How can action heros help you to prepare a workshop?
I have just taken the train to Brussels and back for a course, and on the way I watched one of my favourite film franchises – Die Hard. Now that might seem a bit improbable that I like my action movies – but, hey, go figure. Each time I watch these movies...
read more
Take the time to breathe – for five minutes a day
In a recent blog I talked about my experience slowing things down, getting more intentional, and basically stopping to get off the world for five minutes. Because I firmly believe that it doesn’t matter how well you position yourself as a leader in your field, if you...
read more
Permission to be human
Whoot, whoot! I’ve just done my first ever Facebook live, in the FB group I created for my group “Luxembourg Powerhouses”. Now, I should add that it lasted all of 2 minutes, I didn’t tell anyone I was doing it and I posted it around 4pm when I knew no one would...
read more
3 ways to conquer the spontaneous Christmas speech.
Ah, Christmas. The season for presents, Christmas parties, and spontaneous speeches. A couple of years ago my parents and I headed off to Dublin for Christmas lunch at my sister’s place, together with about a dozen in-laws. What we didn’t know was that the in-laws had...
read more
What to include in your technical talk: 3 steps to help you get clear
It’s time to get down to the nitty gritty of your upcoming talk, and get some clarity on what you want to cover. Because when you know so much about your subject, as I know you do, sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees. In one of my first blogs, I...
read more
Stop the world and let me off for five minutes
This month I took some time to slow down. The last couple of weeks have been quite intense with a number of speaking engagements, and when I went to the Chiropractor for my normal appointment my pelvis was out of tilt. He sent me off with a flea in my ear, and...
read more
3 misconceptions about slides that are losing you connection with your audience
How much do you really think about the slides you present in your technical talk? According to Mayer’s “multimedia principle”[1], if you want to explain difficult concepts it is far more effective to present them not only in verbal format, but also in a visual way. In...
read more
7 things to do in the first three minutes to come across as competent and likeable
As you stand here in the wings, waiting to step on stage to give your talk, know that from the moment you reach the podium and start to speak, you’ll have a maximum of about three minutes to convince the audience that you are worth listening to. Sounds harsh, but...
read more
Three ways to use stories in your technical talk
As human beings, we are hard wired for stories. There is a theory that suggests that when man discovered how to fully control fire, not only did this transform our diet, but it also transformed our culture. As fire could extend day, so too could humans sit around...
read more
5 things I didn’t know I knew when I started my own business
As the one year anniversary of leaving corporate life has been approaching, I have been taking stock and looking back at what I have learnt over these last 12 months. Goodness knows there has been a lot, but what I have found to be the most surprising has been those...
read more