Information, tips and tricks you can use every day!

Are you sabotaging yourself? Rate your Influence Skills now!

Karen Holmes — Wed, 30 May 2012 22:07:00 GMT

It's now or never. You're standing in front of that key person—the one you need to convince. You need their help on a project, more cooperation on the team, approval for your request, or...[fill in the blank]. You plan to persuade them using the same method you always use, with everyone. Sure, it doesn't always work, but there's nothing you can do about that. Or is there?

You can improve your chances of a successful influence encounter today! One of the most difficult parts of improving your influence skills is evaluating how you come across to others. Where do you start? By figuring out what your best influence style is and which styles need work. The style you choose affects how others perceive you during an influence conversation, so it's important to know where you stand.

There are 2 main influence "energies," Push and Pull, which consist of sub-categories called Influence Styles. In order to understand where your skills lie right now, I'd like to talk a little about each style.

Push Energies

Persuading: proposing and reasoning
Asserting: stating expectations, evaluating, and using incentives and pressures

Pull Energies

Bridging: involving, listening, and disclosing
Attracting: finding common ground and sharing visions

You need to determine the style you use most of the time; the one you're most comfortable with. But perhaps more importantly, you must determine the style you need the most help with. From this starting point, you can begin to practice your weakest style(s), and eventually alter your influence style with each person you encounter in order to achieve the best results.

In the classroom, we present participants with concepts, tools, and insights that are practiced extensively to create a better understanding of how they influence and how to approach others more effectively. We also teach how to create a positive environment by planning for these critical interactions. I can't explain how fulfilling it is to watch people experience influence breakthroughs in the classroom and then improve their everyday interactions through the use of their newfound skills!

Karen Holmes is a U.S.-based CGWA Senior Consultant and Trainer, delivering programs such as Building a Culture of High Accountability™, Coaching, Interpersonal Communication Skills, Positive Power and Influence®, Presentation Skills, and many more.

What Were They Thinking? 8 Bad Business Decisions.

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:56:00 GMT

In business, there are times when leaders and committees—armed with incomplete information or a poor decision-making process—simply make the wrong decision. In hindsight, of course, the mistakes seem obvious. Let's take a look at 8 bad business decisions (in no particular order):

1. Turning Down the Beatles

In 1962, Mike Smith and Dick Rowe of London's Decca Records decided not to sign the Beatles because, "...we don't like your boys' sound." EMI Records eventually signed the group, which became the most popular band of all time. Ironically, later Decca ended up partnering with EMI because demand for Beatles records was so high they couldn't keep up with it.

2. Rejecting the Telephone

In 1876, William Orton of Western Union decided not to buy the patent for the telephone, invented by Alexander Graham Bell. The patent was offered at $100,000 by Gardiner Greene Hubbard, a wealthy Bostonian who had helped fund the invention. However, Mr. Orton decided to respond directly to Mr. Bell saying, "...after careful consideration of your invention, while it is a very interesting novelty...it has no commercial possibilities."

3. Lowballing Microsoft

In 1979, Ross Perot offered to buy Microsoft from Bill Gates for between $6 million and $15 million. Mr. Gates wanted between $40 million and $60 million. The two couldn't come to a deal, so Mr. Perot walked away. Of course, today Microsoft is worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

4. Passing up The Cosby Show

In 1984, Bill Cosby gave ABC-TV first shot at buying The Cosby Show. ABC turned him down saying, "...viewers won't watch an unrealistic portrayal of blacks as wealthy, well-educated professionals." NBC swooped in, and over 8 wildly successful years—including 4 straight years at #1—The Cosby Show became the most profitable series ever broadcast to that point.

5. Failing to Improve the Model T

In 1908, Henry Ford launched the Model T: the very first model to come off the line at Ford Motor Company. It was so successful that Mr. Ford decided improvements weren't needed—for 19 years! By the time the popular Model A was marketed in 1927, Ford's market share had already been lost to companies such as Dodge and General Motors as consumers satisfied their hunger for something new and exciting.

6. Counting on Viral Marketing

In 2006, General Motors, in conjunction with the TV show The Apprentice, launched an internet-based viral video marketing campaign to promote their new Chevy Tahoe SUV. Unfortunately, consumers weren't impressed. Hundreds of people used the campaign to air their grievances with the vehicle and the GM brand in general, accusing it of contributing to global warming, the war in Iraq, or simply disparaging the Tahoe's quality.

7. Recycling Credit Card Info

Also in 2006 (a bad year?), as part of a paper recycling program, the New York Times Company inadvertently tops copies of The Boston Globe and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette with printouts showing the credit card information of 227,000 of their readers. Immediately sending employees door-to-door in a retraction campaign, they were only able to retrieve a small percentage of the recycled toppers.

8. Becoming Big Brother

In 2009, retail giant Amazon deletes George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm from users' Kindle devices after the publisher decides to pull the e-books "off the shelf." Although refunds were issued, the deletion seemed to violate Amazon's own Terms of Service. The move invites critics and consumers alike to compare Amazon with the "Big Brother" described by Orwell in the very same 1984.

Sources: CNET News, CNN Money, The Wall Street Journal, Time

Negotiation Skills: Top 10 Ways to Lose a Negotiation

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:20:00 GMT

It's like a bad dream: You arrive at a negotiation without the tools and tactics you need to produce a win-win outcome. Things go horribly wrong, and everyone leaves with a bad taste in their mouth. In fact, you're sure that the other party wants nothing more to do with you. Even if you technically "won" the negotiation, it's not a true win. We call this a lose-lose outcome.

How do you avoid a repeat? First you need to know what not to do. There are many ways to lose a negotiation. Here are the Top 10:

Fail to plan ahead
Go in with a combative attitude
Have no idea what you can offer and when to walk away
Arrive without responses to the other party's likely objections
Assume you know what the other party wants
Fail to address the other party's questions and concerns
Ignore the underlying power balance
Fail to neutralize the other party's negative tactics
Narrow down the negotiation to only one issue
Negotiate a win for you that results in a loss for the other party

One or more of these are probably familiar to you. We all have to start somewhere, right? The worst part is, any one of these actions is enough to sabotage a negotiation and possibly the whole relationship.

Now that you know what not to do, how do you create a roadmap to success?

Presentation Skills: Q&A is Crucial!

Karen Holmes — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:16:00 GMT

Last time, we talked about your presentation conclusion. I promised I'd go into more detail about question/answer sessions in another blog, and here it is!

Many people see the great challenge as the presentation itself. When the questions begin, the presenter breathes a sigh of relief and relaxes. This is when trouble can begin. Responding to a question with an appropriate, efficient answer is the real challenge!

Preparation

The first step to successful Q&A sessions is preparation. Your audience expects you to be prepared for your talk, but they do not expect you to be prepared for the Question and Answer session. If you are, you will undoubtedly enhance the success of your entire presentation. The key to preparing for questions is to anticipate all questions that may be raised. Ask yourself:

What questions will my audience be likely to ask?
Who will be likely to ask questions?
Are there any provocative ideas that might threaten individuals in the audience?
What are the tough questions?
What are the questions I hope no one will ask?

