http://www.tjwalker.com News analyzed from a communication perspective. | Public speaking, media training, presentation training, crisis communications Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:18:24 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/07/21/rewrite-questions-to-suit-you-media-training/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/07/21/rewrite-questions-to-suit-you-media-training/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:00:41 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=11965 After you have heard a reporter’s question, hold it up to the light and rewrite the question in your own head to make it easier for you to answer it. Note: this is not the same thing as ignoring the question and saying whatever you feel like. The art in this process is finding a [...]]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/07/21/rewrite-questions-to-suit-you-media-training/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/30/speak-in-sound-bites/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/30/speak-in-sound-bites/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:42:24 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=11567
Ronald Regan was a great speaker who knew how to captivate his audience. This clip shows how he used sound bites to get quoted and be remembered.]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/30/speak-in-sound-bites/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/25/forget-the-unrealistic-role-models/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/25/forget-the-unrealistic-role-models/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:54:48 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=11543 A frequently discussed phenomenon involves teenage girls who look up to to 6′ 3″ 90 pound super models as role models. These genetic freaks are obviously not ideal role models for girls with normal bone structures. The results? Anorexia and bulimia. Something similar happens when it comes to my clients who are trying to improve [...]]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/25/forget-the-unrealistic-role-models/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/12/how-do-you-keep-from-going-stale/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/12/how-do-you-keep-from-going-stale/#comments Sat, 12 Mar 2011 17:24:56 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=11400
]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/12/how-do-you-keep-from-going-stale/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/04/presentation-training-tip-if-you-get-invited-to-give-a-speech-then-speak-if-you-get-invited-to-a-reading-then-read-however-great-authors-dont-read-at-their-own-book-readings-they-tell-stori/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/04/presentation-training-tip-if-you-get-invited-to-give-a-speech-then-speak-if-you-get-invited-to-a-reading-then-read-however-great-authors-dont-read-at-their-own-book-readings-they-tell-stori/#comments Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:49:18 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=11189 Presentation Training Tip: If you get invited to give a speech, then speak. If you get invited to a reading, then read. (However, great authors don’t read at their own book readings, they tell stories instead.)]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/04/presentation-training-tip-if-you-get-invited-to-give-a-speech-then-speak-if-you-get-invited-to-a-reading-then-read-however-great-authors-dont-read-at-their-own-book-readings-they-tell-stori/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/03/speaking-tip-of-the-day-cliche%cc%81s-work-great-with-the-media-but-make-you-sound-unintelligent-when-delivering-a-speech/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/03/speaking-tip-of-the-day-cliche%cc%81s-work-great-with-the-media-but-make-you-sound-unintelligent-when-delivering-a-speech/#comments Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:15:20 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=11145 SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY: Cliche?s work great with the media but make you sound unintelligent when delivering a speech.]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/03/speaking-tip-of-the-day-cliche%cc%81s-work-great-with-the-media-but-make-you-sound-unintelligent-when-delivering-a-speech/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/02/forbes-com-powerpoint-is-not-a-teleprompter/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/02/forbes-com-powerpoint-is-not-a-teleprompter/#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:01:36 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=11100 One of the biggest misconceptions about PowerPoint is that it can and should be used as a TelePrompTer for a speaker. A TelePrompTer is a machine that newscasters use to read their scripts while looking into the camera. Read more from TJ at FORBES.com]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/03/02/forbes-com-powerpoint-is-not-a-teleprompter/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/23/post-a-comment-about-your-worst-public-speaking-experience-ever-and-you-will-win-access-to-my-300-online-presentation-training-school/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/23/post-a-comment-about-your-worst-public-speaking-experience-ever-and-you-will-win-access-to-my-300-online-presentation-training-school/#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:36:27 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10835 That’s right, if you post a summary of your worst public speaking experience right here, I will send you an all-access pass to my online, interactive public speaking course—no strings attached. I’d like to hear about your horror stories.]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/23/post-a-comment-about-your-worst-public-speaking-experience-ever-and-you-will-win-access-to-my-300-online-presentation-training-school/feed/ 3 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/19/when-to-admit-mistakes/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/19/when-to-admit-mistakes/#comments Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:27:10 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10614 Most speakers go to one of two extremes when it comes to making mistakes in front of audiences. 