One Belief That’s Killing Your Speaking Game

One Belief That’s Killing Your Speaking Game

The Quest for Perfection My client said a phrase I’ve heard countless times: “Michael, I really want to perfect my speech.”  It’s a mantra repeated by many speakers, even professionals. The thought process is that if you rehearse enough, your speech will be flawless....
Are You Sending Your Audience On A Detour With This One Mistake?

Are You Sending Your Audience On A Detour With This One Mistake?

I was listening to a speaker talk about fishing experiences when he was a child. He was expertly demonstrating casting a line into a lake, only to pull an empty fishing hook out of the water. After doing this three times, he then pulled a stuffed fish out of his...
How to Increase Your Story’s Impact

How to Increase Your Story’s Impact

Story is Everywhere Every day, it feels like people are doling out advice on why you should tell stories and how to do it. As a result, many people are now telling their stories in professional presentations and networking events. And they’re not getting the results...
Feeling ‘Chicken’ About Speaking? Try This….

Feeling ‘Chicken’ About Speaking? Try This….

How to Manage Speaking Nerves One of the most common questions I hear is:   “Michael, how do I get rid of my nerves?”   I understand the purpose of the question, but it’s the wrong one to ask. My response is always, “You don’t want to get rid of nerves.”...

Are You A Speaker Who Is Too Good For It To Matter?

Are You a Speaker Who Pleases Everyone? I was having breakfast with my friend, Tom. Although he’s not a professional speaker, he talks to audiences every week. He said, “You know, Michael, in my position, not much bothers me when I speak. But, last week, I...

Speaking Lessons From the Indy 500

A Race is Won By Teams, Not Individuals What most people aren’t aware of is that auto racing is a team sport. Obviously, you have the driver. But,there’s also a team owner. A team manager. And, engineers, strategists, track spotters, and pit crew members. Razor-Thin...