For their final speech of the semester at the Harvard Kennedy School, I asked my students to reduce their reliance on notes. Why? Because when we rely on notes, it affects so much of our presentation. It affects our authenticity, because we are reading from notes...
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As a former opera singer, I’m particularly attuned to speakers’ voices. We can hear a lot in someone’s voice: we can hear their emotional and physical states, we can hear their energy level, and we can hear if they are enthusiastic or reserved about us or about our...
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On Veterans Day, we salute the men and women of the US military along with their spouses and families. You have given so much for our country and deserve to be recognized for how you have spent your life in service to others. Your voices of experience are incredibly...
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I am often asked, “How do you give a speech using someone else’s talking points?” Here’s an example: You work for a large institution that is sponsoring an event in your community. You have to represent your institution by giving a welcome speech. You work on...
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Imagine you have a big presentation next week and you’re unsure what to bring with you on stage. You know your subject matter but are afraid of losing your place halfway through the speech. At the same time, you don’t want to write the speech out and memorize it...
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One of the biggest obstacles to writing a speech is time. Again and again, clients will tell me, “I simply don’t have the time to prepare. From the moment I get into the office, I have back-to-back calls all day. How do I find the time?” There is no alternative...
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