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Articles from Stephanie Scotti | Selfgrowth.com
- Lessons from Les Miserables -- the movie! - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2013 from Stephanie ScottiHopefully, you enjoyed some relaxing downtime with your family and friends during the holidays. For me, it was a welcome break to go to the movies with my daughter-in-law Jill and watch her all-time favorite story, Les Miserables — starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway. I ...
Views: 3014(1 vote) - 3 Presentation Peeves: Add them to your resolution list - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2013 from Stephanie ScottiPet peeves. Those mundane (yet infuriating) habits that get under your skin and drive you crazy! We all have them. Perhaps your pet peeve is drivers who don't use turn signals. No? How about someone cracking their knuckles...or noisy eaters? Admit it, you've got at least one. As 2012 comes to ...
Views: 1299 - Dangerous Distractions: Stop 'em in their tracks - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2013 from Stephanie ScottiYou spent hours polishing your presentation, making sure it was clear, well organized and easy to follow. It even included an inspiring call to action. After delivering it, you thought it was a home run — only your audience didn’t hear much of what you said. In fact, it was as if your audience ...
Views: 1242(1 vote) - Presidential Election: Winner and Loser, How Gracious Were They? - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiWatching the presidential election coverage I wondered, how the two candidates felt as the returns streamed in? How would the "loser" prepare himself for his final speech? And how would the "winner" present himself as he delivered that all-important acceptance speech to the American ...
Views: 1461 - Presidential Debate #3: Five Lessons to Step-Up Your Next Presentation - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiThe pressure was on, each candidate striving to deliver the knock-out punch that would leave a lasting impression, swaying undecided voters. Two evenly matched candidates, this debate felt like a tug-of-war … one moment one candidate winning until the rebuttal, when his opponent would take the ...
Views: 1279 - Presidential Debate #2: Who Won? - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiThe tension was palatable as the 2012 Presidential Town Hall meeting concluded. Following the debate, both men greeted their families and then continued campaigning — signing autographs and having their picture taken. Neither candidate turned to greet the other, neither acknowledged the others ...
Views: 1078 - 1st Presidential Debate: Obama lacked-the-luster of a commander in chief - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiThe first Presidential debate I asked . . . what will win over the American voter, substance, style or possibly both? And the answer is BOTH — at least for Romney. First, let me state that I observed the presidential debate from a non-partisan point of view. As a speaker coach, I was ...
Views: 1384 - Information Overload: How to Fight the Urge to Say Too Much - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiA client recently asked, “How do I control my urge to give more information than my audience needs?” Great (and very mindful) question! Consider this answer from authors Dan and Chip Heath in Made to Stick. They say that in an effort to be complete, we often feel obligated to share every ...
Views: 1498(2 votes) - Presentation Tips: 8 Methods to Grab the Attention of Your Audience - by Submitted on Sep 21, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiIn this age of information overload, the window of opportunity to keep your audience’s attention gets smaller by the tweet. How bad is it? It has been reported that we are bombarded by the equivalent of 174 newspapers of data a day. No doubt about it; we constantly battle a tidal wave of ...
Views: 2432(1 vote) - Bring the Backstory to the Forefront - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiReveal the “Why" Behind These days, almost every company is scouring the balance sheet, looking for savings. The value of business meetings, for example, is seriously scrutinized and presenters are asking themselves: “How can I create a presentation that delivers real bottom-line ...
Views: 1408 - Who Said PowerPoint Rules? - by Submitted on May 14, 2012 from Stephanie Scotti“I want you to discuss your accomplishments in the meeting, but please — no more than four slides.” That was the directive given to my husband last week as he prepared for a company performance review meeting. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. When did PowerPoint become our default ...
Views: 1322(1 vote) - Recommended Reading to Boost Your Presentation IQ - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiRecently, a client expressed anxiety about presenting. She said she always over-prepared, obsessing for weeks in advance, losing sleep and repeatedly rehashing what she wanted to say and do. I asked her, "When do you know your presentation is good enough?" She responded, “Good enough to do ...
Views: 2335 - Giving Voice to Greater Success - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiTalent shows are back on U.S. television and bigger than ever. One of the newest is The Voice, where vocalists compete for a recording contract and $100,000. What makes this show unique is its innovative “blind audition,” in which judges select contestants based solely on their voice. How would ...
Views: 1399(1 vote) - 5 Secrets to Persuasive Communications - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiLet’s say you’re preparing to speak to your board of directors, present a budget for approval, launch a new initiative or rally the troops in the office. And let’s assume that each of these endeavors requires a persuasive conversation. Like most business people, you approach this task as a ...
Views: 2120 - Reach Out & Touch Someone: Communicating with Emotion - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2012 from Stephanie ScottiIn 1979, AT&T debuted its iconic “Reach Out and Touch Someone” ads on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Almost quaint by today’s standards, the emotion-driven campaign highlighted the power of picking up a phone and connecting with someone across the street or across the world. Though the tools ...
