If you want to see a good example of partnership, collaboration, and sharing the stage, then take notice of the current interactions between President Barack Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Even though these two men are political opponents and have had their differences in the past, they are clearly demonstrating that they are capable of doing their jobs as leaders during one of the worst natural disasters in our history. And in doing so, their partnership has been a compliment to both of them.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Christie has shown genuine leadership and has publicly praised the president—the man he is hoping people vote out of office this month. But during this moment in our history, it seems that both men are putting politics aside and truly being allies. “I cannot thank the president enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state and the people of our state,” Christie said after surveying the damage with the president. He later added, “When the president does things that deserve praise, I will give him praise.”

Obama, too, has publicly acknowledged Christie. “I just want to thank him for his extraordinary leadership,” Obama told reporters. “He’s been aggressive in making sure that the state got out in front of this incredible storm. And I think the people of New Jersey recognize that he has put his heart and soul into making sure that the people of New Jersey bounce back even stronger than before.”

Over the past few days, these two rivals have stood no more than one foot apart, complimented each others’ leadership, and shared a common goal. Together, they have kept the focus on the victims and the first responders, never letting politics or bureaucracy get in the way.

Because of this wonderful display of collaboration, people from coast to coast are reassured and have greater confidence in the government’s ability to help in this type of crisis. In fact, I’d even say that this is a thrilling demonstration of bi-partisanship, and the fact that it’s happening on the main stage for all to see is a tribute to our democracy.

Even though these two men are very different, not only politically but also in style, tone, affect, physical presence, etc., they are bridging their difference to be one united front so they can do their jobs and help those in dire need. This show of teamwork is truly remarkable.

Granted, there is still a long road ahead for the people who were affected by Hurricane Sandy’s wrath, but these two leaders have provided what all good leaders provide in a crisis: A sense of urgency, clear direction, and inspiration, instilling confidence in all of us that we are never alone, and that democracy and politics really can work.

Continuous learning is a key indicator of success. That’s because learning, at any stage of your career, means growth. New skills, new behaviors, and new knowledge translate into new opportunities. Achievement oriented people love and embrace this type of challenge.

I’ve found that people seek continuous learning for various reasons. Sometimes it’s simply for the joy of learning. Other times there’s an outside force, such as a promotional opportunity or feedback from a boss or colleague that something needs to be fixed. And in some cases, the desire for learning stems from an internal force—the realization of a limitation or the feeling of being “fed up” with a certain behavior or attitude.

Whatever the driver, continuous learning is a process that requires a deep personal desire, a commitment of time, and the willingness to exert effort. What kind of effort? Well, that depends on what you’re trying to learn. In terms of learning related to improving presentation skills, the top things to work at are:

• Become a consumer of speaking: One of the most important ongoing best practices for sustaining your skills as a public speaker is to become a “consumer of speaking.” This means that you observe and analyze every speaker you see in every situation, from the principal giving the welcome address, to your boss at staff meetings, to the pastor in your church. Notice specific skills and behaviors. What are these speakers doing that engage or distract you? What skills or attitude do you want to emulate or avoid?

• Set your long-term goals: Skill improvement takes a long time. The first step is to identify your strengths and development areas and pinpoint goals you can commit to achieving within the next three months. Select one key strength (a skill you already do well and want to refine even more, such as using gestures or enunciating clearly) and one area you want to develop (such as adding stories to your presentation or working on your inflection). It’s also important to identify why you want to take action in these areas, as well as the result you are looking for.

• Commit to daily practice: One easy way to quickly expand your speaking skills is by using your everyday meetings and social events as opportunities for skill practice. First, identify all the meetings, events and social commitments in a typical week, and then assign a specific skill to practice at each of these meetings. For example, you can practice raising your volume at a staff meeting, your gestures at the dinner table, and your posture when waiting in line at the dry cleaners. You can see how quickly your practice time will accumulate!

• Leave no stone unturned: Yes, we are all busy and overloaded with our daily events, but there are dozens of opportunities every day to improve your public speaking skills. You can hire a coach, attend a class, or join a toastmasters group. Anything will help if your mind is clear that this is something you want to accomplish. Even your most modest effort will pay off.

