Recharged and Reinforced

I took some time off from coaching clients and writing plays to spend a few days with family in Maine in September. It's always good to take a break, to have a different daily rhythm, to focus on other goals. When I returned, the rest of the month flew by--weekly travel to clients in DC, guest lecturing at American University, workshop-leading, and private coaching. I love being so productive, but my comings-and-goings left no time for newsletter inspiration!

I was delighted, then, to read my own advice in the Harvard Business Review!  No, I'm not quoted there, but I am sure this article by Carmine Gallo will sound quite familiar to my clients: "The best speakers make presentations look effortless precisely because they put so much effort into perfecting their delivery." Glad he backs me up on this!  Practice is essential. And really great speakers know it. They just don't advertise the fact. Rehearsal is repetition, and it's not exciting or sexy, but it leads to presentations that can catapult you to even higher levels of success (see Jobs, Steve).

Gallo writes about major presentations, like TED talks or industry-wide speeches, but the truth is, you need to practice for any speech event--even (or especially) those tough one-on-ones with your boss or a difficult team member. Not the 200 times Jill Bolte Taylor rehearsed her brilliant TED talk , but enough to internalize your message so you don't get tripped up in times of stress.

Want to triumph in your next presentation or sail through any speaking situation with confidence? Listen to the experts. And practice.