It’s always salutary to take questions afterwards; it provides food for thought and perhaps further investigation.  One that emerged tonight was why I advised not distributing handouts before the presentation, and I think the group was fairly evenly divided on this one; some liked them, others not. My take is that they are distracting, and that the focus in the room should be on the presenter who has a ’story’ to tell – why let the audience know the ending too soon? In addition, I often find handouts are printed copies of a slide-show presentation, and given the style of my own – heavy on image and light on text – such a handout would be pointless. Instead I provide the ‘paper’ of the presentation as an online document for downloading. It’s doing my bit for environmental sustainability too!

What’s your thinking on this one? To handout or not to handout? Which do you prefer and what are the best kind?

I spent a very pleasant evening last night in the company of some of Toowoomba’s business-women. The brainchild of Commonwealth Bank of Australia local business banker Catherine Ardi, this monthly gathering provides an opportunity for women across the community to get together for a personal development session with a guest or two, nibbles and drinks and friendship. It’s a networking, support group that also helps to get the word out about causes and charities in need.

Last night Smart Cookies heard from Judy James representing the Multiple Sclerosis support group and in particular, a project called Youngcare, aimed at providing ‘a relevant and dignified lifestyle for young Australians with high care needs.’ Kids from 5 upwards and young adults have MS requiring constant care in a facility suited to their age and interests. Currently there is no government-funded scheme to assist in providing such facilities. Step up some terrific community members to help out and now the Smart Cookies and their network.

I spoke about presenting yourself in public, face to face or virtually.  I was made to feel most welcome and am delighted to spread the word about smart women getting together and supporting one another … and haven’t they always!

If you would like to assist Judy James and her team, please contact me here and I will pass on the details.

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• Multiple Sclerosis. Quiz: (rdoctor.com)

It also changed journalism for ever. Along with the advent of movies and television it meant that journalists had to be performers as well as reporters.

Today we are used to the live cross to a breaking story, the recorded voice piece to camera, the studio interview. News readers are expected to be journalists and interviewers, as well as announcers. In fact the announcer-only figure has almost totally disappeared. Yet very often, journalism courses offer almost no training when it comes to the effective use of the voice or how best to make use of the camera.

All too often we have an ‘eye candy’ approach, where young attractive presenters nervously and self consciously mumble their way through a story with puzzling phrasing and random emphasis.

It’s hardly surprising. It takes training and experience to become a good broadcast journalist. It is only when there is a considered but real engagement with the story, allied to an understanding of the medium, that communication begins to happen.  Of course ‘journos’ don’t have to assume different characters in the way that actors do for example, but they do, like actors have to develop sensitivity to different contexts … to have a point of view. They must be able to finesse their approach to the subject. They need to be aware, flexible, and relaxed enough to let the story be absorbed by them, and then confident enough to allow it to be filtered by, but not overwhelm their personality. That takes confidence born out of practical training in a secure, professional learning environment.

A strong personal brand is a mix of reputation, trust, attention, and execution. …

… A personal brand gives you the ability to stand out in a sea of similar products. In essence, you’re marketing yourself as something different than the rest of the pack.

The term branding is one of the more ubiquitous in business-speak these days … and it has been for some time. You hear about a company branding itself so that its unique qualities are presented strongly and clearly to its clients and potential customers. But what about personal branding? What is it, and why should you be interested? Whether or not you are a company employee, or operate as a freelance or independent business person, personal branding is all about presenting yourself and your business in the best possible light … whether face to face or online. The two quotes at the top of this post are from Chris Brogan who writes on social media, communication and business.

One of the best introductions to the business of personal branding can be found in Chris’ free e-book Personal Branding for the Business Professional. We thoroughly recommend your downloading this really useful 15 page pdf format guide from his site. Chris writes clearly and succinctly on personal branding and its importance to the business professional. It’s full of great ideas for presenting yourself well … personally and digitally.

It’s also an extremely valuable introduction to the range of online tools and social networks available to the professional … with suggestions on how to use them for personal and professional development.

Whatever the ‘gig’ may be, being an MC is an important position that can make or break an event.