Above all else, brag about your success! If you become a consumer of speaking, set long-term goals, practice daily, and leave no stone unturned, you deserve to celebrate. When it comes to continuous learning, every day will offer new opportunities for success, growth, and professional advancement.

Those of you who know me know that I’m a huge Oakland A’s fan. Well, last night’s baseball game between the Oakland A’s and the Detroit Tigers left even me—a speech coach—speechless. Picture this: It’s game 4 of the American League Division Series. The Oakland A’s aren’t the favored team to win. In fact, they’re performing terribly. It’s the bottom of the ninth. The score is tied. The A’s are up to bat. It’s the final moments of the game, and then suddenly…against the odds…the A’s win on Coco Crisp’s walk-off single. The crowd went wild! And so did the announcers. You can hear the announcers during the exhilarating final moments here.

After the excitement died down and I replayed the footage in my head, I realized how the announcers Ken Korach, who does the play-by-play, and Ray Fosse, who does the color commentary, displayed their passion about the outcome yet maintained their professionalism throughout it all. It’s a classic lesson for public speakers everywhere.

I often tell my clients to let their passion guide their speaking. But really…what are the elements of passion? What does passion sound like from that vocal context?

As the clip of Korach and Fosse exemplifies, passion has two key parts. First, it’s the formal, technical, and mannered play-by-play of information. When you listen to Korach explain what’s going on, you hear every detail to the point where you can see it in your mind. It’s factual. It’s complete.

But the second part of passion is the free and unbridled response to what’s going on in the moment. That part of passion is incredibly clear in Fosse’s animated assessment of what’s happening in those key moments.

So as a speaker, you need to manage the characteristics of these two announcers during every presentation. You need to be the formal person with the details and the facts. But you also need to show your excitement, your enthusiasm, your zeal, and your passion for your topic.

It’s the combination of these two qualities in one person that ignites the spark of passion. That’s what ultimately captures the hearts and minds of your listeners and makes your message come alive.

The final game in this series is tonight. If the A’s win, we keep going on the road to the World Series. I’m keeping my fingers crossed and my passion alive. Go A’s!

By now, we all know that practicing your presentation and working on key public speaking skills will make you a better presenter. But practice and skill aside, there are other, more tangible, things that will help you excel at business presentations. I call these things your “toolbox essentials.”

Just as you prepare for your job by making sure you have key supplies on hand, when you’re taking on the role of “presenter,” you must prepare by making sure your speaker’s toolbox is stocked. Following are my top recommendations for any speaker’s toolbox.

Tools and Resources for Your Toolbox

• Print out your PowerPoint™ presentation. Print your slides (either 3 or 6 to a page) just in case of an emergency. If for any reason you don’t have access to your laptop you will still be able to give the presentation.

• Charge all batteries. Make sure you have an extra battery for your remote. If you are running your laptop on battery power, make sure you have an extra one.

• Have the right remote for the right room. When you purchase your remote make sure to get one that works for the size room you will be speaking in. When you’re presenting up front you may not have the need for distance, but if you are a facilitator and like to work the room, you may be standing too far away for your remote to work. Each remote has different distances—standard is 20-40 feet, and you may need 100 feet.

• Know your venue. Have a sheet with all pertinent contact info for the venue where you are speaking. Include your contact’s name and cell phone number, the venue address, and room name.

• Take a clock. Bring a small watch or travel clock you can place on the podium or other nearby table or surface. While you don’t want to look at the time continually, you do want to casually check the time every so often to ensure you’re staying on track.

Wellness Tips for Your Toolbox

• Get eight hours of sleep. Getting plenty of sleep the night before a major presentation will keep you mentally sharp and physically strong. Studies from the National Sleep Foundation show that people who are sleep deprived have more trouble performing math calculations, have impaired physical performance, and have more difficulty retaining information. Getting between 7 and 8 hours of sleep prior to presenting will positively impact your performance.

• Drink plenty of water. Drinking lots of water (at least half of your body weight in ounces) will keep you feeling refreshed and relaxed. Since stress contributes to dehydration, any time you feel stressed (such as when giving a presentation) you need to drink more water than usual.

