Guila Muir

Developing trainers, presenters and facilitators to make a difference

Articles Tagged ‘Lecturing’

Focus on the Uncommitted in Your Audience

Presenters, do you fear waves of animosity coming from your audience? Or have you ever believed your audience to be friendly and accepting, only to receive a terrible shock? One of the best “Presenter Tricks” I know is to present as if everyone in your audience is “uncommitted”. Doing so allows you to effectively deal …
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The Myth of the Facilitator

Here’s a pet peeve of mine: Adult educators who call themselves “Facilitators”…and then go on to give a traditional, one-sided, PowerPoint-heavy training session. I estimate that 87.5% of trainers who call themselves “facilitators” are lying. Why? Because they model few skills of facilitation. Well Then, What is a Facilitator? A facilitator is content-neutral. Because of …
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Fake It ‘Til You Make It – Annoying Cliche or Truth?

I occasionally surprise myself by uttering the cliché above while encouraging a shy person to improve their presentation skills and confidence. I used to secretly kick myself for using such a hackneyed phrase—until I read Richard Wiseman’s great book, “As If.” In it, he cites dozens of studies showing that if we act a certain …
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Dive In!
Presenting and Open Water Swimming

I am an “adult onset” swimmer. Learning to swim at age 46, I trembled with the same anxieties as many of my Presentation Skills clients. I even heard myself describe my experience using the same words. Swimming was unnatural, awkward, unnerving, and out of my comfort zone. Twelve years after my first lesson,  I continue …
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The Curse of Knowledge

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com Think of a skill you have, (such as driving, swimming, writing, reading…) Would you say you are unconsciously competent with this skill? That is, Can you do it without thinking about it? Is it part of you, like an instinct? Would you have a hard time explaining the steps of this …
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Presenting from the Seat of Your Pants

Here’s how to present with confidence and authority while sitting:

Place your feet parallel to each other, flat on the floor, facing forward. Your knees should be bent at a 90 degree angle. No crossing your legs!
Feel your sitz bones, (the bones at the very bottom ends of each side of your pelvis) sitting squarely on the chair. These form your anchor.
Roll your shoulders down your back, opening your chest.
Practice gesturing in the camera. Make sure your hands are visible, but don’t move them TOO close to your face. Gesturing makes you appear much more dynamic, and helps bring your own energy up.

Your Biggest Gift as a Speaker

Why is it easier for many of us to present in front of a few people than to a larger audience? Why do many of us believe that some people just “have what it takes” to present effectively, and the rest of us don’t? The truth is that everyone has the innate gifts to speak in public.

Four Gender-Specific Presentation Blunders

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com Is it true that men tend to make certain types of blunders while presenting, and women others? In my experience, yes. I have worked with hundreds of individuals and single-sex groups, and notice recurring, gender-specific behaviors that sabotage presentations. In the interest of advancing further research, I submit these very common …
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Does Smiling Help or Hurt Presenters?

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com The actual answer to this question, based upon many studies and years of research, is “it depends.” How Smiling Helps The act of smiling changes our brain chemistry for the better. An authentic smile can: Boost mood and confidence by increasing serotonin, norepinephrine and endorphins. Lower heart rate, and Reduce anxiety. …
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Stand and Deliver!

Are you serious about wanting to increase your dynamism, power and energy as a speaker? Then you must stand up when you present. Andy Eklund, a presentation skills expert, tells us: “The vast majority of people are at least 50% less dynamic when sitting down, because their body movements are halved … and perhaps as …
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Present With Purpose

To ensure a successful presentation every time, presenters should start by developing a clear, concise purpose statement. The purpose statement serves two important roles. It helps keep you focused and on track as you develop the presentation. It also helps your audience focused on your message from the get-go. Before you present: Clarifying the purpose …
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3 Rules for Excellent Presentations

I was excited to find John Medina’s great book, Brain Rules, in the San Francisco airport bookstore in 2009. The book is incredibly readable and valuable to trainers and presenters. I was thrilled most of all to see that Medina provides research to support 3 rules I’ve shared in my Train the Trainer classes for …
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Perfect Presentations: What Not to Wear

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com How to dress for credibility, while remaining true to yourself. What to wear for a perfect presentation? As you design and polish your speech, developing visual aids and handouts, this question may fall into the background until dangerously close to the presentation. Suddenly, you look up: “Yikes! What am I going …
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3 Words to Weaken Your Presentation

I’m here with some good news for most presenters—along with some cautions you’ve probably never thought about. The Good News: “Ums” Won’t Kill You Speakers, don’t worry so much about using fillers like “um” and “uh. ” These only become problematic when other distracting factors are in play. Your audience will only notice your “ums” …
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Can You Hear Me Now? Three Tips to Rise Above the Crowd

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com WOW, the pressure on public speakers is great. Speakers and audiences realize that PowerPoint won’t save anyone anymore. The focus now shines on YOU more than ever before. How can you be heard above the crowd? 1.  Do your homework. What are your audience’s needs, wants, anxieties, biases, “personality?” What history …
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