First there was Sarah Palin. I don't have to review the mistakes she made. They're burned in our brains because she was skewered by the media and the focus of a comedy bit on Saturday Night Live. Enter Michele Bachmann. Her recent flub about the actor John Wayne being from her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa set off the media because it was actually serial killer, John Wayne Gacey who hails from Waterloo. Oops. Yes, politicians must check their facts before speaking to the media and when they're wrong they'll have to answer for it. But is the scrutiny of Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann due to their party affiliation? I say no. Hillary Clinton was not spared the media rod. She was criticized for her changing hair styles, her shrill voice, her command and control approach and her outspoken comments. Yet, these women pale compared to the gaffes of Joe Biden. But he seems to get a pass. The media does a quick "boys will be boys" chuckle and moves on to the next story. Like teflon, Joe's many public speaking faux pas including the F word don't seem to stick.Last week, Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday asked Michele, "Are you a flake?" Her response was, "Well, I think that would be insulting, to say something like that, because I'm a serious person." Can you imagine asking a male candidate if he was a flake? He then went on to remind her "that now that you are in the spotlight in a way that you weren't before that you have to be careful and not say what some regard as flaky things." How condescending but not surprising. The experience of political women mirrors the reality of corporate senior women who are not taken as seriously as their male counterparts. Tired of bumping their heads on the glass ceiling many corporate women left to become entrepreneurs and fueled the rapid growth of women owned businesses. But what is the answer for female political leaders? Are they supposed to go off and form their own governments? We need the diversity in both the private and public sector. Women have led England, the Philippines, Nicaragua, Pakistan. It's 2011 and we still don't have a female American president.
Is there a double standard for women candidates? Do women have to be perfect presenters? What do you think?
Do You Have a Public Speaking Anchor?
Imagine you're sailing. You find a spot where you want to go snorkeling. You drop an anchor and you dive off the boat. You enjoy your underwater adventure as you experience all kinds of marine life. You know when you're ready, the boat will be waiting for you. But what if there were no anchor? The boat would drift away and you'd be left on your own to tread water. It's no different with public speaking. Many people fear speaking because they don't know how to anchor themselves. As their presentation drifts along they become more nervous. In this video, you'll learn about simple public speaking anchors you can use to start speaking with confidence.
Students Face Their Public Speaking Fears and Win
Press Relase
For Immediate Release
Nancy Mui, a college senior, and Sequenza Williams, a high school senior proved they can compete in the adult arena. Both students were winners of the prestigious mentoring program sponsored by Financial Women’s Association (www.fwa.org). The program matches FWA mentors to students. After excelling in the mentorship program, they faced their final hurdle—the acceptance speech. Each student was required to give a three minute speech at the FWA Annual Dinner before an audience of over 200 adults including Fortune 500 financial companies and sponsors. Recognizing that public speaking is one of the top fears, the FWA brought in Diane DiResta, author of Knockout Presentations and CEO of DiResta Communications, Inc to prepare them for the final event. Over several sessions Ms. DiResta coached them on developing the message, delivering the speech with confidence and in three minutes. They arrived early for a final dress rehearsal in the ballroom where they practiced walking on stage and using the microphone.
Both Nancy and Sequenza approached the platform with poise and gave a knockout presentation. Sequenza shared her growth as a high school senior and personally thanked her mentor by asking for her to stand and accept applause. Sequenza will be attending college in Georgia. Nancy provided several moments of humor and talked about her passion for mentoring other students. She has already been offered her first job beginning this Fall.
“This speech was a milestone for both students,
3 Interview Questions You Must Master
Here are the facts:More people are interviewing for jobs.
Hiring decisions are based on 60% chemistry and 40% skills.
Your presentation skills are critical for interviewing success.
And there are 3 questions you must master. When I coach C-level executives in transition we begin with these 3 potent questions:
- Tell me about yourself
- Why did you leave your job?
- Why should I hire you?
Question number 1 is a selling opportunity. Lead with your 3 strengths or elevator speech. Don't start with your job history. Briefly highlight your job history and accomplishments. Close the loop by saying, "And what I'm looking to do next is..."
Question number 2 must be clear, brief, and stated with confidence. If you give too many details or seem hesitant, the interviewer will seize the moment and drill down. Don't raise a red flag by defending your position. State the facts. "There was a restructuring and my job was eliminated."
Question number 3 is a final opportunity to sell your knowledge, skills, and abilities. Listen to their needs and demonstrate how your skills match the job description.
An interview is public speaking. These 3 questions are the core of every interview. Get ready to prepare, polish and present.
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.
- Read books and articles.
- Listen to podcasts.
- Attend toastmasters.
- Register for a public speaking class.
- Get a coach.
- Attend National Speakers Association. (NSA-NYC event May 21st)
- Watch top speakers and model their behaviors.
- Volunteer to speak in your community or at work.
- Prepare in advance of your presentation.
- Practice out loud and time yourself. Watch yourself on videotape.
- Simplify your notes. Use bullet points.
- 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.