Hi Reader Happy Friday, and a quick insight for you! One of my coaching clients recently asked me something. He had a meeting coming up with his CEO.And he told me, “That thought stays in my mind for days before the meeting.” I said, “That’s okay. It shows that you care.” Then I added:“As long as it doesn’t stop you from doing what you want to do… it’s okay.” He found that simple idea surprisingly helpful.Maybe you will, too. Because that’s how it is with public speaking too. Do you feel...
20 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader Yesterday, I sat in on a practice session—and let me tell you, it wasn’t just another rehearsal. It was a reminder. You see, the voice was firm. Gestures? On point. Structure? Tight. But what really struck me was:Let’s not compromise empathy and sincerity for perfection. That line hit me and I had to share that feedback as a next step. And trust me, we all will hit this phase. Because here’s the trap we all fall into:We chase the perfect pause, the power pose, the flawless finish…...
25 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader When we create something, we want it to be really good. Don't we? Yup, it could be anything. A speech, a book, an article, a painting or any creative work for the sake or argument. Let's keep the scope to speeches. There'll come a point, where you go beyond basics and you'll learn advanced techniques for improving—persuasion, vocal variety, body language, storytelling. And you should too. That's when you'll keep learning and growing. But there is a key thing to note. And most...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." – John F. Kennedy I'm sure you've heard about this quote or a derivative of this quote. I've heard this as a dialogue in a regional movie in India! What makes this line so memorable? JFK knew a thing or two about rhetorical devices and communication or he had some really smart speech writers! And today, you are going to learn the same powerful technique. This can be used in day-to-day communication,...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Imagine this. You’ve written a speech script so good, even Shakespeare would give you a slow clap. But there’s one tiny problem—you’re not sure if you can deliver it effectively. Suddenly, the confident, inspiring speaker in your head has been replaced by a nervous wreck who’s worried about forgetting everything mid-sentence. One of my coaching students faced this exact challenge. It was the morning of an important speech contest, and he had put in a lot of effort crafting a wonderful script....
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Speech contests. Why do we participate in them? To be honest, there could be many reasons, and it depends on what you want to get out of them. And of course, winning is winning. But there’s a side effect—you also get a chance to fail. I’ve talked about this before. It’s a process, and even if you fail, you still gain a lot. I want to share an interesting experience. Last year, sometime in September, I was asked to coach someone for the International Speech Contest conducted by...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
How is your week coming along? I’ve been facing a situation lately and want to share a hard truth about speech development. It's something any creative will face whether you are creating a speech, screenplay or a novel. Let’s say you start with a concept that feels perfect at that moment. You refine it, add compelling stories, and polish your delivery. But as you develop it, new insights emerge. A new example fits better. A fresh angle makes your message stronger. And then it happens—you...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader How are you doing? We are in February 2025, and time seems to pass fast! Today, I want to share an insight that had so much impact on me while I was trying to help my coaching client. At one point, I heard the phrase, "I don't want to put too much skin in the game and feel hurt." Have you ever felt that way? I'm sure I have felt that way. We feel that way because we don't want to look stupid for putting so much time and energy into something that has no guarantee of success. To keep...
2 months ago • 1 min read
How is your 2025 coming along? Hope you are off to a great start! Yesterday, I wrapped up a coaching call with one of my clients, and I wanted to share a few insights that might resonate with you—especially if you’ve ever been left scratching your head over unclear feedback. 1. Feedback that's not clear is not helpful. My client asked for feedback from someone senior, only to receive unclear comments. Unsurprisingly, this felt confusing and disappointing. Here’s the reality: not all feedback...
3 months ago • 1 min read