Do You Feel Like A Turkey When You're Presenting?

Don't let your head be on the chopping block. Keep abreast of these three public speaking trends and your audience will gobble up your ideas.

1. Storytelling continues to be a valued and powerful speaking technique. Leaders will feel the need to become storytellers. Sales professionals will have to let go of their PowerPoint decks and tell the customer’s story.
2. Video presentations are exploding. Youtube is the number 2 search engine after google. Video conferencing and remote coaching are growing in popularity due to the virtual workplace. I find that I'm doing more virtual coaching these days. Technology makes it easy. A job applicant will make a more memorable impression with a video resume.
3. Audiences care about their own self interests. Attention spans are getting shorter and tolerance for fluff is dwindling. Effective public speakers make the message about the audience. Remember WIIFM: What’s in it for me?

FACT: This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful to have the privilege of the platform and the opportunity to serve my clients.

Change Your Words To Change Your Mind: Public Speaking Affirmations

Public speaking is still the number one fear. This was originally publicized by the 1977 Book of Lists. It's 2013 and I don't need another list to prove the case. Fear of speaking tops the list of reasons people hire me. Over the years in my living laboratory, coaching, training and speaking to audiences from 1 to 1,000, it's become very clear that there are two secrets to mastering public speaking: skill set and mindset.

Even when my clients have public speaking skills, it's their thinking that trips them up. I've discovered that fear is about living in the future. Many public speakers envision unsuccessful presentations in their minds and you can hear it in their language.

Successful presenters live in the present. They speak in the moment. They're totally present with the audience. They speak confidently and affirm their success. The two most powerful words are "I Am". By making "I Am" statements, you claim your success in the here and now.

And that's why I was motivated to create this video of public speaking "I Am" affirmations for my clients and the world. We just launched this free YouTube video so that anybody can say these affirmations every morning and right before a presentation. When people are in a habit of saying negative things, they don't really know what to say to themselves to change the message. These words of affirmation are set to relaxing music so that public speakers can program themselves for success and give a knockout presentation.

Click on the video to train your mind for successful speaking.

How You Gonna Keep 'Em Thinking of You After They Go Back Home?

There's a line from a World War I song: "How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm After they've seen Paris?"

When you finish your presentation and your audience goes back to work, do they carry your message with them? Do they still hear your voice?

Recently I received a call from a woman who heard me speak 10 years ago and wanted to hire me to coach her. Neither of us could recall where we met.  She forgot the name of the association. It could have been anywhere. What she did remember was me. She said my message was "...memorable, powerful, and convincing for female leaders."

What made her contact me now and not then? She wasn’t ready. People buy on their own timeline, not ours. What kept my message in her mind was my monthly newsletter, The Science of Speaking. The goal is continual communication. Do you stay in touch with the people who hear you speak? I keep in touch with my audience through email messages, newsletters, phone calls, video messages and greeting cards (<< click the link and send a card for free). You can do the same for your network.

Be memorable, convincing, and powerful in your presentation. And then stay in continual communication. Like the lyric from the 1984 Rockwell song, “Somebody’s watching me,” you never know who’s watching, listening, and reading you.

 

Six R's of Public Speaking and Presentation Success

September is back to school month. Students first learn the three R's- "Reading, (w)Riting, and 'Rithmetic." But for public speakers and presenters there are actually six R's. Last weekend I attended a workshop on videomarketing - Share the Sizzle. One of the speakers, Mary Agnes Antonopoulos, talked about the six R's for succeeding in social media. I realized that those same six characteristics apply to successful public speaking and presentations. The six R's are Relevance, Recognition, Rapport, Relationships, ROI, and Responsibility.

Relevance - One reason presentations fail is lack of relevance. I see this all the time in my coaching practice. Too many presenters are speaker-centered and not listener-centered. They talk about what's important to them, instead of addressing the self-interest of the audience. Public speakers may have a relevant topic but if they don't present examples, case studies, or stories that are meaningful to the listeners, the ideas can die a quick death. For example: when pitching an idea to senior management, don't spend time on details. That's irrelevant to them even though details are very relevant to end users. Speak to the interests of the audience for maximum relevance.

