Successful Speaking for Technical Professionals

Frank DiBartolomeo
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Welcome to “Successful Speaking for Technical Professionals,” the podcast dedicated to helping you shine in the spotlight and deliver your technical expertise with flair. I’m your host, Frank DiBartolomeo. In each episode, I will draw from my over 40 years experience as an engineer and over 30 years experience as a Toastmaster to explore the nuances of presenting complex information in a way that resonates and engages. Whether you're a software engineer, data scientist, or any tech professional eager to polish your presentation skills, this show is for you. We’ll tackle everything from crafting clear and compelling narratives to mastering the art of visual aids and handling challenging questions with poise. Join us as we speak with seasoned presenters, communication specialists, and industry insiders who will share their secrets for making your technical presentations not just informative but unforgettable. If you’re ready to transform your technical knowledge into impactful presentations and leave a lasting impression, you’re in the right place. Remember, great presentations are not just about sharing information—they’re about connecting with your audience and making your message resonate. From refining your narrative to perfecting your delivery, every detail counts. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review and share it with your colleagues. We’d love to hear your feedback and any topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes. Thanks for joining us, and until next time, keep honing those presentation skills and make every tech talk count!

  1. 14h ago

    52. How Engineers Can Communicate Uncertainty Without Sounding Uncertain

    “When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it.” — William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, was one of the most influential physicists and engineers of the 19th century    Engineers routinely work with probabilities, assumptions, incomplete data, forecasts, simulations, and technical risk.  The challenge is to acknowledge what is unknown while remaining clear about what should be done.  Research on risk communication consistently supports communicating uncertainty rather than hiding it—but tying that uncertainty directly to its significance for the decision.  In this podcast, you will discover three ways you can communicate uncertainty without sounding uncertain. References  National Research Council. Improving Risk Communication. National Academies Press, 1989. The report recommends explicitly disclosing meaningful uncertainties, data gaps, confidence levels, and disagreements while avoiding both minimizing and exaggerating uncertainty. Institute of Medicine. Environmental Decisions in the Face of Uncertainty. National Academies Press, 2013. Chapter 6 examines how uncertainty should be communicated in decision-making, including confidence, risk estimates, audience characteristics, and the effect uncertainty has on decisions. Spiegelhalter, David. “Risk and Uncertainty Communication.” Annual Review of Statistics and Its Application, Vol. 4, 2017, pp. 31–60. Reviews methods for communicating numerical risk, probabilities, verbal expressions, graphics, and deeper forms of uncertainty. Sudret, Bruno; Podofillini, Luca; and Zio, Enrico. “Treatment of Uncertainty in Risk and Reliability Modeling and Decision-Making.” ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2019. Emphasizes that uncertainty modeling, decision-making under uncertainty, and communication of uncertainty should be integral to engineering risk management. NASA. NASA Risk-Informed Decision Making Handbook, NASA/SP-2010-576, 2010. Provides a structured framework for evaluating alternatives and making engineering and program decisions when significant uncertainty exists. © 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

  2. Aug 12

    51. Three Reasons Why Excellent Presentation Skills Lead to Faster Prom

    “If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential.” --- Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway    Technical competence may earn professionals credibility, but strong presentation skills help decision-makers see, understand, and trust that competence.  For engineers and other technical professionals, presenting effectively can demonstrate the communication, influence, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities expected at higher organizational levels.  In this podcast, we will explore three reasons excellent presentation skills lead to faster promotions. References  National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). “Career Readiness Competencies: Communication.” Revised March 2025. NACE defines workplace communication as clearly and effectively exchanging information, ideas, facts, and perspectives and specifically identifies persuasion, influencing, organized communication, and verbal and nonverbal abilities as important workplace behaviors. NACE Communication CompetencyNational Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). “Career Readiness Development and Validation.” 2025. In NACE's foundational employer research involving 606 employer respondents, 91.6% identified oral/written communication as essential or absolutely essential, placing communication among the most highly valued workplace competencies. NACE Career Readiness ResearchNational Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). “What Is Career Readiness?” NACE identifies communication, critical thinking, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, technology, and career/self-development among the core competencies associated with workplace and career success. Its communication behaviors specifically include persuasion, influence, clarity, organization, and adapting communication to others. NACE Career Readiness CompetenciesProject Management Institute. “Power Skills and Project Success.” PMI. PMI identifies communication, problem-solving, collaborative leadership, and strategic thinking among the most important power skills and connects these interpersonal capabilities with successful organizational outcomes. These are precisely the capabilities professionals can demonstrate visibly through effective presentations. PMI Power Skills and Project SuccessRabelo, Dannilo, et al. “Communication Skills in Software Engineering: A Multivocal Review.” 2026. This recent review of academic and professional literature found strong agreement that communication is a core competency in software engineering, reinforcing that technical expertise alone does not define professional effectiveness. © 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

  3. Aug 5

    50. The Communication Habits of Highly Respected Engineers

    "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." — Stephen R. Covey, from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989). Covey (1932–2012) was an educator, leadership consultant, and internationally recognized author.   Technical expertise may earn engineers a seat at the table, but communication earns them influence.  The engineers who are most respected by colleagues, managers, and executives consistently communicate with clarity, credibility, and purpose.  This podcast explores three habits of highly respected engineers. ________________________________ References  Gallo, Carmine. Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. St. Martin's Press, 2014.  Duarte, Nancy. Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. John Wiley & Sons, 2010.  Brown, Brené. Dare to Lead. Random House, 2018.  Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press, 1989.Edmondson, Amy C. The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. John Wiley & Sons, 2019.  __________________________________ Being a confident, engaging, and effective technical speaker is a vital personal and professional asset.  With more than 40 years of engineering experience and more than 30 years of award-winning public speaking experience, I can help you reduce your presentation preparatory time by 50%, overcome your fear of public speaking and be completely at ease, deliver your presentations effectively, develop your personal presence with your audience, and apply an innovative way to handle audience questions deftly. Working closely with you, I provide a customized protocol employing the critical skills and tools you need to create, practice, and deliver excellent technical speeches and presentations.  Let's connect and explore how I can help you become the exceptional speaker you were meant to be.  Please reach out to me at frank@speakleadandsucceed.com or 703-509-4424 for a complimentary discovery call.  Schedule one with me at calendly.com/frankdibartolomeospeaks © 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

  4. Jul 29

    49. How You Can Earn Executive Trust in the First Five Minutes of Their Presentation

    "Trust is equal parts character and competence. You can look at any leadership failure, and it's always a failure of one or the other." -- Stephen Covey, American author, educator, leadership consultant, and businessman   Senior executives often decide within the first few minutes whether a presentation deserves their attention.  They are evaluating not only the technical content but also the speaker's credibility, confidence, and ability to communicate business value.  Engineers who establish trust early are far more likely to influence decisions, secure resources, and gain executive support.  Below are three ways you can earn executive trust in the first five minutes of your presentation. References Gallo, C. (2014). Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.Duarte, N. (2012). HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.Reynolds, G. (2019). Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (3rd ed.). Berkeley, CA: New Riders.  Mollick, E. (2024). Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI. New York, NY: Portfolio. Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press. © 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

  5. Jul 23

    48. How You Can Speak More Effectively in Hybrid and Virtual Meetings

    "Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple." — Steve Jobs (1955–2011), Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc     Hybrid and virtual meetings have become a permanent part of technical work, bringing together team members, clients, and stakeholders from around the world.  Technical professionals who adapt their communication style to these environments can improve collaboration, build stronger relationships, and ensure their technical expertise has a greater impact. Listen to this podcast and discover three ways to adapt your communication style to hybrid and virtual meetings. References Gallo, Carmine. Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2014. Carmine Gallo is a communication coach and bestselling author specializing in leadership communication. His work emphasizes concise messaging, audience engagement, storytelling, and presentation techniques that improve both in-person and virtual presentations. Reynolds, Garr. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. 3rd ed. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2020. Garr Reynolds is an internationally recognized presentation consultant and former Apple executive. He advocates simplicity, visual clarity, conversational delivery, and audience-centered communication—principles that apply directly to hybrid and virtual meetings. Duarte, Nancy. Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Nancy Duarte is founder and CEO of Duarte, Inc., one of the world's leading presentation design firms. Her research demonstrates how audience-focused messaging, storytelling, and purposeful visuals create engaging presentations across both physical and virtual environments. Harvard Business Review. Neeley, Tsedal. "15 Questions About Remote Work, Answered." Harvard Business Review, January 16, 2020. Tsedal Neeley is the Naylor Fitzhugh Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and an internationally recognized expert on remote work and global collaboration. She discusses best practices for virtual communication, inclusive participation, and maintaining engagement in distributed teams. Microsoft. Work Trend Index Annual Report 2024: AI at Work Is Here. Now Comes the Hard Part. Microsoft Corporation, 2024. Microsoft's annual Work Trend Index draws on surveys of tens of thousands of workers, Microsoft 365 productivity signals, and LinkedIn labor-market data. The report highlights the importance of effective communication, inclusive meeting practices, and collaboration skills in hybrid workplaces supported by digital technologies.   ___________________________________   Being a confident, engaging, and effective technical speaker is a vital personal and professional asset.  With more than 40 years of engineering experience and more than 30 years of award-winning public speaking experience, I can help you reduce your presentation preparatory time by 50%, overcome your fear of public speaking and be completely at ease, deliver your presentations effectively, develop your personal presence with your audience; and apply an innovative way to handle audience questions deftly.    Working closely with you, I provide a customized protocol employing the critical skills and tools you need to create, practice, and deliver excellent technical speeches and presentations.  Let's connect and explore how I can help you become the exceptional speaker you were meant to be.  Please reach out to me at frank@speakleadandsucceed.com or 703-509-4424 for a complimentary consultation.  Schedule a meeting with me at calendly.com/frankdibartolomeospeaks.    © 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

