Please don’t put yourself down in front of an audience. I don’t think self-deprecation helps anyone. I think it damages a speaker’s credibility and their apparent value. It literally deprecates by conveying self-disapproval. I’ve seen several speakers say “I’m not good at public speaking”* and then do a pretty good job. I think self-deprecation can […]
Self-Deprecation = Self-Sabotage Read More »
Likeability: highly valuable, and sometimes a little difficult to achieve. Being likeable, if you can achieve it, is a wonderful quality. It will help you go places. It’ll help you get that job, to make a business connection, to find the person you love and maybe, help them fall in love with you. Anyway, the
Achieving Likeability Read More »
“So… I think, that’s it. Yeah. So, er, any questions?” PLEASE don’t finish any talk like this. It’s disappointing and inconclusive. It may feel like the right thing to do because everybody else does it*, but it fails because: It’s often followed by an awkward silence; you’re suddenly demanding interaction from an audience who may
Finish Your Talk Correctly Read More »
I’m improving all the time. Doing stupid things along the way – obviously – but I feel now that this coaching lark of mine has taken a significant step forward (which, quite frankly, has been a long time coming). What’s Happened, Specifically? Right, let’s get into it: here’s what’s taken place in the world of
Better, Faster, Stronger Communication Read More »
I was on a very crowded train to Cambridge from Ely a few months ago with my bicycle. A lady on the train was deeply offended by its presence – by the look on her face you’d think I’d brought along a flatulent llama. I suggested that she move further down the carriage (my bike can only go by the
Best Put-Down Ever Read More »
