The experts teach presentation skills

The Experts Teach: Presentation Skills When Stage Fright Happens: Use It and Lose It by Judy Ringer 1 When Stage Fright Happens: Use It and Lose It by Judy Ringer As a professional sing

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The Experts Teach: Presentation Skills

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ManageTrainLearn

The Experts Teach

Presentation Skills

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The Experts Teach: Presentation Skills

1st edition

ISBN 978-87-403-0781-8

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The Experts Teach:

5 5 Fail-Safe Tips When You Forget or Get Flustered During a Presentation

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7 Seven Strategies for Handling Difficult Questions –

12 Exceptional Presentation Skills: Turning Up The Heat

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Presentation Skills

6

Contents

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24 Suggestions for Using PowerPoint Effectively – or Not at All by Jim McCormick 90

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Preface

Preface

Introduction to “The Experts Teach: Presentation Skills”

In each of “The Experts Teach” series, we’ve gathered together some of the world’s best thinkers to share their ideas with you Their ideas offer new, refreshing, and insightful ways to look at old themes, allowing you to discover new perspectives, develop your understanding, and change the way you think

Profile of Editor Eric Garner

Eric Garner is an experienced management trainer with a knack for bringing the best out of individuals and teams Eric founded ManageTrainLearn in 1995 as a corporate training company in the UK specialising in the 20 skills that people need for professional and personal success today Since 2002,

as part of KSA Training Ltd, ManageTrainLearn has been a major player in the e-learning market Eric has a simple mission: to turn ManageTrainLearn into the best company in the world for producing and delivering quality online management products

Profile of ManageTrainLearn

ManageTrainLearn is one of the top companies on the Internet for management training products, materials, and resources Products range from training course plans to online courses, manuals to teambuilder exercises, mobile management apps to one-page skill summaries and a whole lot more Whether you’re a manager, trainer, or learner, you’ll find just what you need at ManageTrainLearn to skyrocket your professional and personal success

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Acknowledgements

The authors of each article in this book have given permission for us to re-publish their work and bring them to a wider audience Unless it states to the contrary, the copyright of the article belongs to each author Each article concludes with a bio of the author and links to their website, if available We also publish their written reprint/republication permission with a link to the relevant web page, if available All such permissions are valid at time of publication If these permissions have been amended or changed without our knowledge, please email us at eric@managetrainlearn.com so that we can take appropriate corrective action

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Presentation Skills When Stage Fright Happens: Use It and Lose It by Judy Ringer

1 When Stage Fright Happens: Use

It and Lose It by Judy Ringer

As a professional singer and speaker, I’m often asked if I still get nervous in front of an audience I do And I’ve learned to use my nervous energy – and minimize its impact

I practice Aikido, a martial art based on aligning with the attacker and redirecting the attack Instead

of seeing an attack, the Aikidoist sees energy If I see what’s coming as attack, I defend against it If I see energy, I expand my options When I suspend my belief that the event is negative, I can direct its energy purposefully toward my goal

Let’s apply this concept to an attack of stage fright If you’re like most people, you consider stage fright

a negative event What if you suspend this belief for a moment and imagine your anxiety as energy you can direct toward your goal of a great performance? The purpose of this article is to help you use the energy we call stage fright to increase your power and presence in front of an audience

Consider professional athletes storied for their ability to excel under pressure: Michael Jordan, ball in hand, with two seconds to make the basket and win the game The greater the pressure, the more focused the athlete They how to use the pressure of performance to increase power and presence

Similarly, you can manage your relationship with stage fright by working with it instead of running from

it, and allow it to shift you into “the zone” of optimal performance described by professionals the world over What follows are mental and physical strategies to transform your nervous energy into directed energy before and during your presentation, plus additional tips on how to enjoy your moments in the limelight

Getting Ready: Your Body Prepares Just Like You Do

The anxiety associated with performance usually spikes shortly before show time But symptoms can begin days or even weeks in advance and range from dry mouth and shortness of breath to shaking, shivering, and complete inability to perform

1 Change your perspective

While it may seem that your body is attacking you, consider that what you call nerves or anxiety may actually be your body’s way of getting ready for the event Rename the “attack” and call it excitement, preparation, and purposeful design In addition, focus your awareness on the symptoms Notice how they show up, grow, subside, grow again, and subside again Don’t resist them Ride the wave Be there By

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When Stage Fright Happens: Use It and Lose It by Judy Ringer

For example, when I’m really nervous, I shiver In the past, the shivers could grow strong enough to prevent me from speaking or performing Before a concert some years ago, instead of resisting, I tried

to amplify the symptom and shiver more At first, I just went with the shivering motion, then gradually increased it until I was shaking like crazy, the difference being that now I was intentionally shivering

I was the driver instead of the passenger By mimicking the nervous shaking and intensifying it, I was gradually able to slow it down and stop it I think I also used up the nervous energy As in Aikido, I blended with the energy of the attack and redirected it It was a fun learning

2 Transform the inner mugger

Prior to the presentation, notice your internal dialogue Is it friendly or hostile? If it’s friendly, great Keep it If not, blend and redirect Acknowledge the voice and work with it

For instance, when I’m feeling intimidated by a workshop group, my inner mugger will say things like: They won’t like this presentation They’ll see right through you You’re not good enough for this group Right? You know the words Not terribly useful I used to try to ignore this attacking voice, but Aikido teaches that it’s not safe to ignore the attack The more I ignore, fight, or otherwise resist my nervousness, the worse it gets

