Category: Speechwriting & Presentations

  • You’re a Top Public Speaker? Well, It’s Time to Start Getting Risky

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    This post is for the professional Public Speaker Public Speaking is About Risk-taking Just like diving off the high tower diving board into a bucket of water. If we miss, we feel it. Over time, the more we perform the action, the bigger the bucket seems. Eventually, we feel safe…

  • Introducing the Speaker

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    It’s important to provide the master of ceremonies of any event with your introduction. You don’t want to leave it to chance, and the introduction is really part of the speech. It sets the scene and provides context for the audience. A poor introduction can lead get the speech off…

  • Speech Props

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    A good speech prop can add interest to a speech if used sparingly. Comedians use them all the time. Magicians can rarely perform without them. Props in speeches can bring the humour. Politicians have been known to bring speech props into Parliament (lump of coal, newspaper clippings, thick reports). Whether…

  • The Curriculum of Public Speaking

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    It doesn’t take much to crush the spirit of a young child at school. There are bullies, unthinking teachers, parents being parents all providing real-time feedback limiting every risk a child takes. Until it becomes easier to just avoid risks. (Or do it behind their backs) But speaking to an…

  • Becoming a Super Speaker

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     I don’t think I’m a religious person. However, I remember attending a Christian crusade by evangelist Leighton Ford.  Leighton Ford was a Presbyterian Minister famous for his stadium tours spreading the Christian gospel with long and powerful sermons. The crusade I went to was in Perth at Perry Lakes Stadium…

  • The Storytellers Will Inherit the Earth

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    I must admit I love the storytellers at work.  They bring to life the legends, the myths, the laughs and the disbelief.  Typically I induct a new team member with work stories of the past. Stories paint our culture; they immerse the listener into the same atmosphere as the established…

  • Speechwriting – How Does it Work?

    Speechwriting – How Does it Work?

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    The most important thing is for me to know the deadline. When does the client need the speech by? Then I’ll need to know who the audience is. Wedding, funeral, speech competition, keynote – all the usual. I’ll need to know how long the speech needs to be – the…

  • Are You Using the Right Tone?

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    It’s timely that I now reflect on the various student speech competitions I have been involved in as a coach this year. All the students did well but after all, for anyone to stand up to talk to a judging audience is worth applauding, no matter what stage of the…

  • Don’t Talk To Me Like That

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    I was watching this year’s Victorian final of the Plain English Speaking Awards the other evening. Couldn’t help being impressed by the confidence on display by each of the student finalists. The presentation was online, which is a public speaking challenge for anyone, and yet each speaker’s personality shone through. Winners were…

  • Minuscule

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    The tip I picked up on writing while traveling around the internet this week, was to frame everything inside a one-inch frame. Look for the detail, the minuscule (nothing to do with my favourite animation, but had to add the link ). Look for the detail, focus on the narrow. Put them all…

  • Writing To Become a Thought Leader

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    My travels around the internet universe this week took me to the topic of writing. I’m reading Stephen King’s book ‘On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft‘ and that is the best I’ve read on the topic. 📚📚 If nothing else, it highlights that writing stuff down clarifies thoughts and teases…