Great leaders do their best to empower their team. That’s why managers often bring in speakers to share their expertise. While inviting experts to speak is a great first step, to maximize these training opportunities, there are a few key ways leaders can elevate the group’s learning environment.

1. Start by sharing their interest in the workshop

A leader sets the tone for an event. So if a leader seems particularly interested in a workshop or talk, it adds energy into the room. The best introductions I’ve seen are when a director kicks off a session sharing what they’re looking forward to or why they are excited about the upcoming material. Too often, training events are seen as mandatory events that people feel obligated to attend. But when the head of a group or organization shows genuine interest and involvement, it sets a far more positive tone from the start.

2. Model active participation

I have always been impressed by leaders when they model the behavior they are expecting from their teams. When a leader is engaged, the team will notice. It’s one thing to tell people to pay attention and it’s another when a supervisor shows the team how to engage. Whether the manager asks the speaker a thoughtful question, takes notes, actively participates in breakout sessions, or just highlights a helpful tip, modeling active participation is a wonderful way of getting a team to be present and fully absorb the tips shared in a training session.

3. End by sharing a favorite part

The end of a session is important. But since many days are packed with back-to-back meetings and important deadlines, people don’t often take the time to reflect on everything they’ve learned. Near the conclusion of a training event, most folks start to think about the next item on their to-do list. That’s why great leaders take the time to share what they’ve learned at the end of a session. They wrap up with their favorite take-aways and how they are planning on putting the tips into action. This not only helps remind the group of important tips shared throughout the workshop, it shows others that this information isn’t just meant to be heard, it’s meant to be put into action.
When leaders kick off the event by sharing what they are looking forward to, model active participation, and end by reflecting on the training, it creates a strong learning environment for the entire team.

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Managers, professors, and directors work hard to make sure their teams have positive experiences. When something creeps in that might affect these events people feel the need to acknowledge what’s lacking, and apologize. However, sometimes this apologetic nature can creep in too far, causing people to pay attention to what isn’t ideal about a situation. Instead of calling attention to a potential issue, it’s better to highlight something beneficial instead.

That’s why I recommend rephrasing the following:

Rephrase: I know it’s Friday, but thanks for coming anyway.
Say: Happy Friday everyone! This will be a great way to end the week.

Rephrase: I’m sorry we had to get an early start today.
Say: I’m glad we get to start the day together.

Rephrase: I know that was a lot of information, but hopefully it was useful.
Say: Since we have a lot to offer, we wanted to make sure everyone knows about all the services we provide. 

Rephrase: I haven’t had a lot of time to prepare these slides…
Say: Let’s use these slides to get the conversation started.

Rephrase: I hope this was a good use of your time.
Say: I had a wonderful time with all of you today.

People repeat information that’s given to them. So if you share something in a negative way, that’s how it will be remembered. Instead, help your audience by phrasing things in a positive light.

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

People may give many speeches during their careers, but there is something special about giving a talk as you accept an award. It’s a unique moment to be asked to share what this honor means as you talk about the events that led up to this point. While folks may have an idea of what they’d like to highlight during their speech, how to start it can be overwhelming. I’ve found the best way to begin an award talk, is to start by reflecting on what this moment means. Reflection is a powerful tool and it can be used in a variety of ways.

That’s why you could open your talk with:

When I found out I got this award, I started to reflect on everything it’s taken to get to this point.

When I first started (this project, my career, learning this skill)... I never envisioned I would end up here.

I remember attending this conference early on in my career and seeing someone else get this award. I was so inspired by that person’s journey… and it’s amazing to be standing here today.

I never imagined I’d be up here accepting this award. I remember when I was first starting out I thought I would be…

Inspiration is unpredictable. You never know what you’ll be doing when an idea comes to you. I remember being in…

I may be the one getting this award, but I did not get here alone. There were some very important people I was lucky enough to work with, and it’s with their partnership that I am standing here today.

When I was younger, I always wanted to be… I dreamed of…

This is an amazing honor. And I have to say that getting here has been quite an adventure. When I think back on it, a few key moments really stand out.

If you have the rare opportunity to give a talk as you receive an award, try opening the speech by reflecting on what this moment means. It’ll help you connect with the audience as you share your important work.


Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Certain phrases tend to get repeated often—in meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Over time, we start to echo them in our own communication, often without thinking.