• Stay fortified. Eat a well balanced diet rich in good protein sources and consume plenty of vegetables and fruits. Avoid high carbohydrate foods like pasta, breads, and sweets before you give a presentation. These foods will make you sleepy and reduce your concentration.

• Take ‘Rescue Remedy.’ If you are highly susceptible to nervous tension, pack Rescue Remedy in your toolkit. Rescue Remedy is a Bach flower tincture that can be found in any health food store. Place two or three drops in an ounce of warm water and sip it slowly. Most people find that it has a relaxing effect on your nerves.

• Avoid caffeine. While caffeine can be stimulating and help you feel temporarily energized for the presentation, it can also backfire and cause unwanted anxiety. Too much caffeine can take its toll on the nervous system over time, and speakers need calm nerves and sharp mental acuity to deliver a winning presentation.

The better prepared you are for any presentation, the more effective your speech will be. So take the time to pack your toolbox items; you’ll stand out and impress your audience.

Have you ever been to a business meeting or other event and unexpectedly been asked to stand and “say a few words”? This happened to three of my clients recently. One woman told me how her confidence soared and she excelled at giving a presentation to her company’s executive staff, yet she fumbled when asked on-the-spot to speak to company interns. Another man told me how he loved speaking at his all hands meeting, which had an audience of 500, yet he choked when asked to speak impromptu to a small field sales group. And my own son, usually a composed speaker, “blanked out and babbled” when asked to speak at a recent awards meeting to honor his own promotion.

These are all competent and experienced speakers, yet they all stammered when asked to present unexpectedly. Why?

When you know you are going to be giving a speech, whether to your executive staff, at an all hands meeting, or in any other public speaking situation, you have time to plan and prepare. It doesn’t sneak up on you. You can develop a grand theme and strong message, build stimulating slides with eye catching visuals, and rehearse your delivery and staging to perfection. Time is on your side and the equation is simple: the quality of your presentation will be matched by the quantity of your preparation.

But what about the impromptu speech? What can you do to you maintain your confidence, add value to the conversation, and sound convincing and eloquent when you have no time to prepare?

First, realize that you have given hundreds of impromptu speeches before—such as when you added input during a business meeting, informed your new employee how to follow a procedure, asked a question of your boss or responded to a question by a colleague, spoke up at your child’s school PTA meeting, and even talked to the manager at a retail store to offer praise or advice regarding an employee. Think of how you behaved in these situations. Most likely you were calm, confident, and concise. And that is the formula for impromptu speaking success—stay relaxed, organize your thoughts, and limit yourself to a few, salient remarks.

When it comes to putting this formula into practice before an impromptu speaking opportunity, I recommend using a simple beginning, middle, end (or one, two, three) structure and specific language to help you remember the flow.

• Step One: “First of all…” Begin your remarks with, “First of all, I’d like to say…” One client I work with who uses this approach always begins with a thank you, as in, “First of all, I want to thank you all for being here today…” He says that gives him time to gather his thoughts. But if you’ve been asked a question or asked for you input, you’ll need instead to state the point you are responding to. You could say something like, “First of all, I’d like to acknowledge the challenge we are facing…”

• Step Two: “Next…” After you state your first thought, then state one relevant “touch point” or piece of support evidence to back it up, such as a crucial statistic, example, quote, or humorous story. Going back to the previous example of acknowledging the challenge, you could follow up the “first of all” line with, “Next, I want to also acknowledge the incredible opportunity available to us right now…”

• Step Three: “And finally…” Here you briefly summarize what you have said and add your final thought. This is the highlight of the impromptu—the moment when you make everyone feel welcome, inspired, respected or when you move the conversation along in a meaningful way, as in, “And finally, I look forward to working together to achieve the goals we all know are possible…”

One of my clients, who is very good at impromptu speaking, says that even though he is not on the formal agenda to speak everywhere he goes, he is usually asked to say a few words. Knowing this, he never waits to the last minute to gather his thoughts. He uses this three step process to prepare ahead of time so he is never caught off guard.

So if you are going to an event and there is even the remote possibility that you may be called on to speak, take the time to prepare in advance. Use this three-step process and you will appear calm, confident and concise—the epitome of a polished speaker.

