Archive for the 'Examples of Powerful Performers' Category

When asked to describe John F. Kennedy, many people mention the phrase “great speaker.” It’s true. Watch any of his speeches and you’ll see someone who looks natural and elegant in front of a crowd. He had a cunning wit and easy charm. He was articulate, intelligent, direct, and inspiring. Most of all, he looked [...]

The psychologist and philosopher William James famously wrote: “99% of our activity is purely automatic; all of our life is nothing but a mass of habits.” After reading the book The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (which I first wrote about here), it is clear that habits define virtually every aspect of our lives, [...]

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 [...]

One of the great by-products of the Olympics is learning  about the history and culture of the host country. This year’s Olympic games in London, England are no exception. While learning about the United Kingdom was mandatory in my high school history classes (given the early ties between England and U.S.), we spent most of [...]

Anyone in the public speaking business has likely paused at the news that Steve Jobs has resigned from the iconic Apple Computer. We all knew it was coming, given the serious health issues he has battled since being diagnosed with treatable pancreatic cancer in 2004. But it is a surprise nonetheless.
His career has been nothing [...]

I admit that I had never seen Lady Gaga speak until last night when I tuned in to 60 Minutes. And I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. She impressed me with her authenticity, her passion, and her outrageous, relentless confidence. While she admits to feeling insecure at times, it is hard to see [...]