If Mark Twain were alive today, he would have more followers on Twitter than Oprah Winfrey. Why? He was a master of epigrams: pithy sayings or ideas communicated in a clever and amusing way. He is one of the most quotable individuals, and for good reason. While many are familiar with his writings, he was […]
Before the onslaught of technology and information that follows us everywhere there was one effective method for passing along information from person to person, village to village, civilization to civilization: Storytelling. Before there was the ability to write, or later print to pass along written word, it was left to the memory and ability of […]
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_video src=”https://vimeo.com/225026098″ image_src=”//i.vimeocdn.com/video/644222338_960.jpg” _builder_version=”3.0.60″ /][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.60″] If you’ve got whatever you’ve developed and you can’t communicate it, you are no closer to the top of your mountain than you were when you developed it. I have been to multiple pitches and I always say to clients: […]
Public speaking is far from most people’s favorite thing to do. In fact, it’s not just something people don’t want to do, but for many, it’s something they’re legitimately afraid to do. However, with communication being such a critical element of a person’s successful career, one’s attitude toward speaking needs to adjust. Understandably, this change […]
Most successful politicians find themselves in the position they are in due to their ability to masterfully deliver a message and persuade others to believe in their cause. That is their job—to speak and inspire action on behalf of the people they represent. This is why so many of the greatest speeches of our time […]
If you’re like most people, public speaking is one of the last things they’d volunteer to do. In fact, it’s one of the greatest fears people experience. If I’ve described you, or if you fall anywhere on the fear spectrum for public speaking, I’m here to tell you that you can overcome the anxiety and […]
When it comes to refining any craft – like public speaking – it’s always incredibly helpful to absorb as much relevant information from experts as possible. Which is why I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of excellent books that focus on career development, leadership, and communication. The following books and philosophies are my go-to recommendations for […]
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_video admin_label=”Video” src=”https://vimeo.com/221463962″ image_src=”//i.vimeocdn.com/video/639737321_960.jpg” /][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] You are in the unknown. For anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit, the unknown becomes an opportunity. For many people though, in life and in their careers, the unknown is a burden. They get tripped up by it because they fear the thing […]
Just like your first record, 8-track, cassette tape, or CD, everyone remembers their first music concert. You’ll more than likely have memories of the venue and those you were with, but what you remember most is the actual group. No matter the genre: rock, jazz, pop, etc., the energy – or the lack thereof – […]
We can always improve our communication – always! And more specifically, we can always improve the presentations we have the chance to give. No matter your skill or comfort level, the following are ten ways I frequently share that can immediately enhance your speech: Distinction. There is something about you that makes you different from […]
You hear a knock on the door, and open it to a salesperson. Or, you’re at a conference perusing the vendor floor and a representative stops you. What does it take for you to stop and seriously consider the pitch being made? What does he need to say? Is it the logical argument? What […]
The great Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you say, people will forget what you do, but they will never forget how you make them feel.” Emotion is one of the greatest tools a public speaker can use to captivate his or her audience. In fact, it could be argued that without emotion, […]
The primary objective for anyone who delivers a speech is the same regardless of the situation or objective. You strive to win the battle for the hearts and minds of your audience. That’s the responsibility of any speaker, presenter, or leader—to inspire, persuade, and most important of all, provoke change. In order to win this […]
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_video admin_label=”Video” src=”https://vimeo.com/215711098″ image_src=”//i.vimeocdn.com/video/632494268_960.jpg” /][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Your words have power. They have power to persuade. They have power to love. They have power to destroy and destruct. When we engage, when we want to meet someone, when we want to get to know them – we need […]
May 28, 1953. It was twenty-five degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Altitude: 27,500 feet. Two men, Edmund Hillary, a beekeeper from New Zealand, and Tenzing Norgay, a mountaineer from Nepal, pitched a tent in preparation for their next milestone. The following morning, after a freezing, sleepless night, they left high camp and proceeded to climb. Fighting […]
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_video admin_label=”Video No Shortcut” src=”https://vimeo.com/212658462″] [/et_pb_video][et_pb_text admin_label=”video #1″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] As a former Wall Streeter, I was running the race along with everyone else. I am also a mountaineer – I have climbed a lot of mountains all over the world. During our ascension on Mt. Kilimanjaro, it hit […]
When I’m coaching a client who wants to become a more effective public speaker, one of the most revealing experiences is videotaping your speech and then having to watch it back. Watching oneself “perform” is one of the most challenging exercises in self-awareness for developing speakers. It’s not easy to be pushed outside of your […]
For those of you still sticking with your resolutions – which I hope you’ve made improving your communication skills with the help of A Climb to the Top one of them – nice job! You’re bound to start seeing some positive results. As with any change of habit, they say to give yourself at least […]
One of my primary coaching focuses is public speaking. However, effective leadership is an undeniable part of my approach to better communication. Many leaders have an incomplete perception of how others see them, which often leads to ineffective interactions and diminished overall capacity. Until they are aware of their behaviors, as well as how others […]
Leo Tolstoy, the Russian novelist, famously wrote, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” I’ll follow up with this question – how are those New Years Resolutions going that were made only a month ago? Funny how we recognize the noble cause in looking to change ourselves; however, we […]
Chuck Garcia