The Speaking Guild Journal
Practical analysis, durable techniques, and thoughtful guidance for building speeches that deserve an audience.
Featured Article
Have you ever walked into a room completely relaxed, carrying on conversations without a second thought… and then someone hands you a microphone? It’s terrifying how fast your brain changes. Suddenly you’re aware of everything- your hands, your breathing, the way you’re standing. “Does my voice sound strange?!” “That pause lasted too long!” It’s like […]
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New essays, practical guidance, and observations from across the Guild.
It’s a tough moment when you decide to take your speaking seriously. You already know how to stand in front of people. You’ve led meetings. Run workshops. Trained teams. Maybe even keynoted a conference or two. But the minute you try to turn that into a “speaking business,” everything suddenly feels very official. Websites. Videos. […]
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The most crucial moment of a public presentation is the first 3 minutes. Not only do psychologists say that people can judge you within 7 seconds of meeting you, but your introduction sets the tone and can help you settle your nerves. So it’s obviously very important to get the best response from the room […]
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Have you ever been driving and realized you can't remember how you got there? "Highway Hypnosis" can happen to our audience even when we're doing a great job. By using the power of repetition, we can keep our audience on track and give our presentation forward momentum.
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This article explains a helpful technique called chunking. Chunking is a great method for 10-15 minute presentations. Chunking enhances memory by grouping information into manageable sections. This method simplifies preparation, reduces stress, and improves audience engagement, making speeches more conversational and easier to deliver. Practicing through chunking leads to greater confidence and effective communication.
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“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” If you’re feeling anxiety leading up to an important speech or presentation, you can take solace in Seneca’s words. And if your heart is racing just thinking about what it’s going to be like, you’re not alone. Of course, you may constantly hear that EVERYONE gets […]
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“Great news!,” your boss tells you, “We have a big meeting next month, and we would like you to handle the opening 20-minute presentation: “An In-Depth Analysis of Legacy Codebase Documentation Standards and Their Impact on Software Maintenance. It should be a piece of cake for you. Thanks!” “Yeah. Thanks a lot,” you think to […]
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Quick, think of a super confident public speaker. Robbins. Jobs. Any late night TV host. Most of us look at those professionals and wonder how they manage to do it. Whether you’re terrified of public speaking, or maybe even feel somewhat capable, you may admit that you don’t have that level of skill. But you […]
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“Rock-a-bye-baby on the treetop-“…can you hear the rest of the words in your head? Some lullabies send babies deep into dreamland because they are gentle, melodically simple, and often repeat melodic patterns. Have you ever noticed a public speaker or teacher that had an almost supernatural ability to put you to sleep within minutes of […]
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Giving a speech is not a Formula 1 race. But if you find yourself speeding through your speeches and presentations, you may have to make a few adjustments under the hood to correct your performance and improve your audience’s attention and retention. Fortunately, we’re here as a pace car to help get you down to […]
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