Writing A Speech | Michael Davis

Fall in Love Again

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Michael Davis | 0 Comments

Friday, I was running late to an event. I reached into my car, grabbed my overcoat, slipped my left arm into the left sleeve, and began a hasty walk across the parking lot. I reached back to slip my right arm into the other sleeve. I kept reaching back and trying to stick my hand into that sleeve, with no…

How to Use the Cutting Room Floor to Eliminate Audience Confusion

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Michael Davis | 2 Comments

Since the Academy Awards are nearly upon us again, this is an excellent time to discuss one of the most difficult tasks for a movie director. How to take hours of scenes, and cut them down to a 2-hour movie. Many times, there are several hours of great material. The challenge is to determine what stays in, and what end…

Don’t Sweat Your Subject Matter, Just Look Inside

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Michael Davis | 0 Comments

What’s trapped inside you is eating you alive- Charles Henderson Many times, speaking coaches are asked “what are good subjects to talk about; what is popular today?” On the surface, this sounds like a good question, but it’s not. Why? Imagine if you asked this question, and the answer you received was “The impending death of the personal computer in…

Time to throw away the crutches?

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Michael Davis | 5 Comments

During a recent lunch with my associate Pam, she said, “I finally stopped using my crutches. We realized that I was depending on them too much and it was slowing down my rehab.” I had a thought, “Too many speakers are being held back by crutches. Ya gotta help them, Mike. It’s your duty to kick those crutches out from…

Are You Making Progress, or Simply Going Through the Motions?

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Michael Davis | 0 Comments

“Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.” - Alfred A. Montapert I saw this quote today, and it reminds me of the challenge faced by many speakers and presenters. They confuse the act of talking in front of an audience [motion] with truly communicating and connecting [progress]. Far too many…