Preparation is key in any meeting or presentation. As long as you’re prepared, if there’s a glitch with the lights or the slides or with anything... take a pause, regroup and continue on.
Our Clients Speak...
Reminder: Good Public Speaking and Communication Skills are Important
There is great wisdom here and in focusing on finding work/career that is meaningful and that one enjoys.
Warren Buffett also recognizes the importance of improving one’s speaking and communication skills.
“Now, you can improve your value by 50% just by learning communication skills - public speaking.”
-Warren Buffett
Public Speaking Tip of the Day!
Feeling Inspired By Barbara Corcoran's Letter About How She Turned a "No" Into a "Yes" and Became a Shark on Shark Tank
At a time when many people are in search of career opportunities, never underestimate taking a creative approach in the job search process.
Barbara Corcoran gives us the best example of just that.
"Calling Nola Beldegreen" An Article from 06880
Sharpen Your People Skills
One of the most important skills we can carry with us in both our personal and professional lives is our people skills. These are the skills that make people feel something when we speak to them. They connect us in a world that is riddled with disconnect, virtual this and virtual that. Our modern day isn’t bad, but it certainly doesn’t help us hone the interpersonal skillset that makes up the fabric of our interactions at every turn.
The Easy Trick to Stepping Up Your Public Speaking Game
Use Storytelling to Overcome Speaking Anxiety
Read a Recent Testimonial from Our Clients
Nola is an amazing public speaking coach! I just gave the best presentation I've ever given to over 200 people in person last week. I received many compliments. Not only did Nola help me with structuring my speech, but she also taught me many speech techniques that can help engage the audience and make me sound more confident in my presentation.
Take 4 Minutes and Watch This...
If you’re looking for a little inspiration on the speaking front - take a look at the attached.
This is worth listening to and and a good use of four minutes.
Jennifer Coolidge's (Best Supporting Actress Award) speech is a winner in and of itself.
Her acceptance speech is heartfelt, funny and authentic. She thoughtfully acknowledges key people of importance - all with flawless timing.
There are many takeaways here.
On the job front, Jennifer thanks the people that continually gave her work (for 20 years) and how each job kept leading to the next opportunity and then to the next.
And there’s gratitude for those that kept recognizing her talent and giving her that next role, the next opportunity.
Whether we’re employed or looking for our next role, all of the jobs and all of our experiences bring us to our next role until one day, we arrive with the right team and opportunity where we get our starring role, however we choose to define it.
I like to listen to people that inspire. Jennifer does just that in this speech.
Our Clients Speak...
At Nola Speaks, we are the behind-the-scenes experts on building confident communicators. We work 1:1 with our clients. Your success is what we do best!
Are you preparing for a presentation, speech, or meeting? Would you like to feel more confident about your speaking, delivery, and content? We can help.
Please feel free to reach out with your questions and interests. We look forward to speaking with you.
From one of our clients:
"...If you want to improve your public speaking, then Nola Beldegreen will help you find your voice. I recently had to prepare a TedX style speech in London which could not have gone better thanks to Nola. Her calming presence made me feel confident and capable. Nola’s stye is unique and personalized. Like a good coach should, Nola allowed me to take the lead so that my personality and words shined. Nola just simply brings out the best in her clients. The lessons I learned I will carry with me throughout my career and into my personal life. I am truly grateful for my experience and time with Nola." - Nola Speaks Client
Take 2 minutes and 40 seconds out of your day to watch the incredible Matt Higgins as he reminds us all how powerful our minds and inner dialogue can be.
Watch the 2 minute clip posted by Matt Higgins, on LinkedIn.
What do you do when you’re in the middle of a presentation and the lights go out?
How Can I Feel and Sound More Confident when Speaking?
The Power of Inflection
Taylor Swift - Songwriter & Speaker
Taylor Swift is known for her brilliant songwriting, genius marketing campaigns and so much more.
This past week, Taylor added masterful public speaker to her long list of accomplishments. Her speech captures: the power of the spoken word, the impact of artful pausing and showcases the impression we can make on our audience when we’re connected to our words.
Whether we are speaking to a room of 20 or a stadium of 20,000, never underestimate the impact we can have by showing up as our best self.
Watch Taylor’s full speech here
Why Smiling When Speaking Is A Good Thing
Smiling when speaking:
•relaxes us (the speaker)
•relaxes the listener (our audience)
•connects the speaker and the listener by adding a happy expression to the conversation
•gets rid of any tension or nervousness by exercising the facial muscles upward
•makes us more animated thus increasing the enthusiasm in our voice
•is an action step that consciously moves flat or negative energy
•brings a positive response (smile) from the listener. When we smile at someone, there’s a good chance that they’ll smile back
• adds warmth to a phone conversation. You can hear a smile over the phone…try it!
As an Executive Coach, I help clients develop strong speaking skills and presence. If you need to become a more confident and effective speaker - I can help.
How To Make Memorable Eye Contact
How-To Stop Using Filler Words in Four Easy Steps: Say Goodbye to “Ah”, “Um”, and “Like”
One of the most sought after questions my clients bring to me is how to drop the habit of inserting “filler words” into all that they do and say. Like any bad habit, this is one you can break with the right tools by your side.
Filler words (“ah”, “um”, “like”) are usually used as placeholders or simply out of habit when we’re trying to figure out what to say next and keep our nerves at bay. These words distract when overused and are rest stops when speaking.
There’s another technique when it comes to speaking that allows for the same moment to think.
Enter the pause!