Glossary
Short definitions of the terms that keep coming up in interview, presentation, negotiation, and sales coaching.
STAR method
A framework for answering behavioral interview questions: Situation, Task, Action, Result. It gives an answer a shape instead of letting it wander.
Mock interview
A full rehearsal of an interview where you answer out loud as if it were real, so weak spots surface before the day itself.
Behavioral interview question
A question that usually starts with “Tell me about a time when…” and asks for a real example from your experience rather than a theory.
Filler words
Sounds and words like “um”, “uh”, and “like” that fill silence while you think. Reducing them makes you sound clearer and more assured.
Pacing / cadence
How fast you speak and how you distribute pauses. Steady pacing gives listeners room to absorb each point.
Elevator pitch
A 30–60 second introduction to yourself or your idea that explains what you do and why it matters.
Discovery call
The first substantive sales conversation, aimed at understanding the buyer's problem and context before proposing any solution.
Objection handling
Responding to a buyer's hesitations — price, timing, alternatives — calmly and directly, instead of ignoring them or pushing harder.
Anchoring (negotiation)
The first number or term put on the table, which tends to shape the range the rest of the discussion moves within.
Active listening
Listening to understand rather than to reply: paraphrasing back, asking clarifying questions, and leaving space for the other person.
Executive presence
How clearly and steadily you come across to a senior audience — measured tone, tight messages, and composure under questioning.
Public speaking anxiety
The physical and mental tension before speaking to an audience. It rarely disappears entirely, but preparation and repetition reduce its effect.
Core message
The single sentence you want the audience to remember after you finish. Every slide should serve it.
Call to action
The specific next step you ask for at the end of a talk or call, instead of trailing off without direction.
Feedback loop
The cycle of practising, getting specific feedback, adjusting, and trying again. Improvement comes from repeating the loop, not from a single attempt.