This post is part of a series of posts aimed at PMO professionals ahead of my keynote Public Speaking Demystified at the Future PMO Conference on October 17th in Hammersmith. A fortnight ago, when discussing informative speeches, I also mentioned that most speeches or presentations either seek to inform or persuade an audience. Persuasion immediately triggers images of … Read more
Impactful public speaking is made-up of well-structured content delivered in a strong and confident manner. Eye contact and body language are key elements of a strong delivery. However, the one that can make the difference between a weak speech and an impactful one is the speaker’s voice. Your voice is a muscle One thing that … Read more
One of my favourite aspects of attending big events like the Toastmasters 2019 Convention. In Denver, is catching up with peers and acquaintances from all over the world. More than educational sessions, training, and trophies. The real value of these events lies in the connections we build and maintain. Yet, once upon a time I … Read more
The words you use can make the difference between a good speech and a great speech. They can keep your audience engaged, interested and allow audience members to paint mental images of what you say. Only a few general principles should be followed to use good language when speaking. The magic of synonyms I didn’t … Read more
I spoke earlier this year about the development of a visual monopoly style incentives board, to communicate the initiatives linked to long-term strategies that I developed. At the challenge of a colleague, I eventually ended-up fleshing this into a playable board game. So far, hundreds of people have used the board game as part of … Read more
JFK’s speech delivered in 1962 at Rice University in favour of the Apollo programme. Is in my opinion one of the best political speeches of the 20th century. There is a lot that can be learnt from this speech. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, this speech is a very good example of … Read more
Standing out as a memorable speaker and clear presenter can open new doors to you, and help you establish credibility as a leader in your field. A very effective way to stand out while you speak is to have a clear sense of purpose. Here are a few tips to help you when you next … Read more
Looking at my nuclear industry career with hindsight. It is actually quite striking to see that many leadership lessons can be drawn from the industry. The more I think about it, the more I actually realise that it even influenced elements of my own leadership style. So, let’s find out what the industry can teach … Read more
In every culture worldwide, fairy tales and storytelling feature prominently in some form or another. As children we listened to fairy tales read aloud by our parents before going to bed. Widely acclaimed authors like La Fontaine, Grimm or Andersen largely owe their acclaim and fame to their compilations of stories and fairy tales. Can … Read more
Leading a volunteer organisation brings many interesting challenges. Chief of which is how to engage others with initiatives designed to support the wider organisation in meeting its goals. This is where gamification can help leaders in getting buy-in for said initiatives and changes. One of the conclusions of the 3-5 years strategic excellence plan that … Read more