The fear of speaking in front of 5 or 500 people is shared by virtually everyone and cuts across all professions, social classes and leadership levels. There are lots of reasons why this fear wells up and seems to choke our confidence and vocal chords. But this blog post isn’t about the problem - it’s about the solution!
The last time your business development team submitted a proposal in response to an RFP to win new work -- was it accepted favorably? Was your company shortlisted for an upcoming interview or presentation to bid on the work? And when your team made their in-person presentation, did you indeed win new work? If so, congratulations – we hope you see that happen many more times next year!
Can you recall your last really good conversation? I mean the type of conversation in which you and your communication partner truly shared the engagement. Perhaps you believed the same things, agreed on specific issues, laughed at the same points, and were both astonished by the same topics. You both really seemed to enjoy each others company.
The truth is, every time we speak we are being judged on our intelligence, success and competence. Studies show that people with significant vocabularies tend to be viewed as being capable and smart. Additionally, since language and thought are linked one to the other, having a strong vocabulary simply helps us think, plan and solve problems more efficiently. If this information gives you pause, perhaps you should put vocabulary improvement on your New Year’s Resolution list! Accent On Business has the perfect tool to assist you in reaching this goal.
The 2010 “Commanding Word-A-Day Calendar” contains a year’s worth of powerful words. “Commanding Words” makes an ideal gift for the business professional, student or anybody who wants to improve his or her vocabulary.
The entry for each day’s word includes pronunciation, grammar classification, definition and a sample sentence using the word. The calendar is spiral […]
Below are 20 common grammar mistakes I see routinely, not only in editorial queries and submissions, but in print: in HR manuals, blogs, magazines, newspapers, trade journals, and even best selling novels. If it makes you feel any better, I’ve made each of these mistakes a hundred times, and I know some of the best authors in history have lived to see these very toadstools appear in print. Let’s hope you can learn from some of their more famous mistakes.
Who and Whom
This one opens a big can of worms. “Who” is a subjective — or nominative — pronoun, along with “he,” “she,” “it,” “we,” and “they.” It’s used when the pronoun acts as the subject of a clause. “Whom” is an objective pronoun, along with “him,” “her,” “it”, “us,” and “them.” It’s used when the pronoun acts as the object of a […]
There is no better time than this year’s office party to let your colleagues know how much you appreciate their hard work and great attitudes. Ellen Dunnigan, public speaking coach at Accent On Business, offers our annual tips on providing memorable toasts at the holiday office parties.
Give Thanks
Thank individuals for their contribution to the company. If your group is small, mention each person individually. In larger firms, thank teams or departments who succeeded in special initiatives or projects. Thank your partners and alliances, especially if they are sponsoring your company celebration. Be as specific as possible in your “thank you”, for example, “Thank you, Susan, for keeping us organized and managing our project calendars”. (We call this the “Power Thank You”.)
Share Successes
Share specific kudos about your team members with their spouses. You know, it doesn’t get much better than hearing that all […]
Regularly use your voice at work? If your voice tires frequently, or you’re experiencing seasonal laryngitis, here are some tips on keeping your voice in tip-top shape:
Last week I attended the Women’s Business Conference held by the National Association of Women Business Owners. There is tremendous sponsorship by very large corporations for this conference, and the speakers they sponsored were visionary leaders and “doers” at the highest levels. At this stage in my career, I respect better-than-average business leaders, yet I’m not readily impressed with the better-than-average business leader. What impresses me are the remarkable leaders, the highly intentional visionaries, the humble and resolute leaders. I was delighted to meet and listen to several such leaders. While I heard plenty of facts and figures, statistics and lessons, I would have to consult my notes for all of those interesting and important details.
You know what I’ve retained in my brain that I will use over and over again? Their stories! I learned about resilience and strength from
Giving a great speech is never easy, but often quite fun. Speaking can be a frightening thing for most people, and once you learn how to channel that anxiety, the world can open up for you. Whether you’re giving a short speech during a monthly meeting, training routine information, or giving a presentation that promotes you or your business, what you say and how you say it can help you get noticed and be influential. Here are five tips that will make a big difference in your presentation style.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I must apologize up front if my speech seems unprepared or disjointed. I have been traveling abroad most of this month and have had little time to plan for this speech. None the less, I hope you will find some nuggets of gold in my disjointed thoughts.”