Chit-chat is valuable. It’s how we connect with each other. It generates feelings of trust and empathy. How do you generate chit-chat and off-topic discussions in online classes and meetings? Here are my top 6 ways. 1. Pre-game. I tell students that I show up 15 minutes before class starts. If they’d like to pop …

As we move from authoritarian leadership styles to more collaborative leadership styles, you might want to insert a little uptalk into your conversations. What’s uptalk? It’s when you raise your voice at the end of a sentence. You speak a sentence, but the upward lilt makes it sound like a question. It makes you sound …

You’ll want to practice your flags, bridges, and hooks. They can help you as you present on camera or go into media interviews. Flags, bridges, and hooks help make a media interview conversational. They also help you answer tough questions and make a stronger impact. 🚩 Flagging statements signal you’re about to say something important. …

When smart people start to stammer… …it’s often because they’re thinking 10 steps ahead! 🤔 They’re thinking about what they’re going to say in 5 minutes.🤔 They’re thinking about what someone might ask them in 2 minutes.🤔 They’re even thinking about what they might forget to say! All that thinking? It’s what smart people do! …

Let me explain what I’m doing right now. I am sitting alone in a room and I am talking to a piece of glass. And that’s why I think the advice “just act natural” is a bogus piece of public speaking advice. It’s especially egregious for anyone who has to talk in front of a …

What can you do when you’re onstage and you freeze? Try a BIG MUSCLE MOVEMENT. What to do: Find a BIG MUSCLE MOVEMENT that works for you. It should be something you can do easily, that you enjoy doing, and yet looks great or reasonable on stage. Practice this technique. Do it daily. And make …

How long should you wait before ending your Zoom poll? 🍿“USE THE BURNT POPCORN RULE!”🍿 What’s the Popcorn Rule? Think about popping corn. After a few minutes of popping, you’ve got a good batch of popcorn to eat. But you still might be thinking, “But wait. There might be a few unpopped kernels. Maybe I should …

You need to maintain eye contact with a reporter or interviewer during an on-camera appearance. And yet, you need to cover your main talking points. And stick to an agenda and stay on time. And you don’t want to have wandering or shifty eyes while you’re talking on-camera! What to do, what to do? How …

I’ve been in quite a few Zoom web meetings lately, and I’ve seen a lot of BATS IN THE CAVE, if you know what I mean. If you don’t know what I mean by BATS IN THE CAVE — it’s when someone is using the camera on their laptop and I can look straight up …

Some people find networking awkward, but it doesn’t have to be. Not if you get in the habit of looking at feet. Feet??? Yes, feet! Feet point toward interest. If you’re talking to someone and your feet are pointing toward each other, cool. You’re both interested and engaged. But when someone’s feet start to stray, …