Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923) was an Italian economist who noticed that 80 percent of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the people, and that 20% of the peapods in his garden produced 80% of the peas. He invented… Read More »80/20 Rule for Public Speaking
Robert Zajonc [ZYE-unts] was an American social scientist who explored the interplay between feeling and thought–between emotion and cognition. He was interested in determining which influenced the other more strongly. On balance, he came down on the side of emotion. He… Read More »Familiarity breeds affection
I have recently encountered several people who have been rushed into the emergency room of voice and speech training because their vocal presence is not in optimal health. A CEO of a very successful company has a strong, expressive voice,… Read More »Speak up and out
It just so happens I have two clients who talk too much in public. Both are extremely bright, and both strive to speak as though they were writing chiseled prose. When in the act of public speaking, they challenge themselves… Read More »Simple can be sophisticated
Just got back from a trip to the West coast, where I was working with people at the top of the food chain in terms of their cognitive intelligence. Yale, Stanford, Notre Dame–brainiacs. My assignment? Help them get presence! I… Read More »Vehemence aids eloquence
The famous American social scientist, Robert Zajonc [ZYE-unts], explored the interplay between feeling and thought–between emotion and cognition. He was interested in determining which influenced the other more strongly. On balance, he came down on the side of emotion. In… Read More »Scientist’s Rx: smile!