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Avish Parashar - EzineArticles.com Expert Author
Avish Parashar is an experienced, innovative, energetic, and humorous speaker who uses his 15+ years of experience performing, directing and teaching improv comedy to deliver unique and refreshing presentations to a variety of audiences.
Weaving together humorous stories, jokes, audience interaction, and improv comedy games, Avish keeps the audience engaged while imparting a key lesson: Planning is Important, but Improvising is Essential! No matter how well you plan, things will go wrong, surprises will arise, ... [More]
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- Market Research, Generosity, And the Curse of Bad Wine
[Business:Marketing] Sometimes you can display a little selfishness and come out ahead. Usually though, the universe smacks you in the head when you forget to be generous. I sadly learned this lesson recently...
- How Come That Guy's Successful and I'm Not?
[Self-Improvement:Success] Have you ever seen someone who you know you are clearly superior to achieve more success than you? Do you ever ask yourself "how come that guy's successful and I'm not?" There is a good way and a way to ask this, and the difference lies in one simple bit of punctuation.
- 6 Business Lessons We Can All Learn From Horror Movies
[Business] It's Halloween time, which means it's the perfect time to fire up some great horror movies. But did you know that you can learn a lot of business lessons from watching the stupid things characters in horror movies do? If not, then keep reading! Here are 6 business lessons we can all learn from horror movies.
- Don't Be Creepy
[Self-Improvement] A lot of "personal development" is not exactly rocket science. It's pretty fundamental stuff that a lot of people just happen to not do. Now, I am going to share with you something that may be the most basic, common-sense bit of advice I have ever said: don't be creepy!
- 5 Reasons You Should Still Use a Funny Conference Speaker
[Business:Presentation] In the current economic climate, conferences and conventions are focusing on using "content driven" speakers for their general session presentations. There is nothing wrong with a presentation filled with information, and nobody wants to hear a speaker spouting nothing but fluff, there is no reason they can't have fun while they learn!
- Is Your Politeness "Automatic?"
[Self-Improvement] Anyone can be polite and nice when things are all going great. They real trick is being polite no matter what, and the only way to do that is to make politeness an "automatic response." If it's not, then you're no better than a rude person on an elevator.
- How Will YOU Be Remembered?
[Self-Improvement:Success] Recently the entertainment world, and frankly the entire world, was rocked by the deaths of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. I am not going to comment about their careers or legacies (there are going to be plenty of websites, radio programs, and TV shows doing that).
- 4 Stupidly Annoying Gym Behaviors
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Humor] I am happy to say that so far this year, I have been pretty regularly getting to the gym. While it has been great for my health, the experience has lead me to repeatedly observe some stupid behaviors totally lacking in common courtesy that I just don't understand. Here are the five most egregious...
- Better Presentation Skills - Set Yourself Up to Win!
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Are you setting yourself up for failure or success as a speaker? The worst speaking gigs I have ever done failed long before I took the stage and said a word. They were doomed to fail somewhere in the setup stage.
- Better Presentation Skills - Don't Care Too Much About What Happens!
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Caring about your audience and how you do as a speaker is a good thing. However, caring too much can be just as bad as not caring enough. By caring too much you actually reduce your ability to perform well. It sounds ironic, but the more importance you put on succeeding, the less likely you are to succeed.
- Better Presentation Skills - Don't "Be a Speaker," Just Speak!
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] In my experience, one of the biggest mistakes speakers make is to try to act like a "speaker." On some level, speaking is easy. You get in front of a group and start talking. However, to be a great speaker requires some information, practice, and work. Speaking is a skill like any other.
- Better Presentation Skills - Pay Attention to Your Audience!
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] In my experience, regardless of training, there are some critical mistakes I see speakers make over and over. These mistakes prevent bad speakers from becoming good speakers, and good speakers from becoming great ones.
- Better Presentation Skills - Don't Rely on Technology and PowerPoint!
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] In speaking, PowerPoint and visual aids have their place. They can engage an audience, make them laugh, or reinforce your points. However, most people use visual aids very poorly.
