INTRINSIC The Series: Determination

michael

Determination is a word of many meanings.

According to Merriam-Webster, determination can mean – among others:

a judicial decision settling and ending a controversy
the resolving of a question by argument or reasoning
the act of deciding definitely and firmly; also : the result of such an act of decision
firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end
a fixing or . . . → Read More: INTRINSIC The Series: Determination

What Leaders Can Learn From The Godfather

godfather

Click for the right background music…

The inspiration for this post didn’t come from New York. The inspiration didn’t come from Vegas either. The inspiration for this post came from Prague. Six likable lawyers and me. Not an oxymoron but a charisma seminar. The final task: creative group presentation. How to lead better with more charisma. Every . . . → Read More: What Leaders Can Learn From The Godfather

From Fear To Fun In 48 Hours

audience

Public speaking is fun.
Public speaking is energy.
Public speaking is creativity.
Public speaking is emotion.
Public speaking is passion.

When my seminar companions start their challenging journey from comfort zone to magical zone many of them only share negative thoughts about public speaking. They talk negatively about it; they expect negative things to happen. They claim that public speaking for . . . → Read More: From Fear To Fun In 48 Hours

Can I Cry On Stage?

obamacries

Aristotle was a mean man. Argumentative wisdom – logos – wasn’t enough for him. Not even a credible character – ethos – could clench his rhetorical thirst. He demanded more from us speakers. He also claimed pathos, the emotional appeal.

All of us harbor positive and not so positive emotions. While appreciation and love will make us . . . → Read More: Can I Cry On Stage?

In Seven Days From Hungarian Nursery Rhyme To Freddy Mercury

eszter

Some of my client-friends suffered for one day. Most of them suffered for two days. In one-and-a-half years, working in two different hotels, Eszter Czár went through the public speaking and charisma hell for seven days!

If you had known this shy and timid kind lady before and would meet her now, you wouldn’t believe that it’s . . . → Read More: In Seven Days From Hungarian Nursery Rhyme To Freddy Mercury

A Great Last Moment

applause

At our Toastmasters Spain-Portugal division contest in Marbella last weekend I witnessed more or less 21 public speakers. Female speakers, male speakers. Speakers from at least six different countries. Advanced speakers and very advanced speakers. All but two jumped into the lake of potential for improvement.

In my seminars I always ask the same question. The other . . . → Read More: A Great Last Moment

Do You Touch The Line Of Proximity?

lop

Have you read about the pedagogical wisdom of my mum? Then you know already that you, as a public speaker, are the zebra with the horizontal stripes. You are the stranger, the outsider, the extranean.

When you speak in public it’s an absolute must to reduce the perceived physical distance between you and your audience. In our subconsciousness . . . → Read More: Do You Touch The Line Of Proximity?

Too Doesn’t Equal Less Plus More

toolessmore

Do you like to hear that you are too late? Or that your speech was too long? Or that you spoke too fast?

Welcome to the club of too-haters. Most of us despise the t-double-o word. Yet, we use it all the time ourselves.

Every time someone gives too-feedback in my seminars, I intervene right away. Imagine a . . . → Read More: Too Doesn’t Equal Less Plus More

Beware Of The Scratchaz

merkel

They are everywhere. They are indestructible. They are unstoppable. They are the scratchaz – the nose scratcha, the arm scratcha, the face scratcha, the shoulder scratcha, the ear scratcha, the neck scratcha.

The scratchaz are a mean breed of subconscious behavior. Victims of scratcha attacks tend to forget about the sudden strikes. Dr. Fullerton of the Institute of Behavioral Science in Singapore . . . → Read More: Beware Of The Scratchaz

The Golden Rule Of Public Speaking

rules

Do you believe that you should always start your speech with “Hello, my name is ABC from company XYZ”?

Do you believe that you are obliged to welcome the authorities in your audience at the very beginning of your speech?

Do you believe that you can only use your corporate design Powerpoint template?

Do you believe that you cannot . . . → Read More: The Golden Rule Of Public Speaking