To be perfectly honest

The speaker responded to the question with that phrase.
I didn’t hear the rest of the answer because I was wondering why the speaker needed to state that now she would be perfectly honest.

I wondered how honest or dishonest was she when she answered previous questions.

I wondered about her understanding on the difference between honest and perfectly honest.

I wondered about when she wasn’t perfectly honest how imperfectly honest was she.

Naturally, I assumed that the speaker wasn't honest at all.

Why would a speaker say "To be perfectly honest" or "To tell the truth"? The only reason that I can think of is that they usually are dishonest and don't tell the truth.

So are you going to be honest with me - or tell that you will be honest with me?

If you tell me when you are honest - will you also tell me when you are dishonest? Or should I just assume that dishonesty is your norm?



George Torok

Presentation Skills Training

Presentation Skills Success

Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Effective Presentation Skills is Not Talent

Bad News and Good News for presenters. Successful presentations are not about talent.

If you believe you are a good presenter and can’t articulate the details of what makes you good – you don’t know why – beware! You are headed for surprise failure.

If you are a poor presenter and want to get better – take heart. You can build on the fundamentals. The leaders in any field stress the importance of knowing and doing the fundamentals.

The best presenters are skillful presenters – not talented presenters.

The ability to deliver good and great presentations is based on using the techniques of successful presentation skills. Skills can be learned and honed. All it takes is study, practice and training.

If you want to be a better presenter, understand the principles, practice the techniques, and get expert coaching. That’s how the best in any field get to be the best and stay there.

I have met many fabulous presenters. I have not met one yet who claimed to be a natural born presenter. I am a top notch professional presenter and executive speech coach. Yet I was not a natural born presenter. I can reveal to you examples of my own frustration along the journey. I invested time, effort and money to become a great presenter. To get better I studied and analyzed hundreds of presenters. I received advice, coaching and mentoring from the best that I could find. And I haven’t finished learning yet.

How about you? Where do you want to be?

If you want to improve your presentation results – improve your presentation skills.

Read tips, articles and books on presentation skills. Study other public speakers to learn from their success and mistakes. Listen to audio programs. Watch videos. Attend conferences, course and seminars. Hire a presentation skills coach.

If you really want to improve your presentations invest time, money and effort in improving your presentation skills.


George Torok

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Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

BS is BS and it will Create a Disconnect With Your Audience

Read this message that I read on a discusion group and look for the first major disconnect.

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The Business of Humility....

Humility doesn't make for flamboyant headlines, but business leaders who combine intelligence, integrity and a generous dose of humility, build organizations that are more constantly successful and enduring. I always keep in mind the story of the Canadian firm where a young woman sales executive made an error that cost the company a $1 million account. When the executive offered to resign, her boss refused, saying, "You can't leave the company; I have a $1 million investment in you."There are two opposing types of leadership: arrogant, timid leaders and humble, quietly confident leaders. The Oxford English Dictionary defines arrogant as “having an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities.”

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I read this and was okay until the "story about the Canadian firm..."


This version is a bogus story.

I recognized this story as having been told before. It was first told in a book about Thomas Watson at IBM.

The person was using his false version of the story on which to build his case. That makes everything else that follows disbelievable at best and a lie at worst.

Not every reader would know the true story - but some would and that would destroy your credibility with those people.

When you are writing or speaking be certain of your facts, storys and urban legends.


George Torok

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Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Superior Presentations Seminar: Video feedback

Lyle, is an experienced presenter who offers his endorsement of the "How to Deliver Superior Presentations Seminar" The next program is May 17, 2011. Check it out.
Register by April 19 to save $160.00 Learn more about this one day seminar by the Toronto Airport. Listen to what other participants said. Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.