There is good news and bad news:  There is no other kind.  News that fish have gills is not news, except maybe to fish.

Presentations and speeches, like sporting events, hold attention when they have both good and bad news, ups and downs, progress and setbacks.

Bad news should come near the start, to create tension and drama.  Good news follows as we present solutions.  Then bad news again, as we reveal deeper problems requiring more complex solutions, until at the end, we lead our listeners to a sense of resolution.

Sims Wyeth & Co. provides public speaking courses, executive speech coaching, presentation skills training, voice and speech training, speech writing, and courses that address stage fright, body language, presentation strategy, and effective use of PowerPoint, all of which contribute to greater executive presence and personal impact.  Sign up for our presentation tips and learn more about us at http://www.simswyeth.com/.

Eve Arnold was the only woman to have photographed Marilyn Monroe extensively. They became friends. One day in the 1960s she and Marilyn took a taxi in New York. The cab driver looked in the rearview mirror and said to Marilyn, “Hey lady, if ya lost a few pounds and put on some lipstick, you could pass for Marilyn Monroe.”

Marilyn looked at Eve. “Should I?” she asked. “Why not?” said Eve. So Marilyn flipped a switch, and at once she was the Hollywood Marilyn, the one who could light up a room.

How about you? Can you flip a switch and increase your radiance? Do you have another gear?

Sims Wyeth & Co. provides public speaking courses, executive speech coaching, presentation skills training, voice and speech training, speech writing, and courses that address stage fright, body language, presentation strategy, and effective use of PowerPoint, all of which contribute to greater executive presence and personal impact.  Sign up for our presentation tips and learn more about us at http://www.simswyeth.com/.

Ulysses knew he could not resist the Sirens, so he developed a strategy to prevent himself from succumbing to temptation.  Before he passed their island, he tied himself to the mast of his ship, and instructed his crew not to let him loose, no matter how desperate his pleading.

If you know your weakness as a speaker, develop a strategy to prevent it from damaging your success.  Declare a specific goal.  Tell people what you’re working on. Ask them to hold you accountable.  Invite them to your presentations.  Have them sign a contract to support you, and, for you and them, let there be consequences for failure and rewards for success.

Tie yourself to a promise and then get a little help from your friends.

Sims Wyeth & Co. provides public speaking courses, executive speech coaching, presentation skills training, voice and speech training, speech writing, and courses that address stage fright, body language, presentation strategy, and effective use of PowerPoint, all of which contribute to greater executive presence and personal impact.  Sign up for our presentation tips and learn more about us at http://www.simswyeth.com/.