle with a sound change? Acting dismissive or disdainful toward your questions? Not good. In fact, that’s very, very bad. Accent modification takes time, and it is imperative you study with a teacher who is willing to explain concepts calmly, and answer your questions enthusiastically.

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How to Personalize Your Presentations

Tue, 10 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

In the video above, Kelly Mcgonigal starts with an effective opener; she polls the audience, and reveals a little about herself. She uses facts well, building her thesis about stress and how we can view it constructively. Her visuals are simple and not overcrowded.

But she misses the opportunity to engage the audience with stories. Her topic lends itself to storytelling; who hasn’t faced stress before? Why not throw a personal story in the discussion section? Are there stories in the news that might fit? Stories are our most powerful weapon against boredom. Sometimes we get stuck in the habit of thinking that our lives or the lives of those around us couldn’t possibly relate to our speaking topic. There are many ways, however, to relate your life to your topic, no matter how apart they may seem.

I had a client who used a story in a presentation about a young man who became a competitive runner despite wrestling with a major respiratory disease. His goal was to motivate his team, and his story fell in line with that goal. It was extremely persuasive.

Tell your stories in your presentations, and trust your audience will connect the dots. You’ll be glad you did.

Would you like to learn more about presentations skills? Call today to discuss our coaching options. Check out our weekly classes , and our corporate workshops .

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Five Mistakes to Avoid While Interviewing

Wed, 21 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

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Speak Clear Partners with TedX

Tue, 16 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Speak Clear is thrilled to partner with TedX Navesink for the first TedX conference ever on the Jersey Shore! Speak Clear coaches will be providing coaching to select speakers at the event. Get your ticket soon!

“ About TEDxNavesink:The Next Wave

Sep 20, 2013 at Brookdale Performing Arts Lincroft NJ

TEDxNavesink: The Next Wave is the first TEDx event on the New Jersey shore.

Our goal is to bring world-leading TEDtalks to Monmouth County in an all-day live event that inspires us to learn and think about the future of our home on the shore.”

Got a big presentation coming up? Contact us to set up a free twenty minute consultation. We will help you to sharpen your message, enhance your PowerPoint design, and project authority.

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Four Tips for Succesful Q and A Sessions

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

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How To Make A Perfect Speech With Imperfect English

Mon, 24 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Joseph Kim gives a beautiful speech here about his journey from North Korea to America. It’s a story filled with wisdom, deep emotion, and courage. Mr. Kim has an admirable grasp on speech craft, commanding his audience through detail-laden recollections.

I’d like to call your attention to his English. As to be expected, his English is a bit choppy, but nearly every phrase is intelligible, and the speech comes off very well. How does he manage this? By adhering to a few simple principles:

1) He speaks slowly, and takes a breath at the ends of each thought group (i.e. at the end of each punctuation mark)

2) He pays attention to syllable and sentence stress

3) He makes sure that his intonation rises on the focus word of each phrase.

Every phrase in American English has one word which carries the most meaning. This word is called the focus word and it gets a lift in intonation on the stressed syllable. For instance, if I start a conversation with the phrase “I lost my hat”, “hat” would generally be considered the focus word. Each new idea within the conversation will be the focus word and get a change in pitch.

By focusing on intonation, pitch and sentence stress, Mr. Kim is able to be understood despite a few garbled sounds. Intonation and syllable and sentence stress are the most important components of American English.

That’s my tip for the day! If you would like to work on your presentation or your English skills, call me to discuss our different private coaching options.

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One Day On-Site Presentation Skills Workshop for New York City Executives

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

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3 Tips to Help you Present Passionately

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Check out Geoffrey Canada’s wonderful speech about our failing school systems. It would be easy for this speech to get negative, but Mr. Canada cuts the material with jokes, analogies, wit, and startling statistics, and keeps things moving. But what is most important about his speech is his passionate connection to the material. Do you feel connected to your presentation material? If not, try out these tips:

1) Re-write – Don’t sit on a bad speech and do nothing. There are many speaking maladies that can be cured, but a deep emotional disconnect with your material is not one of them. Change the topic and tinker with the premise until you feel connected again.

2) Have a brainstorming session – take out a notepad, not your computer, not your Power Point, just a notepad, and write stream of consciousness. Draw slides if you like. Get your ideas out, any ideas, and start to play again. Engage your creativity; add color to your slides, quotes into the speech, a jarring attention getter, etc.

3) Call in a coach – if all of the above doesn’t help, consider asking for professional help . A coach can help you re-connect with your material, or adjust your topic, so that your speech conveys passion and conviction. A coach can also help you command attention with your non-verbal communication, and project your voice with authority.

Video Blog Tips – Accent Reduction Training

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Contact me for a free, 20 minute speech consultation! Skype and one-on-one accent reduction training available. We have offices in New York City and near Metropark in Iselin, New Jersey.

Three Tips for Impromptu Business Speeches

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

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Skype American Accent Training

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

If you would like to do some Skype accent reduction coaching and work on the TH sound, contact me to set up a free, 20 minute skype consultation!

Is Bono a Good Public Speaker?

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

In a nutshell, yes… for the most part. In the Ted speech above, Bono conveys passion and conviction for his topic, the possibility of the eradication of extreme poverty. What does he do well? He has a fantastic expressive voice, but that’s a given. He also has an impressive grasp of data, and uses visuals well, resisting the urge to jam his slides with facts. He makes his case succinctly and effectively.

What’s missing? I could have used a few more stories. Oddly I thought the speech was a little dry. He relies on statistics so thoroughly that we lose a bit of the human element when it comes to this serious subject. I would love to hear more about the individuals the One Campaign has helped, and how their lives have been changed. In addition, I think Bono falls a bit into the habit of rushing as is the want of most TED talkers. Some of the facts flew by me quickly. But, overall, a job well done.

Are you interested in creating more dynamic presentations? Give me a call to set up a free, twenty minute consultation.

What Obama’s Speech Gaffes Can Teach Us About Presenting

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The internet is abuzz over Obama’s recent news conference regarding spending cuts, specifically, the malapropism he used to describe his communication with House Republicans:

“I know that this has been some of the conventional wisdom that’s been floating around Washington: That somehow, even though most people agree that I’m being reasonable, that most people agree that I’m presenting a fair deal — the fact that they don’t take it, means that I should somehow do a Jedi mind-meld with these folks and convince them to do what’s right,” he said. “Well, they’re elected. We have a constitutional system of government.”

To the pop culture literate, this was a crime as it conflated terms from two pop culture classics, “Star Wars” and “Star Trek”. Can it be considered a gaffe? Perhaps. But I think the root of Obama’s speaking problems lies a little deeper. Namely he’s getting defensive during Q and A’s. Bad news.

It’s really hard to stay calm during Q and A’s if the questions are getting irritating or hostile, but it is absolutely necessary. Obama comes across as defensive and somewhat petulant in the clip above (full disclosure, I’m an Obama supporter). Of course, he has ample reason; he is rebuffed at nearly every step of the way by his adversaries. But conflict is never a reason to lose your cool in the speaking arena.

So how do you handle a hostile or irritating question? First, breathe. Take a moment before you respond. Let the irritation pass. Then remind yourself that you are in a professional setting, and that there is no need to take things personally (depersonalize). Then answer firmly. There is no need to waiver if you disagree, state it, but do so without snark. I think Obama would have been better served if he left out the bit about how he is not a dictator, and the whole star trek reference, and simply pointed out that he had done all he could to create a compromise. It might have been a little less interesting, but we’re not going for creativity when it comes to Q and A’s, we are looking for accuracy and professionalism.

Are you having trouble with Q and A sessions? Give me a call and we can set up a free twenty minute in person or Skype consultation.

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Accent Reduction Video Blog – English Intonation – Skype Training

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Intonation Ex:

I lost my HAT.

What KIND of hat?

