Workshop Wednesday – are ‘filler words’ the kiss of death in presentations?
“…there is a fine line between acceptable and excruciating where ‘ums and ahs’ are concerned…”
Top 10 Tips for Speakers #8 – “And now let’s hear a few words” (without warning)
So far we’ve talked about how to prepare a presentation, and how to structure your speech, and what to include, and how to deliver it. But all of that assumes you have some time to prepare. What about when you are asked to speak without any notice? Scary thought, huh? Well, there are any number…
Tuesday Training: Teaching, Coaching, Mentoring – and trees that bloom on their own time.
What’s the difference between Mentoring and Coaching? Between Teaching and Training? How can we, as coaches, trainers, educators and mentors best serve those that we are helping? That’s one of the issues with John Maxwell’s Servant Leadership, of course (which I’ll address in a future Tuesday Training post) But its also something I’ve been…
Toastmasters ‘Clicks and Bricks’ … hybrid online/physical clubs .. a brief report.
Background: I’m currently a member of four Toastmasters clubs, having rejoined Toastmasters in Brisbane, Australia, about two years ago. I was also a member of multiple other clubs in my previous Toastmasters membership, in the 1980s. But all those clubs, and three of my existing clubs, are ‘traditional’ clubs – in the sense that they…
Wed Workshop: ‘Intrinsic’ motivators
Money may seem like the main motivator for many people – but what if it’s not? What if there are other ‘first-order’ motivators that we ignore at our peril? I’ve just come from a meeting where a speaker pointed out that extrinsic motivators like money, fame, and praise are all important – but beyond a certain point,…
Wed Workshop – 80:20 vision
In my Thursday Thoughts post two weeks ago, I wrote about ‘draining the swamp’ – or dealing with the big picture, and not getting bogged down in the minutiae. And that led one reader to point me to a really useful ‘life hack’ page about the 80:20 rule. The 80:20 rule, as Steve Young points out, is…
Wed Workshop – Best Laid Schemes …
You may have noticed that this week’s Wed Workshop’ is actually being posted on a Sunday (Australian time). That’s because, as the poet said, “The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley….” I am, as I’ve mentioned, an occasional ‘enrichment lecturer’ on cruise ships – and in recent weeks I’ve been on…
Wed Workshop – Dot points = dead message
I am, this week, on a cruise ship sailing around the South Pacific. I say that not to make you jealous – although I AM ON A SOUTH PACIFIC CRUISE! – but to tell you why I am on that ship. I’m what’s called an ‘enrichment speaker’ .. In return for a ‘free’ cruise for…
Wed Workshop – Training v Real World.
I was at a Toastmasters meeting last night when a member, attempting to encourage newer speakers, said “No speech is a failure – Each speech has an outcome. It’s how you deal with that outcome that counts.” And I’d agree – at least as far as the sentiment goes. But to paraphrase the old saying, sentiment (and…
Is this thing on?
I gave my first ‘Contest’ speech in more than 20 years on Saturday .. I was a contestant in the Toastmasters District 69, Eastern Division, Area 27 Humorous Speech contest. Which sounds a bit more spectacular than it actually is. Essentially it means that I was one of two people representing my Toastmasters club against contestants…
Cairns Communications 