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Articles from Nancy Daniels | Selfgrowth.com
- ***Winning the Battle of Public Speaking - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2011 from Nancy DanielsFor many people, just the thought of public speaking is enough to cause extreme panic. When you consider that it is man’s greatest fear, this is not surprising. While you may regard the act of standing in front of an audience and delivering a speech or presentation as a war that you will lose, ...
Views: 2919(2 votes) - ***If You Absolutely, Positively Cannot Face an Audience, Try This Exercise - by Submitted on Dec 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWithout a doubt, most people experience some type of nervousness in delivering a speech or presentation. It is normal; it is natural; and, in truth, it is beneficial. There are others, however, who are filled with such fear and dread at just the thought of public speaking, that panic ensues. ...
Views: 2913 - ***The Value of Body Language in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIn my last article I discussed the importance of using your face to express emotion in public speaking. In addition to your facial expression, though, is the language of your body because the latter talks as well during your presentation. The question is, ‘what is it saying?’ Standing ...
Views: 2912(4 votes) - ***Do These 3 Things and You Can Sound As Good As You Look! - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2012 from Nancy DanielsAre you concerned with the image you project? If you are like most people, your answer is probably ‘Yes.’ When you hear yourself on your voicemail, answering machine, or some other type of recording equipment, can you appreciate that that sound is part of the image you are projecting? ...
Views: 2905(4 votes) - ***The 4 Best Means of Persuasion in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Sep 21, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIn the world of public speaking, there are only 2 reasons for giving a speech or presentation (not counting the ‘after-dinner’ speech which is a topic unto itself). You are addressing an audience to either inform or persuade. That being said, if your subject is informative in nature, your job ...
Views: 2901(3 votes) - ***Want More Color and Life in Your Voice? - by Submitted on Jul 18, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen I teach my clients or my students how to speak with emotion, I emphasize that there is no right or wrong answer with color. Color is the life, the emotion, the animation you express in speaking. Color is determined by your topic as well as your mood or attitude. The only thing that would ...
Views: 2899(2 votes) - ***If Your Nervousness Is in Control in Public Speaking, You Will Lose the Battle - by Submitted on Nov 24, 2010 from Nancy DanielsOf all the articles written on public speaking, the most frequent subject deals with nervousness and how to get rid of it. And while you may find that you are able to eliminate those nervous jitters after the first 5 minutes of your presentation, the problem is that your audience judges you the ...
Views: 2892 - ***Why You Should Include True Stories in Your Next Presentation - by Submitted on May 17, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIn an article some months ago, I talked about the value of storytelling in public speaking and why a descriptive retelling of a story is much more interesting than a brief quip. Audiences love true stories especially if they involve you and have a good ending. They must be pertinent to your ...
Views: 2885 - ***The Type A Personality and Public Speaking - by Submitted on Feb 27, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhen it comes to public speaking, those who have the most difficulty permitting themselves to deliver a dynamic presentation are those of the Type A personality. Characterized by an intense drive for perfection, the Type A individual does not allow for mistakes. And, that is the crux of the ...
Views: 2876 - ***What Is Your Soft-Spoken Voice Saying About You? - by Submitted on Aug 16, 2011 from Nancy DanielsHave you ever considered what your lack of volume is saying about you? Possibly in days of old, a soft-spoken voice was considered feminine and endearing. Today, however, with the number of women in business, a voice lacking in ‘normal’ volume is not an endearing quality. Unfortunately, it ...
Views: 2876(2 votes) - ***What Is Your Face Expressing in Public Speaking? Delight or Dismay? - by Submitted on Dec 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsThink about the last time you addressed an audience. It may have been a requirement for your job, for your presentation skills class, for Toastmasters, or for your leads group. Maybe you toasted the bride or groom or were introducing a guest speaker at your Rotary or Lions Club. What was the ...
Views: 2866 - ***Is Your Handshake Sending the Right Message? - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2011 from Nancy DanielsAh, the handshake. The handshake that is the 2nd or 3rd thing in which others will judge you. First in line is your visual image. What follows is often a handshake, your name, or both, as you introduce yourself. Have you ever considered the importance of your handshake and the image it ...
Views: 2863(2 votes) - ***What Language Is Your Body Speaking at the Lectern? - by Submitted on May 12, 2011 from Nancy DanielsBody language. The nonverbal communication of your body that can tell your audience you are speaking with confidence or cowardness, delight or disingenuity. Do you know which language your body is speaking? Something as simple as an arm gesture could be telling your audience one thing ...