Anticipation

To help you anticipate all questions, it is a good idea to review your presentation with:

Peers: who may be able to think of questions you overlooked.
Insiders: someone in the same industry as your audience will be able to think of questions from your audience’s perspective.
Outsiders: someone who is not in either your or your audience’s industry will be able to think of questions from a completely fresh perspective.

To assist you in anticipating questions, here is a list of commonly asked questions:

Do we really need this?
What are the alternatives?
What will happen to us if we don’t?
What will it cost?
Can we do it for less?
Is it in the budget?
What is the ROI?
How do we do it?
Who will do what?
How long will it take?
Will this action create new problems?

Once you have anticipated all questions, prepare answers for them as thoroughly as you prepared the presentation itself.

Remember

Q&A sessions give you an opportunity to continue making your point. The purpose of your presentation is to induce action. Be sure each answer you prepare will contain information that will help your audience take the action you want them to take. Always be sure your answers include benefits so your audience will understand what’s in it for them.

Take Care of You! 3 Healthy Habits = Career Success

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:55:00 GMT

Sometimes it seems like health and fitness is all anyone's talking about. Sure, Americans as a whole aren't nearly as healthy as we should be. But what can be done? We seem to have all the advantages: we know that exercise, a wholesome diet, and work-life balance are all keys to good health. So why are so many of us overweight, stressed out, unhappy and unhealthy?

There are so many answers to these questions, including such challenges as no time, lack of motivation, boring exercise routines, poor food choices, high stress, overcommitment, and so on. While I can't pinpoint the exact reasons you may not be at your peak, I can tell you why healthy habits = career success! It's tough out there, so give yourself an edge...

1. Exercise

Let's start with a major health issue most Americans face: lack of exercise. We've all been told how important it is to "get moving!" We know it's true, but how will more exercise help your career? I mean, it's hard to find time in your busy workday for a workout routine—so there had better be some good reasons! Here are a few reasons to exercise:

Improves brain function: alertness, concentration
Helps to control stress: endorphins
Supports heart health: cardiovascular
Helps you reach and maintain a healthy weight: muscle to fat ratio

Now who wouldn't want all this? Not to mention that all these things will make it easier to get up each day with a fresh outlook so you can go achieve all your goals and more. What company wouldn't want their employees to be alert, happy, healthy, and in great shape? You can use exercise to your advantage in so many ways!

2. Wholesome Diet

Here's another big challenge: getting the right food into your body. Why is it so hard? There's a long list of reasons, but we all know we should eat right. This is a major part of your overall health. We've all heard the phrase, "You are what you eat!"

A few ways a wholesome diet can help your career:

Makes you look younger: antioxidants, vitamins, essential nutrients
Keeps your immune system in balance: healthy digestion + see above
Supports brain function: omega-3s, lean protein
Battles fatigue: good nutrition = energy

Everyone wants to look younger, so that's a no-brainer! Healthy eating can minimize sick days by giving your immune system the boost it needs, and your brain is crying out for the building blocks of cell growth and maintenance in order to give you that competitive advantage. I think we all know how hard it is to maintain our energy throughout the workday when you're hungry, so why not choose healthy foods while you're at it?

3. Work-Life Balance

It's almost a cliché now. What is this magical thing? It simply means getting your priorities in order. Each person's definition of work-life balance is unique, and you probably know what yours is. Achieving it is difficult to say the least, with so many demands on our time. With that project deadline looming, the emails flying in, kids' soccer games, and wondering what's for dinner, it seems impossible that we could find balance in this crazy-hectic world. If you prioritize well, though, here are some ways work-life balance can improve your career:

Minimizes stress: balanced commitments, important stuff first
Diminishes distractions: be "present" at work and at home
Provides fresh perspectives: varying activities = new viewpoints
Improves sense of well-being: caring for you, caring for others

Prioritizing commitments means you can be organized and efficient in whatever you do, creating an aura of calm. Unnecessary distractions melt away and you can focus on the moment. Making sure you don't get buried in any one aspect of your life creates new pathways in your brain, allowing creativity to flourish, and who couldn't use a little more of that? The bottom line is, you will feel in control! That feeling will translate to everything you do, and your confidence will be obvious to those around you.

There are so many ways these 3 healthy habits can create career success (and an awesome life), I couldn't possibly list them all here. Who knows? You might discover a few no one has thought of!

Looking for more resources to help you become your best self? We're giving away 5 free copies of Stephen R. Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Sorry! We've given away all our free copies. Check out our other posts for more freebies!

Get Your Confidence On! Overcoming Insecurity at Work

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:13:00 GMT

The vast majority of people probably feel that they do an above average or excellent job in their job. Unfortunately, in most cases, we don't get to decide the issue. Instead, a series of supervisors—some good and some bad—decide for you. This can lead to a fair amount of job insecurity.

It need not be so. Most managers would agree that being worried about whether or not you are doing a good job is the first sign that you are, indeed, doing a good job. Concerns about performance and overcoming insecurity are key traits of successful employees everywhere.

Still, measuring your success with the people you work with requires an understanding of the coworkers surrounding you. There are three distinct types of people when it comes to inter-office relationships, and each possesses a different standard to determine whether or not you are fulfilling your role competently.

Understanding the needs and motivations of these three types will inevitably lead to improved communication, performance of your job, and of course, to more confidence!

Type 1: Those Who Rely on Your Abilities to Ease Their Own Burden

Every workplace has these types of employees, and they are easily identified. They are the ones who appear most concerned but actually do the least when a problem surfaces. Their answer to every problem is to lay it on someone else's doorstep. We all know who these people are!

This “syndrome” is not limited to any one job function or team. You probably know from experience that there are lots of employees out there who are, themselves, insecure. Their solution is to simply shunt their responsibility onto others. An ambitious person (I'm talking about you here!) can and should take advantage of this fact. Done right, this can be an opportunity to shine and ease any lingering insecurities about your own job performance.

Type 2: Those Who Test Your Abilities Due to Their Own Insecurities

On the other end of the spectrum is the coworker who is an “expert” in every field. Their modus operandi is to relentlessly question every action that you take and evaluate it against their (mostly uninformed) opinion. This makes for an incredibly frustrating relationship.

Successfully negotiating a truce with these experts while also solving the problems they lay at your feet is the real challenge in this case. But if you can pull it off, you will build your own security quotient. You may even find that this challenging person becomes a "friend for life"!

Type 3: Those Who Simply Need and Trust Your Abilities

By far, the most difficult type of coworker to deal with is the one who trusts you and expects you to properly perform your job duties. This type of coworker is usually your supervisor or someone you report directly to. Supervisors have many responsibilities of their own, and they expect a certain level of competence from you.

