Public Speaking

Why a 13-year-old speech given by a former US president holds a blueprint solution for our modern problem. In 2008, during his campaigning, Barack Obama gave a rallying speech in Wisconsin on the power of words and resistance to hope. “Don’t tell me words don’t matter! I have a dream, just words?! All men are created equal, just words?!” It’s true that speeches don’t solve all problems, but what is also true is if we cannot inspire the country to believe again then it doesn’t matter how many policies and plans we have.

Public Speaking

Sharknado is the same movie as Titanic, only with more sharks

by Pierre Morsa — Tuesday 18 May 2021

Believe it or not, all American movies rely on the same formula; that formula is so sacred that scripts will get rejected if they stray from it. Whether it’s a psychological drama like American Beauty, a sci-fi movie like Star Wars or an action movie like Mission: Impossible, the same structure, plot points and character development techniques are used. I’ll just take one as an example: the hero, the main protagonist, is always an orphan, literally or figuratively, or experienced a personal drama; it is supposed to give the character more likeness.

Public Speaking

Is Microsoft’s PowerPoint Presenter Coach taking my job? No.

by Michael Rickwood — Tuesday 27 April 2021

I have been a presentations coach for the best part of 15 years. Coach is one of my titles along with consultant, director, trainer and whatever else describes what I do, which is help people in all sectors and walks of life to give fantastic presentations in high stakes scenarios, or train them to be simpler, more natural, better prepared and highly impactful, whether on stage or on a digital platform.

Public Speaking

Seven Lessons From Apple's Spring-Loaded Event

by Pierre Morsa — Wednesday 21 April 2021

Apple’s Spring-loaded event was the talk of the internet town yesterday, and for a good reason: it was mind-blowingly great. Everything was perfect: the products, the speakers, the locations, the scenography, the production. How proud Apple employees must feel today after such a great event. I have identified seven elements that set Apple apart from its competitors. Coaching. Get public speaking coaching. If you look at the video, the delivery of each speaker is impeccable: their diction, their voice, their posture, their body language.

Public Speaking

5 timeless principles from Presentation Zen

by Pierre Morsa — Tuesday 6 April 2021

When it was first published, Garr Reynolds’ first book Presentation Zen took the traditional world of presentations by storm. It brought the presentation revolution to a wider audience of enthusiasts. We propose to revisit five essential principles from the book that have stood the test of time and can still be considered as best presentation practices today. Plan analog. There are many theories that try to explain how creativity works, but one thing is sure.

Enough with Presenting On Zoom Already!

by Michael Rickwood — Tuesday 30 March 2021

It’s March, 2021. The numbers continue to rise, vaccines are rolling out slowly (here in Europe anyway) and governments and communities remain at loggerheads about what to do going forward. There is a general expectation that this status quo will continue to the end of the year and businesses are continuing to either postpone large in-person gatherings or are adopting alternative ones using the tools we have at our disposal.

The Ikigai of Your TED Presentation

by Pierre Morsa — Tuesday 16 March 2021

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.” Ikigai is the intersection between what you love, what you are good at, what you can be paid for and what the world needs. If you ever want to speak at TED or TEDx event, you should find the ikigai of your presentation. It should be at the intersection of: What you love, or in the context of a presentation, what you really care about.

Unleash the Hans Rösling in You

by Pierre Morsa — Tuesday 20 October 2020

If you ever talked with me about my favorite TEDx talks, then I am sure I mentioned the late Hans Rösling, one of my all-time favorite TED speakers. On paper, he didn’t really start with an advantage; he spoke English with a strong foreign accent, and his key topic was statistics and demographics, something most of us associate with good sleep, not with great presentations. Yet, Hans’ enthusiasm and passion on stage, combined with his unique way to use numbers to tell meaningful stories, meant that his presentations were always a high point of any TED conference.