Here is a terrific antithesis from Marcus Lemonis, the Profit, who says this at the beginning of every show: “We’re not going to wake up tomorrow wondering if we have a job. We’re going to wake up tomorrow wondering how many jobs we have to do.”

Love it.

You can go directly to the podcast and listen to it here.

And you can read more about both entities via these links:

Check out this new episode of The Modern Law Library with the ABA Journal and Legal Talk Network ABA Publishing speaks with Faith Pincusabout the public speaking skills every lawyer needs to know  #publicspeaking #fearofpublicspeaking #presentationskills #lawyers #attorneys

I use antithesis in all of my speeches and I discuss it when teaching public speaking in every context.

Today’s antithesis of the day, from Thomas Jefferson: “If you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.”  So, as we all know, I rarely post on my blog or facebook, well, because I’d rather be out speaking in public.  But I am going to try to do better.

This quote?

I’d lead a presentation with this quote as follows: “Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘If you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.’ [pause/eye contact with the audience] Let’s think about that for a few moments…[pause/eye contact] What is something you’ve wanted, but have never had? [pause] What is that thing? Is it a feeling, an object, a city you want to go to? What is one thing that is on your bucket list? [pause]

Today I am going to talk about the value, [very very short pause], the benefit… [pause], the wonder [emphasize wonder], of doing something you’ve never done before.  And maybe, just maybe, during our time together today, you’ll think about how doing something you’ve never done might lead you to accomplish something you’ve always wanted to do. [pause].

So let’s get started.  There are three things we’ll look at today to accomplish that task…. they are… ”

And that is how I’d use that quote.

I had to think about how I would use it for a good 20 minutes or so – even as an expert in public speaking you still have to think about how you can use a quote.  Normally I start with my subject matter and then find the quote, but today I decided to start with the quote, because Alexa give me a quote every morning.  Yes, I am a quote geek.  In this example, I included some of the delivery techniques I would use, such as pausing and eye contact, so you can see how to deliver the intro, not just what can go into it.

So – I don’t expect a response to this question, since I’ve posted maybe one or two times in the past few years, but I’ll ask it anyway.  What OTHER rhetorical techniques did I use in this opening.  Repetition?  If so, what types?  There are many.  What else?  If you don’t know what type of rhetorical techniques are available to you as a speaker, you can look it up on my blog, read it in my book, or simply go to AmericanRhetoric.com – which is arguable the best speech and rhetorical technique site that exists on the internet.

Happy thinking!  If you want to take the time to read, think and respond to this one, use an antithesis (one of your own or not) and say how you’d use it when beginning a presentation.  If not, that’s ok.  I hope to do more and maybe you’ll respond when you have time in the future.

Cheers, Faith

Yep, that’s how much I would prefer to speak over write.

But I did it!

The book is out!

It is called Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys and is available now on Amazon (Kindle and paperback), from the American Bar Association, or even at my own company’s store.

It’s a fun book, a quick read, and I can guarantee you’ll take away a lot of skills that will improve your presentation skills, regardless of the setting. But don’t take my word for it, here are what a bunch of people (attorneys and non-attorneys) who have read it say about it:

Praise for Faith’s book, Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys, includes:

“This terrific book about communication zooms along! It’s chock-full of sound advice and organized so the reader can jump right to the desired topic.  It is really two books in one: a segment on public speaking before all types of audience, and a segment for lawyers when speaking in court – including jury arguments in the trial court and oral argument in an appellate court. Sprinkled throughout is excellent advice from judges and experienced advocates; also included is guidance on talking with reporters. This gem is an essential volume for the advocate.”

– Gerald B Cope, Jr.
Co-Chair, Appellate Practice, Akerman, LLP
Former Chief Judge, Florida Third District Court of Appeal

“I worked with Faith to prepare for my role as President of the California State Bar. Although I thought I was a pretty good public speaker going in, she was immensely helpful and I use her ideas every time I speak – at trainings, in the trial court, to the press, and – most importantly for me – at appellate argument. She has captured these useful lessons into a book that attorneys can turn to if we do not have the time for one-on-one training. Useful advice in a useful form.”

