We’ve all been there … standing in front of a room full of people, our heart racing, palms sweating, and words threatening to tumble out in a rush or refusing to come out at all! Whether it’s a presentation, a high-stakes meeting, or an important conversation, staying calm under pressure is essential for effective communication […]
How do the best communicators stay calm under pressure? Read More »
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to students and older job seekers about how to make the best first impression at an interview. Lots of questions have ensued, but one of the key areas of concern was how to make sure you come across as professional and engaging during a
How to master the art of presenting online. Read More »
Whether you’re delivering a presentation, asking questions of others, speaking to a customer or just having a chat, I’m pretty confident that you don’t pause often enough. Many people find silence really difficult to deal with, so fill it as quickly as they can. They speak very quickly, ask a 2nd or 3rd question before
Why you should pause more than you do? Read More »
We’ve recently started our Presentation Club. An opportunity for members to stand up in front of the room and deliver a short presentation. All the attendees create written feedback on how the speaker came across. You then get to keep all the sheets of feedback to digest in the comfort of your home. In can
How hard is giving and receiving feedback? Read More »
I recently spoke at an online presentation. Nothing unusual about that, I get asked to speak a lot and it’s one of our core routes to market. I show you what we do and then you might remember me when you’re looking for training on that topic. However, this was slightly different as the person
How to make the most from a potential disaster Read More »
On 22nd May 2024 the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, stepped out of the door at 10 Downing Street to a wall of journalists and photographers to announce that he was calling a general election. A moment of great importance; his opportunity to show his leadership skills and authority to the world. I know he
Have you checked there’s nothing distracting your audience? Read More »
We’re coming up to wedding season and many grooms, brides, best men and parents of the happy couple will be preparing for a speech that fills them with dread and yet they desperately want to do well. Those feelings aren’t so different from those of us who have to present for work … we don’t
For many of us just being able to stand up and speak coherently would be amazing, let alone being confident! I know when I first started having to do sales presentations, I would have done anything to stop myself showing how scared I was, both physically and vocally. My first boss could see how scared
How to present confidently, every time you stand up to speak Read More »
Do you tell yourself stories about what is, has or will happen? Or provide yourself with a running commentary as you go about your daily business? That’s self-talk … the voice in your head … what you say to yourself, whether positive or negative, can boost or undermine your confidence. And unless you question it
Why self-talk matters. Read More »
As regular readers will know, I attend a lot of networking events, at which business owners and representatives can take the opportunity to give a short presentation. The topic usually relates to an overview of their business, the market they work in or some top tips for the audience to take away. As the speaker,
Five ways to ruin your presentation and what to do instead! Read More »