Instead, I pay attention I notice the voice, listen, and maybe even ask my inner mugger a few questions:

So why won’t they like it? See through what? What would be good enough? How are these folks different from our other groups? I regularly receive illuminating answers In any case, I do have fun and – guess what? Listening to the attacking voice tends to quiet it What about your inner mugger? What critical messages does it send? Write them down

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Supportive voice:

_

3 Visualize the ideal

Another inspiring method of preparation is to visualize your presentation beforehand Sit quietly, close your eyes, and see in your mind’s eye your highest imagining of what you’re about to do Start a week or more before the performance date Spend ten minutes each day watching yourself give a great presentation Imagine feeling calm and confident Hear your message Sense your excellent connection with the audience Picture the conclusion, the group’s praise and applause ringing in your ears, feeling happiness, and knowing you did your best

You’re On: Maintaining Connection

I usually find that once I’m in front of the audience, my nervous energy has an outlet As I begin to sing or speak, the energy moves into vocal form and physical action As I connect verbally and visually with the people in front of me, I lose my self-absorbed state and link up with my purpose Events can occur, however, to interrupt that connection I may get lost in a thought tangent, forget the song lyrics,

or just “go up” as actors call it Hmmm, where was I? Or a question throws me, and I lose my balance Experience has shown me three powerful ways to get back into the flow

1 Remember your purpose for the presentation

What are you here to do? What’s important about your message? Stop, breathe, and sink to a deeper level of awareness Find your voice It helps to be able to describe your presentation’s purpose in a word

or phrase that goes right to its heart For example, I am often teaching about conflict, communication,

or managing difficult people and situations, but the purpose of all my work is self-management and connection When I get lost, these words help me find my way back

2 Get comfortable with silence

Great presenters, singers, actors, and performance artists of all forms are at home with silence They don’t

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When Stage Fright Happens: Use It and Lose It by Judy Ringer

You can practice this important skill by taking short breaks between sentences Or by waiting a second or two just before or just after making an important point Stand very still, keep breathing, and watch your audience take in the message Or when you put a question out to the audience, don’t let your discomfort with silence rush you into answering it yourself Wait an appropriate period of time and then wait just

a little longer Let the question sit there, waiting for a response, while you watch yourself learning to

be comfortable with silence Someone will usually speak up and if not, it won’t matter because you’re enjoying the moment

3 Look into their eyes

Don’t be afraid The audience is your ally If you don’t think so, you are doing them and yourself a great disservice and you will eventually force them into being a judge They want you to be present with them Believing this will help you fulfill their hopes

When you have lost your connection with the audience, make eye contact with one person at a time for about three to five seconds each, or as long as it takes to recognize that you’ve seen each other Don’t make a big deal of it, just rest your eyes on someone for three seconds, move to another and do the same thing You will tap their energy and they will receive yours, creating a reinforcing loop of support When you begin to “lose it,” making eye contact with a few individuals is one of the fastest ways to re-connect.Tips and Suggestions:

As you begin to enjoy being in front of an audience, here are a few more suggestions to keep in mind

A successful presentation will depend on two things: delivery and content So often we spend our time perfecting the content of our presentation, with very little left over for practicing the delivery Don’t forget to practice! Practice for peers, friends, relatives, or anyone who will listen Take a course, watch a video, or read some of the marvelous books on this topic (see below for some titles) Join a local branch of Toastmasters International or other networking group where you can gain confidence and perfect your personal style

Center and extend ki In Aikido, as the attack comes, we center ourselves and extend our life energy (ki) to greet the attack, align with it, and redirect it with intention and purpose You can

do this in any difficult situation Breathe low into your chest and abdomen, focus on your center

of gravity (about two inches below the navel), and imagine your energy extending outward from center and encompassing your audience Make eye contact and invite them into your sphere

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Don’t take questions personally Even difficult questions show interest on the part of the audience Smile and thank the questioner Relate the question to something in your presentation

if possible If you can’t answer, perhaps the group can There are often people in the audience who can help, and I find it refreshing to let someone else be the teacher I learn a lot!

Don’t assume the audience knows anything about your topic (even if they do) Educate, go slowly, and check in from time to time Use phrases like: “Does this make sense?” and “Are there any questions, comments, or insights at this point?”

Arrive in time to greet the attendees and learn some of their names Audiences tell me that this meeting and greeting action makes them feel acknowledged and that they’re in good hands

It also helps me feel comfortable

Change your perspective from “presentation” to “conversation.” Treating your presentation

as if it were a conversation with each person in the audience will help you relax and increase your connection with them

Acknowledge your nervous energy and appreciate what’s behind it – the desire to do your best Before long, your nervous symptoms will be like old friends you wave to on your way to a powerful performance

About the author

Judy Ringer is the author of Unlikely Teachers: Finding the Hidden Gifts in Daily Conflict

http://www.unlikelyteachersbook.com and the award-winning e-zine, Ki Moments, containing stories and practices on turning life’s challenges into life teachers Judy is a black belt in aikido and a nationally-known presenter, specializing in unique workshops on conflict, communication, and creating a positive work environment She is the founder of Power & Presence Training and chief instructor of Portsmouth Aikido, Portsmouth, NH, USA Visit http://www.JudyRinger.com

