Good vs. great talks
A good talk reveals something profound about the speaker;a great talk reveals something profound about the audience. After your talk, what can audiences see about
Menu
Blog
Daily Thoughts on Clarity
New posts every weekday
Get it in your inbox:
Read More »
The prerequisite
A question that’s not asked nearly often enough when preparing a speech: So what? Your talk can be… factually correct,… logically structured,… accompanied by beautifully
That one message
If I forced you to remove one message from your website, which one would you remove? Why don’t you? … No, honestly now:Would removing that
What do you mean?
This one’s so obvious that I hesitated to post it, but then again it’s so often dismissed that I think it’s important to repeat: If
Your speech is a gift
Whether it’s to share insights or to shift perspectives, whether it’s to motivate or to entertain … there are many ways in which your speech
Conversations
Audiences are regularly surprised to find themselves in the middle of a conversation when they expected to sit through a monologue. With smaller audiences it’s
The Evolution of Leadership
First we had command & control.Then came the carrot & the stick.Today we have leading by example.Next is lighting the path. Let’s take a closer
If only they knew
A big mistake in communication is to assume that others would arrive at the same conclusions as you do if only they knew the same.
The star of the show
The star of the show is not always the hero of the story.In fact, in business, they are hardly ever the same. The star might
The hero’s pedestal
Here’s a little secret for everyone who feels at least a little pressure when going on a stage to give a speech. Everyone in the
Split Attention
This principle has served me well in the past:Don’t split your attention! I don’t check my phone when in a conversation. I don’t chat when
Let’s try doings
Meetings can be a living nightmare.Let’s try “doings” instead. What’s the difference? Meetings have an agenda, doings a goal. Meetings cover topics, doings aim for
Meeting madness
This meeting could have been a memo.Unfortunately, no one reads memos.So it had to be a meeting. . The best way to get rid of
Inside out
Good speakers make us get them.Great speakers get us. It’s a fascinating experience when you listen to someone and it feels like they know you
The biggest reason for stage fright
The biggest reason for stage fright is not what you think it is. It’s not the size of the audience or the prestige of the
A little empathy
“I’m sorry!”Three words that can change the dynamics almost every time something went wrong. Instead, people tend to get defensive.“Not my fault!”“I did nothing wrong!”“You
A great show
WOW opens the mind.AHA changes the mind. So much advice on public speaking focuses on the WOW effect. How to turn the spotlight onto yourself.How
How much “you” is too much?
A little add-on to yesterday’s post:How much “you” is too much in your presentation style? Ultimately, style serves impact. It’s best positioned to do so
Your Style
“Our audiences expect it that way.”But honestly now, do they really? The statement sounds as if it would be in service of the audience. But
Silence
Nowadays, even if there’s no sound, the world doesn’t feel silent very often, does it? As soon as we pause, our phones cry “Check me!”.
Switching off
My favorite TV show as a child always ended with a call to action: “You can safely switch off the TV now!” Which we did.
How confident are you as a speaker?
You are backstage. Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms heavy. In other words: You’re just plain terrified. Stage fright has got you in its grip
Speak Easy
If you’ve ever struggled with stage fright but somehow nothing you’ve tried has really worked, this is for you. Perhaps you’ve already watched a couple
Your definition of success
As the CEO, if you and one or more board members disagree on the definition of success, you need to have the hard conversations to
Us, together
So many businesses miss out on an opportunity to create a deeper connection with their customers on their “about us” page. They take “us” to
The leap to our vision
Here’s why some leaders struggle to align their team behind their vision: They haven’t made the leap from “my vision” to “our vision”. When it’s
Less
We often default to adding more details to clarify our points. But did you ever notice how more details sometimes lead to even more confusion?
On to something new
Heading there means leaving here. Change becomes easier once we acknowledge that. What will we gain?But also, what will we miss? What’s pulling us ahead?But
Irrational audiences
If you are a rational person, chances are you’re sometimes deeply frustrated when people just don’t get it. I’ve certainly been in the past. I
Relevance beats elegance
If I can’t relate to a speaker’s words, it doesn’t matter how beautiful their slides are, how elaborate their body language is, or how creative
How exciting is your pitch deck?
If you’re not excited by your pitch deck, chances are your audience won’t be, either. It’s something that has always baffled me: how far some
Feels right
Some narratives just won’t go away.Why? The data is clear.Yet people believe the lie.But why? Because it feels right.That’s why. — People aren’t good at feeling
Should you give that talk?