Recognition - People do business with people they know, like, and trust. The first step is visibility. Do people know who you are? If not, it will take longer to gain their trust and to sell your ideas. I knew an executive whose department contributed significantly to the company's revenues; however, most people weren't aware of this executive's accomplishments. As a result, the executive did not advance as quickly as expected. The better the audience knows you, the more easily they'll accept your information and ideas. That's why companies hire celebrities to sell their product. Seize opportunities to speak and promote yourself to increase your recognition.

Rapport - Rapport has to do do with likability. How likable are you as a presenter? Do you exude warmth? Or are you a talking head? I've noticed some commonalities between speakers who fail to achieve audience rapport.

First, they don't smile. If you're too serious, you may come across as distant and even intimidating. The public speaking myth is that "serious" means "professional." Actually, the reverse is true. The top leaders and public speakers smile and use humor. When you're relaxed, you appear more confident.

The second mistake I've observed is rushing. When speakers get right down to business and talk AT the audience instead of with them, the audience retreats emotionally. That's why many speakers begin with opening remarks and humor. They share something personal about themselves or the audience. When I was in Tanzania, I memorized my opening remarks. I said, "Good morning. I'm happy to be here!" in Kiswahili. To my surprise, they audience broke out in applause. I was literally speaking their language!

The third reason for failed rapport is that presenters don't pace the audience. They hold on rigidly to their outline or PowerPoint. Successful public speakers are able to let go of the script and move where the audience wants to go. Don't let rigidity be one of your six R's.

Relationships - If rapport is about likability, then relationships are about trust. Once the audience likes you, it means they're engaged at the moment and willing to listen. You may be entertaining but until the audience trusts you, they won't take action.

Let's say you're giving a marketing talk. You have excellent platform skills. You're entertaining. But at the end of the presentation, nobody buys your product. Assuming you're in front of the right people, audience skepticism may mean they don't know you well enough.

The top speakers build a relationship with the audience and that happens before they ever meet. It starts with an email which may be followed up with a postcard or phone call. These public speakers provide third party testimonials and leverage mutual relationships.

In company meetings, you'll have better success in gaining support if you meet people for lunch, stop by their desks to say hello, and get to know them. Chase Manhattan Bank had a slogan that said it best: "The right relationship is everything."

ROI - We often think of ROI as Return on Investment. For presenters, it also means Return on Impact. If you're selling a product or pitching for funding, success can be measured in dollars. Most of the time, presenters are communicating information or selling an idea internally. These presenters won't see increased dollars in their pockets if their idea is accepted. But they will experience return on impact because they'll increase their influence within the organization.

How do you know if you've made impact with an informational presentation? The listeners will be engaged. They'll ask questions. You'll see nodding heads and direct eye contact. Positive feedback will filter through the company grapevine.

Responsibility - Public speakers and presenters have a responsibility and some take it lightly. You have a responsibility first and foremost to deliver what you promise. When a store advertises a sale and then pulls a Bait and Switch act, you automatically feel frustrated, angry and distrustful. Many consumers will walk out of the store.

I've seen speakers do the same thing. I once heard a celebrity speaker announce, "I don't think I'll talk about... [the subject that was published in the schedule]. We can cover that in the second session. What I want to talk about is..." The problem with that decision was that I didn't sign up for the second session and that celebrity speaker lost credibility. I'll read his books, but I won't attend a live presentation again.

Presenters have an obligation to their listeners. There's a contract between a public speaker and an audience. Even if you're giving a meeting update, be sure to honor the time commitment and give them the information in a way they can understand. When you speak to a large audience, be sure to deliver the presentation they signed up to hear.

What You May Not Know About Speaking to Senior Management

Born in the U.S.A. I was born in the U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

Like the Bruce Springsteen song, you were born in the U.S.A. But just because you're living and employed in the U.S., doesn't mean you're working in the U.S. culture.  A client recently shared her surprising insights with me, as we were discussing my training program, Presenting to Senior Management. This client works for a well known corporation that's headquartered outside the U.S.

One Size Does Not Fit All Senior Management

Presenting to senior management continues to be a challenge for many in the workplace. I hear managers complain that their staff is excellent at presenting at staff meetings, but once they go before senior management, they unravel.  Managers then feel obligated to attend every meeting. And their employees lose credibility because they defer to their manager, rather than owning their content.

