I don't care how much you know. If you are not able to explain it to me, you know nothing.
David Conrath
Dean, DeGroot School of Business
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
How to Select Your Speech Coach
How can you best achieve that?
The fastest and surest way to dramatically improve any skill set is to work with a coach.
Warriors have been doing that for eons. Artists have been doing that for centuries. Athletes have been doing that for decades. And for some time business leaders have been fast-forwarding their business skills by working with a mentor or coach.
Presenting, public speaking or delivering a speech are all skill based. Luck and talent play a very small part. To be a better presenter you need to develop your skills.
You should do some research on your own. Assess your ability. Recognize both your strengths and weaknesses. Observe other speakers with a critical eye and ear. Read some books or listen to tapes. When you are ready to grow, work with a good speech coach.
A good speech coach will ask you what you have done to improve your presentation skills before he agrees to work with you.
A good speech coach is one who is a doer as well as a teacher. A good speech coach has delivered speeches or presentations in circumstances similar to what you face. He understands the issues and challenges and speaks from experience – not just sitting on the sidelines.
You might have heard the old joke: Those that can – do. Those that can’t – teach.
A good speech coach is one who can, has done and does – as well as teaching.
That might seem like a lot to expect from your speech coach. Yes it is – but that is what a good speech coach is.
When you are ready to work with your speech coach here are a few questions you might ask of him:
“How often do you speak?”
“What types of groups have you spoken to?”
“What presentation challenges have you faced?”
“How do you stay good?”
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
Tell Better Stories and get better results
You can create and tell better stories - just like the best leaders, sales people, marketers and teachers.
Learn how to create and tell your stories to be a more compelling speaker.
Learn more about the next teleseminar - July 27, 2006.
Register for the teleseminar - How to Create and Tell Your Stories.
Limited number of lines.
Hurry before it is all booked up.
Learn how to create and tell your stories to be a more compelling speaker.
Learn more about the next teleseminar - July 27, 2006.
Register for the teleseminar - How to Create and Tell Your Stories.
Limited number of lines.
Hurry before it is all booked up.
Presentation Power does not come from PowerPoint
How do you present yourself with power? Don't be fooled by the name. There is no implied power in PowerPoint. Have you noticed how many presenters use PowerPoint and do not have power? That should be your first clue. PowerPoint is easy-to-use software. It seduces you into believing.... read more
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
Master the pause – it will make you a master
The hardest thing is to know oneself. Similarly the most difficult communication skill is silence. The two are related. Both require incredible self-discipline and self-confidence. To know oneself you need to ask some difficult questions and tolerate the discomfort of uncertainty. To master the pause you must...
read more
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
read more
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
Jack Welch
“An overburdened, overstretched executive is the best executive, because he or she doesn't have the time to meddle, to deal in trivia, to bother people.”
-Jack Welch
CEO General Electric 1981-2001
AKA “Neutron Jack”
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
Quote Business Leaders
Instead of regurgitating boring clichés use quotes from other business leaders – especially the successful CEOs, executives and entrepreneurs.
Why?
It shows your listeners that you are more current and more relevant.
Stop using stupid and boring clichés when you present. Instead use quotes from current or recent business leaders. That shows more insight – and it is more interesting to listen to.
To help you, I will post some powerful quotes from proven business leaders on this blog.
When you use a quote from someone else be sure to name the source. Two reasons: Give credit to the originator. When you name the source you tap into their credibility.
You might have read the quotes in previous posts from Mary Kay Ash and Richard Branson. Over the next several weeks you will find quotes from other business leaders including: Jack Welch, Donald Trump, Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Victor Kiam, Anita Roddick, Sam Walton, Peter Ueberroth, George Soros…
When I find more good ones I will post them for you as well.
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
Why?
It shows your listeners that you are more current and more relevant.
Stop using stupid and boring clichés when you present. Instead use quotes from current or recent business leaders. That shows more insight – and it is more interesting to listen to.
