Want to leave a lasting impression on your audience? Ever wonder which is more important in communication — sincerity or charisma? If you were in Vegas, which would you put your money on? Last week I was speaking at a conference in Florida. When my schedule allows, I arrive a day early to immerse myself [...]
Do you know that when you give a speech, it’s much more than just a speech? Whenever my ego started getting in the way, my coach, Mark Brown, put me back on track in a powerful way. He simply reminded me, “Darren, you will get the privilege of seven minutes in 2000 lives, what will [...]
Hmmmm… have you ever wondered how good you really are when you present? I’m not talking about whether you win a speech contest or not — I’m talking about truly making a difference in the minds of your audience. Master Mentor, Alan Weiss, Ph.D. says that we’re never as bad as our worst critic and [...]
“Darren, how do I write a funny speech?” I get this question constantly from speakers. Personally, I don’t believe it’s about writing a funny speech at all. If you want to write a funny speech, that’s writing fiction. Even the best fiction is based on some truth. Your starting point is crucial. Where do you [...]
She grabbed me and I loved it. It was a very puffy speech. I say “puffy” as a compliment. As I listened I was so moved, I was eyeing the box of Puffs next to me, but instead chose to just wipe the tears from my eyes without moving an inch. I was caught up [...]
“I went through four hours of hair and makeup to listen to this bull—t?” — complaining about the background noise at the USS Midway location for the San Diego auditions. He’s said some crazy things as a judge on American Idol. He also said something in an interview I saw last week that was so [...]
This is not an article about sexuality. It is an article about influence. Would you like to influence people more than you are now? This week I was listing to one of my favorite pastors, Vince. He gave a powerful message on influence through intimacy. As my mind often does, it shifted to my coaching [...]
Have you seen the TV commercial with James Dyson promoting his bagless vacuum? Is your presentation like his vacuum? How about your life? It may be more like one than you think. With the new year just beginning and new goals being set, I have one important question for you, but first let me explain. [...]
Did you spend any time this holiday with any negative people? Are you related to any of them? Do you think your mood affected them? Did their perspective affect theirs? We’re often influenced by our environment, while at the same time we “are” the environment of others. The point of this article has nothing to [...]
Who doesn’t want to tell better stories? I know I do. I’m always looking for new secrets. In my years of studying the masters I have gained amazing insights. As far as story telling is concerned no lesson has been more helpful than this one. Whether you are telling a simple story to a friend [...]
