I recently read an HBR article discussing why curiosity is vital to an organization’s performance.

It’s vital for decision making, communication and building better relationships at work.

When you’re stuck, curiosity can get you unstuck.

If your project leads are micromanaging, get curious.

If your teammates object to all your ideas, get curious instead of defensive.

Ask yourself what led them to this belief and what made them think this is the best option?

If you’re having difficulty responding with curiosity, picture what you’d do when a baby is crying.

Do you judge them for crying or do you get curious about what’s causing the crying?

What would happen if you applied this same technique at work.

Curiosity is crucial for effective problem-solving. It can help teams:

• innovate and come up with more creative solutions.

• pivot in times of uncertainty.

• show up to difficult conversations with an open mind.

• build trust with colleagues.

• create space for collaboration.

And who doesn’t want more creativity, more possibilities and more collaborative communication?

So how do you move into the space of curiosity if your default is skepticism?

Let your face lead the way.

When you unfurrow your brow, open your eyes and listen with all your senses, you tap into your creativity and see other possibilities that previously weren’t available.

Below are a few guidelines to help:

1. Listen more than you talk

2. Ask more questions

3. Be humble 

4. Approach things with a beginner’s mind

5. Adopt a learning mindset

6. Get curious about where you agree as opposed to defensive about where you disagree

Are you ready to change how you communicate at work and bring out your curiosity? Let's chat.

Hi, I’m Madeline.

I help quiet leaders and organizations communicate their story and invite audiences into their world.

Together we’ll transform how you communicate, at work, at home, in life.

Get in touch at madeline@madelineschwarz.com.

I’ve loved swimming since I was a child. 

There’s something meditative about being in the water and zoning out as your body cuts through the water.

I’ve always had a preference for pools, finding comfort in being able to see my hands, touch the bottom, and count laps as I go back and forth.

Enter Summer 2020, many months since I’ve been in a pool in Brooklyn, and I’ll take any body of water I can find. Creeks, waterfalls, lakes, puddles.

For the first time in 43 years, I swam across a lake (two in fact). 

Crossing a lake is thrilling and terrifying. 

There’s a lot of build-up:

• wondering how long it will take

• worrying about the invisible (or imagined) dangers

• wondering if you have enough energy to swim back

• hesitating because it’s cold

Eventually, you just have to jump in.

Put one hand in front of the other and start.

Swim into the fear.

It’s a lot like speaking.

• You build it up in your mind. 

• You imagine the dangers and worst-case scenarios.

• Your nerves takes over and your brain tries to tries to talk you out of it.

You’ve got two choices when that happens.

You can stay paralyzed in fear or you can trust yourself and go forward.

The next time you’re standing at the edge of the lake hesitating, be it an actual lake or the lake of fear standing between you and a presentation, use these techniques to stay present in your body and move through your fear. 

1. Slow down your breathing

Rub your hands together and slowly inhale and exhale. Tapping into another sense, in this case touch and experience what your hands feel like, slows down the sympathetic nervous system and allows you to access a different part of the brain.

2. Ground Yourself

Put your feet on the floor and feel the ground beneath you. Stand if you can. If you can prop up your computer and create a standing desk, I recommend it.

There’s a reason they stand in your power. It’s easier to command presence, project your voice and confidently inhabit your body when you stand.

3. Practice

We all start somewhere. Don’t be afraid of a little dirt and mud. Dust it off and keep going. Sometimes the process is messy.

4. Do it Scared

Fear is a natural human emotion. It’s okay to feel scared and take action anyway. 

I used to be terrified of public speaking and getting comfortable speaking in front of groups is one of my proudest achievements. Being on the other side of that fear is one of the most liberating experiences of my adult life. 

If you’re wondering what awaits you on the other side of the lake, swim into the fear. 

I’m here to help.

Hi, I’m Madeline. I help quiet leaders and organizations communicate their story and invite audiences into their world.

I’ve trained hundreds of professionals to confidently articulate their ideas and transform how they communicate at work, at home and in life.

I’ve worked with companies such as Mastercard, The Jewish Museum, Mt. Sinai and Ellevate Network.

Get started with my free resource Get Clear on Your Message.

"I don’t want to be boring."

This is one of the main things my clients tell me when they come to me.

They don't want their content to be boring.

They don’t want to waste people's time.

They don't want their audience to tune out.

And they’re right to be worried – no one wants to sit through a boring presentation.

But here’s the problem with spending your time worrying that your content is boring:

• You rush through your presentation because you want to get it over with

• You don’t prepare because you don't think it will help

• You focus on your notes instead of the people in front of you

As a result, you don’t connect with your audience and your presentation is boring.

So if you want to give a presentation that’s engaging, where everyone is paying attention and people leave ready to take action, check in on your mindset and follow these tips.

1. Stop thinking your presentation is boring

Instead, focus on the thought that you have value to share and get to work making it interesting.

2. Build in audience interaction

Whether you’re presenting at a conference or delivering a webinar, your job is to create an experience. Share stories, ask questions, show pictures, include an activity.

There are so many ways to pique curiosity – just remember to keep your audience in mind and talk directly to them.

Need ideas? Read 3 Secret Weapons to Engage Your Audience.

3. Get clear on your message

Your audience won’t remember everything so you want to be really clear about what you want them to walk away.

You should be able to articulate your objective in 1 sentence. If it’s not clear to you, it not clear to anyone else.

Want a template? Grab this easy 5-minute planning tool to Get Clear on Your Message.

Hi, I’m Madeline.

I help quiet leaders and organizations communicate their story and invite audiences into their world.

Together we’ll transform how you communicate, at work, at home, in life.

Last week was a big week in quarantine land. My 82-day Instant Pot challenge came to a close.

In some unlucky (or lucky) timing, a gas leak was discovered in our building and gas was shut off several weeks before New York City was shut down. 

While I was slightly grumpy about this circumstance before quarantine, I was a lot grumpy about it when we were ordered to shelter in place.

While other people were baking sourdough, cookies and muffins, we were cooking dinner in teeny tiny batches in our toaster oven and getting more and more creative with our Instant Pot.

Oatmeal, yogurt, soups, stews, tacos, pasta, beets, salad (#kidding on that last one) – if it needed to be cooked and didn't fit in the toaster, it went in the Instant pot.

This single appliance cooked nearly 100 meals in the last 3 months and I feel confident we got our money’s worth.

It's more efficient than a hotplate, larger than a toaster oven, and now that we’re back to an oven and 4-burner stover, I can definitively say that having the right tools makes all the difference.

The same goes for investing in yourself. You might at the outset wonder if it’s worth investing time or money in taking a class or hiring a professional.

You might wonder if it’s going to work.

What I've learned is that things go quicker and smoother when you have the right tools. Professional guidance and feedback, templates and processes, make life easier.

Communication skills are your workhorse appliance, they're the Instant pot of your kitchen tools. You will use them again and again, in this job, in future jobs, in looking for jobs, and in business ventures,

Warren Buffet said:

"If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get your ideas across, you’re giving up your potential."

Do you want to craft clear and compelling messaging that gets your clients and teammates to take decisive action?

Here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Want to crush your next work presentation, business pitch, or interview? Join us on 5/20 to craft clear and compelling messaging Create an Engaging Presentation Chock Full of Personality

2. Want more tools to navigating challenging client and team conversations? Join us on 5/13 for a virtual workshop: The Magic of Empathy: Communicating in Crisis

3. Want to create your signature talk, multiply your confidence and lead through change? Let’s work together one on one. Reach out to me at madeline@madelineschwarz.com   

But whatever you do, make sure you have the right tools.

For the last few weeks, I’ve had this eerie experience waking up in the morning. 

Just before I open my eyes, I wonder whether the current state of the world is truly happening. 

For a split second I think maybe, just maybe, the twilight zone will end and I'll open my eyes to the New York I remember, to Brooklyn pre-coronavirus.

Raise your hand if you can relate. 

So how do you get out of bed when you'd rather stay under the covers?

Here are a few things that keep me going:

1. I have a 6-year-old.

Staying in bed is simply not an option.

2. I have work to do. 

Last week, I facilitated a workshop for the Jewish Museum that was supposed to be in person but moved online. I feel grateful that my work translates to virtual and that I have the luxury of staying home.

I love bringing people together for laughter and learning, and empowering others to speak up, share their ideas, and lead their teams. Work grounds me in purpose when the world has turned upside down.

3. I have people to lean on and people leaning on me.

I might be on physical lockdown but that doesn’t keep me from connecting with my community.

In March, I took part in Jenn Da Silva's Connect4Women challenge, to help women foster strong female networks.

When I wanted help spreading the word about Nancy Rhodes NYC Face Masks Initiative, I went to my network.

When I needed someone to pick up groceries for my brother (he's a nurse and has been sick with covid), I reached out to my network.

#Connect4Women is continuing into April so if there’s someone you want me to connect you with, reach out. That goes for everyone reading, regardless of gender identity.

And if we’re not connected on Linkedin, connect with me here.

4. Quarantine or not, I still have my creativity.

As my wise friend Jeff said, I’m pretty good at entertaining myself.

What I’m not so good at is homeschooling and teaching reading. So for right now, we’re focusing on activities that feed our creative spirit, things we both enjoy like coloring and crafting.

What about you?

Can I be helpful during this time?

If you’re looking for ways to talk about your work or yourself in authentic fun ways, join next week’s workshop Create an Engaging Presentation Chock Full of Personality. I’m teaming up with Danielle Zeitlin Hughes for 90 minutes of hands-on activities to help you create content that highlights your creativity - content you can use to update your Linkedin profile, write a new About page, or finally start that signature talk,

Tickets are here and limited to 15 people so grab an early bird ticket now.

If you want help engaging your team and communicating remotely, I'm here to support you. Email me at madeline@madelineschwarz.com.

How are you doing?

School closures, shelter in place orders, new coworkers in your home office – it feels like a month has gone by and it's only been a week.

Coworking with my hubby and 6-year old was about what you'd expect... loud, lots of juggling, and a fair amount of crying on the floor.

Some members of my household cried... and the rest wanted to. 

What about you? How are you holding up?

People are coping in such different ways so today I wanted to share 4 resources that might be helpful in providing stress relief, laughter, and connection in this time of physical distancing.

1. Feeling anxious? Check out the work of Jud Brewer. He has an amazing mini-course on Insight Timer and you can watch a recent interview here. 

2. Need a reason to get out of bed and get dressed in the morning?

Join Elysha Lenkin's creative styling challenge to create outfits from what you already have in your closet. Join the Closet Shopping Collective here.

3. Feeling isolated?

Add some laughter to your life and join an improv playdate.

I spent last Friday afternoon playing improv games with Gary Ware and it was a much needed mental break, offering laughter and lightness at the end of a loooong week. 

4. Want to communicate like an expert? 
Join me tomorrow for the Introvert's Guide to Public Speaking. Lunch Ladies NYC is going online and I'll be teaching a live workshop at noon, Tuesday March 24th and sharing strategies to:

• Increase your presence

• Manage your anxiety & stage fright

• Create content that resonates with your audience

Can I be helpful during this time? 

• Is there someone you want me to connect you with? 

• Do you need help keeping your team engaged?

• Do you want to communicate your message with impact?

Reach out to me at madeline@madelineschwarz.com. I'm not going anywhere!

One of the best parts of having a little kid is that you get to sit on the floor and play. 

You get permission to use your imagination and take time out of your day to play.

Sometimes the fun wears off when you're dressing and undressing a doll for the 657th time, but mostly I enjoy the play breaks.

Did you have a favorite toy as a kid?

My two favorites were legos and the 64-box of Crayola Crayons (oh, how I loved to arrange them in color order). 

I still love both of those things and I sometimes play with legos when my kiddo isn’t around (shhh). 

I also use legos in my workshops and classes.

I incorporate a lot of props and games because the best way to learn is the way we learned as kids, through hands-on play.

What if you approached public speaking like a kid? 

What if you gave yourself permission to be imperfect?

What if you started at the beginning?

What if you experimented and failed?

When you release the need to be perfect, it opens up room to be creative. 

• Creative in how you express your ideas

• Creative in how you engage your audience 

• Creative in how you practice

Do you want more help delivering presentations that stand out so you can let your creativity shine through? 

I can help you and your team engage your audience, up your stage presence, and build your authority.

Let's chat. Get in touch at madeline@madelineschwarz.com.

I recently had the pleasure of working with Executive Presence Expert and Style Coach David McKnight on a corporate presentation he was giving on executive presence. ⠀
⠀
We then sat down to talk about starting a business and the importance of embracing your personal style when speaking in public. You can read excerpts from our interview here.

What role does image and style play when someone is giving a speech or presentation?

 It’s so important to embrace your personal style when you’re taking center stage –that includes not only your attire but also your unique voice and a presenting style that suits you. Too often people get caught up in the idea that they need to look or sound a certain way in order to be effective. 

You don’t need to be a big performer in order to captivate a room. In fact, I think that listening is one of the most overlooked skills, and introverts make great public speakers because they can really tap into their audience.

The best way to connect is to be yourself. Don’t try to be over polished or you might look like a robot.  Lean on your strengths and remember that your audience isn’t perfect either. 

Do you touch on this topic when you are coaching your clients? If so, how do you approach it?

I was teaching a workshop at FIT and someone asked me what they should wear when presenting. I don’t have a specific formula (that’s more your department) but here are a few guidelines.

• Wear something that makes you feel powerful.

• Wear clothes that are comfortable (this doesn’t mean causal but you do want to feel good in your clothes when all eyes are on you).

• Wear something that is appropriate for your audience.

• If you’re nervous and tend to sweat, wear darker colors.

• If you’re speaking on a panel, make sure you can comfortably sit in your outfit. 

How has your awareness of your own personal style evolved as you transitioned into your role as a full-time speaker and presentation coach?

I define my professional wardrobe with bright colors and bold patterns (think Merimmeko and Pierre Cardin).

I used to wear a lot of black (and still love a good black shirt dress,) but I’ve become bolder in my color choices as I’ve embraced my voice. My go-to looks are dresses or jeans, blazer and boots and I always include something colorful.

Wearing bright and colorful pieces to an event is a great way to stand out. It invites people to talk to you and makes you memorable.

It’s also an integral part of my brand. You see color and pattern in my website and marketing materials and it helps express my playful, creative style.

I hired you to work with me one-on-one to help me prepare for a big speaking opportunity. What are some of the other ways that someone can work with you?

I teach a small group class called Speak with Impact, a 5-week immersive experience where you write and practice a presentation in a group and learn how to stop doubting yourself and confidently articulate your vision.

I work with people 1:1 in a program called Craft your Talk which provides guidance on every step of creating your signature talk and delivering it with authority.

And I teach workshops for teams on presentation skills and interpersonal team communication.

Read the entire interview here.

Find out more about how to work with David McKnight here.

"What you are not changing, you are choosing."

– Laurie Buchanon⠀

There was a time when I chose to stay quiet.

Chose not to speak up. Chose not to raise my hand at meetings.

I said no to opportunities because I was afraid of speaking in public, afraid of looking silly, afraid of being judged.

I did my best to slide under the radar because it seemed like the safest option.

What I didn’t realize was that along with hiding, I was choosing shame.

I was choosing to be embarrassed about something I didn’t know how to do.

I was choosing to NOT figure out how to do it.

Then I tried something different.

I visited Toastmasters and I signed up.

I chose change.

And on the other side of fear, I found liberation.

If getting comfortable speaking in front of a crowd is on your list of things to do, there’s no better time than now.

Choose change.

You don’t have to do it alone.

Get started with my free guide: Prep for Your Presentation in 5 Minutes. It walks you through 4 easy steps to get clear on your message and prepare for presentations even when you have no time.

In the last year, we rearranged our furniture 5 times.

For the first 7 years we lived in our apartment, our living room pretty much looked the same: couch on the right, dining table in the center, breakfront on the left.

We accepted this as status quo.

We didn’t think there was another option.

Until we got creative.

Until we got curious.

Until we questioned our thinking.

Until we moved our furniture and changed everything.

When you change your thinking, everything changes.

Shifting your mindset is like rearranging the furniture in your brain. Move the couch and everything looks different.

The furniture doesn’t change, but if you change the relationship within the room, the whole room looks different.

It’s the same with communication.

Leading a meeting, pitching to clients, speaking on a panel, they all look completely different when you shift your thinking.

I can give you all the tools in the world but unless you shift your perspective, not much will change.

I invite you to spend some time dusting off the furniture and try out new things.

It will change everything.

Want help expanding your perspective? Let’s talk. Schedule a free discovery call.

Are you scared of presenting your work? 

The best way to get comfortable speaking in front of a group is to practice speaking in front of a group.

This month I will be kicking off another Speak with Impact Lab, a 5-week in-person workshop on public speaking and presentation skills. 

Speak with Impact Lab is a small group course designed to get your ideas out of your head and coming out of your mouth so you can be articulate even when you’re nervous. 

It provides a safe space to practice presenting, refine your content and learn how to calm your nerves so you can nail your presentation when it matters most. 

Over the course of 5 weeks, you will develop strategies to manage your fears and engage your audience so you can:

• Persuade clients and teammates that you thought through solutions and already arrived at the best option

• Be confident in your message so you don’t get sent back to the drawing board

• Respond effectively to questions without melting into a puddle of nerves

What this means for you is at the end of 5 weeks, you’ll have your presentation written, rehearsed and ready to go so you can showcase your work and finally get recognized as an authority. 

Want in? Details are here.

A version of this article appeared in Forbes.

If you’re an introvert, standing up in front of a crowd of people (or even a couple colleagues) can be especially challenging.

That’s why Ellevate Network’s Girl Boss Bootcamp: The Introvert’s Guide to Public Speaking drew such a big crowd.

As an introvert myself, I am hugely passionate about this topic. I wanted to share tips and strategies for all the introverts out there who are trying to balance their quiet nature with their desire to express themselves. 

Use these strategies to build your confidence and grow your professional presence.

#1 Planning is your friend. 

Introverts generally do better when they’re prepared. Spending a few minutes upfront preparing will make a huge difference when you’re speaking in front of other people. 

Start by getting really clear on what you want your audience to walk away with. 

It’s important to think about your topic from the audience’s perspective. I like to use this template to set objectives with my clients:

At the end of my presentation, I want the audience to remember______________ and/or take action step ___________________.

#2 Map Out Your Speaking Points
Take a moment to jot down your 2 or 3 most important points. If you have more than 3, narrow them down. Sharing too much information will overwhelm your audience.

Even if you prefer to improvise, a few minutes of planning can go a long way. It will help you stay on message and play in the moment.

#3 Use Your Strengths

If you’re quiet by nature, don’t feel like you need to be a big, charismatic performer. Instead, lean into your strengths. 

If listening is your biggest strength, know that it’s a really powerful skill to tap into your audience.  If you’re not sure what your strengths are, reach out to me. I can help!

#4 Tell Stories

You may not like talking about yourself or bragging about your accomplishments, but I bet you can tell a story.

Stories are relatable and give you a way to connect with your audience, even if you’re shy. That’s why I help my clients build their story bank.

#5 Focus on Mindset

If you’re worried about worst-case scenarios, you’re going to look and feel more nervous. 

Instead, focus on your objective and what you want to accomplish. It’s much easier to connect with the people in front of you when you get out of your own head and think about the gift you can give by sharing your ideas.

Practice reframing your thoughts. For example, if standing in front of people with all eyes on you triggers the thought “They’re judging me,” you might instead tell yourself “They’re paying attention to me.” Similarly, when the thought comes up “This is terrifying” you might swap in “This is an experiment.”

Remember that nervousness is a natural human emotion so it can be helpful to observe the physical sensations that come up (such as shaking hands and pounding heart) and visualize other areas in your life where you feel more confident.

#6 Practice

Practice out loud. More than once.

Don’t read your notes to yourself. Read them out loud, do a run-through in front of other people, for your dog, in front of your kids, or on the subway. Get more practice ideas here.

But practice. 

And if you’re looking for the magic formula to create a presentation that engages your audience and establishes you as the expert, let’s talk. I’ll walk you through how to write and practice your presentation, 1 step at a time, so you can stop rambling and start speaking like the expert.