Identifying and satisfying the needs of this class of coworker leads to the greatest and longest lasting feelings of job security. You should maintain constant, relevant communication—but don't overdo it! Your supervisor should not expect you to read his mind, but instead assume that once the responsibilities have been described, you should be able to perform them with a degree of independence.

Figure out how to meet the needs of your supervisor, and everybody wins! Your confidence will shoot through the roof.

The End Product

Overcoming insecurity at work is a job in itself. It does not necessarily require its own task list, but it should include an accurate, constantly updated self-appraisal of your work. This is the first step in overcoming job insecurity, and it will guide you on the path to superior performance!

Stuck in the Gap? Lead Your Sales Team to Greatness!

Greg Wright — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:04:00 GMT

Are you stuck in the gap between truly great sales and the reality that your sales and leadership team is struggling?

Most of the data on sales success and sales best practices in the field inevitably leads to the conclusion that your sales force is only as strong as the sales leadership they get. Any lasting change has to start with the Vice President and roll like a wave all the way through the often-overlooked Regional/District Managers.

Not sure your team needs outside help? Some indicators that your sales leadership may need some intensive work on alignment and performance enhancement are:

You have a high number of Region Managers that are recent field promotions, i.e. very successful sales reps that you have promoted to Region Manager positions.
You have a high level of turnover at the Region/District Manager level.
You get very good results on a certain set of products from one region and completely different results from another region (inconsistent execution on your product portfolio).
You have too many Territory Managers/Sales Reps that underperform to their sales plan and are not engaged in an aggressive developmental plan to correct the issue.

You need a proven process for sales leadership development that will help your organization achieve better numbers on the following metrics:

Percent achievement of sales plan
Full product portfolio sales execution
Number of conversions during product launches
Reduced undesired sales rep turnover

At CGWA, the journey from mediocre to great looks something like this:

We do a very careful analysis of the current state of your sales leadership performance
We ask you to define your vision for what great would look like for your business
We customize a solution and get it to the sales leadership team as quickly as possible, up to the standard of performance and execution that you would like to see

Our research indicates that a lot of our potential clients are spending literally hundreds of thousands of dollars training their sales force as a whole, but spending very little to train their Region Managers, which is a sadly misdirected allocation of funds. Repeated studies into how organizations invest in sales execution lead us to this conclusion: The most important investment you can make is to ensure that your sales leadership is aligned, motivated, and focused on the right best practices and disciplines to drive successful sales to your business.

When I consult with sales leaders, I always recommend one of my favorite books. I'd like to give you a head start by sending you a free copy today! This is a limited-time offer, so take advantage while it lasts...

Greg Wright founded CGWA in 1977 on the principle that customized, skill-based training provides the best learning experience for employees, as it incorporates a company’s culture, business trends, and “real life” situations into the structure of the training.

CGWA and the Life Sciences Community: A Lasting Partnership

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:00:00 GMT

We talk a lot about our experience and offerings in general terms, simply because we have been privileged to work in so many industries throughout the world. We can't choose a favorite, but today I'd like to talk a little about the rewarding relationships CGWA has formed in the life sciences community, encompassing the biotech, healthcare, medical device, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Since our founding in 1977, we have focused on helping every organization, team, and individual we work with to become the best in their industry. We do this through both consulting and education, achieving organizational goals with immediately applicable, customized tools for enhanced performance.

Over the years, we have been fortunate to work with many successful and innovative life science organizations, giving our training and consulting team a unique perspective on the challenges they face.

A sampling of the organizations we have worked with:

What attracts the life sciences community to CGWA? Word of mouth! With direct recommendations from their respected colleagues, leaders know we can dive right in to their unique problems with no indsutry learning curve. In this tight scientific community, knowledge and experience is everything, and we've done it all: Making the rounds with sales reps, problem-solving in the C-suite, and everything in between.

But you don't have to wait for someone to let you in on the secret...

Great Communication Skills: Avoiding Clichés

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:36:00 GMT

We've all done it: used a really bad cliché to illustrate a point. But could it actually damage our ability to communicate? Sounds a bit far-fetched, but it's important to use caution.

Are Clichés Really so Bad?

It's so easy to fall back on a familiar saying, or idiom, in order to convey your meaning (message) when speaking or writing to someone else. What you're trying to do is shorten the length of time it takes to convey that feeling or idea. Often these sayings are trite and overused, and therefore taken for granted. You guessed it: They become cliché!

The problem is, the meaning you (the sender) assign may not be the meaning understood by the other person (the receiver). Many variables can interfere with the message the receiver hears, such as:

Sender or receiver's native language
Receiver's familiarity with your choice of phrase
Differences in regional dialect
Overall tone of the conversation
Power inequalities, i.e. boss to employee
Using mixed metaphors

One of the characteristics of great communication skills is being able to tailor your conversation to the person(s) you're speaking to. To that end, you must know when it's okay to use certain phrases and when they should be "avoided like the plague." Idioms can cause a lot of confusion and even offense, especially when conducting international business.

Some Clichés to Avoid

Barking up the wrong tree
Burn your bridges
Burning the candle at both ends
Come hell or high water
Cut off your nose to spite your face
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
Get your ducks in a row
Go with the flow
Keep your eye on the ball
No pain, no gain
Push the envelope
The big picture
The whole nine yards
Think outside of the box
You can take that to the bank
You can't squeeze blood from a turnip

These are just some of the sayings that are easily misunderstood or misused in conversation. Occasional use is okay, as long as you're sure the phrase is appropriate to your topic, will be understood by the receiver, and helps to illuminate your meaning.

What are some of your favorite sayings? Are they classic clichés, or unique to you? Ask yourself: Are my words conveying my true meaning, or do they add confusion? What else can I say to get my point across clearly?

CGWA is proud to offer our Interpersonal Communication Skills program, which expertly guides participants through the process of becoming savvy communicators.

Executive Coaching: Good, Better, Best!

Janelle Gilbert — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:49:00 GMT

Every executive, at some point, will be faced with making a career change to either a new company or new position. In some cases, the change will be made voluntarily and in others it will be required. In either case, the use of executive coaching can broaden the marketability of the candidate, strengthen their leadership skills, and advance their career.

The use of executive coaching should not be viewed as a remedial exercise, because it's really an exercise in self-improvement and career advancement. Self-analysis is often difficult, especially for those who rarely hear an unbiased view from their peers or subordinates. In short, constructive feedback is the essence of executive coaching and leads to greater self-awareness.

Finding the Right Coach

The use of executive coaching is a soul searching journey that will require some demanding insights from both the coach and the person being coached. For this reason, it is extremely important to find a coach who can not only make fair criticisms of your abilities and suggestions for improvement, but can communicate these effectively.

There are 3 key considerations in the hiring of an executive coach:

Competence
Chemistry
Flexibility

First, competence is important so that you, as an accomplished professional, feel comfortable accepting their appraisal. The coach must have extensive experience in their field, working with professionals at your level, and be well-versed in a variety of coaching methods and tools. You should ask about past coaching engagements in general terms and evaluate your potential coach's background. Do they have a track record of success? If your coach doesn't possess the "right stuff," executive coaching is simply a waste of time.

