Public speaking, media training, presentation training, crisis communications
Archive for January, 2008
Video Pitfalls in Presentations
Posted by TJ Walker in Audio/Video Technology, Keynote Speaking, PowerPoint, Public Speaking Skills, Technology on January 31, 2008
I attended a Web 2.o Conference here in New York sponsored by iBreakfast today. Lots of good speakers, but one big problem: video in presentations. The conference was on advertising and monetizing web content, so it made a lot of sense for marketers and advertisers speaking to show video in their presentation. But speaker after speaker got up, tried to play their video, and then apologized for it not working. The system wasn’t set up properly and there was no audio feed. By my rough estimate, half of the speakers used video and all of them had the same problem.
When you think about it, this really is silly. No one did any of the following:
How to Put YouTube Videos in Your PowerPoint Presentations
Posted by TJ Walker in Audio/Video Technology, Humor, PowerPoint, Presentation Skills Training, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking Skills on January 30, 2008
Here is an excellent tutorial on how to place YouTube video into your PowerPoint Presentations. Personally, I use a lot of video in my presentations. However, I caution most people against this–There are numerous technical problems associated with video, even after you have figured out how to get it into your presentation. Also, make sure you don’t use copyrighted material from YouTube in your presentation. YouTube has the billion dollar resources of the Google legal department to defend it; chances are that you don’t.
It’s Hard to Speak from A TelePrompter
Posted by TJ Walker in Audio/Video Technology, Government & Politics, Keynote Speaking, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking Skills, Technology on January 29, 2008
Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kansas) made the Democratic response to George Bush’s State of the Union Address last night. Sebelius looked professional, smooth, competent, and knowledgeable.
But…
Analysis of George Bush 2008 State of the Union Speech
Posted by TJ Walker in Government & Politics, Keynote Speaking, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills on January 29, 2008
At the risk of having people think I am insane, if I give President George Bush an honest appraisal of his speaking skills as demonstrated in the 2008 State of the Union Address, I have to give him a sold B+. Bush used to rush, squint his eyes, freeze his body, speak in a monotone fashion and look scared. He no longer commits those blunders. Bush is now pausing, changing his speed and tempo, moving his body, and gesturing. Judge for yourself.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/01/20080128-13.wm.v.html
Why is Bill Clinton a Great Public Speaker?
Posted by TJ Walker in Debate Central, Great Lectures, Keynote Speaking, Politics, PowerPoint, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking Skills on January 27, 2008
I’m not weighing in on the politics of the day regarding Bill Clinton’s involvement with his wife’s presidential campaign. However, I am interested in his thought process regarding public speaking. I take as a given that no serious person doubts Bill Clinton’s prowess as a public speaker.
In today’s New York Times, we get a glimpse of exactly why:
I am writing a new Public Speaking Book
Posted by TJ Walker in Fear of Speaking, Humor, Keynote Speaking, PowerPoint, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills, Workplace on January 24, 2008
and I’d like suggestions on the most common questions speakers ask themselves when preparing to speak. The theme for the book is how your audience can always give you the best answers to all of your questions. Please take a look and add your comments on other questions to add. TJ
Wisdom of Your Audience
Public Speaking Podcast
Posted by TJ Walker in Keynote Speaking, PowerPoint, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills on January 23, 2008
Here is a recent podcast I did with PowerUp English, an Asian public speaking blog. The focus is on making presentations more memorable.
http://www.powerupenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56&Itemid=7
The Camera Is Always On, Even when You Aren’t the Public Speaker
Posted by TJ Walker in Body Language, Government & Politics, Keynote Speaking, Media Training, Politics, Presentation Skills Training, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking Skills, Sermons on January 21, 2008
I feel for former President Bill Clinton. He is, by all accounts, an indefatigable campaigner, often getting by with less than four hours sleep. Well, apparently even Clinton gets tired. Below is a video clip of Clinton snoozing and attempting in vain to stay awake while on the stage behind a speaker. My cheap easy advice is for everyone to get at least 8 hours of sleep, not only on days when you are speaking, but also when you are going to be near any0one else who is speaking and might have a video camera pointed at him or her. If you need motivation to get a good night’s sleep, then you need to watch this.
http://www.nypost.com/video/?vxSiteId=0db7b365-a288-4708-857b-8bdb545cbd0f&vxChannel=NY%20Post&vxClipId=1458_227094&vxBitrate=700
The Wisdom of the Public Speaking Audience
Posted by TJ Walker in Audio/Video Technology, CEOs/Financial, Keynote Speaking, PowerPoint, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills, Sales and Marketing, Workplace on January 19, 2008
Much has been written about the excellent James Surowiecki book Wisdom of the Crowds, a look at how markets, in various forms, are routinely better than experts. Zagat has built a whole publishing empire based on this single principle. Index funds routinely beat most mutual funds on Wall Street. And yet, very few people think to apply this principle when it comes to public speaking.