It has been an oratorical feast at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte this week. Any aspiring or seasoned public speaker has a ringside seat to observe some of the best main stage political speakers in the world.

As a speech coach, it has been delightful to witness such passionate oratory delivered via powerful performance techniques and heartfelt storytelling. Yesterday I wrote about Michelle Obama, Julian Castro, and Deval Patrick. If you missed it, you can read it here.

Last night, as I anxiously waited to hear former President Bill Clinton speak, I marveled at his “warm up act,” Elizabeth Warren.

Another great storyteller like those the night before, Elizabeth Warren began her speech by saying, “I grew up on the ragged edge of the middle class.” Within the first few minutes of her talk we learned a lot about her—she married at 19, went to college, had children, taught school and was “grateful down to my toes for every opportunity America gave me.”

Warren has a wonderful quirky style, soft and quiet at times, but more often quick paced and urgent. She asks a lot of pointed rhetorical questions, “Does anyone have a problem with that?” She uses repetition effectively, “No-one, no-one can stop us.” And she understands the importance of the applause pause. A highly convincing speaker, Warren tells us with everything she’s got not only what she believes is important, but what she wants us to believe. It was a joy to watch her work the crowd.

And then there was Bill…

After all these years of hearing Bill Clinton speak, I shouldn’t be amazed, but I was. Actually, I was blown away. How did he manage to give a long policy speech packed with complicated ideas and details that was also light, entertaining and fully digestible? Leave it to his folksy style to make sure we were clearly following every step of the way.

With his alluring invitations, “Now listen to this” or “Consider this” or “Now wait” he kept us on track.  He had an agenda, and I felt like we were on a long train moving from car to car, staying in each one just long enough to hear the facts, comparisons and contrasts before moving on as he methodically and forcefully built his case.

Clinton is undeniably the best public speaker we have today, and I wrote about him when he spoke at the 2008 DNC. Just as last time on this stage, he did everything right—from his conversational and engaging delivery, his irresistible smile and inviting eyes, and his graceful gestures and relaxed torso to his musical vocal cadence, pitch, inflection and pauses. He gave us the medicine—a meaty, informative and convincing message—with a spoonful of sugar.

I don’t know how Barack Obama will top this…but I’m sure he will. And I can’t wait!

What fun to watch the speeches last night at the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte NC. I was delighted to see such passionate oratory delivered via powerful technique and heartfelt storytelling. The “story” has always been a strategic ally of political speech-making, and last night gave us many good examples of how it helps speakers reach right into every heart and mind to create connection.

Michelle Obama’s speech was striking because of her ease and accessibility, as if this was just another of the tasks she did that day as wife, mother and first lady. She is a unique communicator—comfortable and personal—who elegantly used stories to connect to each of us. We heard the story of her early life, the story of her early life with her husband, the story of her early feelings about being the First Lady, and the story of her current life with her family.

In addition to talking about her life, she made simple statements about her husband’s accomplishments—nothing grand or grandiose. It felt like she was talking to us in the intimacy of our living room. And the section on why she loves her husband was to me the most touching and effective I’ve heard. She was truly connecting with people, not reading lines from the teleprompter. The speech was beautifully written and beautifully delivered by someone who, as people say, is “the real deal.”

Julian Castro told a great story as well. His was one of those “only in America” stories, complete with lingering images of his grandmother making the sign of the cross and blessing the young twin brothers as they left for school in the morning. In this story, every detail added to the impact. We saw his grandmother, the two young boys, and the daily morning ritual that happened many years ago.

I was also impressed with Castro’s ability to try a range of delivery techniques. You could clearly see the techniques at work. And although they didn’t always work for him, he gave it his all. I was impressed watching this budding political speech-maker. As he gains experience on the main stage he will certainly be successful. Even though he hasn’t perfected every stage technique, he has mastered one—the story.

Governor Deval Patrick was equally profound. If you didn’t have a chance to see his speech, I recommend you watch it now. Don’t wait! I had never seen Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts, although I have heard that he is an excellent speaker. Along with the rest of America, I was riveted. Charismatic in the style of the traditional Southern Baptist Preacher, he brought it on—it was the WOW factor in abundance.