Reprint Information

Read, download and share any one of these articles written to help you to resolve conflict, communicate purposefully, and live a life of power and presence You’re welcome to use and reprint any article for team and individual learning I ask only that you keep the article intact and credit the author, using the

“about the author” information at the end of each piece

http://www.judyringer.com/resources/articles/

Original resource:

http://www.judyringer.com/resources/articles/when-stage-fright-happens-use-it-and-lose-it.php

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Creating an Image – Can a Speech Do it? by Bob Selden

2 Creating an Image – Can a

Speech Do it? by Bob Selden

The 2008 US Presidential election campaign was a good time to remind managers and CEOs just how far the use of rhetoric, imagery and metaphors can impact how others perceive and act on their message

Many reading this would have watched Barack Obama address the Chicago crowd on the night he won the US Presidency I do not live in the US, but listening to this speech certainly moved me Others I have spoken to had a similar experience His story of Ann Nixon Cooper, the 106 year old lady and the changes she has experienced in her lifetime, was simply brilliant

So this is probably an appropriate time to look at the impact a person’s public speeches (such as a CEO

or electoral candidate) has on the audience

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Presentation Skills Creating an Image – Can a Speech Do it? by Bob Selden

Through social science research, we have known for some time that the use of rhetoric, imagery and metaphors can positively impact how the audience perceives and acts on the message However a recent study has now taken this one step further The results of the research by James J Naidoo and Robert G Lord in the June edition of the Leadership Quarterly, suggest that not only does the use of such tactics impact audience behaviour, used well, they also have a positive affect on how we perceive the charisma

of the speaker

Listen once again to some of the rhetoric, imagery, and metaphors candidate Barack Obama used in his now (almost) famous race speech in March…

“I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas I was raised with the help

of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton’s Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas

I’ve gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world’s poorest nations I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners – an inheritance

we pass on to our two precious daughters.”

In a poll taken shortly after this speech, Obama was shown to be leading Hilary Clinton in the Democratic nomination race by 53 to 41 per cent The behavioural impact stats are there, but did the speech impact our perception of Obama’s charisma?

Press reports concerning the advice being given to Obama at the time included; “get specific – lay out concrete plans”, “describe your experience in government – make Americans comfortable with you as their CEO”, “hammer your opponent above and below the belt” None of this advice had anything to do with charisma – it’s all about facts, logic and detail

The other presidential candidate, John McCain used very little rhetoric, imagery and metaphor, but a lot

of reason and logic in his speeches For example, in his address to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council

in March, only his opening paragraph gives any imagery or metaphor concerning McCain as a person The remaining 34 paragraphs all talk about reason and logic, saying nothing about the character of the man As one press report concluded; “McCain appears dependent on a teleprompter, delivering even the most personal passages with an odd detachment In his telling, his difficult five-and-a-half years as Vietnam prisoner of war might have happened to someone else.” However, McCain did do well in less formal settings, like town hall meetings and one-on-one conversations But his discomfort behind the podium was a distinct disadvantage as he struggled for national media attention

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Creating an Image – Can a Speech Do it? by Bob Selden

Initially, the race between the two presidential candidates was well and truly led by Obama Audiences loved his charisma Then the race became much closer Audiences were starting to listen for what was behind the message in terms of the reason and logic that was likely to affect their day to day lives

The research by Naidoo and Lord bears out these poll results They say that “high speech imagery will result in higher state positive affect in followers, compared to low speech imagery” So it appears as if Obama’s advisors were now on the right track – he’d developed an appropriate charisma in the eyes of the voting public, then it was time to move to reality

What advice was given to McCain?

More importantly for us mere mortals as managers and in particular for CEOs, what’s the message from this latest research?

There are three…

Firstly, when speaking publicly, a manager or CEO needs to use personal imagery and metaphors, so that the audience can see and feel the character of the person

Secondly, such imagery works best when the situation is critical or the audience perceives they are in a crisis People want the big picture and in particular, to hear and feel how the speaker has lived through similar times him or herself

Finally, the detail – the reason and logic – is best handled one on one and in small group settings For CEOs this means a very structured process of explicit communication down through the organisation

as to how the big picture will translate locally

Looking back at the successful Obama campaign, his strategy clearly is in line with the research People loved the charisma of the man But they also knew what his policies were Watching sound bites of potential voters in the US, Democrat supporters were more often able to quote Obama’s specific policies Republicans were more often unable to do so

Communicating and connecting with large audiences is a fascinating challenge!

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Presentation Skills Creating an Image – Can a Speech Do it? by Bob Selden

About the author

Bob Selden is the author of the best-selling “What To Do When You Become The Boss” – a self-help book for new managers – see details at http://www.whenyoubecometheboss.com/ He’s also coached at one of the world’s premier business schools, the Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland and regularly advises managers around the globe on their current challenges

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How to Update Your Executive Presentation

Skills Instantly by MillySonneman

3 How to Update Your Executive

Presentation Skills Instantly

Remember wooden podiums?

Remember overhead transparencies?

Remember the days of ‘death by PowerPoint’ as the norm?

