Student Workshop Ideas

I worked 20-hour shifts during my residency. Forget time for family and friends, I often didn’t even have time to shower or eat. So when most of my patients talk about stress taking a toll on their health, I understand. But what we often ignore is that stress acts as your body's alert system for perceived threats. It leads you straight into survival mode - causing lack of sleep, anxiety, and countless health problems. So here are 4 simple solutions to reclaim control: ▶︎ 1. The physiological sigh: This is one of the fastest ways to calm down. - 1 deep inhale through the nose - 1 short inhale to top up - 1 long exhale to empty lungs Just 2-3 cycles of this technique will release the maximum amount of CO2, slow your heart rate and relax you. ▶︎ 2. Mel Robin’s 5-second rule: To break the cycle of anxiety and change your stress habits, simply count down from 5. 5-4-3-2-1. This exercise will: - Activate your prefrontal cortex - Interrupt your habitual thought loops - Shift your brain from fight-or-flight to action mode ▶︎ 3. The filters test: If you want to reduce stress, you need to curate your thoughts. Whenever you have a negative thought, answer these 3 questions: - Is it true? - Is it kind? - Is it helpful? If any of the answer is no, discard the chain of thought immediately. ▶︎ 4. Conquer your fear of judgment: Caring what people think is costing you your health. Choosing attachment (fitting in) over authenticity (being yourself) sets you up for long-term health issues. So forget about others' opinions. Remember, being healthy > seeking approval. These techniques actually work as our brains tend to: - Ignore the high costs of our inaction - Understate the positive results of taking action - Exaggerate negative consequences of taking action. How do you manage your stress? #healthandwellness #workplacehealth #stress

For 30 years, I've dreaded giving presentations. But I've still given more than I can count... Presenting is something that many leaders struggle with. But unfortunately, it's par for the course of running a business. The good news is, you don't need to be a naturally gifted speaker. I'm certainly not.  You just need to be well-prepared and follow some simple rules. This is what I would share with any leader before their next meeting: 1. The 20-Word Strategy Rule Your strategy must fit 1 sentence and answer three questions: 1. What are you passionate about? (Your purpose) 2. What can you be the best at? (Your USP) 3. How will you make money? (Your economic engine) 2. The Pre-Read Rule Always make sure you have done the reading beforehand.  Leaders should set the agenda and send pre-read material in advance. 3. The Working Together Framework When a new leader joins, share a short two-page Working Together document. It should answer 4 things clearly: 1. What do I expect them to achieve? 2. How can I get the best out of them? 3. How can they get the best out of me? 4. What motivates and demotivates each of us? 4. The Storytelling Rule Start with the broad ambition, then follow with three supporting messages. Keep in mind: - Practise until you can tell it without a laptop or notes. - Keep it simple. Too much information adds clutter and confusion. - Statistics and data will not persuade people. Make it about them, not you. 5. The Back-To-The-Floor Rule Before any major presentation, do this first: 1. Block out a morning to shadow your frontline team. 2. Put the headset on and listen to real customer conversations. 3. Walk the floor and look for what the data is not telling you. 4. Write down the one or two things that surprised you. 5. Build those observations into your presentation. 6. The Communication Rules Think in news headlines. Do not change the message too often.  Do not sugar-coat.  Be honest about bad news.  Bottom-up communication is essential. 7. Before You Walk In - Can I state our strategy in 20 words or fewer? - Have I sent pre-read material in advance? - Am I leading with a story, not a data dump? - Have I been to the shop floor recently enough to speak with authority? - Have I been honest about what is not working? - Does everyone in the room know what I am asking of them? - Could I present this without opening my laptop? Preparation is not glamorous. It's not meant to be. But if you want to earn the trust of a room, it’s absolutely necessary. If you want more lessons like these delivered to your inbox each week, subscribe to my newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/ergDQtiK If you're a leader, comment below if you've ever struggled with presentations. Or share a strategy that has helped you in meetings.

