I was told to watch out for pickpockets in Athens, in particular the mustard trick, how on the metro they spill mustard on you, apologize, and wipe it off with a dirty napkin while their co-conspirators take advantage of your… Read More »Pickpockets, magic, and the art of getting attention
Just sat through a talk with a long and useless introduction concerning what the speaker had considered saying but decided against, how he stumbled upon his approach to the topic, and finally, the five elements of it he planned to… Read More »Public speaking error # 17
I am on the island of Serifos in the blue, blue Aegean. My wife Sharon is engrossed in her month-long seminar, and I am left to my own devices. I have slowed down considerably – reading, swimming, and sleeping is… Read More »Greeks on strike
I am on a boat going from Athens to the island of Serifos, but I’m still thinking about all those ancient Athenians who dug up the guiding principles that create the foundation of public speaking, persuasion, and the entire modern… Read More »The Greeks gave the gift of public speaking
It just so happens I have two clients who talk too much in public. Both are extremely bright, and both strive to speak as though they were writing lapidary prose. When in the act of public speaking, they challenge themselves… Read More »Public Speaking: The professorial approach
I’m in Athens exploring the origins of public speaking. I’ve always been fascinated by rhetoric, and I’ve finally pulled the trigger and launched myself back into the 5th century BC. Because Athens was a democracy, they needed leaders who were… Read More »The psychology of persuasive speaking