These days are history And if you want to keep your skills up to date, investing in specialized training may be your best option

Many executives are concerned that their skill set is out of date And with younger audiences, a global workforce, and new technology – they are right to be worried

Let’s look at why these old methods are no longer viable

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Podiums

Podiums are wonderful places to hide behind They put the speaker on stage, above the audience This implies distance and authority It is the opposite of trends towards facilitative presenting It does not encourage conversation, connection or collaboration

If you have to use a podium, come out from behind it! This will help you avoid gripping it And it allows your audience to see you as a whole human being – not another talking head

Overheads

Um.how shall I put this? Didn’t you get the memo? These went out so long ago that you really don’t want to rely on those stacks of transparencies for anything other than collecting dust bunnies Seriously Dump them

Some of these changes can be hard But the writing is on the wall Not changing is harder If you dig your heels in and refuse to change, you might as well take early retirement

All business revolves around change and evolution Expectations of presentations have changed Executives, who embrace this change, can easily update their skills

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About the author

MillySonneman is a recognized expert in visual language She is the co-director of Presentation Storyboarding, a leading presentation training firm, and author of the popular guides: Beyond Words and Rainmaker Stories available on Amazon Milly helps business professionals give winning presentations, through Email Marketing skills trainings at Presentation Storyboarding You can find out more about our courses or contact Milly through our website at: http://www.presentationstoryboarding.com/

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Presentation Skills How to Be a Great Speaker Without Using PowerPoint by Tom Antion

4 How to Be a Great Speaker

Without Using PowerPoint

by Tom Antion

This article gives 10 tips on how presenters can be highly effective without using PowerPoint

RESEARCH YOUR AUDIENCE

It amazes me how some speakers will show up for a speaking engagement and really not know anything about the audience they are speaking to Many speakers just get lazy and feel that their message is so important that anyone would want to hear it They couldn’t be more wrong Your core message may be about the same for everyone, but knowing your audience will allow you to slant the information so that the audience feels it was prepared just for them They will relate much better to the information and think much more highly of you for creating something specifically for them Of course, in many cases you were only slanting your information, but I won’t tell if you won’t

PRACTICE

The only way to look polished while speaking is to practice This is one skill you cannot delegate to anyone else It is you that is on stage with the microphone and it is you who will look either great or terrible You are sadly mistaken and egotistical if you think the PowerPoint slides that either you or someone else created will make you a dynamic speaker There are specific techniques used to practice that don’t take much time and make you look extremely polished One of these techniques is called bits You practice

a short piece of material over and over again You don’t practice it word for word, but just talk your way through it This way you won’t blank out when a distraction happens while you are on stage

TAKE CARE OF HECKLERS

The following is my famous asterisk technique; I use it to make sure hecklers don’t interrupt my presentation I get people in the group to identify potential troublemakers BEFORE I get to the event I phone these people and interview them to give them the attention they are craving I then mention their names during the speech This virtually eliminates the chance they will give me a hard time because I am praising one of their opinions This works really well but don’t mention their names exclusively or the rest of the audience that knows these people are trouble may think that you are just as bad Mention a

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How to Be a Great Speaker Without Using PowerPoint by Tom Antion

USE EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE

Boring old facts rarely move people to action Learning to use words that evoke emotions in people will make a much greater impact when you speak There are many emotions you can trigger in the audience just by your choice of words Happiness, anger, sadness, nostalgia are just a few Knowing your purpose for being in front of the group helps you to pick which emotions you want to tap When your purpose is known, choosing words to get the desired emotional response is much easier For instance, if you wanted

to take someone back to a childhood experience you might say, “Do you remember when someone did something bad at school and the teacher smacked the yardstick on her desk?” The word Phrase “smacked the yardstick” would evoke an emotional response that many adults can relate to A younger group may not relate to this phrase since corporal punishment has all but disappeared from schools You must pick the words that would mean something to your audience

USE PROPS

A prop is worth a thousand words People can really anchor a thought in their minds when it is connected

to an object that relates to the point you are trying to make You could use large, small, funny or serious props Always relate the prop to the point you are trying to make and make sure the audience can see it Sometimes you’ll want to hide the prop so people don’t wonder what it is until you are ready to present it.USE HUMOR

Even Shakespeare used humor in the middle of the tragedies he wrote Humor is a powerful and effective tool that gives the audience’s mind a chance to breath in the face of heavy material It also makes you more likable and fun to listen to Humor is also much more likely to make your information more memorable You don’t have to be a stand up comedian to use humor in speeches and presentations, and you don’t have to tell jokes either There are many ways to add humor that don’t require any skill at all You can show funny visuals, tell stories, or read from books or periodicals Just like with props, make sue your humor relates to the point you are trying to make and you will be much more successful Each issue of “Great Speaking” has about 20 pieces of humor you can use during speeches

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Presentation Skills How to Be a Great Speaker Without Using PowerPoint by Tom Antion

MOVE ‘EM TO ACTION

If you are going to bother taking up people’s time to speak to them, don’t you think it would be a good idea to get them to do something positive because of your presentation? Even if they do something negative, it’s still better than doing nothing because they will at least get a chance to learn something from their mistake Regardless of the size of your ego, the reality is that you are there for them, not the other way around… I’m all for you building up your reputation, but if you go into your speech thinking it’s all for you, it will show and you probably won’t do as well as you would have had you concentrated

on the needs of the audience more

BRING SOLUTIONS

One of the best ways to make sure the audience loves you is to bring solutions to their problems If you have done a thorough job of researching your audience, you already know what their problems are It’s your job to bring ideas for them to try In modern day thinking this is what motivational speaking is all about No longer is it good enough to get people all fired up where they are bouncing off the walls still having no plan to what they will do with this new found excitement and motivation Modern professional motivational speakers bring solutions and a plan of action, which is in itself motivating to people

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How to Be a Great Speaker Without Using PowerPoint by Tom Antion

PAY ATTENTION TO LOGISTICS

All the best preparation, practice and audience research could be ruined if you forget to pay attention to all the details surrounding a presentation You want to know what is happening before you speak, and what is happening after you speak How are the people seated? Are they at round tables where half of them are facing away from you, or are there no tables at all? What kind of microphone is appropriate? How big is the screen in the room? Will the people be drinking alcohol? What is the lighting like? All these items and many more effect the overall effectiveness of a presentation The same exact words delivered with significantly different logistics could be received in entirely different ways You could even go from a fantastic evaluation to a bomb just because of the way people are seated It’s up to you

to know the differences and how they affect a presentation

About the author

Tom Antion is a veteran of the public speaking circuit He has been paid for more than 2,500 entertaining presentations Tom has helped thousands of corporate executives, professional speakers, salespersons, and trainers become highly effective communicators, through professional one-on-one sessions, retreats, and seminars http://www.antion.com/

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5 Fail-Safe Tips When You Forget or Get Flustered

During a Presentation by Dianna Booher

5 5 Fail-Safe Tips When You Forget

or Get Flustered During a

Presentation by Dianna Booher

Some goofs turn out to be funny – later, at least to the audience Before a gathering of gregarious sales reps, I was trying to make the point that business communications are much less formal now than in past decades “For example,” I elaborated, “when you are introduced to someone, you rarely respond,

‘How do you do?’ Instead, you say something like, ‘Hello’ or ‘Nice to meet you.’ ”

Continuing this line of reasoning, I asked the group, “And when was the last time your family dressed formally to sit down at the dinner table together? Our family doesn’t dress for dinner.” One rep raised his hand and asked excitedly, “May we come?”

The audience roared with laughter; leaving me dumbfounded until someone in the front row pointed out to me what I’d said versus what I’d meant Needlessly to say, after turning ten shades of red, I forgot where I was going with the next point

Just wait until it’s your turn If you haven’t yet experienced your point of embarrassment or memory lapse, you will When it happens, consider these fail-safe ways to regain your memory and retain your poise.Build a Mnemonic Device

Memory experts tell us that our brains can hold only about seven chunks of information at once For this reason, trying to remember 18 key points, six anecdotes, and three charts of data can be setting yourself up for disaster – unless you devise a better system of recall Teachers have understood the value

of mnemonic devices for ages For example, piano teachers teach the scales EGBDF as every good boy does fine Think of almost any discipline, and you will find technical concepts conveyed in models, mnemonics, and metaphors meant for easy recall Create the same for yourself as a prevention tool.Jump Ahead to a Key Anecdote That Serves as a Springboard

Stories stick better than an elaboration – even with the storyteller In telling the story, you often will recall the point you typically make with the story by the time you get to the end of the story And with that key point, the whole section of content will return to the forefront of your mind

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Fiddle with Fodder

Your fodder can be anything that fills a 10-second gap to provide you with thinking time to collect your thoughts You may decide to take off or put on your eyeglasses so that you can “verify something.” You may pause to take out your pen and jot a note while you regain your memory You may stop speaking while you suddenly decide to move the flipchart back out of your walking space or erase a whiteboard

of irrelevant information and then turn back again to face the group You might stop to ask the group about the temperature – whether it is too warm or cool – and then ask someone in the back to adjust the thermostat

Any of these breaks allow you 10 to 15 seconds – often all the time you need to recover your thoughts and continue And often after such a movement it seems perfectly natural to ask the group, “Now where was I?” and they will give you your cue

Change Locations in the Room

A location change to a speaker is like paragraphing to a writer So it will seem quite natural to your audience that you would pause reflectively and stroll to another spot in the room to move to your next point In the time it takes you to get there, you likely will have recovered from your memory lapse

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Code Your Visuals to Cue You

Use key words or subtitles to group sections of your visuals to keep you oriented by reminding you of the bigger context for an individual slide When you are projecting from a laptop, a subtle color bar or icon

in the corner or across the side or bottom will cue you about where you are in a segment of presentation visuals This highlighted color or icon, then, should trigger a complete chunk of information to the forefront of your mind When you go out on a tangent with a detail and cannot find your way back, all you need to do is glance at the blue triangle to remind you that you are tracking the marketing goals for the second quarter The orange triangle signals you that you are into third-quarter goals

When it’s your day to feel flustered, recover seamlessly and smile along with the crowd

About the author

Dianna Booher works with organizations to increase their productivity and effectiveness through better oral, written, interpersonal, and cross-functional communication She is a keynote speaker and the author of more than 40 books (22 on communication) including The Voice of Authority, Booher’s Rules

of Business Grammar, Speak with Confidence, and Communicate with Confidence Dianna is CEO of Booher Consultants, a communication training firm offering programs in presentations skills, business writing, and interpersonal communication Successful Meetings Magazine named her to its list of “21 Top Speakers for the 21st Century.” Executive Excellence Publishing also named Dianna to its “Top 100 Thought Leaders” and “Top 100 Minds on Personal Development.” www.booher.com or call 800.342.6621

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Reprinted articles may not be altered in any way and must include the accompanying byline, biography, and contact information Thank you for your interest in Dianna Booher’s work in business writing training, presentation skills training, and communication performance improvement!

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28

The Windows to the Soul by Robert Graham

6 The Windows to the Soul

by Robert Graham

Mastering the Art of Eye Contact

What if I told you that I could help you connect with your listeners, improve the pacing of your presentations, read your listeners’ responses to you and dramatically reduce your nervousness when public speaking? What if I then told you that you could do all of this by mastering only one new skill?

Well that’s what I’m about to tell you This month’s article is devoted to the most useful skill you will tackle in your development as a speaker (as well as one of the most difficult): Eye Contact

Sure, we’ve all heard how important it is to have good eye contact with our listeners Many of us might even claim that we already do a pretty good job at it From all my years of working with speakers, I can tell you that there is probably some room for improvement

The eyes are the most direct link to our emotions And since one of the most critical tasks of speaking

is connecting with our listeners, we’d be foolish not to take full advantage of this

Ask yourself this: Why is it that we seem to do our best during Question and Answer sessions? It’s because

we are engaged with a single person having a conversation And that is exactly what we want to be doing the entire time we are speaking! All of us are comfortable in conversations So think of speaking to a group as having a bunch of small conversations – not the dreaded “public speaking”

Pick a person, stop and talk to him or her for an entire thought or sentence Then, at a natural transition

in your talk, find somebody else in the room, walk over toward them if possible, stop and talk to them It’s that simple

On the average, you want to spend 3–5 seconds with each listener before moving on Any less than that

is a bit fleeting, and much more can make your audience members feel uneasy

“But Robert,” you protest, “I don’t want my listeners to feel uncomfortable.”

When was the last time a speaker included you in their talk and made you feel uncomfortable? As a listener, you are simply glad that the speaker is paying attention to you

“But Robert,” you continue, “I already do this!”

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Pay attention next time you are giving a presentation Sure, you may be looking at everyone in the room But are you staying with each person and speaking to them or simply panning the room back and forth doing your best sprinkler imitation?

Practicing using good eye contact may not feel comfortable at first But all you have to do is know that

it works and follow Robert’s Seven Rules for Excellent Eye Contact:

Always “Speak to the eyes” (not your notes, slides, flipchart, the floor, ceiling, etc.)

Use “soft eyes” – don’t bore holes through people

Spend an entire sentence or thought with one person before moving on

Include everyone in the room

Use a random pattern going around the room

In large groups, focus on one area of the room as if it was one listener (everyone in that area will think you are looking at him or her)

When seated, make sure you include those on either side of you

Be sensitive to cultural differences

Developing this skill will probably take some getting used to And it may not be your favorite activity

of the day But if you want to develop quickly as a speaker, you must take advantage of the “windows to the soul.” You must master the use of eye contact

About the author

Robert Graham is the Principal of GrahamComm (www.grahamcomm.net), a consulting and training company that helps clients increase their sales and deliver outstanding presentations He can be reached

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7 Seven Strategies for Handling

Difficult Questions – What to

Say When You Don’t Know

the Answer by Mary Sandro

Honesty is the only policy when presenting to a group However, blatantly admitting, “I don’t know”, in response to a direct question from an audience member can be disastrous The solution is to be honest and maintain credibility at the same time No one can know the answer to every question It’s how the inevitable situation is handled that separates great presenters from amateurs Study the following seven strategies and keep them in your back pocket so that you can field even the toughest questions with confidence

1 Reflection

Repeat the question and toss it back to your audience, “Does anyone here have any experience with that?” When you allow the audience to help you, they will save you without ever realizing it In fact, the audience will revere you because adults love to be involved and share their knowledge After you have fielded all of the contributions, be sure to summarize and add your own ideas if any have been sparked

by the interaction Summarizing at the end helps you to maintain control and authority Always repeat questions before answering for the same reasons

2 I’ll Get Back to You

This is an old standard and it works well if you do three things First, write the question down Be conspicuous Make sure everyone knows you are writing the question down I go so far as to tell the audience, “I am writing this question down.” Second, tell the questioner exactly when you will get back to them Be honest Then do it Can you get back to them by the end of the day? If it is an all-day program, can you get back to them after lunch? Third, be sure to get the questioner’s contact information if you don’t have it All of these things make this strategy very powerful It is not smoke and mirrors It is an opportunity to go the extra mile, expand your knowledge, and impress your audience

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Seven Strategies for Handling Difficult Questions – What to Say When You Don’t Know the Answer by Mary Sandro

3 Defer to the Expert

This is a more sophisticated version of the Reflection technique Sometimes a question is legitimately outside of your area of expertise You may be a marketing expert and someone asks a question about the engineering aspects of a product This is a question that requires an engineer If there is an engineer in the room you could say, “Sally, you’re an engineer Do you have any insights into that?” If there are no engineers in the room, state that you will confer with an engineer and get back to them Notice I have just combined two techniques

4 Compliment the Questioner

For this to be effective, the compliment must be sincere Sometimes I get lulled into thinking I have seen and heard it all on a particular topic It never fails though, someone comes out of left field with

a question I have never thought of and I say, “That’s a great question I’ve never thought about it that way Does anyone here have any ideas on that?” (I have just combined two techniques.) When I use this strategy it is usually not a conscious decision It’s a reaction That’s how sincere it needs to sound

It always works when it’s sincere because audience’s love to be complimented I might also combine this technique with I’ll Get Back to You

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5 Answer a Question with a Question

Sometimes questions are too narrow or too general to answer Reserve the right, as the expert, to open

a question up or close it down by asking a question in response Once upon a time I was a software trainer One day a woman asked me a very specific question, “What does that button do?” I had no idea, but I didn’t confess, “I don’t know.” Instead I asked her a question, “What is your goal in pushing that button?” She elaborated for me and explained what she wanted to accomplish I knew a way to help her and it didn’t involve pushing that button She was happy I was honest, credible, helpful, and very happy

6 Parallel Answer

If you don’t know the bull’s eye answer to a question, offer what you do know quickly to demonstrate some credibility and then combine with a previous technique When I was a software trainer I used to

be an expert in the Lotus spreadsheet package However Microsoft’s Excel began to gain popularity and

I had to learn it so I could teach it In the beginning I was on a learning curve Sometimes I would be asked a question about Excel that I didn’t know the answer to, however I did know the answer in Lotus Quickly I would say, “I know that is possible in Lotus I’m not sure if that is available in Excel I’m writing this question down I’ll research it at the break and get back to you.” Refrain from droning on and on about your parallel knowledge Brevity is the key to this technique

7 Set the Rules

You can avoid many difficult questions simply by setting rules for questions in the beginning Whenever you present to a group, you are the leader You are accountable for everything, so lead My experience is that if you set rules and follow them, the audience respects you If you make rules up as you go along, you lose credibility

The number of rules you set will vary depending on the topic When I taught technical subjects, I set lots of rules because I knew the questions would be many and varied I would start a software seminar

by saying, “I welcome general questions at any time about anything on the agenda If you have a specific question about a project you are working on or a subject outside of the agenda, please see me at a break for a private consultation Because we have limited time together, I reserve the right to stop taking questions and comments This is not personal It is to make certain we cover every topic today.”

Summary

You can’t know the answer to everything It’s how you handle yourself Study these seven strategies and use them to maintain credibility and confidence

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Seven Strategies for Handling Difficult Questions – What to Say When You Don’t Know the Answer by Mary Sandro

About the Author

Mary Sandro helps organizations achieve results through effective presentation skills She delivers fun, interactive presentation skills training programs and train-the-trainer licenses Learn more at

www.ProEdgeSkills.com or call 800-731-0601

Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site as long as you include the entire About the Author paragraph with the link back to our site and phone number Email us to let us know how you are using the article reprint@ProEdgeSkills.com Thank you and enjoy © ProEdge Skills, Inc

FIND OUT NOW FOR FREE Get your free trial

What your staff really want?

The top issues troubling them?

How to make staff assessments work for you & them, painlessly?

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW:

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Are you boring your audience to tears?

If you’re in a leadership position, most people will not come forward and tell you to your face: “You’re boring!” Let’s face it There’s too much survival instinct to risk losing your job Instead, people tend to have less obvious signs – but they are immediately recognizable if you are looking

These signs include:

1 Looking at Watches and Clocks

“How long is this going to last?” is the subtitle you should read if you see participants glancing

at their watches or repeatedly looking at the clock

While there is a remote possibility that they have another commitment, the more common reason is: you’re boring everyone to tears

2 Edging Towards The Door

“Maybe I can sneak out.” is the verbal message of this body language Standing near the door, edging towards the exit, and sneaking out early signs are definite warning signs

3 Packing Up Supplies – Early

If you notice participants are packing up supplies, gathering handouts and loading up their briefcases, you’re in trouble You are not commanding attention Instead, you’re having the opposite affect They can’t wait to leave

4 Checking Email and Voicemail

Again, you just aren’t all that riveting Sad to say, but you may need to make an agreement or ground rule with the group Agree to maintain focus on what’s going on in the room

Texting and checking for messages is highly distracting to other participants And it’s a clear signal that some people are more interested in what’s not in the room

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Presentation Skills Business Presentations – How Boring Are You? by Milly Sonneman

5 Leafing Through Handouts

This habit is the bane of presenters If participants leaf through the handouts, what are they saying? “I can see it all here – why should I bother listening to you?”

One way to prevent this is to change the handouts Provide maps that participants fill in with bits of information from your presentation This holds attention and keeps participants engaged with your delivery

In addition, experiment with providing handouts at the end of your talk This prevents the

“snatch and grab” habit that is so common to conventions and industry meetings Participants often grab handouts rather than taking the time to sit and participate in presentations

Recently, I shared this technique with one of my executive coaching clients He now uses hand-drawn maps to encourage participants to fill in information during his talk – and has eliminated the habit of ‘snatch-and-grab.’

If you find this habit is common in your conferences, change the type of handout you provide Also, adjust the timing of when you provide handouts

If you notice these signs and symptoms of boredom routinely crop up during your presentation,

be proactive Work with an expert presentation coach to improve your delivery skills A coach can point out small things that can make a huge difference in your persuasive delivery With objective feedback you can gain the leverage you need to give engaging and dynamic presentations

Don’t risk boring your audience Develop your presentation skills so you can effectively engage any audience, on any topic

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36

Business Presentations – How Boring Are You? by Milly Sonneman

About the author

MillySonneman is a recognized expert in visual language She is the co-director of Presentation Storyboarding, a leading presentation training firm, and author of the popular guides: Beyond Words and Rainmaker Stories available on Amazon Milly helps business professionals give winning presentations, through Email Marketing skills trainings at Presentation Storyboarding You can find out more about our courses or contact Milly through our website at: http://www.presentationstoryboarding.com/

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Public Speaking 101: Speaking Secrets of the

Superstars by Colleen Kettenhofen

9 Public Speaking 101: Speaking

Secrets of the Superstars

by Colleen Kettenhofen

In this new public speaking article, discover behind-the-scenes secrets great public speakers practice that you can incorporate today! 13 proven tips on public speaking skills, conquering fear of public speaking, and getting results Whether you’re speaking in a small meeting or before a group of 400 Especially beneficial for executives, salespeople, business owners, managers, technical people, nonprofits directors and government officials

“With public speaking, your audience will know if you didn’t rehearse.” Colleen Kettenhofen

All of us recognize that public speaking ranks among one of the greatest fears for most people Whether speaking at a meeting or before a group of 400, many people get nervous just anticipating giving a presentation A comment I frequently hear in my public speaking seminars is, “What’s the best way to overcome nervousness and gain confidence with public speaking?” Here are some proven secrets many great public speakers practice:

1 Your audience will know if you’re not prepared They’ll pick up on subtle clues in your body language 95% of your success is determined before the presentation Rehearsing minimizes 75% of your nervousness No one likes to rehearse Instead, see if you can have a friend or colleague videotape you Yes, I realize no one likes seeing themselves on video either! Still, the camera will be your most objective ally

2 Once you’ve fine-tuned your presentation, rehearse and practice in front of family members, colleagues, friends, or a public speaking coach Ask for honest feedback What did they like most? What did they think of your energy level, passion and commitment to what you’re saying? What do they think could be improved? Also practice in front of a mirror This will help you rehearse standing up and let you see what needs to be improved The more you rehearse standing up, and the more familiar you become with your material, the more comfortable you will be with your public speaking This one tip alone can dramatically improve public speaking skills

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3 Put your presentation as a “rough draft” on a micro cassette recorder Listen to it while you’re driving to and from work, picking up the kids, or driving to the supermarket I know what you’re thinking “I don’t like how I sound on audio tape!” I realize that But this is a convenient way to learn material quickly Again, where do you sound convincing, passionate and interesting? What parts of your presentation do you think need work? The audio

cassette recorder is another objective ally

4 Visualize yourself giving a successful presentation Better yet, if you know the exact room you’ll be speaking in visualize that, too Olympic athletes practice visualization It works for public speaking as well

5 To improve public speaking skills, do a dress rehearsal Before I conduct a keynote speech or breakout session at a conference, I take a peek inside the ballroom If the room’s empty, I’ll

go in and practice a “dry run.” This is something I try to do in full dress rehearsal mode If the ballroom is being used until morning, I go in that morning

Rehearsing in the exact room will give you an edge in feeling more comfortable and conquering fear of public speaking This is one of the biggest public speaking secrets of many great public speakers Guaranteed! If you’re usually presenting in small meetings or groups these same techniques work

6 Are your notes and visual aids large enough print that you can see them standing up? Your notes should be “fast food for the eyes.” Never read your presentation You’re the presenter Your audience expects you to be the expert You want that connection with them A secret

to effective public speaking is bonding with your audience through stories, activities,

appropriate humor and understanding their needs ahead of time

7 Stand up when speaking in public Even if only three people attend, it sends a signal that says, “You’re so important that I’m going to stand even for the three of you.” According to

a University of Minnesota study, when you stand in presenting your ideas, you are more believable, credible and persuasive

8 Stand “center stage” when presenting your most important point It grabs the audience’s attention The rest of the time you can move around as long as you aren’t nervously pacing like a lion Again, that’s where the videotaping helps!

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Visual Aids and Public Speaking: Less is More

9 With public speaking and visual aids, less is more Don’t use more than three or four colors per slide Otherwise, people start focusing more on color and less on content Use graphs for sales figures or sets of numbers showing a trend over a period of time Graphs are pictures that increase retention and comprehension No more than two or three lines on a graph Use pie charts for market share, budgets, expenses analysis, income sources and the like

10 Avoid slides with yellow, pink or orange print They don’t show up well Dark blue, black

or any other dark color is better White is okay with a darker background Red stands for negatives like “danger,” or “warning.” Only use red to indicate problems, your competition, stopping or something similar

11 Public speaking and eye contact: Approximately three to five seconds of eye contact per person with a small or medium sized group Many public speakers make the mistake of

using their visual aids AS their presentation A key point in persuading your audience is establishing connection and credibility

EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF

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12 What if someone in your audience doesn’t like what you have to say because they don’t like the product or service you’re selling? Or what if you fear public speaking because you often have to deliver bad news? Know and research your audience ahead of time What will

be their biggest objections? THINK AHEAD when planning your presentation how you’re going to handle those issues

13 Never lose emotional control Often, these difficult people are trying to rattle your cage They want control And they want it in front of others What if they continuously discount what you’re saying? Tactfully respond to them at first After a while, say something like,

“You bring up a good point, and yet, due to time constraints see me at the break and we’ll discuss that privately.” Your audience will be looking to see how you handle the situation

“When speaking in public, you are your own best visual aid.” Colleen Kettenhofen

About the author

Colleen Kettenhofen is a speaker, workplace expert, & co-author of “The Masters of Success,” as featured

on the Today Show, along with Ken Blanchard and Jack Canfield For free articles, e-newsletter, or to order the book visit http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com Topics: leadership, managing people, difficult people, public speaking Colleen is available for keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars 1(800)323-0683

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