Slips of the tongue happen all the time. They’re not a problem. What matters is how we handle them. When speaking in public (or televised from Parliament), the best way to handle them is to pause, smile, and correct yourself. A minor blip. The worst way to handle them is to ‘power on’ and pretend it More…
Why a Great Explanation is the best cure for addiction
I’ve never been a smoker, but some family and friends have. Most have stopped (or want to). No ‘quit’ method seems to work for everyone, however, the most successful method stands out for an interesting reason. Not only is ‘The EasyWay to stop smoking’ considered the most successful; in a world of gum, patches and More…
The trend to better quality explanations
February 24th, 2011 was a significant day. Until then, much of the content found via a Google search was low quality fluff produced by ‘Content Farms’, purely to get higher rankings and expose users to ads. A high percentage of info junk means users waste time on rubbish sites, while good information is obscured. This pollution makes More…
PowerPoint blows up Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off July 8 on the final flight of the shuttle program. A video of the launch here. Seeing the Space Shuttle in the news reminds me of the TWO Shuttle explosions (Challenger and Columbia) and the conclusion that poor communication contributed to both disasters. Some of the blame for the Columbia disaster rested on the More…
Get a method! Rules stop you thinking clearly
Public Speaking courses often focus on ‘Dos and Don’ts’ – a list of things you should always do to be successful. And a (typically long) list of thing you should never do. The core idea behind the Rules approach is that by simply following the rules you will be a great speaker. It doesn’t work. Why? Because rules don’t More…
Message: It’s not about winning (Really?)
I recently went to a school sports day for 6 to 10 year olds. The teacher introducing the event made a short speech and finished with the message ‘It’s not about winning, it’s about having fun’. Unfortunately it’s a lie. It’s just not accurate. Every kid would like to win. Every parent at the event would More…
Vital secret from the King’s Speech (movie)
King George in the movie ‘The King’s Speech’ was naturally left-handed, yet forced to use his right hand at a young age. His speech therapist, Australian Lionel Logue, explains that this is quite common in stutterers. The implication; forcing people out of their natural style can interfere with efficient mind-body coordination. Particularly in relation to communication. We More…
Confused about public speaking nerves? (you’re not alone)
Confusion creates fertile ground for anxiety, so it’s important to understand how public speaking nerves work. You might recognise parts of this conversation with a successful and confident senior manager. It’s similar to 100 or so conversations I’ve had about public speaking anxiety. Note the words in bold… CAM: What do you do? SM: I manage More…
Goldilocks communication: Just the right amount of information
In the story ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, Goldilocks made sure everything was juuust right – what she ate (not too hot or too cold), the chairs she sat on and the bed she slept in (not too hard or too soft). So Goldilocks communication is where you provide just the right amount of information More…
Clarity: How to get to the next level
I coached a scientist who was disappointed his pitch for funding wasn’t getting anywhere; when his newly developed technology was groundbreaking. He was a likeable and energetic presenter, but explained the value of his technology in a superficial way – using high level words. His pitch was basically: “Our technology makes it much easier to see More…