It was a RAIN hat.

What COLOR rain hat?

It was WHITE. White PLASTIC.

Hmm. There was a white hat in the CAR.

WHICH car?

The one I SOLD.

Let there be a change in pitch on each new idea in the conversation.

Contact me today to set up a free 20 minute, in person consultation for accent reduction or public speaking training. Skype training available as well!

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How To Improve Your Delivery While Presenting

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Do you feel that your delivery is lacking while presenting? There are many different theories about how we should deliver our presentations, but I think the goal should be simple; keep it conversational. We are at our most articulate and engaging when we speak the way we do in casual conversation. I think Susan Cain does a nice job of this in her Ted Talk. She doesn’t slur or mumble her language; she engages content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs) effectively, even while sticking with a conversational speaking style.

If you feel that you are presenting your speeches with a capital “P”, start over. Ask you husband, wife or friend to help you a bit. Begin presenting to them, but whenever you feel that you are overdoing it, stop and just talk casually with your partner about dinner, your weekend plans, etc. When you feel your delivery is more conversational, just slip back into your presentation.

If you want to work more in-depth on your presentations, call me directly and set up a free twenty minute consultation. I can help you with matters of content or delivery, and help you become that polished speaker you know you can be.

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The Three Keys to Presenting at the Meeting Table

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

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How To Present With A More Resonant Voice

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Candy Chan gives a wonderful speech here, one that is filled with humor, powerful personal stories, a strong call to action, and touching, thoughtful slides. I would like to talk about one particular part of her presentation style, namely her voice. You’ll notice she has a lower, resonate voice. Her sound travels effortlessly, and conveys thought and feeling with ease. That is because she is breathing in a relaxed manner from her diaphragm , and focusing on her in-breath rather than her out-breath. There are particular exercises that can be done to help facilitate this organic breathing pattern, and deepen vocal resonance. One is to simply lie on the floor, become aware of your diaphragm (the thick muscle beneath your rib cage), wait a bit in the moment between your in-breath and your out breath, and then give in to the urge to breath. Over time, tension will fall away, and your breathing will become less constrained. A relaxed diaphragm equals a powerful voice.

If you would like to speak with a more resonant voice, call me today to set up a free, in person consultation.

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Does Accent Reduction Improve Your Job Prospects?

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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How Do You Move While Presenting?

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever asked yourself this question: “How do I move while presenting?”. As a speech coach, I hear it a lot. “Should I stand still?” “Should I cross my arms?” “Should I pace?” etc. If you are asking yourself these questions, check out Dan Gilbert’s fascinating Ted speech above, and specifically notice the way he moves. I think Mr. Gilbert is very comfortable with his movement style.

The answer to the question “how do I move when presenting” is simple; move in a way that is organic to you. There is no right way to move. If you feel comfortable standing still, stand still. If you feel comfortable pacing a bit, go for it. If you feel comfortable gesturing, so be it. Notice the operative word in the previous sentences; comfortable. If you believe wholeheartedly in the idea that there is no right way to move, you will feel free to move in a way that is unique to you. So how do you test out your movement possibilities? Break the rules. Once you’ve crafted your speech, try practicing it while doing things you enjoy that require some movement . Love cooking? Great, practice your presentation while chopping onions. Jogging nut? Great, recite your presentation while you jog around the park. Shoot some hoops and recite your presentation. I’m not suggesting that you jog around the podium as you present, that’s crazy. I’m suggesting that if you begin to associate your presentation with movement you enjoy doing while you rehearse you may find yourself moving in a way that is satisfying to you when you present.

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8 Speaking Tips Gleaned from Obama’s Victory Speech

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Obama gave a stellar victory speech the other night… What can you take away from it to help you improve your speeches?

1) Keep it positive – if ever there was a time to chest-thump, now would be it. Yet in one of his proudest moments, the president remained gracious, dedicating the content of his speech to his campaign workers, the armed forces, and the American people.

2) Tell stories – the president’s speech was flush with stories, some of the most powerful being those around the issue of health care.

3) Have a call to action – sit and think about what you want your audience to do when the speech is over. Sign a petition? Buy a product? Call a legislator? Speeches are only effective if they inspire change. Obama’s call to action is clear here, he wants his audience to unite.

“Red state or blue state we are one people…The United States of America”.

4) Project your voice – Notice the forceful manner in which the president projects his voice. Many executive speakers don’t give themselves enough permission to really let their voice carry. If your voice feels reedy and small, contact me and I will set up a coaching plan for you!

5) Hit your content words – content words are nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. They are the words that carry the meaning of the sentence. Notice the way Obama really engages these words, and emphasizes them. He seems to relish language…great orators often do. Read poetry out loud. Sing songs. Love the language, and it will show in your speeches.

6) Make eye contact – Eye contact matters. 80% of our impression of a speaker is non-verbal. Obama’s gaze is direct, and earnest.

7) Care about your topic – There is only one speaking malady that cannot be cured, and that’s ambivalence for your topic. Obama has clearly worked closely with his speechwriters to craft a speech that resonates first and foremost with the American people, but also, within his own heart. It shows in the fire in his eyes. If you feel ambivalent about your topic, sit with your speech more. Think. Daydream. Consider re-writing. Keep writing until you feel connected again. Contemplate the meaning under the speech, the ideas , just before you step to the podium. Stay connected.

8) Have a closer – It’s important to let your audience know you are concluding your speech, either directly or indirectly. Obama finishes his speech by returning to a theme that has persisted throughout his candidacy and presidency; that of equality.

Jeffrey Davis is a public speaking, presentation, and accent reduction coach in New York City. Click here to contact Jeffrey and set up a free twenty minute in person speech consultation!

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Skype Coaching – English Lessons, Accent Reduction, Presentation Training

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Email me to set up a free, 20 minute accent reduction or presentation training consultation!

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Imperfect English? – 5 Ways to Improve Your Presentations

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

8 Speaking Tips Gleaned from the Debates

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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Communication Skills and The Presidential Debate Part Two

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Both candidates did a stellar job for the second presidential debate, but I think Obama was slightly better. He had a much better grasp of details in this round, and he was able to parry Romney’s attacks effectively. The body language on both sides was very, very aggressive . Notice the puffing out of chests, the chins tilted upward, the circling around one another like pit bulls in a ring. Yikes. If the occasion was a conference speech or presentation, I would advise these guys to tone down their body language, but this is a presidential debate, and American audiences like to see aggression from their candidates.

I still think Romney comes across as a bit too strident . Both candidates interrupted each other, but I think how Romney interrupts is off-putting; jabbing sharply with his hands, moving quickly into the President’s personal space, etc. There are ways of being assertive without coming across as angry.

So what do you think?

If you want to work on your presentation skills, contact me to set up a free, 20 minute in person consultation.

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Breathing, Pacing and Presentation Skills

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This speech passed by me in such a whir that it was nearly incomprehensible. It is a perfect example of what happens when you don’t take your time with your thoughts, either beforehand when writing them on paper, or during a presentation itself.

I believe Mr. Obeng is making a point about complexity, and the pace at which contemporary society is accelerating, which is certainly an interesting topic. If he had simplified his argument beforehand while sketching out his ideas, really detailing his analogies, and then took a breath at the end of each thought group while he was presenting, he would have knocked this Ted Talk out of the park.

Don’t race, no matter what the time constraints are. Remember once you lose the audience, it’s very hard to get them back.

Are you rushing through your presentations? Give me a cal l , and I’ll help you to breathe properly, structure your speech in a simple manner, and speak in a calm, deliberate way.

