Public Speaking Skills

The best speakers I know don’t waste words. The best speakers I know say what they mean, as clearly as possible, in as few words as possible, as often as possible. They don’t waste their audience’s time, or weaken their message, with weak language like “pretty much,” “sort of,” “kind of,” or “a little bit.” Phrases […]

This post was written by Hannah Morris, Director of Assessment & Advancement at The Latimer Group.  Have you ever sat in a room of peers and felt out of your league? Have you approached a major task with a sense that you aren’t ready for or worthy of this responsibility? Have you ever wondered when your colleagues […]

Most people struggle to get to the point. Most people struggle with clarity and brevity. And this affliction is largely due to an inability to plan out the message, and prepare appropriately. Getting to the point quickly and clearly is not just a delivery technique. It is the output of organization and preparation. However, on top of good preparation, there are […]

When we say someone has a strong “presence,” what does that actually mean? I mean, specifically, what does it mean? Ask 100 different people (and we have), you might get 50 different answers. A strong presence means different things to different people. And when you push people to define what it actually is, you tend […]

The Olympic Games are happening this week and next, which will tell you everything you need to know about where my head is for the next few days. I love the Olympic Games, for many reasons. But near the top of the list is that I love learning about how elite performers became elite. And […]

Publisher’s Note: This post was written by Jay Prewitt, who is the newest member of our team, and is a Facilitator and Coach with us at The Latimer Group. Jay is pursuing a EdD in Organizational Leadership at the University of Southern California, and brings a wonderful voice and perspective to our team and to our readers. […]

There is a mindset I hear people articulate from time to time… and that mindset is that your presence is primarily created by the way you look and carry yourself. I heard this again recently in a workshop I was teaching, and the participant said that they did not have the wardrobe to create a […]

Asking people if they “get nervous” when they have to stand up and speak is almost not worth asking. For most of us, the answer is a resounding “yes.” As we begin to return to an in-person post-pandemic work environment, many of you will have important meetings, conference calls, or presentations on your calendar. Some […]

Have you ever sat through a meeting, or a conference call, or a presentation, and thought to yourself… “Oh my god… I wish this person would get to the point…“? Yeah. Me too. Many, many times. We all know what it feels like to have our time wasted by someone who just won’t, or can’t, […]

I do a lot of one-on-one coaching. And in most cases, I will conduct some background interviews to gather information about the person I am coaching… what are their strengths and weaknesses, and what gaps can I help fill? One of the most common weaknesses that I hear during those interviews is that the person […]