Public Speaking

If you speak English and only English, does it make sense for me to explain something to you in French — even if I speak slowly? Of course not. While you probably never make this specific mistake with your clients, almost all of us commit a ...

As a lawyer and businessperson, you have two jobs in one. Some of us, including me, add the job of professional speaker to our already teeming calendars. Maybe you've considered taking on some speaking gigs yourself. What's a typical day in the ...

How can you learn confidence? Sometimes you have to figure out how to act like you're confident until you feel it. Here's one way to go about it.

A law student is working on a direct examination during a trial skills program. She is practicing her presentation — how she stands, gestures and speaks. Each time through the examination, she asks exactly the same questions, with ...

Every group of listeners — whether a big audience, a small group, a jury or a single senior partner — is a multi-eyed monster that a speaker must confront, eyeball to eyeball. The only way to focus your brain is to focus your eyes on your ...

Nothing draws a smirk or an arched eyebrow in certain circles as quickly as mispronunciation of the brand name of an automobile. This faux pas is especially damning when entertaining clients in businesses related to the auto industry, but ...

Presentation technology has come such a long way, “Death by PowerPoint” should be a thing of the past. How can you be sure the new visual and audio aids you are using enhance your message — and don’t detract from it? In ...

There's no getting around it. As a lawyer, you must be able to meet the gaze of everyone you speak to, and you should always make eye contact when addressing an audience. Easy to say, of course, but somewhat harder to execute. I’ve heard lots ...

You stand at the front of the room to make your presentation, but this time it's different: You are doing it all with your iPad! With a little preparation and practice, you can use your iPad as a sleek, subtle tool to educate and convince your ...

I have had the pleasure of being a public performer for 22 years as a gymnast, a classically trained singer, a flash mob performer and, more recently, a speaker on legal topics. Despite all of my experience, I still get nervous. Before most ...