When a speaker or presenter leaves out a sound or a syllable, they are guilty of omissions. Otherwise known as deletions, these speech mistakes can cause the speaker to sound uneducated or unprofessional. Often, these deletions are a type of regionalism and frequently, the presenter has no idea that they omit certain sounds. I was recently asked to coach someone because her regional speech patterns were impacting her executive presence and opportunities for advancement. We discovered that omissions were one of her issues. Listen to the video to see if you're guilty of using any of these deletions.
Do You Have Additions in Your Diction?
Diction is an important part of public speaking. Mispronounced words become a distraction and your message can get lost. Effective presenters are mindful of their pronunciation. Certain regionalisms become part of the vernacular, but that doesn't mean it's correct. Inappropriate diction or sloppy speech can rob you of executive presence and impact your professional success.
Listen carefully as you watch this video to see if you make this verbal faux pas:
Even Michelle Obama Mispronounces This Word
In 2004 I was quoted in the Wall Street Journal about sloppy speech habits in the workplace. It hit a nerve and the reporter, Joann Lublin, wrote a follow up piece. It seems that employers favor good diction in the workplace. In honor of May being Better Speech and Hearing month, I'm posting some one minute videos to address the issue of poor diction. Even well spoken, high profile communicators express the occasional verbal faux pas or mispronunciation. Some of these diction errors are regionalisms;even so, they can undermine the speaker's credibility, executive presence, and leadership.
Va Bene: What the Italians Taught Me About Public Speaking
It’s been a while since you’ve heard from me. I just got back from vacation in Northern Italy. In the big cities, a lot of people speak English but in the smaller towns, it helps to speak a few words of Italian.
We were in the town of Quinto, a suburb of Vicenza. While we were paying for our food, the cashier asked my husband if he spoke Italian. He shook his head and said, “No parla Italiano.
What Are Your Presentation Disciplines?
My coaching client was practicing his presentation. As he talked about the company process for managing a stock portfolio, he explained their stock picking discipline. Regardless of the portfolio manager’s expertise, it’s required to drop a stock when it dips below a certain level. In other words, they may carry big winners, small winners or small losers, but they don’t tolerate stocks that are big losers. This number or percentage is how they factor out emotions and manage risk.
After explaining the stock picking discipline, he looked up and asked me, “What are my presentation disciplines?
Why PowerPoint Doesn’t Suck, After All
What Seasoned Speakers Know That You Don't
National Speakers Association convention is where you'll find the top speakers in the world on the main stage. A number of years ago, I attended a convention. One of the keynote speakers gave an inspiring and tear jerking presentation. He spoke about how he and his wife couldn't have children so they adopted a couple of boys. They were brothers who were not well treated and were put up for adoption. He told the audience about how difficult it was to gain their trust and parent them. He recounted all the troubled times. In the end, the little boys flourished and his wife discovered she was pregnant. The speaker then brought the little boys on stage. To say there wasn't a dry eye in the house is an understatement. The tears were streaming down my face. My friend looked over and said, "Are you all right?" I told him "I can't take it." The entire audience was overwhelmed by emotion.
This speaker was able to pierce each person's heart and trigger an emotional reaction. It takes skill to tell a story that has so much emotional impact. This is a good thing, isn't it? Well, maybe. But this speaker did the one thing you should never do from the platform...
On Sunday morning I watched Joel Osteen, the motivational speaker and pastor of Lakewood Church. He too, had an emotional story to tell. It was about a country singer.
At a young age this singer, had strayed from his values and started hanging around with the wrong crowd. He got involved with alcohol and drugs. His name was on billboards everywhere and Joel's mother would notice the singer's name every time they passed the billboard on the road. Although, she had never met him, she would say a prayer for him. This ritual went on for more than a year. Then one day when the country singer was feeling down on his luck, he wandered into the church where Joel's father was the pastor. An usher recognized him and alerted Joel's mother. She immediately got up and embraced him. She told him about all the times she had prayed for him.
