It’s time we made new rules for public speaking, specifically new rules for authentic public speaking. Today I’m rewriting the old rules for public speaking.  You know, those old rules that don’t really help speakers be authentic or even be comfortable.  Rules like don’t put your hands in your pockets, don’t tell them you are […]

It is time we update one public speaking rule to align with the collective wish for more authenticity in communicating. Public Speaking coaches everywhere advise their clients, “Don’t ever tell them you are nervous. They won’t know.”  This old-style public speaking rule causes us to sacrifice being real for looking perfect. Public speaking will always […]

What is often misnamed as fear of public speaking is one of the best-kept secrets of corporate leaders. It is surprising how few leaders feel really comfortable speaking in public settings and being the center of attention. Much has been written about fear of public speaking.  What I think has not been clearly understood is that the problem is […]

Solve Public Speaking Fear In order to solve public speaking fear, you must first understand what public speaking fear is really about. What public speaking fear is really about may surprise you. What it is not about may also surprise you. What we call fear of public speaking is not really about speaking. Most people who […]

Story Telling is a powerful way to open up presentations, leadership messages and meetings of all kinds.  Telling the right story produces astonishing results for you as a speaker and leader. If you’re not sure what a story is, it’s just what happened. That means it involves human beings doing or experiencing something. In case you don’t […]

Here’s a valuable tip for finding stories from your life that you can use to make talks and presentations more engaging and compelling.  Both professional and personal stories can be used to illustrate ideas, make points and sell your services. If you read my last post on 6 Reasons to Tell Stories in Presentations, Leadership […]

As the year draws to a close, I start musing about believing in myself more. I have a certain amount of confidence in myself, but I think I can believe and do more. In the last few days of each year, I like to ponder what I want to do and be in the next […]

What do a little known public speaking coach and a world renowned TV writer have in common? They agree on how to really overcome fear of public speaking actually transforming it into the power to speak authentically! For over 30 years, Sandra Zimmer has been evangelizing about what you really have to do to overcome and transform stage fright […]

When asked to think on your feet, many people say there is nothing in their heads to talk about. They  think they are frozen. They say they are “blank.”  Worse, they judge themselves negatively, and think having a blank mind is wrong. It is not wrong to be blank. I believe it is the right place […]

Breathing to manage public speaking fear really works. However, it only works if you practice it regularly and integrate conscious deep breathing into daily activities. It is often called mindful breathing. Every article you read on managing fear and anxiety for public speaking will suggest learning to breathe deeply and diaphragmatically. I concur that breathing is helpful, but […]