SmartMouth Talks

Being Real

2012-01-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

Kudos to my newest client this morning for being bold enough to be real!

She is opening a three-day meeting of her company's division by being real and calling out the 800-lb gorilla in the room. Specifically, there is so much growth and change taking place in the company that, from one day to the next, people barely even know who they report to or what they're working on. Challenging situation, but not surprising given the fast-paced, high-growth industry in which they operate.

By calling it out – and she's doing it in a light-hearted way – she will not only connect with her audience immediately, but she also will earn their trust, respect and, I would suspect, their loyalty. Everyone wins. She establishes herself as a likable, credible leader, and her team members from around the world feel noticed and acknowledged. Great way to start the group meeting; the air is clear, and everyone can focus on the business of moving forward.

Leaders often feel the pressure to motivate by being cheerleaders, pumping up the troops no matter what's happening around them in reality. It's tempting to gloss over the negatives and the distractions. Frankly, it can feel risky to be as open about what isn't working as you are about what is working, but sometimes it's the best thing you can do for yourself and your employees.

Nothing quite beats honesty and authenticity for winning over an audience.

Thank you, Dr. King!

2012-01-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

Today is the perfect day for a reminder about going to 30,000 ft and staying out of the weeds.

Dr. King was the master. He said, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." He did not say, "We need equal rights and equal access to schools, buses, water fountains, and voting booths for adults and children alike; we need laws to be enacted that protect and promote the future of our people in this nation." Nothing wrong with the second one, but it's not nearly as impactful or memorable as the first. It's all in the why versus what, the message versus the info.

So, in a slightly different twist on honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King, let's all resist delivering laundry lists of items and features when we speak. Instead, let's look at our lists and ask what value or significance or meaning there is in all of our items and features collectively. And then that's the message.

I have a dream indeed.

Countdown to Tuck

2011-12-26T08:19:00.000-08:00

Gifts come in all forms, and one of mine this year came in the form of an invitation to be a Visiting Executive and Lecturer at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Very exciting!

I will be on the campus in Hanover, NH, January 3rd through the 5th, giving a lecture to MBA students on Executive Presence, coaching students in one-on-one sessions, and meeting with the Dean as well as various faculty members and administrators. An amazing opportunity, a wonderful gift.

So, the countdown begins, and the preparation, which actually began months ago, continues. Yes, SmartMouth followers, I have outlined my "focal points" and my "messages" for each and every one of my presentations and important conversations. Who wouldn't, right?!

And just as a teaser, here are the headlines from the lecture on Executive Presence: Audience Awareness and Sensitivity; Professionalism and Preparedness; Tone and Behavior. But more on these after class ...

Tks

2011-12-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

Omigosh, I had to laugh. "Tks" was the full content of an email I got from a client the other day. That was it, just ... Tks.

He meant thanks, or thank you, or thank you for your response ... or, more specifically, thank you for responding to my email and for editing my important presentation that was attached.

Not to worry, I gave him a ton of grief for his Tks. And I reminded him that my work with him, our journey together, was to help him become a more robust and relevant communicator. He's an executive, with a lot of potential and a bright future, but I'm told that people cannot follow him when he speaks. He really had been making great strides, getting lots of compliments, feeling better about his presentations. Then Tks.

But Tks is not just his pitfall. It's all of ours. Thumb fatigue from text messaging, the limits of the 140-character message, and the pressures of hectic and multiple communication modes these days have made for some pretty sloppy messages that assume a familiarity and casualness with your audience that might not always be appropriate or welcome. And let's be honest here, we've all fallen into a complacency with messages like Tks. We just generally trust that it's okay. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't ...

The moral of the story? U cud b gr8, but beware, these shortcuts could also shortcut your career if used too often or with the wrong audience at the wrong time. And so the few extra seconds it takes to type out a full word or two might be well worth it. Think about it next time you're in a hurry to send a message, and Tks for reading!

Always a Student

2011-12-05T06:45:00.001-08:00

I’m always learning, usually from examples that others provide. Every client and every client situation reveals at least one lesson or nuance that is so instructive I cannot help but to make a note of it ... and then share it or use it later on.

So, when I’m asked for quick tips on presenting, speaking or executive presence, I often ask, “well, who do you admire, what do you find effective, are you observing others?”

One of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to improve your presentation skills, ramp up your public speaking, or polish your presence is to watch others and note – literally make notes for yourself – what-to-do and what-not-to-do. Oftentimes, the what-not-to-do is more glaring and therefore more immediately instructive. On the what-to-do side, though, I would encourage you to look and listen for some of the harder to hit fine points, such as how others connect with an audience, memorable openings and closings, the kind of stories that work, how people move and use the “stage” and how they use their voices. There’s so much to learn by observing and studying others.

Tip of the day? Go grab a journal or open a new document on your laptop. Some of your best moments at the front of the room may come from having sat and taken notes in the student section!

Communications Lessons from Otis

2011-11-28T06:39:00.001-08:00

Otis is new to the family. I thought he was going to be just a pet. Turns out, he’s a teacher too. Otis is a Maltese mix, almost a year old, cute as a button and sweet as pie. And, to boot, he’s very smart. He’s been with us just shy of a week, but already Otis has provided multiple teachable moments.

In particular, Otis has been a case-in-point on good communications practices. Here are just a few of the important lessons Otis has re-taught me these past few days …

Brevity. Otis responds best to one-word commands. Too many words, and it’s all a jumble, and then he’s unsure of what’s expected. And nothing happens. Hmmmm, sound familiar? Clarity and understanding often come from brevity.

Consistency. Consistency of message, voice and tone are vital in leading, managing … or in the role of master. Just with our being consistent in word, voice and tone, Otis already knows the drill around the house. Consistency is efficient and ultimately reassuring to an audience that knows you.

Positivity. Wow, the power of positive feedback! Dogs aren’t the only ones who like to be told they’re good. It’s universal. You get what you give, and positivity feeds everyone. Let’s face it, nothing is more motivating than a good stroking! It feels good to give it, and feels good to receive it.

Thanks, Otis, for inspiring this blogpost … and welcome to the family!

Me and Al Sharpton on the Same Page?

2011-11-22T10:47:00.001-08:00

"A speaker has to determine what he is trying to do and what is the setting. You give speeches for different reasons, and you've gotta know going in: Am I there to inform and inspire or am I going in there to entertain and impress? Then lock down two or three outlined points to inform them or razzle-dazzle them."

– The Reverend Al Sharpton

Amen, Reverend Sharpton, Amen!

Lessons Learned

2011-11-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

Wow, I learned a lot. At last week's concluding session of SmartTalk – a year-long seminar for professionals who came together monthly to practice and polish their presentation skills – participants were asked, on the spot, to stand up and give a 3-minute talk on something they had learned in SmartTalk. They gave great talks, and it might well be that I learned more from them than they did from me!

So here are my takeaways from their "teachbacks" ...

1. Flipping the switch in your brain to think about your audience – their needs, biases, expectations – may be all you need to do in some cases in order to communicate effectively. The tendency is to think about ourselves – our own needs, biases, expectations – when addressing an audience. But when you're communicating, it's simply not all about you, it's all about them. All the fancy preparation in the world may never beat just empathizing with your audience. Thanks for sharing the stories that illustrated this, SmartTalkers!

2. The disclaimers, explanations, apologies, and self-deprecation that precede many people's communications – formally at a podium, or when speaking up in a meeting – do nothing but make an audience uncomfortable. Communicating is all about them, your audience, and they expect speakers to be competent, together, successful. So don't put them on edge by trying to lower the bar for yourself and telling them you're not 100% prepared or that you're not very good at this. Instead, make everyone, including yourself, feel good about your presentation. SmartTalkers were compelled to approach the podium saying, "I love doing this!" It made such a difference in their performances. No more sandbagging!

