It was a romantic evening on the strip in Vegas. Well, at least it was while I was walking along the canal outside the Venetian. I stopped to watch the gondolas slowly skim over the water that was lit up with a [...]
Have you ever tried to catch a chicken? I have. It's hard. One day my wife, Jackie and I were driving near our home, and there was a featherless chicken along the side of the road (it had fallen off [...]
"When it's foggy in the pulpit... it's cloudy in the pew."--Robert Cavett, founder of the National Speakers Association People like to know what they are going to get--before they get it. When you stand before an audience and ask for [...]
People want to be satisfied. That's why "satisfaction guaranteed" is a catchy and enticing selling phrase. Whether it's tires, ice cream, or a new and revolutionary hair replacement system--if the product satisfies, more often than not it will be a successful seller. [...]
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 [...]
While attending and speaking at a convention a few months ago I had some free time, so I walked around and looked in several meeting rooms to see what was going on. (Many of the doors were open or partially open.) Most [...]
My longtime friend Robert gave his first paid talk last week. Here's an excerpt from a text he sent me after he'd given the talk: "I was in the warehouse during a big storm and the roll-up doors kept banging. It was [...]