Articles
Can everyone sing?
Who told Ronnie Drew, Shane McGowan, Tom Waits or Lisa O’Neill they could sing? They are not singers in the classical sense, but they can hold a tune and, more importantly, tell a story that...
You never know what’s around the corner!
Last week Jean and I enjoyed a wonderful holiday in Sorrento looking out over the Bay of Naples to the island of Capri. This week, we’re struggling to fight COVID-19; this is how life throws...
Winning is Not Everything!
Recently, I was asked to help a team of students prepare a pitch important for them and their college. The college had previously entered this competition for several years but was never shortlisted to present...
How do you prepare for a talk? A good start
It should not be the day before, and you should not be pulling out your previous slide deck, changing the title slide, or doing what you usually do, talk about your business or product. If...
It’s Not About Your Body
Speakers and their advisors frequently put too much emphasis on body language. It’s not about your gestures, it’s what you have to say that matters. What do I do with my hands? Michael Martin, Tánaiste...
Stop, Stop, Stop, Selling!
Recently, I turned up to hear how a group of customer-facing “Business Development Managers” (BDM’s) told the story of their business. What happened was as I expected. They immediately launched into what they do and...
Three Steps to Increased Sales
It requires a great deal of planning, effort, and cost to finally get the opportunity to talk to a prospective customer in person or online. In recent years, there’s been a reluctance on behalf of...
Building a Business Requires Several Talents
A particular talent or skill is not enough today. To build a successful, durable business, you also need commercial understanding and a team to support you. Here is an excellent example I came across on...
The Rocky Road to Entertaining an Audience
I recently listened to Tommy Fleming speak about Christie Hennessy’s song “Roll back the Clouds” on a podcast. He talked about how important the song was to him, and also how it explained the drug...
Speakers – Focus on Connecting, not Perfecting
People are generally better educated and more worldly, thanks to the greater availability of third-level education and the opportunity to travel. Would you agree? Yet, employers still tell me there is a continuing reluctance on...