5 Non-Obvious Speaking Techniques To Command Attention (When everyone else is using the same tired playbook): The most powerful moments often break traditional rules. 1. "Strategic Silence" ↳ Pausing twice as long as feels comfortable after key points ↳ Creating tension that makes your next words impossible to ignore 2. "Vulnerable Opening" ↳ Starting with a personal failure rather than an achievement ↳ Building authentic connection before establishing expertise 3. "Controlled Imperfection" ↳ Deliberately leaving small mistakes uncorrected ↳ Making yourself approachable when perfection creates distance 4. "Audience Elevation" ↳ Making them the hero of your story, not yourself ↳ Focusing on transformation you enable rather than wisdom you possess 5. "Pattern Disruption" ↳ Changing your delivery pace, volume or position unexpectedly ↳ Breaking predictable rhythms that let audience attention drift The speakers we remember break rules with purpose, not by accident. Your most powerful tool isn't what you say, but the moments between your words. ♻️ Share this with someone preparing for their next important presentation ➕ Follow Helene Guillaume Pabis for more communication tips, as an introvert who became an international public speaker

After 20+ years in cardiology, I’ve come to question how we approach lifestyle change. We often treat diet, exercise, sleep, and stress as separate problems, with separate solutions. But in most of the high-performing professionals I’ve worked with, that approach doesn’t hold up. The pattern I’ve observed again and again: Stress management isn’t just another "pillar" of a healthy lifestyle. It’s the foundation that underlies them all. How chronic stress quietly disrupts every domain of health: Sleep: Elevated cortisol interferes with circadian rhythms, fragments rest, and reduces deep sleep, making everything harder. Nutrition: Stress alters hunger hormones like leptin and ghrelin, increasing cravings for calorie-dense foods and lowering appetite for nutrient-rich options. Exercise: Chronic stress impairs recovery, increases injury risk, and can blunt the benefits of training. Connection: Stress narrows our emotional bandwidth, making empathy, patience, and meaningful connection harder to sustain. Coping habits: When we’re stretched thin, we reach for quick relief: caffeine, alcohol, screens, or other short-term fixes. The cascade I see repeatedly: → Sustained pressure without rest and recovery elevates baseline stress → Sleep quality deteriorates → Energy dips drive reactive food choices → Movement feels harder to sustain → Emotional connection weakens and gets put on the back burner → Coping behaviors increase → All of it loops back to amplify stress What I’ve found most helpful in practice: When patients learn to regulate their nervous system, other areas—diet, sleep, movement—often start to improve without being the primary focus. Simple stress interventions that ripple outward: • 3-minute breathing breaks between meetings • A consistent morning routine (even 5 minutes) • Brief walks outdoors • Clearer boundaries (i.e. around after-hours communication and work) • Prioritizing one meaningful connection each week The mindset shift that changed how I practice: We don’t need to perfect every pillar. We need to create the conditions, starting with learning the essential skills of stress mastery, where health can actually take root. When you improve how you manage stress, what other areas of life tend to shift? #JustOneHeart #LifestyleMedicine #StressPhysiology #SystemsThinking #CardiovascularHealth #HolisticHealth #Cardiology