- Better Presentation Skills - It Doesn't Matter How Good You Are If People Can't Hear You!
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Speaking is easy. You open your mouth and talk. Speaking in a way that commands attention and respect is a whole other issue. In my experience, both the simplest area of improvement and the area which will provide the greatest return on investment is your vocal volume. Too many speakers with great information fail because they simply aren't loud enough.
- Better Presentation Skills - Are You Making This Speaking Mistake?
[Business:Presentation] On some level, speaking is easy. You get in front of a group and start talking. However, being a great speaker requires some information, practice, and work. Speaking is a skill like any other. It can be taught, it can be learned, and it can be improved.
- Kick Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone
[Self-Improvement:Success] One of the great things about teaching improv comedy is that I get to see people stretch themselves and do things they never thought possible. For most people, improv comedy is out of their comfort zone. Watching a person step out of their comfort zone and gradually (or sometimes even rapidly) expand their comfort zone is a wonderful thing.
- Stay in the Moment and Double Your Productivity
[Self-Improvement:Success] Staying in the moment is one the most powerful things an improv comedy performer can do. It is also one of the most amazing things you can do to be more connected and more effective in any task or endeavor.
- Attention Vs Intention - The Key to Achieving More
[Self-Improvement:Success] When it comes to staying in the moment, the key is to understand the difference between where your attention is and where your intention is. From the dictionary: Attention: Concentration of the mental powers upon an object; a close or careful observing or listening. Intention: Course of action that one plans on following.
- Achieve Satisfaction by Being Courageous!
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Everyone is looking for satisfaction and fulfillment. The challenge many, many people face is that they don't know what they want!
- Little Steps Can Lead to Big Change
[Self-Improvement:Success] Too often, we try to fix everything all at once and do things perfectly on our first try. However, by taking small steps and focusing on one thing at a time, you will find yourself improving much more effectively.
- Lesson From Improv Comedy - Be Persistent!
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Humor] In the fast paced, quickly changing world of improv comedy, talking about persistence can sound very odd. Improv is described as "disposable theater," (as soon as a game is done, it's gone) so what does that have to do with persistence? A few things, actually.
- Zen and the Art of Improvisation
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Humor] When most people see improv comedians perform (at least good ones), they are dazzled by the wit and cleverness that they see. This style of observation is one of the most destructive obstacles to getting more people involved in improvisation-Improv comedy is not about being clever, witty, or funny. It is really about being in the moment, being honest, and being yourself.
- Lesson From Improv Comedy - Be Willing to Fail
[Self-Improvement:Success] The key to success in any area of life, improv comedy or otherwise, is to be willing. Willing to do what? Many things, actually. This article will cover the most important "willingness" you must have to achieve success:
- The Key to Dealing With Change - Focus on the Only Thing You Can Control
[Business:Change-Management] Most of the disappointment, anger, and frustration people feel is when they do or say something and expect something specific to happen. When that thing doesn't happen, their desire for control kicks in and they get all out of whack. When that response doesn't come, just be prepared to let go, flow, and react to it the best you can.
- Better Presentation Skills - 7 Tips to Being a Funnier Speaker
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Humor can loosen up the audience, get them to like you, engage them, and actually improve the audiences learning and retention. Many people don't think they are funny, but by using the following seven tips you can add humor to any presentation.
- Better Presentation Skills - 7 Tips to Being Truly "Authentic"
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] One of the most common and best pieces of speaking advice you will ever hear is to "be authentic." Unfortunately, few people ever go on to explain how you can do that! Here are 7 simple tips you can use to make yourself more authentic in your next speech...
- Great Leadership Training Retreats - Get "Buy-In" in the First 10 Minutes of Your Next Retreat!
[Business:Presentation] A great deal of planning goes into a successful leadership training retreat. Travel, lodging, food, agendas, content, etc. Isn't it a shame when after all that planning the audience shows up and doesn't seem to really care about what they are learning? To make sure this doesn't happen to you, follow the five simple steps below at the start of your next presentation or retreat. The whole process can be done in about ten minutes, and will go a long way to making your next retreat great!
