Most panels, in-person or virtual, are not done very well. A panel should be a stimulating conversation between individuals who bring passion and different insights on the topic. The audience can become engaged and join the conversation. Unfortunately, that scenario doesn’t happen often enough. Instead,...

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When I received the invitation to give a TED Talk a few years ago, I was already an experienced speaker and coach, but I didn’t know that a journey of fellowship and organic practice lay ahead. First, there was a fellowship among the diverse group...

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So, let’s talk about, you know, those uh filler words. We call them “non-words,” right? They make you sound, like, unprofessional and less sure of yourself. These seven filler words are the most common. There is no doubt you’ve noticed them finding their way into...

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Let’s start by establishing what Q&A (Questions & Answers) is and is not. Q&A is not: the traditional tail-end of your talk. a meaningless question like, “Any questions? Okay. That’s all I have!” the opportunity you avoid because you’re afraid someone will ask you something...

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You can research a million papers, articles, and books on Presence. In our experience, there are five essential elements that make up the foundation of Presence. 1.) Body Language People interpret poor posture and restless movement as a lack of confidence. Good posture gives you...

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Pro tips: Run off the jitters. Trust your microphone. And get in ‘beast mode’ Many of us can come up with a pretty long list of unpleasant things we’d rather do than talk in front of an audience. (I’ll go first: get a cavity filled,...

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You’re sitting in the audience in anticipation of a great talk. The conference speaker is a renowned food expert and the author of a new book. The emcee introduces her, and she walks to the front of the room as people clap. Then comes the...

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Rob is a productivity consultant. He teaches leaders to manage their workflow, work smarter, and accomplish more. Since saving time is something people care about, he has been successful. Earlier this year, I watched from the back of the room as Rob began his presentation...

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For a long time, we dismissed storytelling as inappropriate fluff. We followed Aristotle’s (384-322 BC) belief that people were essentially rational and made decisions based on persuasive procedure and reasonable argument. But in the 1980s, Walter Fisher (1931-2018) introduced the idea that we experience life...

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“I don’t talk about myself in presentations,” Katherine said. “I’d rather stick to the numbers.” I had just asked Katherine to consider sharing a bit of her story in her presentation so her teammates could get to know her and trust her. Katherine felt her...

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Why Learn Public Speaking? I smile when someone says, “I don’t need public speaking in my job.” Getting on your feet and speaking to a group of people is a practice in human expression that goes back more than 2500 years. It’s in our DNA,...

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Researchers believe that the oldest spoken language is Mayan, which was around seven thousand years ago when the Maya migrated into Mexico. Imagine… over 7,000 years, we’ve progressed all the way to: “I was like, really?” There is an infinite number of people who, down...

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Why do so many leaders stop working on themselves? Most likely, it’s because, at some point in life, we think we know a little more than we do. A few years back, I worked with a talented manager named Richard, who could tell you what...

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At any age, we are shaped by our inner circles. Consider this the next time you find yourself spending time with people who are unhappy, negative, dramatic, and not inclined to encourage you—much less dare you to be better. By “better,” I’m not just referring...

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Every day I talk with executives in leadership positions about their challenges. Over the years, many things have changed, but speaking up in meetings is still an obstacle for many people. Again and again, I’ve heard these kinds of comments: I’m constantly interrupted. People talk...

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A few years ago, virtual meetings were an exciting new way to engage with your team from anywhere. We can now connect, communicate, and collaborate with team members across the globe … but the novelty is starting to wear off. Have you noticed that your...

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In what feels like a blur, 2021 came and went. There were some thrilling highs and plenty of somber lows as we continued to face the pandemic. 2021 was a hard year for many but through it all, there were countless people who made the...

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Voice for a Cause is part of Interact Studio’s mission to empower non-profit leaders to attract the support they need to thrive. These organizations are the essential services and safety net for our community. We hope you’ll follow them and learn more about how you...

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1.) Give everyone some space. You don’t have to be together every minute. Do something on your own for a couple of hours. 2.) It’s okay to say no to some invitations, projects, outings, or extravaganzas. 3.) Tell stories and reminisce about the funniest holiday...

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Knowing the fundamentals of how to craft an effective conversation via web content is a powerful skill set that can change the way that others see you. More importantly, it can determine whether others see you at all, which is why it is so highly...

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More than 60 years ago, Douglas McGregor published his groundbreaking book, The Human Side of the Enterprise. McGregor believed in the human approach to business. He is credited with the birth of the “human relations movement.” McGregor’s book was met with criticism in his day,...

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Vaccine distribution is progressing and people are beginning to say it: “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel!” At the same time, mental health experts are saying “Easy does it.” They are focused on the emotional exhaustion we’re experiencing from traveling through the...

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It’s the American way. We are constantly online, messaging, multitasking and over-doing. We’ve been dancing with burnout for years. But in 2020 burnout itself went viral. A third of U.S. employees started living at work with their laptops and inboxes beside them 24/7. Not realizing...

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As many of us are hitting the one-year anniversary of nearly all-remote work, we have stopped saying, “when things go back to normal.” We know there’s no going back, but we’re just not sure how things will look going forward. This is not a personal...

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How Do We Thrive in Times of Change and Burnout? Vanessa is a good friend who works at a consulting firm. She is normally an upbeat, fun character. Recently she told us, “I was on seven Zoom calls yesterday, and I’m working for less money....

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For most of his life, Chad Henderson didn’t know he wanted to be a Head Brewer. But what he did know from traveling with his dad, an award-winning Elvis impersonator, was that he wanted to do something non-traditional, something that allowed him creative expression. When...

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Answer: We met Dave Alpern. Many of us don’t understand vulnerability. In our secret hearts, we don’t see vulnerability as a trait belonging to strong, magnetic people. If that’s what you believe, you haven’t met Dave Alpern, President of Joe Gibbs Racing. Dave was our...

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Looking back from Valentine’s Day last year to today, a lot of things have changed. One thing that hasn’t changed is humanity’s capacity to love and be loved and our ability to inspire and to be inspired. That’s why we felt it was important to...

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It is hard to believe that Kobe Bryant’s death preceded COVID, the summer’s civil unrest, a presidential election, an assault on the capital and a presidential inauguration. It has just been a year, but it seems like a lifetime ago. There are some events where...

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A Fresh Idea for Fresh Food One of the most overused words of the year 2020 was “pivot.” But when the word fits the word fits. Chef Sam Diminich had one of Charlotte’s most significant pandemic pivots and we were delighted to have him as...

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