In a recent op-ed piece in the New York Times, Stanley Fish, a professor at Florida International University, grabbed readers by the collar with the importance of first sentences. Here’s the situation he posits. You’re at the mystery section of an… Read More »Effective Presentation Skills: The First Sentence
When I heard Daniel Shore on NPR blame the listeners for the implosion of the Don Imus show, I felt a little ashamed, because I tuned in, I listened, and I laughed at Imus. I liked how he insulted his colleagues and… Read More »Speech Training: Don Imus and Insult Humor
People make fun of engineers–ribbing them for their introversion and poor communication skills. I don’t feel that way. Whenever I work with them on their technical and scientific presentations, I find them to be eager and open to new ideas. … Read More »Technical and Scientific Presentations: Engineering Better Talks
Last week I went to the third and last day of a meeting for engineers. After lunch, one of their senior leaders stood up and summarized every presentation they had experienced during the past three days. As he began to speak… Read More »Public Speaking: A Stunning Moment of Authenticity
You will have noticed, if you’ve read through these postings, that I am a fan of Henry Ward Beecher, one of the greatest speakers in American history. Even Lincoln looked up to him. Here is a description of Beecher written by… Read More »Presentation Skills: The Bang at the Beginning
I went to a slew of parties over the holidays. When people asked me what I do, I found myself saying, “Consultant,” or “Speech consultant,” or if I’m feeling really insecure, “Itinerant rhetorician.” I am essentially dodging the phrase “presentation skills”… Read More »Presentation Skills for Scientists