His resounding voice and intonation, coupled with his use of the dramatic pause, made for a forceful and motivating speech. He used the repeated phrase “we believe” as he laid out the democratic platform. But like any great political speech, it wasn’t just his delivery. His message combined substance and structure with bursts of gut-felt sticky phrases, such as “Turn to each other, not on each other” and “It’s time for Democrats to grow a backbone and stand up for what we believe in.” And he gave direction, as in, “Don’t allow Obama to be bullied out of office.”

He, too, told a difficult to hear story about the Orchard Gardens School and their struggle to survive in the midst of extreme poverty and limited resources.

There were many more speeches yesterday from key players and unknown citizens, but these three powerful speakers were in the prime time spotlight. Tonight we will hear from the master speech-maker: Former President Bill Clinton. I can’t imagine how he will top last night’s oratorical feast—but I’m sure he will.

If you’re looking for an example of someone who knows how to create a fire in the belly of an audience, look no further than President Obama’s speech last Friday in Urbandale, Iowa. There, Obama launched The Road to Charlotte Tour with a rousing rebuttal to the GOP convention platform last week.

There are numerous best practices to note in this speech, but the one I want to emphasize is the use of his overall energy. Obama is the epitome of a public speaker who knows how to “create performance combustion.” This is a term I use often to describe how a speaker can bring an audience to life.

When I talk about creating performance combustion, I use the metaphor of creating fire. As any good scout knows, to create fire, you need the three elements of heat, fuel, and oxygen. I like to think that these three elements correspond to the use of our body, our voice, and words. And just as fire requires that each of these elements be present to keep the fire glowing, the same can be said about the speaker’s use of physical energy, vocal energy, and verbal energy. The combination of our physical, vocal, and verbal skills creates something bigger than any one element can provide.

To be able to create a fire in the belly of our audience, we have to have that fire already burning hot in our own belly. That’s what Obama showed us on Friday. Let’s take a look at how he used each “element” of fire to intensify our experience—to rouse and excite the crowd.

• Physical Presence: When speaking, Obama was erect, leaned slightly forward, and made direct eye contact. He used facial expressions that varied from serious and intense to warm, smiling and uplifting. He used his gestures, hands and arms modestly.

• Vocal Resonance: Obama used volume that came in waves, sometimes soft and conversational and other times driving and forceful. . He used clear enunciation, a range of pitch from high to low, and plenty of well-placed strategic pauses. But the most commanding vocal skill was his use of inflection. He powered out those last few sentences loud and strong, holding nothing back, in full force and fury. His voice quickened our pulse and pulled us in.

• Distinctive language: He used concise sentences. For example, when commenting about the GOP convention, he said, “They talked a lot about me. They talked a lot about them. But they didn’t say a lot about you.” He made use of the world “you” (the most powerful word in the English language) often. He gave clear and simple directions, as in, “Don’t boo. Vote.” Go to www.gottaregister.com or www.gottavote.com.

People always ask me what it takes to be a good public speaker. The answer is simple: You have to be willing and able to create performance combustion—especially with your voice.

So, in addition to recommending TED talks and C-Span when looking for examples of good and bad public speaking, today I recommend Obama’s speech in Urbandale. Politics aside, you will see speech skills and techniques in abundance and clearly available for analysis. I watch a lot of speeches. Some make me think, some make me sleep, but few make me feel. This one was invigorating. Obama, the candidate, has returned, creating fire once again.

I’ll be blogging about many of the speeches at the DNC this week and hope you will add your candid thoughts and comments to my posts. Stay tuned.

Along with many people, I’m still scratching my head about Clint Eastwood’s speech at the Republican National Convention last night. I can only think that this is another example of what can happen when good intentions go awry.

From my understanding, Clint’s appearance was unplanned, and within a few sentences into his speech, I could sense that his words were unplanned too. His unprepared and unrehearsed presentation quickly turned to rambling.

As a speech coach, I thought I’d give Clint some advice so that next time he is asked to give a speech on behalf of a candidate for president of the United States he knows what to do. But after last night, I doubt there will ever be a next time.

