Good posture is the foundation of support for the voice because the body is the instrument from which the breath is supported, which in turn powers the voice. The technique shown here is the fifth step of a 15-step preparation sequence and is pivotal to its success. I hope you enjoy practising it and that it becomes …
How you can use posture to improve your presentation skills Read The Post »
-If you use public speaking as part of your work, you may find this interesting. If you admired Richard Burton you definitely will. ‘There’s no such thing as a bad voice, only a voice with blocks in it’ – Patsy Rodenburg. There’s also no such thing as a great voice that requires no work. Although there are …
“The two most common problems with wedding speeches are 1. you can’t hear them, or 2. you can.” Disputably one of the most famous in the English language, Sherlock Holmes’ Best Man speech at Dr Watson’s wedding epitomises all that is good, bad and ugly in an occasional speech. Here’s an ideal showcase to demonstrate how I …
Inspired by a student who has graduated with a First but is shy about making calls to find work, I’ve put together a short video which will help anyone needing to know some basics but also help professionals brush up on their technique. Enjoy and please share!
Perhaps you’re thinking about getting some help with your confidence in speaking out, but you’re not sure about what to do. How do you go and see someone for help if you get anxious around new people? Although I provide a no-commitment-required preliminary meeting for clients/students to ascertain if this is for them, here’s an additional means to decide …
Introduction and Top Interview Tips video launched today! Read The Post »
What are your bad habits? You know you’ve got them and you’ve either struggled with or learned to ignore them (if you don’t think you have any, you don’t have a friend good enough to tell you the truth). They say it’s always good to be transparent about one’s own struggles. So I thought you’d find it …
As a coach, I believe that every presentation problem can be overcome through listening, reflection, reworking and rehearsing. That is to say, I listen and share some ideas, the learner reflects and reworks their delivery and through rehearsal they can usual remove the obstacle to good speaking or improve their presentation. I recently had the privilege of …
Over the years, I have been teaching students and clients a 12-15-minute routine of relaxation, breathing and voice production which inadvertently incorporates power posing. Getting the body ready to support the breath for speaking out is the foundation of good presentation. I don’t know if you’re one of the 33 million plus people who have watched this …
I’ve been working more in promotions in the last year than ever before. It’s brought me up against the cold, hard fact that the truth isn’t all that important to the media. We seem to accept this as ‘the way it is’ and I don’t know if this is because we don’t know how to tackle it or …
This article was first published in December 2004 for my thesis. However, it is still relevant for the Training Facilitation I deliver and 121 coaching as I encounter many trainees and clients who don’t believe they are intelligent. This is as a result of their school experience which largely measures only two. My hope is that by …
Looking for something fun, cultural and relevant to do during the Easter Holidays this April? Godspell is a rock musical from the early ’70s created by final year Drama student, John-Michael Tebelek when he was left cold by the Easter service he attended in New York. It takes the story of Jesus into a hippie context and …
Fiona co-directs upcoming production of Godspell Read The Post »
Fiona helped found the first school Speakers’ Club in Britain at The Downs School, Compton in September 2014. Since then it has been thriving and students have received many personal awards, such as the Certificate of Leadership (for completing all the roles in the club, 3 speeches and 2 evaluations), the Interim Certificate of Achievement (for completing the first …
John McGhee presented the National Award to The Downs School Speaker’s Club Founder on behalf of Head Teacher Chris Prosser and the Youth Speaks entrants, Eirlys, Freya and Alannah. This month The Downs School achieved a first in the United Kingdom in recognition of its dedication to the development of young people. John McGhee, Education Officer of …
Newbury Weekly recognises First Speakers’ Club in West Berkshire – Feb ’16 Read The Post »
Jenny* has worked with The Gatehouse, Oxford for some years. As her role grew, so did her need to be able to speak to groups and in front of a camera. Jenny really struggled with this, “e.g. I just wanted to run away and in fact, I did once!” After completing a 12-week course with Fiona, Jenny …
