Rob’s blog
Ep. 17. Practice. No, really practice.
Think rehearsal and preparation kill your spontaneity? This episode could change your mind — by showing you how rehearsal actually frees you to make spontaneous choices in the moment. Tips, techniques… and an excuse to use coloured highlighters. What more could you ask from a podcast?
Ep. 16. Don’t just read your speech. Perform it.
This episode, we pivot from speechwriting to speaking itself. And we start with the single biggest way most speakers can level up: authentic performance.
Ep. 15. How to get great feedback on your speech
Want actionable feedback on your speech? Here’s how to ask the right person, for the right feedback, at the right time.
Ep. 14. Get your audience to expect more… of themselves.
You’ve reached the end of your speech. Now it’s time for a powerful call to action and conclusion. And you can do it in four steps: challenge, call, recipe and reward. Here’s how.
Ep. 13. Don’t meet your audience’s expectations
By all means, meet — or beat — your audience’s expectations for what they’ll get out of your speech. But not for what you put into it. Here’s how to be surprising and unpredictable, but still reliable.
Ep. 12. Make your audience a little uncomfortable
Every instinct tells us to make our audiences comfortable. Yet a little discomfort can lead to some of the most powerful experiences your speech can offer. Here’s how.
Ep. 11. Use slides well… if at all
The world is full of speeches weighed down with terrible slide decks. Don’t let yours be one of them. This episode, we look at how to make PowerPoint work well for you and your audience — and I make the case for not using slides at all.
Ep. 10. Ease up on the statistics
A flood of statistics can lose your audience. Let’s talk about how to chose a gem of a statistic and put it in the perfect setting… and then make it part of what drives your story, instead of dragging it off course.
Ep. 9. Suspense!
One of the most effective ways a speech can hold an audience’s attention is suspense. And withholding a little information can whet their appetite for the answer to the question, “What happens next?”
Ep. 8: Consider all of your audiences
The folks in the room are just one of the audiences your speech is going to reach. Here’s how to think through who else may be listening in… and how you’ll account for them when you’re writing your speech.
Ep. 7. Use plain language… but not just plain language
Plain language can make your speech a lot clearer. But there are times when speechwriters and speakers want to reach for the more complex words… and even use (gasp!) jargon.
Ep. 6. Defend your narrative arc
Between “helpful” suggestions from others and your own creativity, it often isn’t easy keeping a speech on topic and on track. Here are some tools for sticking to the path.
Why, yes — I’d LOVE to speak at your event
Public speaking and speechwriting: the essential guides
Looking for advice on public speaking, speechwriting and leadership communications? Here are some of my most comprehensive posts, on topics that people ask me about most often.
