I learned a great public speaking tip, at the recent National Speakers Association convention while standing around talking shop in the hotel lobby.

John Meluso spent some time with me and noted that I was not showing any vulnerability at all near the beginning of my program. I would roll along and then tell a signature story at the END of my talk that bared all. John, pointed out to me that being the hard charging kind of public speaker that I am, that I probably have been alienating many of the more sensitive audience members. It is likely that my style ran over them right from the start and caused them to retreat for cover, thus making them very distant from me emotionally. Because of his astute observation, when I'm speaking I will change the order of some of my material to better connect with more subdued audience members.

An old boy coal miner friend of mine once told me, 'The schoolhouse door is always open.' John, I want to thank you for reminding me that we all can get better.