Regardless of how great your ideas are in your virtual sales pitch, webinar, or team meeting… People are most likely checking their email, browsing social media, or working on other things while you present. How can you prevent that and actually get your audience to pay attention? Here are 4 of the most powerful techniques we use for our own virtual training courses: 1. Win the first five seconds According to research from the University of Toronto, people need only five seconds to gauge your charisma and leadership as a speaker. In virtual environments, this first impression is even more critical. To establish instant rapport: - Keep your posture open and inviting (avoid fidgeting, crossed arms, and closed-off postures) - Use open gestures that welcome the audience into your space - Gesture with your palms showing at a 45-degree angle - Speak with clear articulation and energy from the very first word The quickest way to lose your audience? Starting with tentative body language that signals you’re unsure or unprepared. 2. Design your presentation for virtual viewing When designing slides, assume varied viewing conditions. Design for the smallest likely device and the slowest likely Internet speed. Make your slides accessible by: - Using larger fonts (24-32pt) - Applying higher contrast colors - Limiting each slide to ONE clear idea - Adding more space between lines when using smaller text - Stripping excess content (you can provide additional information in a separate document) 3. Vary your delivery Our research shows the optimal length for linear presentations is just 16-30 minutes, while interactive ones can maintain engagement for 30-45 minutes. People’s attention will go through peaks and valleys during that time, so try these techniques to keep their attention: - Vary your speaking pace (faster to convey urgency, slower to express gravity) - Use intentional pauses to let key points land - Adjust your vocal tone (lower pitch for authority, higher for approachability) - Shift between slides, stories, and data at regular intervals Each change helps reset your audience’s attention and signals importance. 4. Build in structured interaction Don’t make your audience wait until the end of your presentation to interact. According to our research, presentations that incorporate audience engagement through polls, chat responses, or breakout discussions maintain attention longer. For the highest engagement: - Use a variety of interaction types throughout your presentation - Incorporate breakout rooms for small-group discussions - Switch modalities regularly to keep it interesting Remember: In virtual environments, you need to recreate the natural engagement that happens in person. Your virtual presentation success isn’t measured by perfection…it’s measured by action. Master these techniques and your audience won’t just pay attention, they’ll respond. #VirtualPresentations #CorporateTraining #WorkplaceLearning

One great presentation can do what multiple applications can't. Over the years, my presentations have earned awards, speaking invitations, and opportunities I never applied for. Most recently, at MAA MathFest 2024, someone from the audience approached me and said: "Your talk was so engaging. You made such a complex topic accessible." On the spot, he invited me to speak to high school students in Chicago. Full expenses paid + speaker fee. Here is the framework I use every single time... (You might want to save this.) 1. Know your audience before you make a single slide → Kids? Public? Policy makers? Academics? → Your job is to design your talk to suit them. → Picture one person in the audience, let's call them "Bola." 2. Map out the entire talk first → Write the takeaway from each slide in one sentence. → Connect each slide logically to the next. → Ask yourself: Will Bola digest this information? 3. Ditch the jargon → Would Bola understand this? → If not, go back to the drawing board. → Use simple, plain English. 4. Make it visual → One message per slide. Big font. Bullet points. → Use visuals or illustrations instead of text (if possible.)  → The moment your audience starts reading your slides, you've lost them. 5. Practice as you build each slide → After creating each slide, ask: What will I say here? → This reveals what to add, remove, or fix as you go. → Once done, practice the full presentation again. 6. Never read off your slides during delivery → Deliver like you're telling a story. → Everything on screen is just supporting visuals. → Know your slides inside out. Keep eye contact. 7. Use your body language intentionally → Don't stare at the ceiling, ground, or stand frozen. → Your movement and energy speak louder than words. → This automatically communicates confidence and authority. Great presentations aren’t about showing how smart you are. They’re about making your audience feel something... curiosity, clarity, and inspiration. That’s what makes you memorable. And that’s what opens doors. --- PS: What's ONE thing that's helped you improve your presentations? PPS: Want to see this framework in action? Link to the Chicago talk is in the comments. ♻️ REPOST if this was useful. Thanks!

