Speak As Well As You Think

In this month's episode, John, Matt, and I talk about the use of PowerPoint slides and visual messages. We discuss why using presentation slides can be a great option and how to avoid some common pitfalls. You'll get tips on creating engaging slides and how to apply small changes to existing decks for impact. Tune in to hear how to use visual messages appropriately, and remember, PowerPoint is not the enemy!

In Season 2, episode 2, John and Matt join me to talk about the power of awkward pauses. We discuss why people avoid pausing and why that’s an issue, how long pauses can and should be, the connection between pausing and emotional intelligence, and how you can begin practicing longer pauses today.

In this episode, John Vautier joins me to discuss improving your speaking skills through purposeful practice. Because speaking skills (verbal and nonverbal) are physical, they can be practiced in the same way you would practice for a sport. Specifically, we talk about what deliberate practice is, common practice mistakes we see professionals make, and how to incorporate practice into your everyday life.

In episode 11, Jenn Alex joins me to discuss business writing. We discuss why business writing is an essential skill for all professionals, two questions you need to ask before you write, how to structure your writing to increase readership, a simple framework you can use to format your writing, and seven common business writing mistakes we see.

In episode 10, John Vautier joins me to discuss the challenges of business meetings and what you can do to lead and facilitate them in a way that creates engagement and moves work forward.

Specifically, we discuss the reasons why meetings have a bad reputation, why defining the purpose of your meeting is so important, a simple framework for 'opening' your meeting, strategies for engaging people throughout the meeting, facilitation strategies, and a simple framework for 'closing' your meeting.

In episode 9, Jennifer Alex joins me to talk about our Executive Communication Skills program. We've been running this training program for more than 15 years, and we want to give you a peek into what that program is like, what skills are taught, and how we coach those who go through it. If you're interested in participating in this program, we're hosting an open-enrollment one on October 18-19 in Columbus, Ohio: www.vautiercommunications.com/public-programs Or, if you're interested in hosting this training for your team or organization, contact us to get started: www.vautiercommunications.com/contactus

In this episode, John Vautier joins me to talk about listening skills. John shares two common misconceptions professionals have about listening, techniques you can use to be a better listener in scenarios that make it difficult to listen, and then offers some advice on what you can do starting today to be a better listener. If you're interested in our group-based listening skills program, visit www.vautiercommunications.com/active-listening-skills

In this episode, Jenn Alex joins me to talk about nerves & anxiety related to speaking and presenting. We discuss where nerves come from, the impact they can have on how you're perceived, the role of mindset in overcoming nerves, and a few practical tips on how to set yourself up for success in spite of feeling nervous.

In this episode, Jenn Alex joins me to talk about forms of influence. Forms of influence are the devices you use in persuasive messaging to help your listeners understand your perspective or buy into your recommendation or proposal. Jenn will share what the forms of influence are, which to use, how many to use, and when to use them. If you've enjoyed this podcast, you'll love our in-person presentation skills program. Join us live on October 18-19 in Columbus, OH: www.VautierCommunications.com/public-programs

Shulunda Gibson, Owner of The Speech & Voice Care Center of Houston, joins me to talk about the role your voice plays in how you show up as a professional and shares an exercise you can do to improve the clarity of your speech.

You can find Shulunda...

Instagram.com/speakitwithshulie

speechandvoicecenter.com

TikTok: ShulieGib