Tag Archives: executive speech training

No Substitute for In-Person

One of the biggest lessons of this moment in time is that there is no substitute for in-person meetings. This is something I’ve always known and have spoken and written extensively about. It’s my my business creed.

Now it’s dawning on everyone.

Maybe you’ve been thinking. “This new normal of virtual communication means I don’t have to be around these people I can’t stand. Yay!”

And lately you may be thinking, “All I want to do is be sitting at a bar with these same people I couldn’t stand brainstorming ideas.”

The need for human contact, that human connection that you can only get in-person isn’t going away. It will never go away. It’s what makes us human. To admit we miss this is to free ourselves up so we can carry on effectively until we can resume being together in-person.

And once this is past, it’ll be back with a vengeance. People will be so hungry for it. Therefore, throughout all this, you’ve got to keep up your skills.

Don’t let them slide.

In the words of the immortal Joni Mitchell, “You don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.”

How to get a TED talk

I’ve been interested in how to get a TED Talk for the past few years. Like many people, I’d viewed some of the more popular ones, admiring them for their brevity and impact. Some of the speakers were also pretty good. I thought, “I could do that.“

Ha!

This year, I finally decided to figure out how to get a TED talk, to decode the TED formula and learn how I could become one of those speakers.

Continue reading How to get a TED talk

How To Present On Video

Video has been utilized more and more for communications that just a few years ago we could only imagine taking place face-to-face. Whether you are with a large enterprise or have your own shop, learning how to present on video is a critical next step as you strive to advance your career and/or close business in the current communication and presentation environment.

(I know, I know… just when you thought you had face-to-face down!)

While there are many similarities to in-person presentations, there are significant differences. Being aware of and practicing them will assure you’re always ready to deliver your expertise confidently and persuasively.

Here are a few of the differences and the solutions around how to present on video:

  • Problem: Video is inanimate. It doesn’t give you any visual feedback like smiling back at you or laughing at your jokes.
  • Solution: Pretend the camera is a close friend or loved one. If this seems impossible, try taping a photo of that friend next to the lens and talk to it.
  • Problem: I don’t know where to look.
  • Solution: You look into the camera lens. On a webcam it’s usually a little green dot of light. Try to keep in mind that is where your audience is not above, below, or to the side. Even if there are others on camera, too, looking at them instead of the lens will impede your ability to connect.
  • Problem: The video shows my ceiling (or floor).
  • Solution: When you’re using a laptop with a webcam, it should be positioned to face you straight on. You may need to prop up your video on some books or boxes and adjust the level of your chair so that the lens is about eye-level. There are laptop stands, too. Adjust the screen (and lens) so you no longer see the ceiling or floor.
  • Problem: My energy level drops.
  • Solution: Keep your facial and vocal energy high. Also lean a little bit forward. Everything else can (sort of) relax.
  • Problem: I don’t know what to wear.
  • Solution: Solid colors are best and they should stand out against your background. Plaids and prints can become distorted.
  • Problem: I hate the way I look on video.
  • Solution: Everyone does, even my Oscar-winning clients! This is because we aren’t accustomed to seeing everything reversed. You have to train your eye. The more you watch yourself, the easier it will become.

I promise that by following these steps and practicing you will not only be recognized for your video presence, but your skill with the video technology.