Secondly, as in any other occupation, coaches have different personalities—and their personality may not mesh well with yours. Since executive coaching is about effective revelations of (sometimes painful) information, it is imperative that the coach can deliver the message in a positive and professional manner. If the executive and the coach do not establish a good rapport, enlightenment cannot follow. The sessions will seem interminable, yield little in the way of results and, ultimately, fail.

Lastly, executives lead full business lives in which they are routinely asked to deal with emergencies or to reprioritize their time. Most take for granted that their carefully prepared schedules can be interrupted at any time. A good executive coach recognizes this fact and will have a reasonable degree of flexibility in their schedule to accommodate the executive.

To this end, executive coaching can also be effectively performed by phone or video conference. Often a quick session is all that a busy executive needs to get them through a key presentation and the coach should be available for this need. A superior coach should put the needs of their client ahead of their own convenience.

The Benefits

Executive coaching is an investment in your career. Valuable insights can be gained that will maximize your strengths and provide real solutions to minimize or eliminate any weaknesses you may uncover. Coaching adds significant value to your skills as a communicator, negotiator, and leader. Perfecting these skills will also enable you to strengthen your team to be more effective, more responsive, and more independent.

The career benefits are as obvious as your talents will be! You'll find your new skill set is in demand across a wider variety of positions and industries. In addition, the value you bring as a leader will benefit the organization as a whole. In short, executive coaching is an excellent opportunity for even the most capable executive to increase their career opportunities, earning ability and leadership potential.

CGWA is proud to offer Coaching: Executive, Leadership, and Individual Performance, helping professionals achieve the next level!

Learning Essentials: Classroom Training!

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:28:00 GMT

Over the last few months, we've discussed many of our workshops—expertly designed to make you a better communicator, influencer, manager, performance coach, presenter, sales rep, and more. The topics are diverse, but they all have one essential in common: classroom training.

Why not virtual training? Why not self-directed learning? Both of those methods have value, but as the famous Chinese proverb states, "Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand." In order for any participant to truly internalize learning, three elements are required:

Face-to-face interaction
Customized knowledge and exercises
Quality feedback

Face-to-Face Interaction

Human beings are inherently social. This is why a videoconference just doesn't feel the same as a personal meeting, and why we walk down the hall to speak to a co-worker instead of simply picking up the phone. Being physically present with a group of fellow learners is extremely valuable. In a group, you can experience new concepts, be exposed to different perspectives, and help each other reach understanding—all under the guidance of an expert instructor.

Meeting in a classroom setting, when done right, also minimizes distractions from the outside world. Emails, phone calls, and text messages can all serve to derail the training process. As an individual, it's easy to give in to these things. But we find that groups are happy to agree to a distraction-free learning environment. This restraint is rewarded when learners leave the workshop feeling inspired, refreshed, and armed with immediately applicable skills!

Customized Knowledge and Exercises

Once a concept is presented, anyone can practice their skills using a generic case study or exercise. However, off-the-shelf material can only go so far. Building new cognitive pathways is challenging enough! You need the support of an instructor who is knowledgeable about your industry and organization, along with custom examples to practice with. Our highly educated instructors have years of real-world, industry and workplace experience, and collaborate with leadership to gain an in-depth understanding of your organization. Then they carefully design customized exercises, allowing the group—and each individual—to apply their learning in a direct and meaningful way. This is one of our secrets to achieving proven and lasting results.

Quality Feedback

Here at CGWA, we believe that real learning demands much more than a training manual and a well-presented lecture. For real learning to take place, personal feedback must follow each customized exercise, and should be given in an atmosphere of trust and respect. Peer and instructor feedback during the practice phase, including careful observation, praise, and constructive criticism, creates a complete picture for each participant. The observer must be able to see non-verbal communication, i.e. body language, and hear tone of voice—and reflect them back to those receiving feedback.

Bottom Line

When you think about all the aspects of human interaction and how they relate to learning, it seems obvious that classroom training is essential. Great leaders everywhere use this powerful tool to meet and exceed their group and organizational goals. At CGWA, we believe that classroom training should be a part of every organization’s learning and development curriculum.

Perhaps you know what training topics you want bring to your organization, but how do you know if your group and/or organization is ready for classroom training?

Presentation Skills: Your Presentation Conclusion

Karen Holmes — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Last time, we finished up your presentation body, explaining how to piece together supporting information in a way that really speaks to your audience. Now that you've finished the bulk of your presentation, it's time to address the conclusion. It is just as important as the rest of your presentation, and should be considered carefully. Remember, the conclusion is the last thought you share with your audience, and what they are most likely to remember.

Unfortunately, many presentations do not conclude—they just stop, sputter and die, or worse, ramble on and on. Many excellent presentations have been ruined by a weak conclusion. The purpose of the conclusion is to summarize and ensure that you’ve met your objective. A good strong conclusion adds the finishing touch to an excellent presentation. There are four important steps to an effective conclusion:

Summarize key points
Restate action steps
Ask for questions
Give a final conclusion

Summarizing Key Points

This is the first step when concluding. In a clear, concise manner, you must tell the audience what you just told them. When you restate the key points, you should be as brief as you were in the agenda. Do not bring in any new points! You don’t want to introduce anything new at this point in time.

Restating the Action Step

Reiterate the action request you made in the introduction. Be sure your action step is assertive and positive, such as, “I’m sure you’ll agree...” or, “As I have explained...” Restating your action step at the conclusion ensures a strong, active finish. It encourages your audience to move ahead on your request.

Asking for Questions

When you reach your conclusion, it's important that you open up your presentation to questions from the audience. They may need clarification or more information, and it's a great way to make them feel included. We will go into more detail on question/answer sessions in our next Presentation Skills blog post.

Final Conclusion

Yes, this whole article is about your presentation conclusion, but your final conclusion is the "end of the end." You should restate your action request once more, and be sure to thank your audience.

Remember to have your conclusion clearly in your mind before you begin your presentation. You want to be sure you conclude as strongly as you began.

Delivery Tips for the Conclusion

Use a flip chart to summarize your key points. It will keep you and your audience well organized.

Use assertive, positive language when stating the action you want them to take, i.e., "I believe," "I know," "I’m confident," "I’m sure," not "I think," or "I hope."

CGWA is proud to offer our Presentation Skills workshop, helping professionals reach their potential everywhere we go! I personally believe it is essential to get hands-on, practical training in the classroom to bring these concepts to life.

Crucial Conversations: Performance Coaching

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:45:00 GMT

If you're a manager, you probably know that performance coaching is often seen by employees as a form of punishment. From their perspective, "coaching" equals "discipline." Frankly, in business environments that use this approach, that perception is accurate. However, if handled in a rewarding and supportive manner, fear and resentment will automatically disppear from the coaching process. The importance of handling it properly cannot be underestimated. When coaching is fully understood and trusted, it can then become the positive force it is intended to be.

Management Responsibility

Since coaching is within the jurisdiction of management, managers naturally set the expectations of employees throughout the process. As a manager, it is imperative that you demonstrate that coaching sessions are intended to help the employee further their career and not as an indication of dissatisfaction with the employee’s overall performance.

All employees, regardless of tenure or performance, should undergo the performance coaching process. To ensure maximum effectiveness and develop trust, coaching methods should incorporate positive advice and feedback, not negative criticism.

The Essence of Coaching

Coaching is a journey, not a checkbox on a form. Employees can intuitively feel when their manager is just “going through the motions.” Simply complying with corporate policy on performance coaching is probably more detrimental to the morale of the organization than merely ignoring it as it fosters contempt for every other corporate initiative.

In fact, coaching is fundamental to the optimum functioning of an organization. Instead of merely informing, it is essential that a coach ask the right questions to help others understand their current thinking and behaviors. Armed with this knowledge, an employee can improve themselves.

Coaching Styles

None of this is to say that there is one ideal method of coaching. There are as many successful styles of performance coaching as there are successful managers. Many managers still ascribe to the “command and control” formula. In this paradigm, the manager does the thinking, designs the game plan and enforces its execution. This might work well if your coach is an Albert Einstein or Steve Jobs, but can suffer with other personality types.

A more proactive method of performance coaching involves the AOLA method; Awareness, Ownership, Learning and Accountability. Once a problem or opportunity is identified, ownership is assigned and accountability follows later. The most beneficial aspect of this method is that both the manager and the managed learn.

At CGWA, we believe that our Coaching for Improved Performance workshop should be part of your Professional Development toolbox. Through the application of our unique coaching model, targeted case studies, and face-to-face feedback, managers are able to achieve resounding success with their employees. Although we know the classroom experience is priceless, we don't want you to leave this blog without a free tool you can use today. Use it as your springboard to coaching greatness!

CGWA Market Research & Analytics: Get the Real 411!

Greg Wright — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:54:00 GMT

We've talked a lot about our business experience and unique methodology, from initial consultation through customized training. At CGWA, we believe that the right education experience and tools can close almost any performance gap. Maybe you're fortunate enough to know the issues your organization faces and have an idea of the steps needed to get you on the right path. But what if you aren't sure where the real problems lie? Are your customers making baffling moves—pushing you further away—and you don't know why? Do you get emphatic agreement from employees on internal initiatives, then nothing actually happens?

It makes perfect sense to commission a research study to gather pertinent data and feedback. But how do you avoid the confusing web of quantitative data that results? You need to identify the fundamental issues and concerns of your customer and employee base. In other words, you must decode what your customers (potential and existing) and employees are really thinking, and why they’re making the choices they’re making. To do that, you need quality information, not just mountains of statistics.

Our CGWA Research Team is here to help! Want to find out what really motivates your customers and employees? Are you determined to climb the customer relationship ladder from mere vendor to trusted partner? We have proven time and again our ability to uncover the real story. With nearly 100 years of combined experience, our interviewers are highly skilled at getting people to talk—honestly and specifically—about what's working, what isn't, and what it would take to make a breakthrough.

Let's be honest: Market research data is expensive to obtain. When you decide to make the investment, you need more than perfunctory, simplistic “yes” or “no” answers and cold statistics. Yes, it’s good to have quantitative data, but let’s not forget the importance of in-depth qualitative data to really flesh out what the need is.

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new Market Research and Analytics page on CGWA.com. Pay us a visit to find out more! Just considering a research project can be a bit overwhelming, so we'd like to help you get started. For a limited time, we're offering our expertise absolutely free. Take advantage of this special, no obligation offer today!

Great Territory Planning: Right on Target! [Week 6 of 6]

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:31:00 GMT

Last week, we discussed how sales reps can harness the power of Consultative Selling to make their client feel comfortable, earn their trust, and create a solid sales foundation. But what about the bigger picture? As a territory/region manager (TM), you are responsible for multiple sales reps and clients in your gerographical area. How can you best manage your territory for maximum sales and long-term consultative relationships?

Well, first things first. The development of a sales territory may seem a daunting task. However, with a carefully researched plan and some tenacious implementation, great territory planning will help you meet—and exceed—your sales goals. What is great territory planning? There are four key areas where you as a TM should focus your attention to maximize your time and resources.

Detailed Preparation

Preparation involves knowledge. First, every sales rep in your territory should be totally knowledgeable about every item and service in their product line and intimately familiar with their strengths and weaknesses.

Similarly, they should also understand the advantages and disadvantages of the products offered by the competition. Most importantly, the expert sales rep will have a keen understanding of their clients' needs. The TM and sales team should identify the top 5-10 clients for each sales rep and make sure reps fully understand each of their clients and the surrounding competitive environment. A competent sales dialogue gives clients full confidence in your sales rep and your company as a whole.

Focused Targeting

Effective selling is not accomplished through a "shotgun" approach, i.e. selling on a per-item, per-service basis as needs pop up. The sales team must concentrate on the most lucrative and easiest sales targets, creating a comprehensive sales plan and nurturing the relationship with each client. Expanding this method throughout your sales territory consistently yields the fastest and most rewarding business deals.

Consultative Selling

As we discussed in Consultative Selling, the expert sales rep must develop a trust-based relationship with their client. This trust is not developed in a single meeting. You must do more than just sell a product or service to develop trust, requiring multiple, meaningful encounters. Perfunctory, once-a-quarter visits simply don't cut it. Planning, positioning, and closing are essential. Anticipating and offering proactive solutions to the customer is the fastest way to build a trust-based client relationship.

Win-Win Closing

A broad-based selling effort that doesn’t revolve around a single item or service is the only way for both buyer and seller to win. A single-issue deal may result in a sale but it does not push the rep further up the "relationship ladder." The rep must always be thinking about what else they can offer the client, beyond price. When concessions are required in the course of the sale, the sales rep can agree and then counter with different products, services, or other added value unique to your company. Over time, if the sales team plans well, the client will benefit from the right mix of products and services, coming to view their sales rep as a trusted advisor.

Territory Planning

In short, great territory planning incorporates every other aspect of sales. It requires diligent preparation on the part of the TM, sales team, and individual reps to gain thorough understanding of the clients’ needs and the competitive atmosphere.

At CGWA, our 5 targeted Sales Execution Workshops are each developed, tested, and refined in the field—in response to real sales execution issues faced by very successful commercial teams. We hope you've enjoyed and found value in our 6-part Sales Execution series!

Join us next week as we launch a new web page. What is it? You'll be the first to know, so just wait and see!

Competitive Selling: Get a Leg Up! [Week 3 of 6]

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:02:00 GMT

Last week, we talked about the important place Strategic Account Development holds in the world of sales execution. But once you've got your sales strategies in place and things are flowing smoothly, you may find yourself faced with a further challenge: convincing prospective clients to purchase from you instead of your competitor. Will you be able to prove that your product or service is superior? Is price the most important factor? Or is there something else you should be focusing on?

Selling is often described as a numbers game. Approach the right number of prospects and you will convert a certain proportion to clients and you will meet your sales goals. This is true to a certain extent, but what you really need is are skills and tools that will help you identify the best customers, convert them, and protect them against your competitors' sales efforts.

Competitive targeting and selling is composed of three distinct processes:

Profiling prospects
Converting prospects to clients
Evaluating your sales methodology

Profile Prospective Clients

In this stage of the process, you must examine business trends in your industry, identify potential clients, and determine their needs. Some of this profiling is done in the office but much of it is performed during the actual meeting with your prospective client.

When applied to the sales environment, the "Iceberg Theory" tells us that clients and prospects aren't always 100% truthful—or may inadvertently leave out vital information that could significantly affect the decision-making process. To avoid this pitfall, you must ask probing questions to uncover their true needs. Although your prospect may seem to know exactly what those needs are, asking targeted questions can reveal a much clearer picture. We advocate pre-call planning: creating a customized list of questions for each prospect and client and having them on hand for every sales call.

In the end, you must understand your client's business so that on subsequent sales calls, you can proceed immediately to the second stage of competitive selling.

Prospect Conversion Process

There are two important factors that influence a decision to choose one vendor over another. The first is perceived value. Selling value rather than just products and features differentiates you from your competition. Your client doesn’t just need a supplier of products or services. They need a real partner who can supply greater value by anticipating needs and supplying innovative solutions to meet those needs. Doing this will set your company apart from the competition.Secondly, as you scale the "strategic relationship ladder" with your client, you become an ever-more-valuable resource and are much harder for the competition to unseat. When you reach this stage, you are in the enviable position of not having to re-sell the product or service every single time. Instead, you are a trusted consultant who can “advance the sale” by offering better solutions to fit your client’s needs.

Evaluate

The final step is to use the “SMART” system we mentioned last week to evaluate and critique not only your selling skills, but also how effectively you have met your clients’ needs. Remember: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound goals are a must for everyone on the sales team. From this deeper level of understanding, you'll watch your sales grow beyond anything you've achieved before.

In our customized Competitive Targeting and Selling workshop, we thoroughly explore these concepts, practice the skills until they are second nature, and send participants away with the tools to meet and exceed all their sales goals. At CGWA, our 5 targeted Sales Execution Workshops have each been developed, tested, and refined in the field—in response to real issues faced by even the most outstanding sales teams. Next week, we'll talk about the third of these workshops: Sales Negotiation Skills. Be sure to come back then!

Sales Negotiation: A Win-Win for Everyone! [Week 4 of 6]

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:02:00 GMT

Last week, we talked about Competitive Selling and its three distinct processes: Profiling, Converting, and Evaluating. So now you have an idea of the many layers that make up successful sales execution, which must be applied as a whole. Now it's time to talk about what "win-win" sales negotiation looks like.

It may seem obvious, but the first step in the win-win sales negotiation process is simply believing in the process, not seeing it as some type of marketing technique. The goal is not to make a single sale but to institute and then maintain a progressively better and more mutually beneficial relationship with your clients.

You should not be simply selling a product. Instead you and your company should be selling innovative and creative problem solving abilities that will create value for your customer, well above and beyond the capabilities of the product or service you're selling today.

It also important to remember that the goals of your company and of your client, while somewhat aligned, are not identical. This means that, to be effective, your sales negotiation must address several issues at once. This allows room to compromise on some issues while holding fast on others. Quite simply, a one-issue sales negotiation can only result in a no-sale or a poor deal for your company.

The Roadmap

The next step is understanding and controlling the “roadmap” to a successful sales negotiation. There are four identifiable stages:

Framing: The framing stage is extremely important as it shows that you understand your client and their business. You must assess your client’s needs and offer them real solutions.

Positioning: In this stage, you lay out your initial offer and listen to your clients best-case scenario. It's important to determine which items are changeable and which are not—which leads us to the next segment.

Discovering: Now you have to really listen to discover the key needs and financial drivers of this negotiation. Anything that can be added or subtracted can be used to seal the deal.

Agreeing: With a solid framework, the details can be worked out. This is an excellent opportunity to uncover further needs that can be addressed in a future sales negotiation.

Sales Techniques

Business is not a game, but companies are out to win. To this end, they employ various techniques in order to secure the best possible deal. Being aware of these techniques is the first step to becoming “tactically bulletproof” to them. In order to establish a power base, veteran negotiators may use tactics like “good guy/bad guy,” or even make you wait for an hour to see them. But if you concentrate on the process to provide value for the client—and your deals with that client—these negotiations will get progressively easier to wrap up.

This is just the tip of the icebeg when it comes to Sales Negotiation Skills. Truly absorbing these concepts requires in-class coaching, practice, and finally real-world application. At CGWA, our 5 targeted Sales Execution Workshops are each developed, tested, and refined in the field—in response to real sales execution issues faced by very successful commercial teams. Next week, we'll talk about the fourth of these workshops: Consultative Selling Skills. See you then!

Consultative Selling Skills: Be Indispensable! [Week 5 of 6]

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:02:00 GMT

Last week, we talked about how Sales Negotiation Skills really can create a win-win for both you and your client. Now that you have the beginning of that 4-stage Roadmap to sales success, it's time to talk about the essentials of Consultative Selling Skills.

Consultative selling is more an art than a science. It requires you as a salesperson to make your client feel comfortable, and to earn their trust so your interactions can take place on a solid foundation. This process is arduous and time consuming—and almost never yields immediate results. But your investment will be well worth it! Once a bond is established, consultative selling offers rare opportunities that are simply unattainable for salespeople who sell their products or “piecemeal.”

There are two categories of consultative selling skills, each holding appeal for two distinctly different types of clients.

Benefits Selling

Benefits selling is the art of driving sales through the introduction and explanation of features and benefits. This technique is particularly well-suited to finessing those buyers who consider themselves experts. As such, this selling technique requires an absolute adherence to the concept that “the customer is always right.” Be careful not to oversell, but do listen attentively—the buyer is usually intent on sharing their knowledge with you.

This type of buyer is strongly influenced by technical details and by on- or off-site demos. It is imperative that the salesperson understand every facet of the product. Be forewarned: This type of client will probe with questions and will attempt to demonstrate a superior grasp of the details of your product. Your selling skills and patience will be tested as you try to educate your client without appearing to patronize them.

Relationship Selling

In relationship selling, the client is far less aggressive but no less demanding. Instead of technical details, the client wants to fully trust you as their salesperson and completely depend on your expertise. Develop this type of bond through dedicated service, careful attention, and entertainment. Become their favorite sales rep!

It can be easy to establish this relationship and even to get a few small sales, but it is notoriously difficult to move up the relationship ladder from mere vendor to strategic partner. Many salespeople shrink from discussing long-term commitments or complex business issues for fear that they will damage the relationship. This is a huge mistake! Ignoring these important topics will ultimately damage your selling ability. Fortunately, once a strong relationship-based connection is established, your competition will face an uphill battle trying to dislodge your company as the vendor of choice.

Selling Skills

The selling skills necessary to succeed in a consultative vendor-client relationship may seem daunting, but they are the same skills required in any business setting. As always, your willingness to listen, understand the needs of the client, and then offer innovative, customized solutions will prove vital to your efforts.

Why CGWA?

We enlist yor own regional sales managers whom we have previously trained in Consultative Selling Skills and Coaching to help us drive results. Because of this, sales reps, region managers, and area sales directors consistently rate this workshop over 90% in the areas of applicability, relevance, and helping drive business in their territories better than ever.At CGWA, our 5 targeted Sales Execution Workshops are each developed, tested, and refined in the field—in response to real sales execution issues faced by very successful commercial teams. Next week, we'll talk about the fifth and last in this suite of workshops: Great Territory Planning. Be sure to check it out!

Account Development: Strategy you can't live without [Week 2 of 6]

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:02:00 GMT

Last week, we talked about the world of sales execution. A focused, seasoned sales force can succeed on its own merits through sheer force of will. But that uphill push, with all the accompanying stress, too often leads to resignations, terminations and even total failure.

Truly strategic account development, on the other hand, will allow your team to constructively engage their clients, support each other’s efforts and—most importantly—achieve their sales goals.

So why is creating a sales strategy such a daunting task? The truth is, it doesn’t need to be difficult or complicated, either in its creation or implementation. What it does require is thoughtfulness from all levels of the sales team. Strategic account development can be divided into four distinct stages:

1. Market Analysis

As in any undertaking of this sort, the process begins with data collection. Pertinent business trends, key accounts and their decision makers, plus company goals (yours and your clients’) must be identified and prioritized. Adequate time and effort must be given to this process of “account targeting” and must involve all levels of the sales team. It is the basis for everything to come.

2. Strategy Development

The development of the strategic plan requires some serious critical thinking. At the very least, it must incorporate company objectives, the strengths and weaknesses of the competition, and provide customer-centric solutions that will drive sales growth. In addition, as a sub-strategy, an account profile should be completed for every client. This profile details the tactics used and steps followed to retain and grow this specific client.

3. Solutions Presentation

Engagement is the key to success in account development. If you can prove that you understand the needs of the client, then you will inevitably move up the “strategic relationship ladder.” As you do, your relationship with the client will advance from mere tolerance of your role as a salesperson to an intimate dependence on you as a solutions provider. This concept is fundamental to building and maintaining long term, lucrative clients. In addition, it's imperative at this stage to gather further information to fine-tune solutions for your client.

4. Ongoing Evaluation

It can't be said enough: Monthly and quarterly, critically-driven business reviews must be conducted and must include the entire sales team. Each member of the sales team has a unique perspective that bears on the whole. We apply the proven SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Time-bound) system to integrate new ideas, substrategies and goals.

All this is just a very small taste of what happens in the classroom and in the field during our Strategic Account Development workshop. At CGWA, our 5 targeted Sales Execution Workshops are each developed, tested, and refined in the field—in response to real sales execution issues faced by super-successful commercial teams. Next week, we'll talk about the second of these workshops: Competitive Targeting and Selling. Meet me there!

Sales Execution: A World of Opportunity [Week 1 of 6]

Janelle Gilbert — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:01:00 GMT

At the risk of twisting a famous cliché, one could say that sales "make the business world go 'round." The successful completion of business deals, also known as sales execution, is fundamental to the future of every business.

In a successful sales environment, titles are unimportant. Whether you are a freshly minted sales associate, the Senior V.P. of Sales, or anything in between, only results define success or failure.

At the lowest levels, sales is just selling, but as one progresses up the corporate ladder, sales strategy and employee development become the key priorities. The successful sales director focuses his attention on three distinct areas and on the key personnel who will implement his plans in those areas.

Business and Market Development

The first goal is to accurately identify trends, goals and sales opportunities in the sales market. With this information, a sales manager can align their area’s goals with the company’s national strategy. There is no sense in reinventing the wheel. Instead, a prudent sales manager uses the tools provided by corporate to detail the correct product and account mix to their team. This ensures optimal coverage of the area and the most efficient exploitation of its potential. Proper business planning and market development will always produce the best sales strategies.

Ensuring Sales Execution

The proper execution of the established sales strategies will always yield superior results. The sales manager’s focus should be on using proactive rather than reactive sales tools. Examining total sales—after the fact—yields information but allows for little further action. Instead, tracking such activities as cold calls, customer contacts and physical meetings allows a sales manager to ensure excellent sales execution while there is still time to correct any deficiencies.

Recruiting and Developing Talent

Attracting and hiring the best talent, and then implementing coaching, mentoring, and maintaining active day-to-day involvement also play a critical role in ensuring superior sales execution. As always, leading by example rather than just telling ingrains those best sales practices into the sales team. And don't forget that consistent interaction with the sales force: It allows the sales manager to assess, coach and develop the future leaders of their team. Using this same method, the successful sales manager can identify and remove any weak links in the system.

It seems obvious that sales execution requires proper planning, active participation, and the superior talent to succeed. These three requirements should be at the forefront of the sales manager's mind and create the foundation for all his other activities.

At CGWA, our 5 targeted Sales Execution Workshops are each developed, tested, and refined in the field—in response to real sales execution issues faced by very successful commercial teams. Next week, we'll talk about the first of these workshops: Strategic Account Development. See you then!

Excuse me? Defuse tension with stellar communication skills.

Karen Holmes — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:29:00 GMT

Last time, we talked about minimizing your holiday stress with 3 key communication tips. But communication problems don't melt away with the holiday season, do they? Improving interpersonal communication skills has been an ongoing challenge since the dawn of time.

How many times have you had a misunderstanding with a colleague that went unresolved until both of you were so angry you could hardly speak to each other? Have you ever failed to respond to someone or ignored your concerns, causing them to feel insulted or marginalized? These communication obstacles pop up all too often. Good news: You can help minimize and repair these dysfunctional interactions!

Great communication follows a process for both the sender and receiver of the message.

Senders Must:

Know what it is they wish to convey.
Check on whether or not they are getting their message across.
Be willing and able to change their communication process or style in order to achieve their goal.

Receivers Must:

Be willing to listen.
Be skillful at active and passive listening.
Be willing and able to change their listening style in order to understand the point of view of the sender.

Of course, this process is only the beginning of successful communication. But are you starting with a neutral, balanced communication style? Probably not; we all have our own unique approach. To understand your communication strengths and weaknesses, take our Communication Skills Self-Assessment.

