Speakers University-National Speakers Association

On May 20th, the NYC chapter of National Speakers Association presented a full day Speakers University held at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The success of the event was due in large part to the President Don Gabor, the Speakers U chair, Bob Frare, and many others on the committee.

My presentation was Presentations for Your Career at Work and covered interviewing, voicemail, meetings, and delivering   informational and persuasive presentations. Three high school student entrepreneurs were awarded a scholarship for the day. The morning  began with the opening keynote, Kick Your Own Butt, by Pegine Ecchevarria. Ed Robinson gave the closing keynote, From Fighting the Storm to Dancing in the Rain. Both presenters inspired the crowd and knocked it out of the box! A sampling of some of the high content concurrent sessions included  Moving from Free to Fee by Rochelle Rice, How to Deliver a High Impact Webinar-Garrett Terhune, and Becoming a Successful Keynoter by Ron Karr. The day ended with a silent auction with services donated by some of the top speakers.

I've been a member of National Speakers Association since 1991 and it's helped me build my business, develop new skills, and brought me many new friends. To attend as a guest visit http:// www.nsa-nyc.org

Can A Good Resume Trump a Weak Presentation?

Recently, I had a conversation with one of my C-level clients. He had referred one of his young associates to work with me on building confidence. This bright, hardworking associate didn't show up powerfully at meetings with clients and projected a weak presentation. Although knowledgeable about the research, the associate was soft spoken and simply reported facts from the PowerPoint data. The goal was to eventually lead the meetings. After the coaching program, there was a change in the presentation. The associate was more confident, owned the room, and spoke with authority adding valuable comments and explanations to the charts. My client was pleased with the results and confided in me that initially, he didn't think the job interview would go very long.

He described the candidate as having a weak handshake and too soft spoken. Within seconds of meeting, he thought to himself, "No way am I making a job offer." But he did the polite thing and began asking questions. The more he probed the better the applicant sounded. There was substance beneath that lackluster presence. The references checked out as he learned that this candidate accomplished 50% more work than anyone else. He had discovered a diamond in the rough. To his credit he made an offer. Realizing this was a good quality person, he knew some coaching would enhance the presentation skills.

This associate was lucky. The manager was astute and patient enough to dig beneath the surface. But this is the exception, not the rule. Most job candidates are dismissed early on because of poor public speaking skills and an inability to present themselves. And many interviewers are not skilled themselves in interviewing skills.

It takes seven seconds or less to make a first impression. You can look good on paper. But if you can't pass the handshake test, you may not get a second chance.

Make a Promise to Be a Better Public Speaker

May 4th is Make a Promise Day which was started by Matthew Cossolotto. Why make a promise? Because a promise is more powerful than a goal. Quick! How many New Year's Resolutions have you already broken? When you promise to be a better public speaker, there is an energy and commitment that drives you to action. My military father taught me to never break a promise. When you gave someone your word, that was sacred. You may keep your promise to others; but what about yourself? I recently made a promise to give up chocolate for one month. It was hard, but I would never have done it if I hadn't made a promise. A promise is putting a stake in the ground. It's drawing a line in the sand. You can become a better public speaker right now and the first step begins with a promise.

So, do it. Once you promise, the question becomes how to do it. Here are some ideas for becoming a better public speaker and sharpening your presentation skills.

1. Read books and articles.
2. Listen to podcasts.
3. Attend toastmasters.
4. Register for a public speaking class.
5. Get a coach.
6. Attend National Speakers Association.  (NSA-NYC event May 21st)
7. Watch top speakers and model their behaviors.
8. Volunteer to speak in your community or at work.
9. Prepare in advance of your presentation.
10. Practice out loud and time yourself. Watch yourself on videotape.
11. Simplify your notes. Use bullet points.
12. Get an accountability buddy to hold you to your promise.

When you boost your presentation skills and become a better public speaker your life will change. I promise.

