The One Question Every Presenter Should Ask

Clients often ask us to review major presentations at the eleventh hour, hoping we can make the tweaks that will take their material from good to great. In the best cases, our job is to put icing on the cake and who doesn’t love to do that? But sometimes, the cake isn’t ready for icing. In fact, in some cases, everyone is still scrambling around, trying to find the ingredients. Often those frantic, final meetings are spent searching for photos, fretting over font sizes, adjusting bullets and reordering slides ad nauseam.

7 Tips for Becoming a Rock Star Moderator

If you're asked to moderate a panel discussion, follow these tips to be sure you well serve the audience, the panel and your own professional brand.

Facing Your Own PR Crisis? Better Get Your Story Straight

Good public relations practices are scalable. The same strategies that can help a global company navigate an epic crisis can hold true for individuals fighting to manage their own bad news—like an untimely departure. None of us likes to think about losing a job. But if the day comes when you find yourself packing that cardboard box, here are three PR moves to help keep your image in tact while you regroup.

Five Keys to Killer Financial Presentations

CFOs and other financial professionals, this is it! Never before has your insight, expertise and leadership been more needed than in the wake of the pandemic as your organizations struggle with unprecedented fiscal challenges and opportunities.

Overcoming Speaker Panic: Six Tips

Not long ago, while attending an industry conference I bumped into a smart, professional woman I know. She asked what tips I had for people, like her, who panic when they speak. “Just power through it,” I said. “We all get nervous.” “No, not NERVOUS,” she said. “I don’t get nervous. I PANIC. I’m petrified. My throat tightens, I get cold sweats, my skin gets blotchy and I feel like I could faint.” Oh. That’s different.

Virtual Presentation Coaching and Media Training

As the COVID-19 crisis challenges us all to find new ways to conduct business, we want to make you aware of ways in which Bluestone is supporting clients amid this new reality. We’ve developed several new programs that may be of help to you or those you support.

Why You Didn't Get Quoted

Unquotable Executive Syndrome is the result of a failure to articulate messages in a way that resonates with the reporter and in turn the reporter’s audience. There are three specific mistakes executives make that almost guarantee they’ll be cut from the story.

Three Quick Ways to Elevate Your Virtual Presentation

Truth be told, if we’re talking to peers or digitally hanging out with friends, how we look on-camera doesn’t much matter. But that’s not the case when more is at stake, like when a leader is delivering serious news to the company, speaking to VIP stakeholders or being interviewed by news media.

Leaders, This is Your Moment. Here's What to Say.

Now that the World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 situation a pandemic, organizations large and small all across the globe are trying to quickly decide and communicate what this means for their work, their teams and their stakeholders.

Time is short and the stakes are high. Leaders, now more than ever, your employees need to hear from you.

Communicating Amid Coronavirus: Six Tips for Better Virtual Meetings

With concerns about the spread of Coronavirus prompting temporary travel restrictions at organizations across the globe, more and more professionals are turning to virtual meetings to connect their teams and stay productive.

No doubt, virtual meetings offer many conveniences (like preventing the spread of sickness, for one). But they also present some problems, especially for the meeting host who has the difficult job of engaging participants and keeping order without the benefit of a good old-fashioned stare down.

How to Nail the “Morning After” Call

It’s always nice to follow up with a reporter after a story runs or airs, especially if you’ve established a rapport and want to keep it going. But those “morning after” calls can be tricky and if you’re not careful, unravel a lot of good will.

Put Down the Tech and Just Talk

In this age of digital technology, the rules of business etiquette seem to be relaxing. But lately I’ve seen some especially bad behavior involving public speaking and tech. A few months ago, I was at an entrepreneurs forum, listening to a panelist describe his business idea, when I was distracted by a man nearby, visibly scrolling through his cell phone. I know, you’re thinking, “Annoying. But not egregious.” Well, what if I told you he was the MODERATOR?

Ladies and Gentleman, Please Welcome....Me!

When I first started speaking in public, I had a rather lofty image of how each engagement would begin: I’d be summoned to the stage with thunderous applause as a beaming host detailed the many reasons I was perfectly qualified to be the day’s expert. Screeeeeeeeech. That’s the record player scratching as reality sets in. As well-meaning as hosts typically are, more often than not, they fall woefully short in priming the audience for their guest speaker.

Christina McKennaNovember 5, 2019speeeches, introductions, hosting, virtual coaching, panel discussion

How to Give a Pretty Good Speech on the Fly: P-U-N-T

A while back I was at a friend’s baby shower, chatting with the other guests, when it became clear someone should say something to mark the occasion. This was a long awaited pregnancy and these women wanted an emotional outlet, a chance to shed a happy tear and at long last applaud our expectant friend.

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