“Over 100,000 views! In one week.” “Man that is crazy! I didn’t think it would ever make it to 50,000.” This was a recent exchange between my client, Trey, and me. He’s a retired motocross champion rider with whom I worked on his recently released TEDx StGeorge talk. In it…

“I’ll have what she’s having.” In what movie was this famous line spoken? Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you may know the answer… “When Harry Met Sally.” This perfectly-timed single line represented one woman’s order to a food server after witnessing an enthusiastic reaction from Sally (Meg Ryan)…

I listen to at least a dozen stories every week. In most I see a recurring problem… They don’t create an emotional hook for the listener. There is no depth to the narrative. No depth equals NO CONNECTION. The majority of storytellers make one of two mistakes: They provide too…

What is the purpose of story telling stories in business? I hear many answers when I ask this question in workshops and seminars. However, there is one response that is more important than any other if you want to persuade people to change the way they think, feel, or act. …

‘Losses loom much larger than gains — that’s a very well-established finding — you tend to be very risk-averse.’ ~ Daniel Kahneman, 2002 Nobel Prize winner for Economic Sciences One common characteristic I find in successful speakers is they tend to be optimistic. …

One of the most common questions I get as a speech trainer is, “Michael, when I give a speech, how can I get rid of my nerves? If I were to use a stethoscope to listen to the heart or check the pulse rate of someone about to go on…

The Story Generator Right In Front Of You When you struggle to create a new speech or story, what do you do? The speaker’s version of “writers block” is “topic block.” This problem was on my mind recently while I was getting dressed for a workout. …

Are You Willing — And Able — To Throw Out Your Script In Order To Serve Your Audience? The introducer stood at the front of the room and said, “Because the program has gone over time, our featured speaker only has 15 minutes with us.” She then introduced Tiffany, who confidently strode to the front of the room. Tiffany Largie then did something that immediately grabbed my attention…

Laughter. It’s one of the greatest experiences of life, isn’t it? There’s so much more to laughter. This post serves a dual purpose — to provide an in-depth understanding of laughter from an expert AND to give you insights into another excellent TEDx talk. Breakdown Of A Meaningful And Memorable TEDx Talk This TEDx talk was presented by…