The Real Meaning of Words

A while back I blogged about the power of the spoken word. As the Chinese say, “A picture is worth a thousand words." Sometimes words can’t capture the emotion of a picture. When giving a presentation, use pictures and photos to evoke emotion and drive home a point powerfully. LOVE

SORROW

INNOCENCE

DEPARTURE

PAIN

RESPECT

COMPASSION

FRIENDSHIP

PATIENCE

RESCUED

BEST FRIENDS

DIVINE

The Language of Influence

There's an old Jimmy Cliff  song, "You can get it if you really want but you must try, try and try, try and try." I would make one change to that. You can get what you really want if you use the right language. Yes, words have power. Words have magnetic attracting power.

So often a speaker has a great product or service but it gets lost in translation. You hear this daily at networking meetings. People drone on with their elevator speeches and nobody understands what they do. Why? Because they're not using the language of influence.

Language can make or break a sale. The right words can uplift or offend. It's all in the language. Marketers know that certain words have selling power. Words like free, guarantee, gain, results, new and improved move people to action.

What if you could change your results simply by tweaking the language? Take a look at this video.  Pause it and try to imagine what the woman writes on the sign. And then tell me why you think the final words worked magic.

Face-to-Face or Virtual? Which is Better?

Communication is 55% visual. Most speakers would agree that face-to-face contact is the most beneficial form of communication. Even on the phone, you're losing the important non-verbals that add richness and meaning to the message. Yet, when it comes to workplace productivity, virtual may be more effective than on-site. Compared to office employees, tele-workers experience higher job satisfaction, less work-life conflict, fewer interruptions, and less stress from meetings and office politics, according to researchers from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Northwestern University.

The main benefit from the study was work-life balance. Virtual workers had more flexibility and as a result were more productive. Although there were concerns about getting accurate information in the absence of face-to-face communication, this was not the case.

It appears that constant communication is unnecessary. Working virtually enabled employees to focus and get their work completed.

So what are the implications for speakers? Are webinars or online learning methods more effective than face-to-face events? If the purpose is to convey data and facts, online learning can be very effective. But in many cases, it can never replace the relationship, connection, and learning that comes with face-to-face communication.

The role of the speaker is to model, inspire, make meaningful connections to the workplace, stimulate thinking, and facilitate community. High tech does not trump high touch; rather, they are a partnership. Technology is the servant of the speaker. What have you found to be most effective?

One Minute Listening Tip: Listen To Understand

Listening is the foundation of communication. Yet, many people think they are listening when all they're doing is waiting for their turn to speak. True listening starts with an intention. What is your intention when you communicate? Watch this video to learn how to deepen your listening skills and take them to the next level.

One Minute Listening Tip: When Not To Listen

We're told to listen. We get trained in listening skills. Listening is essential to good communication. We should always listen, shouldn't we? Is there ever a time when we shouldn't listen? Watch this video to learn the answer.

One Minute Listening Tip: Listening Signals

You may be a good speaker but are you a good listener? How does the speaker know that you're listening? What kind of behavior signals listening? Do you know what your body language is saying about you? Watch this video and find out.

One Minute Listening Tip: Body Language

What words conceal, the body reveals. Body language accounts for 55% of the message. If you turn off the sound on your video or TV screen you'll be able to read the mood of the speaker. We can hide our true thoughts by choosing words carefully. Politicians are adept at dodging questions and issues by using language skillfully.So listen to  the body  language. The body doesn't lie.  This video will show you the importance of body signals. The most effective listeners tune into non-verbal communication.

One Minute Listening Tip: Vocal Tone

Vocal tone is 38% of the message. Too often people listen to the words in favor of the tone. When this happens miscommunication almost always results. The meta message is in the vocal tone. The voice is the barometer of the emotions. If you listened to a foreign language you would be able to determine the mood of the speaker without understanding a word. Effective listening skills require that you detect  nuances of  vocal tone. Listen to this video and learn how to tune into tone.

One Minute Listening Tip: Controlling Emotions

What does listening have to do with controlling emotions? By the time we get into an emotional state, we've stopped listening. When emotions are high, either walk away or ramp up your listening. The ideal situation is to head off emotional situations before they blow up. That requires good listening skills. How do you prepare yourself to listen in volatile situations? Watch this video and find out.

