Does the idea of networking scare you? Does it bring to mind images of parties and events in which you stand around and talk to strangers while you nervously hold a drink in your hand, secretly looking for the clock to see if it’s time to leave? These kinds of parties are not only nerve-racking, [...]

Do you get nervous when you think about giving a presentation?  Most of us do.  Do you get nervous when telling a story to a friend?  Most of us think this isn’t so difficult. I’d like you to know that giving a presentation should be as easy as telling a story.
When you tell a story, [...]

Dear Apple,
I don’t know whether to thank you or hate you for naming your new product the iPad.  As an instructor of professional English, I spend hours every day helping my clients improve their pronunciation.  Much of this time is focused on vowels.  As you know, “iPad” /ɑɪpæd/ sounds a lot like “iPod” /ɑɪpɑd/.  Having [...]

When you attend a lecture, conference, or trade show, do you feel comfortable starting conversations with the strangers around you? It’s not an easy thing to do, even for native speakers. (See Michael Arrington’s TechCrunch post about how to interact at events.) Talking to people is an important business skill because meeting new people and [...]

There has been a lot of buzz on the Web recently about how handshakes are disgusting, spread germs, and are probably unnecessary.  TechCrunch just posted on this again yesterday.  I have to admit that although I have spent hours talking with my clients about the importance of handshakes in American culture, especially business culture, I [...]