- Better Presentation Skills - 7 Tips to Being a Better Speaker 15 Minutes From Now!
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Being a great speaker takes lots of practice and can take years to develop. However, that won't help you if you have to do a presentation now! Here are seven tips you can apply in the fifteen minutes before you start your next speech to calm down, prepare, and set yourself up for a successful speech.
- Training Retreats - 7 Tips to Put Together a Great Leadership Training Retreat Presentation
[Business:Top7-or-10-Tips] If you are presenting at a management or leadership training retreat, because you want to or because you are forced to, then use the following 7 tips to make your training retreat presentation a success! A retreat is very different from an in-house training event. There is a social and fun element that should be present.
- Better Presentation Skills Through Improv Comedy
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Do you want to improve your presentation skills and be a great speaker? Then you should consider learning improvisational comedy!
- The Myth of the Overnight Success
[Self-Improvement:Success] We all love real magical success stories. People who made it "overnight." Real success much more often comes Persistent, commitment, hard work, and the ability to get up and keep going no matter what happens. I learned that by watching the X-Files.
- The Ridiculousness That is "Superman II"
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Have you ever re-watched a movie you loved as a kid, only to step back afterwards and say, "Hmmm, that is a lot sillier than I remember..."? For me, Superman II is just such a movie. In this article, I will point out just a few of the ridiculous things that occur in this movie (it could take a whole book to point them all out).
- Success Lesson from Improv Comedy - Be Willing to Fail
[Self-Improvement:Success] If there is one thing that holds people back, on stage or off, in business or in life, it is the fear of failure. Using ideas from improv comedy, you can learn to overcome fear and take action in the face of failure.
- Advice For IT Professionals - Keep Your Users In the Loop!
[Business:Careers-Employment] All businesses are relationship businesses. By simply keeping the user in the loop, you will be building the key relationship for your success. He or she may be upset, but they will be less upset than if you just ignored them (from their perspective).
- Is the Customer Really "Always Right?"
[Business:Customer-Service] "The customer is always right," is a nice pithy phrase, but by falling back on that little aphorism I think people end up missing the point. Here's a humorous look at customer service and the concept of the customer always being right.
- Is Your IT Department a Cost Center or Profit Center?
[Computers-and-Technology] Most organizations view IT as a cost center; a necessary evil that paradoxically helps the business while taking focus away from the real business of making money. However, The more people in your organization who start to perceive IT as a profit center, the better off you'll be.
- Is Your Bad Luck Misfortune or Stupidity?
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Humor] "Why does this always happen to me?" "Because you're stupid." Harsh? Perhaps. But it may also be quite true.
- Single on Valentine's Day - No Survival Guide Necessary!
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Humor] It seems once Valentine's Day draws near, every website on the world wide web starts throwing around "single person survival guides." As a single person, I find this to be a ludicrous practice. A survival guide? Really, a "survival guide?" This is supposed to help? Survival guides are for desperate people lost in the wilderness, starving, freezing, and hunted by bears or zombies. Apparently that's what me and my single brethren are to the non-single world: the metaphoric...
- 3 Simple Ways to Get Great Rapport with Non-Technical Clients
[Business:Customer-Service] Knowing that we can't get rid of clients, the next step is figuring out how to manage the client relationship. The most important thing here is to remember that being right is not enough! Too often technical professionals fall back on the logic that they are the experts, so the users should do whatever they tell them to. A simple shift in thinking can help make your life easier. If you make creating rapport with your clients a priority, you will not only...
- There Must be Some Misunderstanding - Of These Lyrics!
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Humor] Everyday, everywhere you go, seemingly intelligent people will sing along to any song with a catchy tune while at the same time being oblivious to what they are actually singing about. I'm not talking about when you sing the wrong words, but rather when you sing the right words without paying attention to what you are actually saying. This is a recipe for disaster. If you don't pay attention to the entire picture, you may find yourself doing some very stupid things.
