Most advice about public speaking tells you to breathe deeply, picture the audience naked or in their underwear, or simply ‘be yourself.’ If any of that has worked for you, that’s wonderful. Genuinely. For most people I speak to, it hasn’t. So let me share what I think actually makes a difference. First, the dread is normal Not just common; almost universal. Some of the most compelling communicators I’ve worked with still feel it. The goal isn’t to eliminate the dread. It’s t

‘Just practise more.’ Perhaps the most common advice people get before a presentation. And on the surface, it sounds sensible. Practise builds familiarity. Familiarity builds confidence. So people go away and do exactly that. They run through their slides. They repeat their script. They try to get it ‘smooth’. Certainly better than not doing anything. And yet - when the real moment comes - it still feels flat. Or rushed. Or oddly disconnected. Because most people aren’t actua

If you think negotiation is about being ‘nice’, ‘fair’, or even ‘logical’, you’re already losing. That might sound harsh - but it’s accurate. As a communication coach, I see it a lot: smart, capable people walking into negotiations armed with facts, hoping the best argument wins. Then they’re blindsided when someone less informed - but more strategic - walks away with the better deal. Let’s fix that. The biggest lie about negotiation It’s often said (and even taught) that neg