How to Say a Few Words When You are not Prepared to Speak in Public

Speaking in groups and meetings is an essential skill for every business professional. You are expected to be able to share your ideas, expertise and experience to contribute to your company’s success. If you can’t speak up and speak out, you hit a glass ceiling past which you can’t advance in your company. So, how… Read more

Speaking for Authentic Expression: Interview with Dr. Brene Brown

“Authenticity is a practice” says Dr. Brene Brown in a conversation with Oprah. You have to choose it every day. This applies not only in one’s personal life, but in business as well. In business, authenticity generates authority. When we speak from our own inner authority, others sense our power. But it takes courage to speak… Read more

Standing in the Rush: How to Transform Stage Fright and Fear of Public Speaking

This is the absolute bottom line of what to do to transform your public speaking tension and performance anxiety into radiant, authentic presence so that you shine in front of others. Coaching a corporate HR executive from a Fortune 100 company on his anxiety about public speaking, I said something new, something I’ve never said… Read more

Experiential Learning: Learning by Doing

Learning by doing is different from learning with the intellect where you are collecting concepts.  When learning intellectual concepts, you can go as fast as your mind can grasp the concepts.  But, just because you can grasp the concept does not mean you can do the skill associated with that concept. When you need to… Read more

Great Article on Why Public Speaking Scares You by Susan Adams at Forbes.com

I just read an article on Forbes called “Why Public Speaking Scares and and How to Overcome your Fear” by Susan Adams. This is one of the best articles on fear of speaking I have seen in  a long time! I am a presentation and speaking coach in Houston.  I have specialized in transforming stage… Read more

YOU on VIDEO Workshop – If Warren Buffett can do it so can YOU

Have you been holding back from making videos due to fear of making a fool of yourself? Maybe not looking good? Or seeming silly? Warren Buffett isn’t! You already know that video can boost your career, your product or service.  And it is totally FUN! Take  look at Warren Buffett having fun on video and… Read more

Public Speaking When the Public is Family – Sandra Zimmer Featured in Chicago Tribune

A special contributor to The Tribune Newspapers,  writer Richard Asa, contacted me recently.  He was writing an article on fear of public speaking at family events, such as weddings and funerals. I shared some ideas that I thought might be valuable.  Public speaking when the public is family can produce anxiety for some people.  Many of… Read more

Public Speaking Pearls – Let God Use You through Public Speaking

Pearls are created by irritation and discomfort.  An oyster is irritated by a grain of sand.  To thrive and survive, the oyster develops a hard shell around the grain of sand and it becomes a pearl.  Through the process of discomfort, the oyster grows a beautiful pearl. Ever think about the phrase pearls of wisdom? … Read more

Don’t Work So Hard at Public Speaking

   I don’t want you to work so hard at public speaking. Consider opening to the experience that public speaking doesn’t have to be so hard and that you don’t have to work so hard to connect with listeners.  I have this new battery operated toothbrush that does all the work for me.  But I… Read more

We Need Different Kinds of Minds in the World

  I just watched a fantastic video at TED.com.  Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autistism as a child.  She says the world need all kinds of minds, including the autistic minds.  Autism is a wide spectrum of symptoms and many autistic minds are brilliant.  They think in pictures and patterns, paying attention to the details that… Read more