“Why Am I so Hard to Understand When I Speak So Well?”

Lynda Stucky January 18, 2016 Reduce a Foreign Accent, Reduce a Regional Accent

As an English learner with a great command of the language, why are you still hard to understand?

10 Dynamic Ways to Open Your Presentation That Will Rivet Your Audiences

Lynda Stucky March 5, 2018 Develop Language, Public Speaking

If you are giving a speech in the near future, I’d like to challenge you to try something new… Your task is to pick a topic that you love to talk about and create 10 different possible openings for your presentation on that topic.  Your dynamic opening is going to help your listeners decide if they want to listen to you and they will decide in 30 seconds or less.  Making a strong positive and interesting opening will help you make a great first impression and help them to decide if you are credible.

Here is an example of what I’d like you to try.  I frequently talk about executive speech and voice branding because I want to create an awareness about how you can control the way you sound to your desired perception.  Here are 10 different ways to start my presentation using 10 different styles:

Use the “megaphone trick” to improve the way that you sound!

Lynda Stucky June 5, 2018 Develop Your Voice

You’ve heard the expression “kill two birds with one stone” (meaning solving several problems with just one action). I have a speech trick so tremendous that not only does this trick kill two birds with one stone, it kills about five (metaphorically, of course, because I love birds!) What five areas of speech and voice does it help with, you ask?

Here is the list…

Volume–how loudly you speak

Rate–how quickly you talk

Diction–how sharply you pronounce vowels and consonants

Resonance–how full and rich sounding you sound

Intonation–how vocally expressive you are.

Use the megaphone trick to improve the way that you sound! Let me first explain the theory behind the trick: 

Anxiety Induced Social and Vocal Changes

Lynda Stucky February 21, 2020 Develop Your Voice

You’re about to speak to a client, group of your peers, colleagues or  your boss. Breathing exercises have helped keep your heart rate at a normal level.  Suddenly you open your mouth and out comes nothing or even worse, a high-pitched crackly voice.  You try clearing your throat or taking a drink of water, but nothing helps. Now you’re left wondering why your voice failed you.

How to Craft Messages that Resonate with Your Audiences

Lynda Stucky November 4, 2016 Build Your Brand, Public Speaking

With the US political campaign season coming to a close, you may have noticed that a stark difference in communication styles exists between the top two candidates.  Each candidate resonates with some audiences but not with others. This fact verifies what you already know: you can’t please everyone with your style. Often times when I give examples of style differences at my workshops, I hear complete opposite reactions to the same voice. One person loves the way a speaker communicates and someone else hates it. This dichotomy presents an interesting challenge for you, because as an executive speaker who is trying to resonate with your audience, you know that there are audience members that you just won’t be able to reach. 

How To Stop Ho-Hum Presentations

Lynda Stucky July 12, 2017 Public Speaking

Should business presentations be delivered as effectively as keynote speeches that are intended to inspire and engage?

Board rooms and staff meetings tend to be the most boring places to engage people.  Reports are read and too many details on too many slides are presented.  What can you differently? 

Well, how about telling stories in your presentations to sell an idea, to present your stats and/or to motivate and inspire your staff.  Your leadership skills and ideas will come through the  best by telling compelling stories that resonate with your audiences.  I’m inspired to tell you this because last night I attended the Moth in Pittsburgh and I want to share with you four tips… 

Olympians Shouldn’t Be the Only Ones to Get a Gold Medal This Winter

Lynda Stucky February 19, 2018 Build Your Brand

Have you been as riveted as I have been to the television as the winter Olympics unfold? There is nothing like an evening spent watching these great athletes with the fireplace roaring and a warm cup of tea in my hands. I love to watch the couples dance on ice and the aerial events; my husband prefers hockey or downhill skiing. The athletes’ stories of courage, hard work, determination, and overcoming obstacles is a clear indication of how their success didn’t occur in a straight path upward.

But why should all the much earned glory, and more importantly, those coveted gold medals go to those we see on TV? Don’t you deserve your own gold medal this winter? I sure think so. And that’s why I’m sending you a gold meda–to remind you that this is a great time to go for the gold!  O.K. a photo isn’t as fancy as one of the 259 medal sets that will be awarded this month but I wanted to do something to get your attention.

Here are a three areas of communication that are the gold standard to strive towards to develop your leadership skills: