Remember that book title, All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten? That about sums up what most people bother to learn about how to make a presentation. Consider how anxious you were on your very first day of school. It’s probably about the same feeling you got the first time you were asked to make an important presentation. Now consider how you felt in school a few weeks later, when you knew what to expect, and learned there was little to fear and much to be gained. That’s how someone who makes presentations regularly feels after awhile. The fear is diminished and you soon learn that the benefits of a well-done presentation far outweigh the potential risks.
Unfortunately, once that fear is gone (or at least manageable), most people think that’s all there is to it, that they have "arrived" in the realm of being a good presenter. In reality, that’s about the same as saying that kindergarten is the only schooling you need, because that was when you overcame your fear of school. Nonsense! How far do you think you’d get in life with only a kindergarten education?
Let’s break it down. There are three types of presenters. First, there are the reluctant presenters, those who are still so afraid of that first day in school that their fear overwhelms them, so they do everything possible to avoid it. Unless there is a truant officer or parent or boss waiting in the wings to force them to do it, reluctant presenters essentially close the door on themselves, cutting themselves off from their own future advancement. Reluctant presenters are, alas, the overwhelming majority of us.
Then there are the kindergarten presenters. These are the ones who have actually managed to overcome most of their fear of making a presentation, usually because they were forced to do it often enough that they learned how to control or even eliminate their fear. Most politicians, broadcasters, corporate executives, teachers, and even salespeople fall into this category. Having some control over their fears is the one and only benchmark of success for a kindergarten presenter, yet even those few who have achieved just that modest level of skill are often greatly rewarded.
The rarest, most elusive, and most celebrated communicator of all is the accomplished presenter. Accomplished presenters are those who learned early that overcoming their fear of presenting isn’t anywhere near enough knowledge to accomplish their goals. They learned to approach making a presentation as a highly specialized art form, yet one with specific, even measurable results. They understand that when the goal is to be a true leader, one must first become an accomplished presenter. Quite simply, the fastest and most satisfying route to become an admired and inspirational leader is to master the art of presentation.
Many accomplished presenters learn what they needed to know through years of attending the school of hard knocks, overcoming countless bits of bad and conflicting advice from well-meaning but under-informed sources. Even most college communications programs deal only with the kindergarten ABC’s of presentation, neglecting the D-Z elements so critical to leadership presentations.
Some accomplished presenters learn more quickly by taking the shortcut of hiring highly specialized experts in the field, such as presentational experts and speech coaches, which can be expensive, but the results can be much more rapid, and the potential for embarrassing mistakes dramatically diminished, particularly when the venue is widely publicized.
Once you know what you are looking for, you can recognize a truly accomplished presenter within moments of the beginning of his or her presentation. The first thing you will notice is how they make you feel during their opening remarks. When they are inclusive, inviting and make you nod your head in agreement, that’s your first sign of an accomplished speaker. If, as he or she continues, you find yourself being drawn in to the presenter’s story (as opposed to wondering "who cares"), you are on your way in a useful journey. If, at the end, you leave knowing exactly what you need to do next, for yourself and for your alliance with your presenter, then you have truly been in the presence of a master presenter, and quite probably, an inspirational leader whose legacy will be long remembered.
No great communication ever happened by accident, though. Let’s be clear; just like the great athlete or the great actor, the best ones always make it look easy. When you see a speaker who accomplishes everything mentioned above AND appears to just be having an impassioned conversation, leaving you with the impression that he or she was talking directly to you, regardless of the venue, then you are witnessing a truly legendary presenter. Take note, as they are few and far between these days.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Developing a Winning Sales Presentation
PROBLEM: You’ve been given the task of creating a sales presentation for a new product that will become the company standard. You’re competing with other sales managers for a promotion, and it’s clear that whoever designs the best presentation will get that promotion.
SOLUTION: Sales presentations are the easiest kind of presentation to develop, because unlike many other types of presentations, the goal is always the same; to sell more of the product. Unfortunately, many salespeople begin by simply making a list of all of the attributes of their product, then run down that list during their presentation ("This product is faster, smarter, cheaper than the competitors.") Simply listing the attributes isn’t enough, because it assumes the buyer will automatically know what the advantages of those attributes are, an assumption that is sure to lose sales.
By all means, start with such a list, but then take each attribute to the next level; determine what NEEDS a potential buyer has, and how each of the attributes of this new product can satisfy those needs. For example, if you’re selling high-end cookware, rather than just talk about how much faster your pans will heat up, point out how much time it will save a busy cook during meal preparation. If your product is smarter, describe how using it will give them an edge over their competitors who haven’t yet upgraded. If your product is cheaper, make it clear how significant their savings will be, and how useful those savings will be for expanding their business or making their personal lives more comfortable and enjoyable.
Once you have made a list of attributes and the corresponding needs of the buyer that will be satisfied by each of them, the next critical element is to develop a strong opening for each attribute. Never begin with a question, because: 1) you may not get the answer you want, 2) it sounds like you haven’t done your homework and are looking for guidance from your buyer, and 3) it’s too hoaky, and you’ll lose credibility. Never start with an apology or joke either, because they will also diminish your authority.
The best way to start is to make an irrefutable statement with which the potential buyer can agree. These can include; 1) The Historical Approach-"Since Man discovered fire, we’ve been looking for better ways to cook our meals." 2) The Concerned Approach-"Teflon pans have recently been indicated in the development of cancer." 3) The Truth as We Know It-"The last thing that touches our food before it goes on a plate is the pan it is cooked in." and 4) Quotations-"It’s been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach." Choose the attribute that will have the most impact at the beginning of your presentation, and bring the others in whenever you introduce a new attribute.
