Spoken with Authority

If you're in D.C. this weekend, check out this free, outdoor concert 🎶 at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital! We're excited to continue our support as sponsors for the American Roots Music Series. #concerts #dcconcerts #thingstodoindc #freeconcerts #freethingsindc #washingtondc

Question: Small talk on the weekend—do you love it 😍 or dread it 😓? This holiday long weekend, whether you're chatting with a neighbor in the yard, attending a BBQ, or participating in any other social activity, here are 5 tips: 📰 Prepare: Brainstorm conversation points, such as seasonal activities, new movies that have come out, or upcoming events like back-to-school and the arrival of fall. ❤️ Focus on Shared Meaning: What brought you both here? ⭐️ Keep It Positive: Ask others about the best thing that’s happened to them this week, month, or summer. Save complaints for close friends and when you have more time. 🏐 Volleyball Analogy: Think of small talk like keeping the ball in the air by asking follow-up questions. 👋 End the Conversation: Summarize the highlights of your discussion, say it was great to talk, and recap possible next steps. Interested in improving your #smalltalk and #networking skills? Whether it's a group training or 1-1 coaching engagement, schedule a call to discuss your goals and timeline: https://lnkd.in/ePzUFW6Z

☀️ 📚 Looking for a great book for the last long weekend of summer? Our Spoken with Authority team shared their top book recommendations from communications (we can't help ourselves, we're communication experts!) to historical fiction to a spy thriller. Whether you're on the beach, camping in the woods, or in your backyard, these picks are sure to make your long weekend reading more enjoyable. Dive in and find your next favorite book! 📚 "Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection" by Charles Duhigg 📚 "Pandora's Box: How Guts, Guile, and Greed Upended TV" by Peter Biskind 📚 "Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less" by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz 📚 "Says Who?: A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words" by Anne Curzan, Ph.D. 📚 "James" by Percival Everett 📚 "London Rules" by Mick Herron 📚 "Presenting Now: A Guide to Public Speaking and Leadership Communication Online, in Person, and Beyond" by Christine Clapp and Bjørn F. Stillion Southard (https://lnkd.in/eqXGvz5Q) Book recommendations by Jean Costanza Miller, Ph.D., Lisa Richard, Christine Clapp, David Henderson, Lynne Adrine, and Bjørn Stillion Southard #summerreading #bookrecommendations #communicationbooks #publicspeaking #leadershipcommunication #executivepresence #presentationskills

Why is it that we talk about #performanceassessment and #feedback as something we dread? The simple answer is because giving feedback is often a last resort instead of a first step. We should be giving timely feedback all year, not just during performance reviews. There are lots of good models that can provide some guidance, but most of those focus on the feedback giver and “delivering a message“ focused on the behavior you want to change or reinforce, the effects of that behavior, and goals for realizing any desired change. Spoken with Authority Coach and Facilitator Jean Costanza Miller, Ph.D.'s COMMA model takes a broader view that is more appropriate for holistic performance review and that provides guidance for BOTH giving and receiving feedback. Conversation: two-way communication from the beginning. Opportunity: for both people to develop trust, gain insight, and grow Mindset: openness and consideration, not control and defend Message:  🚪 Open the door to the right time and place 🖼️ Frame the conversation 🔦 Describe objectively 📥 Keep the conversation open Active listening: nonverbal engagement and no distractions A COMMA, like feedback, is not a beginning or an end. It’s a tiny pause that connects what’s come before to what’s ahead. Learn more about Dr. Jean's COMMA model, giving timely feedback relevant to different workplace situations, and ways of reducing defensiveness when receiving critical feedback with our new training offering – Moving Forward with Feedback: https://lnkd.in/g_FvZ6Qy Are you interested in bringing this training program to your organization or law firm? Let's chat! Schedule a call here: https://lnkd.in/eRUukDfx #businesscommunication #professionaldevelopment #teamperformance #learninganddevelopment #leadershipcommunication

The way you stand to speak can set you up for success if you ready your body from your toes 👣 to your nose 👃. First, if you have to make your way to the front of the room, microphone, or center stage, walk slowly and calmly. Do not rush or tense your body. Then, when you arrive at the location where you will speak, prepare your body from the ground up. Make sure you: ▪️ Plant your feet wide, hip width apart ▪️ Lift your toes up, spread them wide in your shoes, and grip the floor with them ▪️ Lift your knee caps, taking care not to lock your knees ▪️ Engage your core - quads, glutes, and abdomen ▪️ Roll shoulders back and down with your arms hanging at your sides and hands unclenched ▪️ Raise your chest high ▪️ Tuck your chin ▪️ Pretend you have a string lifting the crown of your head to the celling to give you upward energy ▪️ Take a deep breath in while you smile and look out at the audience Now that you spent a few moments preparing your body, it is time to speak. Say the first purposeful word of your presentation, taking care to avoid saying “um” or another filler word and to articulate slowly and crisply. The next time you are sharing a quick update with colleagues in a routine meeting, giving a toast at a social event, introducing a speaker, or standing on a stage to deliver a formal speech, we hope you remember to get ready from your TOES to your NOSE. #publicspeaking #presentationskills #bodylanguage #professionalpresence #keynotespeaker #executivepresence

