Diane DiResta
The Thrilling Impact of Authenticity in Public ...

Authenticity happens when your words, voice, and behavior match who you are. Find out how to show up and be you!

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David Cameron's Knockout Presentation-Not Afraid to Confront

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Politics aside, Prime Minister David Cameron gave an effective speech yesterday in response to the London riots. I'm not a British citizen and I don't know their experience.  What I do know is that Cameron responded by speaking clearly and to the point. He began with a clear purpose statement. "I'd like to update you on the latest situation and the actions we're taking to get this despicable violence off our streets." He paused after the word "violence" to let it land and wasn't afraid to use emotional words (despicable). He then quantified the results. "There are 16, 000 police on the streets," "450 people have been arrested".  Mr. Cameron went on to acknowledge all who contributed to the emergency services. In a politically correct society it's refreshing to know he's not afraid to condemn negative behavior and used words such as "sickening", "appalling", and "thugs". His tone was serious, impassioned, and strong. As a public speaker, he put a stake in the ground and took a strong stand. Listen to his presentation and make note of his direct, clear, and congruent speaking style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlOxbI9st60

Too busy to learn how to give a presentation?

Some speakers don't have time to read the entire Knockout Presentations book. That's why I created Knockout Presentations To Go - an eBook filled with public speaking cheat sheets so you can easily find what you want and save time.

This eBook has over 70 pages of public speaking nuggets - checklists, do's and don'ts, and exercises that you can find quickly.  Just choose the section (e.g., Difficult Audiences) and it will give you immediate public speaking tips.

If you're a speaker on the go, now you can be a better public speaker in less time.

Get it here.

How to Give Good Phone-Six Tips for An Effective Audio Conference

Nothing beats face-to-face communication. But it seems that we're communicating more often by audio conference. My clients are continually challenged by this medium. It's no wonder. Visual communication, which is 55% of the message, is missing. So here are six tips to get the results you want from an audio conference.

  1. Send the agenda in advance to all callers. It will give introverts or international participants time to digest the material.
  2. Set the expectations at the beginning of the call. Tell them to mute their phones, announce their names before speaking, hit the keypad if they have a question.
  3. Assign a room monitor. Conference calls can be chaotic. To keep control, ask each site to select a point person. That person will speak for the group when there are technical difficulties or communication challenges.
  4. Test equipment by calling in 10 minutes early. This will give the technical person time to troubleshoot.
  5. Count to four before you answer. There may be audio delays. People need a pause to absorb what you just said. Rapid speaking will cause listeners to lose the message.
  6. Engage the listeners. If you're a talking head for 30 minutes, they'll be checking email. Check in periodically and ask for questions and feedback. Require them to do something. Example: "Draw a circle. Put your project in the middle. Now draw 6 spokes around the circle. Write each module on the spokes." Having more than one speaker will keep their attention longer.

And don't forget to recap the follow-up steps so nothing falls through the cracks. Remember an audio conference is a presentation.

Take our audio conference survey and get a free podcast - How to do Video Media Interviews.

What Accupuncture Taught Me About Public Speaking

Last week, I was at the doctor's office getting my second acupuncture treatment for a shoulder injury. The first treatment went well. I enjoyed the stillness as the doctor silently inserted the needles along my arm and neck I expected to feel a sharp jab. But I didn't feel the needles. It sounds hard to believe but you really don't feel much. It felt relaxing as I sat there hooked up to electrical stimulation for about 20 minutes. The following week I had another appointment and this time the doctor was very chatty and loud. He inserted a needle in my neck like the last time but this time I yelled out, "Ouch. That hurt". What was going on? The doctor kept talking. He probably felt more comfortable chatting with me but I preferred the stillness to the conversation. He left while the acupuncture did the work. When he returned, he was quiet as he removed the needles. Ahh. No pain.

I pondered why it hurt the second time and realized that he wasn't centered, in the moment, in the zone, or on me. He was focused on his verbal chatter. It made me think about public speaking. We can give the same presentation and be good one time and off our game the next time. While there are factors such as time of day, the audience, the room temperature, the venue-these are excuses. A professional speaker can rise above it all. I think we lose our momentum, the magic, the impact when we change our focus. When we turn our focus inward on our insecurities, nervousness, or the bad day we had it's like walking on pins and needles. We lose focus when we forget the reason we're speaking is to make a difference, an impact on other lives. Just like the experienced doctor who talked throughout the procedure, when we have a monologue with ourselves instead of speaking to the audience, it can feel like that jab in the neck. Public speaking is not about running our mouths. It's about connecting. It's about conveying a message. It's the meeting of minds and hearts in the words and in the silence.

Matt Damon Can Act. But Can He Speak?