But some of these familiar phrases are less effective than they seem — especially those that draw attention to what we don’t want people to focus on. When we highlight what’s not important, we risk distracting our audience from what truly matters. It's far more effective to guide their attention to the key points you want them to take away.

That’s why I recommend rephrasing the following:

Original: I won’t read this all to you, but…
Rephrased: I’d like to direct your attention to…

Original: You don’t need to remember everything here, but…
Rephrased: What’s important to remember is…

Original: I know there’s not a lot of time left, so…
Rephrased: Right now, I’d like to emphasize…

Original: I’m not going to go through all of this, but…
Rephrased: I’d like to highlight…

Original: I won’t discuss all of these details, but…
Rephrased: The main point is…

If you want your audience to focus, don’t draw attention to what you’re skipping. Instead, emphasize what matters. These subtle shifts in language can make your message more impactful and help your audience engage with the important details you’ve shared.

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Facilitators put time, care, and effort into crafting an engaging agenda. With so many moving parts, it’s a skill to keep everything moving and discussions on track. That’s why it’s good to be aware of various pitfalls that can undermine the energy and impact of an event. One of the most destructive patterns to be aware of is — the negative discussion spiral.

When there’s a packed agenda, people can get tired; and stress and fatigue are powerful emotions. If the conversation goes on long enough, it’s easy for a negative topic to be brought up. While there’s nothing wrong with discussing problems, it’s important to know that stressful topics can spark a reaction. Once that spark gets lit, it can be difficult to manage.

Now, just because something is negative, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be discussed. It is important for charged topics to have space. However, as a facilitator, it’s crucial to be aware of when these conversations happen. While each agenda is going to have unique factors at play, the main thing to remember — is not to end your event in a negative spiral. That’s because the feeling people have at the conclusion of an event, is the feeling that lasts the longest.

If a negative spiral starts, it’s important for facilitators to be aware of the clock. If you realize there’s not much time left before the event ends, add a new question or reflection into the space. That way, there’s still time to pivot. If there isn’t a lot of time left, it might be better to diffuse the conversation by taking a moment to share a reflection or recap of the material covered throughout the entire day. Help bring people’s attention to the other parts that you actually want them to remember.

Timing is important. While discussions will fluctuate, you don’t want a negative topic to override an event. Be aware of the clock and always be sure to end an event in a thoughtful and impactful way.

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

In a meeting, a team may need to cover a wide range of topics. That’s why whoever is leading the meeting is responsible for keeping the discussion moving, ensuring everything can be addressed. But because projects are often complex, figuring out the best order for these topics can be challenging.

To manage these shifts, many people rely on transition phrases like:
On a completely different note…
Let’s switch gears…
We’re going to change topics now…

Sometimes, these transition phrases can be useful as they help reset the energy in the room. They give people permission to let go of the previous subject so they can refocus on something new.

However, when a team is already feeling overwhelmed and stressed about juggling various projects, these abrupt shifts might make things feel more scattered. Jumping between unrelated topics can max out people’s cognitive load and cause them to shut down. In these cases, using more connected transitions may be helpful. 

For example:
This leads us to our next goal…
On a related note…
Now that we’ve talked about _____, we can discuss______.

When our to-do list feels chaotic, even small connections between tasks can make a big difference. If your team seems stretched thin, try using connection-based transitions. They can help everything feel a bit more aligned—and a little less overwhelming.

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA 
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

We often repeat the phrases we hear, which is why it's common to come to a meeting and hear things like:

"We have a lot to get through today.”
"We have a packed agenda this morning.”
"Let’s get started — there’s quite a few things to discuss."

These phrases are typically meant to encourage focus and productivity. Unfortunately, they’re not always effective. In fact, these phrases can unintentionally send the wrong message. Instead of creating an extra motivation, they often highlight what’s lacking — time.

Even though everyone has set aside time for the meeting, these phrases imply it’s still not enough. They emphasize how packed people’s days are, reminding them that even more effort is required.

It’s true a meeting may have a full agenda. But if the goal is to empower the group, it’s worth choosing language that supports that goal. To inspire and energize your team, it’s better to start in another way. I recommend opening with something positive like gratitude, excitement, or appreciation. For example:

"I’m so glad we had this time reserved to connect.”
"I’m excited to hear everyone’s updates on this project.”
"I appreciate you all coming today."

