Often, presenters feel compelled to fill a “time slot” they’ve been given just out of courtesy. What you want to do is tell the best story — educate, energize and motivate people — in less time than you’ve been given. This takes practice. Check out Seth Godin’s Blog: On going over your time Seth’s Blog: […]
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 […]
The next time you’re planning to be recorded on-camera, remember to apply the same rules for a good presentation to your video appearance. Whether you are speaking to a live audience or straight to camera, open your presentation with the “Headline” or — in TV parlance — “Tease” your audience. Give them a reason to […]
Much of what Chris Anderson says about what makes a great talk great, reflects the concepts that The Gotham Group teaches. Check this out: Chris Anderson on what makes a great talk … great | TED Blog.
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 […]
OK, the Kitten thing was just something to get you to this page; but it worked!
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