Speak With Confidence

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The Ultimate Guide To Online Dating

The app Hornet, which caters to the gay male community, has seen a 30-percent increase in social feed engagement since social distancing measures began in mid-March, according to CEO Christof Wittig. And the dating app Tinder reported that it saw more engagement on March 29 than on any other day in its history, with more than 3 billion users swiping to connect with people, according to an April 1 press release. In 2020, online dating

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Zoom, the Pope, and a Lesson Learned

I read an interesting article in The Atlantic based on a recent speech by the Pope. He reflected on the importance of face-to-face communication in a world that has gone online.  He said:  “Text mediums deprive us of cues like facial expressions, posture, and vocal inflections. As a result, they are especially ill-suited to figuring out what people who aren’t adept at writing believe or intend to express….To interact with people in person is to

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Getting your Message Across: Strategies for Conveying Technical and Complex Information 

Communication excellence, speaking clearly and conveying ideas with impact, is highly associated with career and organizational success. Yet, healthcare and technology leaders face a major challenge: simplifying complex and technical information so that others “get it,” buy-in, and take action for best results. Here are some truths about transmitting knowledge  and influencing others outside your field: Knowing your topic does not equal speaking clearly about your topic. Your listeners likely don’t care about your topic

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Vocal Variety and Its Role in Virtual Presenting  

Now that virtual presenting is here is stay, keep in mind that your oral delivery is more important than ever. Our colleagues, clients, and anyone else who is listening at home or in their office are most likely multitasking. Some of us have two monitors that allow us to be watching/listening and doing multiple tasks simultaneously. Since a few of your listeners may not be directly looking at the screen, your voice is what captures

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Answering Off the Cuff

#1 Thinking on your feet  When I meet potential clients, their needs span many areas, but I want to talk about one I find almost everywhere I go.  “How can I be better at speaking off the cuff?”  Easy!  Well, honestly, it is easy, but to explain how it’s easy, let’s talk about what you are asking for. Speaking off the cuff, thinking on your feet, or any other way you describe it, comes from

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Random Reasons Clients Like Virtual Meetings 

As a communication coach working with  hundreds of clients virtually, I’ve asked, “Why do you  prefer Zoom to a real room?” Here are my fave fun replies.  Add your virtual virtue in the comments below.  I can eat garlic bread and smelly cheese on a break  I only have to wash the front part of my hair  I can wear my  shirt with a hole on the back collar  I am all alone in the

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How to Be A Listener-Centric Communicator

The concept of adapting your content and delivery to WHO you are speaking is a worthy objective. However, being able to do it in a poignant and meaningful manner can be an advanced skill, and it will take your workplace communication to the next level. This article will provide a quick overview of one way in which we help our clients adapt to their listeners. The concept is called Patterns of Reasoning. The normal human brain capacity allows

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Choosing a High Quality Speech Coach

If you are looking for a communication coach to help you with your effectiveness as a communicator, I urge you to check out the new book published by Rutledge. It’s called The Handbook of Communication Training. It features 50 different communication professionals, experts, professors, and practitioners from around the United States who have come together to agree that the best communication coaching and learning happens when your coach has been trained and shows prowess in these seven

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Can You Learn Presentation and Public Speaking Skills in an Online Course?

Clients often tell us about an online course they found, or their company has provided, on Public Speaking and Presentation Skills. Then, they ask us what we think of it. There are two primary considerations: 1. Yes, you can learn some communication skills alone and online. 2. The skills you need must be compatible with online learning. Number two explains the potential challenges with learning communication skills online. Author Laura Mathis View all posts

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