Speech is the physical act of producing sounds. There arefour major categories of problems. One cause is a physical abnormality, such as a dental gap due to missing teeth or a gap between teeth. Some lisps are an example of this. Cleft palates and cleft lips can also result in speech that sounds different. A second cause is ...

Have you often been told that your listeners can't understand you because you speak too fast? Rapid rates of speech can impede your effectiveness as a speaker and a professional. After all, if you have given a message but it has not been understood, you will have to say it repeatedly until the other party understands. It is much easier to say it slower - the first time.

"Bob" (not his real name) is a salesman who has had difficulty all his life in saying long words. Unfortunately, many of the products he sells are multi-syllabic.

Conventions are like batteries. Unless there is some form of contact or connection, there is no power or energy generated. Five simple secrets differentiate the "power person", who gets the most possible out of the experience. Not only will you become a "power person", but you'll also recognize others who are, and can connect with them as well.

People attend trade shows because they want information, continuing education credits, to meet friends or connect with colleagues...but definitely not because they want to "be sold" on a product or service in the exhibit hall. If you want to make a sale, you need to think like your customers. Here are the six simple secrets to help you succeed.

A high level manager contacted me in a panic. He was upset that his supervisor had asked him to give an important presentation in three days. He needed help - fast. Occasional speech-givers make many errors. Three that are very common are poor speech-writing, inadequate knowledge of the topic, and undeveloped presentation skills.

Many needed experts in the USA come from other countries. Although they may speak English reasonably fluently, their pronunciation may be difficult to understand. This often happens when they or their listener is under stress or fatigued, or when their speech frequencies may be altered slightly through the use of a microphone. For example, when a person is ill or in pain, and the physician comes from another country, the patient or family may not always have the ability to understand what the physician is explaining.

Does making "small talk" cause a "big fear" in you? Do you wish you could melt into the floor when you have to enter a room full of strangers? There are several techniques you can use to be more comfortable...