📖 ⭐️ The best compliment a book can receive? Being bought in bulk to share with others! Recently, we were talking with someone who has never worked with us, and they said our newest book, 'Presenting Now', was recommended to them by someone in their network. So they bought a copy and loved it so much they bought more to gift to their co-workers. This is the highest compliment, as this book was written with the busy professional in mind, whether they've just graduated or are a seasoned executive, to be a resource for them regardless of what speaking role they have on their calendar. Want to learn more about our newest book co-authored by Christine Clapp and Dr. Bjørn Stillion Southard? Check out this video, then learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eqXGvz5Q #presentationskills #presentationskillstraining #publicspeaking #publicspeakingcoach #keynotespeaker #businesspresentations #businesscommunication #oralcommunication #leadershipcommunication

⛳️ Recently, #teambuilding at SWA was in full swing thanks to #vr putt-ing our team in an immersive environment where we could connect and have fun. #Virtualreality allows our team to come together while reducing our carbon footprint - geographically we are spread out from New York to DC to Dallas to Denver - as we 'traveled' to a mini golf course in a Japanese Zen Garden with Sakura trees in full bloom and Japanese architecture ⛩️ 🌸 . Just like the golf course is known as a place for business, VR provides a great opportunity to practice #oralcommunication skills like your personal introduction and small talk. Thank you to Better Than Unicorns, LLC for introducing us to another transformative VR experience and for being our guides! 📸 : Brett A McCall Avatars L to R: Amanda Pruden, David Henderson, Christine Clapp, Terri Dahl Not photographed: Robert W. Gordon, Esq., Michele Morrissey, M.A., CCC-SLP, Jean Costanza Miller, Ph.D. #smalltalk #personalintroduction #networking #vrforbusiness #virtualrealityforbusiness #professionaldevelopment

Being a confident communicator is necessary at every step of one's career. At Spoken with Authority, we provide presentation skills, executive presence, and leadership communication #training and #coaching to new professionals, subject-matter experts, emerging leaders, leaders, and executives at law firms, professional services firms, associations, nonprofits, corporations, and government. We elevate the presence and expand the influence of professionals who are novice, intermediate, and advanced while promoting inclusion in their organizations. Our clients are focused on improving outcomes in a wide range of communication situations, such as presentations, briefings, reports, lectures, conferences, pitches, TED-style talks, ceremonial speeches, toasts, meetings, phone calls, panels, networking events, job interviews, performance reviews, casual conversations, media and podcast interviews, and difficult conversations. We have a track record of success supporting a diverse range of speakers, including those who have a deep-seated fear of public speaking, are non-native English speakers, or are neurodiverse (ADHD, Autism spectrum disorder, etc.). If it sounds like we'd be a good fit for your organization or law firm, we'd love to chat: https://lnkd.in/ePzUFW6Z #executivepresence #professionalpresence #presentationskills #leadershipcommunication #businesscommunication #oralcommunication

Normally, this time of year we'd be telling you "fall is coming" and encouraging you to book a call to get on our calendar for fall programs. 🍁 However, our clients are already securing their preferred dates for winter 2025 ❄️ ... and even into spring 2025. 🌷 As you're having meetings to decide how to spend your remaining FY2024 budget, and planning for your FY2025 budget, book a call with us to discuss your goals and timeline. Whether it's for training and coaching in the fall of 2024 or into 2025, we'd love to chat! https://lnkd.in/eRUukDfx #presentationskills #presentationskillstraining #publicspeaking #publicspeakingcoach #professionaldevelopment #employeedevelopment

Tip: You already have access to an AI tool that will help you boost your presentation skills 📈 Microsoft Presenter Coach is an amazing and helpful #ai tool (and one of our favorite resources) that we recommend our clients use between coaching sessions or after a coaching engagement has concluded. This tool provides accurate and real-time feedback when they practice their presentation skills. In #powerpoint, select 'Rehearse with Coach,' then say aloud a presentation or a contribution to an upcoming meeting.  Microsoft Presenter Coach listens and uses AI to create a report that tells you how you did. Specifically, it will give you a summary and include: 📊 Your speaking time and rate 📊 Use of filler words and repetitive language 📊 Vocal intensity and variations Watch our video tutorial here: https://lnkd.in/e6CaQNRn If you aren't already using Microsoft Presenter Coach, now is the time to try it! If you’d like support to help you improve your #executivepresence in conjunction with Microsoft Presenter Coach, please book a time with us to discuss your needs and goals: https://lnkd.in/eRUukDfx Graphic: screenshot of Microsoft Presenter Coach rehearsal report with text overlaid 'Elevate Your Presentation Skills with AI' #presentationskills #presentationskillscoach #presentationskillstraining #oralcommunication #powerpointtips