2022-08-06 13:47
Michael Jordan – American Basketball Star
“Being nervous isn’t bad. It just means something important is happening.”
Michael Jordan Read More
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Manner Of Speaking | "all The Great Speakers Were Blog
mannerofspeaking.org
"All the great speakers were bad speakers at first." — Ralph W. Emerson
2022-07-27 10:03
What time is it?
The ancient Greeks had two words for “time”. The first was “chronos” (χρόνος), which referred to chronological time… Read More
2022-07-17 12:51
David Byrne – Scottish-American Singer, Actor and Writer
“Powerpoint presentations are a kind of theater, a kind of augmented stand-up. Too often it’s a boring and tedio… Read More
2022-06-06 17:37
Gun violence in the United States is a big problem. The statistics are alarming. Every year, tens of thousands of people in the United States are killed or injured because of guns (homic… Read More
2022-06-02 12:22
Amy Chua – Filipino-Chinese-American lawyer and writer
“Do you know what a foreign accent is? It’s a sign of bravery.”
Amy Chua
Photo courtesy of the Brookin… Read More
2022-05-31 12:23
Gucci and adidas have produced a designer umbrella that retails for a cool USD 1,290. It is so expensive, that on its website page, Gucci offers a monthly payment plan. (For an umbrella… Read More
2022-05-27 14:16
Edward Tufte – American Statistician and Information Design Expert
“There are many true statements about complex topics that are too long to fit on a PowerPoint slide.”… Read More
2022-05-25 10:30
Toast of the Wild East is a podcast for ambitious Toastmasters who are looking for ways to raise their public speaking game. From Prague, past Toastmasters District Director Lukas Liebic… Read More
2022-05-04 11:15
Toast of the Wild East is a podcast for ambitious Toastmasters who are looking for ways to raise their public speaking game. From Prague, past Toastmasters District Director Lukas Liebic… Read More
2022-05-01 14:26
Dale Carnegie (1888 – 1955) American Writer and Lecturer
“What we like to hear at our dinner meetings, in our church services, on our TV sets and radios, is straightforward sp… Read More
2022-04-24 09:49
This post is part of a series on rhetorical devices. For other posts in the series, please click this link. For a comprehensive, step-by-step overview of how to write a speech outline, pleas… Read More
2022-03-01 19:44
As I write this post, the war in Ukraine continues. Ukrainian forces, under the courageous leadership of President Volodymyr Zelensky, are putting up incredible resistance to the Russian inv… Read More
2022-02-26 13:01
By now, the world is well aware of the horror that Russian President Vladimir Putin has unleashed on Ukraine. A peaceful country that has tried to bridge an uneasy distance between east and… Read More
2022-02-21 12:07
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “empathy” as “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thought… Read More
2022-02-10 12:49
John Maxwell – American Leadership Expert, Speaker and Author
“Credibility is a leader’s currency. With it, he or she is solvent; without it, he or she is bankrupt.&rdqu&hell…Read More
2022-02-06 13:22
Last year, our small village in Switzerland converted a former telephone booth at the bus stop into a book exchange. It has been a great success. I have dropped off many books and in ret… Read More
2022-01-27 13:45
I had the good fortune to work with three dynamic individuals who have founded an exciting company in Munich, Germany. Among other things, I helped them with a three-minute pitch for fun… Read More
2022-01-16 07:34
Hermann Hesse (1877 – 1962) German-Swiss Poet and Novelist
“Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.”
Hermann Hesse
The post Quotes for… Read More
2022-01-08 15:39
On 7 January 2022, the three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery were sentenced. Two received life without parole; the third received a life sentence with eligibility for parol… Read More
2022-01-05 14:49
Steve Jobs (1955-2011) American Co-Founder of Apple Inc.
“I hate the way people use slide presentations instead of thinking. People confront problems by creating presentations. I wa… Read More
2022-01-01 17:15
Here we are: 1 January 2022.
In some ways, it feels like, in the words of the inimitable Yogi Berra, déjà vu all over again. And yet, there is something about the turning of… Read More
2021-10-14 15:01
Jim Harvey, my co-founder of Presentation Guru, and I have been developing a comprehensive questionnaire to help people assess their level of skill when it comes to presentation skills a… Read More
2021-09-13 17:10
Imagine walking out your front door and there, right in front of you, is a giraffe. A living and breathing giraffe just standing there and looking straight at you. Your first questions will… Read More
2021-08-07 17:23
I recently returned from a lovely – and much needed – vacation in Corfu, Greece. Stunning scenery, beautiful weather, delicious food and, most importantly, some of the nicest peo… Read More
2021-07-13 18:11
In June 2021, I took a stroll around Colosseum in Rome, Italy. I was in Rome because I had speaking engagements there and, a few days later, in Turin – my first in-person events in al… Read More
2021-07-03 13:58
Khalil Gibran (1883 – 1931) Lebanese Poet and Writer
“You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts.”
Khalil Gibran – جبرا… Read More
2021-06-17 15:17
Charisma is not who you are. Charisma is what you do.
Many people bemoan the fact that they “are not charismatic”. But this kind of thinking is not productive. Anyone can… Read More
2021-05-24 12:59
Whenever you have a speech or presentation to deliver, there’s a calculation that you should always do beforehand. Multiply the time you have to speak by the number of people whom… Read More
2021-05-18 15:19
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world in countless ways. Among other things, the world has been pushed even more online. I am guessing that if you are reading this post, you have parti… Read More
2021-05-02 16:57
Anthony Fauci – American Physician, Scientist and Immunologist
“I accept and welcome the opportunity to have an impact [in the battle against Covid-19] because I know the thin… Read More
2021-04-25 13:17
In November 2018, I spoke at an event in Genoa, Italy for a big corporate client. I arrived the day before I was scheduled to speak. One of the reasons why I went early, was so I could … Read More
2021-04-16 19:38
City Slickers is one of my favourite movies. It’s a 1991 Western comedy starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby and Jack Palance. It received critical cla… Read More
2021-04-11 12:24
If you give me 2 minutes, I will give you 7 tips that will help you be a more effective, more impactful speaker.
In my previous post, I shared a video from my YouTube Channel in which… Read More
2021-04-05 15:11
I love the Japanese culture and hope to visit Japan one day. It is a country with a rich heritage. I especially appreciate the ability of the Japanese to find beauty in simplicity and removi… Read More
2021-04-01 06:28
More than 2,300 years ago, Aristotle wrote Rhetoric, considered by many to be the Bible of persuasive speaking. For Aristotle, rhetoric was “the ability, in each case, to see all of th… Read More
2021-03-23 08:23
“Okay, look, um, I would hardly call myself an expert on this subject, and by subject I mean genuine human emotion. So, I am just going to tell you what I know. And you can do what… Read More
2021-03-21 12:43
There are three key words that every speaker needs to master. In many respects, they are the most important words that one can say on stage: “I”, “you” and &ldquo… Read More
2021-03-18 08:11
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Francisco Mahfuz on The Story Powers podcast. The show is about the power of stories, the people who tell them, and why you… Read More
2021-03-15 13:16
Humour is powerful. When used well in a speech or presentation, it can have a profound impact on the audience. This, in turn, can help get your message across. The infographic below sets out… Read More
2021-03-13 07:55
Hilary Hinton “Zig” Ziglar (1926 – 2012) American Author, Salesman and Motivational Speaker
“You don’t have to be great to start but you have to start to be… Read More
2021-03-10 18:49
John Stephen Zimmer, Sr. (1933 – 2021)
At the end of January, I had to travel to Canada on short notice because my father was ill and in hospital. Sadly, he passed away on 18 Februa… Read More
2021-02-08 21:40
Too often, people don’t focus on the right things when they speak in public.
They worry about how they look or whether the microphone is working properly. They wonder where they sho… Read More
2021-02-07 15:47
Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865) 16th President of the United States
“Extemporaneous speaking should be practiced and cultivated. It is the lawyer’s avenue to the public. H… Read More
2021-02-05 22:09
Many people wonder whether they have what it takes to speak in public. Are they capable of giving a speech or presentation? I understand.
Many people would like to try public speaking; pe… Read More
2021-02-01 13:30
This is a tremendously fun speech to watch. If you have not heard of Apollo Robbins, you will enjoy his 8-minute TED Talk.
Robbins is a professional pickpocket and one of the best in… Read More
2021-01-22 11:30
Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) British Prime Minister, Historian and Orator
“All the greatest things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice;… Read More
2021-01-20 22:51
Embed from Getty ImagesAmanda Gorman, the first national youth poet laureate in the United States, was a highlight at the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. At the age of 22, she b… Read More
2021-01-17 19:06
Plato said, “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” When it comes to speeches and presentations, your beginning is critical. You get one chance to make a good… Read More
2021-01-15 13:46
Have you ever listened to a speaker who is standing on a creaky stage? Have you ever had to speak from a stage that creaked whenever you stepped on certain spots. It is annoying for both… Read More
2021-01-12 11:51
If the purpose of your presentation is to persuade the audience to do something, getting them to take a small, simple first step is one of the most important things that you can do to ac… Read More
2021-01-08 18:56
There is an important question that every public speaker must be able to answer: Why should the audience care about what I am going to say?