Matt Damon is a good actor but is he a good public speaker? Every year while watching the Academy Awards, I'm amazed at the poor quality of the acceptance speeches.  It would seem that a professional actor would be a good speaker. The major public speaking flaw of these acceptance speeches is they go on too long and the actors ramble. So after reading Matt Damon's speech to the teachers' rally in Washington, D.C. I would give him high marks on a simple, to the point, and brief presentation.  What lessons can we learn? He begins by complimenting the audience and gets right to the point. He talks about how he flew from Vancouver to demonstrate it was important for him to be there. This creates rapport with the audience. He establishes his credibility when he speaks  about his mother being a teacher, his experience as a student and the impact of his teachers on his success today.  He addresses the current issues of teaching to achieve test scores vs " encouraging creativity and original ideas; knowing who students are,  seeing their strengths and helping them realize their talents". Mr. Damon ends by acknowledging teachers for their impact even in the face of criticism and unproductive reforms.  He begins his speech on a  high note and he ends on a high.  He challenges the audience during times of negative media to remember that there are millions who stand behind them.  He followed Franklin D. Roosevelt's  sage public speaking advice, "Be sincere, be brief and be seated."

To read his speech click here.

Would You Rather Die Than Give a Speech?

Jerry Seinfeld once told a famous joke about public speaking:

According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy."

It turns out Jerry Seinfeld was wrong.  According to our quiz, Presentation Panic Quotient, only 18% would rather die than give a speech.  That's good news.  We expected fear of speaking to be much higher.  To learn their PPQ, respondents ranked themselves according to their level of public speaking nervousness and received a final score.

According to people who took the quiz, the PPQ is a great reality check.  To determine your  Presentation Panic Quotient watch the video and click on the link.

It was interesting to find out the nervous public speaking habit that had the highest ranking.  What do you think was the number one  nervous symptom when speaking in public?  Let us know in the comments.

Watch video on YouTube

Click to Learn Your Presentation Panic Quotient

Fear of Public Speaking Series: Plan a Recovery Strategy

Murphy's Law will happen during one of your presentations. Guaranteed. The challenge is what to do about it.  The pros don't get rattled by mishaps. They plan for them. Confident speakers know when accidents happen - they can handle them. That's because they anticipate and plan a recovery strategy. Anyone can deliver a good presentation when things are going smoothly. But when disaster strikes, the great public speakers rise to the occasion and put their best public speaking foot forward.

Watch the video on YouTube

Fear of Public Speaking Series: Focus on the Breath

Public speaking doesn't have to evoke fear. Breath deeply. When we're in a fear state we tend to hold our breath.  Psychologist Roger Wolger once said something to the effect of " Anxiety is an interruption in respiration." To work through fear, breathe deeply. Focus on the breath.

What I Learned About Presentations from Starbucks

This morning I stopped in a Starbucks on W43 Street and Avenue of the Americas in New York City.  I was expecting the usual long line that doesn't move. Instead, we moved quickly and the server asked for my order before I approached the cashier. Then she gave a coffee to the man in front of me and told me someone was delivering my tea right now.  That was pleasant! Then I sat down and watched the baristas behind the counter. They called each person by name-"Ron, here's your grande. Adam, you have a latte. They actually wrote the person's name on the cup.  It was a good presentation and that prompted me to compliment them on their personal service.  This was the first time I had seen this approach at Starbucks. It made me wonder what it would be like if our presentations were that personal. What if we spoke directly to individuals and made them feel special? Well, we can. It's called engagement.  Public speaking is personal. Simply by doing some homework to get to know the audience members in advance we can tailor the message to include their individual challenges and experiences. Arriving early can accomplish the same thing. When I talk to audience members  as they enter the room, I hear their stories and situations. I can then refer to them by name. For example, "When I was speaking to Laura this morning she told me..."  Steve, you'll appreciate this story. I know you've been there."

Nothing impacts an audience like a personal message just for them. It's not difficult to do. It engages them, creates a bond, and makes them feel special.

PowerPoint is Ruining Our Love Lives

I knew we were PowerPointed out but I didn't realize it was this bad.  A recent survey released by Sliderocket indicated that 24% of people polled for a new study said they'd rather give   up having sex tonight than have to sit through yet another PowerPoint presentation tomorrow. 32% of those polled have fallen asleep during a presentation, 20% dozed off so often that they've lost count. It seems like PowerPoint may quickly become the new birth control. Public speakers unite! Either throw away your PowerPoint or learn to do it better. As  a speaking strategist, I've discovered that too many speakers allow the slides to lead them by the nose.  It's time to take charge. The key word in Visual Aid is AID! YOU are the visual.

Here are some of the most common mistakes I see:

  • Reading the slides.  I can read as well as you can. If you read word-for-word, you'll lose credibility. Experts use the slide as a backdrop and add value from their knowledge base.
  • Talking and changing the slides. Again, are you leading the presentation or is it leading you? Come to the end of a sentence, pause, advance the slide, and then introduce your next point.
  • No transitions. This will make you sound choppy.  Write out your transitions in advance. They can be statements or questions.
  • Too much text. Get rid of the sentences. Substitute photos, pictures, charts, graphs, cartoons, symbol, and key words or phrases.
  • Busy, cluttered slides. Too much content is distracting. Aim for lots of white space.
  • Small font. If people have to squint, the font is too small. For titles use 36 points and for bullets use 32 points for maximum readability.

I'll bet the number one reason people are bored with PowerPoint is they're not engaged. The speaker is a talking head. You can be more effective when you use PowerPoint to engage the audience.  Ask a question and then flash the correct answer. Tell a story and then flash a picture. Create a dialogue, engage people, and let PowerPoint fade into the background. When the speaker takes center stage that's when the magic happens.

http://www.mailboto9.com/cgi-bin/uls/uls.cgi?ako=sXO3sXkvXDjDkXDsOYvXjXX

15 Tips to Conquer Fear of Public Speaking

July is Freedom from Fear of Speaking Month. Summer is a good time to take a public speaking class, get a coach and knockout fear of speaking. Here are 15 tips to help you become a confident public speaker.

  1. Get over yourself Fear of Speaking - Nervousness is being self-centered. It's not about you-it's about them. The audience wants you to succeed.
  2. Focus on the breath - Breathe through the diaphragm of belly. Take 5-10 deep cleansing breaths.
  3. Prepare and Rehearse - Practice out loud and time your speech. Videotape yourself. You don't look as nervous as you feel.
  4. Set an anchor - Remember a time when you were at the top of your game. Get the feeling. Press your index finger and thumb together and anchor it. Press your fingers together right before you speak.
  5. Affirm your success - Overwrite negative programming by writing positive statements and say them to yourself. "I'm confident." "I can do this."
  6. Arrive early - Mingle with others and you'll feel like you have friends in the audience.
  7. Visualize your outcome - Create the outcome you want in your mind. Imagine every step of your presentation until the outcome is exactly the way you want it.
  8. Transfer your nervousness - Squeeze a small foam ball in your hand.
  9. Make contact with a friend - Look at a friendly face and smile. You'll feel you are supported.
  10. Plan a recovery strategy - Imagine your worst scenario and plan how you'll handle it in advance. Humor works great.
  11. Take time to pause - Stop for 3 beats of silence at the end of as sentence. You'll be able to catch your breath and think.
  12. Make your fear smaller - Imagine your fear as a fiery ball. In your mind's eye, shrink it and move it far away.
  13. Express your passion - Get excited and involved in your message or story and pretty soon you'll forget yourself.
  14. Meditate - Ten minutes of meditation will calm and focus your mind.
  15. Work the room - Release energy through moving to different parts of the room and using gestures. You'll feel energized.

What are your favorite tips for conquering fear of public speaking?

Casey Anthony: Persuasive Presentations and Getting Away with Murder

Watching a national murder trial is a lesson in the power of persuasive public speaking.The verdict for Casey Anthony was NOT GUILTY. I was shocked. I didn't see that coming. Eighty per cent of people who were polled thought the mother had killed her child and that she got away with murder. Yet, she walked away a free woman. How was the defense team able to win the case? Let's look at this from the perspective of persuasive speaking. In every trial, both the prosecution and defense need to establish a relationship with the jury. And every public speaker must have a relationship with the audience. But that's not enough.

To win the case, the defense must cast doubt in the minds of the jury. The prosecution must be able to build a convincing case. In the Casey Anthony case, the dense attorney failed to paint Casey Anthony as a sympathetic figure but he was successful at casting doubt. The prosecution had a good case but why didn't they win? There was enough circumstantial evidence. Was it that the jury needed DNA evidence to convict her? Was the single hair in the trunk of the car not good enough?

The failure to persuade came down to strategy. There was enough circumstantial evidence to connect the dots. What was not clear was whether the death was planned or an accident that was covered up. Clearly, the mother was involved. So why didn't the jury convict? Because the prosecution aimed too high. They wanted the death penalty for first degree murder. And because of this the jury couldn't convict the defendant. They didn't feel there was enough evidence. Had the prosecution aimed for manslaughter without a death penalty they would have had a greater chance of winning.

Here's the lesson for public speakers. When it comes to persuasion, the higher the stakes, the stronger your evidence must be. But it goes beyond building a strong logical case. You must take into account the emotions of and consequences on the audience you want to persuade. In business, you may try to persuade employees to take a pay cut. But if they believe it's a step that will lead to layoffs, you'll never persuade them. The consequences are too great. The speaker would need an airtight case and flawless evidence in order to get agreement. How often do people try to get buy-in thinking they have all the right reasons and evidence only to be shot down? Without considering the emotional impact, responsibility and consequences to the audience, chances are they'll push back.

To influence and persuade, public speakers must go beyond the evidence and adopt the right strategy. The Casey Anthony jury didn't want the death of the defendant on their conscience as long as there was a "reasonable doubt". The lesson for persuasive speakers is consider the stakes-and then plan your strategy. What do you think?

Political Presentations: Is There a Double Standard for Women?

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:

  1. Tell me about yourself
  2. Why did you leave your job?
  3. 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.