Views: 2863 - ***Don’t Ignore Vocal Abuse – It Won’t Go Away on Its Own! - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2010 from Nancy DanielsA surprising number of people suffer vocal abuse and are unaware that it is a problem which will not go away on its own. There are no drugs or medicines a doctor can prescribe that will end your suffering because the abuse is being caused by misplacement and/or overuse of your speaking voice. ...
Views: 2861(4 votes) - ***The Best Means of Reducing Stess - by Submitted on May 01, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen I heard Dr. John Gray, author of the best-selling Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, talking about his book, Why Mars & Venus Collide, I found it interesting when he described the differences in how men and women handle stress as well as why the sexes treat stress differently. If I ...
Views: 2857(1 vote) - ***If Your Presentation Skills Are Good, Can the Same Be Said about Your Voice? - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2011 from Nancy DanielsI am going to assume that your delivery skills are above average. You have addressed an audience on numerous occasions and you enjoy the challenge of public speaking. As strong as your presentation skills are, however, how good is the sound of your speaking voice – the one you hear on your ...
Views: 2847(7 votes) - ***Voice Training Is the Only Answer for Vocal Abuse - by Submitted on Aug 04, 2011 from Nancy DanielsI just received an email from a nurse telling me that she has been suffering from hoarseness for a long time, unable to sing high notes any more, shouting at her deaf patients to be heard and always clearing her dry throat. Do any of these symptoms sound familiar? Possibly not the shouting ...
Views: 2847(1 vote) - Articulation Matters: How Good Is Yours? - by Submitted on May 31, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhen you address an audience, do you think your articulation has value? The only answer is most definitely yes. If your audience cannot understand you or misses a word or a phrase here and there, then they are missing your message. And, if they are missing your message, then it doesn’t ...
Views: 2847 - ***How to Create Imagery When You Speak - by Submitted on Apr 01, 2011 from Nancy DanielsDo you know what imagery means in public speaking? While it is not quite the same as speaking with vocal variety, it does involve using color, facial expression and body language when you communicate with an audience and it is an important basis for dynamic public speaking skills. Imagery, ...
Views: 2845(2 votes) - ***What Stress Does to Your Speaking Voice - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIf you are plagued by a great deal of stress on a daily basis, do you know what it is doing to your speaking voice? You are probably aware that it is affecting your sleep, your diet, your mental health, your physical health and your overall well-being. But what do you think it is doing to your ...
Views: 2838 - ***Just How Passionate Are You in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2012 from Nancy DanielsThe one characteristic that all great public speakers possess is passion – intense, driving emotion that colors their speech, their facial expression and their body language. You hear it in their words; you see it in their actions; and, you can feel it in your soul. Their passion can motivate ...
Views: 2835 - ***If You Plan on a Career in Public Speaking, Take Notes on Your Audience - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen given the opportunity to speak, most people are so concerned with their material and delivery, that little, if any, consideration is given to their audience. After finishing your speech or presentation, take notes on your audience and how receptive they were as well as your specific topic. ...
Views: 2834 - ***Public Speaking - Use Your Head But Speak from Your Heart - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2012 from Nancy DanielsWhile you can’t go very far in public speaking if you do not know your material well – and that means inside and out – what will capture your audience is your delivery. A colorful, dynamic delivery determines whether your audience will pay attention to you or not. That is not to say that your ...
Views: 2831 - ***Why Your Vocal Abuse Will Not Go Away on Its Own - by Submitted on Jun 02, 2011 from Nancy DanielsAs much as you may wish you did not have chronic hoarseness or a persistent sore throat, wishing it away will not solve the problem. The unfortunate truth about vocal abuse is that it will only get worse in time unless you stop what is causing it. There are no drugs you can take to end the ...
Views: 2830(3 votes) - ***If You Hail from New Jersey or New York, How's Your Diction? - by Submitted on Jun 07, 2011 from Nancy DanielsYou know what this article is not about? Nasality. I know, New Yorkers, you have heard it over and over again. Have you ever considered how fast you talk, however? While there is much to be said about diminishing, lessening or even eliminating nasality, one of the greatest problems for ...
Views: 2828 - ***The Unfortunate Truth about Vocal Abuse - by Submitted on Jan 29, 2011 from Nancy DanielsThat which causes your voice to sound hoarse or creates a chronic sore throat is called vocal abuse. While it is common for pop singers, it also happens to many people because of speaking and/or yelling for great lengths of time. Unfortunately, vocal abuse will not go away on its own if you ...