3. Packaging and prioritizing are huge. We all have lots of information to share in meetings and presentations, but unless we package it inside a message – a point that conveys the value, significance, meaning, or context for the info – it can so easily get lost. SmartTalkers definitely learned, and demonstrated, that they know how to pare down information and share it selectively, so that what they say is understood and remembered by their audiences. Yes, there is such a thing as TMI!

Thank you, thank you to all SmartTalk participants, you were awesome! Isn't it amazing how long 3 minutes can be and how short 9 months can be? Lessons learned indeed.

Making Connections

2011-10-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

Schmoozing today with my electrician and painter, and for way longer than I should have, I started to think about how people connect – even, and especially, people who don't know one another. From that, I extrapolated a few common themes that are good to keep in mind when you need to connect with an audience you don't know at all or very well.

Ask questions, be curious.
Show interest in what you know about the other person's work or mission.
Tell relevant stories.
Get personal, reveal just a little bit that makes you human and real.
Treat everyone as if they're the most important person or group you've talked to all day.

Incorporate a few or all of these in your next presentation, and see how it feels. It worked for me with Shane and Matt today, we could've talked forever!

Do You Deliver?

2011-10-11T07:43:00.001-07:00

Do you deliver when you speak? Do you engage and connect physically as well as intellectually? It's not enough just to prepare some remarks or show some slides. You've got to literally show up and deliver ... with your whole body!

Here are 5 keys to being physically present and engaged with your audience:

Eyes. Use your eyes to connect. Look around the room at everyone, being very careful not to get stuck on one person or one section of a room. I’ve often heard the “Z” formation recommended; start by looking in the back corner of the room and slowly allow your gaze to move forward on the diagonal, from side to side, as if making a Z with your eyes until you reach the front. Then do it again …

Hands. For some reason, talking with your hands has a bad rap. It’s okay to talk with your hands, as long as your gestures aren’t wildly distracting … and as long as your hands aren’t blocking your face. If it’s natural for you to use your hands for emphasis, then go for it. Better to be animated than stiff.

Voice. If your body and your visuals are the video, your voice is the audio. Play it! Use pace, volume, and intonation to keep the soundtrack moving and interesting. Use silence too. Turn off the audio for a few seconds of pause to recapture attention. Being able to modulate your voice while speaking, versus droning through a presentation, makes you appear confident and in command of the material. And it’s a heck of a lot easier on the ears of your audience.

Body. Don’t cross your arms. Don’t jiggle the coins in your pocket. Don’t play with your hair. Yada yada yada. You know all of the don’ts. How about the do’s? Do use your body … move toward the audience, lean into the audience, have all gestures open to and embracing of the audience. If at a podium with a fixed mic, be on the balls of your feet, reaching toward the audience. It’s a lot more engaging than the slouched podium lean, or the side-to-side sway, or the hanging back on heels stance.

Movement. Use the room. If you have space to move around, and proximity to a fixed mic isn’t an issue, then use your floor space as if it’s a stage. Move into and around your audience. Be super present and in their face and space, and you will have their attention.

Have a Big One? Help is on its Way ...

2011-10-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Introducing SmartMouth Communications “Need a Consult?” button (http://smartmouthgroup.com/consult.php).

If you need a second pair of eyes on a speech or presentation; if you need someone to write or rewrite your opening or closing; if you need input or feedback on your slides; or if you simply need to talk through your ideas with a trusted consultant, give us a shout!

Go to Smartmouthgroup.com, "Need a Consult?" to see the menu of online services. Check it out!

Work, Work, Work

2011-10-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

That’s what a lot of presenters make their audiences do … work. Work to sift through heaps of detail and information. Work to make sense of dense, complex material. Work to follow along. Work to figure out the point …

If you are the presenter, you should do the heavy lifting for your audience. It’ll pay off; the audience will appreciate you, have a good impression of you, and, most important, they will understand and remember what you said!

So here are 3 tips on the kind of “work” you can do so your audience can sit back and absorb, then leave the room satisfied:

Provide guidance. Identify what it is you want your audience to think, know, do, or feel about your presentation. Then weave that into your opening and closing. The mere power of suggestion has a lot of power indeed.

Eliminate waste. Cut out extra detail and information just because it’s interesting to you or because it’s so cool you just have to share it. Be selective with your detail and info. Your audience can digest and retain only so much.

Narrate. Let your audience know where you are, what you’re doing, and where you’re going during the presentation. If you tell them you’re going to cover three main points, let them know when you’ve moved on to the next point. When you’re diverting to a quick sidebar, or you’re backtracking, or you’re stopping to tell a funny story, tell them that’s what you’re doing so they can follow along appropriately.

Audiences don’t want to work. But they do want to get it. If you do the work, you’ll get the reward … your audience’s attention and respect!

It All Comes Down To ...

2011-09-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

Self-discipline.

Even just a little bit of self-discipline can make a big difference in a meeting or presentation. Here's a 5-point checklist for you to consider while keeping yourself in check:

You can't cover everything, so don't try. Be selective and prioritize.
No one is as interested in what you have to say as you are ... unless, of course, it pertains directly to them! It's all about them.
Observing the boundary of a time allotment shows respect, restraint, and command. Going over a time allotment shows the opposite.
Winging it is not cool. Winging it is simply the intersection of avoidance and false hopes. You're better than that, so prepare.
And above all, take a second to identify what it is that you want your audience to think or know or do at the end. If you're not solid with the takeaway, how can you expect them to be?

Child's Play

2011-09-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how to get a group of adults to pay attention and stay engaged? Have you ever tried toys, crayons or games? You should, it can totally change the dynamics in the room … in your favor!

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly I can transform a room of "hostages" – i.e. adult participants in a training they didn’t exactly beg to attend! – into a room of giddy "vacationers" just by engaging them in a game. Or by leaving crayons and paper on the table. Or by putting Slinkys, squishy balls, Rubik's Cubes and even candy in the middle of the table.

Talk about unspoken messages! Toys, games, and candy are the language of fun, of childhood, and they loosen people up. Studies have been conducted, showing that adults will be more open and even more honest when sitting in an environment that stimulates their inner child. Whether those studies are conclusive or not, I can tell you from my own anecdotal experience that adding elements of “child’s play” in a meeting, presentation, or group training sends the message that you expect your audience to have fun, to occupy their hands, to need stimuli, and that you’re okay with it.

Try it and see. You might just find a group of fully grown adults warming up to you a lot faster than you expected and a lot easier than usual!

I Don't Know

2011-08-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

I am not young enough to know everything.

– Oscar Wilde

We never know everything. We never will. Even experts get stumped. There are a lot of great questions. Yet so many people say, “I get so nervous before a presentation because I’m afraid I’ll get asked something I don’t know.“ So?

What you get asked can’t hurt you. What you say in response can. Be comfortable in not knowing something, it’s human. Be ready to openly admit it and offer to help find the answer, or to help find someone who knows the answer. It’s more authentic, and therefore more appealing. Even subject matter experts explore with, and learn from, their audiences. And it’s best when the presenters are completely transparent about their limitations; trying to cover up or make something up is also quite transparent, so don’t go there and risk compromising your credibility unnecessarily.

Just because you’re the speaker does not automatically mean you’re omniscient. “I don’t know, I can find out for you” is a brilliant answer!

A Picture is Indeed Worth a Thousand Words

2011-08-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

Using figurative language – e.g. stories, analogies, metaphors – and painting a picture in people’s minds can literally save a thousand words. Certain complicated communications, whether it be a business situation, a technical explanation, or a recommended solution, are often hard to express and even harder to understand with just layers and layers of words and sentences and paragraphs.

If you have a complicated communication, spend a couple of minutes in your preparation time thinking of a story with parallel relationships to your situation, or an analogy that is commonly understood, or a metaphor that presents a more tangible image of what you’re trying to explain or propose. If you can do that, you will save yourself and your audience the trouble of sifting through a lot of words they won’t remember nearly as well as they will the picture you draw for them verbally.

Figurative language has impact … literally!

The 411 on 411

2011-08-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

Today’s blog is one of those periodic reminders (yup, I’m still on it!) that too much information, or the wrong kind of information, or information that’s really only interesting to you can kill a speech or presentation.

The kind of info and how much info you bring to a talk is completely driven and determined by careful, thoughtful consideration of your audience. Some specific questions can help:

Will they be in the room by choice, or do they have to be there? The answer to this question will help you prioritize and be extremely selective about amounts of info. And the amount of time you spend sharing info. If they’re in the room by choice, you have a heck of a lot more time and latitude. If not, well then, you do the math!

What do they really care about? Once again, not what do you really care about, but what do they really care about? Okay, so your topic is one thing, but is that what they really care about? Or is there something deeper? For instance, let’s say you’re a doctor addressing a group of senior citizens, and your topic is ‘Geriatric Healthcare Trends’ … hmmmm, I’m going out on a limb and guessing that one of the issues they really care about is cost, $$, healthcare reform. Whenever possible, think a little more deeply and anticipate your audience’s needs, interests and expectations surrounding your topic.

Where are they in terms of knowledge or sophistication or interest level? It’s tricky at times, but talking either over or under an audience is a turnoff. And talking about things that excite you but may not be at all interesting to your audience is also alienating. Let’s say you’re technically savvy and speaking to a general audience about some hot new phone app and how it works, you may want to use analogies or metaphors to convey your information in an interesting and understandable way.

Info comes in lots of varieties – e.g. data, statistics, examples, anecdotes, even analogies – and is used to support a point, a message. Let your audience be your guide when you're selecting the quantity and quality of your info.

Oral Surgery Sounds Fun Right About Now ... ?!

2011-08-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

My 10 am client canceled this morning. At 9:45. “Something came up.” Surgery? Family emergency? His boss called him in at the last minute? Not sure. “Something.” It was his third cancelation in less than a month.

If I had to guess, “something” would be along the lines of avoidance … fear, dread, or oh-please-anything-but-speaker-training! Even oral surgery. Understandable. Totally. But only understandable when it’s avoidance of an actual audience of 100. Avoidance of the training though? That just digs the hole deeper. Training demystifies the process of public speaking and therefore significantly reduces the need for avoidance. And we have fun in the training; this client’s colleagues all have done it and they had fun. Here’s what two of them had to say after their sessions:

“I wanted to let you know that I found this session very interesting. I went to it out of duty, but after it was completed, I thought it was time well spent.”

“I found the session interesting and it did get me to think about the topic in a different way.” (And this guy was very late to the session … low priority perhaps?)

Yup, they come into the room somewhat reluctantly, but they leave the room with a new perspective, with useful tips and tools. They didn’t say in their emails that they had fun, but I can assure you there were lots of smiles and laughs.

Avoidance is probably the number one killer of public speaking and speakers. But that’s why there’s training available… to arm folks with the tools and equipment they need for when it’s the real deal and they actually have to get up and be a speaker. Trusting that the training can help you become a better speaker is kind of like driving down a steep hill in the snow and trusting that your all-wheel drive will help you get to the bottom safely. Speaker training builds in the same kind of confidence as your all-wheel drive.

So, accept the gift of training if it’s offered, don’t avoid the support and assistance. The training will give you some super easy tips and tools, and then off you go, downhill in the snow. You can do it. It’s safe. Fun too.

Quote of the Week

2011-07-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

"It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech."

- Mark Twain

Presence

2011-07-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

“When I’m dancing, that’s what I’m doing.” - Merce Cunningham

How perfect! I recently was exposed to the philosophy and technique of modern dance master Merce Cunningham, and this quote of his grabbed my attention. The suggestion that everything else fades into the background and that he’s immersed and fully present in what he’s doing is instructive for all of us …

Being present when you’re communicating actually involves you and another party – the audience, of course. Being present as a speaker means being willing to “listen dynamically,” with all five senses, to your audience so you can respond, adapt, be relevant, and stay in the moment. And ultimately connect. It means clearing your head of all other noise, including your own ego, in order to be there for and with them.

Rather than thinking about your exact words, all the specific material you want to cover, whether you’re forgetting something, and whether or not you’re going to actually survive (ha, I caught you!), envision being engaged and being present with a person or a group of people. Envision yourself with them; talking to them, maybe even literally talking with them, but definitely not at them. Envision yourself seeing them, sensing their level of receptiveness … without allowing it to be personal and about you (caught you again!). And if that doesn’t help, then at least envision yourself being present enough that you’re open to changing tacks if necessary – e.g. inviting Q&A earlier than planned, turning off the PowerPoint and telling a story, breaking up your talk and asking the audience to reflect back to you what they’re hearing and understanding.

So that when you’re communicating to people – which is, by definition, a two-way street – that’s what you’re doing. And then let everything else fade away …

Vocabulary Word of the Week

2011-07-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

ob·tuse/əbˈt(y)o͞os/Adjective

1. Annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.

2. Difficult to understand.

Props to Dictionary.com for helping me with this blog post ...

We're all professional audience members, so we've heard the obtuse speaker before. That's the one who leaves us thinking we missed something we probably should have known or picked up? Or we leave thinking s/he spoke in circles but never got anywhere? Or we're frustrated because the s/he spoke over our heads and never bothered to find out or figure out if we were keeping up?

Obtuse speakers are egocentric, not audience-centric. When it's your turn to speak, give more than just superficial thought to your audience. And if you don't know enough about them ahead of time, throw (what you think is correct) protocol out the window and ask them ... ! Yep, just ask. That's right, either open, or take a pause, and solicit input from your audience to gauge their interest or knowledge levels. It will accomplish two things: 1. you will earn big engagement and connection points with your audience; and 2. you will avoid being obtuse. Thankfully.

Prepare Your Plan, but Be Ready to Change It

2011-07-05T05:30:00.000-07:00

Adaptability is key. In the May issue of Harvard Business Review, veteran mutual fund executive Robert C. Pozen authored an article on “Extreme Productivity” and in it he addresses 6 principles for greater personal productivity. Principle 4 is “Prepare Your Plan, but Be Ready to Change It” … Amen, Bob!

And I quote from Pozen's Principle 4: “Most executives must give talks to various groups. They often prepare by writing out the full text of their remarks. But that makes them feel compelled to deliver the whole speech even if the audience is not receptive. Speaking is very different from writing. You need a much clearer line of argument, and you have to connect with your listeners at a given time. They may be bored or excited – you won’t know in advance. To prepare for a speaking engagement, you should jot down on one page a list of your four or five key points and a concluding paragraph.”

Nicely put. Less wordsmithing, more dedicated focus on key points. The only part I might take issue with – and those of you who have been through my coaching will smile! – is that I believe four or five key points is too many. Sometimes it’s too many for the speaker to remember, and always it’s too many for an audience to retain. Other than that, Bob nailed it.

You may feel better having prepared a full-text script, rather than putting yourself in a position that feels a lot like ad libbing or winging it. But by being wed to your words, sentences and paragraphs once you're at the front of the room, you risk sacrificing the real-time connection with your audience. So even if you do prefer a full-text script, be sure to also know your key points and promise yourself that you'll remain adaptable … if the audience is fading, be ready and willing to ditch the script.

Thanks for this reinforcement, Bob. As I always say to clients, it’s not all about you, it’s all about them … the Audience!

Leadership Development Redux

2011-06-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

Fascinating! I find it absolutely fascinating that conferences and summits and institutes and seminars on leadership and leadership development boast agendas chock full of topics, except for the one that matters most … communicating effectively. Wow, really?

Can a leader really lead without communicating effectively? Can a leader succeed on these topics alone: managing tight budgets for profitability, maximization of social media, cutting edge HR programs, understanding corporate social responsibility, or fostering a culture that’s comfortable with change? Um, I don’t think so ...

