Category Archives: Public Speaking

How To Destroy An Opponent

Unusual Quotations: How To Destroy An Opponent With Humor “One way to destroy an opponent is to turn him into a joke, and sometimes if you are lucky he will do that to himself.”—Gene Griessman in “Lincoln and Obama” If … Continue reading

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Prepare For Failure: A Speech Eisenhower Never Gave

What You Say If You Fail: A Speech Eisenhower Never Gave by Gene Griessman I don’t like to give any thought to defeat. Just thinking about failure can plant the wrong kind of ideas in my subconscious. But I know … Continue reading

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Unusual Quotations: Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld’s Self-portrait: A Quotation You Can Use At A Funeral Or Awards Ceremony Here’s a quotation by a famous designer with a surprising and thoughtful last four words. It’s apt for an individual whose life combines pragmatism with creativity. Use … Continue reading

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Political Wisdom: Unusual Quotations

Unusual Quotations: The Difficultly Of Behaving Wisely. “History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.”  —Abba Eban, Israel’s Foreign Minister, in 1970 I love this quotation. It is abundantly true. Evidence of … Continue reading

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How To Introduce A High-profile Speaker

How To Introduce A High-Profile Speaker Such As A Religious Leader Or Politician: An Example    By Gene Griessman, PhD Recently I was asked to introduce Ken Futch,  a Hall of Fame professional speaker. Afterward Futch told me it was … Continue reading

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Show No Slide Before Its Time: PowerPoint Tip

SHOW NO SLIDE BEFORE ITS TIME   By Tom Nixon  Sitting in on a presentation recently, I noticed that the speaker had a habit of advancing to the next slide well before he was ready to speak about it. He … Continue reading

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How You Say It:Talk Low

Verbal Tactics From The American West: Talk Low   By Gene Griessman “Talk low, talk slow, and don’t say too much.” —Cowboy saying This advice from the American West has come to be associated with the actor John Wayne, who … Continue reading

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What You Say If Your Joke Bombs

HOW TO RECOVER IF YOUR JOKE OR ACTIVITY BOMBS By Gene Griessman I watched Bronkar Lee, who’s a professional entertainer and speaker, tell a joke that bombed. There was silence in the room, the kind of funereal quietness that descends … Continue reading

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How To Give A Heartfelt Speech

How To Express Emotion In A Speech: Lincoln’s Farewell Address  By Gene Griessman, Ph.D. “It is a gem that rightly took its place as one of the greatest of his speeches, but that is seldom recognized for what it truly … Continue reading

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Abraham Lincoln Jokes About Soldiers and War

Abraham Lincoln’s Humor: Two Stories About Soldiers and War By Gene Griessman, Ph.D. Few topics were off-limits for Abraham Lincoln’s humor—death, sex, race, defecation, patriotism, preachers, religion in general, politicians, war. You name it. The topics that “proper” and “refined” … Continue reading

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