Charismatic Presence and a Hunt For Morels

Eleni KelakosCharismatic Presence, Confident Speakers, Leadership, Personal Growth, Public Speaking, Speaking, Storytelling

Charismatic Presence: A few nights ago, my friend Carrie Hensel sent a short text that instantly rearranged my plans: “I did a story about Morel mushroom hunting on CBS Detroit. It comes out tonight at 6pm. Come to Fraser’s Pub to watch it with me and some other pals.” When Carrie texts, people show up. And that’s exactly what a dozen of us did—gathered around a pub TV, drinks in hand, to watch her TV feature. But we weren’t just there for mushrooms. We were there because Carrie has that rare, magnetic quality I call Charismatic Presence. In fact, Charismatic …

9 Ways To Make Your Storytelling Better

Eleni KelakosAudience Connection, Confident Speakers, Peak Performance, Performance Techniques, PowerfulConnections, Storytelling, Take the Stage

I recently had the honor of serving as a judge at the National Speakers Association of Michigan’s Last Story Standing competition. Eleven competitors took the stage, each putting their unique spin on the timeless art of storytelling. Their tales made us laugh, cry, think, and, above all, feel. As I watched and listened, I thought—probably for the millionth time—”Dang! There is nothing more powerful than a great story well told!” A Legacy of Storytelling If I love storytelling, it’s because it runs in my blood. My paternal grandmother, Yiayia Kelakos, was the designated griot—or storykeeper—in her small Greek village. She …