- Thanksgiving Humor - Rain on My Parade - Please!
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] I'll admit it, I don't get parades. They bore the heck out of me. Maybe it's because I'm more of a "doer" than a "watcher," but I can think of few less interesting ways to spend an afternoon. If my life were made into an existential play by Sartre, my Waiting Room would be on the streets of Manhattan watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
- Halloween Humor - The Twisted Trick of Tacky Treats!
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] It's Halloween time, and that means candy! Or at least it should mean candy, but some people will inevitably try to resist the pull of sweets and give out alternative treats. This can be very, very treacherous territory. Here then are a few guidelines to help you make your Halloween decisions easier.
- Halloween Humor - Get Dressed to Thrill!
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] Halloween is upon us! As an adult, I am assuming you are not going trick or treating, but you may find yourself invited to a Halloween costume party. If you plan to attend one you will need a costume. Picking one can be a high stress activity, but have no fear! It's really quite simple. You have three basic costume options when it comes to dressing up for Halloween. The main points of each are outlined below so you can decide what approach you want to take this year.
- Stop Whining - Age is a Just Number!
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Humor] This year I turned thirty-four. By any standard, thirty-four is a rather unremarkable year. There's no "On Your 34th Birthday" greeting card from Hallmark. My insurance rates stay depressingly the same. I can already drink, drive, and vote (not at the same time, of course!) However, in my own slightly confused mind, one big change did happen - I made the official move from "early thirties" to "mid-thirties."
- How Many Employees Does it Take to Change a Dollar?
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Humor] Saying "yes, and" is a very powerful way of flowing with the unexpected, improving relationships, and moving your life forward. Saying "yes, but" keeps you argumentative, negative, and stuck where you are. I have also realized that saying "no" or "yes, but" can make you look like a buffoon.
- Key to Success - Focus on the Next Step!
[Self-Improvement:Success] Losing momentum is going to absolutely keep you from achieving the things you would like in life. It's not enough to start- you must follow through to the end. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do when you find yourself losing momentum and procrastinating.
- 5 Tips for Business Success from the World of Improvisational Comedy
[Self-Improvement:Success] By applying the same principles that lead to success on an improv stage, business owners can maximize their productivity, reduce their stress, and flow with the unexpected changes that inevitably occur.
- Ignore the Rules, Master the Principles
[Self-Improvement:Success] Too often people either try to slavishly adhere to rules or flippantly disregard them. The way to true success is to understand the rule but focus on mastering the form and principles.
- Assume Success
[Self-Improvement:Success] When you are about to embark on a new task, do you "assume success" or do you "assume failure"?
- Speaking Success - Does Your Audience Care?
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Here is an unfortunate secret when it comes to giving great presentations – your audience doesn't care about you, they only care about what's in it for them!
- Be Your Own Sounding Board
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] One of the drawbacks to the solitary lifestyle of the home office worker is the lack of colleagues to brainstorm with. When a problem arises, we are left to our own devices to come up with creative solutions. The ability to generate new ideas and solutions is very important in any endeavor.
- Lesson From Improv Comedy-Make Your Success Automatic!
[Self-Improvement:Success] Why are there some things that come easily to us and some that we struggle with? Don't cop out on me here and say, "some people are born with certain gifts." The real difference is that for some things in our lives we have conditioned ourselves to react automatically to things. That is, we don't think about our response, we just respond in a powerful way.
- Doing Things "Your Way"-Have Fun Now!
[Self-Improvement:Success] Most people, tend to look for external occasions to experience the peaks in life. Realize that if there is something you want to do, then do it! If you are wistful for a time gone by, then do what you can to recapture it. Don't wait for a "special occasion" - it may never come.
- Networking For People Who Hate Sales and Networking!
[Business:Networking] Personally, I can trace much of my success to relationships I have developed over the years. Other people can be a tremendous resource in terms of contacts, knowledge, and experience. Unfortunately, many people in the world have no idea what "networking" is. They seem to believe that networking is about getting as much as possible from other people as quickly as possible. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind to make sure you get the most out of your networking.