While that scenario is fairly universal, communication becomes more complicated when the parent company is on foreign soil.

It's quite easy to misread the signals across cultures. Even when presenters are well-prepared, they can be perceived as over-confident by non-American senior managers. Americans can be perceived as aggressive without realizing it.

My client shared with me that senior management perceives staff as "not deferential enough". Presenters should refrain from saying "I recommend," advised my client. Presenters should instead substitute the words, "my proposal." The silence of senior management is frequently misinterpreted as acceptance by the U.S. staff, when in fact silence simply means senior management is not on board with the idea.

When this client asks her senior management what they think of a staff member's presentation, they may report that the presenter was "shallow". Upon further probing my client discovered the real meaning - the presenter was not deferential.

The next time you're presenting to senior management, remember it's not about living in the U.S.A. Company cultures are global. If senior management hails from another country, make sure you're familiar with their communication styles and values.

Whether you're company is based in the U.S. or abroad, you can learn how to communicate more effectively with senior management. Click here to learn more.

How to Present Complexity With Clarity

I recently came across this cartoon and started laughing out loud. It really resonated with me. I relate to that guy who's defaulting to something he knows and something he can understand. It's that old adage: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Yet, so many presentations are like coming face- to-face with big data. And they make you want to jump out the window. This is especially true with financial, technology, and scientific presentations. I know how it feels when I buy a new piece of technology. I can't bear to look at the user manual. I'll either watch a how-to video or call upon my technical assistant because she speaks 'Geek' and English.

Apparently, there's too much geek being spoken in the workplace.

Wouldn't it be great if you could transfer your data into the minds of your listeners as easily as pushing a button? Recently, the actor Alan Alda was on the morning news promoting a new career. He's coaching scientists how to present to Congress. When scientists present to congressional committees, their audience doesn't understand what they're recommending. Their gobbledygook is as confusing to Congress as legislation is to the rest of us. The impact is they don't get the funding they need.

When I coach executives and leaders who are presenting at high-stakes venues or before the executive committee, the complaint is that they aren't succinct. Here are 5 tips for communicating simply and clearly.

1. Avoid using acronyms, buzz words, and jargon. Never assume your audience knows the meaning of company or industry jargon. Use the complete word or description initially. Later in the speech, you can use the acronym - after you've defined it.
2. Use analogies and metaphors from every day life. When speaking about something complex or technical, an analogy or metaphor will boil it down to its simplest essence. Recently a client was presenting about clinical trials. The slide was busy and there were a lot of complex details. I recommended that she refer to the clinical trial timeline as a dashboard. The dashboard metaphor simplified the timeline so the audience could understand the details without getting lost in the weeds.
3. Less is more: use shorter words and fewer of them. There is a misconception about using a large vocabulary when presenting. While it can make you sound smart, it can also confuse your audience. Simplicity equals clarity. Most marketing copy is aimed at an 8th grade reading level. While this makes the most erudite public speakers bristle, it ensures that the message is heard. The question is this: Do you want to be clever or clear?
4. Tell stories. A story has a natural sequence. When you have a lot of data and it's wrapped in a story, it has the same effect as using an analogy or metaphor. People can follow it. They get involved.
5. Start with the big picture. The biggest mistake technical presenters make, is they get lost in the detail. Start with the helicopter view. Listeners need a roadmap. So give them context. Give them the big idea, and then drill down for details. If you ordered a turkey sandwich and it came with the meat on top of the roll, you would send it back. Well that's the experience your listeners have when you start with detail. Save the meat for the middle of your presentation. Use a speech template and plug in your data to keep your presentation organized and simple.

Use these tips to present big data with clarity, and your presentation will become a data transfer system that your listeners understand.

Craft and Deliver Your Presentation With Clarity, Confidence and Impact.

Get Out Of My Face!

What Successful Public Speakers Know About Space

"Get out of my face!" If you've ever heard someone say that, you have experienced pragmatics. Space is a form of communication. The best public speakers know how to use space strategically to communicate a message and influence group dynamics. Watch this video to learn more.

What's Executive Presence Gotta Do With It?

