Welcome to the Public Speaking Wizardry blog.
You can find here valuable articles, tips & tricks, and proven techniques that can bring your presentations to the next level. You can read here about public speaking, stage presence, storytelling, stress management, body language, mastering the art of impactful communication, presenting to non-expert audiences, dealing with imposter syndrome, building self-confidence, executive presentations, engaging an audience, and many more.
Enjoy!
Are you tired of spending countless hours perfecting your presentations? Well, fret no more because there’s a game-changing solution on the horizon: AI tools. Read more about a few tricks and tips on using AI to prepare a presentation’s draft, slides, and visuals, conduct it, and engage the audience.
More than 60 years later, “I have a dream” still gives people goosebumps. As a psychologist and public speaking coach, I break down what makes Martin Luther King’s speech so powerful, from anaphora and vivid metaphors to the way he used his voice, and what you can borrow for your own presentations.
Dreaming of standing on the red dot? As a TEDx coach, I show you how to write a TED talk step by step: how to find your idea worth spreading, how to start, build and end your talk, and how long it should really be.
Want your audience not only to listen, but to act? Here are 8 tips for giving a persuasive presentation, from storytelling and repetition to social proof, credibility and a call to action that actually works.
You might think only salespeople need storytelling. In fact, a good story can help you win over your boss, convince a friend, get your kids to eat broccoli and even remember names. Here’s why storytelling is a skill worth learning.
Whether you’re at a networking event, starting a new job or meeting your partner’s friends, the way you introduce yourself sets the tone. Learn how to prepare a short personal pitch, deliver it with confidence and turn a first meeting into a lasting relationship, even if you’re an introvert.
Same liczby rzadko kogoś przekonują. Dowiedz się, jak prezentować dane, żeby słuchacze je zrozumieli i zapamiętali: 9 praktycznych wskazówek dotyczących wykresów i slajdów oraz przegląd 15 narzędzi graficznych, od Excela i Canvy po Tableau i Datawrapper.
Scientists, engineers and programmers have incredible discoveries to share, but they rarely learn how to present them during their studies. Based on my workshop for PhD students at ECOC in Basel, I explain why presentation skills matter and how they change the way your work is perceived.
You have only a few minutes, sometimes just one, to convince investors or clients. Learn how to write a pitch that grabs attention from the first sentence, speaks to your audience’s needs and leaves them wanting more, with 10 rules and practical examples.
Forest, beach or bookcase? I tested how three virtual backgrounds affect the way 98 viewers perceive an online speaker in terms of professionalism, credibility and creativity. Here are the results, and what they mean for your next video call.
Why can the same photo seem pleasant or unpleasant depending on what came before it? Learn what priming is, how images, mood and environment influence your audience’s judgements, and how this psychological effect can shape the way you are perceived as a speaker.
Which background makes you look most trustworthy on a video call, and what do red, blue, white or black say about you? Based on psychological research, learn how colors and backgrounds influence the way your audience perceives you.
How do we create the impression we want others to have of us? Learn what self-presentation is, how it differs online and offline, and which strategic and tactical self-presentation techniques speakers can use to build their image on stage and in video calls.
Why are video calls so tiring, and can online presentations be as effective as live ones? Based on research from Stanford and other universities, discover how presenting online differs from speaking on stage and what makes virtual presentations work.
Even Steve Jobs spent weeks preparing for his presentations. Learn how to prepare for a presentation step by step: get to know your audience and venue, plan your talk, master the opening and ending, rehearse, prepare for tough questions and record yourself.
How did a young woman with no money convince New York’s elite that she was a German heiress? A psychologist and public speaking coach breaks down the manipulation and self-presentation techniques shown in Inventing Anna, and what they reveal about how we decide whom to trust.
Four in ten Americans fear public speaking. Can virtual reality help? Learn what research says about practicing public speaking in VR, how virtual audiences reduce anxiety, and how you can start rehearsing in front of a virtual audience at home.
The first step to your dream job is presenting yourself well at the interview. Learn how to prepare, what to wear, how to answer the most common questions, how to tell your story and what to do if you can’t make it, with 10 practical tips from a public speaking coach.
Going on a first date can be both exciting and stressful. Learn how to make a good first impression, what to talk about and what to avoid, how to show genuine interest and why being yourself is the best strategy, with 7 simple rules from a psychologist.
You attend voice production classes, maybe you sing in a choir. Perhaps you are going to a music school or even studying singing. On vacation, instead of surfing and exploring Barcelona, you go to singing camps where you learn the secrets of singing from morning to night. In your spare time, you listen to music and exercise a lot. Music fills your whole life, but in spite of all these efforts, you stand on stage and all your confidence and skills evaporate in some incomprehensible way. This may be due to stress.
I’m honoured to be named one of the top 11 public speaking coaches worldwide in 2021 by the Coach Foundation, alongside coaches from around the world.
Improv isn’t just for actors and jazz musicians. Learn what improvisation is, how it helps you answer unexpected questions and feel more confident on stage, and which simple improv exercises you can start practicing today.
“Tell me about yourself.” “What do you do?” These questions come up at job interviews, networking events and parties. Learn what an elevator pitch is, what it should include and how to write and deliver a short, memorable pitch about yourself, with a ready-made example.
The first minute of your talk shapes how the audience perceives the rest of it. Learn how to start a presentation with surprising data, a quote, a story, a metaphor or a question, and which common opening mistakes to avoid.
For about a year now, instead of shaking hands, we give a virtual high five, instead of sitting in an air-conditioned conference room and talking to a friend next to us, we participate in meetings at home. Is this form of presentation different than the “live” one?
How to prepare a public speech?
The first step is substantive preparation. Regardless of whether you are an expert in a given field or have only been selected to present a report or the results of the entire team, it will be crucial to obtain valuable and verified information. If you have such an opportunity, refer to trusted research and sources. Citing scientific sources, referring to experts in your industry will help you build an image of an expert as well as increase your credibility. You can search for scientific research on dedicated websites for medics, psychologists, architects, etc. If you do not have access to such platforms, you can, for example, use the Google Scholar search engine, which is generally available and free. Sometimes reprints of the most important research findings can be found in industry articles.
This article begins the “How Do They Talk” series. In it, I will analyze the speeches of politicians, businessmen and artists. Based on these, I will try to find the secret of good speeches. Donald Trump will be first. Some love him, others hate him. However, we cannot deny his ability to captivate an audience.
For many students and also professionals, oral exams are much more stressful than written exams. Why?
The inconspicuous Museum of Communications which was honored by the Council of Europe Museum Prize is located in the Swiss capital. Inside, there are three floors full of attractions. The visit inspired me to create a new series called “How They Speak”, in which I will analyze the speeches of politicians, artists and professional speakers. I invite you to see the photos below.
I am pleased to share news – I have joined the Women’s Village project. This initiative supports, educates and builds the community of Polish women in Switzerland