- Want to Succeed? Take a Look at the People Around You!
[Self-Improvement:Success] We all have people in our lives who try to be helpful and give us advice. Just make sure that the advice you are taking is congruent with what you want to achieve-
- Walk Your Talk!
[Self-Improvement:Success] If we all started applying the advice we give to others to our own lives, we would all be much happier, healthier, and more successful.
- Better Relationships Through Improv Comedy!
[Relationships] Valentine's Day is coming up, so this seems like a good time to share some ideas on how to use improv comedy to be a good "Valentine."
- Write Better and Faster Using Your Creativity...
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] When writing, the blank page (or, these days, the screen) can be the most daunting thing in the world. Whether you are writing an article, essay, term paper, short story, screenplay, or novel, staring at emptiness knowing that you have to fill it all by yourself is overwhelming. However, if you know how to tap your creative flow then filling pages can be a very simple task.
- Creativity is Hard Work!
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] People who consider themselves uncreative believe that some people just are creative, and that they have the ability to just go off into a room somewhere and emerge a few hours later with new brilliant ideas. Here's the big secret of creativity: Creativity is hard work!
- Success Lessons From a Visit to the Eye Doctor
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] A simple trip to the eye doctor turns into a valuable lesson on complacency.
- Build Your "Creativity Muscle" with Word Associations!
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] Word associations is the first creativity building exercise.
Word associations is what I consider to be the first creativity building exercise. It's actually a simple improv comedy drill.
- Lesson From Improv comedy: One Step Away From Innovation
[Self-Improvement:Innovation] It's easy to get comfortable with successful ideas that work. However, if you are willing to push yourself into new territory, you may find some amazing innovations.
- The Creative Planning Method In Action
[Self-Improvement:Success] Imagine that someone came to you and said, 'I will give you a step-by-step plan for achieving all of your dreams.' Would you like to see that plan? Of course you would, and now you can generate that plan yourself!
- Better Sales Through Improv Comedy
[Business:Sales-Training] In the world of sales, where scripts and canned presentations seem the norm, does improvisation ever belong? Of course it does!
- Tips for Better Brainstorming
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] The most direct application of creativity is brainstorming. Here are some simple techniques to maximize your brainstorming efforts.
- Generating Ideas: Everything is a Starting Point
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] A great mentality to have is to treat every idea as just a starting point. This is true whether you the ideas are yours or someone else's. Once you can do this, you become more resourceful and a much better team member.
- The Key to Communication: Let Go of Control
[Business:Team-Building] In improv comedy, the worst thing a performer can do is to try to control everything around them. There is so much going on during a performance that it would be impossible to control everything, and yet people do try. This same principle applies to any group endeavor.
- Say "Yes And" to Yourself and Move Forward Towards Your Goals
[Self-Improvement:Success] The concept of saying 'yes and' instead of 'yes but' is a powerful communication tool. However, it can be applied not just to how you interact with others, but also to how you interact with yourself.
- The Powerful Difference Between Saying "Yes And" and "Yes But"
[Business:Team-Building] As people, we are far more conditioned to argue and dig our heels in than we are to accept and work together with others. By simply saying "yes and" instead of "yes but," we can open ourselves up to others and improve our teamwork and communication.
- Talk Less, Listen More
[Business:Team-Building] he simple key to working well with others is to listen more and talk less. This is also one of the hardest...
- An Empty Mind: The Key to Great Teamwork and Communication
[Business:Team-Building] To really connect with the people around you, it is vital that you have an empty mind.
- Improve Your Communication By Simply Paying Attention
[Business:Team-Building] The simplest, fastest, and best way to work with someone and make them feel valued is to pay attention to them.
- Get Your Body Moving to Increase Your Creativity
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] The mind and the body are connected. Not just physically in the body, but in performance as well. A super key to increasing creativity is to get the body moving.
- Trusting Yourself: The Key to Trusting Others
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] A primary reason we don't trust others is that we are afraid of how their letting us down will impact our lives. By trusting yourself, you can open yourself up to trust others.
- Tap Your Creativity by Bypassing Your Inner Filters
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] In terms of creativity our own inner "filters" are what keep us unwilling to express and explore our inner ideas. The key to being creative is to bypass those filters.
- Access Your Creativity by Not Thinking
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] Why do people have trouble coming up with new creative ideas? Quite simply, because they think too much.
- Lesson from Improv Comedy - Keep Your Goals in Perspective
[Self-Improvement:Success] Goals are tricky things. They can be wonderful and motivating, but without the right mindset you can get caught up and lose sight of the big picture.
- Lesson from Improv Comedy - Planning vs. Procrastination
[Self-Improvement:Success] Planning is important and vital to success, but over-planning, or procrastination disguised as planning, can be deadly to any endeavor.
- Leap Before You Look!
[Self-Improvement:Success] While traditional wisdom dictates that you "look before you leap," sometimes doing the reverse can be just what you need to achieve your goals.
- Lesson from Improv Comedy: Be Secure in Who You Are
[Self-Improvement:Success] A key attitude in being able to perform improv comedy is confidence and "self-security". The same attitude can lead to success in every area of life.
- Lesson from Improv Comedy: Be Yourself!
[Self-Improvement:Success] One of the most powerful lessons an improv comedy performer will ever learn is to be himself. In the real world, if you are not being yourself then you are doing a disservice to yourself and everyone around you.
- Lessons from Improv Comedy: Failure and Success
[Self-Improvement:Success] Although we should all strive to succeed, the key is in how we define failure and success. Just because we don’t get our desired outcome doesn’t mean we have to feel like failures.
- Life Lessons from the Greatest Swordsman Who Ever Lived
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Only by accepting the reality of death could a samurai in feudal Japan do his best. In the same way, once you embrace the possibility of failure, the fear of failure loses its hold over you.
- Lesson from Improv Comedy - Be Courageous!
[Self-Improvement:Success] Real progress, whether it is on an improv comedy stage or in your own business, career, or life is going to come from embracing fearful moments and moving forward.
- Put Fear In Perspective
[Self-Improvement:Success] While fear can be very useful to us, it can also get wildly out of perspective, and, in those instances, fear can limit us.
- The Affect of Worry on Productivity
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] In an odd sort of way, worrying about an impending situation makes us feel we have a certain degree of control. Worry does nothing. Actually, worry does worse than nothing: it decreases our ability to do well.
- Ask Better Questions to Control Your Focus
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] What you focus on is determined by the questions you ask yourself. The very broad standpoint of ‘what’s good about this?’ vs. ‘what’s bad about this?’ can make a huge difference in your energy from moment to moment.
- Control Your Focus to Maximize Your Energy
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Your goal, if you want to perform at a maximum level, should be to free up as much of your energy as possible. The way to do this is to control your focus.
- Use the "Hobby Mentality" to Have More Fun at Work
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] If you can apply the same attitude you take with your hobbies to your work, you will easily find your level of fun and enjoyment going up.
- Lesson from Improv Comedy: Have More Fun!
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] One of the most powerful ways to improve the quality of your work, relationships, and life, is to have more fun. Find a way to have fun at whatever you are doing, and not only will you enjoy it more, but you will also produce a higher quality of work.
- Anyone Can Do Anything
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] It's a simple fact: it might take time, but everyone can gain the ability to do just about anything. It's just a matter of paying the price.
- The Power of Focus!
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Our focus on a moment to moment basis has a huge impact on the quality of our work, relationship, and lives. Depending on what we choose to focus on, the exact same situation can have many meanings.
- Life: The Ultimate Improvisation
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Most people have a fear of improvising or going "off-script." What’s amazing about this fear is that everyone does it already anyway. Life, after all, is the ultimate improvisation.
