I was excited to find John Medina’s great book, Brain Rules, in the San Francisco airport bookstore in 2009. The book is incredibly readable and valuable to trainers and presenters. I was thrilled most of all to see that Medina provides research to support 3 rules I’ve shared in my Train the Trainer classes for …
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Articles to Boost Your Presentation Skills
3 Rules for Excellent Presentations
Presentation Skills: How to Prevent “Drowning”
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com These skills will keep you afloat. There are many parallels between swimming in open water (the English call it “wild swimming”) and giving a great presentation. These skills will keep you afloat, no matter how choppy the water. 1. Be totally present. When I swim, my focus is completely on what …
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Perfect Presentations: What Not to Wear
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com How to dress for credibility, while remaining true to yourself. What to wear for a perfect presentation? As you design and polish your speech, developing visual aids and handouts, this question may fall into the background until dangerously close to the presentation. Suddenly, you look up: “Yikes! What am I going …
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3 Words to Weaken Your Presentation
I’m here with some good news for most presenters—along with some cautions you’ve probably never thought about. The Good News: “Ums” Won’t Kill You Speakers, don’t worry so much about using fillers like “um” and “uh. ” These only become problematic when other distracting factors are in play. Your audience will only notice your “ums” …
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3 Tips to Deal With Audiences from Hell
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com Resistant dynamics can be found in any audience. Here are three essential techniques to stay sane as a presenter. 1. Check Yourself. Ask yourself: What am I feeling about this audience? Why? What’s the worst that could happen? Prepare yourself emotionally and physically. Make sure you’ve had enough to eat, and …
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Avoid Audience Overload: Less is More
Picture it: You’re a student in a classroom. The instructor is throwing out fact after fact. At first, you listen intently, trying to grasp everything that’s going on. After about 15 minutes, your attention drifts. After trying to focus a few more times, you feel so overwhelmed (and possibly irritated and bored) that you just …
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Can You Hear Me Now? Three Tips to Rise Above the Crowd
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com WOW, the pressure on public speakers is great. Speakers and audiences realize that PowerPoint won’t save anyone anymore. The focus now shines on YOU more than ever before. How can you be heard above the crowd? 1. Do your homework. What are your audience’s needs, wants, anxieties, biases, “personality?” What history …
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The “Intensified You:” Key to Giving a Great Presentation
by Guila Muir “An ounce of energy is worth a pound of technique”. (Anonymous) When people describe the best speaker they’ve ever seen, the word “energy” always comes up. What are the secrets of exuding energy, vitality, the life force, as a speaker? Be Big Regardless of what size you are, take up more room. …
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How to Blow Your Credibility from the “Get-Go”
When you are speaking in front of a group, do you really want to blow your relationship with the audience immediately? These two common presentation behaviors will help to ensure that you do! Myth #1: You should start a presentation by thanking your audience or your hosts Picture it: You’ve prepared carefully and are about …
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So You Want to Do a Seminar!
Are you an entrepreneur or small business owner? Have you been asked to present at a professional conference? Giving a great seminar can increase your business, your status, and your memorability. Yet most professionals don’t feel 100% comfortable with their ability to develop and deliver an effective seminar. Here are 3 tips to ensure your …
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“I Thought I Would Die!” How to Deal With Stage Fright
First, let’s surface what you probably already know: • Americans rank the fear of public speaking far above the fear of death (41% to 19%, respectably.) Way overused by speaking coaches, this statistic was first reported by the London Times in 1973 in a survey of 3,000 Americans. • No one has actually ever died …
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Four Lessons from the Open Water
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com How is Public Speaking Like Open Water Swimming?
The Power of the HOOK
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com Capturing Your Audience in the First 30 Seconds What’s wrong with these pictures? 1. Helen begins her presentation by introducing herself and telling the participants at some length how happy she is to be with them. She then launches into her content. 2. Bill kicks off his training session by explaining …
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