3-2-1 IMPACT!

Eye Contact while Speaking

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:53:34 PDT

One of the things many people hate about speaking in front of a group is having to look at them. I would agree, looking at your audience is not a pleasant experience, especially when one is trying to explain their points in a logical and meaningful fashion. Audiences have a tendency to make a person laugh, make them cry, make them freeze--they're like every Marvel Super Villain Stan Lee has

3 Tips for Introductions

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:48:09 PDT

Previously, we discussed 3 Tips for Conclusions. It's important to end your speech or presentation solidly because it's the last thing your audience will hear. There are two aspects of speaking that simply must be known in order for any type of organization to occur: Primacy and Recency. Recency is, of course, the most recent thing stated (your conclusion, for example). Primacy is the very

3 Tips for Conclusions

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:49:52 PDT

Nothing is worse than listening to a speech or lecture that seems to never end--except maybe listening to a speech that has an ending that leaves, well, everything to be desired. In order to control your audience, you must leave them with something to take home--we call this, "the clincher." It is the end-all, be-all of your conclusion. But, how do you get to that clincher statement? A

5 Keys for Effective Feedback

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:46:06 PDT

From performance reviews to customer service surveys, nothing is more frustrating than receiving useless feedback. "I didn't like it;" "it sukd [sic];" "Wonderful!" "Couldn't be better!" or "Nothing to note" are just a few examples of unhelpful feedback. In order for feedback to be effective, it needs to be specific--what was not liked about the product? Why did it suck? What was wonderful?

3 Tips for Better Quality Speaking

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:13:43 PDT

One of my pet peeves in speaking is listening to a speaker whose voice is raspy--as in "I went to a rock concert last night and screamed my lungs out" raspy. If you plan on speaking as a career, then you really need to preserve your commodity. Vocal health is such an important factor in your ability to, well, speak that it will be a blog or podcast entry unto itself. The beginnings of vocal

3 Ideas for Impromptu Talks

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:21:51 PDT

No matter how prepared you are for anything and everything at work, the one thing very few--if any--managers are prepared for is the on-the-spot talk. Sure, we can wing it when we're speaking to our employees, but when our boss comes to us and says, "The owner is flying in tonight--I want you to pick him up and host him til dinner," what do you do? I'm sure your mouth goes dry, your eyes glaze

5 Ways to Boost Productivity

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:07:04 PDT

We all agree: Productivity is a good thing. Especially with today's economy, employers would love to see their productivity increase in a most cost-effective way. But, how do you do that without spending scads (a technical amount) of money? I have the answer! In this case, answers... 5 Ways to Boost Productivity! Provide Escape. Windows with a view of the outside world--a breakroom that is

5 Keys to Successful Management

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:28:24 PDT

Most managers have a Type-A personality. For those of you uncertain what that is, they need to be in control of everything. As both a manager and a Capricorn, I love to step up and take charge and have some modicum of control. There are 5 Keys, however, to being a successful manager. They are as follows: Delegate, delegate, delegate. Despite your best efforts, highest hopes, and deepest

The Importance of Research

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 23:03:56 PDT

"What. Is your name?" "Arthur, King of the Britons." "What. Is your quest?" "I seek the Grail." "What. Is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" "Is that African or European?" "What? I...I don't know tha---!?!" If you've seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, you remember this exchange. Graham Chapman (as Arthur) defeats the bridge keeper by stumping him with his own question. How

5 Ways to Energize Your Next Staff Meeting

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:22:06 PDT

Remember back when we were kids and had no responsibilities? We formed up clubs--babysitter clubs, pirate clubs, swimming clubs, search-the-beach-for-lost-change clubs--and those clubs had officers (usually the one who dictated the forming of the club) and meetings. Those meetings were fun! They were energizing! They were exciting and we couldn't wait to go! Then we went to college. A lot of

Winning Your Audience

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:11:31 PDT

If you think back through history to some of the greatest speeches ever delivered--speeches by Patrick Henry, William Jennings Bryan, Abraham Lincoln--they all had something significant in common. No, not politics! Though, that was a common thread among the three listed. What I'm talking about is audience analysis. They knew to whom they were speaking and they knew with relative surety how

Top 3 Tips for Overcoming Stage Fright

krysta.noelle@gmail.com (Kryssie Mackey) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:06:08 PDT

Everyone's been there--the uncomfortable position of standing in front of a large group of people and being forced to talk to them about a subject. The topic once known intimately, seems to slip sleezily from the brain and the speaker is left stammering and looking quite like a deer in the headlights. "I am NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!" I've heard time and time again...and three weeks later, the