To help you, I will post some powerful quotes from proven business leaders on this blog.
When you use a quote from someone else be sure to name the source. Two reasons: Give credit to the originator. When you name the source you tap into their credibility.
You might have read the quotes in previous posts from Mary Kay Ash and Richard Branson. Over the next several weeks you will find quotes from other business leaders including: Jack Welch, Donald Trump, Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Victor Kiam, Anita Roddick, Sam Walton, Peter Ueberroth, George Soros…
When I find more good ones I will post them for you as well.
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
Richard Branson
“I believe in benevolent dictatorship provided I am the dictator.”
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson
Entrepreneur extraordinaire, adventurer, maverick
Founder of:
Virgin Records
Virgin Atlantic Airways
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Trains
Virgin Express
Virgin Galactic
Unofficial Branson Blog
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
Speaking Mastery - what does it look like?
Perhaps you have noticed that speakers range from awful to amazing. And then there are the speakers who are masters. How would you know if you are listening to a speaking master? I wondered and I asked some of those who I consider to be speaking masters.
I spoke with professional speaking colleagues. Collectively these four represent about 90 years in the business of professional speaking. They are all members of CAPS, the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. Their styles, as speakers, are as different as their responses to my question. And you will notice some common elements. Enjoy their comments.
How do you recognize mastery in speakers?
“A natural, easy style – especially the ease of doing difficult things without breaking a sweat. They clearly enjoy themselves and exude confidence. Their delivery is free-flowing, like a maestro.”
Jim Beaubien, Ph.D., CSP, HoF
“I know I am looking at it when I am not aware of it unless I am looking for it. With master speakers, you have to really look at what they do with pacing and pausing to see the technique. In our business, as with most others, it takes a certain level of competence to even recognize it. One surgeon could watch another take out an appendix and say, ‘Wow, that was masterful’, but you or I would probably not recognize the level of mastery.”
Warren Evans, CSP, HoF
“There is flow – integrated, flawless and seamless. No matter what they are doing, they demonstrate the pinnacle of the craft. My sister the dentist told me that when she started she knew what she was doing, but it took s-o-o-o long; now it flows.”
Linda Tarrant, CSP, HoF
“By their level of confidence and engagement. They are there for the audience, not for themselves. You sense mastery emotionally and intellectually more that through the other senses. True mastery even touches you from a spiritual perspective. I have heard very good speakers who did not touch me.”
Larry Pearson, CSP
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
CAPS Former National Board Member
speaking
professional speaker
I spoke with professional speaking colleagues. Collectively these four represent about 90 years in the business of professional speaking. They are all members of CAPS, the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. Their styles, as speakers, are as different as their responses to my question. And you will notice some common elements. Enjoy their comments.
How do you recognize mastery in speakers?
“A natural, easy style – especially the ease of doing difficult things without breaking a sweat. They clearly enjoy themselves and exude confidence. Their delivery is free-flowing, like a maestro.”
Jim Beaubien, Ph.D., CSP, HoF
“I know I am looking at it when I am not aware of it unless I am looking for it. With master speakers, you have to really look at what they do with pacing and pausing to see the technique. In our business, as with most others, it takes a certain level of competence to even recognize it. One surgeon could watch another take out an appendix and say, ‘Wow, that was masterful’, but you or I would probably not recognize the level of mastery.”
Warren Evans, CSP, HoF
“There is flow – integrated, flawless and seamless. No matter what they are doing, they demonstrate the pinnacle of the craft. My sister the dentist told me that when she started she knew what she was doing, but it took s-o-o-o long; now it flows.”
Linda Tarrant, CSP, HoF
“By their level of confidence and engagement. They are there for the audience, not for themselves. You sense mastery emotionally and intellectually more that through the other senses. True mastery even touches you from a spiritual perspective. I have heard very good speakers who did not touch me.”
Larry Pearson, CSP
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
CAPS Former National Board Member
speaking
professional speaker
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