Storytelling is probably one of the most powerful components you can add to any talk or presentation. It is entertaining. It helps your message stick. And if the stories are from your own life or experience, they minimize the need for memorization. 
As speakers, we want to be our best when on stage. Especially if delivering a pitch about our product or service! What can you accomplish in a one-minute pitch? A lot. We want to sparkle not just in what we … Continue reading
Speakers seem to think that any sort of PowerPoint will enhance their presentation. This is so not true! In fact, a PowerPoint show can ruin a talk, lull the audience to sleep, and render a presentation useless. Presenters use too many … Continue reading
In two weeks, two situations arose that safety pins could solve. Microphone Battery Pack The first incident was a popular guest speaker who did not have any means by which we could attach the battery pack so she could wear … Continue reading
My colleague, Circe Denyer, and I started a Toastmaster club, called Stagemasters, in 2017 with a TEDx style speaking focus. TED and TEDx Focus The mantra of TED and TED is “An Idea Worth Spreading.” I learned from my TEDx … Continue reading
Many years ago I was serving as the Toastmaster at a meeting. Dinner was first. Then I got up to do my duty. I joked, smiled, smiled, smiled. Really hammed it up. You know how us Toastmasters can be. This … Continue reading
What you use to power your PowerPoint show matters. The Stuff of Nightmares When I was the Training Coordinator at UCLA, a PowerPoint show kept shutting down and starting up during a class. It was just awful – not only … Continue reading
On January 28th, 2017, I stepped on a TEDx stage and delivered “an idea worth spreading” What are TED and TEDx? I found that many people that I shared my good news with had not heard of TED or TEDx. … Continue reading
I recently participated in a memorial service for a fellow Toastmaster. Remembering Dick Churchill The gentleman who passed on November 18, 2016, is Richard (Dick) Churchill. He was a member of Toastmasters for close to 50 years.* He even met the founder … Continue reading
Scheduling when updates occur will avoid disruptive computer updates while presenting. I have a page on this site devoted to “J” – for “JAMS. “ It explains common things that can occur while doing a presentation and offers suggestions … Continue reading
I was thrilled that a fellow Toastmaster took my suggestions on how to deliver a roast of a person and delivered a delightfully funny roast. What is a Roast? In Toastmasters, we have a custom of praising and poking fun at … Continue reading
Last night I attended an evaluation contest and appreciated the emphasis placed on storytelling for persuasive speaking Toastmasters Evaluations One of the hallmarks of the Toastmasters program is evaluations. Each speaker in a club receives feedback, both written and oral, after delivering a … Continue reading
As a Trainer Coordinator, I helped several shy individuals become confident trainers in a way that was non-threatening. During my 33-year career at UCLA, I served as a Training Coordinator for nearly 13 years. The training was designed to help Research … Continue reading
One of the ways to tarnish a professional appearance is to have bra straps showing or, worse, pulling them up while presenting! In 2015, my church decided to go live stream. Our services include an opening prayer and five-minute talk … Continue reading
Speaking Anxiety, or Glossophobia, is scientifically referred to as the number one fear in the USA. Symptoms Public speaking anxiety is usually manifested in your hands and your knees. Wet hands and shaking knees are the most common outward signs … Continue reading
Hands are an important part of body language when speaking. In his book titled, Nonverbal Communication, the leading Californian researcher Albert Mehrabian claims facial expressions are almost eight times as powerful as the words used. That words only count for … Continue reading