At first you’re flattered. They must have picked you for your quick wit or unflappable charm, or perhaps your seductive speaking voice. Clanger number one.

It’s not about you. It’s about making sure the bride and groom have the best day possible, or that the club heroes are honoured, that people go away knowing the new widget is a world beater, or that the fund-raising target was reached.

After the initial ego boost is over, the uncertainty creeps in. Many will cope by simply saying, “It’ll be alright on the night. After all I was a wow at the last office party.” Clanger number two.

Being an MC requires planning.  You are far better to apply Murphy’s Law – if things can go wrong they will. Careful planning won’t guarantee things may not go a little astray, but you will be able to minimise the impact of a hitch if you are prepared.

Having decided to plan, you’d better ask for a bit of advice. You may think to yourself, “I’ll not bother the bride and groom. They’ve got enough to concentrate on, and besides … surprises can be fun. The best man is a hoot, and two of the bridesmaids have come up with a list of things. Uncle John is funny as a circus when he’s had a couple, and everyone knows that it’s the groom’s mother that really calls the shots.” Clanger number three.

Have one point of contact, and make sure the person chosen has the authority for that particular event. If the function is being run by a committee, then liaise with the chairperson. If it’s a wedding, what is it the bride and groom want?

With those three clangers ringing in your head it’s time to get serious about planning.

• Give yourself a timetable with deadlines and stick to it. Many organisations appoint an MC at the last minute which makes your job harder. If possible, get involved with the planning right from the start.
  Draw up a checklist of things that have to be done.
• Make up a contact list of key personnel and put the numbers in your phone.
• If any of the event involves being outside, ensure that you have a wet weather plan ready.
• You’ll probably need some technical support, so make sure you learn the technician’s name and that your equipment is compatible with the venue. That slide show that took you ages to compile is useless if you have the wrong connecting cable. Be clear and comprehensive in your briefing to the technician. Write a list so that you are not forever saying “Oh by the way … .”
• Make sure that the participants have a copy of the latest running sheet. When people see a timed order of events they are more inclined to stick to a schedule.
• Write your own introductions suitable to the occasion. Don’t just read out a long biography that’s been sent by the guest speaker … unless of course, it’s part of their contract.
• If the occasion is a formal one, then be sure that everyone is aware of the protocols demanded.

If you want to learn more about how to be a really good MC there are books and online tips, but best of all, get some professional training. A ‘hands on’ workshop with first class feed back is the best way to improve your skills.

The story goes that while entertaining some guests at an evening function, Kevin received a phone call from President George Bush. The call apparently dealt with the world financial crisis … well so far so good … what else was there to talk about you might ask.  After all, these are the sort of chats one expects world leaders to have.

Where it all got a bit messy was when, according to a newspaper report in The Australian, Kevin had to explain to George what the G-20 is/are. We hope the PM was able to assist, although presumably the President could have found out by going to the official G-20 website which we’ve linked here for your reading pleasure. But back to the Presidential inquiry.  If the allegation is true, it makes Kevin look a lot better informed than George when it comes to world affairs. What’s germane to this whole business is not necessarily the content of the call … although if true, it does confirm some widely held suspicions … but what happened afterwards: the content of the call was leaked. That bit of the conversation has since been hotly denied on both sides … but the damage had been done.

So more than a few eyes and a lot of lenses were on the meeting this past weekend between the two leaders in the US, the first since that call. Judging by the TV and press photographs and the commentary of journalists present, the White House reception afforded the Australian Prime Minister by President Bush was ‘cool.’ How did they know? The President’s body language and facial expression said it all.

The signals sent out by George Bush were distinctly unfriendly. The smile was forced and thin, the handshake distant, and the greeting brief. Compare this with the effusive gestures and lengthy greetings given other world leaders. By comparison, the Australian Prime Minister’s welcome was almost perfunctory. Despite the friendly Prime Ministerial hand on the Presidential back, there was almost no responding head turn and smile from George, just a resolute march forward, with Kevin trailing behind.

This was a potent reminder of the importance of non-verbal communication. Even at the highest level, perhaps particularly at the highest level, it’s vital to be aware of the impression given through one’s posture, gesture, facial expression and spatial awareness. All good relationships, whether international or not, are based on trust, and that trust is eloquently transmitted through our body language and general demeanour.

