“Forget everything else, and just say it to me. Say it to me, as a friend.”– Lionel Logue, ‘The King’s Speech’, 2010. I think this piece of advice is wonderful. It may seem silly to try to imagine your audience as one person, but I believe that the best speakers make every audience member feel
Make It Conversational Read More »
I talk a lot about writing and delivery to communicate effectively, but there’s an additional aspect you need to master: your non-verbal communication. Here are my favourite ways (outside of material and delivery) to make an impact, persuade and make your audience feel really good: Do Your ResearchLook at their LinkedIn profiles, read their articles,
Non-Verbal Communication Read More »
Stand-up comedians are very keen on creating new material; that new bit can be the most exciting thing they’ve created, because it’s a spark of magic, the newest bit of the set. They learn to notice *everything*. Then they see the patterns. Then they create a perspective which delights their audience. For your material, do
Create Great Material – Notice Everything Read More »
In 2022, I delivered a 45-minute talk at the Develop Conference to a room full of game developers, during which I had a very real crisis of confidence. Let me set the scene: an hour and a half earlier, I walked to the venue, the Metropole hotel in Brighton. It was a hot day (Develop
Silence Your Doubts Read More »
When people think of confident speakers, they often imagine big gestures, strong voices, or powerful words. However, the real power often sits in the silence between the words. Most people rush. They speak too fast because their brain is racing ahead: worrying about what’s coming next, how they sound, or how people are judging them.
