An Unbroken Update, “Elevating” Your Words & Public Speaking

Posted by on Jul 6, 2012 in General, General College Success/Responses to Other College Entities | 2 comments

(I realized with the summer here–yes, in Seattle now, too!–I’m actually liking these shorter, list-y posts a little bit. So, I’m going to go for it again! A light update from the week and I’ll be back with a meatier post next Tuesday!)

-First, a sweet update from my unbroken post:

I still can't believe it... a garden!

Remember that I couldn’t run, but another friend could? Well, that friend is a total expert at something that I’ve never done before, but have always wanted to do. And, just four days after the race, when I was still feeling so broken, the friend helped me realize a goal that I could attain: Planting a garden. I’ve typically relied on my husband to do it and now that he has a job where he travels, last year… no garden. Well, check out the picture! We did it! Tomatoes, kale, bush beans (whatever in the heck those are!), butter lettuce, and peppers (and a two-year old strawberry plant that we found after I unearthed the mass of brush and weeds). I didn’t get a race, but as long as I keep watering my new project, I should have some vegetables before too long. Once the garden was in, I remember feeling hopeful at the end of that day… very hopeful. It was also the first time I had done any real ‘exercise’ in weeks. I thought you might like to hear about that update and I will share more soon. Not about the vegetables (unless you’re really wanting that!)… but I do have another “do-over” themed post in my pocket coming up very, very shortly.

-Next, another book shout-out, and this is yet another book that I’m going to do a longer post on soon: Do you find that you struggle with brevity? Hello… I do! In fact, if you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you are probably glad that I’ve admitted this to myself and to others (because it’s a good first step for me, right?). Anyway, Chris Westfall (@westfallonline) is known as the 2011 Elevator Pitch Champion and his recent book is called The NEW Elevator Pitch. This book, which isn’t too long–keeping in the theme with the brevity part–gives practical and doable communication strategies to make your message impactful and meaningful. I am thinking about how to incorporate the 2-minute drills in this book into my lesson plans. More on that soon, but I definitely encourage you to take a look.

-A huge congratulations to my friend Lisa Braithwaite (@lisabraithwaite), public speaking/communication coach and author of the Speak Schmeak website/blog. Lisa has been featured in lots of places, but recently, she was interviewed for Toastmasters Magazine, in a piece regarding distracted audiences. I was a Toastmaster for seven years, and this organization is the reason I became a communication professor. I know that Toastmasters doesn’t just highlight anybody, so I was incredibly excited to see Lisa’s expert advice included in the magazine. Students, if you are doing any speaking in college–and I know that you are–follow Lisa’s blog for real world public speaking tips! Faculty who do not teach public speaking, Lisa’s blog can also be incredibly supportive in helping “back up” what you want students to achieve for your classroom presentations, so I recommend adding it to your weblinks!

-Last, but not least: I cannot believe the Say This, NOT That review love that keeps coming my way this summer. I feel incredibly honored!!!!

Elephant Ears Learning:  “The book is amazing and a must-have for every college student. Actually, it’s a must-have for anyone who ever deals with any other human being ever in their lives.”

College Prep Ready:  “I know that readers will enjoy the fact that they can use all of Bremen’s advice and tips right away.”

Outnumbered 3 to 1 blog:  “It was so ‘spot on!’ I teach at the State University of New York as an adjunct professor and I am going to recommend that my students pick up the book.  Hmmm, do you think I can make it a required textbook?  Most of the material in the book I have dealt with myself and agree 100% with the author’s advice.”

Students, parents… for colleges that start in or around August, there are about six-ish weeks left… have you taken a look inside Say This, NOT That to Your Professor to get your words ready to deal with any college issue that might come your way?

2 Comments

  1. Grats on the continued success of STNT!

    Also wanted to make a “small world” comment. I can’t remember now how I discovered Lisa Braithwaite, probably through a speaking-related hashtag on Twitter, but I’ve been enjoying following her blog and seeing how she develops her business. So it was pleasant to see that you and she were connected! How cool!

    I’m just wrapping up a summer term, so I’m behind on reading blog posts, and it was nice to see this.

    • Hi, Donn!

      I’m glad to see you and thank you for the congrats! I’ve been very excited! I’ll tell you, though, I had my first TV appearance last week and, boy, is that a challenge compared to public speaking. I never realized how much “control” you have in public speaking as opposed to television. Can’t wait to talk with my students about that in the fall!

      Yes, Lisa Braithwaite. I adore her and she teaches me a ton! I wish we could package her and send her material to every non-comm faculty out there who needs some support for their students doing speeches. Her information would help students in any course, particularly if they haven’t taken public speaking yet.

      I’m so happy to hear from you again and I hope you had a fantastic summer term. A little break for you now?
      Ellen

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