Articles in category: Resources for Speakers

The holiday season is a time of renewing traditions: parties with friends, family, and colleagues; decorating the house, inside and out; and making wishlists and shopping for the items on the lists of those you love.

On Six Minutes, we have a holiday tradition too: a holiday list of gift ideas for speakers, whether that recipient is you, or someone special in your life. In this article, we list speaker gift ideas ranging from tiny stocking stuffers to more tantalizing items. Whether you are a professional speaker or whether speaking is a new hobby, there’s something for everyone.

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What if I told you that you could attend a series of workshops given by seven presentation experts?

What if I told you that you could do so without getting on a plane, a bus, or even a bicycle?

What if told it was free?

I’m pleased to invite you to attend a free online webinar series focussed on improving your skills as a presenter.

The speakers include several experts which have been featured before on Six Minutes:

• Carmen Taran – author of Better Beginnings (read our book review)
• Jan Schultink – author of the Idea Transplant blog, a favorite of mine
• Ellen Finkelstein – organizer of the workshop series, and also a noted PowerPoint blogger

Other speakers include Cliff Atkinson, Bruce Gabrielle, Simon Morton, and… me!

Webinars are scheduled every Wednesday. They start on September 7th, and continue through October 26th. (I’m presenting on October 19th.) Sessions will be recorded and available for playback if you can’t make every one… but you must be registered to get access.

I attended several of the sessions in last year’s Outstanding Presentations Workshop, and I learned a great deal. I highly recommend investing just an hour each week in this informative series.

Read more about the Outstanding Presentations Workshop on the website and register today!

This afternoon, I watched Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech again. (You can find the full speech text and video, along with an extensive Six Minutes speech analysis here.)

I was reminded of the tremendous power speeches can wield. One cannot watch Dr. King or read his words without stirring emotions, even though the speech was given over 47 years ago.

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Six Minutes readers around the world. I hope this season is peaceful and happy for you, your family, and friends.

It’s been quiet around Six Minutes for a while, but we’ll be resuming regular articles soon.

In the meantime, you may be interested in some holiday resources:

• Stocking Stuffers for Public Speakers
  Helpful resources you might pick up for yourself or a speaker in your life.
• Gifts Public Speakings Really Want: Dozens of Christmas Ideas
  Categorical listings of gift ideas.
• 12 Days of Public Speaking Christmas
  Twelve figures of speech, eleven poignant phrases, …

Our recent interview with Kristin Arnold, President of the National Speakers Association, led me to several questions:

• How many professional speaker associations exist?
• Where are they?
• How long have they been around?
• How many members do they have?

Do you know the answers? Read on!

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The barbecues are ready. The vacations are planned. The schools are squeezing students out.

Summer has arrived.

Lazy summer days and relaxing summer evenings provide some of the best conditions for enjoying a good book, whether educational or frivolous.

What will you be reading? Will a speaking book or two slide into your plans? If you are looking for a great summer read, consider the books below.

In this article, we list the most popular public speaking books being read by the Six Minutes community — people just like you with an avid interest in speaking effectively.

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Have you taken a college course in public speaking?

Have you taught a college course in public speaking?

Which textbook did you use, and would you recommend it?

I’m interested to hear all your recommendations, the good and the bad.

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Have you ever fainted in mid-sentence?

Have you ever shown up for a 1-hour seminar only to be told you had to give it eight times in a row?

Have you ever had your blouse pop open while speaking?

These were just a few of the confessions shared by Six Minutes readers in our contest to win a copy of Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun.

Thank you to everyone who participated. The responses are collectively funny, surprising, and educational. A few of the most shocking confessions and the most valuable insights are featured below. Click here to read all of them back at the original contest article.

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Last week, we reviewed Scott Berkun’s latest book, Confessions of a Public Speaker.

I asked Sara Peyton over at O’Reilly (the book publisher) for a few copies for Six Minutes readers, and she kindly agreed.

Now, you can win one of three copies by sharing your own public speaking confessions!

• What speaking lesson did you learn the hard way?
• What was your most embarrassing speaking experience?
• What secret speaking techniques do you use?

[Another reason to celebrate? This marks the 200th article at Six Minutes. Yippee!]

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If your family is like mine, Christmas fever is starting to strike. Decorations are going up around the neighborhood, and every day brings new ads for holiday sales.

If you are anything like me, your Christmas wish list includes an item or two to feed your speaking hobby or career.

Last year, Six Minutes provided dozens of Christmas ideas for the speaker in your life (or you!). By popular demand, we’re doing it again.

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Looking for public speaking experts on Twitter?

Two years ago, Six Minutes compiled an extensive list of public speaking bloggers.

Now, we’ve enhanced the list to include Twitter accounts for those bloggers.

As of this writing:

• Twitter List — 73 bloggers listed:
  @6minutes/public-speaking-bloggers
• On Six Minutes — 117 blogs listed:
  Public Speaking Blogs

You can follow Six Minutes on Twitter here: @6minutes