A single “yes” to one of these questions might be enough of a reason to go for it: Will the ideas you share make a
Finding the right words matters so much
Great storytelling fuels influence.Which is good, bad, and ugly … some thoughts on how to deal with bullshitters: If you manage to tell a story that
The other side of listening
Listening is mostly considered to be about filtering the most out of what’s being said. But there’s another side to it. Being listened to. It
The WOW vs. AHA Matrix
We can all agree that you never want to be in the bottom left quadrant. But surprisingly, there are strong proponents for the top left
Things your audience does during a presentation
Tick all boxes that apply: □ listen carefully to every single word□ look the speaker up on LinkedIn□ catch up on this morning’s emails□ surf
Well done
How often do you personally hear “Well done!”?It’s not something a leader hears very often, is it? Leaders are supposed to be the ones giving
Swift action needed
It’s not that bad leaders are similar to good leaders, just less effective. Bad leaders are much better thought of as the opposite of good
It starts with the speaker
Who else is tired of speakers who waste our time with boring speeches that take forever but lead nowhere? Who else thinks it’s disrespectful when
Your relationship with focus
Focusing hurts. Especially for people who deeply care about what they do and who spend what feels like every waking hour thinking about their idea.
That was quick
Among the things that frequently surprise my clients is the speed at which we arrive at results. Anna once said: “I am not sure how
Targeting your customers
What would happen if you stopped “targeting” your customers and started “serving” them? The words we use to describe our work do matter. What are
The art of resonance
The art of persuasion is the art of getting people to do something they didn’t want to do. (If they wanted to do it, you
A more “you” way
We’re living in a time where the best choice of words might not be trusted due to the overuse of them where they shouldn’t be
Living like you could die tomorrow
This short film about Ezra Caldwell has got me thinking on so many layers. I highly encourage you to watch it: The Bike Maker Be
Heard and understood
The art of communicating is less about making yourself heard and understood than about making your audience feel heard and understood. The distinction of great
An excellent tool
PowerPoint is an excellent tool to turn great ideas into confusing presentations. Sure, it can be used to turn a great story into a great
What if you couldn’t fail?
Yesterday, my friend Shane Cradock asked “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” It’s a powerful question and I’d like to dig
The megaphone
You’re handed a megaphone. You can say whatever you want.What do you choose to say? Everyone around you will hear it.But that, of course, is
Shortcuts
Great communication tends to be simple.Not trivial, not simplistic, but profoundly simple. Trivial messages take us nowhere.Simplistic ones take us to the wrong places.Profoundly simple
Seeing it
One of the most powerful questions to ask in order to speak with clarity is “Can you see it?”. Because when you can see it,
The words they use
Average communicators deliver information, good ones spark our interest, great ones redefine what’s possible for us. All of them do it using words. But what
The simple truth about storytelling
Contrary to what some storytelling coaches want you to believe, in the end there’s only one thing you need to understand about storytelling. And it’s
The missing element to trust
Trust can thrive when people say what they mean and mean what they say. Easy, isn’t it? Well, not quite … Here’s the bit where
How does it feel to be persuaded?
Perhaps something like this … Let’s imagine you’re listening to a skilled speaker. They’re well rehearsed and obviously know what they’re talking about. But still,
I’m so excited
The crucial question that’s almost never asked when preparing a talk: Am I excited? Instead, preparation is dominated by “Does it make sense?” Which is
Alignment vs. Agreement
Alignment is when we walk the same path.Agreement is when we walk the same path for the same reason. A lot of frustration in communication
The only one
Right now, nothing is more important than you.That’s the feeling that great communicators will give you. Not only in 1:1 conversations, but also on the
Proud to work here
How many of your team members tell their families and friends that they are genuinely proud of working in your team? Are you yourself proud
Getting people’s support
There’s almost no limit in getting people’s support when supporting you gets them what they want. This alignment, of course, gets easier the better you
Can’t stop thinking about it
If you can manage to plant one thought in my head that I can’t stop thinking about, you’ve achieved more than most other talks. Don’t
Choose your audience
Ever tried playing Jazz to a Metal crowd?It’s fun to watch. Even more so when the Jazz fan tries to convince the Metal crowd that
Embracing the blank stare
For some, it’s a huge source of frustration.For others, it’s a gift. The blank stare on people’s faces when you tell them about your great
Of course
The most compelling “aha moments” create an “of course effect”. It’s that sudden realization or enlightenment you experience once you see a solution or idea
The sound of aha
Did you ever notice how aha moments often come in silence? Now, when a speaker is bombarding their audience with info, never giving them even
Success
How do you measure the success of your talk? There were standing ovations? There were no questions?There were many questions? Your boss liked it?Your colleagues
At the speaker’s mercy
As a speaker, you’re in the driver’s seat.Which can be a problem for your audience. If you drive too fast, they’ll miss the point.If it’s
The tough questions
If you take communication seriously it will lead you to confront the tough questions. What’s the point?Who are we doing it for?What are their struggles?No,
How do you get people to do what you want them to do?
