A recent Saturday provided some glorious weather. It was PERFECT for…doing yard work; at least I’m sure that’s how my wife Andrea saw it. In truth, cutting the hedges was MY idea, and it meant pulling out the extension cord reel to accommodate my electric hedge trimmer. The reel had been sitting atop a high…
Special Edition Episode for Speech Contestants: You were SURE that you won the contest. You were set to ‘WOW’ your audience. You were confident that you would ‘ace’ your presentation. But you lost. You forgot your lines. Your speech fell flat. How do you pick yourself up? Mark & Darren get answers from fellow World…
During his journey ‘from pothead to pastor’ as he put it, Manley Miller discovered the power of AUDIENCE CONNECTION, and has been committed to becoming a master connector. “I’m always exploring – how do I connect?”, he says during this frank, in-depth conversation with Darren and Mark. He also reveals his meticulous process of writing,…
The need for virtual presentations has skyrocketed in recent weeks, and as presenters, none of us wants to be BORING. But how can we keep our audiences engaged…especially when they’re bombarded by children, pets, spouses/significant others, TVs, phones, package deliveries, alerts, alarms and more? Darren and Mark reveal 11 PACE ELEMENTS (the changes of pace…
Picture this: All your life you feel awkward, and out of place. You make the commitment to develop your speaking skills. You decide to become an expert communicator. You determine to be an influencer. You are only 10 years old. What? How does those decisions even cross your mind at such a young age? This…
Conflict makes a story interesting and suspenseful. It also engages the audience, especially if they identify with the conflicted character. But how can you use conflict effectively? Darren and Mark discuss the role of conflict, and they offer 3 keys to using conflict successfully. In this episode, find out how well-managed conflict can help to…
From 14-year-old sports commentator, to movie reviewer, to being hired by Arnold Schwarzenegger to speak at the White House, Scott McKain has had a distinctive career. What steps did he take? What did he learn? How does he continue to be distinctive? Mark and Darren have a heart-to-heart with Scott, gleaning nuggets about crafting unforgettable…
In early 2019, a particular phenomenon took social media by storm…the 10-year Challenge! To participate, you had to post a photo of yourself from 2009, and another from 2019, to show how you had changed in 10 years. The photos had to be in a COLLAGE format, with your ‘before and after’ photos juxtaposed, and…
One of the strengths of every presentation is the MAIN CHARACTER in a story. But how do you get the audience to SEE, FEEL & HEAR them? And how important is the ‘supporting cast’? How pivotal can THEY be if they are portrayed well? Darren and Mark take a in-depth look at techniques for ‘becoming’…
You have to deliver a presentation, provide a corporate update, facilitate a workshop, host a seminar, or moderate a panel. But you have to do it VIRTUALLY…for the first time. Presentation delivery methods are changing…and so must you. Where do you start? What application do you choose? How will you get an online audience to…
As I type this, I’m home in my workspace, having faced TWO program cancellations this week, no thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. This phenomenon has changed the world, and in these unprecedented times, it’s easy to feel like we are all drifting at sea, trying to navigate uncharted waters. None the less, we can find…
How do you transform a FRAUD INVESTIGATOR into ‘The FUNNY FED?’ What’s the magic behind taking a so-so story, and making it hilarious? How can you deliver serious messages with humor and hilarity? Mark and Darren hear first hand from Hall-of-Fame speaker and renowned humorist Tim Gard about the how to find funny in everyday…