After telling this story, Joel pointed to the country singer who was sitting in the front row. As the camera zoomed in on him, you could see the singer wiping away his tears. It was an emotional crescendo. The audience burst into applause. And, at that moment, Joel said, "Aw, he's not that good." The audience broke into laughter.
Joel did something the first speaker forgot to do. The first speaker opened us up, raw with emotion, and left us there. It was like a surgeon opening a wound but forgetting to close it back up. Joel used humor to break the tension. A seasoned speaker can take you on a roller coaster of emotions. You'll experience the exhilaration of the highs and lows. But they will always bring you back to solid ground. And one of the best ways to do this is through humor.
You may be a good storyteller who can open people to their emotions. But do you finish the job by closing them back up? As a speaker, you have the power of the spoken word. Remember you have the emotions of the audience in your hands. Use your power carefully.
How to Give a Video Testimonial
Public Speaking: The Power of 7
I just got back from a networking event. Networking is a form of public speaking - it's your sales presentation. If you're like me, you experience the speakers as unclear or they're so long-winded that you tune out. In business, your elevator speech is the most important presentation. Speakers who are unclear are leaving money on the table.
So I decided to challenge myself to describe what I do in 7 words or less. There's a magic to the number 7: Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Seven Seals, Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, and Lucky Sevens.
Here's what I came up with: Reduce speaking anxiety and monetize your mouth.
After I sent this out to our listserve, a number of people commented about how much they loved it and how well it describes what I do as an executive speaking strategist. So, I decided to offer the same challenge to people in my network. Admittedly, it was difficult. But I was proud of some of the responses that came in. Here is a sampling:
- Cut costs without cutting corners. -Yosef Rabinowitz
- I increase people's retirement income 30%. -Ronald Stair
- Helping businesses free up cash and time. -Stacy Luft
- Catalyst for gaining, retaining, reactivating & recovering business. -Sheila Ziegler
- Engage and cultivate to sell and prosper. -Regina Bonolo
- Expos your business to qualified leads. -Mark Newart
- Help you plan for future financial security. -Jeanne McDonald
- I make real estate dreams come true. -Mona Holzman
- Protecting you and your family's financial future. -Liran Hirschkorn
- Resolving business disputes through artbitration and mediation. -David Abeshouse
- I save businesses money in merchant services. -Michael Bernstein
- Highly experienced, business-savvy, entrepreneurial lawyer. -Craig Delsack
- Protect your special needs child legally and financially. -Marie Cantone
- People Person, Talent Connector, Staffing Administrative Jobs. -Amparo Connors
- I coach men and women through divorce. -Heidi Bernstein-Krantz
- Green solutions for your pest control problems. -Andrew Luxenberg
- Optimize your organization by implementing effective policies. -Sheila Cockburn
- Branding: it's not just for cows anymore. -Regina Finkelstein
- Walk your path pain free, holistic podiatry. -Dr. Sherri Greene
What about you? What do you do in seven words or less? Let us know in the comments.
Confidence Class for Teens: Focus on Image
Video Marketing-The New Interview Presentation
How do you make your job interview stand out in a crowded interview? In a previous post I blogged about a woman who was getting ready to pitch her boss for a promotion. To make her and her presentation memorable we decided to create a short video.
Why? Because I see a change in the market. Youtube.com is the number two search engine after google. Video creates that personal touch and ups the trust factor in presentation marketing. Well, now it seems that interviewers are catching on. Is the resume becoming passe? Probably not. But a video presentation can sell you better than any piece of paper. An expert can write a professional resume but nobody can speak for you. Speakmarketing is one of the most powerful ways to promote a business and create visibility inside the workplace. So it makes sense that video presentation would be the next wave in job interviews. Now more than ever before, everybody must have good presentation skills. Speaking is the new competitive weapon.
Read this WSJ article about the impact of digital media.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203750404577173031991814896.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Why Aren’t More Famous Actors Better Public Speakers?