What is executive presence? And why does it matter? You know it when you see it. But it's difficult to describe. At some point a career will be stalled because the person doesn't look, speak, or act like a leader. That's when a company will call me to work on the leader's executive presence. Executive presence is the tipping point for getting promoted. How do you get it?  Watch this video to learn more.

Keep Your Eye on Pragmatics When Presenting

Public speaking is not just about the spoken word. As a presenter you must know your content and your audience. But you also need to know about pragmatics. Pragmatics is the relations between words, expressions, or symbols and their users. And nothing communicates more powerfully than the eyes. Watch this video to learn about eye contact and public speaking.

Presentation Pragmatics-Key to Effective Communication

Do you know the meaning of pragmatics? Most people believe that public speaking is about the spoken word. But what about the unspoken meaning? Public speakers and presenters who rely solely on the spoken word are at a disadvantage. Presentation excellence depends on so much more. Watch this video to learn one of the secrets of effective communication - presentation pragmatics.

Your Brain on Stage Fright

Some call it flop sweat. Others call it stage fright. Whatever you call that tightness in the pit of your stomach, sweaty palms, and racing heart, we've all experienced it. Public speaking still ranks as a top fear. Even professional speakers feel nervous when the stakes are high. Fear of public speaking has always been a mystery. Why does it happen? How does nervousness manifest? Why does the thought of public speaking send some people into a tailspin? Imagine going about your day, and suddenly your manager says you're expected to give a speech. In an instant, nervousness descends like a wave washing over you. What's going on in the brain?

When I polled people for my book, Knockout Presentations, I asked them why they felt nervous speaking in public. The thread running through most of the responses was the fear of humiliation. Well, it turns out that we're hard wired to worry about our reputations.

Did you know that fear is a primitive reaction to protect our bodies? Some people get more nervous than others and there is a reason for that. There are three main things that affect how you experience stage fright.

Find out in this article on the science of stage fright.

Body Language is the Message

A professor once said, "Words conceal rather than reveal". If that's true, how does the listener hear the real message? The answer is the study of pragmatics. Non-verbal communication is as important to every public speaker as the words they prepare. But too often, public speaking becomes an exercise in memorizing words without much thought to their physical presentation.

If the public speaker is unprepared, it will be communicated through nervous body language. The body will betray the presenter every time. Most of the message is non-verbal. For that reason, it's imperative that public speakers study pragmatics. Watch this video to learn about body language.

Get Your Morning Mojo and Communicate with Impact

I spoke at the Morning Mojo networking group held at Citibank about Communicating with Impact. Business is not about the numbers. Business is about communication and the numbers simply reflect how well you communicate. Watch this short video segment to learn how to communicate with impact. http://youtu.be/S8HnrGcF6oY

Let Your Hands Do the Talking: The Science of Gestures

Several years ago, my friend adopted Mimi, an 18 month old girl from China. Not long after, I came to visit her and noticed that Mimi was making a gesture for more food. My friend and I are both speech pathologists, and I recognized that she had taught Mimi sign language - and it was working. She was 18 months old and did not understand or speak English, but she was able to communicate with her English-speaking mother using sign language. It was interesting to me when I read this article on The Science of Gestures. I always emphasize the use of gestures with my clients for a number of reasons. Gestures serve to:

1. make the presenter look confident.
2. channel nervous energy.
3. emphasize certain words or points, making the speaker more dynamic.
4. reduce monotone, enabling speakers to vary intonation.

But I wasn't aware of the neuroscience behind gesturing. In two separate studies with children, researchers found that using and watching gestures helped students retain more information.

Most speakers are both visual and auditory presenters. That means they use the spoken word and they project PowerPoint slides. The audience sees and hears the message but the missing link is kinesthetic learning. And that's where gestures come in.

Effective public speakers anchor their message with gestures. I once attended a presentation where the speaker told the audience, "Touch your mind and your heart," to help the them remember his point.

We all know someone who speaks with their hands. I remember one man who gesticulated wildly whenever he spoke. This irritated his wife to no end. One day in frustration, she grabbed his hands as he was speaking. He stopped the conversation, looked at her and pleaded, "Let me talk!" It seemed hand movements were a way for him to communicate.

