Public Speaking Skills

This post was written by Hannah Morris, Director of Assessment & Advancement at The Latimer Group. Do you ever find yourself rambling in the middle of a presentation? Or do you find yourself planning to include key points… and then forgetting them in the moment? These are common problems, and there are ways to avoid them. When […]

I was at an outside social event this weekend, in a spot near a street with a lot of background noise. Everyone was behaving well and had their masks on. And as I was there, I realized that it was my first time wearing a mask for an extended period of time, where I was […]

Have you ever noticed that when people are making a business presentation, very often, they make the story sound super complicated? Have you ever noticed that once they sit down, and it is over, and someone asks simple questions, they can give simple, coherent answers? Have you ever listened to something they say in Q&A and […]

Speaking well can be pretty hard. Speaking in a way that captures attention, and helps you achieve your business goals can be intimidating for lots of people. It is hard, in many ways. But the keys to success can also be pretty simple, if you think about it the correct way. So let me make this easy […]

According to some sources, more than 30 million business presentations are created each day. And you know what? Most of them are terrible. We’ve all sat through the proverbial terrible presentation with no purpose, nothing memorable, no clear action items, too many slides, the monotonous drone of the boring presenter. There is a reason business presentations […]

My colleagues and I talk and teach all the time about the power of strong communication skills. When we communicate effectively, The Latimer Group always says, we drive results. We get approvals. We connect with the people around us. So many good things happen when we can communicate well. But let’s add to that long […]

At The Latimer Group, we speak with our clients and friends all the time about the “New Communication Age” that we live in. Today, communication is not just about having or controlling information. Years ago, in an era when not everyone had access to all the information they needed, the best communicators were, in fact, […]

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, […]

Originally published with the Forbes Coaches Council. As a coach, I see a lot of different kinds of speakers: those who are confident and controlled and others who are nervous and still figuring out how to get their point across. And I’ve had people ask, “Don’t you sometimes want to laugh at how bad some of these presentations can be?” […]

At The Latimer Group, we believe that the ability to persuade, influence and build consensus is the most important skill that you can have in the workplace. If you attempt to add one skill to your tool box, verbal persuasion should be at the top of your list. This begs the obvious follow-up question… How do you make yourself […]