Nasality is found in many regions of the United States as well as in some areas of Canada; and, it involves sending more of your vocal sounds through your nose than necessary (or wanted). The problem for those who have excessive nasal sound is that they are sending other sounds through their nose as well. In addition, if you are sending your non-nasal sounds through your nose when you speak, there is a very good possibility that you are also producing excessive nasality on your nasal sounds, which can make your words even more strident and harsh. Hopefully, you didn't vibrate on that word because the long o sound is one of the lowest vowel sounds we produce in the back of the mouth and is the least likely to travel through the nasal passages. Good speech in the English language involves 3 nasal sounds and 3 nasal sounds only. If you would like to rid yourself of excessive nasality or extreme nasality, see my following article, The Best Way to Eliminate Excessive Nasality in Your Speaking Voice.

Tags: words, nasality, public speaking, sounds, nasal, public speaking techniques

In regards to successful or effective corporate meeting planning, it really all comes down to that planning. Plan well, but leave yourself open to what else might develop during the meeting. So plan well, but plan loose. You can't delineate every single minute of the meeting, you have to actually offer your employees a little space, as breakthroughs can't be made on a restrictive time frame.

So plan your meetings around just one or two goals or subjects, know what points you're hoping to make during the meeting, and just leave it at that. Don't write an itinerary, don't try to solve each and every problem the company has all at the same time, just stay focused on what you need to get done and let the meeting develop at its own pace. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you plan your next meeting.

Be Sensible

Are you really going to solve every single problem your company has in a single meeting? Of course not. Keep a meeting focused on ONE subject, not several. MAYBE two subjects, but only move on to the second after you've resolved the first. You need to make major decisions at these meetings, and the fewer the better, since you want the best decisions, not rush jobs. Know what you're going to do and say at the meeting, and do it, don't go nuts with it or you'll be in the conference room for the rest of the week.

Focus On One Target

Set one goal, let your people know what that goal is, and achieve it during the meeting. Just one goal. If you give them a dozen things to do, they won't know where to start, so give them just one goal and they'll march right towards it over the course of the meeting. Again, it's all about focus and simplicity. When we over-complicate everything, it tends to show a lack of confidence, as if more planning will make up for a lack of skill or competency. To a true master, everything is made simple.

Host The Meeting Around Noon

Or whenever the mid-day is for your enterprise. You don't want to do it in the morning or else you have a number of grumpy people who really don't want to be here. After lunch, everyone gets slow and sluggish having just had big meals. Around the mid-day is when your people have had their coffee, they've woken up, and they're ready to actually provide their own suggestions while at the same time listening during the meeting, as opposed to just zoning out looking forward to their first cup of joe.

Tags: jokes for public speaking, public speaking teacher, public speaking opportunities, dynamic public speaking techniques, public speaking exercises, public speaking debate activity

Standing perfectly still, rigid, or immobile during a presentation (or even a speech where you are somewhat limited by the presence of a lectern) says one thing to your audience. Whatever your purpose in speaking, be it a requirement for a presentation skills class, an order from above in your company, your introduction at a chamber event or networking club, or perhaps your desire to become a professional speaker, if you do not move during your delivery your audience will. Good public speaking means that you captivate your audience. The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group workshops in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!

Tags: , speaking, public speaking workshops, public, move, public speaking and listening