1. Instantly calling attention to mistakes by apologizing, wincing, and generally beating yourself up, or 2. Putting on a front of perfection and denying that you have ever made a mistake about anything, ever, under any circumstances. [...]]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/19/when-to-admit-mistakes/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/presentation-training-advice-age-is-nothing-but-a-number-everyones-goal-should-be-the-same-as-a-speaker/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/presentation-training-advice-age-is-nothing-but-a-number-everyones-goal-should-be-the-same-as-a-speaker/#comments Sat, 19 Feb 2011 01:26:09 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10677 Presentation training advice: Age is nothing but a number. Whether you are a Fortune 500 company CEO or a junior high school student preparing for a school speech your goals should be the same. As a speaker you want your audience to walk away thinking of you as memorable speaker, who was engaging and fully [...]]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/presentation-training-advice-age-is-nothing-but-a-number-everyones-goal-should-be-the-same-as-a-speaker/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/rapport-is-key/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/rapport-is-key/#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:18:14 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10612 When speaking, building rapport with your audience is crucially important. Average and below average speakers spend all of their time focused on writing and rewriting their content. Great speakers care about content too, but they realize that the first order of business is building rapport with an audience. Once you build rapport, your audience becomes [...]]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/rapport-is-key/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/forbes-com-dare-to-be-different-public-speaking-analysis/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/forbes-com-dare-to-be-different-public-speaking-analysis/#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:43:58 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10654 There is great comfort in mediocrity when it comes to public speaking. It is easy to joke around with your colleagues about how you “hate” speaking in public and that you “just want to get through it.” To read the rest of TJ’s thoughts visit FORBES.com]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/forbes-com-dare-to-be-different-public-speaking-analysis/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/public-speaking-tip-of-the-day-the-presidents-honored-on-presidents-day-washington-and-lincoln-gave-much-importance-time-and-effort-to-all-of-their-speaking-and-public-appearances-presentation-c/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/public-speaking-tip-of-the-day-the-presidents-honored-on-presidents-day-washington-and-lincoln-gave-much-importance-time-and-effort-to-all-of-their-speaking-and-public-appearances-presentation-c/#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:13:09 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10643 Public Speaking Tip of the Day: The presidents honored on Presidents; Day (Washington and Lincoln) gave much importance, time and effort to all of their speaking and public appearances. Presentation counts in the 18th, 19th and 21st centuries.]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/public-speaking-tip-of-the-day-the-presidents-honored-on-presidents-day-washington-and-lincoln-gave-much-importance-time-and-effort-to-all-of-their-speaking-and-public-appearances-presentation-c/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/jerk-face-media-move-of-the-day-republican-congressman-steve-womack-files-amendment-to-stop-funding-obama%e2%80%99s-teleprompter/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/jerk-face-media-move-of-the-day-republican-congressman-steve-womack-files-amendment-to-stop-funding-obama%e2%80%99s-teleprompter/#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:08:43 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10638 The Arkansas Republican has since removed his amendment once he realized that he was basically being an incredible jacka*@! Read more of TJ’s analysis on FORBES.com]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/18/jerk-face-media-move-of-the-day-republican-congressman-steve-womack-files-amendment-to-stop-funding-obama%e2%80%99s-teleprompter/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/17/spell-it-out-when-you-are-speaking/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/17/spell-it-out-when-you-are-speaking/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:10:38 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10605 When you are speaking to colleagues and other peers within your industry, the tendency is to use lots of acronyms and initials, instead of speaking out the entire name or phrase. This saves time and makes you seem like a knowledgeable insider, right? Wrong! Other than IRS, FBI, or SCUBA, you should shun using initials [...]]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/17/spell-it-out-when-you-are-speaking/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/16/how-to-develop-useful-and-interesting-ideas-for-your-next-presentation-quora-answers/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/16/how-to-develop-useful-and-interesting-ideas-for-your-next-presentation-quora-answers/#comments Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:25:00 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10545 ]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/16/how-to-develop-useful-and-interesting-ideas-for-your-next-presentation-quora-answers/feed/ 2 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/14/can-your-audience-see-you/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/14/can-your-audience-see-you/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:23:50 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10385 I was recently at a convention for professional communicators and public relations people. All of the speakers and all of the attendees were in the business of communicating messages well — and getting paid for it. And yet I was struck by how many speakers seemingly didn’t care if their audience could even see them. [...]]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/14/can-your-audience-see-you/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/14/in-one-sentence-bono-presentation-advice/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/14/in-one-sentence-bono-presentation-advice/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:36:15 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10389
