Biesenblog
Riveting Insights on Communication, Storytelling and Presentation Skills
Forget Everything You’ve Heard About Body Language
We've all heard that “93 percent of communication is nonverbal.” But like a lot of conventional wisdom, that figure is a myth. But because so many people accept it as gospel, they almost literally tie themselves up in knots in presentations, job interviews, speed...
Ditch the Dull, Wordy PowerPoint Slides
Nobody wants to see your ugly, wordy PowerPoint slides. Slides are called "visual support" for a reason: they're supposed to be visual. That means NOT like this: I was reminded of this issue — well, I'm reminded of it at every conference and meeting I attend — but...
To My 7th-Grade Teacher: Yes, Learning Can be Fun
Sometimes life's most important lessons come from being shown what NOT to do. Such a lesson came to me courtesy of my seventh-grade history teacher, who announced on our very first day that "school is not supposed to be fun." My Teacher, the Drill Sergeant "I am an...
Holiday Sale: 11 Deadly Presentation Sins 50% Off!
A recent study showed that three out of four people who give presentations want to improve their public speaking skills. If that's true for someone you know — a colleague or customer or maybe yourself — have I got a deal for you! I'm getting a jump on Black Friday...
Avoid Kitchen Sink Syndrome: Focus Your Presentation
As a presenter, one of the biggest challenges you face is how to focus your presentation. There's SO much to say! How can you possibly fit it all in? Obviously, there's a huge danger to the "kitchen sink" approach. Audiences these days are suffering from information...
Expressing Emotion is a Duty of Leadership
I work with a lot of executives on their speeches and find that one of their biggest hang-ups is a reluctance to open up and show emotion. And it’s a shame, because a proper display of emotion is one of the most effective ways for leaders to connect with an audience....
Election Day Emotions: Faith, Duty and Dread
Election day always comes with a weird mix of emotions for me. It makes it hard to focus on work and the everyday concerns when something so momentous is happening. And it gets me thinking about elections past ... Shock, Dismay and Sadness The morning after the...
No Avoiding It: Eye Contact is Essential to Your Presentation
One of the worst things you can do as a speaker is to avoid eye contact with your audience. It's not just disrespectful, it's actually detrimental to your ability to get your point across. If you do any amount of public speaking, whether presenting around a conference...
Stop Telling the Same Old Stories: 5 Tips for Being Original
Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to engage and persuade an audience. But not if you’re telling the same old stories we’ve all heard a thousand times before. You need to tell truly original stories — otherwise, people will tune you out. Here’s What Not to...
10 Reasons Your Panel Discussion Sucks
I've seen a ton of panel discussions, and according to my totally unscientific observation, most of them are deadly boring. I was reminded of this yesterday when I got to see the rare good panel at a conference I'm attending (and where I'm also speaking). Why Do So...
How to Deliver a Successful Ignite Talk in 10 Steps
So you've accepted the challenge and agreed to do an Ignite talk. And now the terror sets in: what have I gotten myself into? Relax. I did my first one this spring and it was a fun, though time-consuming, challenge. Here are my top 10 tips on how to deliver a...
5 Fundamental Presentation and Public Speaking Tips
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit down with acclaimed executive speech coach Patricia Fripp for an hour-long chat about public speaking skills and how to be a better communicator. Part of her Fripp Virtual Training program, we covered the...