My own obvious bias notwithstanding, you could argue that true leadership is almost exclusively about communicating effectively, and success is almost exclusively dependent on the ability to communicate effectively. Think about it. No one succeeds alone. No one leads alone. “Leadership” implies the involvement of, and need for, other people. And how does one lead other people? Through budgets? Through HR policies and programs? Through Facebook? No. Those are management issues and tools. Leadership is different. One leads other people by engaging, connecting, inspiring, persuading, informing, motivating … all communications tasks.

Successful leaders are people who communicate with a steady, dependable “voice” … a voice that’s clear, open, appreciative, and affirming. The true work of a leader is to be able to find his/her voice, the exact style and tone, and then stick to it. The trickiest part is to remain clear, open, appreciative, and affirming even when times are tense and the message is difficult. This is absolutely the distinguishing characteristic for leadership, though; it’s how one engages, connects, inspires, persuades, informs, motivates, etc. even under duress.

I am not suggesting that managing can be done by a trained monkey and that leadership is for the elite few. Not at all. In fact, managing well also requires the effective communications skills of a leader. What I am suggesting, though, is that, in one way or another, we are all leaders or in leadership positions. And so the single most important skill we can develop is good communications skills, beginning with a clear, open, appreciative, and affirming voice. And then the finer points will come with time … or with reading this blog!

Power Points on PowerPoint

2011-06-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

Here’s what we know …

Less is more.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Microsoft named it PowerPoint, not EveryPoint.
Slides are a visual aid for the audience, not a script for the speaker.
Visual aids are meant to reinforce and illustrate, not narrate.
Screen + darkened room + speaker taking time to boot up technology = naptime.
Slides + bullet points with sub bullet points + handouts + speaker = audience overload.

Nonetheless, PowerPoint is to meetings as negative campaigning is to elections: something we don’t like but feel helpless about and resign ourselves to accepting; something we complain about, but rarely take steps to change.

Soooooo, just a few SmartMouth ideas for changing it up:

Write on a whiteboard or giant sticky notes for visuals. It’s animated and dynamic; it’s as though you’re engaging the audience in the process of creating your “slides,” which is far more entertaining and memorable for them.

Use video footage instead of slides when and if you can. People love to watch TV! There’s so much available out there (YouTube, etc.), and it’s easy to embed a video into a traditional PowerPoint presentation.

Think about creating slides that use one word or one sentence to capture the “so what?” of your points. You should know your stuff well enough to be able to speak to the topic without needing to read a paragraph off the screen anyway. If you don’t, that’s a whole other problem, isn’t it?

Be brief. Be animated. Be present. Be engaged. Be open to a dialogue with your audience. If you do all that, you might not even need visuals. Brevity is so impactful just on its own.

Be adaptable! Be open to shutting down the PowerPoint if you notice you’re losing your audience. When all else fails, connect with the people in your audience. It’s all about them anyway. Don’t kill them with your slides just because you worked hard on preparing them. It’s not all about you!

The word “presentation” is not automatically synonymous with PowerPoint. You have choices ...

Learning to Tell Time

2011-06-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

Why do speakers go over their allotted time? If there was ever a presentation buzzkill, it’s the speaker who keeps on going … and going … and going.

You know you get aggravated with the long-winded speaker when you’re sitting in the audience, but what happens when it’s you standing at the podium? Are you aware of time? Do you know what 5 minutes of talking feels like? Do you know what 20 minutes feels like? You should. You need to learn to tell, or keep, time.

In the speech prep arena, I’m going to put it out there that minding your time trumps all your excessive fretting over content. Yup, I’m saying that content alone will not leave a good impression with your audience. You need more than that. Great content needs the added ingredients of audience connection (more on that another time!) and time sensitivity.

We talk about people who are “brief and to the point” with awe and admiration, so let’s work on being one of those … Practice delivering your material. Know how much time it takes. Know what 5 or 20 minutes of talking feels like. Prioritize in order to make any necessary cuts. And when you’re at the mic, don’t go off on a tangent just because you have the floor and you thought of something super cool to share. Keep to the time limit; your audience will be grateful, and you will have succeeded in leaving a good impression … with or without perfect content!

Tick tock, people, tick tock.