Public Speaking Skills

“Did the speaker first capture the audience’s attention?” This is perhaps the most critical coaching question we ask in our persuasive communications workshops. What’s the big deal? Well, it’s a noisy, “this one goes to eleven” world out there, and it’s only getting noisier. How are you going to be heard in that world? If you can’t capture […]

Do you find it easy to persuade people? That’s a broad question, with an answer that is likely to be some version of, “Sometimes.” Whether someone is easily persuaded depends on a lot. The size of the ask, the environment and situation you’re in, the kind of person you’re trying to persuade, and other variables […]

Originally published with the Forbes Coaches Council, December 2018. One of our central tenets in teaching persuasive communication is to know your audience. Having an informed sense of your audience’s needs, concerns, and context (did the company just suffer a drop in the stock price, did the VP in the room just get a big promotion, […]

The single most frequently asked question I hear regarding public speaking is this… “Dean, how can I be more confident as a speaker?” I’ve been in this line of work for more than 15 years, and every year, I hear that question more than any other. And throughout my time leading The Latimer Group, my answer has remained […]

Last week Apple revised revenue guidance down for the holiday quarter by 9%.  They communicated the news in a detailed letter to investors and also in a CNBC interview with CEO Tim Cook. In this episode of the Message Makeover, we discuss the pitch-perfect manner in which Apple delivers the bad news.  The first six […]

In our communication workshops, we work with clients from many countries, across several continents, and of course, in varying age groups, from just-out-of-college Millennials to Gen X’ers to late Baby-Boomers. In our work with these individuals, we often find a disconnect between how the generations speak to each other. These differences across the generations exist […]

Do you love Ted Talks as much as I do?  I can’t get enough of them. But laughing at things we like (including ourselves) is healthier than an apple a day. If you have to present for your job or have to listen to others present,  we think you will find this parody video of […]

Several of our coaching conversations at The Latimer Group lately have been focused around one particular challenge: When I am speaking to my boss, how do I stay out of the weeds? I get stuck in the deep detail, and he/she gets frustrated with me. Sound familiar? “Too much detail” is a constant issue in the […]

Do you want to be an effective communicator? Be more memorable? Do you want people to follow your lead, support your idea, or buy your product or service? Of course you do. When I say “be memorable,” I’m not suggesting that you do something outrageous so that they remember that crazy person who did “x.” […]

Ask anyone who performs at a high level: athletes, dancers, singers, etc. They all prepare and practice their skills the same way. They break their skill down into smaller “sub-skills,” then practice each one individually, then put them all back together, and their overall skill level has improved. The same is true with communication. “Great […]