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Communications Skills and The Presidential Debate

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Bottom line, Romney won. He comes across as a bit strident to me at times, but in a situation like a presidential debate, it’s better to err on the side of being too aggressive, than not aggressive enough. And aggressive he was. He had a very strong command of facts, quick, concise answers to complicated questions, and he utilized a direct gaze, looking intently at the president, or directly at the camera. Obama on the other hand, cast his eyes down repeatedly, fumbled a bit for words, apologized for his policy too much, and deferred to a hard-charging Romney on more than one occasion. Full disclosure, I’m an Obama fan, but c’mon buddy, this election is far from decided. Romney is a formidable opponent; time to take off the kid gloves, re-direct your gaze, and up your prep time.

So how does this translate to you and your presentations? I would guess the most important factor in Romney’s victory was his preparation time. He obviously rehearsed repeatedly, crafted his answers carefully beforehand, and thought about his non-verbal communication (by the way, 80% of our impression of a speaker is non-verbal). Putting together a 30 minute presentation can take a few hours of preparation; pulling together your ideas, weeding through them and filtering out redundant information, adding interest in the form of quotes, comparisons, contrasts and stories, pulling together your Powerpoint deck ( after you’ve got your speaking points down, they are very different things folks), and finally running through the presentation 5-6 times to be sure you have all the transitions down.

If you could use help with crafting and presenting your next presentation or speech, contact me for a free twenty minute, in-person consultation!

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Benjamin Netanyahu and Effective Presentation Skills

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The internet is buzzing today about Benjamin Netanyahu’s presentation yesterday at the U.N. regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Apparently, many experts found his diagram confusing .

I would agree. Mr. Netanyahu’s instinct to use a simple visual to illustrate a complex subject, namely uranium enrichment, is a good one, but the visual really falls short. What is that a ceiling tile? C’mon. Doesn’t the U.N. have the ability to project PowerPoint presentations?

Notice the dynamic use of images, and for contrast, the simple, yet powerful use of statistics. Each statistic is jarring, and creatively applied. Which brings me back to Mr. Netanyahu and his ceiling tile. Clearly what is lacking here is size, color, and design. If the Prime Minister had simply projected and enhanced his visuals, his point would have been made much more clearly and persuasively.

Would you like to work on your presentation skills? Contact me for a free, in-person consultation.

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American Accent Vlog Tips

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Click here to contact me to set up a free, 20 minute in-person speech consultation!

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How to Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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Bookmark this article How to Reduce Public https://www.speakclearcommunications.com/how-to-reduce-public-speaking-anxietySpeaking Anxiety

Clint Eastwood, the RNC, and Speaking from Notes

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ah yes, Clint Eastwood and the RNC speech. What to say? Yikes. Folks, don’t speak without an outline. That is the basic lesson of this unfortunate, rambling speech. It’s never a good idea. Should an actor of Mr. Eastwood’s caliber write out every word before speaking? No. Should he make an outline with short bullet points and keep it handy while speaking? Yes. Should he practice his speech out loud three or four times before presenting? Yes.

Its tempting to feel the need to ditch your notes and just speak off the cuff, but keep in mind you can only improvise and keep a speech loose if you have a structure to improvise with . Structure sets us free.

Also, remember to have a theme to your speech; a single unifying sentence that is your thesis. Write it down. Re-work it. Let it be memorable, and make sure to include your point of view.

Contact yours truly if you have a big speaking engagement coming up, or you’d like to work on your craft!

See the comments section for further commentary on Eastwood’s speech.

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How to Craft a Meaningful Speech

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The first question that we are confronted with when drafting a speech is what should it do ? Ultimately a speech is just words on the page if it does not propel us to act.

Bryan Stevenson gives a deeply meaningful and inspiring speech here. He executes the speech flawlessly, is masterful with his craftsmanship, and he does something simple which I think is overlooked in many speeches; he has a call to action. He asks the audience to do something, namely, to consider the injustice of the American penal system, and to act to make it more equitable. On his way to his call to action, Mr. Stevenson utilizes every bit of public speaking craft in the book. Notice the high ratio of personal, heartfelt stories, jarring statistics, comparisons, contrasts, analogies, and quotes. This is not a dry resuscitation of facts. This speech is alive , and more than worthy of the lengthy standing ovation it receives.

Need help with a presentation or speech? Contact me to set up a free, in person consultation.

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Accent Training Vlog – The “S” Sound

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Click here for small group accent reduction classes! If you’re interested in private lessons, hit the contact tab and give me a call.

Video Blog Tips for ESL Executives

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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Are Obama’s Speech Gaffes Forgivable?

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

So what do you think? Are these slips of the tongue worthy of Rick Perry-like condemnation?

I say no. Of course it’s best to work as hard as you can to avoid verbal tics, or embarrassing blank-outs, however, the reality is they happen from time to time. I think that perfectionism is much, much more dangerous than a stray “um” or “ah”. Should Obama hire yours truly so I can put him through some exercises to help him embrace silence and clarify his thoughts? Of course! But considering the hundreds of speeches Obama has given, I am not at all surprised at the handful of semi-cringe inducing outtakes in the video above, and I find them but a small shadow hiding within the light of the numerous great speeches he has given .

I have said it before on this blog, and I will say it again…. everybody bombs form time to time . Everybody. Lincoln, Roosevelt, Reagan, Thatcher, Churchill, even Obama… everybody has an off-day. A speaker should ultimately be judged on the totality of their speeches, and the impact that they have on the culture at large.

So if you’ve given a poor speech, perhaps recently, don’t despair. Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again. You’re in good company.

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Accent Reduction Vlog – Indian and French Speakers

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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Accent Reduction Vlog Tips for Spanish, Russian and Mandarin

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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How to Reduce Um’s and Ah’s While Presenting

Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Check out minutes 2:00-4:00 in the video above. The interviewee, Jo Becker, has a lot of interesting things to say in regard to Obama’s foreign policy, but unfortunately her message gets lost in a haze of um’s, ah’s and sort of’s.

How do you fix this? Get a rubber ball. No joke. Go through your presentation and squeeze the ball every time you say “um”, “ah”, “like”, “sort of”, or “kind of”. Go easy to start, just notice how often it occurs, then run through the presentation again, and really commit to a long moment of silence when you squeeze the ball, and resist the urge to fill the space with stammering.

We use these vocal fillers when we a) don’t have our thoughts organized or b) feel the need to qualify or weaken our stance on the topic we are speaking about. We fix the vocal tic issue when we a) pause in silence and take time to clarify our thoughts during our presentation or b) stop qualifying our ideas so darn much!

In any case, give me a buzz if you’d like to work on this issue. I’m happy to help you get your presentation to the next level!

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How to Have a Great Opener to Your Speech

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Brene Brown does many things well with this speech, she uses humor very effectively, she has a winning sense of irony and wit, and she uses stories very well. But I think what is most effective about this speech is the attention-getter at the top. Notice the way Mrs. Brown immediately draws the audience in with a witty story at the top about her experience with an event planner. The story is brief, heartfelt, and funny, and it gets a big laugh. Once she is done with the attention-getter, she segues effortlessly into her preview for the speech, the “tonight I’m going to talk about…” section. The audience is immediately hooked, and more than willing to travel with her to its conclusion.

I recently watched “Singing in the Rain”, one of my favorite films. There’s an incredible song and dance number in that film called “Make ‘Em Laugh”. The same could be said of a speech, and especially an attention getter. Make them laugh at the top. This doesn’t have to be hard, a simple, personal, pithy story will do. Once they smile, they will follow you anywhere.

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Political Correctness and Accent Reduction

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A common refrain I hear among my accent reduction clients is “Wait, that’s how you pronounce that word!? I’ve been mispronouncing it for twenty years , why didn’t my husband tell me!” Or “my wife”. Or “my friends”. Or my “co-workers”.

There’s a simple reason. As Americans, most of us are taught to respect the immigrant experience, but unfortunately this benevolent notion seems to have had unintended consequences. We now live in a culture that is quick to upbraid those who are deemed culturally insensitive, even if their intentions are good, and their offenses slight. Newt Gingrich, Robert DeNiro, Bill Maher, and Juan Williams are just a few celebrities across the political spectrum that have gotten caught up in one controversy or another. Bottom line: It’s very, very easy to be misunderstood and judged these days.

