The pincus Group

3 Keys to Presenting Like a Leader

test test — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:44:53 +0000

Every professional hopes their competence and experience speak for itself. The last deadline met, the client signed, the project completed are all important, but they have to be matched by the way you show up in front of others. Confident communications is the difference in making sure your success is recognized. Remember what that looks like:

1.) Ownership:
Your colleagues, supervisor, board, or clients need to know where you stand. Make sure you’re fully on board with what you’re communicating and not just relaying information. If you have reservations or doubts, work them out before you are tasked with presenting findings or recommending next steps. This isn’t acting. If you’re going to bear responsibility for outcomes, make sure your communication is clear throughout the process.

2.) Commitment
“Let’s see if this works” isn’t leadership language. The point isn’t to make promises you can’t keep, but to focus in on what you are committing to. That might be a willingness to monitor outcomes and make sure corrections are made if need be. Make sure it’s clear you’re taking responsibility over outcomes and have a plan to do so.

3.) The Vision Thing
Leadership doesn’t always come with a title. It does however always come with an ability to see the bigger picture. Help others understand how their efforts and the efforts of others fit into that bigger picture and help advance a larger vision.

Communicating like a leader helps pave the way for you to be seen as one. Make sure the power of your communications match the power of your ideas.

Follow us for more tips and techniques to power up your executive communications and contact us today for your free consultation

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NON-Verbals: Making Them Work For You

test test — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:31:40 +0000

f someone watched you present without being able to actually hear you, what would they learn? Would they think you appeared confident? Engaged? Authoritative? Or would they think you seemed distracted, disengaged, perhaps even uninterested? Speaking in front of others is always about more than the words you choose, as important as those are. Your non-verbals are also communicating to your audience. The question is whether they are communicating what you intend. Before your next briefing, presentation or speech, think about whether your non-verbal communication is landing the way you intend. Here are a few reminders:
1) Body Language: Don’t hide behind a lectern, even if one is provided for you. Show your confidence by allowing your audience to watch AND listen as you speak. If you are using a slide deck, don’t let them become the focus of your presentation. YOU are the presentation. Not your materials.
2.) Use Your Voice: Your audience gets cues from your voice and how you use it. A flat, monotone delivery says you’re not engaged. It may even signal boredom. If you expect your audience to engage with your content, they will have to engage with you. Your voice is one of your most powerful tools in helping them do that. Let them know that you mean what you say and let them hear the passion and the energy by the way you say it.
3.) The Eyes Have It: Even in a larger room with a larger audience, eye contact is everything. Share yours around the room. Don’t present TO slides and turn away from your audience. Stop speaking while your audience takes in whatever you’re talking about, pause, and then explain what they’re seeing.
4.) Move With A Purpose. Yes, do use your hands. Just be sure to use them with a purpose. You don’t want your hands flailing the air helplessly any more than you want to hide your hands in your pockets or behind your back. Use them naturally as you would in casual conversation to illustrate your points. Move your feet purposefully as well (a step forward to make a point, a step back to listen or consider.)

Remember your non-verbals ARE communicating and you’re in control of what they’re saying. Communicate your confidence and engagement by fully using both.

Follow us for more on matching the power of your ideas to the power of your communication. www.thepincusgroup.comPresentation Skills Training | Presentation Training | The Pincus GroupPresentation Skills Training | Presentation Training | The Pincus Groupthepincusgroup.com

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Crisis Communications 101 (and why so many in crisis are so bad at it)

test test — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 21:36:14 +0000

A crisis is any unplanned situation that could interrupt operations and cause harm to the reputation of a business, an individual or group. In private businesses, mitigating those risks usually falls to a number of people throughout the organization, but communicating during a crisis is usually a leadership task. When a crisis hits and all hell breaks loose, often that carefully assembled crisis plan sitting in someone’s drawer continues gathering dust. The need for a fast response sometimes can interfere with the right response. Let’s boil down the sage advice to a few highlights those leaders and the people advising them might want to remember first:

1.) Assume it’s going to get out and be prepared to get it out yourself.
If the crisis impacts people and operations, assume your key target audiences are going to find out about it. An organization that stays silent in a crisis, or one that has to be dragged into addressing it, is already seen as responsible for it. Attention should go immediately to containing and getting ahead of the crisis, not in trying to make sure no one talks about it. As a former reporter, I can tell you with confidence, someone can always be found to talk about it.

2.) Take responsibility. Blame laying WIDENS and worsens a crisis.
We saw this recently when Good Good Golf published an on-line ad where a company co-founder pushed a female to the ground and warned her against touching his clubs. The company’s CEO, President, and head content creator were forced to resign, even after a written apology, an explanation the ad was supposed to be a “parody” and then public back and forth about whose fault it was that an ad looking like it condoned female violence was approved. Contracts were cancelled, partners dropped sponsorships and no one actually took any accountability.

3.) Learn how to apologize like an adult.
Apologies have to come with a full acknowledgement of the harm caused, a commitment to rectifying that harm and a plan to make sure it doesn’t happen again. This gets tricky when a crisis is unfolding, when lawyers are in the room, but after containment, it’s the only way to get ahead of a crisis. Tell what you know, when you know it, and get ready to fully lean in to how you’re going to ensure it’s not repeated.

Of course, if it were easy, we wouldn’t call it a crisis. Plan ahead, prepare to lead, and remember clear, powerful communications will help get you through. For more call for a free consultation on how to match the power of your communications, to the power of your ideas. www.thepincusgroup.com

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Talking Points are NOT Messages:

test test — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:32:42 +0000

Why your comms people need to know the difference

If you’re a thought leader, you are going to need to be able to communicate a clear, consistent vision. Whether or not you have a communications staff to help, there are some fundamental rules about what powerful communication looks like. To get the best results, both comms staff AND thought leaders need to know what that looks and sounds like. Some reminders:

1) It’s about the forest, not the trees
Messages are about the BIG picture (the “forest”). They need to be succinct, memorable and authentic to you (genuine). These are the “takeaways”, the bottom line you want people to remember from any briefing, meeting, speech or presentation. Make sure you not only know what they are but that you are fully in support of each one.

2.) Navigate your forest using only your largest trees
Thought leaders have to be persuasive, no matter what their title or reputation. The best evidence you can find that prove your messages are the right ones are called “talking points”. Those are your “largest trees” in the forest you’re guiding listeners through: the strongest examples, data, and compelling stories you can use to convince others. If you’re a master guide and can even speak to the small trees, shrubs and underbrush, good for you but save those for the handouts and follow-ups delivered by others. (Comms people: Don’t over-whelm your thought leaders with “trees”. The job isn’t about handing over loads of data. It’s about knowing what rises to the top.)

3.) Even master guides aren’t expected to know every tree in the forest
If you’re a thought leader, you’re there because of your “vision,” the ability to see the bigger picture. You’re not there because you can do it all, know it all, or anticipate it all. Leave the detail to your subject matter experts and frame your communications accordingly. No one is expecting you to always have the answer. They’re expecting you to know how to find one.

4.) Get Out There
You can’t be recognized as a “thought leader” if you’re just a title. Don’t leave the communications, internally or externally to those you designate just for that task. The more we see and hear from leaders themselves, the more we’re eager to navigate that forest with you and give you credit for helping us explore it. Put communications at the front and center and help develop other ‘high potentials’ who can do the same.

For more tips and techniques: follow us at www.thepincusgroup.com
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Why Your Speech and Presentation Prep Process is Failing You (and what to do about it)

test test — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:22:48 +0000

Do you prepare your oral presentations from the inside out? In other words, do you start with the data and content you have, and THEN figure out what you want to say about it? When I was a reporter, we’d call that “burying the lead.” In written communication, your reader might at least re-read the material or skip on ahead to your summary to figure out where you’re going. In ORAL communication, you may have already lost your audience. Pay attention to the special requirements oral communication requires if you want your work to connect with your audience:

1.) Oral communication has to be understood the first time.
Since we’re not likely to keep interrupting and we can’t ‘re-hear’ what you said, strive to be understood the first time. That means keeping your communication direct, higher level, and only filling in with detail after you’ve made it clear what your bottom line is. This is called “messaging” and yes, it’s vital for any communicator to be clear about why they want to be paid attention to.

2.) Stick to the most important information only
There’s probably a LOT you could say on any given topic you’ve been asked to speak on but demonstrating your expertise isn’t your goal. Connecting with your audience is and that happens only when you select the most relevant information for that particular audience for a specific purpose. If your information is ‘nice to know’ but doesn’t relate to your key messages, leave it for handouts or the Q and A.

3.) Know your audience
Oral communication in particular requires you know your audience and why they’re listening. You don’t want to use a ‘shotgun’ approach to relay information, hoping something hits the target. Know what your audience needs, where you want to take them, and what will most likely work in moving your audience where you want them to go.

4.) It’s the MOVIE, not the BOOK.
Delivering any oral presentation, briefing or speech, means you have about :30 at most to persuade them to listen to the rest. Don’t waste that precious time in background, introductions, fillers, details or pleasantries. Grab their attention for the important work ahead or you won’t likely get another chance.

5.) It’s the MOVIE, not the BOOK (part 2)
No oral presentation, speech or briefing of any kind is a deep dive. This is about winning a chance for a second look and deeper conversation. Detailed dives are called “work sessions” and you never want to disappoint your audience by requiring them to work when they were expecting you to do that. Your goal is to capture their attention and win them over for more.

This is why we tell our clients the more you know about a subject, the harder oral presentations and speeches are. Like a master sculptor, the art is in what you choose to leave behind when the chisel has done its work.

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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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She Came, She Saw, She Communicated: A communicator takes on New Challenges

test test — Mon, 11 May 2026 11:02:08 +0000

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Communication Intelligence

test test — Mon, 11 May 2026 10:55:26 +0000

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SUCCESS SAVVY

test test — Mon, 04 May 2026 11:33:10 +0000

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