Presentation Tip: Managing The Moment Before

Eleni KelakosAudience Connection, Executive Presence, Peak Performance, Performance Techniques, Presentation Skills, Professional Tips, Public Speaking, Strategic Tips

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch Sing Sing, a film that tells the inspiring story of inmates at the famed Sing Sing prison who participated in a transformative program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). This powerful film, enacted predominantly by actual RTA participants, centers around a character named Divine G, played by the incredible Colman Domingo. Divine G is an inmate wrongfully convicted of a crime, but he discovers a renewed sense of purpose through his involvement in a theater group alongside other incarcerated men. The film’s portrayal of how the essential elements of acting—trusting oneself and others, …

Managing Interrupting and Being Interrupted

Eleni KelakosExecutive Presence, Professional Tips, Public Speaking, Strategic Tips, Women in Leadership

When it comes to communication and presentation skills, I’m passionate about coaching and training everyone equally. Today, though, I want to focus on an area that’s particularly relevant for women in my audience: the art of interrupting and holding your ground in conversations. These skills can be pivotal in ensuring your voice is heard, especially when it matters most. I dive into this topic in my book, Claim the Stage: A Woman’s Guide to Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Taking Leadership. Let me share a story from the book that illustrates why this skill is so crucial: Vanessa, a talented …

Stop Preparing And Just Do It

Eleni KelakosPerformance Techniques, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Strategic Tips

When I teach presentation skills to my coaching and training clients, I always emphasize the importance of knowing their material inside out. As jazz musician Bradford Marsalis wisely said, “If you’re not prepared, it’s too late.” This principle applies to all aspects of life, not just public speaking. However, there comes a point where you need to stop preparing and just DO it. This leap of faith can be terrifying for many people, causing them to remain stuck in a perpetual state of preparation. I call it “getting ready to get ready,” which can prevent you from showing up, stepping …

For Better Public Speaking, 5 Lessons From The Baseball Field

Eleni KelakosPeak Performance, Performance Techniques, Professional Speakers, Public Speaking, Self Help, Strategic Tips

Hanging in the hallway leading to my office is a large, black-and-white photograph of me at twelve, pigtailed and squinting as a fat softball hurtles toward my outstretched leather glove. I’m wearing cutoffs and dirty white Keds sneakers, guarding first base with every fiber of my being. Whenever a client admires the photo, I shrug and say, “I caught that ball.” It still gives me a ripple of pride. That photo captures a sweet moment on a sweet day when, as part of a co-ed softball team at the Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel, I fell even more …

To Amp Up Your Presentations, Banish the Beige!

Eleni KelakosExciting Presentations, Presentation Skills, Professional Tips, Public Speaking, Strategic Tips

If you’ve ever participated in one of my presentation skills training classes, you’ve heard me say the following words: BAN WISHY-WASHY! I even reinforce this point with a sign slashed through with a big red line. When it comes to public speaking, nothing irritates me more than ho-hum, sorta-kinda-not-really-sure-what-I’ve-decided-to-do-or-say-here moments. Unfortunately, most of the presentations I see are full of wishy-washy, bland, or what I call “beige” moments. What Exactly Do I Mean By Beige? For those of you who don’t know what beige is, here’s a nifty definition from Merriam-Webster dictionary: “A variable color averaging light grayish-yellowish brown… a …