The reason you start with an irrefutable opening statement is so the potential buyer will be compelled to agree with you, which is exactly what you want them to do. The more the buyer agrees with you, the easier the final sale will be. Therefore, your presentation of each attribute should begin with an irrefutable statement, move to a description of that attribute, and end with how that attribute will satisfy a particular need of the buyer. Watch your buyer! You should be able to get them nodding at each irrefutable statement, as well as each time you demonstrate how an attribute will satisfy their need. If they don’t nod, they haven’t seen the advantage to them yet, and you may have to adjust your approach a bit, because you’re trying to satisfy a need they either don’t really have or don’t think they have. If it’s the former, move on to another attribute, if it’s the latter, try again from another angle.
Once you’ve completed your description of each attribute and how it will satisfy the needs of your prospective buyer, now is the time to launch into the proverbial "close." This is the most misunderstood areas of making a sales presentation. Contrary to convention wisdom, it is not a time of cleverly outmaneuvering objections and employing arm-twisting techniques, nor is it a time to be avoided, letting the presentation simply peter out, as many (unsuccessful) salespeople prefer to do. Rather, consider it a Q&A period, an opportunity to teach the buyer even more about the product, and possibly even learn from your buyer how your product might be able to satisfy needs you never thought of.
Begin your close by simply asking, "What questions may I answer for you?" Now let them do the talking. Don’t expect them to admit their real objections at first, usually the third or fourth objection will get closer to the real reason they might be hesitating. Again, make your priority the satisfaction of THEIR needs, because ultimately, that’s the only reason they’ll buy your product.
Be well-prepared for the moment when the buyer says "Sign me up!" This may seem obvious, but there are many instances when a salesperson seems surprised and flustered when that moment comes, and that alone could destroy your buyer’s confidence in their decision to buy the product, sometimes enough to instantly change their minds. The customer giving his final "Yes" is the REAL close!
By keeping in mind that your most important job is to satisfy the needs of the buyer, there is no question that you will eventually reach the point of final sale. By exhibiting that kind of confidence in your product, you will set the standard for the company’s sales presentation, win that promotion, and ultimately make lots more sales!
SOLUTION: Sales presentations are the easiest kind of presentation to develop, because unlike many other types of presentations, the goal is always the same; to sell more of the product. Unfortunately, many salespeople begin by simply making a list of all of the attributes of their product, then run down that list during their presentation ("This product is faster, smarter, cheaper than the competitors.") Simply listing the attributes isn’t enough, because it assumes the buyer will automatically know what the advantages of those attributes are, an assumption that is sure to lose sales.
By all means, start with such a list, but then take each attribute to the next level; determine what NEEDS a potential buyer has, and how each of the attributes of this new product can satisfy those needs. For example, if you’re selling high-end cookware, rather than just talk about how much faster your pans will heat up, point out how much time it will save a busy cook during meal preparation. If your product is smarter, describe how using it will give them an edge over their competitors who haven’t yet upgraded. If your product is cheaper, make it clear how significant their savings will be, and how useful those savings will be for expanding their business or making their personal lives more comfortable and enjoyable.
Once you have made a list of attributes and the corresponding needs of the buyer that will be satisfied by each of them, the next critical element is to develop a strong opening for each attribute. Never begin with a question, because: 1) you may not get the answer you want, 2) it sounds like you haven’t done your homework and are looking for guidance from your buyer, and 3) it’s too hoaky, and you’ll lose credibility. Never start with an apology or joke either, because they will also diminish your authority.
The best way to start is to make an irrefutable statement with which the potential buyer can agree. These can include; 1) The Historical Approach-"Since Man discovered fire, we’ve been looking for better ways to cook our meals." 2) The Concerned Approach-"Teflon pans have recently been indicated in the development of cancer." 3) The Truth as We Know It-"The last thing that touches our food before it goes on a plate is the pan it is cooked in." and 4) Quotations-"It’s been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach." Choose the attribute that will have the most impact at the beginning of your presentation, and bring the others in whenever you introduce a new attribute.
The reason you start with an irrefutable opening statement is so the potential buyer will be compelled to agree with you, which is exactly what you want them to do. The more the buyer agrees with you, the easier the final sale will be. Therefore, your presentation of each attribute should begin with an irrefutable statement, move to a description of that attribute, and end with how that attribute will satisfy a particular need of the buyer. Watch your buyer! You should be able to get them nodding at each irrefutable statement, as well as each time you demonstrate how an attribute will satisfy their need. If they don’t nod, they haven’t seen the advantage to them yet, and you may have to adjust your approach a bit, because you’re trying to satisfy a need they either don’t really have or don’t think they have. If it’s the former, move on to another attribute, if it’s the latter, try again from another angle.
Once you’ve completed your description of each attribute and how it will satisfy the needs of your prospective buyer, now is the time to launch into the proverbial "close." This is the most misunderstood areas of making a sales presentation. Contrary to convention wisdom, it is not a time of cleverly outmaneuvering objections and employing arm-twisting techniques, nor is it a time to be avoided, letting the presentation simply peter out, as many (unsuccessful) salespeople prefer to do. Rather, consider it a Q&A period, an opportunity to teach the buyer even more about the product, and possibly even learn from your buyer how your product might be able to satisfy needs you never thought of.