• Honor the person you are there to honor: His near drunken style, the chair, the implied F-bomb and his off-the-cuff comments about “all political parties are the same” and “none of it matters” must have sent chills down the spines of Romney and his team. I would coach Clint to more carefully analyze the needs of his sponsors and the person he has been asked to honor. Ask them, “What can I do for you? How can I help you construct a message that is powerful and uplifting?” While Clint’s approach was funny, it was funny for the wrong reasons. He was there to support the team, not go rogue and run roughshod—like so many of his movie personas.

• Honor the audience you are speaking to: Yes, he got a few good laughs. The implied F-word joke got him two, and my guess is he used the joke the second time after it got such a good laugh the first time. Jokes are fine, but using the F-bomb—even implied—is completely inappropriate in any setting, but even more so in a setting such as this where millions of viewers from around the world are watching a key event of our governing process. This was flat out disrespectful and, given the sincerely pious nature of the GOP running mates, I doubt they saw this as funny. This is a classic case of not knowing your audience.

• Honor your opponent: Having a theater background, I’m a big fan of using props. So I was intrigued when I saw the chair on stage; however, I never suspected it would be used as a weapon. I should have remembered Dirty Harry and how natural it is for Clint to hurl gunshots at imaginary people! First, I would coach Clint to address the president—no matter who is in office—as Mr. President instead of his more casual use of Mr. Obama. Also, implying that any president would say such things as “Shut up” and “Go *#%& yourself” was both discourteous and highly offensive. While it got laughs, I suspect it was more “nervous funny” than true humor. A convention for a United States presidential candidate is no place for this kind of crude, inappropriate humor.

Today, I have heard various people defend Clint Eastwood. One person told me, “I thought for being 83 years old and talking off-the-cuff that he did pretty good.” To that I say what I tell anyone I coach: For high stakes speeches such as this, “off–the-cuff” will never get you where you want to be. You have to know your sponsors, know your audience, and know your opponents…and then you must prepare as if YOU were running for office. Your goal should be to have your listeners take action on your message, which in this case was to support and vote for Mitt Romney. After Clint’s speech, the only action people took was creating an explosion in cyberspace making fun of Clint and his (failed) delivery. No one today is talking about Mitt Romney.

But despite all this, Clint’s reputation will live on. He did, after all, manage to do what he is famous for: He made my day!

When it comes to visual aids for a presentation, what’s the first thing you think of? If you said “PowerPoint™” or “slide ware,” you’re in the majority. That’s the default most presenters rely on. But the answers about visual aids that I’ve been getting from my clients recently (and what I’ve seen at their locations) have surprised even me.

For example, I was working with a client in June and walked into the training room to find a chalkboard and box of chalk greeting me.

A few weeks later I walked into a client’s conference room to find an overhead projector.

Last week I was walking down the halls of a large tech company and peered into a conference room. I saw two walls of whiteboard covered with neatly drawn flow charts, bullet charts, and various other schematics—in bright colors.

A few days ago I was working with a client who used colorful 3×5 index cards to organize his key points and deliver his presentation. He rarely uses slide ware but relies instead on his conversational style and deep subject knowledge.

And just yesterday I watched a presentation where the presenter used a flipchart.

So, when was the last time you used a chalkboard, an overhead projector, a whiteboard, a flipchart, or even no visuals at all?

These clients I visited from various industries and organizations—a dental school, a utility company, a software company, a transportation company, and a non-profit organization—all taught me a lesson.

It’s easy to become complacent and narrow-minded about the types of visual aids we use—or don’t’ use. It’s also easy to fall into the trap of thinking that to be effective, a visual needs to be cutting edge and show off the latest visual gymnastics that PowerPoint can produce. And while I was at each location to share “best practices” and reveal the top design tips and staging usage, I learned that every one of these places and people were effective and had an impact because they knew their audience and used visual tools that they could relate to.

So when it comes to visual aid selection, here’s my best advice: Analyze your audience so you know what they expect and what will work for them. Then, understand the options available to you. Know what you are comfortable with and what will help you do your best to meet your audience’s expectations. When you follow that guidance, you’ll be able to produce visual aids that help both you and your message come alive and connect to the heart and mind of every audience member.