Everyone says "engage your audience" when you're speaking on stage. But nobody really tells you how to own that stage and make it yours. As someone who used to shake before every presentation, I've learned a few things the hard way. Things that turned that fear into something I could actually use. Here it is. Save this for your next presentation 👇🏻 1/ Ride on Shared Narratives → Find common ground fast. People don't connect with perfection. They connect with "me too" moments. 👉🏻 I like to open with a story about struggling with something my audience faces too. 👉🏻 Like feeling invisible in a crowded room or doubting whether anyone's listening. 2/ Keep the Energy Up → Your energy sets the room's energy. If you're flat, they're flat. If you're alive, they lean in. 👉🏻 I move around the stage, vary my tone, and throw in pauses. 👉🏻 It keeps people awake and engaged, even in long sessions. 3/ Speak with Them Before You Speak to Them → A little interaction beforehand goes a long way. I used to hide backstage. Now I walk the room early. 👉🏻 Before I present, I chat with a few people in the audience, ask about their day, their challenges. 👉🏻 So when I'm on stage, I'm speaking to familiar faces. 4/ Don't Skimp on Preparation → Being prepared is your best defense against nerves. I used to wing it. I paid for it every time. 👉🏻 I rehearse my opening and closing until I can say them in my sleep. 👉🏻 It gives me confidence even when my mind goes blank mid-speech. 5/ Learn Their World, Speak Their Language → Tailor your message to resonate. Generic talks don't land. Personalized ones do. 👉🏻 When I speak to financial advisors versus tech founders, I adjust my examples and references to match their daily reality. 👉🏻 Never use a one-size-fits-all script. 6/ Use Your Stories → Personal stories make your message unforgettable. Facts inform. Stories transform. 👉🏻 Instead of listing my credentials, I share how a kid who got bullied and avoided stages now trains leaders across Asia. 👉🏻 Story sticks more than any resume. 7/ Mirror What You Want to See → Project the confidence you want your audience to feel. If you're uncertain, they'll be uncertain. If you're grounded, they'll trust you. 👉🏻 If I want my audience to feel calm and confident, I start by being calm and confident myself 👉🏻 Even if I'm nervous inside. I'm not a natural speaker. I'm someone who learned through repetition, failure, and intention. If you apply even one of these, you'll already be ahead of most people on stage. You don't need perfect English. You don't need years of experience. You just need presence, preparation, and a message that matters. So. what strategy helps you most before speaking on stage? Let's learn from each other 💬 💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights. #publicspeaking #professionalgrowth #coaching #careerdevelopment #financialadvisor

What can a baby teach us about mastering presentations? A few years ago, I recalled a memory of a friend navigating new motherhood. She had just welcomed her first baby, and her mother stayed with her for the first week to help her adjust. Despite years of experience babysitting in her teens and early twenties, my friend was understandably nervous about caring for her own infant. She asked her mother if she would stay longer. Her mother, ever calm, offered this timeless advice: “Oh, Elaine, it’s not that hard. Just keep his stomach full and his bottom dry.” Brilliant in its simplicity! The wisdom behind those words has stayed with me, because it reminds us that sometimes the best solutions are the simplest. And when it comes to public speaking, it’s the same principle: keep things clear and focused, and the rest will fall into place. Presenting doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Yet, many people get bogged down in the details—choosing the right words, worrying about how they look, fearing the “what ifs.” But let me tell you, the key to a successful presentation boils down to just two things: 1.      A clear message 2.     Audience connection If you nail these two, everything else is just gravy. The Power of a Clear Message Hone in on one core idea. If you can’t explain your message in a single sentence, you probably don’t have a clear enough grasp on it. Use short, impactful sentences that are easy for the ear to follow. A message may read brilliantly on paper, but when delivered aloud, it can easily lose its power if it’s too complex. So, speak in everyday language. Keep it conversational. People will connect with what you're saying because it feels accessible and real. Building an Authentic Connection with Your Audience Once your message is clear, focus on how it lands with your audience. Valuable content is just the starting point; you need to get your listeners out of their heads and into their hearts. So, how do you build that connection? Start by telling stories—personal anecdotes, industry-related examples, metaphors, and even humor. Stories help the audience see themselves in your message and make the content memorable. Make eye contact. Master the pause. Silence can be a powerful tool—give your audience time to feel your words, not just hear them. Engage them directly by using their names, asking them to participate with a show of hands, or encouraging them to nod in agreement. People respond when they feel like they’re part of the experience. Let them see your humanity—share your struggles and your successes—but don’t make the presentation all about you. Shift the focus to them. Make your message their journey. Just like my friend, who was initially overwhelmed by the thought of caring for her newborn, the simple, straightforward approach to presenting will give you the confidence you need to shine. With a clear message and a strong connection, you’ll deliver a knockout presentation every time.  