If you can’t answer that question, you ha… Read More
2021-01-05 13:04
John Kennedy (1917 – 1963) 35th President of the United States
“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they… Read More
2021-01-02 16:10
2021. We made it. We finally said goodbye to 2020, a year that will be forever remembered in the history books but not for the best reasons. And, we are still in the thick of the fight a… Read More
2020-12-02 16:10
“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.&rdqu… Read More
2020-11-15 13:14
Manner of Speaking has a new logo.
For a website devoted to public speaking and presentation skills, there were many designs I could have chosen. A microphone or lectern or speech bubble… Read More
2020-11-01 09:12
This post is part of a series on rhetorical devices. For other posts in the series, please click this link. For a comprehensive, step-by-step overview of how to write a speech outline… Read More
2020-10-15 14:11
Barack Obama – 44th President of the United States
“It’s important to make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.&r&hell…Read More
2020-10-12 13:53
Every breath you take,Every move you make,Every bond you break,Every step you take,I’ll be watching you.The Police
Breathing. We do it constantly and, usually, unconsciously. We… Read More
2020-08-21 13:25
British Journalist and Communications Expert
“I don’t want to be anywhere else, talking to anyone else, about anything else.”
Stephanie Hughes
Photo courtesy of St… Read More
2020-08-03 10:56
Using humour is a great way for speakers to connect with their audiences. Victor Hugo said, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” When you speak to an… Read More
2020-07-18 08:49
Peter Drucker (1909 – 2005) Austrian-born American Management Consultant and Author
“The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.”… Read More
2020-07-08 17:17
Why invest in public speaking training?
The ability to speak well in public and share a message that is clear, compelling and that moves people to take action is a critical business skill… Read More
2020-06-25 08:10
David Gerrold – American Science Fiction Screenwriter and Novelist
“The single most important lesson of effective communication is this: Focus on clarity. Concentrate on preci… Read More
2020-06-16 11:50
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, there has been a powerful backlash against racism and police brutality. I hope it finally leads to permanent, meaningful change. But one of the mai… Read More
2020-06-12 11:22
What is a speech outline? Think of it as a blueprint for a successful speech or presentation. You wouldn’t start construction on a house or building without a blueprint and you shouldn… Read More
2020-06-07 18:50
James Baldwin (1924 – 1987) American Novelist, Poet and Activist
“You have to decide who you are and force the world to deal with you, not with its idea of you.”
Jame… Read More
2020-05-20 14:36
How can we speak with charisma—authentic charisma—when we are on stage? That is the subject that Jim Harvey and I discussed in the fourth and final edition of our webin… Read More
2020-05-14 05:58
Jim Harvey and I are two of the three founders of Presentation Guru. Given the current state of affairs in the world, we have decided to experiment with webinars. We have… Read More
2020-05-06 12:17
Jim Harvey and I are two of the three founders of Presentation Guru. Given the current state of affairs in the world, we have decided to experiment with webinars. We have a series of four we… Read More
2020-04-26 17:51
Jim Harvey and I are two of the three founders of Presentation Guru. Given the current state of affairs in the world, we have decided to experiment with webinars. We are creating a series of… Read More
2020-04-22 05:57
Manner of Speaking has a new look. I began writing my blog on public speaking in May 2009. After almost 11 years and nearly 4 million visits, it was time to upgrade the website.
Over… Read More
2020-04-10 12:15
Hy
The post Live test: phase 1 appeared first on Manner of speaking Read More
2020-04-08 10:54
I have some exciting news to share. I began writing this blog in May 2009. It was an experiment to see what blogging was like. However, given that the lifespan of the average blog is short … Read More
2020-03-17 12:17
These are difficult times. The coronavirus, COVID-19 has hit the world hard. And it looks like things are going to get worse before they get better. One of the impacts is that millions of pe… Read More
2020-03-11 09:54
One of Gabriel García Márquez’s novels is entitled Love in the Time of Cholera. We could easily call the current state of affairs in the world Life in the Time… Read More
2020-02-03 21:06
“A speech that is good, if brief, is good twice over.” — Miguel de Cervantes
The post Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 21) – Miguel de Cervantes appeared first on… Read More
2020-01-27 14:31
“Everything negative—pressure, challenges—is all an opportunity for me to rise.” — Kobe Bryant Photo courtesy of Keith Allison
The post Quotes for Public… Read More
2020-01-26 15:24
Kurt Vonnegut (1922 – 2007) American Writer“Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.”
