“Nothing’s Ever Off The Record.”

"Nothing's Ever Off The Record."

This statement is always included when I’m media training a celebrity or public figure and goes into the comprehensive written summary, as well. It used to be a celebrity could depend on a reporter when they agreed something would remain off the record. And any well-trained reporter will be respectful of this time-honored arrangement. It's the others just looking for a scoop and, more and more, the "citizen journalists" with no training or ethical boundaries. And sad to say, they’re everywhere looking for their own 15 minutes of fame.

24 June 2015 | 58 Comments

Tags: celebrity media training , confident public speaking , critical communication skills , executive speech training , Presentation skills , public speaking tips and tricks

No Shortcuts To Mastery

Oh, man, can I tell you how sick I am of hacks talking about hacks? (That's the unknowledgeable talking about quick fixes.) We're living in a time of instant gratification. Fine. I like it, too... When it comes to downloading entertainment (and paying for it - stop sharing stealing artists' work, people, or they'll stop producing it), books, staying current, sharing things I own, communicating, etc.

23 June 2015 | 90 Comments

Tags: confident public speaking , no quick fixes , Preparation , Presentation skills

It's Wedding Season

This time of year brings lots of inquiries that go something like this: "I have to give a toast at a wedding, and I don't know what to say/want it to be funny/i'm scared to death..." and the like. (A funny thing is it's often a wife who will call on behalf of her husband. Hmmm.)

22 June 2015 | 128 Comments

Tags: Communication , confident public speaking , Making an Impression , Preparation , Presentation skills , Sincerity , Stage Fright

the blog