Don’t Fixate, Focus Once, back in the days when we were still having in-person presentations, a client hired me to observe her deliver a speech and provide feedback. As she stood up to speak at the event, the heel of her shoe caught on the hem of her pant leg....
When & How to Interrupt In general… don’t interrupt. In one-on-one conversations and group settings, listen attentively and take turns talking. Don’t monopolize conversations, speak over others, or impatiently finish their sentences. Sometimes, though, you...
How to Use (and NOT Use) Humor Once, when I was about 13, I was trapped in the crossfire between my arguing parents. We were driving; I was in the front seat between them when the shouting started. I tried to shrink myself deeper and deeper into the seat cushions as...
Drop These 5 Nonverbal Habits What are your nonverbal habits? Do you know? Often with habits, you don’t even realize you’re doing them. They’re automatic and almost involuntary. You do them unconsciously because they make you feel better. Sometimes that’s good,...
How to Recover When You Stumble I’ve had my share of communication mess-ups. As a speaker, I get plenty of opportunities to embarrass myself in front of people. I sometimes misspeak, stumble over my words (or my feet), forget to advance slides, or find some...