This plays out in the world of linguistics. Fluent speakers of English are reluctant to correct mispronunciations on the part of the ESL speaker due to a fear of being labeled insensitive. I have never met an ESL client who said to me “Americans are just so rude, they are constantly correcting my speech.” It’s always the opposite; “Why is nobody helping me with my language skills or offering constructive feedback?”

As a practical matter, most of us want to feel assimilated, feel a part of the culture that we live in. As it stands in 2012, part and parcel of feeling assimilated in America is being able to speak English fluently. This does not invalidate the many amazing accents and dialects that exist in American culture. This does not necessitate the relinquishing of one’s ability to speak other languages well, nor does it necessitate that one abandon one’s use of their accent-of-origin. It simply means that it is painful to be misunderstood on a daily basis, and that taking steps to avoid this suffering (and yes it is suffering) is to be commended.

So let’s honor the commitment of those who try to improve their fluency by being a little less sensitive around the issue. For those who speak English well, native- born or not, you can make a difference in the lives of those around you. If a friend of yours is constantly mispronouncing an important word, consider helping them out. A simple, polite question to start might be, “Can I give you a little tip with that word?” You may be surprised how well people respond.

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Kevin Costner’s Eulogy of Whitney Houston

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Kevin Costner gives a tremendous eulogy here of Whitney Houston. What makes it work so well? It’s personal, grounded in wonderful, heartfelt stories, and it’s centered on a simple theme.

Costner starts the speech recounting his youth in the Baptist Church, an experience he held in common with Whitney. His eye for detail is impressive; notice the way he captures the feeling of sitting in a pew and chatting with friends, or drinking communion wine.

He moves on from his youth, and then describes the story of casting Whitney in “The Bodygaurd”. He narrates stories regarding her doubts about her talent. He ends the speech by evoking Whitney’s acceptance in front of the divine, a beautiful coda to his earlier stories about the Baptist Church. Ultimately, the speech is a simple call to action; a message to all who would follow in Whitney’s steps that respecting their talent is a paramount virtue. Beautiful.

It takes time to write a speech this thoughtful. It requires sitting with your emotions, your desires, and writing many drafts. But it is possible, so get at it! You know you’ve got it in you.

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Two Simple Ways to Nail Q and A Sessions

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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Thought Groups and the ESL Executive

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If English is your second language, you can use pitch and pausing to vastly increase your ability to be understood. A thought group is defined by speech specialist Judy Gilbert as follows:

‘When we speak, we need to divide speech up into small ‘chunks’ to help the listener understand messages. These chunks or thought groups are groups of words which go together to express an idea or thought. In English, we use pauses & pitch to mark thought groups.’

You can dramatically improve your English by pausing at the end of a thought and beginning the new thought with a different pitch. Take a look at these sentences and speak them out loud, taking a break at the end of the punctuation, and giving each new thought a change in pitch:

John said, “The boss is absent”.

“John,” said the boss “is absent”.

Lisa said, “My dog is intelligent.”

“Lisa”, said my dog “is intelligent”.

Notice something? These sentence pairs are identical; it is merely the punctuation, pausing, and intonation patterns that lend meaning.

If you would like to increase your ability to be understood in English, click here to book a free, in person consultation! Skype coaching available as well.

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Great Speech, Poor Nonverbal Communication

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ric Elias gives a nearly great speech here, he has a strong attention-getter, a lot of wonderful stories, and a strong call to action, but, unfortunately, that work is undercut by lackluster non-verbal communication; a downward vocal inflection style (especially toward the end of the speech), and uninspired movement.

Ric starts with a rousing attention-getter, he tells the audience about the sensory experience of being on the plane that crashed in the Hudson River. There are many great details here, the sound of “no sound” as the plane’s engines are cut, the look of terror in the eyes of a stewardess, the thoughts that flashed through his mind as he braces for impact. There is also an excellent call to action at the end of the speech, a detail that many speakers leave out. All speeches should strive to create some change in the audience and here Ric challenges the audience to imagine as if they had only moments to live, and to think about what they might change. This is wonderfully creative.

But, alas, Ric appears a little bit out-of-gas. He shuffles somewhat listlessly, and gestures without much intention. He allows his pitch to descend at the end of some sentences.

If you are feeling a little lethargic before a speech, try something simple…like push-ups! Sound crazy? It’s not. Even a few push ups will get the blood flowing, and perhaps enliven your body. If you have a downward inflection style, work with a coach or colleague on your presentation and make sure to lift the last syllable in each sentence.

Keep in mind 80% of our impression of a speaker is nonverbal! If you feel your presentation style could use some work, give me a buzz , and let’s set up a free 20 minute consultation.

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Video Blog Tips for Spanish, Russian and Indian ESL Students

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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Q and A Technique and The Republican Presidential Debates

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Let’s look at the Republican presidential contenders from a public speaking perspective; how did they do as speakers during the debates?

As the video above shows, there was a wide variety of talent on display. Politics aside, I think Gingrich is far and away the best speaker of the bunch. Gary Johnson had perhaps the best punch line of the debates (“My next door neighbor’s two dogs have created more shovel ready jobs than the current administration.”), but Gingrich can pull together stories, quotes, statistics, comparisons and contrasts effortlessly, and convey his point with conviction with almost every question he answers. Herman Cain, on the other hand, was often vague during the debates, offering up platitudes instead of meaningful details.

In the video above, watch the way Gingrich uses the Carter administration as a metaphor for the current administration, and slips in a witty, sly quote from Ronald Reagan to make his point about the need for reform.

Say what you will about him politically (full disclosure, his politics aren’t mine), but Newt Gingrich is perhaps one of the world’s best debaters.

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Presence and Public Speaking

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I’m a big believer in the present moment. Why not, right? The present moment is all you got.

This week I had a client who seemed very tense when he walked in for a coaching session with me. This is not uncommon; public speaking is one of our greatest fears, it’s perfectly natural to feel keyed up before you speak. But this guy’s energy felt off; he was cutting me off before I could finish my thoughts, staring out vacantly from time to time, and rushing through his presentation. The problem wasn’t his tension, but, rather, his lack of awareness around his tension.

I put the problem to my client; why are you rushing? You feel really “not here”…how do you correct that? He stopped speeding through his presentation, and breathed for a moment. He looked at me directly, with self-awareness, with presence, for the first time in our session together and said, “I guess I am a little tense today”. Yes. And from then on he was fine. Not because he felt perfectly relaxed, nobody feels perfectly relaxed, but because he became conscious of his tension, and that awareness itself was enough to do the trick.

Don’t bother with trying to feel relaxed while presenting. Presenting is nerve wracking. But do try to be conscious, aware of yourself in the moments before, during and while you present. Try doing this with a non-judgmental attitude, simply noticing what comes up, even if it’s tension. If you need a point of focus, follow your breath. You might be happy with the results.

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Video Blog Tips for Central European ESL Speakers

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Pausing and the ESL Executive

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Can Rick Perry’s Public Speaking Brain Freeze Be Avoided?

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Ah yes the brain freeze. What do we do when our most primal public speaking nightmare comes true? Can it be avoided? Yes, and no. I think Rick Perry’s stumble here was rather epic, however, most people tend to forget things all the time, as this quote from the New York Times illustrates:

“Brain researchers note that countless memory lapses like these happen to the rest of us every day, whether it’s walking into a room and forgetting why you are there or being unable to recall a name that’s on the tip of your tongue.”