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Speaking to a Grieving Audience
The other evening I was preparing for my next Confidence Class for eighth grade girls in my community when an email came across my desk. A mother warned me that the principal of the school died yesterday afternoon suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack. She alerted me that the girls were shocked and broken up by the news and she wasn’t sure how responsive they would be in the class. I thanked her for letting me know and planned my strategy.
I recalled a professional speaker who spoke before an audience that was not responding. No matter what he did he couldn’t get a reaction. They just sat there with blank faces. Finally, he played his last card and said with exasperation, “What’s going on? Did somebody die?
Stop Setting Speaking Goals That Fail
You want to be a great public speaker and communicator. So you set your goals. And it doesn't happen. Why? You may be sabotaging your speaking success without even knowing it! The top public speakers and presenters know the secret to communication success is setting the right goals. Whether you're speaking to the media, presenting to the board, or leaving a voicemail, good presentation skills start with a goal.
In this video you'll learn the two types of goals and how to choose the goal that will let you succeed.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/CY_z889b-SI[/youtube]
Political Presentations: The Double Standard Continues
In June, I blogged about Michele Bachmann and the double standard for women politicians. It seems that the media continues to display sexism toward women candidates. Whether it's Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, or Michele Bachmann there seems to be an element of sexism even as we approach 2012.
First we had to hear the commentary each time Hillary had a new hairstyle. While this may be appropriate for a First Lady, when a woman is running for political office she ought to be taken more seriously. How often do we critique a male candidate's hair? (Donald Trump doesn't count).
During the Republican debates, Michele Bachmann was accused of not knowing her facts - even when she did. In one debate, she bested Newt Gingrich regarding his involvement in Fannie Mae, yet the media did not make much of her win.
The most recent sexist remark was by John McLaughlin of the McLaughlin Group when he said we have a "Gal Candidate". A GAL? A friend asked me if I would find it offensive if his 87 year old father referred to a woman as a gal. I replied, "No. He's a product of his times. But a journalist and moderator knows better. He's on national TV and is subject to professional standards. He didn't refer to 'guy candidates'".
Language is a mirror into how one thinks. It's difficult to be taken seriously as a woman candidate when you're called a "gal". It's amazing that this kind of double standard is going on in the U.S., when other countries have elected a woman president or prime minister.
As a public speaker and debater, Michele Bachmann has handled herself well by sticking to the facts and not showing a lot of emotion. Will gender always be a factor? Is it possible to evaluate the candidates on their merits, without considering gender? Or will it always color our perceptions?
Public Speaking: When Science Meets Art
There are no boring topics-only boring speakers. I say this in all my speeches and seminars. The audience may look at me with skepticism but they eventually realize the truth. I tell them the story about Elliot who was in one of my Knockout Presentations workshops. I asked him to talk about a passionate topic. He chose his job of inventory control. After failing to convince him to choose another topic, I listened to Elliot speak about his job. Well, I was totally surprised. Elliot really was passionate about inventory control! The reason many presentations are boring is because the speakers lack passion. The give me the excuse that their topic is technical. Well, I'm here to say that public speaking is both a science and an art and when the two intersect it's magical. Here is a video to show how an otherwise dry presentation can be captivating and engaging when you combine it with art and creativity. Do you think this speaker engaged the audience? Do you know the art and science of speaking? What's stopping from giving a knockout presentation?
Confident Public Speaking Starts Too Late
After 20 years consulting in corporate America I've come to this conclusion. We wait too long to build confident leaders. Important leadership skills such as public speaking and confident communication must begin much earlier. That's why I started a Confidence Class for middle school girls in my community.
In 2006 a mother called me. I don't know how she got my name. She explained that her daughter got nervous standing up and speaking in her 7th grade class. She wanted me to teach her to be confident. Although I coach business leaders to project executive presence, she was so persistent that I caved in. I told her if she could get 10 girls together I would teach a class on the weekend. To my surprise, she rounded up 10 lovely middle school girls from the same class and we had our first meeting in her house.
I discovered that I really enjoyed working with them and it brought back memories of my speech pathology days in the New York City schools. After learning skills of confident public speaking, her daughter gave a reading in her church before 100 people. Another girl, gave the acceptance speech for her grandfather at his legal society dinner of 800 attorneys. She received a standing ovation. It seemed the success of the classroom had spilled over into their every day lives.
And now here I am again, doing my third confident public speaking class for middle school girls. Three daughters in one family have now attended my class to become confident public speakers. The second sister went on to debate on a National level. Her mother told me that the Confidence class in public speaking served as the foundation for her to go on to join the debate team.
In each one hour session, the girls learn the same skills I teach adults in companies, learn to give each other balanced feedback, and watch themselves on videotape. What would happen if young students learned these skills when they were young? There would be fewer bad presentations. They would be better leaders. And maybe more women could chip away at the glass ceiling.
Speak To Be Heard
Do people talk over you so that your voice isn't heard? Do you shut down because nobody listens when you speak? As a public speaker, do you have to shout to get the group to quiet down and listen to you? When you're speaking one-to-one, do you experience constant interrupting? In this video, you'll learn three reasons why you're not being heard and what you can do to be a more effective speaker and communicator.
What Every Motivational Speaker Knows That You Don't
What if there was a way for you to rev up your audience every time? What if you could anchor them emotionally to your message during every presentation? Well, you can. The top public speakers know the secret to successful speaking and creating a wow factor for the audience. Motivational speakers use music.
Listen to your favorite song on the radio and you'll experience a flood of memories. That song is ingrained in your brain. Music is a powerful anchor to your emotions. You hear the song and you're instantly transported to that time and place where you first heard it.
Did you ever wonder why every national convention plays music before the presentations, during the breaks, and after the presentations? Music creates an emotional link.
Dr. Concetta Tomaino, director of the institute for Music and Neurologic Function states, "Once the emotional link to music is established, our neurological reactions are profound. Our brain creates hard-wired responses to certain situations that are repeated when listening to the music. Music can actually change our mood. In fact, it can increase performance.
Certain songs can trigger the release of dopamine and seratonin in the brain which are "feel good" hormones. Music that is uplifiting should have the same rhythm as our heartbeats (60-80 beats per minute). Mozart and many classical pieces have this rhythm. Rhythm above 80 beats per minute can rev up the crowd or cause anxiety. That's why many conventions play rock music. It has a fast beat to energize the audience.
Music will enhance your presentations and seminars. Use slower music for writing or group exercises. Pump up the volume and the beat to energize and motivate the audience. When you play music during a paid speaking engagement, be aware that you'll need to pay a licensing fee. Or, you can buy royalty free music.
Today's audiences expect an entertaining experience. Experiment with music and watch the magic happen.
The Fine Art of Public Speaking
Is speaking an art or a science? I say it's both. Although my approach is the science of speaking, public speaking is also an art. First you need to know the rules or mechanics. Once you know the fundamentals that's when you can improvise and get creative. In truth, we need to use both sides of the brain to be effective speakers. Even universities are realizing the importance of right brain thinking in business. A new trend is emerging in higher education. Business majors, musicians, accountants and actors are sitting together in class to bridge the gap between art and business. Philadelphia University has a program called Building a Business Bridge for your Art. Julliard School and Fordham University offers a class, How to be a virtuosic genius-and get paid for it. It seems the starving artist may be going the way of the wooly mammoth.
So what is the lesson for public speakers? As a speaking strategist I find that some of my coaching clients forgo the "art" of speaking. They load their PowerPoint presentations with heavy text, data, full sentences, and jargon. Data and evidence are important. And so are stories, metaphors, humor, interaction, games, and enthusiasm. Even timing can be an art. Pausing can change the meaning of your message. A long, dramatic pause can evoke emotion where a quick pause will not. It was Artur Schnabel who said, "The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes - ah, that is where the art resides."
Public speakers who have good content that is relevant to the audience and can entertain the audience have truly mastered the fine art of public speaking.
How do you practice the art of public speaking? If the pauses between the notes is where the art of music resides, where does the art of public speaking reside?