– Michael G. Colantuono, Esq.
California State Bar President, 2017-2018
Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC

“The art of public speaking is a ‘teachable skill’ – according to presentations master Faith Pincus. Yes it is. And Faith would know. Her new book, Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys,is a goldmine of practical tips for beginners and veteran public speakers alike. Follow Faith’s “AMI Method” to connect with any audience. Effectively use media that enhances (instead of distracting from) your message. This is a go-to guide for preparing all your courtroom and executive presentations. A must for every professional’s library.”

– Harry Chamberlain
Past President, California Defense Counsel
Chair of the Appellate Group at Buchalter

“This is a ‘must read’ for any attorney who is serious about improving his or her public speaking skills. Faith has filled this book with practical, realistic advice. A treasure trove for those just learning to speak in public, this book also provides ideas and techniques that even the most experienced speaker will find valuable. I only wish someone could have handed me a copy of ‘Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys’when I first started practicing law.”

– James N. Robinson
Partner, White & Case LLP

“Faith’s book reads like a conversation with her: fast, engaging, and certain to leave you with at least a few new ideas you will be eager to apply.

After years spent observing trials in a busy federal court, those that still stand out are the very few cases in which the attorney compelled the jurors’ or the judge’s attention not by volume or drama, but by the clarity, relevancy, simplicity, and strength of their presentation. Faith’s book has the tools you will need to make sure that whether you are in a courtroom, a boardroom, or at a meeting anywhere in the world, your words will be heard.”

– Barbara Barbara Junge, Esq.
Career law clerk, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida.

“Faith Pincus provides a comprehensive, well-written roadmap to mastering the art of public speaking. From researching the audience, to creating the perfect message, to body language and delivery tips, this wide-reaching book gives you everything you need to know to hit it out of the park in terms of both context and content. Although there is an emphasis on Presentation Skills for Attorneys, the wisdom in this book can benefit anyone preparing for any type of speaking engagement, from a speech to your local Home Owner´s Association, to a creative toast at your best friend´s wedding, to a hardball interview on national television.”

– Wendy L. Patrick, JD, PhD
Prosecutor & Media Commentator

“What seems at first glance to be yet another primer on effective communication for the inexperienced proves on a closer read to be an extraordinarily useful tool for the old and skeptical as well.  Faith Pincus has created a communication toolbox for all of us who struggle with effective oral presentations either all of the time or only some of the time.

And, she has done so efficiently and effectively in this short, concise and clear review of practical approaches and reminders for effective communication in both formal and informal settings, whether preparing for oral argument, speaking at a public meeting or making a short presentation at a club meeting or other more impromptu setting.  Faith has compiled suggestions and checklists many of us have used and all too often forgotten, or if new to the arena, simply need to know and use.  I am going to put my copy of this book on my reference shelf right next to ‘The Elements of Style.’”

– Judge C. Kenneth Grosse (ret.)
Washington State Court of Appeals

“I have observed well over a thousand oral arguments in the California Court of Appeal and I can say, if you are a practicing attorney, read this book. In clear, conversational and gripping fashion, Faith Pincus demonstrates that public speaking is indeed an art.

How do you cultivate a likeable, confident presence?  Which are the most effective methods of delivery? What tools work best for persuasion? What techniques can be used to manage your fears? Pincus answers all these questions, and many more. All attorneys, from the uninitiated, to the journeyman, to the superstar, will benefit from the knowledge and insight Pincus has developed during the past 30 years as a former attorney and public speaking trainer helping lawyers, CEOs and executives improve their presentation skills.”

– Pablo Drobny
Lead Appellate Court Attorney (retired 2018)
California Court of Appeal

“Faith Pincus, simply put, is both an exceptional speaker and exceptional writer. She has personally been my coach and mentor for public speaking and it has been a life-changer! Her book, Presentation Skills for Attorneys, is a must-read!”

