Presentation Skills

The people we speak with, or to, are under no obligation to actually listen to what we are saying. With so many choices available for information and content, it’s very easy for people to “change the channel” away from you and your message, and divert their attention to a message more relevant to them. As […]

Most people communicate selfishly in the workplace. Sorry… I apologize for that harsh opinion. But I believe it to be true. Most people communicate with their colleagues, customers, vendors, and suppliers based primarily on their own needs, wants and goals. Most people build their communication (presentations, meeting agendas, negotiation points, talking points) based on what they want, […]

Think about where you want to go in your career. Think about the things you want to achieve, the position you want to have, the control you want to have over your progression. Now think about the skills that are going to help you get there. What’s on your list? It’s your list, and entirely […]

My colleagues and I always talk about the importance of getting to the point quickly. So don’t worry… I am not about to contradict twenty years of Latimer teaching. But my colleagues and I also believe in the importance of audience and situational awareness, and that we should always try to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. […]

This post was written by Jay Prewitt, Director of Coaching and Facilitation at The Latimer Group. I was at a post-rehearsal sushi dinner with my friend Ayur, who sings bass with me in a choral ensemble. Ayur is ethnically Mongolian, speaks Russian, Buryat, and Korean, and has been living in the United States for a year and […]

Let’s talk about building credibility… real credibility. Not the short term version of credibility that comes from a referral or a common friendship or the personal courtesy of someone giving you a chance. No… let’s talk about the long-term credibility that is built by you, your actions and your performance. Real credibility is created in […]

I was recently leading a workshop, when a participant named Paul started talking about the card game poker. We were discussing body language and presence, and Paul equated the conversation to having a good “poker face” while playing cards. In other words, he was talking about maintaining a consistent presence when speaking, no matter what we might […]

This post was written by Ang Barnard, Facilitator and Coach for The Latimer Group. “How do you manage your nerves during a presentation?” It’s a frequent question we’re asked here at The Latimer Group. Everyone gets nervous – even seasoned speakers. I speak publicly on a regular basis, and recently gave a well-received Ted Talk. And as […]

Checking in from vacation with my family… Our son had a friend with us for a few days. And amidst all of the typical summertime outdoor activities, they asked for (and received) permission for some daily screen time. The two boys are both avid fans of Minecraft, a digital world I know precious little about. […]

We spend all of our time here at The Latimer Group coaching and training people to get to the point, and to use their communication to drive good outcomes. In other words, we are teaching people to be persuasive all the time. And there are lots of things that contribute to being a persuasive communicator. […]