For Immediate Release:

“There’s No Such Thing As Public Speaking!”

Workshop participants learn unique concepts -- including Whole-Brain Speaking™, The Power of S.P.E.E.C.H.©, and the Wizard of Oz Formula -- to help them become more comfortable, confident and authentic speakers

YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY – FEBRUARY 28, 2005 – Ovations International, Inc., Home of the Standing O®, today announced that its president, Matthew Cossolotto, will conduct a series of Podium Power™ workshops in early March for a major corporate client.

Unique Podium Power concepts – including The Power of S.P.E.E.C.H., The Wizard of Oz Formula, and Whole-Brain Speaking – help participants tap into a range of Right Brain (connection/presence-based) and Left Brain (content/preparation-based) capabilities to become more confident, comfortable and authentic speakers. 

“The ability to stand up and speak comfortably before audiences is a critical leadership and success skill,” says Cossolotto.  “That’s why I believe these Podium Power workshops should be part of every leadership or executive development program.  Becoming a more effective speaker begins with demystifying the act of speaking itself.  After all, speaking with other people is something most of us do quite naturally every day.  It’s a mistake to label a certain kind of speaking as ‘public’ speaking.  This creates unnecessary stress and raises unrealistic expectations.   A key insight from my Podium Power program amounts to a revolutionary idea in the field of presentation skills training:  There’s no such thing as public speaking, only speaking!” 

Another key concept from the Podium Power program is designed to help participants think beyond the content of their presentations.   Cossolotto encourages participants:  Don’t be content with content©.  In other words, the substance (or content) of a speech is not enough.  Equally important – perhaps even more important – is the authenticity of the speaker and the connection he or she establishes with the audience. 

Podium Power workshops typically include 6-10 participants and involve a combination of lectures, discussions, and videotaped exercises.  They are ideal for leadership/management development and team-building programs. 

Today’s announcement comes soon after Ovations announced a new “Home of the Standing O®” identity initiative.  The Home of the Standing O tagline covers all of Ovations’ significant services, including the Podium Power workshops, one-on-one speech coaching, and senior-executive speechwriting. 

Cossolotto has also developed a series of targeted Harness Your HabitForce! workshops and presentations based on the concepts contained in HabitForce!  In his book and presentations, Cossolotto reveals how to escape from self-defeating F.A.I.L.U.R.E. Traps and get on the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Track.   His unique “Fix F.A.I.L.U.R.E. First” approach to personal change employs what he calls “The Three Rs” -- Recognize, Reject and Replace.  The book and presentations are built around two seven-letter acronyms – F.A.I.L.U.R.E. and S.U.C.C.E.S.S. – creating an easily remembered structure that magnifies the program’s transformational power.  Real transformation is possible once you begin to harness the power of HabitForce so it works for you and not against you.  “May the HabitForce be with you!”

Signed copies of HabitForce! are available online by visiting www.ovations.com.  For more information call 914-245-9721 or email habitforce@ovations.com.