  6. Jul 15

    47. How You Can Become a Memorable Speaker Instead of a Forgettable Expert

    "Remember, you are there to clearly and concisely communicate important information—not to show off and use big words."   — Harry T. Roman,  Engineer, inventor, educator, and author of Public Speaking for Engineers,     Technical expertise earns respect, which is necessary to influence your audience, but it is not sufficient to convince them. Memorable communication earns influence. Make your ideas memorable to inspire action, win support, and advance your career. In this podcast, we will explore three ways to become a memorable speaker. References  Duarte, Nancy. Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Nancy Duarte is a leading presentation consultant and CEO of Duarte, Inc. Her work demonstrates how storytelling, audience-centered messaging, and visual communication make presentations memorable and persuasive. Heath, Chip, and Dan Heath. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. New York: Random House, 2007. Chip Heath is a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, and Dan Heath is a bestselling author and senior fellow at Duke University's CASE center. Their research identifies the characteristics that make ideas memorable, including simplicity, storytelling, credibility, and emotion. Gallo, Carmine. Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2014. Carmine Gallo is a communication coach and bestselling author specializing in executive communication and leadership presentations. He synthesizes research from TED Talks to explain how stories, passion, and concise messaging create memorable presentations. Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. 2nd ed. Seattle, WA: Pear Press, 2014. John Medina is a developmental molecular biologist and affiliate professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine. His work explains how attention, storytelling, emotion, and visuals significantly improve learning and memory. Reynolds, Garr. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. 3rd ed. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2020. Garr Reynolds is an internationally recognized presentation design expert and former Apple executive. His work emphasizes simplicity, clarity, visual communication, and audience engagement to create presentations that are memorable and effective.     © 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

  7. Jul 8

    46. How to Project Confidence and Executive Presence in Your Presentations

    "There's zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas."   -- Susan Cain, American author, lecturer, and former lawyer.   Your ability to project confidence and executive presence is vital to your presentations and your career. Audiences engage more with speakers who are confident in their material and delivery. This podcast suggests three ways to do this. References  Goman, Carol Kinsey. The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help—or Hurt—How You Lead. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2011. Carol Kinsey Goman is an executive coach, leadership consultant, and internationally recognized expert on body language in business. Cuddy, Amy. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2015. Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist, former professor at Harvard Business School, and researcher specializing in nonverbal behavior and presence. Duarte, Nancy. Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Nancy Duarte is a communication expert, CEO of Duarte, Inc., and author specializing in presentation design and leadership communication. Gallo, Carmine. Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 2014. Carmine Gallo is a communication coach, keynote speaker, and bestselling author on leadership communication and presentation skills. Morgan, Nick. Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2014. Nick Morgan is a communication theorist, keynote speaker, and founder of Public Words, a communications consulting firm. Molinsky, Andy. Reach: A New Strategy to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone, Rise to the Challenge, and Build Confidence. New York, NY: Avery, 2017. Andy Molinsky is a professor of organizational behavior at Brandeis University and an expert in leadership, confidence, and professional behavior. © 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

  8. Jul 1

    45. How to Handle Questions and Objections in Your Presentations

    “Questions are never indiscreet; answers sometimes are.”  — Oscar Wilde, one of the most celebrated literary figures of the Victorian era, known for his wit, plays, and insightful commentary on society.     Most speakers dread audience questions.  This is unfortunate because questions reveal what interests your audience. To ensure you are effective when addressing questions, in this podcast episode, we will examine three key methods to use when your audience asks you questions. References Talk Like TED. Gallo, C. (2014). Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. Gallo emphasizes audience engagement, thoughtful responses, and maintaining credibility during presentations. Presentation Zen. Reynolds, G. (2020). Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (3rd ed.). Berkeley, CA: New Riders. Reynolds discusses audience interaction, active listening, and managing presentation flow. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking. Carnegie, D. (1962). The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking. New York, NY: Pocket Books. Carnegie highlights the importance of sincerity, preparation, and respectful audience interaction.  Made to Stick. Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2007). Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. New York, NY: Random House. The authors explain how clear, evidence-based communication increases audience acceptance of ideas. Resonate. Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Duarte describes methods for engaging audiences, addressing resistance, and maintaining message focus during presentations. © 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

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About

Welcome to “Successful Speaking for Technical Professionals,” the podcast dedicated to helping you shine in the spotlight and deliver your technical expertise with flair. I’m your host, Frank DiBartolomeo. In each episode, I will draw from my over 40 years experience as an engineer and over 30 years experience as a Toastmaster to explore the nuances of presenting complex information in a way that resonates and engages. Whether you're a software engineer, data scientist, or any tech professional eager to polish your presentation skills, this show is for you. We’ll tackle everything from crafting clear and compelling narratives to mastering the art of visual aids and handling challenging questions with poise. Join us as we speak with seasoned presenters, communication specialists, and industry insiders who will share their secrets for making your technical presentations not just informative but unforgettable. If you’re ready to transform your technical knowledge into impactful presentations and leave a lasting impression, you’re in the right place. Remember, great presentations are not just about sharing information—they’re about connecting with your audience and making your message resonate. From refining your narrative to perfecting your delivery, every detail counts. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review and share it with your colleagues. We’d love to hear your feedback and any topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes. Thanks for joining us, and until next time, keep honing those presentation skills and make every tech talk count!

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