Views: 2826(3 votes) - ***How Confident Do You Sound in the Interview? - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2012 from Nancy DanielsMany years ago when I was fresh out of graduate school, I applied for my first 'real' job in New York City at G. Schirmer, the largest publisher of classical sheet music in the States. What I didn't know then was that my speaking voice was my greatest asset in attaining employment with that ...
Views: 2822(3 votes) - ***Why Nervousness Increases Your Breathlessness in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2011 from Nancy DanielsThere is no doubt that for many novice speakers, breathlessness is an annoying problem. It goes hand-in-hand with a voice that rises in pitch and a speed that goes faster and faster. None of these ‘qualities’ are beneficial in public speaking. Obviously, without air there is no voice. The ...
Views: 2821 - ***What Is the Difference Between a Good Presentation and One That Is Electrifying? - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2009 from Nancy DanielsImagine you have just spoken for 10 minutes or 40 minutes about your business, an idea, your book or your products and you are receiving good applause. Yes, you just gave a good presentation. My question to you is whether your good presentation was electrifying? What is the difference? Many ...
Views: 2801(5 votes) - ***The Human Touch of Public Speaking - Do You Know What It Is? - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2011 from Nancy Danielsever listened to a speaker deliver a rote or memorized presentation and were left feeling empty? A memorized delivery, be it for a speech, a presentation, or even someone in telesales is definitely a performance; but, it is not a means of communication. And, it is cold to boot! The other ...
Views: 2795 - ***Get Your Elevator Speech Ready Today! - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2010 from Nancy DanielsDo you know how many opportunities are missed by not striking up a conversation with someone in an elevator for example? How about when you are waiting in line at a popular restaurant? Maybe you are sitting at the airport in preparation for your flight. Perhaps you are waiting for the doors ...
Views: 2790(5 votes) - ***If Your Audience Is Moving, You've Got a Problem! - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2011 from Nancy DanielsDynamic speakers move and audiences do not. Less than dynamic speakers tend to stand, riveted to one spot which means that their audiences are moving. When that happens, you have lost them. We tend to think of public speaking as something in which we must stand behind a lectern. If you are ...
Views: 2786(2 votes) - ***Nervousness Is the Charm in Public Speaking - Do You Feel Lucky? - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIf you know your material really well, make eye contact with your audience, speak as if in conversation, breathe before and during your delivery, and believe in yourself, then your nervousness is the charm. Trying to eliminate it, stop it, or end that wonderful rush of adrenaline is not the ...
Views: 2781(1 vote) - ***Paint a Picture With Your Voice and Your Audience Will See It! - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2012 from Nancy DanielsDo you know what it means to paint a picture with your voice? Sean Connery can do it and so can Kevin Spacey. Kathleen Turner can do it as well as Diane Sawyer. And, in the world of public speaking, no one does it better than Zig Ziglar. When Kevin Spacey does the car commercials, you can ...
Views: 2780(1 vote) - ***How to Succeed in Public Speaking When Outside Stress Gets in the Way - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2009 from Nancy DanielsThrough my many years of speaking, teaching and training, I have found that by concentrating on the moment you can move ‘above’ the stress that you may be experiencing at a given time and deliver a dynamic speech or presentation. Most actors, musicians, athletes and public speakers as well are ...
Views: 2778 - ***Why Not Address Your Fears of Public Speaking Instead of Being Consumed by Them - by Submitted on Oct 29, 2012 from Nancy DanielsYes, man’s greatest fear is public speaking. The statistics tell us so. Instead of being part of those statistics, however, why not address those fears and learn how to put your nervousness to good use? Of course your first response is to question how that is possible. How do you take your ...
Views: 2771(1 vote) - ***Is Breathlessness a Problem For You in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2011 from Nancy DanielsOne of the most common complaints I hear from my students and clients is lack of air in public speaking. This is indeed a problem because without air, there is no voice. And, without voice, there is no speech or presentation. Breathlessness can be easily ‘cured’ by supplementing your air ...
Views: 2770(2 votes) - ***Public Speaking: What Novice Speakers Never Think to Do - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2012 from Nancy DanielsIt is simple, it is basic, it is fundamental, and, it is a necessity. It is something we do every day without a 2nd thought. At the lectern, however, it is something we do not allow to happen and yet it is something we cannot do without. It is called breathing. The 1st thing your body did ...
