“When you walk into a room, own it. Let your presence be felt. Confidence isn’t just about what you say; it’s about how you carry yourself.” - Oprah Winfrey, Media Mogul and Philanthropist

To own a room effectively, speakers can employ several strategies:

This podcast episode explores three strategies:  exuding confidence, engaging through storytelling, and mastering delivery techniques.



Reference

1.    Magnetic Speaking 

"Speed reading is a skill that allows you to process information more efficiently, which is critical for anyone who wants to communicate effectively in today’s fast-paced world."  – Tony Buzan, British author and educational consultant, best known for his work on mind mapping and mental literacy

Have you ever thought how reading at a faster rate can help you become a better speaker? Probably not.

This episode will explore three ways reading faster will enhance your speaking.



References

• Buzan (1993) in The Speed Reading Book
• Berg and Ehrenberg (2013) in The Anxious Brain
• Carroll (2005) in Confidence in Public Speaking

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier, American author and publisher

Maintaining motivation is a challenge for speakers like you.  

This episode explores three ways you as a speaker can maintain your motivation.

“Your content is your voice. Post consistently, and the right people will hear you.” – Unknown

One of the most common ways to become known as a speaker is to post your content regularly on various electronic platforms.

This episode reviews three platforms you can use to post your speaker content online.


References

• Medium Blog (2023). “Why Blogging Remains a Powerful Content Medium.”
• Patel, N. (2023). “The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Blog”. Neil Patel.
• Statista (2023). “Number of Social Media Users Worldwide 2023”.
• Forbes (2023). “How Social Media Drives Content Creation”. Forbes.
• YouTube Blog (2023). “The Power of Video in Content Sharing.”
• HubSpot (2023). “Why Video Marketing Works”. HubSpot.

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” – Pericles, Greek politician and general during the Golden Age of Athens

Public speaking has always been a cornerstone of societal change, personal influence, and cultural growth. 

From ancient forums to modern stages, powerful speeches have shaped our world.

In this podcast, you will discover three ways your public speaking leaves a legacy.


References 

• Carson, C. (2001). The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Warner Books.
• Mio, J. S., Riggio, R. E., Levin, S., & Reese, R. (2005). “Presidential Leadership and Charisma: The Effects of Metaphor.” The Leadership Quarterly, 16(2), 287-294.
• Sorensen, T. C. (1965). Kennedy. Harper & Row.
• TED. (2020). Impact Report 2020. Retrieved from ted.com.
• Zenger, J. H., & Folkman, J. (2012). “What Inspires People to Give Their Best?” Harvard Business Review.

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” –- Steve Jobs, American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc.

Have you ever thought about why you speak to your audience? 

Although the number of topics you can speak on is limitless, there are only a few primary reasons to talk to your audience. They are to inform, persuade, or inspire others.

This article will explore these three reasons in more detail.

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References

• Lucas, S. E. (2015). The Art of Public Speaking (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
• Aristotle. (2007). The Rhetoric (W. Rhys Roberts, Trans.).
• Carnegie, D. (1936). How to Win Friends and Influence People.

“A panel discussion is a great way to explore multiple viewpoints, but it only succeeds if the panelists are engaged and the moderator knows when to steer or step back.” — Nancy Duarte, American writer and speaker

You may be asked to moderate a panel discussion one day.

In this podcast, we will explore ways you can prepare, conduct, and follow up as the moderator of a panel discussion.

"If you can't write your message in a sentence, you can't say it in an hour." — Dianna Booher, American author and communication expert

It's the holiday season, and you have more than a few things to do. So, how do you get them all done?  

The key to a happy holiday season is to prioritize the items you need to accomplish and then complete them one at a time. If you do this, you won't complete all the items on your "To Do" list, but you will complete the most important ones.

There is an analogy between this and your presentations. Sometimes when you want to get so much done in a presentation, your message is lost on your audience.

This week's podcast explores three strategies you can use to focus on your message

"Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall."  -  Oliver Wendell Holmes, American jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

Do you have challenges answering technical questions from the audience during your presentations? You are not alone.  

Fortunately, there is a myriad of information on how to overcome the challenges presented by audience questions.

In this week's episode, we explore three of these challenges and how you can overcome them


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References

• Carnegie, D. (1936). How to Win Friends and Influence People. The book emphasizes the importance of listening and clarifying for effective communication.
• Gallo, C. (2014). Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. The book highlights the importance of storytelling and analogies in making technical content accessible.
• Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The habit of "seeking first to understand" aligns with acknowledging limitations and committing to clear follow-ups.

"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in."  -  Author unknown

When technical issues occur during a presentation, technical professionals can take a few key actions to address and resolve them efficiently. 

In this episode, we explore three critical steps that technical people can take to address and resolve presentation technical issues: