Savor the Season

Hand holding a coffee mug looking out to a lake with fall foliage

Savor the Season

This is my happy place: sitting on the deck early in the morning, drinking coffee out of my favorite mug, taking in the view. We’re enjoying many autumn adventures: dirt bikes with the kids, evening campfires, Ranger rides through the trails and pontoon cruises to see the foliage.

I’m also reminiscing about the Sunday trips to Backbone State Park that my mom would arrange every fall. She savored this season too. I hope you’re able to do the same.

 

Greg

President & CEO

greg@dardiscommunications.com

312.285.1073


 

Man giving a presentation

Five Hand Gestures To Try Today 

The non-verbal elements of a good presentation are interconnected. When you do one well, it’s easier to master the others. One of the most challenging is a question that seasoned professionals ask in genuine bewilderment: What do I do with my hands?

It may sound silly, but figuring out the answer is crucial. You can’t nail an important speech if your hands are stuck in your pockets, glued at your sides or flailing randomly.

That’s why we were pleased to see HuffPost published an article titled “Trying Holding Your Hands Like This If You Want To Be A Persuasive Speaker.”

It reinforces what we’ve been telling clients for years: hand gestures make a big difference. The article cites a 2019 study led by Jean Clarke of Emlyon Business School in France. In it, professional investors were asked to watch videos of an actor hired to pose as an entrepreneur pitching a new device to treat sports injuries. Investors were more interested in investing if they watched a video of a fictional entrepreneur using hand gestures to describe the device and represent his ideas than watching an entrepreneur give the exact same pitch with his hands clasped in front of his body.

Simple gestures like widening hands to show the potential market for the product and tapping his hands together to emphasize a point were very effective.

The HuffPost article suggests five hand gestures, each accompanied by a picture.

Enjoy!


Recommended Reading

Do you know a digital minimalist? Someone who can hold a long conversation without glancing at her phone. Someone who gets lost in a good book, a woodworking project or a bike ride. Someone who has fun with friends without feeling the urge to document the experience. Cal Newport coined this term and explores it in his bestseller “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.” If you’re intrigued by what I’ve shared about Newport’s ideas, this book is a great place to learn more.

Learn more here >Digital Minimalism Book Cover


Client Testimonial

“I just took the Leadership Presentation and Image Skills class at Duncan Aviation. It presented me with a challenging time of discovery concerning self and subject. It was an exceptional experience. The material presentation was stunning and stellar. It became very obvious that I lacked essential skills of speaking and technology but never felt slighted or offended by the presenter, Mr. Greiner. In fact, I felt encouraged and supported! I felt like he was at my side to help me get a clear view of my needs but at the same time supported me with my discovery and use of tools I’d never known about.

I look forward to building those tools into my life. Thank you, Dardis Communications and a very hearty thank you to Mr. Greiner for your kind help and encouragement.”

Tom Vander Band, Team Leader at Duncan Aviation


2022 Public Schedule

IN-PERSON

Leadership Presentation & Image Skills 

November 2nd & 3rd – Des Moines