Public Speaking: Facing Down Fear | #LatimerAt20
Posted On December 7, 2022 BY Dean Brenner
This is the fifth in a series of short essays written by CEO and Founder Dean Brenner to commemorate the 20th anniversary of The Latimer Group. In this series, Dean will share his reflections on, and learnings from, the last two decades. Today’s topic is management of the stress and emotions that, for many, often […]
6 Simple Steps to Avoid “Death By Meeting”
Posted On October 24, 2022 BY Dean Brenner
I ask the following question in every workshop or coaching session I lead: “Have you ever been to that meeting or presentation that was so disorganized, that you regretted accepting the meeting invite?” Of course you have. We all have. The Latimer Group spends a lot of time working inside large organizations, and all of […]
Anxiety When Speaking? That’s Actually Good
Posted On April 4, 2022 BY Dean Brenner
The question I’m asked most often in workshops and coaching sessions is, “I get really nervous when I present; can you help me eliminate my anxiety?” And my answer is that having at least some anxiety is actually a good sign. It means that, at that moment, you’re engaged. You are plugged into your audience […]
Anxiety When Speaking? That’s Actually Good
Posted On July 5, 2017 BY Dean Brenner
Originally published with the Forbes Coaches Council at Forbes.com on June 9, 2017. The question I’m asked most often in workshops and coaching sessions is, “I get really nervous when I present; can you help me eliminate my anxiety?” And my answer is that having at least some anxiety is actually a good sign. It […]
Video: How to Become an Olympic-Level Communicator
Posted On June 21, 2017 BY Dean Brenner
Want to communicate at the Olympic level? Work on the 4 skills of great communication one by one, and when you put them all back together, you’ll be communicating at a much higher level. What are the 4 skills? Dean lays them out for us in the video below: At The Latimer Group, our […]
Steve Jobs, On PowerPoint
Posted On June 19, 2017 BY Dean Brenner
I recently stumbled across a great quote from Steve Jobs, that captures exactly how we feel about PowerPoint here at The Latimer Group: “I hate the way people use slide presentations instead of thinking. People confront problems by creating presentations. I want them to engage, to hash things out at the table, rather than show […]
The Words We Use Matter. Choose Them Carefully.
Posted On June 12, 2017 BY Dean Brenner
The recent controversy over Bill Maher’s use of a racial epithet was yet another example of the power of language. Words have meaning, both good and bad. Words have power, both good and bad. Words make us feel things, both good and bad. This post is not about Bill Maher, the politics of language or […]
Your Colleagues Will Build a Statue in Your Honor
Posted On May 18, 2017 BY Dean Brenner
In nearly every workshop I teach, I ask a question that sounds something like this: “How many of you attend too many meetings that run long?” Nearly every hand goes up, every time. “How many of you get too many emails that are too overwhelming to read?” Nearly every hand goes up, every time. “How […]
3 Keys to Being a More Memorable Speaker
Posted On May 15, 2017 BY Dean Brenner
Here’s a great goal for you in your next meeting or presentation. Make it your mission in life to make it easy for people to remember what you say. Have you ever had the experience where a presenter just walked into the room, and from the moment he or she opened their mouth, you were […]
To Change the Minds of Others, Change This About Yourself
Posted On May 9, 2017 BY Dean Brenner
Some of our most popular blog posts lately have been about how we communicate with each other, and the divide that’s so often formed when we’re faced with an opinion or viewpoint different from our own. And while there are plenty of examples we’ve written about from our President on this subject, it’s certainly not limited to […]