Great leaders can speak on a subject for hours, but they also know how to summarize their message in one or two sentences.]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/14/in-one-sentence-bono-presentation-advice/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/12/presentation-tip-of-the-day-you-don%e2%80%99t-have-to-make-every-single-audience-member-love-you-or-even-a-majority-of-the-audience-members-love-you-but-if-95-are-chanting-that-they-want-you-to-resi/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/12/presentation-tip-of-the-day-you-don%e2%80%99t-have-to-make-every-single-audience-member-love-you-or-even-a-majority-of-the-audience-members-love-you-but-if-95-are-chanting-that-they-want-you-to-resi/#comments Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:38:23 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10303 Presentation Tip of the Day: You don’t have to make every single audience member love you or even a majority of the audience members love you. But if 95% are chanting that they want you to resign, be fired, or leave the country, chances are, it’s time to find a new line of work.]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/12/presentation-tip-of-the-day-you-don%e2%80%99t-have-to-make-every-single-audience-member-love-you-or-even-a-majority-of-the-audience-members-love-you-but-if-95-are-chanting-that-they-want-you-to-resi/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/11/presentation-training-tip-of-the-day-if-you-just-practice-in-your-head-at-your-computer-what-seems-like-a-20-minute-powerpoint-presentation-will-actually-turn-into-a-50-minute-presentation-in-front/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/11/presentation-training-tip-of-the-day-if-you-just-practice-in-your-head-at-your-computer-what-seems-like-a-20-minute-powerpoint-presentation-will-actually-turn-into-a-50-minute-presentation-in-front/#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:22:57 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10261 Presentation Training Tip of the Day: If you just practice in your head at your computer, what seems like a 20 minute PowerPoint presentation will actually turn into a 50 minute presentation in front of the audience.]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/11/presentation-training-tip-of-the-day-if-you-just-practice-in-your-head-at-your-computer-what-seems-like-a-20-minute-powerpoint-presentation-will-actually-turn-into-a-50-minute-presentation-in-front/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/08/simple-is-effective-ronald-reagan/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/08/simple-is-effective-ronald-reagan/#comments Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:16:26 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=10041
Using large complex words doesn’t help speakers communicate. Simple language is often the most effective tactic… even if you’re President.]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/08/simple-is-effective-ronald-reagan/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/07/speaking-secrets-of-ronald-reagan-celebrating-his-100th-birthday-presentation-training/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/07/speaking-secrets-of-ronald-reagan-celebrating-his-100th-birthday-presentation-training/#comments Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:56:54 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=9999
http://www.tjwalker.com -media training, presentation training What made Reagan such a great communicator? What were his speaking secrets?]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/07/speaking-secrets-of-ronald-reagan-celebrating-his-100th-birthday-presentation-training/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/04/presentation-training-tip-your-colleagues-and-competitors-spent-on-average-12-16-or-even-20-years-on-daily-instruction-on-how-to-write-well-in-school-but-most-of-them-never-received-more-than-15/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/04/presentation-training-tip-your-colleagues-and-competitors-spent-on-average-12-16-or-even-20-years-on-daily-instruction-on-how-to-write-well-in-school-but-most-of-them-never-received-more-than-15/#comments Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:02:37 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=9824 ]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/04/presentation-training-tip-your-colleagues-and-competitors-spent-on-average-12-16-or-even-20-years-on-daily-instruction-on-how-to-write-well-in-school-but-most-of-them-never-received-more-than-15/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/03/communication-techniques-to-become-a-more-effective-leader-presentation-training/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/03/communication-techniques-to-become-a-more-effective-leader-presentation-training/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:38:26 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=9795
]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/03/communication-techniques-to-become-a-more-effective-leader-presentation-training/feed/ 0 http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/03/time-ferris-is-a-pr-genius-%e2%80%93-media-training/ http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/03/time-ferris-is-a-pr-genius-%e2%80%93-media-training/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:35:09 +0000 TJ Walker http://www.tjwalker.com/?p=9789 Those who read my blog or watch my videos regularly know that I think Tim Ferris is a complete charlatan and that his book “The 4-Hour Workweek” is the biggest load of cr*p ever write. But I do think Ferris is a brilliant sell-promoting genius and much can be learned from his tactics (one of [...]]]> http://www.tjwalker.com/2011/02/03/time-ferris-is-a-pr-genius-%e2%80%93-media-training/feed/ 0