Views: 1672 - The Team Approach to High-Impact Presentations - by Submitted on Nov 18, 2011 from Stephanie ScottiLeveraging the Power of a Team Presentation. While meeting with a new client last week, one of the partners took me aside and confided that his company had just lost a potential new piece of business. What had gone wrong? The prospect said their pitch wasn’t “buttoned up” enough — the kiss of ...
Views: 1546(1 vote) - Using “Glance & Grab” to Perk Up Your PowerPoint - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2011 from Stephanie ScottiYouTube videos satirize them. Bestsellers criticize them. And we all dread them. I’m talking about those dense, badly organized, put-you-to-sleep PowerPoint presentations. Why do people keep plodding down the typical tedious PowerPoint path? Here are a few possible reasons: That’s the ...
Views: 1314 - The Curse of Overthinking - by Submitted on Sep 13, 2011 from Stephanie ScottiIs it possible to overthink what could be a career-defining presentation?... In a word, yes. If you’re in the midst of preparing for your next presentation and suspect you might be overthinking it, try this quick test. Are you… • Obsessing rather than progressing? • Feeling as ...
Views: 2272 - Once Upon a Time: A Success Story About Collaboration - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2010 from Stephanie ScottiRecently I was engaged to provide speakers’ training for a group of prestigious physicians launching a groundbreaking new therapy in Europe. Each member of the group was extraordinarily committed to the success of the launch, and their approach made an indelible impression on me. Why? Though ...
Views: 1955 - Step Up Your Game: Four Strategies for Success Presentations - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2010 from Stephanie Scotti"As a presenter, how do you make sure you’re ready for the 'big leagues' and poised to make a positive impact in a high-stakes environment?"> This question came from Carolyn, a long-time client, as we were reviewing 100+ speakers at an annual trade show — a marquee event for this leading ...
Views: 1242(1 vote) - Rehearsing Your Way to Success - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2010 from Stephanie ScottiFrom Paper to Podium: Rehearse your way to prime time Think back to the last conference you attended. While an event’s keynote or session speakers may be subject matter experts, most are not professional speakers. If you’ve ever wondered what makes one presenter sparkle while others fall ...
Views: 1170(1 vote) - Memorization Vs. Preparation - by Submitted on Dec 16, 2009 from Stephanie ScottiThe Art of Using Notes I’m often surprised that many speakers still fall prey to the fallacy that preparation means memorization — and that bringing notes to the podium might make you appear ill-prepared in the eyes of your audience. To the contrary, top presenters know it’s not what you ...
Views: 1114(1 vote) - Secrets to Owning the Room - by Submitted on Nov 09, 2009 from Stephanie ScottiYou may be surprised to learn that, with rare exceptions, your audience is rooting for you. Every time you step up to speak, they want you to succeed. If you’re ever witnessed a comedian bomb or a singer hit a “pitchy” note, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The audience shudders with ...
Views: 2640(4 votes) - 3 Lessons to Becoming a Better Speaker - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2009 from Stephanie ScottiAuthenticity. You've seen it preached here countless times as a vital component to a home-run presentation. But what if the material you're delivering isn't your own? A colleague recently auditioned to become a certified trainer for a well-known sales guru, delivering customized versions of ...
Views: 1249(3 votes) - Does Delivery Really Matter? - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2009 from Stephanie ScottiImagine facing a room full of skittish investors and analysts to present your company’s management plan for the next quarter. Talk about high stakes! That was exactly the scenario recently faced by a client’s company. While they brought me in to rehearse with them the day before, in this ...
Views: 1582(3 votes) - ARM Yourself and Knockout Stage Fright for Good - by Submitted on Aug 11, 2009 from Stephanie ScottiTrembling hands. Dry mouth. Weak legs. Your mind is racing and so is your heart. Sound familiar? Welcome to the very popular “glossophobia” club, more commonly known as stage fright. If you suffer from speaker’s anxiety, you’re in excellent company. Fear of speaking in public still ranks ...
Views: 2102(1 vote) - 3 Techniques Guaranteed to Engage Your Audience - by Submitted on Aug 11, 2009 from Stephanie ScottiWhile visiting a friend recently in Chapel Hill, NC, we attended a lecture on the University of North Carolina campus. When the speaker started presenting, I noticed that the audience — which ranged in age from 6 to well over 60 — was completely enthralled (including me!) from start to ...
Views: 1332(1 vote) - Secrets from Teleprompter Pros - by Submitted on Jul 16, 2009 from Stephanie ScottiWatch any skilled speaker on TV - a celebrity, news commentator, or political leader - and chances are, much of their seemingly "effortless" delivery is due to practiced use of a teleprompter. It's also likely that, at some point in your role as a professional communicator, you'll be called ...
Views: 2980(2 votes)