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 chair when it tipped back off a 6-inch platform. But because his embarrassment was genuine and light-hearted, he became a “TV darling”.
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…
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…
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…
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…
In a recent New Yorker article, a highly-successful surgeon, Atul Gawande, writes about his own improvement in the operating room through the help of a coach. He shows evidence that coaching can be beneficial in just about any discipline. If you’re thinking about improving your skills in presentations or interaction with the media, now might…