Biesenblog
Riveting Insights on Communication, Storytelling and Presentation Skills
The Things He Carried: My Dad and the War in Vietnam
With the approach Thursday of the second anniversary of my father's death, I've felt a sort of vague, tired lethargy that I recall from last year, too. Coincidentally or not, I just finished reading The Things They Carried, the beautiful and heartbreaking book of the...
Writer’s Process? Real Writers Write Anytime, Anywhere
Oh, the storied "writer's process." Writers, like actors, often bring elaborate ritual and routine to their craft. We may favor a certain time of day or a specific location or require accompaniments like coffee or tea or music or silence. Everything has to be "just...
On Assignment: Goodbye to Summer
When I got married I became an honorary Alaskan, and for the past four summers we'd go up there in late July for the salmon run. This year we thought it prudent to skip the trip since we're moving in August. And it's a good thing we did, because I am now in the midst...
3 Tips for Public Speakers: 2 Smart, 1 Dumb
If you want to learn to be a better presenter, be careful who you listen to. There's a ton of advice for public speakers out there, and not all of it is good. In fact, much of it is outdated and just plain dumb. I was reminded of this yesterday when three interesting...
My Visit to the 9/11 Memorial Museum
A couple of weeks ago I was in New York on business and I went to see the new 9/11 Memorial Museum. It was, of course, a deeply powerful and moving experience. They did an amazing job of capturing the stories of that day. Not everyone will be ready to relive that...
Why Do Good People Give Bad Speeches? 7 Lame Excuses
I still don't get it. Why do good, smart people still give bad speeches and presentations? It boggles the mind. It's not like we haven't been shown how it's done. Examples of great speeches abound, from Martin Luther King to Steve Jobs to the latest TED Talks. But for...
Your Presentation Sucks. Here Are 6 Reasons Why.
I came across this cartoon the other day that shows what happens when a presentation goes off the rails. But I submit that the presentation as planned was doomed from the start anyway. Take a look at the "How You Planned It" section. If that looks to you like a solid...
How to Introduce a Speaker: 8 Essential Steps
Most presenters—the professional ones, at least—work hard on preparing a speech that will delight and enthrall their audience. Unfortunately, the people assigned to introduce them don't always put in the same effort. Having been there myself, I really feel for the...
5 Way to Promote Audience Interaction in Your Next Speech
When it comes to public speaking, the age of the one-sided lecture is dead. Audiences today expect more of a conversation. Here are five ways to spur the kind of audience interaction that will bring your speech or presentation to life. 1. Take Questions The most...
10 Immutable Laws of Email Marketing
Everybody’s into email marketing these days, from big businesses to entrepreneurs, from musicians to writers. It’s no wonder—it’s one of the most effective marketing tactics there is. And with tools like Constant Contact and Mail Chimp, anyone can do it. And that’s...
How to Recover From Mistakes During a Speech
Last week I was giving a really important speech and it almost went completely off the rails, due to technical and other issues. The only thing that saved me was my acting experience, which taught me how to recover from mistakes on stage. When you're giving a speech...
What is a Story? Here’s What It’s Not
Storytelling has become one of the most overused, misused and abused concepts in business today. People play fast and loose with the definition of story. So what is a story? The first step in figuring that out what a story is, is understanding what a story is not. A...