Public speaking involves risk, and there is the chance that you might forget something, or succumb to stress. That being said, there are two sure fire ways to reduce the risk of a Rick Perry-like monumental blunder, and that is to prepare yourself thoroughly (my God man you’re running for president, did you think to rehearse a bit more?), and to always, always have notes in front of you with key talking points (put them on your Ipad if you want to be all tech-sexy). And, yes, eliminating three governmental agencies would certainly be considered “key”.

Of course, if you speak regularly for a living, there is the chance that something like this might happen, as it did for Christina Aguilera when she forgot the lyrics to the National Anthem as she performed at the Superbowl , or when Obama made an embarrassingly politically incorrect slip of the tongue at the Congressional Black Caucus. How do you recover? First, breathe, and try to do nothing for a moment. Just sip your water. Attempt to accept, and let the anxiety pass. I don’t buy the notion that anxiety can be “channeled”. Panic sucks. It must be accepted, however, because it’s happening, even if it is not terribly useful. So just breathe, accept the anxiety as it is happening, and allow it to pass. Then, consider using humor. “Oops” is not a terribly witty answer but “I’m not sure what agency I would cut, but I’m pretty sure the oxygen to my brain has been pretty well severed” is slightly better. Then… “ Let me check my notes for the answer , and circle back around to you in a moment.”

I know it’s not an ideal answer. But it beats “Oops”.

What was your biggest “Oops”?

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Video Blog – Read Along with “David Copperfield”

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

David Copperfield PDF

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Accent Reduction Video Blog Tips for Eastern European and Asian ESL Students

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Should You Use Note Cards While Presenting?

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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What to Do if your Presentation Lacks Power

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have mixed thoughts about Graham Hill’s TED speech.

He has a nice attention-getter; he utilizes a prop to make a point about how often we move from place to place, and the amount of things that we drag along. He has a simple premise; simplify , and some very nice examples. He uses PowerPoint very well, utilizing simple, entertaining images to drive his premise, and he does not clutter his slides with data.

But I’m still a little underwhelmed. And that’s because w e’ve heard this speech before. It’s important to really sweat out what your premise is when you begin a speech. Once you’ve decided what you would like to do with the speech, whether it is to entertain, persuade, or educate, it’s crucial that you look for something novel or new to say with your speech. Unfortunately, we’ve heard many times before that we all ought to simplify our space, simplify our lives. There is nothing terribly novel about Mr. Hill’s speech, so it lacks power.

What might have helped? A new approach. Ok simplifying living spaces is your passion… how about discussing the concept of simplicity itself a bit more? Or delving a bit into why we clutter? Or connecting a personal story of your own to why you truly like to simplify? Personalizing a speech always creates more interest.

Yes, sometimes it’s good to go with your first instinct with a speech, but often we need to sit with our premise for a long time in order to reap its rewards.

Click here to set up a free, 20 minute, in-person speech consultation with me. I can help you create dynamic, powerful presentations and speeches using simple time tested techniques.

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Rex Ryan and Speaking Passionately

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

What makes a good planned speech? Structure, yes, but a speech needs feeling as well. Too often presentations lack fire, emotion, feeling. Ok so maybe you’re talking about your firm’s software, and not about famine, or war, or politics, but there are still opportunities to connect your values to your speech, and to let your passion show.

I like Rex Ryan’s speech here. The tone is rude, and tough as nails, but given his environment, that makes perfect sense. He doesn’t have a lot of structure to what he is doing, but he does the most important things well; he makes eye contact, and he speaks from his heart.

Experiment with going off-script. This doesn’t mean you wing your presentations, or swear like a sailor like Rex Ryan does. Bad idea. It just means you learn to keep it loose and follow your train of thoughts and feelings first , and your notes second.

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Intonation and Accent Reduction Part II

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Intonation and Accent Reduction

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

What do you think is more important in terms of reducing your accent; correcting your problem sounds, or correcting your melody and pitch? If you answered the latter, you are correct. In linguistics, prosody is the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. It is generally accepted among linguistics that prosody accounts more for our ability to be understood than our individual sounds.

In conversation, native English speakers tend to highlight one focus word in a phrase (a noun, verb, adj. or adv. that conveys particular meaning). As a conversation progresses, each new thought becomes the focus word. Each focus word gets stress emphasis, and a change of pitch. Let’s take an example:

I lost my HAT. (“Hat” is the focus word. It is the focus of the sentence.)

What KIND of hat? (“kind” is now the focus, or new thought)

It was a RAIN hat.

What COLOR rain hat?

It was WHITE.

There was a white hat in the CAR.

WHICH car?

The one I SOLD!

Get it? Each new idea gets emphasis, and a change of pitch.

Stay tuned…at the end of the week I will post a video demonstrating American English pitch patterns!

How to Execute a Killer Twenty Minute Speech

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

JJ Abrams gives a killer twenty minute speech here.

How? Simple. First, NO POWERPOINT. Break the addiction folks, powerpoint is often way overused . He uses video.. a more interesting choice

Second, he has a single, simple message… can you find it? I think it is “mystery is more important than knowledge”.

Third, he tells loads of stories, and gives the speech a personal touch. He begins right off the bat correlating his love for mystery with his love for his grandfather, and then tells touching stories about him. There is always room to share; yes even in your business presentations.

Fourth, the power of three; he has a strong premise, discussion section, and conclusion. We all like threes… so tell them what you’re gonna tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them.

Fifth, he’s got cool props. Not slides, not graphs, not the dreaded hand-out, but props; the mystery box he bought as a kid, a deconstructed Kleenex box, etc. Props are powerful storytelling aids.

He stumbles a bit for wording at the top, and has some vocal tics, but who cares, as long as the passion and craft are there, an audience can accept imperfection.

Click here to set up a free, 20 minute, in-person speech consultation with me. I can help you create dynamic, powerful presentations and speeches using simple time tested techniques.

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Well it Sounded Like a Great Speech…

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Man this sounded like a great speech. If only I could hear it! In my humble opinion, this clip is a classic example of amazing material, terrible delivery.

Let’s start with the material… great stuff. Philip Zimbardo asks “why are boys struggling?” and throws out some startling statistics about boyhood, including the fact that boys are five times more likely to develop ADHD, and 30% more likely to drop or flunk out of school. His stats are impressive, and build effectively. He also has a sharp wit, and tells a joke well.

But most of the speech flew by me in a mass of incoherence because he is rushing needlessly, and his articulation is terrible. Luckily I had the pause button handy, so I could go back and watch interesting sections over again to catch the speaker’s meaning, but the audience did not have that luxury. Yes, he only had a minute to make the speech, but time limits are not an excuse to rush. It doesn’t matter how brilliant your speech is if nobody can understand it.

I think Mr Zimbardo would have done himself and his audience a big favor by cramming less into his one minute speech, breathing more, and taking his time with the language .

What do you think?

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How to Slow Your Rate of Speech

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

“Silence hath more eloquence than words” – George Farquhar

Silence serves many purposes in a speech, but the simplest, and most important purpose it serves, is to allow you to breathe. Many people hold their breath while speaking, and this creates tension, and a monotone speaking style. It is best to breathe from the diaphragm, in a relaxed, organic manner (for a great breathing exercise, click here ).

Of course, Martin Luther King used pauses to great effect. As an exercise, take a look at this excerpt from his “I Have a Dream” speech. Read over the excerpt silently, and then read it over out-loud, taking a two second pause for ending punctuation, and a one second pause for all other forms of punctuation:

‘This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

Notice any differences? Hopefully this exercise allows you to take deeper breaths between sentences, allows you to clarify your thoughts more readily, and let’s you more easily control your rate of speech.

Let’s compare it with the master himself….

How To Control Your Fear of Public Speaking

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Video Blog- Non-Verbal Communication for Business Leaders

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Dizzy Gillespie and Phonetics

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Fantastic way to practice your phonetic transcription.

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3 Tips for Finding Time For Your Presentations

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Accent Reduction Tips for Indian and Chinese ESL Students

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Click here to register for Jeffrey’s Small Group Accent Reduction Class!

