Communications Archives - The pincus Group

Why Your Subject Matter Experts Need Communications Training

test test — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:06:22 +0000

Hiring smart people doesn’t guarantee success. Unfortunately, that’s a disappointing lesson many organizations waste time and resources on having to learn. Expertise and unique positioning can’t overcome weak communication skills. If you can’t communicate the value of your work to your target audiences, you’re working against yourself. Communication skills are as vital for your key experts as their expertise itself. Here’s why they need help:

1) Don’t Separate the Experts from Communicating the Expertise.
Handing off the findings and work of your key researchers, subject matter experts and most accomplished employees to other staff who are better communicators can dilute the power of both. Your key audiences want to hear from the source and judge the value of what they’re hearing. Make sure those who know the most can communicate well about what they know. You’ll have more resources to tap into and fill your bench with more valuable contributors to your overall success.

2.) Communication is a learned skill and worth developing.
Encouraging and developing the skills of your experts to ‘own’ their expertise helps both them and the organization. In reality, no one is a “born communicator”. Even those who enjoy the spotlight need to learn how to best connect with those they want to inform and influence. Building communication confidence is an investment worth making in any organization, regardless of the title of the communicator.

3.) Communication is a core competency
Communication skills are the glue in every organization, whether the audience is internal or external. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing communications as “soft skills” in the category of ‘nice to haves’, but unnecessary. Communication is a core competency in every industry, and with every level of employee responsible for impacting your brand and your reputation.

We hope you reach out to us for communications training and support but however you do it, do invest in building communication skills. It’s an investment in your own organization’s success.

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Public Speaking: Conquering Nerves and Powering Up Credibility

test test — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:06:22 +0000

No matter how confident you are about your subject and what you’ve come to say, standing in front of others to say it can be intimidating. Ducking that part of the job however comes with a downside. If you’re not the one in the spotlight, you’re not the one who gets the credit and there’s always danger in having others explain your work for you. The next time you’re reluctant to take the spotlight, think about the power that comes from framing your ideas, your findings, your knowledge for others. Then consider these techniques to help you embrace the role of Chief Explanations Officer (CEO):

1) Set yourself up for success
The chances are good that if you do battle nerves when speaking in public, it’s at the beginning of your talk. Look for ways then to shift the focus to those you’re speaking to early, while you ease into your talk. For instance, you might say: “Before I begin, let me ask if anyone has a guess on why we didn’t get the results we were looking for with this rollout”. Your audience is always eager to interact, and throwing a question out first gives you a moment to calm yourself by sharing the spotlight.
2.) Always have a plan B.
If you’re working with technology, (a slide show, a video), always be prepared in case the technology fails. Rather than get frustrated, you simply pivot to plan B and re-route to the same goal through different means. Slide show fails? It’s ok, you’ve brought hand-outs. The audience doesn’t know what you were SUPPOSED to say or that something went wrong unless you tell them. (And why would you tell them?) Just smoothly transition and keep going. You can circle back later.
3.) Free yourself up to be in the moment
Of course you want to rehearse, plan and prepare. What you don’t want to do is tie yourself in knots by trying to memorize every word or being overly dependent on your materials. They’re not the presentation, you are. If you notice the audience looking skeptical, stop and adjust. You can’t meet your audience where they are if you plow through information regardless of how it’s being received.
4.) Embrace the fear
Butterflies are energy, and energy is exactly what we need when we’re standing in front of others. Your goal is to teach those butterflies to fly in formation. Harness that energy to show commitment, passion, belief in what you’re saying. Unless you faint in front of us, your audience is probably clueless that those butterflies are active. Harness that energy into your voice, your movement, your speech, and keep going.
Seize the spotlight every chance you get and learn how powerful it can be to be the one selling your own ideas.
For more tips and techniques: follow us at www.thepincusgroup.com

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Communication Intelligence

aileen — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:38:06 +0000

“Less actually is more when presenting ‘up’ to decision makers,” asserts Aileen Pincus, the founder at The Pincus Group, an executive communications firm near Washington DC., and a former US Senate senior communications director.

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Power Up Your Communications

aileen — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:00:40 +0000

No matter how the workplace changes, every management survey we have still ranks communication skills at the top of those valued. That’s because even a high level of expertise can’t overcome a failure to communicate that expertise well to others. Yet, somehow, we still expect professional communications to just magically and consistently happen. Even AI, as useful a tool as it is, is only a tool. It can’t substitute for your own clear, powerful voice communicating your ideas to colleagues, clients, or decision-makers. As 2026 gets underway, let’s remind ourselves of a few basics to help power up workplace communications:

1.) Respect the process.
Never walk into a presentation, conference, meeting or opportunity without preparing for it. Take just a moment to ask yourself who is going to be there, what your intent is in speaking to them, and what you want them to remember from what you have to say. It’s not about always having an answer. It’s about preparing for them. This one simple step can help shape your reputation as a polished professional.

2.) Your reputation is inseparable from your communication skill.
Every professional wants the judgment of others to be based solely on their work. That’s why we’re uncomfortable with public speaking. We tend to separate what we know (which we think we have more control over), from how we communicate about it, something we suspect we might be judged unfairly for. Embrace the reality. If you want credit for what you’re bringing to the workplace, display it clearly for others. Communication is the burden of the communicator, not those listening to you.

3.) The data (and pretty much everything else) actually doesn’t speak for itself. Whether delivering a written or oral report, it’s up to you to supply the “so what”. Don’t confuse information with wisdom, data with authority. You are the one who needs to supply the bigger picture. (Think “Here’s what the data tells us”, rather than “You asked me to look at…”)

4.) Own it.
The power of in person communication is in tone, delivery, word choice and body language, along WITH the content. A strong voice, confident posture, eye contact, and declarative, clear sentences, signals to others you have something worth listening to. (Even in remote meetings, turn that camera back on, look up, and speak up.)

And of course, make sure to get feedback. We hope you’ll call us in for that but do find the time to keep on top of your communication game. To get the credit for your ideas, you’ll have to connect them to the power of your communications.

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What To Do If The Worst Happens: (Why drawing a blank doesn’t have to upend your presentation)

aileen — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 20:42:17 +0000

You’ve prepared and are ready for that big briefing or presentation and
suddenly, the nightmare happens. You draw a blank. You look at your slide or your notes and can’t find your place or recall what you were supposed to say. How do you recover? Easily, if you bear in mind a few tips:

1. Prepare For The Unexpected
If you had to deliver your briefing or presentation in half the time you thought
you had, or without any notes or materials, could you? Next time you get ready
to take the stage, identify two or three key messages in your presentation, a
support point for each, and a conclusion. That’s the “elevator pitch” version of
your briefing. If you can deliver that one, your Plan B is ready.

2. Don’t Ask For Sympathy
“Wow, I’m sorry, my mind just went blank.” That kind of admission may start your audience down a path of doubt about your competence that you don’t want to lead them to. Instead, try to turn the focus on exactly where every audience likes that focus: on them. Have a few questions ready. (“Before we continue, let me pause here and take a quick survey,” or try soliciting questions. The goal is to give you a moment to remember what’s next and shift the focus from you to your audience while you do it. Always prepare some questions to bring out at times like these when you need them (a lull before they think of their own questions, to buy you more time, or to simply help you engage them).

3. Pause and Review
Without speaking, look over your notes. There’s no need to continually fill the
silence. If you’ve lost your place, return to your notes silently, calmly, without explanation and look them over. Your audience knows what you’re
doing and doesn’t mind the break. In fact, they may think you’ve deliberately timed it to let what you’ve said so far, sink in.

4. Stay Calm
Your audience isn’t looking for perfection.
Powerful presentations aren’t about showing your memorization skills. If
things go wrong (and eventually they will), use the opportunity to showcase
your ability to stay on track. Handling the unexpected with calm assurance
displays your leadership skills more than a flawless reading ever could.

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Non Verbals: Why They Are Killing Your Presentations

aileen — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 11:46:58 +0000

Non Verbals: Why They Are Killing Your Presentations
(and what to do about it)

Anyone who has ever sat through a briefing or presentation knows how quickly you can lose an audience without saying a word. Here are a few reminders on how to make sure your non-verbal’s are sending the right signals to your target audiences:

1. Come out of hiding
We know it may be more comfortable for nervous presenters to stand behind a lectern. That’s why when we see you behind one, our first thought might be to question your confidence. It’s almost impossible to really connect with your audience from behind a barrier (even a see-through one designed to give the audience the illusion of connection.) Display your confidence first and foremost by not hiding from your audience. If you need to check your notes, or get off track, you can simply stop speaking and do so. Presenting well isn’t about perfection, it’s about connection. (And your audience has no idea what you might have left out.)

2. Natural movements and eye contact signal confidence
The goal is to stand and move as naturally as possible. Pay attention to how you normally move, gesture, and maintain eye contact. That’s what you’ll want to mimic when delivering presentations and briefings in the real world. If you normally gesture freely with your hands, continue to do so. (That doesn’t mean gesturing widely and remember moving without purpose is usually called pacing.)

3. Pauses are refreshing.
We hear at a faster rate than we process information. That means deliberate pauses allows your audience to keep up with you and consider your points. That has the added benefit of making you the presenter seem in control and deliberate. If you naturally tend to be a fast talker, it’s far easier to adjust for that with pauses and some repetition, rather than to try and slow your delivery rate. No audience will complain you are too easy to understand.

4. Connect Deliberately
The advantage your audience has in watching you, is being able to judge immediately whether what you’re saying is relevant and worth exploring. The advantage you have in standing in front of them is watching that judgement happen and adjusting. Are you seeing heads nod? Looks of interest? Good, proceed. If not, pause and ask for feedback. There’s no point in barreling ahead if your audience isn’t ready to go with you. Think ahead of time about any hurdles you want to help your audience get over. Be ready with examples, data, stories to help them get there.
Of course, we hope you’ll seek some professional training to help you make the most out of every presentation or briefing. You can however, improve your own performance by remembering why your audience is there, what they hope to get from you, and how you’re going to meet and exceed their expectations.

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What Your Team Gains From Communications Coaching

aileen — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 20:30:10 +0000

What Your Team Gains From Communications Coaching

“The greatest mistake in communication is in thinking it’s been achieved”. That quip from George Bernard Shaw gives us some insight into why you may be noticing a frustrating variety of skill levels among your team members.
Communication skills need development like any other skill set. They are what make all you are offering obvious to others and help you showcase your company’s unique brand in a way nothing else can.
Powering up your team’s skills can help them advance to a whole new level by:

1.) Unifying Your Messaging
Brochures, online marketing tools and websites all have their roles, but they can’t replace the power of having people who can speak to what you do and why you do it better than anyone else. That takes being sure of your messaging and being comfortable in delivering it in ways that are authentic.

2.) Team Performance
When your team is comfortable with each other, those outside your organization will be able to see it and hear it in your communications. Organizations that work cohesively are comfortable supporting each other to get things done. That cohesiveness sells itself to your target audiences.

3.) Confidence has a ripple effect.
There’s nothing as powerfully instructive as watching a confident, skilled communicator. Success breeds success. Those team members with less confidence and developing skills have a greater chance of improving their own performance in turn.

Your teams can and will learn to communicate powerfully is given support. Invest in a coach that’ll help elevate your collective success and help you match the power of your ideas to the power of your communications.

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Teleprompters: When And How They Can Help Public Speakers

aileen — Thu, 29 May 2025 20:29:23 +0000

Teleprompters are more accessible now than they’ve ever been. They can be as readily available and inexpensive as the nearest IPAD. But how do you know if using a Teleprompter is the right choice for your next presentation or appearance? Here are some things to consider when deciding if and when a Teleprompter is the right tool for you.

1.) Teleprompters only supply the sizzle, not the steak.
If you’re thinking a teleprompter will help save you time and preparation for your speech or presentation, don’t bother. Teleprompters are designed as a prompt on the content you already know. If you don’t have time to work on your content and on delivering that content, a teleprompter isn’t going to help you.

2.) Practice (Until You Can Let Go of Perfection)
No one knows what you were supposed to say, but stumbling over written words will give them a good idea about the difference. If you’re using your teleprompter the way a professional actor might, word for word, your performance is going to suffer. Practice until the prompter actually is a PROMPT, and not a literal script for you. (In fact, using bullets instead of whole sentences on a teleprompter will force you to do that.)

3.) Connection, not perfection is the point.
The teleprompter was invented by an actor. You’re not acting. For you, the point of a teleprompter is to allow you to connect with your audience instead of focusing on memorization. That means eye contact, voice inflection and body language are as important when using a teleprompter as in any other kind of verbal connection. If you’re standing in one spot READING to an audience, that connection will be lost.

4.) Your content needs to still be written for the ear, even when you’re reading.
Don’t forget that your audience is listening to you, not reading along. That means everything you’re delivering needs to be understood the first time. Your teleprompter script should be written the way you will be delivering it: shorter, more direct sentences, without words and phrases that need further explanation.
If you can’t ad lib around what you’ve written, re-write it.

Teleprompters have their place in formal, high profile speeches and appearances, and at industry conferences and presentations. They can help free you up from worry over the content, and allow you to be in the moment to make connections with your audience. Like all tools in your toolkit, it’s a matter of using the right one in any given circumstance and having the experience to use that tool to your advantage.

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What Are Your Non-Verbals Saying?

aileen — Mon, 19 May 2025 15:46:55 +0000

Executives: Don’t undercut your own communication

Identifying what’s NOT working for others in public speeches or presentations is relatively easy. We immediately sense discomfort or boredom and can tell when the speaker and content aren’t in sync.
Fixing those issues in our own presenting gets harder because we’re usually concentrating on the content, not the way we’re delivering it.

The problem, especially for executives, is that nonverbal communication is more telling than we imagine. If we rush, stumble, fail to make eye contact, our audience might think we’re disconnected from what we’re saying. That forces them to speculate about why. Is it nerves? Unfamiliarity with the subject?

How do you make sure your delivery matches the power of your content? Here are some tips and techniques to remind you to power up your non-verbal communication:

1.) It isn’t acting.
If you feel uncomfortable with your content, we’re going to see it. Make sure you’re only speaking to or presenting about what you know and have confidence in. This doesn’t mean there won’t be unknowns, or that you need to master every angle. Focus on what you DO know and build around it and you’ll automatically sound more confident. If you have limited knowledge, defer to someone else for detail, but remember, if you head the team, get comfortable with the impact of what’s being said by others. You’ll need to authoritatively supply the context of any detail others offer and the bigger picture. (A note to team leads: Be careful about interrupting subordinates with clarifications. That can look like questioning their expertise and may undercut their effectiveness or show distrust.).

2.) If you build it, we’ll come.
If you sound excited and interested, we’ll stay tuned to find out why. If you sound and look uninterested, we’ll notice that too. Don’t mistake a flat delivery for a professional one. Speak to us about what you want us to understand, and your voice will naturally follow normal patterns of rising and falling with animation. That’s why you don’t want to read to any audience. It flattens your voice and distances you from your audience. If you must read, refer to your notes, pause, then look up and speak. (Otherwise, consider a teleprompter: the subject for another post.)

3.) If you’re comfortable, we’ll see it.
Natural movements convey comfort. (Pacing doesn’t). Don’t hold yourself back from using your hands and natural expressions. (Hold a pen if you need to). The idea is to mimic your natural speaking style without hands in pockets or clasped in front or behind you. I’ve said before butterflies are a normal part of public speaking. Welcome them to supply you with the energy to stay animated. The trick is to make sure the butterflies fly in formation. Practice (and videotaping) can help you see the difference.

Remember people, no one really cares about the small mistakes. They care about the connection.

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Looking for an Opening? Try Something New For Your Next Speech

aileen — Mon, 12 May 2025 09:41:11 +0000

The right start can make all the difference in how your next speech is remembered, or whether it’s remembered at all. You only have a few seconds to either peak your audience’s interest or spend the rest of your time trying to win it back. Rather than use the usual “Hi, my name is…” greeting with a summary of why you’re there (which might signal it’s going to take a while to figure out the relevance to them), look for an immediate way to connect.

That audience connection will help you grab and keep your audience’s attention from the start. You don’t want to start with a long introduction of yourself, and not because they don’t care about you personally. They do, but they care more about what listening to you means for them.

Remember your audience already has at least some information on who you are and why they’re sitting in front of you. It makes sense to get right to the part that signals what you have to say is relevant, and they’re going to want to hear it.

Here then are some tips and techniques to help make yourself and your speech more memorable:

1.) Make Everything About Them: Rather than outlining a problem for instance, and walking an audience through a solution, start with how the problem impacts them. If you’re talking about a fix for a problem, start first with the frustration they feel in dealing with it. Obviously, you have to do the legwork to know their concerns, but that homework is worth it. Speaking directly to their interest will grab their attention and help you keep it.

2.) Start with a question. You can ask for a show of hands; a quick, easy method of engagement that most people enjoy. Just make sure you craft the question AND are ready to incorporate their response in a way that leads into your discussion. For example: “Let me see a show of hands. How many here struggle with a quick explanation of why your work adds value? I can see I’ve hit on something here. That’s what I want to talk about today: your value.”

3.) Use a prop. Anyone remember watching Steve Jobs announce each new I Phone rollout? Those product release announcements were memorable not only for Job’s powerful performances, but also for their simplicity. He would take the stage with minimal fanfare, using the simplest of visual aids, and at crucial moments, simply hold up the new I Phone. If you have a prop that will work for you in grabbing attention, use it. It will be memorable.

4.) Be a storyteller. Six of the most powerful words in the English language are “Let me tell you a story”. You’ll get the immediate attention and interest of your audience. Of course, the more powerful the story, the better the reaction. Make sure you find the right one to set up your speech. If it resonates, people will find you and tell you why it touched them.

Next speech, try a new approach. Seek the connection and the attention will follow.
Aileen Pincus

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