— Kurt Vonnegut
Th… Read More
2020-01-12 12:02
“Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” — Anne Morrow Lindbergh
The post Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 326) &n&hell…Read More
2020-01-08 13:24
Speaking English to an audience of non-native speakers is tricky. Because English is so widely spoken around the world, many native English speakers tend to forget just how complicated Engli… Read More
2020-01-06 12:40
“Presentation skills are key. People who work for you represent your brand. You want them to present themselves—and represent you—in a certain way.” — Mar… Read More
2020-01-03 11:08
Slide presentations are a staple of the business world. Every day, there are millions of PowerPoint, Keynote other slide presentations around the world. By some counts, the figure is 30 mill… Read More
2020-01-01 10:47
“There is such a powerful eloquence in silence. True genius is knowing when to say nothing, to allow the experience, the moment itself, to carry the message, to say what needs to be sa… Read More
2019-12-31 09:28
As the clock winds down on 2019 and we enter a new year and a new decade, I wanted to share six posts from the past to inspire your speaking in 2020. If you think that your speeches and pres… Read More
2019-12-29 20:51
Questions from the audience. They are an important part of any presentation because they give members of the audience a chance to let the speaker know what is on their mind. Sometimes, howev… Read More
2019-12-18 10:03
“Everything is practice.” — Pelé Photo courtesy of John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com
The post Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 323) – Pel&e&hell…Read More
2019-11-29 12:00
I finally got around to watching the film Bohemian Rhapsody. I was not disappointed. Queen is one of my all-time favourite bands and the driving force behind Queen was the inimitable Fr… Read More
2019-11-17 12:53
“A genius is the one most like himself.” — Thelonius Monk
The post Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 322) – Thelonius Monk appeared first on Manner of Speaking Read More
2019-11-12 17:55
A STORY FROM SPAIN Pauses aren’t easy. I teach public speaking and presentation skills at a few Executive MBA Programmes in Switzerland and Spain. A few years ago, I was teaching a cla… Read More
2019-10-22 18:07
“Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men.” — Plato Photo courtesy of Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons
The post Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 321) –… Read More
2019-10-18 07:58
In the years following World War 2, the threat of nuclear war hung over the world. As the United States and its allies faced the Soviet Union and its allies, a Third World War was a distinct… Read More
2019-09-16 09:04
“You are whatever you pretend to be.“ — Kurt Vonnegut (For some great insights from Vonnegut that can help you become a better speaker, click here and here.)
The post Quote… Read More
2019-09-05 08:09
Public speakers can learn a lesson from a farmers. Behind our home is a large farmer’s field. Over the years, I have seen that field grow wheat, corn, barley, sunflowers – which… Read More
2019-09-02 09:57
“Research shows that people learn more effectively from multimedia messages when they’re stripped of extraneous words, graphics, animation and sounds.“ — Nancy Duarte… Read More
2019-08-23 19:14
My wife, Julie and I recently went for a vacation in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. Wonderful people, beautiful scenery, fascinating history. If you ever get the chance to visit, I highly r… Read More
2019-08-13 15:28
“I learned [during my time as a radio broadcaster] the fundamental rule of public speaking. Whether on the radio, on television or to a live crowd, talk to your audience, not over thei… Read More
2019-08-10 10:40
When you deliver a speech or presentation, there are several things you do not need to bring on stage: – Your cell phone – Coins in your pocket – Keys in your pocket &ndash&hell…Read More
2019-08-07 07:07
“The best arguments in the world won’t change a person’s mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story.“ — Richard Powers Photo courtesy of www.richardp… Read More
2019-08-05 09:01
Teranga. It is the word that best represents the values at the heart of society in Senegal. During my trip to Dakar, I experienced it on a daily basis. There is no direct translation of &hell…Read More
2019-08-03 12:30
“The idea of marketing is this: Do you have a story that’s worth telling? Are there people who need to hear it and who want to hear it? And is it true? That’s marketing.&ld&hell…Read More
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