– Joseph E. Ankus, Esq.
President/Founder
Ankus Consulting, Inc.

“After having the opportunity to preview this book, I was really impressed! This is much more than just another “how-to-do-it” book. There is a wealth of practical information and guidance presented in an easy to locate and easy to read format. It is a compilation of actual experiences of the author and other contributors that set out how to make presentations that are effective with the audience and enjoyable for the presenter. I wish that the information in the book had been so readily available when I found myself first addressing gatherings, rather than learning through experience.”

– Hon. Gilbert (Thad) Gembacz
United States Immigration Judge, Retired

“This is the book I wish existed when I was a young prosecutor, and during my 31 plus years as a Senior Writ Attorney at the California Court of Appeal in San Francisco doing CLE presentations.  Faith brings her own expertise and experience, as well as that of her many contacts, to create a book that is witty, an easy read, and a bible for any public speaker.  It’s one I’ll now always keep at hand for reference.”

– Susan Horst, Of Counsel
California Appellate Law Group
Former Career Senior Writ Attorney, CA Court of Appeal

“Faith’s book, Presentation Skills for Attorneys, is, quite simply, empowering. It takes the anxiety out of the picture. Faith’s method is foolproof.  She explains what to do, it makes sense, and then you feel empowered to do it. It’s a great handbook on public speaking and it’s a terrific, quick read.”

– Lisa Peña, Deputy Assistant Secretary
U.S. Treasury Department

“Finally, a book with the practical advice and strategies to improve public speaking skills!  As a public interest environmental attorney, public speaking is a critical advocacy tool but one that I was never taught or felt particularly confident in. Presentation Skills for Attorneys gave me the tools I needed to refine how I prepare and deliver presentations and helped me up my game. There are so many useful tips in here, I continue to go back to it. A must for beginners and more seasoned speakers alike.”

– Matt Vespa
Staff Attorney
Earthjustice

“I am thrilled that Faith Pincus’ knowledge and wisdom now exists in in this comprehensive publication. The attorneys I work with clamor to attend Faith’s in-person program each year – and for good reason, as this book demonstrates. Faith expertly and succinctly covers the practicalities of public speaking – from organization to the impression you leave on your audience. She also addresses the concerns and roadblocks public speakers face and how to best practice and prepare to avoid them. Beginners and experienced public speakers alike will find something new to take away from this book every time they read it – and every time they prepare to speak. I know I do.”

– Angela Inzano
The Chicago Bar Foundation

“Faith has written a fun, thoughtful, and most helpful book for anyone who speaks – or needs to speak – in public. The sections for lawyers are full of good advice, and lawyers and others will also benefit greatly from the other public-speaking and media-handling advice she offers. These are truly words from the wise!”

– Ken Masters
Masters Law Group

“Presentation Skills for Attorneysis a must-read for attorneys of all experience levels.  Full of sound, practical advice from start to finish, it will put new attorneys years ahead of their colleagues, and even the most seasoned trial attorneys will pick up valuable pointers and understand in a new light lessons already learned.”

– Damian Capozzola, Esq.
The Law Offices of Damian D. Capozzola
Los Angeles, CA

“Public speaking is something that everybody in law or business has to do.  Doing it well is essential to success, but nobody ever teaches you how to do it.  Until now.  Faith Pincus breaks down the art of successful public speaking into bite-size chunks.  She’ll help you analyze your audience, prepare your message, and deliver your talk. She identifies all the common mistakes speakers make and warns you away from them, especially including misuse of PowerPoint.  Her best tip: Enthusiasm on the part of the speaker really counts! And if you actually aren’t so enthusiastic, fake it.'”

– Michael Asimow, Visiting Professor, Stanford Law School; Professor of Law Emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law

“Law school teaches students how to “think like a lawyer.” Law school does not teach students how to speak. The result is that we can take either side of an argument; and we may be effective in a written brief. But, most of our activities are outside the written arena. Our oral skills most often determine how we’re seen as leaders, how we attract and keep new clients, and whether we’re successful in court, both before the judge and before jurors.

In this book, Faith Pincus helps you prepare your message, organize your thoughts and present your speech. Having made many presentations over the years, I found Faith’s work engaging and well worth the reading, and re-reading. And if you’re beginning your career, take serious note. Keep her book by your side when you begin thinking about accepting an engagement to present.”

– Ed Poll, J.D., M.B.A., CMC
LawBiz(r) Management

Feel free to email me with any questions about speaking.

Remember:  Be Heard. This time. Next time. Every time.

And it has been classified as the #1 speech of the 20th Century. For good reason.

His use of repetition was so effective that the speech is remembered for, and titled by, those passages and that phrase. He actually utilized a variety of fantastic rhetorical devices throughout his speech, including alliteration and other forms of repetition.

If you’d like to hear it, or read it, you can find MLK’s I Have a Dream Speech here at AmericanRhetoric.com.

If you would just like to remember that specific  passage though, I’ve copied it here (remember this came at about 2/3 of the way through his speech):

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

I always reference this speech when I teach my Presentation Skills for Attorneys seminars. Once, after one of my programs, an attendee came up to me and told me about a book his son had written discussing the speech. It is a terrific book and I recommend it – a very interesting historical look at the speech! The book is called “the Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Speech that Inspired a Nation.” You can find it on Amazon (of course) and I am sure it’s in bookstores as well.

The speech is one of my favorites of all time. Every single person in all of my presentation skills courses (thousands at this point) have heard the phrase and know what it means – we always hear it on the radio, we probably read about it back in school. But when is the last time you listened to the whole thing, or read it the whole thing, if ever?

Take the time to do it now. It’s worth it.

Lack of sleep? Jet lag? Small or unappreciative crowd? It doesn’t matter. I smile, jump up in front of the group and let ‘em have it with both barrels. Even the most listless crowd will perk up if you attack your subject with gusto and there is no better way to win them over than to get them to enjoy something they start off thinking they’re going to hate.

So…what happens after the program is done? As you’d expect, I crash like a diabetic after a pie-eating contest. I’m so exhausted after these sessions I no longer schedule anything afterwards because I know I won’t have the energy to participate. I used it all up in the program. Why go to such lengths and put myself in such a state? Because it works. I repeatedly get comments about how exciting these programs are and how passionate and enthusiastic I appear to be.

And you know what? Even though I love teaching this seminar and I love the topic itself, there are times when I wake up at 6:00 am (an ungodly hour on any day) and think to myself, “Why am I doing this? I’m tired. I don’t want to do this.” It doesn’t happen often, but with my travel schedule and running two businesses, it happens some.

But when the time comes, I still turn it on for the presentation. And on the rare occasion when I have run out of steam in the last 20 minutes or so, it inevitably comes up in the evaluations. Audiences notice.

So if you want your audience to believe that you’re a good speaker and to hear what you have to say, you must be energetic. Give yourself the permission to show enthusiasm and get excited about your topic. Trust me — it’s contagious.

By including some details in your speech — especially at the beginning — that show an interest in your audience, individually and as a group. Remember my advice to arrive early? If you found the time to interact with the audience one-on-one before the presentation, your introduction is an opportunity to connect more directly with the audience by mentioning someone by name in relation to the topic or your pre-speech discussion.

There is a concept in both psychology and marketing called “affinity.” It explains how people tend to like people who appear to like them. Dale Carnegie was a big proponent of this line of thinking. Show an interest in another person or find a connection with them and more likely than not they will reciprocate.

By using this engagement technique, you help to bridge that gap. Or as I sometimes say, you break down the audience-speaker barrier.

Shared experiences

Another way to immediately engage your audience is by tying your talk into the overall event or something that has occurred since you all arrived at the venue. This is most applicable when you’re speaking at a multi-day conference but it can also be applied in court or at various business settings.

If you have a funny story about something that occurred at the event or the courthouse, it can be a nice, light way to start off, grab everyone’s attention (everyone wants to hear about what is going on around them) and it helps you tie yourself to your audience and your surroundings. If you have a serious story, it can be a dramatic way to kick off a presentation, as long as you are careful not to touch on raw nerves.

This last method can be risky, as your story will not often be time-tested, but if pulled off with the right degree of dramatic flair, it can be just the trick to get the crowd on your side from the start.

You don’t have to be a motivational speaker to have permission to be passionate and enthusiastic about your topic. If you’re excited about what you have to say, show it. If, on the other hand, you aren’t passionate about your topic but you have to deliver the speech anyway, there’s only one thing to do: fake it.

Yes, I really mean that. Fake it till you make it.

Of course, if you’re not engaged in the topic, you probably shouldn’t be making the presentation in the first place, but there are many times when speakers, salesmen, lawyers and supervisors are forced to make speeches or give seminars against their will. In those instances, if the choice is between showing a lack of energy or displaying an enthusiasm that you don’t really feel, go with the fake-out every time:  Fake. It.

Energy is contagious, yes. But the reverse is also true. If you can’t muster any energy for your presentation, how do you expect anyone else to?

So much for the general stuff. But there are some things that have to be divided by gender. Big surprise — men and women have some different options regarding dress. The list of specifics is a lot shorter for men than women, but that’s deceptive: Men are judged by what they wear as much as women are. It comes down to the little things, so you might as well give them some attention.

• Ties – color is fine, but ditch the sports ties, the political message, the holiday ties, the ties made by your kids.  You want to wear something nice, but not something so flashy or distracting that people are paying attention to your tie instead of your words.
• Shoes – you want to make sure they are polished and have no holes in the bottoms. Do I have to mention no sandals or sneakers? Hopefully, I don’t.
• Avoid large flashy watches or jewelry. It may be tempting to want to make a statement with a little power bling. The problem is that if you do, that might be the only statement of yours your audience will take note of.

The bottom line is, you guessed it: you want your audience to be paying attention to what you are saying, not what you are wearing.

So much for the general stuff. But there are some things that have to be divided by gender. Big surprise — men and women have some different options regarding dress. And we might as well lead off with the one that will break some hearts …

Rule #1: No short skirts

This is important enough to repeat — NO short skirts. Yes, it matters. There are plenty of places to show off what you’ve got, but when you’re giving a presentation, you want the attention focused on your message; when you distract from that, it’s never a good thing.

Case in point: I interview a lot of judges and justices, usually when they speak at my trial and appellate CLE Boot Camps.  And I always ask them for their best or worst story about attorneys presenting in court.  One judge mentioned the time that a jury passed him a note after a break that asked him to direct the female attorney at counsel’s table to keep her legs crossed due to the length of her skirt. Need I say more?

So how short is short? I leave that up to common sense. But let’s just be clear: A skirt can be well below the knee and still be very attractive. There’s no good reason to flash your audience, and there are a LOT of negatives to it.

Thin line between flashy and trashy

Following Rule #1, you can figure out that other revealing or provocative clothing is a bad idea: low-cut shirts; tummy-revealing tops; skin-tight or semi-transparent tops or bottoms. You’ll want to leave them at home for the same reason as the micro skirt: You don’t want the audience looking at you nearly as much as you want them listening to you.

The same thing goes for a look that seems too “glam” for the office. For instance:

• No ridiculous nail polish colors or nails so long they scare people
• No ostentatious jewelry
• Avoid 4” spiked heels , open-toed shoes and sandals — any shoes that look like you’re headed for a night on the town or a day at the beach. Think “classy pump” and you’re safe.

Some of that may seem too stodgy, but it doesn’t have to be. These days, there are lots of top-line clothing stores catering to women going for the look we’re talking about. It doesn’t have to be boring to be professional. If you want to get real interest and energy coming your way, do it with what you have to say. It’s a much better long-term impression in any case.