dispatches from the new world of work

Cool Friend #134: Nick Morgan

If you've ever spoken in public or want to learn the pitfalls before you take that leap, you'll want to read our new Cool Friends interview. Nick Morgan explains the simple secrets that make all the difference in connecting with an audience. At one time he was a speechwriter for Virginia Governor Charles S. Robb, then he went on to eventually found his own communications consulting company,
Public Words. Now he's one of America's top communication theorists and coaches who's committed to helping people clarify their ideas and engage audiences when they present them. Nick Morgan's latest book is Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma, which he discusses with Erik in his Cool Friends interview. He also shares his tips freely at his blog, publicwords.typepad.com/nickmorgan/ and on Twitter as nfrodom1.

Cathy Mosca posted this on 03/04/09.

Comments

Very interesting - thanks for this Erik and Cathy. It's good to see teaching about communication going into a little more depth than most. I love the idea of the basic stories. It's a concept that is easy to relate to.

Although I still think my Father's advice to me on public speaking is the best.

"Lad - There are only 3 things to remember
Stand up
Speak up
Shut up"

Posted by PaulH at March 5, 2009 2:30 AM

The thing I find lacking from this discussion(although it may be talked about in the book) is what I regard as prerequisite number one for authenticity and charisma: have something of substance to say.

Posted by Mark JF at March 5, 2009 3:24 AM

Liked the piece

Posted by dave at March 5, 2009 12:18 PM

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_49/b3760040.htm

Posted by dave at March 5, 2009 12:19 PM

dave:
http://www.tompeters.com/entries.php?note=009406.php

Posted by Shelley Dolley at March 5, 2009 1:35 PM

My Mama always said the two B's of Public Speaking was to Be brief and Be seated.

Posted by Art Taft at March 5, 2009 3:45 PM

Trust Me: Four Steps to Implode the Worldwide Economy - Barack D'ohbama

"Nothing significant happens between people except when in face-to-face contact."

Hilarious - the whole world is becoming more cost effective in an Internet world & the author wants to sell books on face to face - perfect - lets carbon load up & fly to see each other every day!

Even at C Love we let our minions & n'er do wells work at home to save money - we can yell at them just as easily on teleconference calls - then in to the office once a week for a thorough thrashing that those low lifes deserve - especially the females that got us into this giant debt load/healthcare/public school crises!

Appreciate the author's criticism of D'ohbama though - especially now with stock markets down almost 50% since his election by the neoliberals who saw a glimpse of charisma & unwittingly fouled their own vermin nest & all the rest with their radical low IQ zest!

Posted by C Love at March 5, 2009 6:42 PM

PS - Peace & love as always. :>)

Posted by C Love at March 5, 2009 6:47 PM

I always use the 3 Tells:

- Tell your audience what you're going to tell them.
- Tell them.
- Then tell them what you told them.

Posted by John at March 6, 2009 7:24 PM

Fantastic, thank you for putting the weight of your reputation behind this very important concept. Brands that do good in order to balance out the bad they do aren't virtuous, and consumers know this. They're just paying protection money. But brands that are inherently principled are another story, and I would argue are free market capitalism's best hope. If there's one thing I hoped people would get from my book, it's that.

Posted by Bruce Philp at March 8, 2009 11:01 AM