The ultimate guide to giving a wedding speech
It’s been said that a successful wedding speech should make the guests laugh and cry in equal measure, which is what makes the best ones so powerful. It also explains why more than half of wedding...
Presentation skills: the dos and don’ts of the dreaded Q&A
You’ve finished your presentation and the audience is applauding loudly. You feel a swell of adrenalin and know you’ve done a great job – all that practise was worth it. But now it’s time for the...
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Empathy is your superpower: how to be a powerful communicator
Traditionally viewed as a 'soft' or 'feminine' skill, empathy is finally getting the attention it deserves as the most important business skill. But what does empathy really mean, and how canusing...
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The recipe for writing a perfect speech
The phenomenal success of TED talks and the ubiquity of public speaking clips on social media has definitely raised the bar for the rest of us when it comes to presenting. But while perfect delivery,...
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How to speak so that people want to listen - Emma analyses three of her favourite TED Talks
The TED Talk has become a cultural phenomenon. Not only do the speaker videos from the event get viewed over a billion times a year, but they have raised the bar for public speaking everywhere. Death...
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How easy is it to reduce a native accent?
Ok, let’s be honest - a lot of people would be offended by the title of this blog post. Why would anyone want to reduce their native accent? After all, our accents are part of our identity, our own...
Social & Cultural Accent softening effective communication elocution
How to use notes in a speech or presentation: a guide for nervous speakers
Watch any TEDx talk and you’ll see the speaker strolling confidently around the stage, making eye contact with members of the audience and using their arms - their whole bodies even - to add emphasis...
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Why you shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting to reduce your native accent.
Should non-native English speakers drop, change or soften their accents? Your first instinct may be an indignant “of course not!” And in a way, we agree. But as with many things in life that seem...
How to create a powerful first impression
You’re bound to have heard the expression “first impressions count.” And it’s true. Humans are hardwired to make snap judgements – it’s an evolutionary instinct. Early man lived in a much more...
Accents and Accent softening - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62765873 Do you sound different to the people around you? Do you feel like you don’t fit in? Or do you relish the fact that you’re just that little...