Speaking Archives - Catherine Johns

Business Communication, Communication, Speaking, Writing

Speak Their Language

Speak their language. What do you say? A better question might be “How do you say it?”.
Marketing genius Seth Godin was writing about writing this week. I had speaking in mind, though, when I read this in his newsletter: “It’s tempting to simply focus our attention on the text itself… But messages merely begin with the text. The rhythm, presentation, source, and context deliver most of what we take away from a message.” Amen to that! A client preparing for an important speech came to my office dining room table this week with a copy of her speech. It was fine. And “fine” isn’t exactly a home run, is it? My job is to help my client bring this talk from fine to fabulous.

Catherine Johns | Sep 20, 2023

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Mindset, Speaking

The Confidence Question—and an Answer

The Confidence Question—and an Answer: It was a familiar request. So many clients come to me with the same goal. “I want,” she said, “to sound and feel more confident when speaking in person and on Zoom, especially when introducing myself and explaining what I do.” You know I don’t offer myself as a mindset coach, although people often do change their mindset during our work together. In a way, I’m more of a bodyset coach. Seems to me that one good path to a new way of thinking and feeling is through the body. And it starts, of all places, with the feet.

Catherine Johns | Jul 19, 2023

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Business Communication, Speaking

You’re speaking. Something goes wrong…

What do you do when you’re in front of an audience and suddenly the unexpected happens? You wouldn’t be the first, that’s for sure. You do enough speaking, and sooner or later you’ll run into a SITUATION. Like this… I had just begun my talk at a professional association meeting. It was a late night; those folks had been in that room for hours. They’d listened to a bunch of updates and award-giving and plans for the coming year. The energy in the room was low. That put some pressure on me to liven things up. Interaction almost always helps…so I invited questions and comments from the get-go.

Catherine Johns | Jun 21, 2023

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Mindset, Speaking

This, too …

This, too shall pass. It was such a good reminder in an email from a friend. “It came to pass,” she wrote. “It did not come to stay.” Exactly right! Whatever “it” is in our lives right now, one thing we can be sure of is that it came to pass. And our experience tells us it definitely didn’t come to stay. It’s so easy to get into a spiral of doom when things go badly in our personal or professional lives. I don’t know about you, but I find myself imagining that life will remain exactly as it is today—forever. Maybe you lost a job you loved and thought, “I’ll never find another position as perfect for me.” “I’m going to miss those wonderful colleagues I won’t see anymore.” Or even, “I’ll never work again.” (Yes, I have more than a passing familiarity with unemployment.)

Catherine Johns | Jun 14, 2023

photo of sad dog looking out window in the rain.

Business Communication, Speaking

Another Take on Taking Turns

Another take on taking turns: Have you been taking turns? Last week’s letter to you left me particularly aware of creating space in conversations. On the phone with family, at lunch with a long-time friend, sitting at the rehab center with Frank…I’ve tried to be sensitive to turn exchange and turn duration. Handing over the conversational ball and not snatching it back immediately. Who knows if any of them noticed? Still, it seems that putting some attention on taking turns has to have a positive impact on the quality of communication. It also brings up another question. What if you’re the only one speaking? If communication is always two-way (and it is) what happens when we’re at the front of the room, on a stage, or giving our presentation at a team meeting?

Catherine Johns | Jun 7, 2023