You can be sure the beady eyes of the media saw it! They were keen to pounce on the ’salute’ the PM gave the President last year at a NATO meeting in Bucharest. You can read all about that little body-language storm in a teacup in the article below.

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• Kevin Rudd’s salute to George Bush sparks row

• It’s not a slideument … i.e., a document pretending to be a slide show;
• It’s short;
• It’s visually appealing, with images that support and extend the message;
• It’s memorable. If you’ve flicked through it even once, there is going to be an image that has told you a story that you’ll remember.

A (minor) rant on why good presentation design works …, Sep 2008

Whilst these are plus points with reference to an online slideshow presentation, they are as equally relevant to one given live.

Have a look at the whole article and see what you think.

Image by jmtimages via Flickr

Ask the average movie goer who their favourite actor is, and you’ll get an answer. You’ll probably get an answer if you ask for their favourite director, but if you ask for their favourite screen writer, you will in all likelihood, draw a blank.

I suspect that the same is true with great speech writers. Most modern politicians simply don’t have the time to craft their own speeches. Now don’t get me wrong, I found Obama’s Chicago victory oration as inspiring as the next man. His delivery was superb, but in the absence of the credits rolling, we should at least acknowledge the team of writers behind the performance. One of them, New Statesman writer and volunteer advisor Jacob Rigg, phoned, emailed and videoed his contribution from London. But who else was on the team? It’s hard to find out.

Pulitzer prize winning author Jane Smiley thought that he’d written it all himself, and rejoiced in the idea of having a wordsmith in the White House. Certainly there is no doubt the Obama has a gift for words; his undergraduate poetry even got approval from Shakespearean scholar Harold Bloom.

Whether or not the president-elect relied on a team of writers is, from a purely presentational point of view, not as important as the fact that he made the words his own. This is proof, if any were needed, of what a masterful speaker he is. No writing, however good, can give you a feeling for the audience that is the skill of the orator.

From a measured start, Obama reached into the collective soul of that Chicago crowd until they spoke with one voice, “Yes we can, yes we can”! I choose the word soul deliberately, for here is a man with the cadences of a preacher and the presence of a prophet.

The template was from the best: Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, but for me it was the way he managed to personalise, through the experiences of Ann Nixon Cooper … the story of modern America … that was the pathway to the people’s hearts. It was a story of triumph over adversity, of good over evil, and it struck an almost fairy tale chord with the audience who listened with the innocence of children who wanted to believe.

Having got his audience relaxed by repeating in a new way a story they all knew, he began to weave, through six short paragraphs, each with its chanted coda, a thread of hypnotic hope. Even through a bullet proof glass barrier and the paraphernalia of television transmission, we felt the pulse and collective energy of that occasion. The audience was mesmerised. Thousands of miles away in Australia  we caught their mood and were likewise entranced.

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Image via Wikipedia

I thought you might be interested in a conversation from the Seesmic online video platform which I have embedded below. It extends Presentation Plus’ observations and discussions on presentation skills and performance.

We have been following the US Presidential campaign here with a keen eye to the oratorial and presentation skills of some of the candidates. You’ll find our other posts on the topic in Jottings on this blog. But back to this post …

The conversation evolved from an initial video post ‘Al Gore Talks About TV’ made by Cathy Brooks, head of business development at Seesmic. Cathy is based in San Francisco, and was at the Web 2.0 Summit at which Al Gore presented late last week. I joined the conversation and sent back a comment on the former Presidential candidate’s solid grasp of the use of Web 2.0 digital technologies and social networking applications. Cathy’s (clip 3) in response to me contained some surprising observations on Mr Gore’s presentation skills during the Summit. They raise a few key considerations for anyone who gets up before an audience to make a presentation.

I’m drawn to the issues of a presenter’s ‘authenticity’ and ‘credibility.’ These perceptions by an audience are of crucial importance not only to politicians, but also to anyone in the public eye of a population which is now visually literate, and becoming increasingly sophisticated.  What do you think?

Please feel free to join the video conversation or leave a written comment below.

Al Gore talks about TV