- Stop Talking-Start Learning
[Self-Improvement:Success] Keeping an empty and open mind is vital when interacting with others. Most of the time however, people tend to be more interested in showing what they know than they are in learning. A Zen story may help demonstrate the why and how of "emptying your cup."
- How to Use Gibberish to Engage Your Audience as a Speaker
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Speaking is an art form, and the ability to keep an audience engaged (and awake!) is critical to the speaker. A powerful way to do that is to vary your volume, pitch, and speed. Using an improv comedy exercise and the made-up language of "gibberish" can help you master the skills of vocal variety.
- Outside-In Confidence for Public Speaking
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Public speaking can be nerve-racking. However, if you are speaking in front of a group, regardless of how or why you got there, you are an expert. To command the audiences attention, you must project confidence, even if you have none. This article will show you how.
- How to Achieve Your Goals and Be Happy Doing It
[Self-Improvement:Success] Goals can be amazingly powerful things, but used improperly, they can also leads to failure and depression. This article presents a slightly different view of goal-setting and success.
- The Secrets of "Watchability" for Speakers
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] The most important trait a speaker can have is "watchability." Unfortunately, it is also the most elusive and indefinable. This article will help you understand what watchability is and how you can develop it.
- Improv Comedy for Speakers
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] Learn how to use fundamental ideas from Improvisational Comedy to be a better, more engaging, more confident, and more dymanic speaker.
- Creativity and Communication Lessons from Crossing the Street
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] Lessons can come from the most unusual places. An act simple as simple as jogging in the city can lead to some powerful revelations about creativity and communication.
- Teaching Kids-UGH-And What I Learned From It
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] At some point, everyone is faced with a job or project that they don't like. However, suffering in silence or complaining incessantly are not necessary; there are ways of adding enjoyment to any task. By thinking outside the box and using your creativity, you can make the unbearable bearable.
- The Sound of Silence
[Business:Team-Building] When discussing or arguing with others, we are so concerned with making sure we are heard we lose sight of one of the most powerful communication tools of all: silence.
- The Good Enough 10%
[Self-Improvement:Success] Most people feel that they need to be much better than the competition to 'win' Sometimes, however, just a 10% advantage is enough-if you know how to use it.
- Watch Your Focus
[Self-Improvement:Success] One of the primary ways that people limit their effectiveness is by putting their focus and attention in the wrong place. Pay attention to what you are focusing on, and you will be much more effective, both as an individual and as a team member.
- Creativity: The Key To Getting More Done In Less Time
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] Everybody has more things to do than time to do them. While you can't magically add hours to your day, you can use your creativity to make sure you are getting the most out of the hours you do have.
- Tapping into Your Super Creative Power
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] All people are creative; most just don't believe they are. In this article, learn simple techniques to help you tap into your own inherent creative so that you too can consider yourself 'a creative person'
- Utilizing the 80-20 Rule
[Self-Improvement:Success] The key to being productive while maintaining your sanity is not to get absolutely everything done, but rather to make sure that the most important things are getting done. The 80-20 rule is wonderful guide to make sure you are doing just that.
- 9 Steps to Supercharge Your Productivity with Creativity
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] Everybody has more things to do than time to do them. Here's a simple 9 step process to get more done in less time.
- Infinite Ideas
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] Ideas are infinite. Accept that premise, and you will be set for life, in improv or business. Don't accept that premise, and you doom yourself to a bleak future...
- 7 Techniques to Supercharge your Creativity and Solve your Problems
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] Everyone encounters challenges and obstacles in their business and life. This article contains a few simple techniques to get your mind working in new ways to help you overcome some of those obstacles.
- Applying Improv Comedy Principles to Business
[Business] The keys to effective improvisation are the same as the keys to success in just about any other area of life, including business.
- Putting the 'I' in Team
[Business:Team-Building] Organizations value teamwork, but what exactly does it take to build a strong team? While some would argue time and shared experiences are the way to go, this article takes a look at the role of the individual. There are core individual skills that are the foundation of a strong team, and developing those skills is the key to a successful team building event.
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