Posts by Gatherround
8 Tips for Better Eye Contact
When you’re delivering a presentation, you might be tempted to look down at your notes or stare at the back wall. However, if you want your idea to stick, we recommend you look into one very specific place during your presentation: the eyes of your audience members.
Read MoreWhy are We Addicted to Decks?
Seek first to understand… A good friend reminded me the other day of Covey’s 5th Habit, and I knew it was time to explore this phenomenon in greater depth. After all, any successful mission requires we know how high the odds are stacked against us. So why ARE we addicted to presentation decks? What happens in…
Read MoreStories Open the Door to Your Mind
“We’re on the same page.” “Are you riding this wavelength?” “Now you’re speaking my language.” “I’m smellin’ what you’re steppin’ in.”
Read MorePersuasive Spotlight: Sarah Kimes of CallisonRTKL
Sarah Kimes is Senior Associate Vice President and Brand Strategist at CallisonRTKL, a global architecture, planning and design practice. She leads the brand services team at the Dallas, TX office, and her goal is to connect the built environment to people in a way that’s meaningful. How does Sarah create these meaningful connections? She uses…
Read MoreRoom And Bored: The Least Persuasive Place [WORKSHEET]
The presentation is tomorrow. You know your story, and you’ve rehearsed your delivery according to your strengths. You have a sharp understanding of your audience and are prepared to deliver a powerful talk along the lines of empathy. You are unstoppable. Your idea will change the world. Hang on there, cowboy. Where will this meeting…
Read MoreThis Just In: You’re Creative
Funny thing about self esteem: It’s often at its highest when we need it least. The inverse seems true as well: When opportunity knocks, many of us (who aren’t proud to admit it) have been known to pretend we’re not home. This reaction, even though we attach our professional value to the content we share,…
Read MoreI Share, Therefore I Am
Since our beginnings, we humans have defined our individual value by what we share with others. It’s as important a step in self-actualization as any other: Acknowledgement from an audience (of one or many) for providing information perceived as valuable. Does this mean we’re selfish? Hell yes. And we should be proud of it, too.…
Read MoreHow to Funny: Using Humor in your Presentations
Picture yourself selling an idea to an audience. Do you want your audience to laugh, or do you want them to be all business? That’s an easy answer. Laughing releases oxytocin, the feel-good brain chemical that helps boost feelings of loyalty and trust. Go for the chuckles, and help your audience feel how much they…
Read MoreHow to Get People to Show Up at Your Presentations
Recently, when speaking with a franchised restaurant client, we were discussing one of the greatest chicken/egg issues in the business: traffic. It’s a pretty simple equation, really, but talk it long enough and it starts to look like the snake eating its tail. More so than average guest check, traffic drives restaurant sales. And as…
Read More7 Signs of Deck Addiction
Let’s just come right out with it, shall we? Corporate cultures can cloud our judgment and cause us to develop behaviors we wouldn’t otherwise endorse. Behaviors become habits, and the next thing we know, we’re preparing a PowerPoint to request vacation days. Sheesh. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Okay, maybe a little shame. But…
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