I took my first public speaking class at 33. Now I speak to rooms of 600 people. I learned a lot of useless stuff in school. ✅ Long division in your head ✅ Order a ham and cheese baguette in French, German and Latin?! ✅ The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. How to actually speak wasn't one of them. So if you present a lot at work but don't really know what you're doing and wish you felt more confident, it's not your fault. It's also never too late to feel and sound ten times better. Save this before your next presentation. 11 public speaking skills nobody taught you. 1/ Power Pause → Stop talking after your most important line. Three full seconds of silence. → Use it when: You want people to repeat what you said once you're done. 2/ The 3-Part Open → Hook with a question. Share a story. State your promise to the room. → Use it when: You're opening any talk and need the room to pay attention. 3/ Voice Memo Method → Record your talk on your phone. Press play. Rehearse and refine. → Use it when: You're rehearsing and want a high degree of polish. 4/ Punch the Back Wall → Speak to the person at the very back of the room. Forces projection. → Use it when: You're in a large room and losing the back rows. 5/ Golden Ladder Breathing → Visualise a ladder starting in your head. Take a step down with each exhale. → Use it when: Your voice sounds thin or tight before you go on. 6/ The 0.75 Rule → Nerves speed you up. Speak slower than feels natural. → Use it when: You've been told you speak too fast or can feel yourself rushing. 7/ The 2-Minute Story Rule → Any story you tell on stage should land in under two minutes. → Use it when: You're editing a talk and can't figure out what to cut. 8/ The Callback → Reference something from earlier in your talk near the end. → Use it when: You want to sound like a natural instead of someone reading slides. 9/ Creature Shake → Shake your whole body out. Releases tension before it becomes nerves. → Use it when: You're about to speak and your hands won't stop shaking. 10/ The 5-5-5 Rule → Scan five faces. Hold each gaze for five seconds. Repeat every five minutes. → Use it when: You're scanning the room instead of seeing anyone in it. 11/ The Time Traveller → Your brain wants to fast-forward to the end. Stay in the sentence you're in. → Use it when: You can feel yourself racing to get off stage. You were never taught this. Now you know. Download the high-res PDF and stick it on your wall before your next presentation: https://lnkd.in/ehrG-u-G ♻️ Repost for the colleague who presents every week but was never actually taught how. ➕ Follow Iona Holloway to become a confident speaker.

Feeling overwhelmed or stuck? Let’s talk about coping skills. We all have moments when emotions feel too big to handle. That’s where coping skills come in—practical tools to help you navigate stress or anxiety. Here are 6 styles of coping skills with examples to try: 1️⃣ Distraction Redirect your focus to take a breather from overwhelming feelings. ➔ Count backward from 100. ➔ Name objects of a specific color in your room (e.g., “How many blue items can I see?”). ➔ Pick a category (e.g., animals, movies) and list as many as you can in 60 seconds. 2️⃣ Grounding/Mindfulness Bring yourself back to the present. ➔ Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: Name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste. ➔ Focus on deep breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4. ➔ Splash cold water on your face or hold an ice cube to reset your senses. 3️⃣ Thought Challenging Reframe negative thoughts with logic. ➔ When thinking, “What if I fail?” ask, “What’s the evidence this will happen? What’s a more realistic outcome?” ➔ Write pros and cons for your worry to gain perspective. 4️⃣ Emotional Awareness Name and express your feelings. ➔ Label your emotions (e.g., “I feel frustrated”). Use an emotion chart if needed. ➔ Write worries on paper and place them in a “worry jar” to externalize them. 5️⃣ Opposite Action Challenge negative impulses by acting differently. ➔ Feeling like staying in bed? Go for a 10-minute walk outside. ➔ Angry? Do something kind, like writing a note of appreciation. 6️⃣ Social Interaction Connect with others for support. ➔ Call or text a friend—even a small check-in helps. ➔ Join a club or volunteer to build a sense of belonging. Coping is about small steps, not immediate fixes. Which of these resonates with you? #MentalHealth #CopingSkills #EmotionalWellness #StressManagement