We all know that we only have 15 seconds to make a good first impression and that first impressions count. We also know that these impressions come mostly from our body language, our voice and the way we look rather than the content and the words we say. As we continue presenting, we can shift the impressions of people and …
The key to being able to give and receive effective feedback is to create a psychologically safe environment at work where people feel accepted and respected. Amy Edmondson (Harvard University) describes a psychologically safe environment as “one exuding a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject or punish someone for speaking up”. It takes courage to speak …
If you were competing in a sport or playing a musical instrument or singing on stage you would take care of your body and your instrument. You would do this by warming up and stretching your muscles or by practicing beforehand in the warm up room or by fine tuning your instrument (guitar, violin etc). Opera singers warm up their …
Stage fright is a normal occurrence experienced by a lot of people when placed in front of an audience. In fact, 90% of people feel nervous or extremely nervous before speaking up. Stage fright and fear of public speaking can also make you tremble and shake, feel dizzy, have increased heart rate, turn bright red and sweat profusely. These experiences …
Are you assertive enough to become a confident and effective leader? One of the most valuable traits of an effective and respected leader is being able to communicate assertively and confidently. An assertive leader is not afraid to speak up, to disagree, say no and participate in difficult conversations. Assertiveness Communication Tips Although assertive communication is such a critical and …
We all know the importance of conquering our fears, having the courage to speak up, doing the things we need to do and “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”©. And courage is often put forward as the antidote or remedy to help you overcome fears. “If I am courageous, then the fear will be gone!” What is courage? Indeed, …
