Successful Speaking for Technical Professionals

42. What to Do When Your Internet Connection is Lost

“Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet service to see who they really are.” — Will Ferrell, comedian and actor   Two weeks ago, my wife, Elaine, and I moved to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, just outside of Charleston.  We loved living in Northern Virginia, but we wanted to move to a warmer climate.   We weren’t disappointed.  The beaches, the Charleston downtown, and the wonderful neighborhood in which we now live (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) confirmed that we made the right decision to move to the Charleston area. So we moved in and are still opening boxes.  We moved in on a Monday and didn’t obtain Internet access until Thursday.  We had access until the following Tuesday, when men from the Internet company came to bury the cable in my yard.   Unfortunately, they left without checking my Internet access.  You guessed it. I had no access after they left. We had to wait until the following Friday to get our Internet access restored.  I started thinking about what we could do as speakers if our Internet access were cut during a live presentation. This podcast explores three backup plans if your Internet access is lost during your presentation References  * Forbes Technology Council. (2020). “13 Effective Ways To Stay Online When Internet Service Is Unreliable.” Forbes * Gallo, Carmine. “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.” (2010). Gallo discusses the power of rehearsal and preparation, which includes having contingency plans for tech failures. * Duarte, Nancy. “Resonate.” (2010). Duarte emphasizes audience engagement through storytelling and adaptability—having a co-presenter is an extension of that adaptability.

41. How Speakers Can Deal with Chaos

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”— Sun Tzu from The Art of War,    My wife, Elaine, and I recently moved from Northern Virginia to the Charleston, South Carolina, area.  To say our move was chaotic is an understatement.  The packing, moving, and unpacking (which is still ongoing) were and are stressful. This chaos of moving to another state got me thinking about the chaos that speakers have to deal with. This podcast episode offers valuable tips for speakers to navigate the challenges posed by travel and logistics, content juggling, and the emotional strain of balancing their speaking commitments with personal responsibilities. References  * Brown, Brené (2012). Daring Greatly. Gotham Books. – On embracing vulnerability and managing the emotional cost of visibility. * Duarte, Nancy (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. Wiley. – On modular content creation and the structure of compelling presentations. * Morgan, Nick (2011). Give Your Speech, Change the World. Harvard Business Press. – On message frameworks and speaker adaptability. * Port, Michael (2015). Steal the Show. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. – On the systems, preparation, and performance mindset required for speaking. * Hyatt, Michael (2019). Free to Focus. Baker Books. – On productivity, routines, and systems that reduce chaos. * Sinek, Simon (2009). Start With Why. Portfolio. – On creating clarity and intentionality in your speaking purpose and process. * Loehr, Jim & Schwartz, Tony (2001). The Making of a Corporate Athlete. Harvard Business Review. – On the importance of emotional and physical recovery in high-performance roles.

40. Take Advantage of Audience Trends

“People don’t want perfect; they want real.” – Modern audience engagement trend   Excellent public speakers keep up with the latest audience trends. This podcast explores three audience trends for which public speakers should take advantage. References * Gallo, C. (2022). The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman. St. Martin’s Press. Discusses how tech-savvy leaders are using evolving platforms for storytelling. * PwC (2020). The Future of Work: A Journey to 2022. Highlights how emerging tech will transform communication and collaboration. * Hofstede, G. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. McGraw-Hill. Provides a framework for understanding cultural dimensions and communication. * Duarte, N. (2019). DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story. Wiley. Emphasizes audience awareness and message adaptation. * Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly. Penguin Random House. Explores how vulnerability builds trust and connection—key for future communicators. * Harvard Business Review (2020). The Feedback Fallacy. Emphasizes the need for meaningful, two-way communication.

39. How Do You Want to Be Remembered?

“What you do for yourself dies with you. What you do for others is immortal.” — Albert Pike, attorney and writer     On this Memorial Day, it is proper to remember those who have given their lives so we may enjoy our freedom.  Memorial Day in the United States began as a way to honor and remember soldiers who died in military service, particularly those who died during the Civil War, both Union and Confederate. Those families touched by the tragedy of war no doubt have memories of their fallen sons, daughters, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, fathers, and mothers. On this Memorial Day, we will explore what you, as a public speaker, want to be remembered for when you are gone. In this podcast, we will explore three traits for which every public speaker wants to be remembered. ______________________________ References  * Gallo, C. (2014). Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds. Gallo emphasizes that the best TED speakers show vulnerability and speak from personal experience, which enhances their authenticity and connection with the audience. * Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences. Duarte highlights the importance of structuring presentations with clear, logical flow and using language that makes ideas accessible to all audience members. * Carnegie, D. (1936). How to Win Friends and Influence People. Though broader than just public speaking, Carnegie’s principles underline the importance of making others feel involved and valued—the key to engagement.

38. The Power of Micro-Moments

“It’s not the words that count, but the moment you made them feel something.” — Nancy Duarte, CEO of Duarte, Inc., and author of Resonate    A compelling and under-discussed topic for public speakers is the power of micro-moments – how small interactions shape audience perception. These micro-moments have a significant effect on engagement with your audience.  In this week's podcast episode, we will discover just what are micro-moments, where micro-moments happen in a presentation, and how to design micro-moments into your presentations. References  * Nalini Ambady & Robert Rosenthal (1993): “Thin Slices of Expressive Behavior”  Audiences often judge a speaker’s credibility, warmth, and confidence based on brief, nonverbal micro-moments before any content is delivered. * Albert Mehrabian (1971): “Silent Messages: Implicit Communication of Emotions and Attitudes. Wadsworth Publishing.” This classic finding underscores how micro-expressions, tone, and pauses during a presentation impact how the message is perceived emotionally, shaping audience trust and connection more than the actual content. * Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.  Micro-moments appeal to this fast-thinking system. The split-second impressions speakers make—how they walk on stage, pause, or react to the audience—shape perception instantly and intuitively, long before logical evaluation occurs.