If you want to sound like everyone else,
     do what everyone else does.

Unless you want to
     rise above mediocrity . . .
          stand apart from your peers . . .
               and make a lasting impression . . .

How will you take your
speaking to the next level? Do it Yourself Private Coaching Group Training

Frustrated
Communicators

Even when you say everything "right," sometimes it feels like people don't listen—like you're not up to par. That ineffective, anxious feeling in my past led me to study techniques that inspire confidence and make people listen. Learn more ...

Motivated
Achievers

Most of my clients are successful individuals who understand that a worthwhile message isn't enough. Presenting your message in the right way will set you (the messenger) apart from the pack. Take your event or your skills to the next level ...

Organization
Leaders

Studies show that great leaders identify communication skills as the number one thing that makes a difference in their organizations. Please invite me to deliver an inspirational message or a training session to your group.

What's in it for you?

People will listen to you
People will remember
You won't lose words
You'll be more persuasive
You'll feel more confident
More compliance (or sales)
Make a great impression

Attention. Influence. Results.

Should you trust Michael?

Are you a natural performer?
I certainly wasn't born a natural speaker, but you don't have to be. No matter where you start, you can take your communication skills to the next level.

Public speaking background

The first time I spoke in front of a large group, I swore I would never do it again. The content wasn't bad, but I almost passed out. The nerves, the sweating, the nausea. I seriously considered running out of the room, but I was too sick. Looking back, it was a classic anxiety attack.

Even when it was over, the second guessing and mental rehearsal was so bad that I wrote off public speaking forever. My life's greatest regrets are those times when I refused to stand in front of an audience and try to make a difference.

Eventually, I realized that to succeed in life I had to confront it head on. What makes great speakers great? Here I am, 25 years later with the answers. My weakness has become my passion.

Presentation Skills Coaching

For 25 years I've analyzed hundreds of presenters, politicians, and preachers and taken notes when they did something interesting.

After cataloging hundreds of techniques, I finally mustered the courage to quit my desk job and dedicate my career to my passion—speaking! For the next 8 years I travelled from coast to coast testing these principles in front of groups ranging from teenage speech contestants to secret service agents. Thousands of hours on stage have taught me which techniques work, and why.

As I explained these principles to my private coaching clients, I tried many different terms and analogies, until eventually, my explanations became simple enough to fit on a note card. All combined, those notes became a new speaking system: SpeechDeck.com

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My Coaching Resources

Unfortunately, traditional public speaking classes are full of really bad advice! That prompted me to create my own methodology.

Over 20 years, after much trial and error, I've now grouped all of the techniques of communication professionals into just 8 essential principles.

These 8 principles are the foundation for all training and coaching.

How does it work?

You wouldn't be reading this unless you were the kind of person with the initiative to improve yourself. Motivated individuals, inspired to rise above mediocrity and try new techniques, bring a smile to my face.

That is why I've now dedicated my career to tutoring speakers, teaching how to speak in public, and coaching presentation skills. My satisfaction comes from knowing that your next meeting won't be boring, your next audience won't have regrets, and your next presentation will make a difference to real people.

Traditional public speaking coaches

Traditional speaking skills classes, books, and coaches usually fall into two categories: professional speakers and academics.

Most professional speakers are naturally energetic, flamboyant, and gregarious. Unfortunately, consummate extroverts with inborn charisma rarely know how to translate their own talent into presentation techniques that others can apply.

Most classes and books, on the other hand, go with the academic approach. These coaches believe that public speaking is just a rhetorical skill, and that you can become a better presenter by conforming to a set of rules. You'll recognize this style immediately—it's boring!

When you follow the same process as everybody else, you'll sound just like everybody else. By definition, when you conform to the common rules, you are conforming to mediocrity. Professional speakers don't hold your attention with mediocrity, but precisely because they employ techniques that you were not taught in school.

The SpeechDeck approach is unique ...

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My philosophy is based on the following 3 values:

Source:Flikr:digitalbob8

1 It's about Science

Good Information

I spent the first half of my life trying to learn communication by studying communication. Big mistake! Speaking clubs and classes and academics all teach you to organize information. The problem is that good information and good communication are not the same thing.

As soon as I stopped studying communication and started studying psychology, I began to see exactly how inspirational speakers win you over.

Good Science

In the last few decades, science has begun deciphering how the human mind makes subconscious decisions. Many innovative leadership and sales programs have begun using these principles of science in their training to help you have more influence.

Unfortunately, most public speaking trainers are still stuck in the stone age (age of rhetoric).

It doesn't matter what you have to say if nobody is listening.

The first principle of communication is to have a clear message. After that all of the other principles are designed to tap into the listeners' brains in a way that makes people listen to you, makes people remember you, and makes people act in a way that achieves your objectives.

Every technique is guaranteed to work, because it's based on proven communication science. Good communication is about science.

2 It's about you

Make yourself stand out

The second foundation is even simpler—it's all about you. Conventional wisdom says that "it's not about you," and focuses only on your message.

If you believe that you are not important, you might as well stop reading now, because you believe you are replaceable. Good communication is not just about content, it's about people!

The reason you speak is not just because of your message. It is because of you! You are an original! You are more valuable than your message. You are indispensable. You don't want people just to remember your message, you want them to remember you, admire you, rely on you, and promote you!

You are already an expert on your message. My main focus is to help you use your message to make the right impression.

Keep your personal style

With that in mind, I do not believe that everybody should conform to a one-size-fits-all style.

Rather than conforming to procedural rules that make every presenter the same, let's adopt universal principles that allow you the leeway to choose techniques that fit your own personality and style.

I make it my business to recognize your personal style and coach accordingly. You won't succeed by trying to be someone else. Captivate people by being yourself--really!

It's about you!

3 It's about simplicity

Most public speaking courses will give you a presentation checklist. The problem is, unless you are a professional speaker, you don't have time to do a 200 point checklist on every paragraph you write.

The traditional rule-based approach makes communication much more complicated than necessary. Throw away those checklists. SpeechDeck is based on just 8 principles.

At any given time, you need to focus on just one principle at a time. In fact the average speaker may never need to practice more than just 3-4 principles. Depending on your objective and personality, I'll recommend which principles will be most effective.

The advantage of simplicity is that nearly all of the SpeechDeck techniques can be incorporated into real life with just 5 minutes of preparation! You only have to implement multiple techniques if you have the time to dedicate.

It's about simplicity.

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Attention. Influence. Results.

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