Begin your close by simply asking, "What questions may I answer for you?" Now let them do the talking. Don’t expect them to admit their real objections at first, usually the third or fourth objection will get closer to the real reason they might be hesitating. Again, make your priority the satisfaction of THEIR needs, because ultimately, that’s the only reason they’ll buy your product.
Be well-prepared for the moment when the buyer says "Sign me up!" This may seem obvious, but there are many instances when a salesperson seems surprised and flustered when that moment comes, and that alone could destroy your buyer’s confidence in their decision to buy the product, sometimes enough to instantly change their minds. The customer giving his final "Yes" is the REAL close!
By keeping in mind that your most important job is to satisfy the needs of the buyer, there is no question that you will eventually reach the point of final sale. By exhibiting that kind of confidence in your product, you will set the standard for the company’s sales presentation, win that promotion, and ultimately make lots more sales!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
PowerPoint: Boon or Bust for Presenters?
When first introduced nearly two decades ago, PowerPoint and similar slide show programs were considered a godsend for those giving highly technical presentations on complicated subjects. Previously, those Presenters often had to labor for weeks, even months, partnered with a highly skilled, highly expensive audio-visual department, in order to get those essential overhead projections and slides just right. With PowerPoint, the job was reduced to simple point and click word and image processing program nearly anyone with a desktop computer can use, no AV department necessary.
So easy has the task become that now it is expected in practically every business, technical, or even general informational presentation. Presenters are often maligned, considered lazy or unprepared if they show up without an extensive PowerPoint presentation. In order to appear prepared (not that they are fooling anyone), some presenters merely resort to putting their outline on their PowerPoint, then proceed to do nothing more than read their outline out loud, or insert a bunch of nonsensical gobbledygook just to take up space. How many of us have been tortured with that kind of tedious, lackluster and disconnected presentation?
What used to be a tool for the presenter is too often becoming a crutch, or even worse, becoming the presentation itself. It should be remembered, however, that slides don’t connect with an audience, only a Presenter can do that. No one was ever inspired by a slide without the Presenter being inspiring as well.
First the facts. In order to be an effective Presenter, you must maintain authority at all times in order to win over your audience to your side, to trust that you, a real person, know what you are talking about. You cannot relinquish that authority to anyone or anything without a clear reason, or you risk losing control of the entire situation.
So picture this: imagine authority as a beach ball. As long as you have the beach ball in your hands, you are the authority, that’s where people are looking and listening. When you want your audience to pay attention to someone or something else, you must physically turn to that person or thing, and in essence, toss the imaginary beach ball to them. By telegraphing to your audience what you want them to do (indicating your leadership ability), they will turn to look at what you want them to look at in response (in the case of PowerPoint, a screen or monitor).
You should continue to remain facing that screen until the audience has gleaned all they can from it, ideally remaining silent while they take it all in. Then you must take that beach ball back by turning away from the screen back to your audience and reestablishing eye contact with them again. Now you have the authority again, and have clearly demonstrated that PowerPoint is just a tool, subservient to you, as it should be.
None of this can happen in a typical PowerPoint presentation as most people do it today. First, Presenters tend to want to darken the room so that the audience can see the screen better , which makes the screen the authority for the entire time. Worse, people have a hard time reading and listening at the same time, which means they have to choose between reading something that has the authority of being the brightest thing in the room, or listening to a disembodied voice coming out of the dark. Since our visual sense invariably takes precedence over all else, we’ll keep our eyes glued to the screen, barely hearing a word the presenter is saying. So now the listener not only can’t see the presenter, she can’t hear him either. Not much chance of a connection between them under those circumstances!
Even when you do hand over authority to your PowerPoint correctly there are a few more things you should take into consideration when preparing your presentation:
1. Keep slides to a minimum, only using one when "the picture replaces a thousand words."
2. Put a blank slide up in between slides you do use, to help let the audience know when to focus on you.
3. Dim the lights as little as possible (or have someone control the lights accordingly), so that you can visibly maintain the authority.
4. For the rest of your presentation, try to use words that are as descriptive as possible, to let your audience use their imagination rather than relying on your slides.
Years ago, I was conversing with an older woman with whom I worked at the time, and I told her how much I had enjoyed the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark." She said she hated it. I pressed her to explain. She said it was because the filmmaker tried to show her too much, and that his images were never as good as her own imagination. "In the old days," she said, "when a character peered into a dark hole and said, ‘Oh, no, not snakes, I hate snakes’, I imagined so many snakes in that snake pit it made my hair stand on end. In that movie, they didn’t even come close to what I had imagined!" She was disappointed because she felt cheated that the movie shortchanged her imagination.
Our imagination is one of our greatest human assets, and these days, its getting way too little exercise. So next time you have to do a presentation, resist the urge (and the criticism of the lesser-informed) to put every word or image in your presentation on the screen. Instead of wasting time designing an overabundance of convoluted and unnecessary slides, concentrate on making good words instead, descriptive words, and let the audience’s imagination do the rest of the work for you. (BTW, can you still see that beachball?)
So easy has the task become that now it is expected in practically every business, technical, or even general informational presentation. Presenters are often maligned, considered lazy or unprepared if they show up without an extensive PowerPoint presentation. In order to appear prepared (not that they are fooling anyone), some presenters merely resort to putting their outline on their PowerPoint, then proceed to do nothing more than read their outline out loud, or insert a bunch of nonsensical gobbledygook just to take up space. How many of us have been tortured with that kind of tedious, lackluster and disconnected presentation?