Non-Verbal Communication and Leadership

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Caroline Casey gives a stirring speech here…let’s look at it from the perspective of leadership, and non-verbal communication. When we are presenting, we often feel that we need to move in a certain way, a way that conveys “leadership”. I find that trying to move in a way that conveys “leadership” or “confidence” just creates tension. I like the way Caroline Casey moves. She gestures freely, and speaks passionately, and doesn’t seem to be trying to imitate other speakers. She moves in a way that feels comfortable, a way that is her own . This is the key to conveying leadership with your body language, not imitating “successful speakers”, but finding a natural, organic way to move that expresses you.

Vocally, I think Caroline speaks eloquently and expressively; however, I would quibble with the pace at which she speaks. She’s motoring through the speech, and I think she would benefit if she slowed down a bit, took some deep breaths, and clarified her points a bit more.

What do you think creates a confident speaker? Do you move in a way that is comfortable to you? Do you speak with a voice that is your own, and not an imitation of other speakers?

For more information on movement, voice, and leadership, take our Language of Leadership Seminar !

Is Your Boss Never Satisfied with Your Presentations?

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

How to Execute a Killer Four Minute Speech

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Killer four minute speech here.

Watch the way Mark Besos uses storytelling to enliven his speech. What makes his storytelling so perfect, and worthy of the standing ovation it receives, is its brevity and wit. Mr. Besos weaves his story effortlessly into his main point; that small acts of courage matter as much as big acts of courage.

It also helps that Marc knows his material well, that he is not working too hard to be funny, and that he is comfortable in his body.

Click here to set up a free, 20 minute, in-person speech consultation with me. I can help you create dynamic, powerful presentations and speeches using simple time tested techniques.

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How to Add Vocal Variety to Your Presentations

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Many people ask me how they can add more vocal variety to their business presentations. There are two things to consider when talking about developing vocal range; your long term goals, and your short term goals.

Developing your voice so that it has a lot of flexibility and nuance is best accomplished with a coach over a period of time, however, there are some exercises you can do at home to begin to broaden your vocal range.

The voice begins with the breath. Many of us breathe from the clavicle region (the chest and shoulders). This is not the most efficient way to breath, and does not support vocal production that well. Breathing is an impulse, and when done naturally, the upper chest is relaxed, and the diaphragm is engaged. The diaphragm is the thick muscle under your rib cage:

Ever notice how much vocal power and nuance young children have? That’s because they are breathing naturally from there diaphragm. A relaxed diaphragm creates gentle pressure on the vocal chords thereby producing a grounded sound. If there is little stress in the diaphragm and chords, then it is easier for sound to resonate freely throughout the body, and create vocal variety. But let’s start with breathing… How can you learn (or re-learn) to breath effectively? Try lying on the ground and following these simple steps*:

1) Close your eyes. Begin to notice your breath moving in and out through your mouth. Give yourself this thought “The in-breath is pure relaxation; the out breath will happen naturally if I wait”.

2) At the bottom of your out-breath, wait, but don’t hold your breath, until you feel the need for a new breath.

3) Give in to the need to breathe.

By slowing your breath down, and teaching yourself to give in to the natural reflex of breathing (rather than the manipulated breath), you can learn to engage the diaphragm while you speak, and lower your speaking voice.

Once you have done the breathing exercise for a while, and you have the support of your diaphragm, you can begin to add sound. Add a gentle “huh” sound to the out-breath, making sure not to worry too much about the resulting sound. Notice how the sound feels in your body. Really enjoy the tactile nature of sound. Now expand the sound to a hum, still keeping a nice, relaxed, natural breathing pattern. Notice the sound moving in your chest, and register how it feels.

Next, without losing your breathing, make a higher pitched “hee” sound. Notice the sound moving through your cheeks. Really luxuriate in the sound.

Come to standing. Take out your presentation, and begin the first few sentences. Challenge yourself to keep you breathing relaxed, but also to allow the pitch to fluctuate freely as you speak. See if you notice any differences in your speaking style.

That’s my tip for the day! If you would like to do some private coaching in vocal training, call me at 866.898.7586, and we can set up a free, twenty minute consultation to talk further about your goals.

*Exercises from “Freeing the Natural Voice”, Kristin Linklater, Drama Publishers, 2006

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Vlog Accent Reduction Tips for French and Spanish ESL Students

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Interview with The New York News Service

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Check out my interview with The New York News Service on Accent Reduction in NYC:

http://nycitynewsservice.com/2011/02/08/assimilating-and-curing-cawfee-talk/

Click here for my 8-week accent reduction course!

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Video Analysis of One of the World’s Best Public Speakers

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sir Ken Robinson is hands down one of the world’s greatest speakers. I defy you not to be immensely entertained and enlightened by this twenty minute speech.

Let’s take a look at his language…every word is articulated clearly, and he uses an abundance of inflection and pitch. He hits his content words, and makes every point clear, yet never over-articulates. Because he is physically relaxed, we are not distracted by his gestures from the most important component of his speech, his ideas.

He uses his wit to wonderful effect in this speech, eliciting a laugh a minute. Every trick in the public speaking book is used here, analogies, stories, quotes (including a gem from Abraham Lincoln), one-liners…. the speech is crammed with interest . It’s no wonder his last TED speech was downloaded over 10 million times!

Notice the structure of the beginning of his speech; an attention getter at the top that elicits a big laugh, then a clear thesis statement outlying his topic, than a wonderful analogy is made playing off of the public’s fascination with “resources”. Now we are hooked, and we know where we are going. The discussion section of the speech is a series of short, pithy stories. I could go on, and on. Each brilliantly told story weaves effortlessly into his main point: education is in need of reform. He culminates with a lovely quote from W.B Yeats.

A colleague of mine once said to me; “You know a standing ovation is authentic if the audience stands as one unit, immediately after the speech has finished”. Sir Robinson’s authentic ovation here was well deserved.

Click here to set up a free, 20 minute, in-person speech consultation with me. I can help you create dynamic, powerful presentations and speeches using simple time tested techniques.

This entry was posted in Non-Verbal Communication , Video Analysis of Contemporary Speeches
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Vlog Accent Reduction Tips for Mandarin, Korean, and Japanese ESL Students

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Click here to register for my small group accent reduction class, or here for private coaching!

Vlog Accent Reduction Tips for Spanish, Russian and Mandarin ESL Students

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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The King’s Speech and the Wholistic Approach to Speech

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

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Obama’s Tucson Speech

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

President Obama gives a powerful, and eloquent speech at the memorial in Tucson for the victims of Saturday’s shooting spree in Arizona.

To begin with, he has made the smart choice to work without a tele-prompter, and instead, simply read off of cards. This allows him to make an abundance of eye contact, and to focus more readily on the ideas behind the speech.

He starts the speech with a jarring attention getter, speaking of the “sudden hole torn in our hearts”. The image suggests a bullet wound. It’s a bold metaphor, and a great choice for an opener. From here, he moves into the stories of sacrifice and courage under fire that permeated the tragedy. A great speech is always filled with personal details, and there is an abundance here; the r.v. used by two victims to travel across the country, or the fact that the youngest victim, a 9 year old girl, was a softball player, and dreamed of being the first woman in Major League Baseball.

Obama never forgets his call to action. Every speech should have one. Toward the conclusion of the speech, Obama states: “we know we should not use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on each other.” It’s a profound plea for peace, made in a speech that was defined by chaos.

What do you think? I would rate this as one of our president’s finer moments.

This entry was posted in Video Analysis of Contemporary Speeches
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Vlog Accent Reduction Tips for Hebrew and French ESL Students

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Click here to register for my 8 week accent reduction class in NYC, and here for private coaching!