I contend that nearly every aspect of a presentation can and should be subjected to the wisdom of the audience—specifically the speaking audience. But how, as a practical matter, would this be done?
Top Public Speaking Articles of the Day
Posted by TJ Walker in Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills on January 19, 2008
Sentence for Drug Overdose Death: Jail and Public Speaking
WBAY – Green Bay,WI,USA
During Danen’s two years in jail, Judge Atkinson is requiring him to take public speaking classes and do anything Falck requests to prepare for their …
Toastmasters celebrate anniversary
New Richmond News – New Richmond,WI,USA
There have been surveys citing public speaking as the biggest fear people have – acing out flying and death. It’s this line of thinking that led Hooey to …
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Don’t Let Your Anger Dominate the News
Posted by TJ Walker in Government & Politics, Media Training, Politics, Public Speaking Skills on January 18, 2008
 As much as I think Bill Clinton is a master communicator, no one is perfect. Lately, he has been a little too quick to appear angry at reporters. There is a role for anger, but it must be used sparingly and for big issues only, especially if you have the stature of being a former president.
Should you use 3D in PowerPoint Graphics for your next Presentation?
Posted by TJ Walker in Audio/Video Technology, PowerPoint, Public Speaking Skills, Technology on January 16, 2008
An interesting take on the use of 3-d over at PowerPoint without Bullet Points blog today.
Communications Ground Zero—The Big Speech
Posted by TJ Walker in Audio/Video Technology, CEOs/Financial, Great Lectures, Keynote Speaking, Public Speaking Skills on January 15, 2008
RSS, Podcasts, PowerPoint as a CD, slideshows, MP3…the list of high technology solutions for communicating seemingly grows every day. But none of these has replaced the impact of a big speech. All of these high tech solutions serve as ways to amplify the big speech. If you doubt me, just try going to Google news and type in “Bill Gates†+ keynote or “Steve Jobs†+ keynote. Thousands of web pages pop up, all within the last few days.
The more high tech the world become, the more people want to see newsmakers in the flesh. Bill Gates’ speech is often the highlight of the Consumer Electronics Show. Steve Jobs keynote is the highlight of MacWorld. The keynote speech at the national political conventions plus the acceptance speeches of the nominees get the lion’s share of media attention.
Video presentation web site of the Day—DS Simon Vlog Views
Posted by TJ Walker in Audio/Video Technology on January 11, 2008
Doug Simon does a great job of posting regular video stating his views on everything from how the writers’ strike will be resolved to who will be the next President. Simon has long been a leader in the video communications arena—his company DS Simon has been a leader in video news releases since forever. Yes, Simon has text on his blog, but video is his default medium—something I predict we will see more and more of as people get used to creating and appearing on video.
Book Review: Garr Reynolds new book Presentation Zen
Posted by TJ Walker in PowerPoint, Presentation Skills Training, Public Speaking Skills on January 10, 2008
Garr Reynolds new book Presentation Zen is a mastery of style and substance. Reynolds cuts through a lot of the silly noise about PowerPoint and gets right to how it can be used effectively, memorably and beautifully. Plus, Reynolds puts his own ego aside and puts a strong spotlight on other speaking masters like Seth Godin and Guy Kawasaki. If you’ve been putting off creating your next PowerPoint presentation, then put if off one more day and run to your nearest bookstore and buy Presentation Zen.
Favorable Review of Candidates’ Public Speaking Skills
Posted by TJ Walker in Debate Central, Government & Politics, Politics, Public Speaking Skills on January 10, 2008
Here is an interesting piece on CNN that compares this year’s crop of political candidates with leading orators of the past half century. As I’ve mentioned in this space before, the 2008 candidates, as a class, have been the best speakers I’ve seen in my lifetime.
Big Speeches of the Day
Posted by TJ Walker in Government & Politics, Politics, Public Speaking Skills on January 10, 2008
John Kerry today endorsed Barack Obama at a press conference. I have to confess I couldn’t watch more than 30 seconds of the speech. John Kerry spoke, like, well, John Kerry. Buy that, I mean Kerry sounds as if he trying to play Hollywood’s version of a pompous, self-important, sanctimonious wind-bag. As I commented on repeatedly in 2004, Kerry’s problem stems from projecting to loudly, thus robbing his voice of its conversational quality.
Bill Richardson dropped out of the race today. I would have gladly listen to him for the whole speech but he was so boring, bland and tedious that CNN cut away from his speech and I never could find it on another news network. Richardson started off by complaining that the news media had leaked the story that he was dropping out—it’s never attractive to whine. Next, Richardson read his speech (with his eyes bobbing up and down—mostly down) saying boring and predictable things. Why he needed a written script at all is beyond me. Richardson can be a talented and funny speaker—it’s a shame he blew a big opportunity today. It may have been his last opportunity of the national limelight for awhile.
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