Blog Archives

Are There Any Questions?

6/30/2015

You can craft the most brilliant presentation, have visual aids that hit it out of the park and deliver the presentation flawlessly but if you fumble on your Q&A you can damage your credibility quickly and maybe even permanently. The challenge is that no matter how knowledgeable you are, once you lose credibility it is very hard to get it back. The Q&A segment of your presentation is a great way for your audience to see how knowledgeable you are, how well you think on your feet and for you to answer any of their concerns. It also provides you the opportunity to reinforce your message and persuade the audience to take the desired outcome. Here are some pointers in dealing with Q&A and crafting a persuasive ending.

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Practice, Practice, Practice

6/24/2015

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Mark Twain once said, "It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." Everyone knows that in order to have a successful presentation you need to prepare properly. You need to put your presentation together and create your supporting visual aids. But this is just the beginning. Your preparation isn’t done until you have practiced your presentation thoroughly. I hear so many people say that they don’t practice their presentations because they believe they deliver a better presentation when they “fly by the seat of their pants”. These are usually the same people who get sick with stage fright. The more you practice the more you know your material and the more relaxed and confident you will become.

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What Did You Say Your Name Was?

6/18/2015

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Remembering names is one of the most difficult and yet one of the most memorable things you can do. Remembering someone’s name and the correct pronunciation of it in a face to face encounter can set you apart immediately. William Shakespeare said: “There is no sound so sweet as the sound of one’s own name” and he was oh so right.

Everyone loves the sound of their name. In fact, studies show that hearing one's name spoken actually activates the brain, even when the name is spoken aloud in a noisy room. Calling someone by their name is one of the easiest ways to make someone feel acknowledged, special and valued and yet so many people begin a first meeting with “I apologize; I am so terrible at remembering names…”

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How and When to Confront a Liar

6/5/2015

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Last month I wrote my newsletter article on “lying”. In this week’s blog post, I want to answer the number one question many of you asked of me —“once you know someone is lying how do you confront them?” In this article we are going to deal with occasional liars and white liars. We are not going to deal with pathological or sociopathic liars. They need professional help because lying is practically an essential part of their personality.

Before we discuss the answer to your question, you need to know that you do not hold the power to change someone else’s behavior. You can however set up some pretty clear boundaries that hopefully lead the liar to make different choices where you are concerned. Here are some factors you should look at first:

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Deborah Darling

Deborah Darling is a professional development coach, trainer and an internationally acclaimed best selling author and speaker. She is an expert in the fields of personal image, self-esteem, personal growth and development. She is the author of five books, including Upsize Woman in a Downsize World™, the international best seller Dress to Look Your Best: Fashion Secrets the Experts Don't Share and her new book PRESENT: 7 Keys to a Powerful, Persuasive Presentation. She conducts powerful, provocative workshops on all aspects of communication and personal growth and transformation. She has trained for many Fortune 500 companies in all aspects of communication and empowers her clients with the skill sets to deliver their messages with power and persuasion.
From 1997-2002 she was the national spokesperson for the largest retailer of women's plus size fashions in the world. In addition, she's been an on-camera and voice over personality for some of America's best known companies, and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including Hard Copy, The Richard Simmons Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Debbie is a facilitator for both Jack Canfield's self-esteem seminars and Dr. Teri Mahaney's Change Your Mind program.

The workshops she conducts give her the opportunity to use her skills in helping her clients identify their greatest strengths and provide them with tools to achieve their full potential. She loves to help people find their voice and gain an open, confident credible presence. Debbie's ability to recognize and build on others' fundamental strengths provides immediate results for her clients. She looks forward to working with you to achieve your goals.