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Personal Reveleation and Public Speaking

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

How much should you reveal in a speech? Should you put yourself on the line? Tell something private about yourself? In this speech, Tony Porter uses a number of deeply personal stories to drive home his point about the socialization of men. His thesis is stated early, and is crystal clear; men are taught to hide their emotions, and disrespect women, and this needs to change.

Many speakers would resort to dry statistics in order to prove their point, but Mr. Porter makes a much shrewder choice by using deeply personal stories. He begins with a story about his children, and his overbearing need to discipline his son because he is crying. He moves on to a story about his father crying in a limousine after a funeral, and then a story about his first sexual experience. Each story builds in intensity and personal revelation, and weaves effortlessly into his thesis. The effect is very powerful.

Statistics help build a case in a speech, but they are not the lifeblood a good speech. Good stories are at the heart of a good speech, and the more personal, the better. Ultimately, the audience wants to connect on a human level to a speaker, and deeply felt stories help build this intimacy.

So what do you think? Are you willing to tell a secret in a speech?

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Steve Martin and Knowing Your Audience

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

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Our Eight Week Accent Reduction Program – It Sells Out Fast!

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Click Here for Speak Clear’s Eight Week Accent Reduction Program!

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Accent Reduction Tips for Indian and Spanish ESL Students

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Click here to register for my 8 week accent reduction class in NYC, and here for private coaching!

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What To Do When You Get Tense While Presenting

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Clients often say to me “I understand how to relax my nerves before a speech, but what do I do when I feel nervous while I’m speaking?” This is a tricky problem, but solvable. Check out Chimamanda Adichie’s TED speech above. Ms. Adichie has a wonderfully crafted speech, there is a clear intention to it, and she states that intention early: “I am here to talk about the danger of a single story.” The speech is filled with wonderful stories that all work effectively to prove Ms. Adichie’s central premise.

But she’s tense at the top. Her breathing is a little labored, and her voice quivers a bit. Does it matter? Not terribly. Why? Because she handles it well. She stops when she needs to, takes a break when she needs to, slows herself down, and breathes. Great speakers own their speeches not by powering through tension, but by yielding to relaxation. Speaking is a letting go, a releasing of thoughts, of feelings, of ideas. Tension is simply the opposite of that; it happens when a speaker is trying to make a moment into something other than what it really is. Made a mistake? Don’t worry. Laugh, sip some water, breath. Start again. Feel your hands shaking? STOP. Breathe. Start again. Lost your place? Ditto.

Statistically speaking, our number one fear, NUMBER ONE, is speaking in public. What does that mean? As Jerry Seinfeld once observed, most of the people attending a funeral would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. It’s natural to feel nervous while speaking in public, the question is, what do you do about it? Stop speaking, embrace the silence, breathe, begin again.

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is a public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City. Click here to contact Jeffrey for a free 2o minute in person speech consultation.

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John Stewart’s Speech at The Rally for Sanity and/or Fear

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Gotta tell you I didn’t love this one. I really wanted to. John Stewart is a brilliant satirist, and he is wonderful on television, but he makes a mistake here that John Colbert manages to avoid when he speaks , namely he uses too many platitudes (“We can have animus and not be enemies”), and too many stale metaphors (comparing the American population to cars on the freeway).

The big public speaking sin, however, is that this speech simply lacks bite. Stewart has been hammering Fox News for years about what he perceives as their fear-mongering, and it was not lost on anyone that this march was a chance for Steward to really drive home his point. So what is his thesis?: “The press did not create our problems, but it’s existence makes solving them all that much harder”. Not exactly a call to action! Way to ride the fence. C’mon John why are you holding back?

The speech suffers from a desire to be too decorous and civil. Ultimately it turns into a gooey, sentimental, slack affair culminating in Stewart thanking the audience for being “present”. Snore.

What do you think? Was Steward brilliant or a bore?

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is a public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City.

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How to Beat Procrastination when Preparing for a Speech

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

One of the first questions I ask when I hear that an executive is nervous about an upcoming speech is how much time was spent preparing for the presentation. Sometimes I will hear “Well I looked it over last night”, or “I made a few bullet-points”. Usually I think to myself, “No wonder you are anxious!”. A good speech requires work, sometimes hours need to be spent culling together material, weeding out weak points and extraneous data, finding the main point of the speech, and developing interesting questions to ask the audience. At the very least, familiarity with the material is essential.

Sometimes we feel tense about a speech simply because we are in the habit of preparing at the last minute. It’s important to break this cycle. How can it be done? Make a plan:

1) Tell someone you know (ideally, a coach like yours truly ) that you are struggling to find time for your presentations, and ask them for help. Support is important.

2) Set a certain number of hours allotted for your preparation, and report your progress to your coach or friend.

3) Weed out unnecessary information. Is your speech loaded with data? Putting everybody in the room to sleep, including yourself? Weed out everything that is unessential to your main point, which leads me to my next point…

4) HAVE ONE MAIN POINT TO YOUR SPEECH Ultimately a great speaker does not ramble , but revolves his/her speech around one main theme . The public schools need reform. My company invests more selectively than the rest. You can trust my leadership. You know what it is, pick it, and stick to it.

If you feel like it will help, post your progress to this blog post. Let me know what you’ve done to improve your presentations this week, and what you plan to do next week!

Good luck!

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is a public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City. Click here to contact Jeffrey for a free twenty minute speech consultation.

This entry was posted in Speech Preparation and Anxiety Reduction
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Colbert’s Congressional Tesimony

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Since I seem to be big into blogging about Steven Colbert lately, I thought we would take a look at his congressional testimony from last week. The big question batting around the internet in regard to this speech is whether the tone is appropriate or not. Mr. Colbert was invited to speak in front of the House of Representatives in regard to illegal farm workers and the issue of immigration. Apparently someone had the brilliant idea of sending Mr. Colbert into a field to pick fruit for a few hours, and then testify before the House of Representatives on his experience. Of course, Mr. Colbert was completely outlandish, stayed in character, and, on occasion, mocked the very work he was presumed to defend.

From a public speaking standpoint, you could say that Colbert was tone-deaf, didn’t analyze the occasion thoroughly enough, and was inappropriate, but I think there is a larger question here begging to be asked, namely… what are these Representatives thinking!? And what is up with all the moralizing by politicians and the media regarding this speech? What did they think would happen? Mr. Colbert is a COMEDIAN. Why is he being invited to weigh in and give a speech before a sovereign governmental body on a topic of monumental national importance? It’s absurd. Personally, I think Mr. Colbert’s speech was perfectly appropriate. Satirists satirize. That is what they do. If the House of Representatives wanted an expert, they should have invited one. They invited a satirist, and the invitee turned the whole absurdity-pie around, and launched it into the face of those deserving, the House of Representatives.

What do you think? Bad taste or brilliant speech?

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is a public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City.

This entry was posted in Video Analysis of Contemporary Speeches
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Steven Colbert, Eric Schmidt and the Art of Q and A

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In this Q and A segment, Steven Colbert grills Google CEO Eric Schmidt about privacy on the net in hilarious fashion. Colbert is amazingly relaxed in front of the camera, and his one-liners are to die for, but let’s look at this Q and A from Eric Schmidt’s perspective. How do you think he handles these questions?

I think he does a good job because he abides by a simple rule when it comes to Q and A’s; keep it simple, stupid. There is no reason for endless answers. Be as clear as you can, tell the truth, give you opinion, and avoid straddling the fence….you know, avoid answering questions the way most politicians do .

When asked about Google in China, Schmidt’s simple answer: “We didn’t like their laws.” When asked about a comment he made about net privacy: “It was a joke.” This doesn’t mean that Schmidt doesn’t elaborate, he does, but he does so in a concise fashion. It helps a good deal that he is not afraid to smile, he is reasonably in on Colbert’s joke, and he uses open gestures.

What do you think?

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is a public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City.