What used to be a tool for the presenter is too often becoming a crutch, or even worse, becoming the presentation itself. It should be remembered, however, that slides don’t connect with an audience, only a Presenter can do that. No one was ever inspired by a slide without the Presenter being inspiring as well.
First the facts. In order to be an effective Presenter, you must maintain authority at all times in order to win over your audience to your side, to trust that you, a real person, know what you are talking about. You cannot relinquish that authority to anyone or anything without a clear reason, or you risk losing control of the entire situation.
So picture this: imagine authority as a beach ball. As long as you have the beach ball in your hands, you are the authority, that’s where people are looking and listening. When you want your audience to pay attention to someone or something else, you must physically turn to that person or thing, and in essence, toss the imaginary beach ball to them. By telegraphing to your audience what you want them to do (indicating your leadership ability), they will turn to look at what you want them to look at in response (in the case of PowerPoint, a screen or monitor).
You should continue to remain facing that screen until the audience has gleaned all they can from it, ideally remaining silent while they take it all in. Then you must take that beach ball back by turning away from the screen back to your audience and reestablishing eye contact with them again. Now you have the authority again, and have clearly demonstrated that PowerPoint is just a tool, subservient to you, as it should be.
None of this can happen in a typical PowerPoint presentation as most people do it today. First, Presenters tend to want to darken the room so that the audience can see the screen better , which makes the screen the authority for the entire time. Worse, people have a hard time reading and listening at the same time, which means they have to choose between reading something that has the authority of being the brightest thing in the room, or listening to a disembodied voice coming out of the dark. Since our visual sense invariably takes precedence over all else, we’ll keep our eyes glued to the screen, barely hearing a word the presenter is saying. So now the listener not only can’t see the presenter, she can’t hear him either. Not much chance of a connection between them under those circumstances!
Even when you do hand over authority to your PowerPoint correctly there are a few more things you should take into consideration when preparing your presentation:
1. Keep slides to a minimum, only using one when "the picture replaces a thousand words."
2. Put a blank slide up in between slides you do use, to help let the audience know when to focus on you.
3. Dim the lights as little as possible (or have someone control the lights accordingly), so that you can visibly maintain the authority.
4. For the rest of your presentation, try to use words that are as descriptive as possible, to let your audience use their imagination rather than relying on your slides.
Years ago, I was conversing with an older woman with whom I worked at the time, and I told her how much I had enjoyed the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark." She said she hated it. I pressed her to explain. She said it was because the filmmaker tried to show her too much, and that his images were never as good as her own imagination. "In the old days," she said, "when a character peered into a dark hole and said, ‘Oh, no, not snakes, I hate snakes’, I imagined so many snakes in that snake pit it made my hair stand on end. In that movie, they didn’t even come close to what I had imagined!" She was disappointed because she felt cheated that the movie shortchanged her imagination.
Our imagination is one of our greatest human assets, and these days, its getting way too little exercise. So next time you have to do a presentation, resist the urge (and the criticism of the lesser-informed) to put every word or image in your presentation on the screen. Instead of wasting time designing an overabundance of convoluted and unnecessary slides, concentrate on making good words instead, descriptive words, and let the audience’s imagination do the rest of the work for you. (BTW, can you still see that beachball?)
Thursday, March 29, 2007
The Fastest Way to Spot a Liar
Much has been written about the complicated art of reading body language, and some of it might even be considered helpful. Most of us, however, don’t have time to become experts in this seemingly complicated field of study. So to help you spot someone who’s hiding something, or perhaps just not telling the whole truth, here’s a very simple way to tell.
Whenever we communicate, it all begins with an image in our brain, which we then decide to share with our listener. Once we make that decision, that image gets sent to two places: the "gesture center" of our brain, which determines whether the image is worthy of a gesture, and if so, what type of gesture should accompany it, and the "word center" of our brain, which proceeds to determine how to describe that image, figuring out what words will be most effective for that particular listener, selecting the proper language, making sure everything fits the rules of grammar, decorum and occasion. Once those words are selected, they then must make the journey to the mouth, where tongue, lips, cheeks and breathing must all be perfectly applied in order for that image to be conveyed.
It should be obvious that the amount of time necessary to determine an appropriate gesture is considerably shorter than the time it takes for the words to finally get out of your mouth. That means that if your gesture center has decided a gesture is appropriate, the gesture will always reach their destination long before the words do, relatively speaking. Quite simply, in a natural and truthful communication, the gesture will always come first, albeit a split second sooner.
When a gesture is late, however, appearing at the same time as the words, or worse, after the words, it is a clear indication that something is wrong. Whenever you notice a late gesture, alarm bells should start to go off in your head. Listen to it, because it is these kind of incongruities that are the basis for our instinct and intuition.
That’s because the first image in our mind is always the truth. Adjusting that image to suit a more favorable impression that is contradictory to the original truthful image is a conscience decision a presenter makes after that image is sent to the gesture center. The gesture center must then reassess the new image, and that disrupts the natural flow, which causes the gesture to be late.
So the easiest way to spot a liar is by looking at the timing of the gestures with their words. Take a close look at some well-known contemporary video and it will become more obvious. For example, when President Bill Clinton said, "I did not have sex with that woman," notice how long it takes for the finger pointing to kick in. Had it been the truth, that gesture would have occurred well in advance of the statement, because it was certainly a statement that warranted such an emphatic gesture, but a natural and truthful gesture would have come before the words.
The same was true in the case of the major league baseball player who made the claim, "I have never taken steroids in my life." Again, the finger-pointing gesture he used came much later than the words, once more indicating the absence, or manipulation, of the truth.
That isn’t to say that someone can’t be a good enough presenter to fool you, after all, good actors do it all the time. But when you do notice incongruities between a person’s words and the timing of their gestures, you can rest assured that any doubts you may have are justified. In this case, more than in any other, timing is everything.
Whenever we communicate, it all begins with an image in our brain, which we then decide to share with our listener. Once we make that decision, that image gets sent to two places: the "gesture center" of our brain, which determines whether the image is worthy of a gesture, and if so, what type of gesture should accompany it, and the "word center" of our brain, which proceeds to determine how to describe that image, figuring out what words will be most effective for that particular listener, selecting the proper language, making sure everything fits the rules of grammar, decorum and occasion. Once those words are selected, they then must make the journey to the mouth, where tongue, lips, cheeks and breathing must all be perfectly applied in order for that image to be conveyed.
It should be obvious that the amount of time necessary to determine an appropriate gesture is considerably shorter than the time it takes for the words to finally get out of your mouth. That means that if your gesture center has decided a gesture is appropriate, the gesture will always reach their destination long before the words do, relatively speaking. Quite simply, in a natural and truthful communication, the gesture will always come first, albeit a split second sooner.
When a gesture is late, however, appearing at the same time as the words, or worse, after the words, it is a clear indication that something is wrong. Whenever you notice a late gesture, alarm bells should start to go off in your head. Listen to it, because it is these kind of incongruities that are the basis for our instinct and intuition.
That’s because the first image in our mind is always the truth. Adjusting that image to suit a more favorable impression that is contradictory to the original truthful image is a conscience decision a presenter makes after that image is sent to the gesture center. The gesture center must then reassess the new image, and that disrupts the natural flow, which causes the gesture to be late.
So the easiest way to spot a liar is by looking at the timing of the gestures with their words. Take a close look at some well-known contemporary video and it will become more obvious. For example, when President Bill Clinton said, "I did not have sex with that woman," notice how long it takes for the finger pointing to kick in. Had it been the truth, that gesture would have occurred well in advance of the statement, because it was certainly a statement that warranted such an emphatic gesture, but a natural and truthful gesture would have come before the words.
The same was true in the case of the major league baseball player who made the claim, "I have never taken steroids in my life." Again, the finger-pointing gesture he used came much later than the words, once more indicating the absence, or manipulation, of the truth.
That isn’t to say that someone can’t be a good enough presenter to fool you, after all, good actors do it all the time. But when you do notice incongruities between a person’s words and the timing of their gestures, you can rest assured that any doubts you may have are justified. In this case, more than in any other, timing is everything.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Three Simple Things You Can Do Right Now to Make your Next Presentation Better
Let’s face facts. You don’t have to be a great actor to be a great presenter, but you do have to know something about the tools of the presentational trade. To be an actor, you need to have about fifty or sixty tools in your presentational toolbox, and you have to know how to use them in a whole range of venues, which may take years to master. To be a good presenter, however, you only need to know about ten or fifteen, in fairly predictable venues, which, theoretically, should be much easier and take a lot less time to learn to do. This is why Ronald Reagan earned the moniker "The Great Communicator." Even though by most accounts he was only a "B" actor, he understood those ten or fifteen presentational elements cold.
Here are some of the tools we mean:
1) Eye contact - Everyone knows you have to make good eye contact with your listener in order to be believed. If you were standing at a party with someone who refused to look you in the eye, you wouldn’t trust him as far as you could throw him! Why should it be any different in a group? Yet when most of us get in front of a crowd, we splatter our message around the room, talking to THE ROOM, rather than to anyone in it. Since we know that our listeners will only trust someone who looks them in the eye and won’t trust those who won’t, it becomes a simple matter of using a specific presentational technique. Simply look at just one listener for a complete sentence or two, before moving on to another person. Make solid eye contact with that next person, and complete a sentence or two to them. It takes discipline, yet it’s the only way to capture the appearance of trust that proper eye contact provides.
2) Gestures - We make gestures all the time, and almost never think about them when we are having a one-on-one conversation. But once we stand up in front of a group, suddenly we don’t know what to do with our hands. If we have a lectern, usually we solve the problem by leaning on the lectern, which gives us a lovely no-neck fullback posture (very attractive... NOT!) Often when we do gesture, it’s because we’ve thought about it, planned it, and stuck it in when we felt the time was right. Unfortunately, when we do that, it inevitably ends up being late, because a natural gestures ALWAYS precedes the words the gesture is to accompany. When you think about them, they become add-ons instead, so they are always late. NEVER plan gestures, period. Wait until you have an overwhelming urge to gesture, than give yourself the freedom to gesture when that urge hits you. It’s the only way to avoid late (and repetitive, and fake-looking, unnatural, knuckle point and karate chop) gestures.
3) Vocal Range - When we talk naturally, we use a very wide range of vocal pitches, running up and down many octaves of the pitch scale willy-nilly. When we start reading, or regurgitating a well-rehearsed script, we almost always fall into the grade school "reading-out- loud" cadence, when we begin slightly above a monotone pitch and then slide ever so slightly down to just below a monotone pitch (think "I pledge allegiance to the Flag," or "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.") To be an effective presenter, you must be able to deliberately recapture the much wider vocal range that comes naturally to us.
These are just three of the simplest tools a presenter must understand, and anyone who achieves any or all of them will, without question, quickly become known as a better than average presenter. And when the bottom line of your business or career depends on your ability to make a presentation better than the next guy or gal, it’s well worth the effort to master them.
Here are some of the tools we mean:
1) Eye contact - Everyone knows you have to make good eye contact with your listener in order to be believed. If you were standing at a party with someone who refused to look you in the eye, you wouldn’t trust him as far as you could throw him! Why should it be any different in a group? Yet when most of us get in front of a crowd, we splatter our message around the room, talking to THE ROOM, rather than to anyone in it. Since we know that our listeners will only trust someone who looks them in the eye and won’t trust those who won’t, it becomes a simple matter of using a specific presentational technique. Simply look at just one listener for a complete sentence or two, before moving on to another person. Make solid eye contact with that next person, and complete a sentence or two to them. It takes discipline, yet it’s the only way to capture the appearance of trust that proper eye contact provides.
2) Gestures - We make gestures all the time, and almost never think about them when we are having a one-on-one conversation. But once we stand up in front of a group, suddenly we don’t know what to do with our hands. If we have a lectern, usually we solve the problem by leaning on the lectern, which gives us a lovely no-neck fullback posture (very attractive... NOT!) Often when we do gesture, it’s because we’ve thought about it, planned it, and stuck it in when we felt the time was right. Unfortunately, when we do that, it inevitably ends up being late, because a natural gestures ALWAYS precedes the words the gesture is to accompany. When you think about them, they become add-ons instead, so they are always late. NEVER plan gestures, period. Wait until you have an overwhelming urge to gesture, than give yourself the freedom to gesture when that urge hits you. It’s the only way to avoid late (and repetitive, and fake-looking, unnatural, knuckle point and karate chop) gestures.
3) Vocal Range - When we talk naturally, we use a very wide range of vocal pitches, running up and down many octaves of the pitch scale willy-nilly. When we start reading, or regurgitating a well-rehearsed script, we almost always fall into the grade school "reading-out- loud" cadence, when we begin slightly above a monotone pitch and then slide ever so slightly down to just below a monotone pitch (think "I pledge allegiance to the Flag," or "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.") To be an effective presenter, you must be able to deliberately recapture the much wider vocal range that comes naturally to us.
These are just three of the simplest tools a presenter must understand, and anyone who achieves any or all of them will, without question, quickly become known as a better than average presenter. And when the bottom line of your business or career depends on your ability to make a presentation better than the next guy or gal, it’s well worth the effort to master them.
Friday, February 2, 2007
By Any Other Name, It’s Still Presentation
In the runup to the 2008 Presidential election, which is already off to a sputtering start, certain buzzwords are being commandeered by party strategists, politicos, and the media in an effort to define what the various candidates have to do in order to get ahead of the pack.
So far, some of the typical words and phrases describing these efforts have included "connect," "articulate," "make the case," "persuade," "explain," "outline," "promote", "put forth," "sway," "convince," "capture," "captivate," "pitch (as in sales)," "show charisma," "achieve star power," among many others. Recently, one so-called "expert" on a national conservative talk radio program compared Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama by saying Mr. Obama was "comfortable in his own skin," compared to Mrs. Clinton.
Though some may see these efforts as a mysterious and unknowable process, it’s actually as plain as the nose on Jimmy Durante’s face. All of these words and phrases can be distilled down to one simple concept: Presentation. The more a candidate understands how to make a good presentation, the more effective he or she will be in achieving all of the above, and any other name that might be devised. It’s still presentation.
Let’s face facts. To be an actor, you need to have about fifty or sixty tools in your presentational toolbox, and you have to know how to use them in a wide range of venues, which may take years to master. To be a good presenter, however, you only need to know about ten or fifteen, in fairly predictable venues, which, theoretically, should be much easier and take a lot less time to do. This is why Ronald Reagan earned the moniker "The Great Communicator." Even though by most accounts he was only a "B" actor, he understood those ten or fifteen presentational elements cold.
Here are some of the tools we mean:
1) Eye contact - Everyone knows you have to make good eye contact with your listener in order to be believed. If you were standing at a party with someone who refused to look you in the eye, you wouldn’t trust him as far as you could throw him. Why should it be any different in a group? Yet when most of our leaders get in front of a crowd, they splatter their message around the room, talking to THE ROOM, rather than to any people in it. Since we know that as listeners we will only trust someone who looks us in the eye and won’t trust those who won’t, it becomes a simple matter for a leader to use a specific presentational technique. They simply need to look at just one listener for a complete sentence or two, before moving on to another person. Then they should make solid eye contact with that next person, and complete a sentence or two to them. It takes discipline, yet it’s the only way to capture the appearance of trust that proper eye contact provides.
2) Gestures - We make gestures all the time, and almost never think about them when we are having a one-on-one conversation. But once we stand up in front of a group, suddenly we don’t know what to do with our hands. If we have a lectern, usually we solve the problem by leaning on the lectern, which gives us a lovely no-neck fullback posture (very attractive... not!) Often when we do gesture, it’s because we’ve thought about it, planned it, and stuck it in when we felt the time was right. Unfortunately, when we do that, it inevitably ends up being late, because a natural gestures ALWAYS precedes the words the gesture is to accompany, and when you think about them, they become add-ons, so they are always late. NEVER plan gestures, period. Wait until you have an overwhelming urge to gesture, than give yourself the freedom to gesture when that urge hits you. It’s the only way to avoid late (and repetitive, and fake-looking, unnatural, knuckle point and karate chop) gestures.
3) Vocal Range - When we talk naturally, we use a very wide range of vocal pitches, running up and down many octaves of the pitch scale willy-nilly. When we start reading, or regurgitating a well-rehearsed script, we almost always fall into the grade school reading-out- loud cadence, when we begin slightly above a monotone pitch and then slide ever so slightly down to just below a monotone pitch (think "I pledge allegiance to the Flag," or "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.") To be an effective presenter, you must be able to recapture the much wider vocal range that comes naturally to us.
These are just three of the simplest tools a presenter must understand, and anyone who achieves any or all of them will, without question quickly rise to the top, in politics or any other scenario. During this next election cycle, it’s imperative that we become more astute observers, so that we are able to recognize when presentational techniques are being employed. That way, we will have the opportunity to start asking ourselves, do we really like that person and his or her policies, or are we just enamored by the fact he or she has learned a few presentational tricks of the trade?
Considering the last great orator who was able to apply all fifteen of the elements of presentation effectively was Adolph Hitler, it’s a lesson worth remembering.
So far, some of the typical words and phrases describing these efforts have included "connect," "articulate," "make the case," "persuade," "explain," "outline," "promote", "put forth," "sway," "convince," "capture," "captivate," "pitch (as in sales)," "show charisma," "achieve star power," among many others. Recently, one so-called "expert" on a national conservative talk radio program compared Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama by saying Mr. Obama was "comfortable in his own skin," compared to Mrs. Clinton.
Though some may see these efforts as a mysterious and unknowable process, it’s actually as plain as the nose on Jimmy Durante’s face. All of these words and phrases can be distilled down to one simple concept: Presentation. The more a candidate understands how to make a good presentation, the more effective he or she will be in achieving all of the above, and any other name that might be devised. It’s still presentation.
Let’s face facts. To be an actor, you need to have about fifty or sixty tools in your presentational toolbox, and you have to know how to use them in a wide range of venues, which may take years to master. To be a good presenter, however, you only need to know about ten or fifteen, in fairly predictable venues, which, theoretically, should be much easier and take a lot less time to do. This is why Ronald Reagan earned the moniker "The Great Communicator." Even though by most accounts he was only a "B" actor, he understood those ten or fifteen presentational elements cold.
Here are some of the tools we mean:
1) Eye contact - Everyone knows you have to make good eye contact with your listener in order to be believed. If you were standing at a party with someone who refused to look you in the eye, you wouldn’t trust him as far as you could throw him. Why should it be any different in a group? Yet when most of our leaders get in front of a crowd, they splatter their message around the room, talking to THE ROOM, rather than to any people in it. Since we know that as listeners we will only trust someone who looks us in the eye and won’t trust those who won’t, it becomes a simple matter for a leader to use a specific presentational technique. They simply need to look at just one listener for a complete sentence or two, before moving on to another person. Then they should make solid eye contact with that next person, and complete a sentence or two to them. It takes discipline, yet it’s the only way to capture the appearance of trust that proper eye contact provides.
2) Gestures - We make gestures all the time, and almost never think about them when we are having a one-on-one conversation. But once we stand up in front of a group, suddenly we don’t know what to do with our hands. If we have a lectern, usually we solve the problem by leaning on the lectern, which gives us a lovely no-neck fullback posture (very attractive... not!) Often when we do gesture, it’s because we’ve thought about it, planned it, and stuck it in when we felt the time was right. Unfortunately, when we do that, it inevitably ends up being late, because a natural gestures ALWAYS precedes the words the gesture is to accompany, and when you think about them, they become add-ons, so they are always late. NEVER plan gestures, period. Wait until you have an overwhelming urge to gesture, than give yourself the freedom to gesture when that urge hits you. It’s the only way to avoid late (and repetitive, and fake-looking, unnatural, knuckle point and karate chop) gestures.
3) Vocal Range - When we talk naturally, we use a very wide range of vocal pitches, running up and down many octaves of the pitch scale willy-nilly. When we start reading, or regurgitating a well-rehearsed script, we almost always fall into the grade school reading-out- loud cadence, when we begin slightly above a monotone pitch and then slide ever so slightly down to just below a monotone pitch (think "I pledge allegiance to the Flag," or "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.") To be an effective presenter, you must be able to recapture the much wider vocal range that comes naturally to us.
These are just three of the simplest tools a presenter must understand, and anyone who achieves any or all of them will, without question quickly rise to the top, in politics or any other scenario. During this next election cycle, it’s imperative that we become more astute observers, so that we are able to recognize when presentational techniques are being employed. That way, we will have the opportunity to start asking ourselves, do we really like that person and his or her policies, or are we just enamored by the fact he or she has learned a few presentational tricks of the trade?
Considering the last great orator who was able to apply all fifteen of the elements of presentation effectively was Adolph Hitler, it’s a lesson worth remembering.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Fear-Free Job Interviews
Talk about pressure! Your entire future is at stake, and lies in the hands of a complete stranger. You know you have to make a good impression, so you start to talk to yourself for days in advance, in the car, in the shower, on the subway, practicing how to say just the right things. But what's the right thing to say to get what you want?
The answer is a simple Three-Step Formula that works any time you are faced with a communication that needs to have a specific outcome.
Step One is to identify with your interviewer. Make a statement that he or she can agree with to indicate that you have something in common. It could be as harmless as noticing he has a wet umbrella next to his door and saying something like "I see you got caught in the rain this morning, too," indicating a common experience. Perhaps you notice a painting or a trophy in his office, you can remark (sincerely) how impressed you are by the accomplishment, or how much you've always wanted to learn or have already enjoyed the represented activity. Open the door, but then let the interviewer take it from there. Let him decide whether he wants to take the subject any further, or if he wants to get down to business. If he does take it further, JUST LISTEN! Say as little as possible. Let the interviewer be the center of attention for as long as he wants. Later, he'll admire you for being a good listener.
Once an interview gets down to business, many people start (and many are asked to start) by talking about themselves. This is a trap and you must be aware of it. By talking about yourself, you are turning the spotlight on you. The spotlight should stay on the job that you want. The interviewer has your resume, it is all the history he or she needs. Consider your resume as an obituary of what you've done and move on to what you can do for the future of the company in that job.
That brings us to Step Two, which is to introduce new ideas to your interviewer. Talk about the job, about how having the right person in that job (not necessarily you) can change the direction of the company for the better. Before you schedule an interview, you should learn what the needs of the company are, and how the right person in that job can satisfy those needs. If the company needs to spin off a division, then an experienced manager is exactly what they need. If they're stuck in an advertising rut, then fresh new marketing ideas are what will fill the bill. If they need to impress clients by their cleanliness, a topnotch janitor will get the job done. Know the needs of the company, then demonstrate you know the importance that job is to satisfying those needs.
If necessary, ask the interviewer questions about the scope of the job, just to clarify that it is, in fact, a good fit, though the more homework you do about the position, the greater advantage you have. Offer two or three ideas about how the job (not necessarily you) can enhance the future of the company, and suggest there are numerous others you've been thinking about as well. This is the bulk of your interview, and the more ideas about how you can enhance the company's future, the better!
Finally, Step Three is to take the plunge and instigate the action. In other words, now is the time to ask for the job! Clearly formulate a final, closing statement in advance, so that when the time comes, there is no hesitation. Say something like, "This position is an important cornerstone to the future of this company, and as you can see from my resume, I am well qualified for it. This meeting has confirmed for me that this is a company I want to work for, and I trust you can see how much I bring to the table. I look forward to getting started. Did you have any further questions?"
If more questions are asked, simply answer them, always keeping the spotlight on the job and the future of the company rather than you specifically. When all is said and done, simply say, " I look forward to hearing from you within the week (or month, or whatever other time frame that has been set to fill the job. If you don't know, ask, then fill in the time in your final statement.)
Make sure you shake hands and look the interviewer in the eye when arriving and leaving. Thank him for his time on both occasions as well. Then walk out confidently, knowing that you've completed the best interview of the day!
The answer is a simple Three-Step Formula that works any time you are faced with a communication that needs to have a specific outcome.
Step One is to identify with your interviewer. Make a statement that he or she can agree with to indicate that you have something in common. It could be as harmless as noticing he has a wet umbrella next to his door and saying something like "I see you got caught in the rain this morning, too," indicating a common experience. Perhaps you notice a painting or a trophy in his office, you can remark (sincerely) how impressed you are by the accomplishment, or how much you've always wanted to learn or have already enjoyed the represented activity. Open the door, but then let the interviewer take it from there. Let him decide whether he wants to take the subject any further, or if he wants to get down to business. If he does take it further, JUST LISTEN! Say as little as possible. Let the interviewer be the center of attention for as long as he wants. Later, he'll admire you for being a good listener.
Once an interview gets down to business, many people start (and many are asked to start) by talking about themselves. This is a trap and you must be aware of it. By talking about yourself, you are turning the spotlight on you. The spotlight should stay on the job that you want. The interviewer has your resume, it is all the history he or she needs. Consider your resume as an obituary of what you've done and move on to what you can do for the future of the company in that job.
That brings us to Step Two, which is to introduce new ideas to your interviewer. Talk about the job, about how having the right person in that job (not necessarily you) can change the direction of the company for the better. Before you schedule an interview, you should learn what the needs of the company are, and how the right person in that job can satisfy those needs. If the company needs to spin off a division, then an experienced manager is exactly what they need. If they're stuck in an advertising rut, then fresh new marketing ideas are what will fill the bill. If they need to impress clients by their cleanliness, a topnotch janitor will get the job done. Know the needs of the company, then demonstrate you know the importance that job is to satisfying those needs.
If necessary, ask the interviewer questions about the scope of the job, just to clarify that it is, in fact, a good fit, though the more homework you do about the position, the greater advantage you have. Offer two or three ideas about how the job (not necessarily you) can enhance the future of the company, and suggest there are numerous others you've been thinking about as well. This is the bulk of your interview, and the more ideas about how you can enhance the company's future, the better!
Finally, Step Three is to take the plunge and instigate the action. In other words, now is the time to ask for the job! Clearly formulate a final, closing statement in advance, so that when the time comes, there is no hesitation. Say something like, "This position is an important cornerstone to the future of this company, and as you can see from my resume, I am well qualified for it. This meeting has confirmed for me that this is a company I want to work for, and I trust you can see how much I bring to the table. I look forward to getting started. Did you have any further questions?"
If more questions are asked, simply answer them, always keeping the spotlight on the job and the future of the company rather than you specifically. When all is said and done, simply say, " I look forward to hearing from you within the week (or month, or whatever other time frame that has been set to fill the job. If you don't know, ask, then fill in the time in your final statement.)
Make sure you shake hands and look the interviewer in the eye when arriving and leaving. Thank him for his time on both occasions as well. Then walk out confidently, knowing that you've completed the best interview of the day!
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