Views: 2769 - ***How Breathlessness and Nervousness Go Hand-in-Hand in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Oct 01, 2012 from Nancy DanielsOne of the greatest problems for the novice in public speaking is nervousness which often results in lack of air. While nervousness should be one of your greatest benefits when addressing an audience, breathlessness is not. The problem with the latter is that it increases your stress which in ...
Views: 2766 - ***You Don't Have to Live with the Voice You Hear on Your Voicemail - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2011 from Nancy DanielsDo you remember the first time you heard yourself on a recording? I do. The memory is seared into my mind. I was shocked. In fact, I was sure it was the fault of Sony and not of me! When I was in graduate school a few years later, my singing professor showed me where my optimum speaking ...
Views: 2761 - ***5 Reasons Someone Else May Get the Job Instead of You - by Submitted on Jan 30, 2012 from Nancy DanielsImagine that there are number of candidates for a particular job and all of the candidates have similar education and experience. Without a doubt, the choice is going to be difficult. Now let’s imagine that of all who are applying for the position, one candidate in particular has strong ...
Views: 2757(2 votes) - ***How Would You Describe Your Speaking Voice? - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIf you had to choose, which word – or words – from the following list describes your voice? Whiny – high in pitch - nasal - hoarse - throaty - gravelly - scratchy - whispery - soft - loud - shrill - strident - thick - thin - childlike - old - muddy - chirpy – sharp - raspy - tight - wispy - ...
Views: 2744(2 votes) - ***Allowing Nervousness to Work for You in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Mar 18, 2010 from Nancy DanielsDry mouth, sweaty palms, heart racing, wobbly knees, jittery hands, stomach in knots, quivering lips. How many of these symptoms are typical of you before you even walk to the podium? Hopefully, at least one! Yes, I want you nervous because if you aren’t excited, agitated, stressed, or ...
Views: 2735(4 votes) - ***When Others Can’t Hear You, Your Message is Lost! - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2010 from Nancy DanielsA problem that affects a surprising number of people is that of speaking too softly. If you are not able to be heard, then much is being lost in your life because your communication skills are not being recognized. In short, you are not effective – either professionally or personally. On the ...
Views: 2723(6 votes) - ***Improve Your Speaking Voice for the New Year and Watch What Happens to the Rest of Your Life! - by Submitted on Dec 29, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIf you want a New Year’s Resolution that can improve your life, both professionally and personally, you might consider voice training. I am sure that you are questioning how this is possible. What is fascinating about the techniques for discovering your ‘real’ voice is that those techniques ...
Views: 2722(1 vote) - ***Ladies, If Image Matters, Don't Ignore Your Voice - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2011 from Nancy DanielsI have spent the last few months questioning why my customers, as well as the subscribers to my newsletters, consist of 75% men and only 25% women. If you look at the picture objectively, we women often sound like ill-tuned violins. (And, it is certainly possible that this is one of the ...
Views: 2722(1 vote) - ***Be Nervous in Public Speaking -- Just Don't Let Them 'Hear' You Sweat - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2011 from Nancy DanielsA big problem for many in public speaking is a voice that quivers due to nervousness. First of all, I would hope that you would be nervous in public speaking. I don’t care how many times you’ve given a presentation, whether it is your fifth time or your five hundredth. Nervousness is that ...
Views: 2718(2 votes) - ***Discover 5 Ways to Open Your Presentation That Are Guaranteed to Capture Their Attention - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhen I was teaching public speaking at the college level, I would fail any student who opened his or her presentation with the words, “Today I am going to talk about….” That is not a memorable opener and that is not the way to begin a speech or presentation. If those words are typical of ...
Views: 2707(5 votes) - ***Do Your Presentation Skills Pass the Color Test? - by Submitted on Aug 12, 2009 from Nancy DanielsSpeaking with expression, emotion, life, animation – whatever you call it – is one of your most important characteristics in delivering a dynamic presentation or speech. Just how colorful are you at the lectern? If you would like to test your ‘color’ skills, record yourself reading the ...
Views: 2707(1 vote) - If You Smile At Your Audience, I Guarantee They Will Smile Back - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2015 from Nancy DanielsWere you to give a presentation with no vocal variety, no facial expression and no body language, what do you think the reaction would be of your audience? Unless you are a comedian and that characteristic is part of your ‘shtick,’ do not expect your listeners to be much enamored by your lack ...
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