This entry was posted in Video Analysis of Contemporary Speeches
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Making a Point with a Light Touch

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Many speeches have a serious tone …but is it possible to drive a point home with a light touch? I think so. Seth Goldin gives a funny, and informative speech here on the concept of “broken”. The speech is hilarious, he uses visuals brilliantly, but what I think is most interesting is the sly way Mr. Goldin makes the listener contemplate what is “broken” and what is not.

Mr. Golden starts with a great attention getter, he has recently received a series of rebate cards, four of them to be exact, worth $30 a piece. Of course, he can’t use any of them effectively. He makes the choice to bring the cards on stage, and uses them as a type of prop, flipping through them as he tells his story, and then, bang, he throws them at the audience and states: “broken”.

The word “broken” is used repetitively; he riffs off of it, showing slides of ridiculous ad campaigns, and useless signage in order to make his point. With each slide Mr. Golden gets a laugh, and then uses this laugh as cover for some more serious questions: Why are useless ad campaigns designed? What are the reasons for ineptitude? What is “broken” and what is not?

If I had to quible a bit with this speech, I would say that Mr. Golden apologises a bit too much. There is never a reason to state “I am winging it” in a speech. Luckily he has charisma to burn, and pulls this off…but I would not try it at home.

So what do you think? Can you make a great speech, and keep it light?

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is a public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in Manhattan.

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The Arizona Governor Debate and Bombing

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ah yes, bombing.

Many of my clients asked for my two cents regarding Jan Brewer’s cringe inducing performance at the Arizona Governor Debate. The question that came up most; was she under-prepared, or simply panicked? As you probably noticed from the video above, Ms. Brewer stumbled badly at the top, shook her head as if to say “Gee I screwed up”, and then proceeded to piece together an incoherent summation of her turn as Governor. Yikes.

Was she under-prepared? Most likely, yes. It seems as if she hadn’t really rehearsed the speech out loud much. She seemed somewhat disorganized from the outset. It is always important to go over a speech five to six times, ideally in front of other people, and then review bullet points silently a few times before the event, getting in touch with the essence of the speech. Doing progressive relaxation exercises before an event helps a good deal too.

Was she panicked? Yes. What do you do if this happens to you? Breath. STOP SPEAKING. Do not try to TALK your way out of panic; never works. Guess why? The panic will distort your thoughts and words. If you are on a train to Connecticut, but you want to go to New Jersey, do you continue on your journey thinking, “Well, eventually, I will land in New Jersey”? Nope. You get off the train, and get on another train. If you are on the train to panics-ville, get off the train. Stop speaking. Take a sip of water. Breath. DO NOTHING. Clarify your thoughts. Will it be a little awkward? Yes. Will it be better than speaking out of your arse (excuse my French)? Much.

Would you like to know a dirty secret held by most public speaking coaches? Ok here goes…. Everybody bombs. Yep, it’s true. Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Ole Abe Lincoln, and occasionally a public speaking coach (not MOI of course ), everybody, everybody bombs. Public speaking craft helps us reach a state of public speaking excellence, not public speaking perfection. We are all human, and on occasion, we fail. So what do you do if this happens to you? Get up off your feet, dust yourself off, and then move on. You failed, yes, but you are in good company, and you have faced the worst. You need not fear the podium again.

What do you think? Under-prepared, or panicked?

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is a public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in Manhattan.

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Roger Clemens and Non Verbal Communication

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

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Marina Abramovic on Concentration

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Performance Artist Maria Abromovic talks about CONCENTRATION .

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is an executive public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City.

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Passion and Public Speaking

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Laurie Santos, head of the Comparative Cognition Lab at Yale University, gives a great speech here on the roots of human irrationality. The study itself is inspired and creative (she compares human economic behavior to monkey behavior), so a lot of the work for the speech has been done before she steps on stage. That being said, I think Ms. Santos excels at conveying passion and enthusiasm for her subject. I can hear you now: “But Jeff, that can’t be taught”. Au Contraire, yes it can. It’s quite simple if you follow an important guideline: Only speak about topics you enjoy speaking about, and add interest to a speech (quotes, stories, comparisons, contrasts) when your subject is boring you. Ambivalence about your topic is to be avoided at all costs. In this speech, Ms. Santos uses a great quote from Hamlet to humorous effect, and adds interest to an already engrossing topic.

There are two other things Ms. Santos does well; she does not over rely on her Power Point presentation, and she ends her speech on a positive note. Going negative is the cardinal sin of public speaking technique, and she avoids it well, coming to a nice, definitive conclusion.

If I were to quibble a bit with her technique, I would suggest that she could slow down, and breathe more. There are moments when she appears to be a little out of breath. Slowing down, and deliberately breathing more will help her calm her nerves, and will allow the audience to catch up with her ideas.

Overall, however, I consider this a job well done.

Your thoughts?

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is an executive public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City.

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Analysis of TED’s WikiLeaks Q and A

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Let’s take a look at TED’s WikiLeaks Q and A from a public speaking standpoint. What steps are necessary in order to successfully navigate a Q and A session? Listening to the question is essential, as is defining terms, giving your opinion when asked, backing up your opinion with facts, and acknowledging what you don’t know. Given that 80% of our impression of a speaker has to do with their non-verbal communication, open gestures, alignment, and a resonant voice matter a great deal too.

With these points in mind, how successful was this Q and A? My first thought was “My God what is up with the cell phones?!” Julian Assange’s phone goes off at 1:53, in the middle of the Q and A, and he has to turn it off in front of the audience . Ladies and Gentlemen, this is not a good start to a Q and A. Uttering “God Damn” afterward did not help his case. The interviewer did a nice job of staying in the moment, and makes a quip which helps alleviate the situation. So no biggie, things happen in a speech.

But wait a minute, hold on, is that the interviewer holding a cell phone and using it like a conductor would a baton throughout the interview? ? Why, yes it is! It seems that both interviewer and interviewee are so obsessed with their electronic gadgets that they can’t part with them for any reason , even when they are on television.

Non-verbal analysis aside, the content of the Q and A fares better. Mr. Assange defends Wiki Leaks in a cogent manner, and has details and facts to back himself up. The interviewer does a fair job of asking the tough questions of this controversial guest, when he’s not waving his cell phone around in the air.

I think Mr. Assange’s most impressive moment comes at the end of the Q and A when he is asked about what motivates his work. He says: “Capable, generous men do not create victims, they nurture victims”. Obviously Mr. Assagne had anticipated he might be asked this question, and he prepared an answer , one that is thoughtful and illuminating.

What do you think of the Q and A?

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is an executive public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City.

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Tagged with executive coach , interview coach manhattan , interview coach new york city , presentation coach , presentation training , public speaking coach manhattan , public speaking coach new york city , public speaking lessons , public speaking tips , speech coach , speech lessons , voice coach
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Listening and Public Speaking

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A great speaker doesn’t speak at an audience, but rather listens to the audience, and responds to the audience. What exactly is good listening on a public speaking level? Is it about simply mirroring the body language of the person (or persons) you are speaking to, as some communication coaches suggest? Or is it deeper than that? I would argue that good listening on the public speaking level is the same as good listening on the personal level; it is the ability to understand the meaning of a question or comment, not just the delivery. On the micro level, this means repeating questions that are posed by your audience, and asking directly if you are understanding them correctly. It means paying attention to the context of the question, and picking up important non-verbal clues.

On the macro level, listening to your audience means understanding what they are expecting of the speech, and what they want, even need, to hear. Do you make sports analogies at a film industry convention with an audience made of movie buffs? Start out an awards ceremony with edgy humor when the audience yearns for sincerity? Perhaps you aren’t listening. Try imagining what you would want to hear if you were in the audience… this is the first step to becoming a speaker who is truly attuned to the audience.

In your opinion, what great speakers listen well?

Click here for a great article on listening @ Huffington Post

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications . He is an executive public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in New York City.