It turns out that using gestures help us to clear our cache, or short-term memory, when we are speaking. Moving our hands in conversation and while presenting, allows us to process more information-like Mimi who learned sign language at 18 months.  But gestures are not just for children. They have a lot of value for adult public speakers, as well.

Not sure what to do with your hands? Watch this youtube video and find out.

Is Your Difficult Audience in the Workplace?

When you think about difficult audiences, do you envision an audience in an auditorium with you speaking on the stage? Well, you don't have to be a formal public speaker to encounter a difficult audience. Your audience includes your co-workers, employees, management and vendors. When you're dealing with so many different personalities it's inevitable that there will be conflict. Here's where trained  public speakers have an advantage - the skills that are used to handle a difficult audience also apply when you're communicating one-on-one.

But what if you can prevent conflicts in the workplace? That's even better. Nobody has a 100% conflict-free life, but many conflicts can be averted when you understand yourself and others.

The unexamined life isn't worth living." -Socrates

The first step in managing a difficult person or situation is to understand how you're wired. What is your natural behavioral style? This is the way you communicate easily without much conscious effort. It's like being right handed. You don't think about it. When you meet a person or audience who has the same behavioral style as you, communication happens more easily.

But what happens when you encounter people who are your opposite? This is when an audience may be perceived as difficult. It would be great to have a tool that would help you recognize different behavioral styles so you know how to communicate effectively.

The DiSC Behavioral Profile can help you do that quickly and simply. The DiSC Behavioral Profile identifies your natural communication style, shows you how to recognize different styles, and gives you the tools for managing those differences.

In other words, you'll learn to speak their language and have greater influence, better communication, more understanding, and less stress.

Most often, conflicts happen because of differences in style; you're talking apples, they're talking oranges.

This can happen when you're giving a presentation to a group. For example, too often, technical people give too much detail to senior management. Or, a sales presentation lacks the level of data and evidence preferred by a scientific audience.

By knowing how others are wired, you can predict the commonalities you'll share, you'll be able to predict the conflicts that may arise, and you'll have a strategy to compromise.

Here's what one client had to say about DiSC:

Wow... Just signed on to take the DISC program with Diane and she helped me learn how to communicate with style!! Diane was simply amazing and her suggestions were 'spot on'. No one should miss this opportunity!"

-A. Weidberg

Don't know which style you are? Want to know more about DiSC? Contact us and ask for a free sample report.

Are You Speaking English or Alphabet?

A good friend sent me an email about a possible speaking engagement. I contacted the meeting planner to tell her about my background and talk about what I could provide her organization as a speaker. I received a text message saying, "Hi Diane. Thanks for reaching out. I am on PTO but will write to you when I get back." PTO? What the heck does that mean? I was thinking... part time? But I couldn't figure out what the O stood for. So I emailed my friend to ask her the meaning of PTO. She shot back an email saying, "No clue." My friend is at least 10 years younger than I am, so I thought she would know. I've been in business for 20 years and worked in corporations prior to starting my business. So I'm not unfamiliar with some of the terminology. But this really threw me.

I asked my assistant when she came in today, and she knew the answer right away. She recalled first hearing the term in 1997 when she worked for a law firm. Why didn't I know this? Is it because I'm in my own business? My clientele are corporations.

This made me realize the importance of clear communication. I tell my clients and my audiences to never assume and to avoid jargon, acronyms and buzzwords, even if they're speaking to an internal audience or within their industry. Always define the acronym or term, and then you can use the abbreviation. Surely there will be people in the audience who don't know what it means and will be afraid to ask.

The world of technology has influenced the way we communicate. Texting and social media have overridden traditional grammar and spelling rules. While abbreviations serve technology, they can create communication breakdown. This is especially true with spoken communication because you can't go back and re-read the sentence for context. When presenting or communicating one-on-one with someone for the first time, avoid using acronyms and abbreviations.

For those of you who are like me, who may not be up to date on some of the latest alphabet soup terminology, here are some terms to avoid using in your presentation:

Acronyms

• PTO - Paid Time Off
• ITO - In The Office
• WFH/WAH - Work From/At Home
• LOA - Leave of Absence
• IIRC - If I recall correctly
• FWIW - For what it's worth
• BTW - By the way
• LMK - Let me know.
• OOO/OOTO - Out of (the) Office
• AR - Action required/requested
• AI - Action Item

What are your favorites? Share them in the comments - and don't forget to let us know what they mean!