You don’t! It’s much more satisfying for both sides to figure out how what they want aligns with what you want. Don’t force them to
“Can’t they just open their eyes?”
The Sales Director thought the COO was a coward while the COO thought the Sales Director was risking the business. It’s a common situation when
Taking a Talk
It’s called “giving a talk” but let’s face it: Many speakers show up to take … … our time… our attention… our money… our vote… our
A Superpower
Almost nothing is important.And yet, the Universe is on a mission to make us believe it was. If you’re leading an organization, you’re bombarded with
The Unlikely Speaker Rockstar
You don’t enjoy public speaking?Well, many great speakers don’t, either! This observation often surprises people. In both camps. A friend of mine was baffled to
Easy
Reminder: The easier you make it for your audience to speak about your idea, the more likely it becomes that they actually do. It’s not
Gettin’ in the groove
“Good job,” the leader declares as the team meeting disperses. The team members file out with a quiet that speaks volumes, another routine meeting has
Does it groove?
“I will not be thinking theory.” Victor Wooten, a famous Jazz bassist, prefers groove over theory. For him, it’s obvious that when it grooves, the
Your unique personality
For much of the last century, management theory was about ironing out human personalities. It was focused on standardizing processes, reducing variability, and treating human
A Damn Cool Company
I have the privilege of working with people who love what they do and who are extraordinarily good at what they do. Most of them
The Simplicity Initiative
Recently at Confused Corp, they launched the ‘Simplicity Initiative’. In a team meeting, one brave soul asked, “What’s the goal of this initiative?” The manager,
Unlocking complexity
Simplicity is not the opposite of complexity. It’s the prerequisite. Deep inside, complexity is terrified of simplicity. It fears that simplicity would strip away the
The Painter’s Overcorrection
Imagine a painter working on a portrait. He’s unhappy with the way the eyes look, so he adds more colors, trying to capture the right
If all else fails, try humor
You’re in a meeting room, the air is thick with unease, everyone’s on edge. It’s a heated debate and emotions fly high. Basically, everyone’s waiting
A real game changer
“Looking from my audience’s perspective was a real game changer. Why did no-one teach us that before?” That was the feedback I’ve received a couple
An extra day for something new
Imagine you’re given a bonus day this year. But there’s a catch: To claim this extra day, you must dedicate it to doing something you’ve
Grand visions for 2024
Grand visions for 2024 are a dime a dozen. The actual challenge is to patiently distill the essence of your vision and effectively share it
The story of 2023
A common struggle with storytelling is that people don’t know where to find good stories. The truth is, you don’t find good stories, you create
Where are we headed?
3 fundamental questions that leaders who light the path address in their team communication: 1. Where are we headed?Helps the team understand the destination they
Shifts in leadership
You certainly know the famous drawing that contrasts leaders and bosses. While the boss commands from the command stand (i.e. his desk), the leader leads
Thanks!
For extending a helping hand when you needed help yourself. For lending an ear even though you had urgent stuff to do. For asking the
Being present
Here’s a gift that’s guaranteed to still arrive in time: being present! Undivided attention is increasingly rare. But being truly present with your loved ones,
Being human
One of the fascinating aspects of AI is that it forces us to reconsider what “uniquely human” actually means. For years, we’ve leveraged computers to
Their own way
“A great teacher does not teach you to think like them, but to think without them.”– Herbie Hancock The same is true in business …
The Zip Line
Alex: For my last talk, I had a grand entrance on a zip line to give a wow effect.Casey: That’s daring! What was the feedback?Alex:
No weaknesses
Pretending to have no weaknesses is a rookie move. In the professional world, we respect businesses that recognize their limits and embrace them. B.B. King,
When in doubt, read your text aloud
Reading aloud is not just for children’s bedtime stories or grandiose speeches. It’s an effective editing tool and a litmus test for the clarity and
The others don’t get it
If your audience didn’t get it, they didn’t get it.That’s rule no. 1. There really is no use in arguing that you meant it slightly
Decision-makers
Some leaders are good at making decisions.Others are good at making it obvious how decisions are made. Both can lead an organization to incredible success.
Submarine in a desert
Recently at Confused Corp, the world market leaders for unclear instructions and perplexed employees… In a performance review, a manager told an employee, “Your work
Confronting toxic vagueness
No more beating around the bush. In the corporate jungle, toxic vagueness is not just a nuisance; it’s a predator, lurking in the ambiguities of
Painfully unclear
Derek, a senior manager, is a man plagued by his own insecurities. Tasked with overseeing the development of a new software application, he finds himself