In the classroom, we present participants with concepts, tools, and insights that are practiced extensively to create a better understanding of how they communicate and how to approach others more effectively. We also teach how to clarify misunderstandings and create a positive environment by planning for these critical interactions. It's such a pleasure seeing people experience communication breakthroughs!

Karen Holmes is a CGWA Senior Consultant and Trainer, based in the U.S. and delivering programs such as Building a Culture of High Accountability ™, Coaching, Interpersonal Communication Skills, Positive Power and Influence®, Presentation Skills, and many more.

Holiday Stress Buster: Interpersonal Communication Skills!

Karen Holmes — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:28:00 GMT

Yes, the holidays are upon us once again! While this special time of year can bring family and friends together for times of joy, laughter and celebration, this can also be a time of year with extra pressure and stress. Your personal “to do list” is a hefty addition to the many tasks that you must continue to accomplish at work. This combination of pressures can create some tense moments in communication, sometimes leading to less-than-desirable outcomes.

At CGWA we want your holidays to be filled with joy and your work to shine too. In that spirit, we'd like to offer a few tips for successful interpersonal communication as we finish 2011 and set our sights on 2012!

Here goes…

Set clear boundaries. Be realistic with yourself and others about what you can accomplish in a given time frame. Remember there is always a push to do more. Many times when we explain to others what we have on our plate they will begin to understand our limitations.
Explain what you can do. Break the task, assignment or project into “chunks” and state the things that you will be able to accomplish and by when. Usually we start with what we will not be able to do and feel that we will be disappointing the other person. So, stay positive and explain what you will be able achieve.
Don’t take it personally. If we think someone is frustrated or overwhelmed many times we can attribute that to something we may or may not have done. Remember, when we are not sure about something or do not have all the information about a situation we tend to fill in the blanks and create the rest of the story for ourselves. Usually we focus on what we have not done or can’t do. Remember, another person’s stress and frustration does not need to become yours!

As you finish your shopping and head for the celebrations, keep these key communication tips in mind for a peaceful and happy holiday season. Enjoy, from all of us at CGWA!

We'll be taking a break from blogging next week. May your holidays be merry and bright!

Presentation Skills: Your Presentation Body [Part 2]

Karen Holmes — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:55:00 GMT

Last time we got you started on your presentation body, discussing the need for a main point and its supporting evidence. That was a good start, but since the body is the “meat” of your presentation, we still have a lot to cover. I am so excited to share my knowledge with you because I know you can take these skills with you wherever you go!

Okay, let's get to it. Once you have decided on your point, or message, you need to present evidence to support it. But although you may know something, how do you put together supporting information in a way that speaks to your audience? Here are some specifics for each of the 5 types of evidence:

Personal Experience: A specific firsthand situation in which you participated that supports or clarifies your point.

The personal experience should always be communicated in the first person. For example: I said “ .” He said “ .”
This allows you to use actual dialogue which adds an emotional dimension to the incident, makes it more interesting to the listener and is easier for you to relate. Literally relive the experience.
Remember, to most listeners the pe
rsonal experience is the most interesting and unique form of evidence. People remember stories long after they have forgotten the storyteller.

Analogy: A similarity between things or situations otherwise unlike.

This can be a very creative form of evidence and when presented visually, can be quite dramatic.
For example, to communicate the concept that we only see part of something and do not have the whole picture, the iceberg can be an effective analogy. To communicate the fact that we do not have the proper equipment, an analogy might be “like trying to keep a football field dry with a box of tissues.”
A good analogy allows the speaker to graphically exaggerate a point without offending the intelligence of the listener.

Judgment of Expert: A statement made by a person the group will recognize as an authority on the subject.

The statement should be supportive in either a positive or negative manner. If the source is not readily known to the entire group, credentials, qualifications and accomplishments should be identified prior to using a quote. Some sources for judgments of experts are newspapers, journals and trade magazines.

Example: A specific situation where various key factors are similar to those that support your point.

Examples make a presentation more interesting and help your audience understand your point.

Facts/Statistics: A fact is something that already happened or a condition that exists.

Statistics are a quantification of a fact and are used primarily for comparison. Statistics are used to report on a past activity or to predict the results of future activity.
When using statistics, ask yourself:

What do they represent? (Results? Predictions?)
What do they tell the listener? (Comparison? Conclusion?)
How do they support or clarify my point?

It is most important to use visual aids to display statistics. Be graphically dramatic; you will be amazed at the amount of statistical information your audience is able to retain!

Delivery Tips for the Body

Use a flip chart for each key point. This will keep you organized, emphasize points to your audience and allow you to speak from the chart without looking at your notes.

What next? Oh yes, the dreaded conclusion. Let's leave that for next time...

CGWA is proud to offer our Presentation Skills workshop, helping professionals reach their potential everywhere we go! It is essential to get hands-on, practical training in the classroom to bring these concepts to life.

Karen Holmes is a CGWA Senior Consultant and Trainer, based in the U.S. and delivering programs such as Building a Culture of High Accountability™, Coaching, Positive Power and Influence®, Presentation Skills, and many more.

Got leftover budget dollars for 2011? CGWA has your back!

Ellen Eber — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:24:00 GMT

Is there money left in your department's training budget that will be lost at the end of 2011?
Are you trying to stretch your training dollars?
Are you wondering how you can possibly fill a class before the end of the year?

2012 is approaching quickly, but don't worry! CGWA has your back. In order to help our customers maximize their budgets, we are now offering two budget-stretching options:

1. Pay now, train later

OR

2. Training discounts for early 2012 bookings

Hurry! Time is running out...

Presentation Skills: Your Presentation Body [Part 1]

Karen Holmes — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:10:00 GMT

Last time, we talked about creating your presentation introduction. Now it's time to work on the body, which will consist of your key points and the evidence you will use to support each key point. Evidence makes your key points more interesting and helps you emphasize them more strongly. By providing evidence, you clarify and expand your point and answer any questions you anticipate your audience might have.

When developing the body of the presentation, you should use the following format:

State the point (the message you want your audience to receive)
Back up each point with evidence (information the listener needs to know about that point to understand it and take action)

To help you develop your supporting ideas, discuss each point with yourself. Keep your audience in mind and remember your objectives. Imagine yourself conversing with your audience. You know the subject. Each point will probably trigger another related point. By talking each point out, you will see in which direction your thoughts take you. Decide which thoughts you need. Look for details. Be concrete. Avoid generalities. Reinforce ideas with specifics.

Evidence can take many different forms. There are five forms of backup evidence we will cover in this program:

Personal Experience
Analogy
Judgment of Expert
Example
Facts/Statistics

This is an excellent beginning to your presentation body, but there's a lot more to it. Don't worry...we have all the tips and tools you need!

CGWA is proud to offer our Presentation Skills workshop, helping professionals reach their potential everywhere we go! Next time, we'll dig deeper into how to create your presentation body. Before you know it, your presentation will be ready for the real world, and you'll be ready to shine!