5 Tips for Women Entrepreneurs Learned From the School of Life

I recently read an article by Dylan Kendall entitled, "5 Tips for Women Entrepreneurs I Learned From the School of Life". Dylan's tips are simple and pragmatic. They can also serve as guidelines for anyone who speaks in public. Here are her 5 tips and how they apply to public speaking:

1. Get comfortable asking for money and ask with confidence. Public speaking involves first and foremost both inner and outer confidence. If you're a professional speaker, you need to be comfortable asking for your fee.

2. Learn how to ask for advice. You need to research and seek counsel from others who know your audience. It's also about polling and interacting with the audience.

3. Don't share everything but do share strategically and embellish wisely. It's especially critical to give the listener what they need to know - not everything you know. You can lose an audience or a prospect by giving too much detail.

4. "Help a sista out" -- network with and support other women. People don't realize that networking is a presentation and your ability to present yourself and your message clearly and compellingly is an important factor in attracting clients and advocates.

5. Understand what sacrifices you can make and when you should walk away. Part of your presentation is what you are willing to do for your audience. There are some situations where you should walk away and not accept a speaking engagement. When it's the wrong topic or the wrong audience, you need to know when to say no.

I've Got the Power: How to Feel Powerful As a Public Speaker

You may be about to go on stage to speak before a difficult audience. Maybe you're getting ready for a job interview. Or you could be about to present at a high stakes meeting. There is a way you can automatically feel powerful when speaking in public or giving a presentation. It's all about mastering body language. Yes, there is a body language of power. I'm not talking about "posturing" and psyching the other person out. Power is about putting your body into certain positions before you enter the presentation room. There's a science to body language and power. Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, explains how to go from powerless to powerful and it's all in your control. Watch her TED talk to learn how these positions can make you a powerful leader, public speaker, or job candidate.

Words Will Die. 2013 Communication Trends

Words are dying.

According to 2013 communication trends research by Davis & Company, words will die. What does that mean for speakers and their presentations? And what will replace words?

Obviously, we won't stop speaking. But visuals will rule. And I don't mean PowerPoint. Pinterest is the fastest growing social media platform.It's usage has increased 1000%.

Engagement on facebook increases 100% when posts are visual. Photos, videos, and infographics have more impact and are quickly making written text outdated.

When coaching transitioning executives on their elevator pitch, I often go to the white board to draw visuals. Instead of scripting words, I use graphic facilitation to create visual cues (graphics, symbols) to  build a storyline and help them remember their core messages.

The transformation is amazing! Suddenly, their presentation flows as they stop struggling to remember the written words. Their presentations become conversational as the visuals serve as concept cues. The job applicant or presenter sounds natural instead of scripted. Graphic facilitation is also effective in leading groups toward a common goal and is becoming more popular for strategy sessions. The facilitator organizes information spatially and visually.

Presenters who use graphic facilitation will increase audience engagement, big-picture thinking, and group memory.

Change the way you communicate or get left behind. Improve your presentation, remember more, and stop reading your notes. Leave a message in the comment box  to learn how to use graphic communication to be a better presenter and to engage your audience.

Delete These 3 Annoying Words in 2013

Resolve to delete three deadly words from your vocabulary this year. We make resolutions on January 1st and then we go back to our usual habits in less than a month. But you can't afford to let your communication and presentation skills slide. Why? It's a new game. It's tougher, more competitive, and harder than ever to be heard above the noise. Your speech can undermine your success in an interview, a sales presentation, or a promotion opportunity. And it can sabotage your leadership. Jargon, non-words, and slang will not serve you.

According to a Marist poll, the most annoying word in 2012 was "whatever", followed by "like', and "you know" was a close third. The word "whatever" topped the list for a third year. Other annoying words included "twitterverse" and "gotcha".

People under the age of 45 in the Northeast were most annoyed by the word "like" while  "you know" was offensive to people over 45 years old. Go figure.

Regardless of demographics, using these words will, like, undermine your executive presence, you know? So choose your words carefully during your next communication or presentation. When tempted to use these three words in presentations, hit the delete button and pause. It's up to you.  Whatever.