Once again, the marketing genius, Set Godin, has hit bullet points on the head with a hammer. The link to his post is below and I’ve copied it here: Most presentations aren’t bullet proof * Bullets do not save time. Memos save time. Presentations aren’t about the most concise exposition of facts, they are about…
The New York Mets’ young pitching phenom, Matt Harvey, recently had an embarrassing interview on The Dan Patrick Show. What the story tell us, is that if you’re planning on making a “pitch” (no pun intended) during an interview, you and your media advisor(s) had better discuss it with the interviewer — and/or his or…
On this day, the 50th anniversary of Doctor King’s immortal speech, the following article asks, “Why does Dr. King’s “Dream†speech exert such a potent hold on people around the world and across the generations?” In reading the article, what was striking to me is the work and preparation that allowed him to “riff” in…
All 7 candidates for Mayor of New York City were asked 4 questions starting with an easy one, “Which NY team do you root for: Mets or Yankees?” Take a look at the second question: “What makes you angriest about New York?”. All the candidates knew enough — probably through coaching — to not actually…
I’ve written before about the skill of listening and how important it is for interviewers. Here’s a terrific article that takes a deeper look at other aspects of this over-looked skill. How to Listen – NYTimes.com.
I’ve been reading a fascinating and well-written corporate “self-help” book, “Lead With A Story” by Paul Smith. For anyone who wants to reach employees, managers and top executives with messages that resonate, inspire and “stick”, I suggest you pick up a copy (see amazon link below). Storytelling is embraced by several Fortune 500 companies because…
A couple of months back I directed a young, up-and-coming, executive at a Fortune 100 company’s studio. There had been some mention of my providing media training in advance of the shoot but it never materialized. When he arrived in the studio, he was indeed an impressive young man; confident and affable. What followed was…
A recent Republican debate spotlighted one of the “No-Nos” of public speaking and interviews. Never lose your cool! In this particular instance, Newt Gingrich took exception to a question from CNN reporter Wolf Blitzer. It became the lead story for several news outlets. Watch the CNN replay (below) and imagine how much better Gingrich would…
I recently directed a live, external webcast for New York Life out of its’ Madison Avenue offices. In a de-brief with the executive producer, I was told that his client — a high-profile employee — had said that she was so pleased with the show because I had taken the time to go over her…
UC-Berkeley research shows that when you’re embarrassed you appear more trustworthy, according to a story in Discovery News. Remember this the next time you have a “flub” during a speech or presentation. Roger Ailes tells a great story about an overweight man on the old Mike Douglas TV show; the man fell out of his…