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One Minute Listening Tip: Listening CPR

Communication is about a sender and a receiver. Sometimes the message we send gets filtered by the receiver and conflict results.  This can happen to the best of speakers. When people start attacking, the natural reaction is to defend or retaliate. A better approach is to use listening CPR.  Listening is a powerful communication elixir. You don't need to be an eloquent speaker to listen effectively. But there are some tools you can practice. This video will show you how to use listening CPR to manage any conflict.

One Minute Listening Tip: Interrupting

One of the most annoying listening behaviors is interrupting.  People interrupt because they listen to respond.  They're simply rehearsing their answers and waiting until they have their say.  Frequently, they interrupt because they're really more concerned with being understood than being understanding.  This is not listening.  True listening is suspending the ego and focusing on the other person. As St. Francis of Assisi said, "Grant that I may not seek to be understood, but to understand."

You can change your listening behavior.  Watch this video to learn how to stop interrupting and use effective listening skills.

Speak Your Way to More Business

What if there were a way to market up close and personal and it was free? The answer is right under your nose - It's your mouth. Public speaking is a powerful and cost effective way to market your business. Small businesses can’t compete with glitzy advertising campaigns but public speaking as a marketing strategy levels the playing field.

When you engage in “speakmarketing

How To Handle Difficult Audiences

When dealing with difficult audiences, your best strategy is a sense of humor and an understanding of what's driving the behavior.  Watch this video to learn my 3D strategy so the next time you encounter a difficult audience, you can keep your cool and take back control.

How to Be a Presentation God

Scott Schwertly's new book How to Be a Presentation God: Build, Design, and Deliver Presentations that Dominate! is a  quick read written in a delightful entertaining style. The author introduces credibility killing characters such as Bulletron, Cookie Cutter, and Mediogre. The book is divided into sections including The New Era of  Presentations, Content, Design, Delivery, and Engage. Schwertly makes a case that the bar has been raised on presentations  and for  the importance  of shaping  and molding perception. He says that controlling your presentation is a vital aspect  of controlling your message.  He peppers the book with interesting principles such as "The Lesson to be Learned from Lincoln isn't Be Tall; it is Accentuate your Strengths," or " Strategy is a Cognitive Effort; Innovation is a Movement of the Heart." He also compares some of the great speeches -Steve Jobs, Winston Churchill, FDR, and encourages the reader to watch the videos. And while he's not anti- PowerPoint he reminds the reader that  "We're Giving Presentations Here, Not PowerPoints or Keynotes." The chapter on Design references online tools such as sliderocket and Prezi. He challenges the reader with JFK's remark, "The only reason to give a speech is to change the world." http://www.amazon.com/How-Presentation-God-Presentations-Dominate/dp/0470915846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299518779&sr=8-1

Listening: The Foundation of Communication

Good speaking means good listening. Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer service, and even romance! The problem is, most of us don’t listen very well. We’re not trained to listen and we don’t even realize that listening is a skill. People have lost jobs, customers, employees, and relationships because of an inability to listen.  How do you  become a better listener?

Listening Means Peace Sheng jen is the Chinese word for wise person. It literally means “one who listens.

What's Your Listening Style?

Most people are poor listeners. Even though you may pay attention and not interrupt, if you are using the wrong listening style your message may not get through. Or, you could create conflict because of an inflexible mode of listening. Do you know that there are five different listening styles? Being an empathic listener may not always be effective if it's the wrong situation. In this brief video, you'll learn about the five listening styles. Remember, there is no such thing as a  bad listener. There are only people with  inflexible listening habits.

Difficult Audiences: The Resister

Every public speaker dreads the resistant participant. This negative person can derail your presentation fairly quickly.  When handling  any difficult audience member, the key is to use the right strategy. In this brief video on handling difficult audiences, you'll learn how to keep control and minimize resistance so that you can give a knockout presentation.