Public Speaking with Peter George

In this episode, we take a departure from our usual discussions about speaking and talk about happiness. Why? Well, for two reasons. One reason is that, to me, speaking and happiness go hand-in-hand. The other reason is that when I learned about Mike Duffy and his mission in life, I wanted to interview him so he could share his message with you.

Which word in the English language do you believe is the most powerful? Of course, if you're like most people, you'll say it's "please." Now, answer this question, please. Which word in the English language do you believe is the most powerful when it comes to speaking in public? Listen in, and you'll learn how this simple word helps you and your talks connect more effectively with your individual...

If you want to know how effective a public speaker you really are, then you should present to students and young adults. As one of my clients who routinely speaks to students likes to say, "You have to know what you're doing because kids will eat you alive." But he's quick to add that presenting to young people can be one of the more exhilarating experiences you could have, and if you do it well,...

Your brain's primary functions include keeping you alive and steering you clear of harm's way. When it determines that you are in a dangerous situation, or even in a stressful one, it initiates the fight or flight response. Once that adrenaline begins flowing through your body, all sorts of things start to happen, including your brain becoming super vigilant. In this episode, you'll learn how your...

Everyone has their own public speaking styles practices. The key is to learn from others, take the ideas that resonate with you and your style and make them your own. Of course, once you do that, you should continue to learn, always advancing and honing your skills. One of the people you want to learn from is my guest, Jeff Belanger. In this episode, he explains how he has developed his public spe...

How long do you have to establish a connection with your audience? Is it 3 minutes? 1 minute? 30 seconds? How about 15 seconds? Or 3 seconds?   I side with those who say 3 seconds. Now, you might be thinking, "How can I possibly connect with an audience in 3 seconds?"   Listen in and learn how you can connect with your audience before walking on stage and still have 3 seconds to spare.

Leaders have the opportunity to effect change, to move people, to make a difference. And to do that, they need many skills, but one of them perhaps more than any other. Of course, it's public speaking.   As leaders, too many of us miss out on these opportunities because we don't spend the necessary time building these skills, thinking of them as soft skills, as opposed to the power skills they act...

Does it drive you crazy when the car in front of you takes an abrupt turn without using a turn signal? If you're like most people, it does.   Why couldn't they turn on the signal? The lever's right there. It's incredibly easy to use. And for something so simple, it provides a significant benefit to them and the people behind them.   And what about you? Do you use your turn signals? Tune in and lea...

Richard Strauss once said, "The human voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is the most difficult to play." How well do you play this wonderful gift you have?   Do you vary your pace? Do you alter your pitch? How about your tone and volume?   If you're not sure you're including enough vocal variety or if you're using it to its greatest advantage, listen in as Madonna Hanna shares t...

One of the questions I get asked often is, "How do I know my presentation connected with the audience?" That's a fair question because just about every speaker is curious, if not eager, to know if they served their audience well.   Here's what I tell them. First, listen to the subject of their comments. If it's about you, you probably didn't achieve your objective. If it's about themselves, it's m...

The mission of basic training is to motivate, train, and inspire the generation of service men and women. And in that spirit, who better to discuss the basics of public speaking than a veteran of both the service and the White House communication Agency.   In this episode, Darrell Williams, a man who served his country and now his fellow citizens, covers fundamentals that help you serve your audie...

What do you do if your energy level and that of your audience are different? Do you try to force them from their sluggish state or go to where they are and raise their energy level as you progress through your presentation? The latter may be the correct answer, but the former might be implemented more often.   In this episode, you'll learn how to ramp up an audience's energy and enthusiasm so you...

As a speaker, you want to get more gigs, especially higher-paying gigs, so you can share your message with more people. To accomplish this, you need to market yourself, your expertise, and the result your message provides.   Perhaps the most cost-effective way to get in front of your target audience is to be covered in the media. And media coverage delivers an extraordinarily high level of authori...

Have you ever been in a car, singing along with your favorite singer, only to run out of breath as she continues to hold a note for a seemingly impossibly long time? How do they do that? They learn to breathe! Listen in and learn how you can breathe life into your presentations.

No matter how thought-provoking your message, and no matter how well you deliver that message … if you aren't connected to it, your presentation may not be as well received — nor as effective — as you would like.   And that's why the topic for this episode is connecting. And who better to discuss this with you but a veteran speaker who's also an expert on connecting.   Listen in as Michelle Tillis...

Whether we're delivering motivational talks, presenting to corporations and organizations, or speaking on other occasions, we, as speakers, often deliver solutions. That's precisely what we're supposed to do, right? Well, if the situation calls for providing solutions, then yes, that's right … ah … that's half right.   Why is it only half right? Well, a solution is only half of an equation. The ot...

Every generation has characteristics associated with it — accurate or not. And millennials are no exception. Of course some traits are the same in every generation, and some differ due to circumstances, trends, and their environment.   So when it comes to speaking to audiences of millennials, or even more so, having them present, we have to adjust our thinking. To help us with that is today's gues...

"A speech is like a love affair. Any fool can start one, but it requires considerable skill to end it." - Anonymous   That quote is a favorite of mine because it's both catchy and on target.    All too often people let their otherwise engaging presentations come to an unexciting and uninspiring end.    Tune in and learn how you can end your presentations in a way that makes a difference in the min...

Facilitating a seminar or workshop is indeed a form of public speaking. And just like another kind of presenting, it requires its own set of skills.   When organizations look to hire an instructor, they often look for those who know the science of facilitation but only hire those who know how to use the science in an artful way. This, my friend, is the secret recipe for the ideal and best of the b...

Do you want your stories to be more captivating? Do you want your listeners to be engrossed, waiting and wondering how your story is going to end? If so, you want to include in your stories one vital element – conflict.   Conflict isn't the only element necessary in compelling stories, but it is the one many people leave out.   Conflict creates interest. It interrupts an otherwise smooth progressi...

Is your voice helping you communicate with clarity? Is it helping you influence and persuade? Is it helping you significantly increase your financial success? Is it helping you connect with people, or is doing just the opposite.   If your voice is not doing what you needed to, or if you're just not sure what it does, listening as Tracy Goodwin shares how to step into the power of your natural voic...

As a public speaker, whether you are speaking in a meeting or on stage, you, too, need to grab your audience's attention right at the start. Why? There are several reasons, but the greatest one is that if you don't grab your listeners' attention from the beginning, you will have to work especially hard to get them engaged. You might be able to accomplish this, but it is not easy.   Listen in and d...

You might not be able to define it, but you certainly know when someone has it! What am I talking about? Confidence. Competence. Charisma. Authenticity. That certain something. That je ne sais quoi!   Most of believe that those who have it were born with it. Well, if you believe that, then you want to listen is as my guest, Evelyne Brink, talks about these characteristics and how you can develop t...

Many speakers give little thought to Q & A sessions … and that's unfortunate because what's often looked at as an inconsequential way to end a presentation could be viewed as a significant opportunity to clarify and share more ideas. Takeaways - How to make your Q & A sessions much more productive - Where to include Q & A in your presentations - How to transition to Q & A - How to respond to quest...

The world of public speaking has continuously evolved over time, and probably never substantially in as short a period of time as it has during the pandemic.   So, it's no surprise that many professional and aspiring speakers are wondering how to be most effective. And that is exactly what Rael Bricker, a certified speaking professional, is going to help you figure out.   Takeaways - How personali...