Phil Stella

Hand it to Your Audience

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In a recent LinkedIn Discussion Group, I responded to a question about gestures in presentations. Here’s a summary of some of the basic points I shared that often come up in my presentation skill workshops and executive coaching engagements. Gestures are normal, natural and human. Authentic ones usually work well. But some gestures are ineffective … Read more

What’s in a Name?

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Another LinkedIn discussion question asked professional speakers for their opinion about the term ‘motivational speaker’. I really enjoyed sharing this load of steaming rant: ‘What’s in a name … indeed!’ What we call ourselves defines us and our value proposition. ‘Speaking’ is what we do – a presenter-centric term. ‘Learning’, ‘Growing’ or ‘Improving’ is what … Read more

Harness the Power of the Pen

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Many entrepreneurs and small business leaders I work with face the frustrating and bewildering ‘Marketing Paradox’ … they recognize the critical need to do more and better marketing of their products or services to survive and thrive. But, while few may have the knowledge and skills to effectively do it themselves, they hesitate to – or can’t – invest the money to have other people do it for them. The result is that they often do nothing. Bad idea.

If you have more money than time, find a pro – or several – who can help you figure out your plan and carry it out. Several of my colleagues, who are excellent marketing pros, are ready to help you – let me know if you want any referrals.

If you have more time than money, consider some ‘No-Budget Marketing’ strategies that need little if any financial investment. One that I have found very useful for sustaining my business over the last 22 years is harnessing the Power of the Pen … and getting free ink.

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Phil made public speaking FUN

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‘My first encounter with Phil Stella was a student at the University of Phoenix and as an ASTD speaker. Phil is an awesome teacher and guide. I learned so much from being in his class. As an instructor, he gave his students communication theory and the opportunity exercise our wings to develop as creative and … Read more

Reject Regular Redundancies … Really!

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Let’s continue on our journey of challenging your word use habits in workplace communication and business writing. Effective word use is the same, whether the medium of communicating those words is spoken or written. And remember, the responses ‘That’s the first word I thought of’ … or … ‘That’s the one I usually use’ don’t work very well with audience centric messages.

Redundancies Are Laughable

We’ve gotten into some sloppy habits regarding redundancy. While this tendency may not be a major problem in verbal or written communication, it does waste words and the result is often amusing. Unless you’re a comedian, you probably don’t want people chuckling about what you said or wrote.

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Networking for Introverts

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I recently got a call from a reader who admitted to being very introverted, but still wanted to improve her networking results. I thought others might benefit from what I shared, so here’s the essence of that conversation.

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Make Meetings Work … Even Better

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A recent article discussed how to make meetings work better by thorough planning. Assuming that you now do that, the next two steps are to meet as planned and the follow up thoroughly.

Be A Leader – The Meeting Management Phase

While effective planning is essential to a meeting’s success, how you manage that meeting will have a profound impact on its results. You want people to say “That’s the best meeting I’ve been to in a long time” … every time.

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Quaint Quote-ables

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Here are some words of wisdom from Paulson’s ’50 Tips …’ book mentioned in the August Bookshelf. Quote at your own risk. ‘I like to keep everything substantive, short and to the point.’          Harvey MacKay, contemporary American business leader, author & speaker ‘Careful preparation spawns spontaneity. But it does mean never, ever writing it … Read more

August Reads

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I actually read two books recently and listened to a third on CD … and recommend all three: ’50 Tips for Speaking Like a Pro’, Terry Paulson Ph.D., 1999, Crisp Publications, Menlo Park, CA One of the sharpest people I encountered in my time with the National Speakers Association. His quick read is aimed more … Read more

Please Hold Your Questions

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Here are some excerpts from a recent LinkedIn discussion group posting on whether or not to hold audience questions until the end of the presentation: I usually prefer inviting questions anytime and all the time. I stress that approach in my workshops and executive coaching engagements, as long as the presenters are comfortable, well prepared, … Read more