Speak With Confidence
How to Maintain Eye Contact When Speaking
Eye contact is generally considered to be the most important visual re-enforcer a speaker has. Listeners like to be looked at. This is particularly true in persuasive business speaking. The American business culture relies heavily on the “look ’em straight in the eye” approach. Author Dennis Becker View all posts
Build REAL Relationships in Virtual Meetings
Yesterday, my client, a VP in financial services, said it was a waste of time to go to his office. No one was there, and besides, the majority of meetings he led were remote. He shared that in the “olden days,” bonds were formed by walking around, schmoozing at your desk, or shockingly, even having lunch together! Technology had changed things forever, and it was up to us to create new strategies for connection in
Future Generations
Angst surrounding communication is universal. Speaking formally before large groups can cause great anxiety, so much so, even the most accomplished professionals often shy away from attempting to try it. But how about one-on-one conversations and speaking with those closest to us? As we approach the third decade of the new millennium, do you see effective communication increasing or waning? Are our “circles of support” growing or do we reach out to a more limited
Six Ways to Win Your Investor Presentation
I recently attended an event in Austin called Philanthropitch, a social impact fast-pitch competition. Nonprofits step onto the stage to gain access to capital and build awareness amongst new donors and volunteers. That night Philanthropitch gave away $110,000.00. No pressure, right? I felt that every presenter did an excellent job which is a tremendous achievement. If you’d like to learn more about how to thrive in a pitch competition, you need a plan and preferably
Effective Presentations Certificate Program
With the new season comes a tremendous opportunity to become an effective presenter, one of the most sought-after skills in business today. Laurie Schloff, Senior Coaching Partner at The Speech Improvement Company, and I are very pleased to announce the Effective Presentations Certificate Program. Author Jeff Turner View all posts
How can I convince my managers to not be territorial and be good team players?
A listener from on the road asked Ethan while he was in Kuala Lumpur, how can he get his managers to stop being so territorial and be more like team players! Author Dr. Ethan Becker View all posts
Women-Only Events Don’t Make Sense and Here’s Why
Very recently, Rebecca Robbins, a San Francisco Correspondent, shared a report about an organization that wanted to take a different approach at an upcoming scientific gathering. Planners decided to only invite female speakers to the microbiome conference at the University of California, San Diego, thus igniting a major controversy. As a woman, mother, and corporate executive, it is my opinion that women-only events don’t make sense. Now, before you throw a laptop at me, hear
Raising (and Leading) Humans
There are amazing similarities between parenting kids and leading and managing our people at work. Being mindful of this just might help you become more resilient as you groom your employees to operate at high proficiency. Being aware might also give YOU extra energy in the process. Because like raising kids, managing people can be extremely exhausting (yet some of the most rewarding work ever!). Author Jeff Turner View all posts
How to Get Your Listeners to Participate
A Chinese proverb says, “Tell me something, I’ll forget; show me, I’ll remember; involve me, I’ll understand.” According to recent studies, when people participate in a presentation, the material becomes at least three times more memorable for them than if they merely listened to a lecture. Sometimes you risk losing listeners altogether if you don’t go out of your way to involve members. Author Laurie Schloff View all posts