There are few things in life more painful, more disturbing, than being forced to listen to someone who is trying to be funny. As one obscure comedian put it, "You can pretend to be serious, but you can't pretend to [...]
Two weeks ago I was the luncheon keynote speaker at the California Water Association’s (CWA) annual meeting. When I find out I’m going to give a lunch or dinner talk there are two things I get ready for: 1) a last minute [...]
Stories are fun to tell. Even if it’s a serious story, it still feels good to share it with an audience. Telling a story is also a powerful way to prove a point or move people emotionally. Facts fade quickly [...]
This past May I had the privilege of speaking at a convention in Dubai. It was an unusual experience and I had a wonderful time. This gig tested some of my social skills, particularly my ability to adapt to an [...]
Iowa 80 Group, which runs the largest truck stop in the world is celebrating their 50th anniversary. I get the privilege to speak at their Leadership Conference on Wednesday. (You may have read about this in Safety Stuff.) I wrote [...]
SEVEN TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GREAT SOUND AT YOUR NEXT SAFETY DAY OR CONVENTION Lousy sound can ruin spectacular presentations. So, if you are planning a "safety day" or convention, making sure the sound system (and technicians who set [...]
Every time I start a talk I promise my audience three things that if you also do will make all of your safety meetings and training successful. One: I promise I will make it fun. And what I mean by [...]
Paid to Speak, the first book published (2011) by the National Speaker’s Association is an excellent book for anyone who wants to start a speaking business. I liked it. Though I’m already familiar with many of the tips and topics in [...]
Involving your audience by being enthusiastic is a great way to satisfy them. The Greek en theos, meaning “god within,” gives the root for the word enthusiasm. An enthusiastic person has a special, almost spiritual quality of excited involvement in [...]
Here’s a question I get asked on occasions, which, when I was starting out as a professional speaker, was tough to answer, but isn’t now: “What is the single most important thing a speaker (or trainer) needs to do to [...]