On Monday (May 14th) I did a five-minute spot at the Comedy Store in London for the charity Games Aid. I found it unsettling, exciting and filled with a level of pressure which I haven’t experienced for a long time. I’m still processing the whole experience, but here’s my preparation process for you, plus a few […]
My 5 Minutes at the Comedy Store Read More »
‘But Jon, I want to actually be confident.’ For your audience, apparent confidence is all that matters, whether it’s genuine or not. And here’s how you do it: Prepare properly. This could be a rehearsing presentation or pitch, creating a well-researched meeting agenda or making thorough notes for a phone call. It might seem like a waste of
How to Look Confident When You Speak Read More »
Hi Reader, Here are a few pointers for an effective email: Get to the point. Keep it simple. Keep it short. Regards, Jon. P.S. That introductory line had better sum up the point of the email. The more vague you are, the more likely your reader is to skim the email or skip it entirely. Email
Write an Email They’ll Actually Read Read More »
‘Storytelling’ can feel like something for children, but in fact, everyone loves a good story, and they can be the best way to create good material for your pitch or presentation. The best stories usually contain these elements: Relatable characters. Peril/problems/drama. A satisfying conclusion. Here’s how you might do it: Relatable Characters Define your team:
How to Tell a Story to Adults Read More »
Bad meetings; the bane of office life. Soul-sucking, demoralising and confusing, the bad meeting is even worse no meeting, because it has an adverse effect, actually doing more harm than good. Fortunately, to deal with this particular problem, you can use the same principles of good communication that you would for other speaking situations such as presentations
How to Chair a Good Meeting Read More »