Be mindful of how often your language reinforces scarcity — especially around time. People already carry plenty of stress. That’s why it’s helpful for leaders to choose phrases that center on abundance and appreciation instead.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Making a mistake is hard. It’s even harder when someone publicly points it out. Perhaps you misremembered a fact, reordered a timeline, or defined a term incorrectly, and someone stops you and brings attention to it. When someone calls out a mistake you made, I believe the best response—is to thank them. 

However, this has to be more than a quick, yet polite, brush-off in order to move on to your next point. Your response has to be genuine. If someone corrected a potentially foundational miscommunication, thank them for helping clarify your message. By pausing, thanking the person, and acknowledging the misstep, you show your colleagues a few things:

1. You can handle mistakes with ease

A great way to build trust on a team is by handling missteps graciously. For projects to succeed, we rely on being able to work well with one another, and part of that comes from feeling safe enough to step in when a mistake is made.

2. You are open to collaboration

Great teams work because they can share ideas. If one person can’t acknowledge another person’s help, then it’s not really a team atmosphere.

3. You are comfortable acknowledging issues
​
Many issues in organizations are preventable, but sometimes people aren’t able to acknowledge when they mess up. This creates mistrust in the team, the project, and organization. It’s much better when you work with people who can admit mishaps to help avoid issues in the future.

When someone steps in to say you misspoke, they aren’t trying to point out how you failed, they are trying to help you succeed. Especially if it’s a foundational oversight, it’s important that someone corrected you early on. Real leaders are able to graciously acknowledge their mistakes. It helps build trust within the team and in your leadership capabilities.

​Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Subtle details can significantly impact the effectiveness of a presentation. One of the details that has a huge influence on a presentation, are the titles in a slide deck.

Titles serve an essential function in presentations. As the largest text on the slide, they naturally draw attention, making them a powerful tool when used effectively. Here are a few ways to leverage the power of titles:

1. Use Titles to Prompt Your Key Phrase

It’s common for presenters to click to a new slide, glance at the title, and momentarily forget what they want to say. This often leads to filler words like “um” or “uh” as they try to recover their train of thought.
To avoid this, place the key phrase or word you want to remember in the slide title. When you advance to a new slide, the title becomes your visual cue, guiding you to the right opening phrase. Not only does this create smoother transitions, but it also benefits your audience. When the words they see match the words they hear, it enhances clarity and keeps folks engaged from the start.

2. Avoid Questions in Titles

Unless your presentation directly addresses specific questions (such as a research aim or customer inquiry), avoid using questions in your slide titles. Repeated question marks can subtly imply uncertainty around the work.
Instead, it’s better to use statements. Statements convey confidence and stability, making your data or ideas feel more grounded. For example, a question like “Why is this important?” could be reframed as: “The Importance of This Work.” This shift reinforces certainty and strengthens the overall tone of the presentation.

3. Focus on Empowering Words

Many slide titles inadvertently emphasize “effort” or “work,” which can unintentionally make the presentation feel like a list of challenges or burdens. Instead, highlight the goal or outcome in your title to create a more positive and motivational tone.

For instance:

• Change “Where We Need to Put Effort” to “How to Create Momentum”
• Reframe “Areas to Improve” as “Current Opportunities”

This adjustment can shift the focus from labor and effort towards empowerment and progress.

Using your slide titles strategically by incorporating key phrases, avoiding unnecessary questions, and highlighting empowering words can elevate the entire presentation. Thoughtful, intentional titles not only guide your delivery but also create a more engaging and impactful experience for your audience.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

People often have a hard time starting a speech in an authentic and organic way. It can be difficult to transition smoothly from the opening of the talk to the main content. This transition is incredibly important, because the way you begin and continue a story should feel seamless. That’s why it’s helpful to have a few techniques to captivate an audience’s attention in a conversational and engaging way. I’ve found that the most powerful techniques can be broken down into three categories:

1. Location
Commenting on the trip to a conference, the location of an event, or the area everyone is currently in, is a great way to open a talk because it helps focus everyone’s attention on the present moment. For example someone might open their speech by saying:

“As I was sitting on the plane yesterday, I started thinking about how excited I was to meet with you all today.”

“This conference is always one of my favorite events to attend.”

“This is such a beautiful venue to be in with all of you.”

Bringing up the location helps people focus on what is currently happening so they absorb the content you are about to share.

2. Reflection
Another great way to open is through reflection. This can happen by sharing thoughts about what an event means, how you prepared for this moment, or thinking back to an earlier time in your career. For example, you could share:

“It’s wonderful being with you at orientation today. It’s interesting because I remember when I first started graduate school…”

“It’s truly an honor to welcome you all. The first time I ever attended this event was almost a decade ago.”

“As I was preparing for this keynote, I started thinking back on my career and what moments had the biggest impact on me.”

By being vulnerable and sharing something personal, the audience can easily connect with you on a deeper level.

3. Gratitude
Being grateful is a wonderful and easy way to bring positivity into the room. People can comment on what the event means, how it’s nice working with a particular group, or how fun it’s been collaborating with the team for a certain project. For example you could open with:

“I’m so glad that we get to have this yearly retreat. It’s important to get the opportunity to chat and connect with the wonderful people we have on this team.”

“This is one of my favorite groups to collaborate with. I always appreciate how creative and passionate everyone is about the work we do.”

“We are doing a lot of important work right now and the reason we’ve been able to make such a large impact is because of everyone in this room."
​
Bringing appreciation into the room is an easy way to help set the tone for the rest of the speech.

Finding an organic way to open a talk or a meeting is important. Talking about the location, reflecting on the moment, or sharing some gratitude, is a great strategy to easily connect and engage with an audience.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Whether you’re waiting for someone to log online, or you’re sitting in a conference room before a meeting, people often find themselves in situations where they need to fill time before an event begins. That’s why it’s important to plan out some topics to chat about. People usually connect over the weather, tv shows, sports, etc. But if you have repetitive meetings with people, you’ll want to expand your small talk repertoire.
​
That’s why I suggest thinking about:
​What would you like people to imagine you doing when you’re not working together?

I like to think of activities in three categories:
1. When you’re not at work
2. When you’re collaborating with other departments
3. When you’re working on your current projects

For example, perhaps you want people to envision you exploring new places by going hiking or traveling. Then, you could talk about a recent trip you had, or a place you’ve been researching that you’ll go to soon. Or, maybe you want people to imagine you collaborating with different departments. Then, you could share how you just came from a great meeting where you were working with someone on establishing a new initiative in your organization. Or, if you want folks to picture you actively working on your current project, you could share how you’ve been spending time creating a new presentation that you’re going to share with a client. 

No matter what you share during downtime, it’s an opportunity for folks to have more information about you that helps them visualize you in action. That’s why the stories you share through small talk are important. They give other people information to pull from when you’re not around. That’s why it’s good to be intentional about every opportunity you have to connect, including while you wait for something else to begin.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Time is one of the most important factors presenters need to be aware of during talks. People usually have packed calendars and it’s critical to respect their schedules. However, even though speakers are given a time limit for their presentations, it’s easy for timing issues to arise. Either the meeting is running behind, other speakers took too long, or tech issues prevented the talk from starting on schedule. That’s why many speakers find themselves having less time for their presentation than they originally planned for.

When this happens, it’s important to alter your message to help get the schedule back on track. You don’t want to be the person who prevented someone from leaving on time to pick up their kids, shortened a coffee break, or made someone late for another meeting. Plus, once your talk goes over the allotted time, people aren’t even paying attention to your message. Instead, they are watching the clock and thinking about the next activity they have planned.

Therefore, if you realize you have to cut your presentation down, I recommend shortening the beginning of it since that’s usually when the supplemental information is shared. Instead of giving all the background that leads up to your point, state the main point of the slide in one sentence and then move on. Even if you have a lot of information on the slide, don’t explain it. Instead, relay the main point and continue on to your next idea. That way, you’ll still have enough time to spend on the important part of your talk. You don’t want to run out of time or attention on the message you’re actually there to share.

For example, instead of explaining all the past research, simply say, “We’ve conducted a lot of research to reach this point.” Or, if you have a slide with all the different programs offered to students or employees, instead of going through all of the details you could say, “We have a lot of programs available.” Then, move on to your next point. Of course it would be more ideal to explain everything on your slides, but if you have to cut out information, omit the part that isn’t critical for this moment.

The same tip can be applied if you find yourself over-explaining your slides in the middle of a presentation. If you suddenly realize you’re running low on time, simply state the point of the slide you have up, perhaps add in one detail, and then move on.

Timing is important. That’s why it is crucial to have a plan in place for any scenario. It’s nice to be known as a speaker that people can count on no matter how much time you have.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

In presentations, conferences, and meetings, people often don’t have enough time to cover all the content they want to share. That’s why we often hear phrases like:

“I’ll go through this quickly…”
“To give you a ‘brief’ overview…”
“I just have a quick question to ask…”

However, even though these types of sentences are common, it’s important to understand the effect they actually have on an audience.

“I’ll go through this quickly…”
When someone says they will do something “quickly” it usually means the presenter will be speaking at a rapid pace. In order to keep up, the audience will have to put in more effort to track the details. Usually, this is when the audience decides to tune out. It’s more productive to simply omit that phrase and then share the corresponding content.

“To give you a ‘brief’ overview…”
Telling people something will be “brief” draws an audience’s attention to the time the content is taking, rather than the details of the content. This can invite critique because the audience starts to analyze whether the summary was succinct or if it dragged on too long. Eliminating that word is more direct and helps your message stand out.

“I just have a quick question to ask…”
When you’re already running low on time, saying something will be “quick” actually has the opposite effect. You don’t want to spend precious time adding in extra phrases when it would be better to spend that time on the discussion. That’s why I recommend avoiding that phrase and simply asking the question. This creates a smoother narrative which is a better use of everyone’s schedule.

While it’s common to comment on how “quick” something will be, it’s not always effective. Instead, omit those phrases and simply share the content. This can help your audience connect with the information which will be a more effective use of everyone’s time.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Meetings take up a lot of time. Therefore, it’s important to make them as effective as possible. To prepare, folks spend time crafting agendas, putting together slide decks, and coming up with discussion points. People have to be intentional in order to maximize each meeting’s potential. However, there is one moment in a meeting that often gets overlooked — the end.

People usually conclude their meetings by saying: 
Well, it looks like we are out of time.
I know that was a lot of information.
So ya… guess that’s it.

Then, that phrase becomes the last thing people hear and the message they replay in their head. A team shouldn’t be thinking about how that was “a lot of information” or how everyone ran “out of time”. Instead, it’s important to think about how to make that last moment count.

For example a meeting could end with:
I appreciate your time and I look forward to checking in next week.
I’m excited to hear about the project updates on our next call.
Thank you all for all the work you do. 

The end of a conversation matters. So before a call ends or folks walk out of a conference room, be intentional about the last phrase people hear.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Asking questions during a presentation can be a great way to engage your audience. It helps the speaker connect with the room and allows the audience to guide the narrative around topics they’d like to explore more. However, it’s becoming increasingly popular for speakers to ask rhetorical questions during presentations. Rhetorical questions, or questions where the speaker doesn’t actually need an answer from their audience, can undermine the power of a presentation for a number of reasons.

1. Disrupts flow
Instead of making statements that connect to form a cohesive story, rhetorical questions disrupt the flow of a presentation. For example when a speaker says:

So why did we do this? Well, we did this because…
What is the new product? The new product is…

Rhetorical questions create a choppy tone throughout a presentation. This stop/start pattern can also make it harder for the audience to follow along, since we tend to remember narratives that connect and flow together. Therefore, it’s better to avoid questions and make statements instead. For example…

We did this because…
The new product is…

Making statements is a stronger way to connect ideas in a presentation.

2. Gives your audience permission to stay silent
Rhetorical questions don’t require answers. Thus, when a speaker asks a lot of them, the audience gets accustomed to not answering or sharing a response. Then, when a speaker asks a question where they do want to elicit a response, the audience might not engage because they have fallen into a passive pattern and stay silent.

3. Questions can add in a hesitant tone
When a speaker asks too many rhetorical questions, it can affect how solid their idea sounds. If an audience is going to trust that a new project or idea was well thought through, it’s better to make statements about how everything came together. Then, if someone does have a question it stands out as an avenue to explore. Having too many rhetorical questions can create a doubtful undertone throughout a presentation.

Rhetorical questions can disrupt flow, make your audience disengage, and can add hesitation to your content. Instead, I recommend only asking questions when the audience can actually respond. By asking active questions, speakers show they value engagement by opening up a meaningful dialogue with their audience.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC