Holiday Party Best Practices
An excellent blog post by my friend and associate Roberta Matuson who is an expert on intergenerational conflicts in the workplace and human resources…
Cheers,
Q & A Basics #2 - Repeat and Confirm
How many times have you heard a speaker in a Q & A session NOT repeat the question from the audience? Too many times for me. The speaker normally has a microphone; the audience almost never does. Do yourself (as a presenter) and most importantly your audience a favor. Repeat questions from your audience so all can hear.
This will confirm the question, help the rest of the group, and give you time to pause and think of the right response.
Cheers,
Where Do You Want Go?
I enjoy watching a bit of television while I eat lunch and I often watch the Biography channel. This afternoon, I watched a fascinating episode on the actor, Patrick Stewart of Star Trek and X-Men fame. There was a segment that showed Stewart auto racing for charity. He bumped into the wall twice and then he took the advise of the professionals. They told him, “Look where you want to go, not where you are afraid of going.”
This advice works in auto racing, business, and life.
Are you ever so concerned about where you are afraid to go (i.e. out of business, out of money, divorce, addiction, failure) that you don’t keep your eyes focused on where you do want to go (health, happiness, success)?
What a great thought to end one year (and decade) and begin another.
In the words of one of Patrick Stewart’s most famous characters, “Make it so…”
Cheers,
Look where you want to go, not where you are afraid to go…
© 2009 Dan Weedin - All Rights Reserved
Speaking to Influence Video Lesson 1 - WIIFM
Record Your Presentations
Self-awareness is an important thing in business and life…
When I coached high school basketball, we video recorded every game. The coaching staff would always watch it to learn what the team did well and what it didn’t do well. Often, I would have the players watch. My favorite phrase to them was, “The video never lies.”
The same is true in speaking. I video record all my presentations. The one I just watched this morning helped me uncover a bad habit. The bad habit is the word, “and.” I used “and” way too much in a recent presentation. I now have something to work on improving. The only way I knew that was because I recorded the presentation and then took the next step and watched it.
Do you want to improve your speeches and presentations? If so, then record yourself every time.
The video never lies…
Cheers,
PowerPointer #2 - Images Say 1000 Words
Please, please do your audience a favor. Don’t fill up your Power Point ® slides with text. Even if you don’t read it to them (see PowerPointer #1), there’s nothing more boring than a bunch of text.
Just like stories are critical in speeches, images are also important to conveying your message. If you have images that will enhance your message, then this is an ideal way to use slides. For example, the image you see in this post resonates with Americans over 10 years old. Words will never have the impact this image does. This is the type of image you can use to advance your message.
Please note - I’m not talking about falsely moving your audience. That’s simply manipulation. Images should enhance your message to help improve them, not you. Use images that will positively impact your audience and make your presentation better for them.
Cheers,
Success…Not Perfection
Lat week I drove down to Portland to meet a friend and colleague. I’m not overly familiar with downtown Portland, so I brought my trusty friend Maggie to guide me. Maggie is my Magellan GPS.
As we approached the final exit that would take me to my destination, Maggie exclaimed that I should take the St. Helens exit, however pronounced it as the “Street Helens exit.” Made me chuckle as I envisioned the old Star Trek character Data telling Captain Picard the same thing.
The GPS wasn’t perfect. It didn’t understand the abbreviation and improperly pronounced the street. Regardless, I understood what it meant and it ultimately led me to my destination. It wasn’t perfect, bit successful.
Too often, speakers fear not being perfect. That should not be your goal. Success is the goal. You are succesful if your audience is improved. If you focus on your destination (audience improvement), you can easily overlook small errors that are barely noticed by anyone other than yourself.
Whether you are speaking, consulting, coaching, or working, always remember that it’s about success, not perfection!
© 2009 Dan Weedin - All Rights Reserved
PowerPointer #1 - Stop Reading
Last Saturday, I had to go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for my daughter who got the flu. The tech at the window showed me the box and said, “The pharmacist will be right with you to go over the instructions.” I glanced at the box and it said - Take 2x times a day. “Hmm. There must be something special to this,” I thought. The pharmacist came over, looked at the box, looked at me, smiled (and I know this has happened to you) and said, “Pretty simple. She needs to take this twice a day.” I waited 5 minutes to have him read me the box!
How many times have you been to a presentation where someone used a PowerPoint ® slide show as their notes? What’s worse, they think you don’t know how to read and read the screen to you! It’s the same as having a pharmacist read you the directions on a box, but at least there I could walk away. In your case, the audience can simply mentally fall asleep.
Don’t read slides…please. Use thought-provoking images, simple (emphasis on simple) graphs, and other stimuli that advance your message, but NEVER read slides to your audience. In addition to being demeaning, it’s outright boring.
You need to practice your presentation and be a speaker that attracts attention. Don’t leave it to the slides or else your audience will have more fun reading their prescriptions.
Cheers,
Wardrobe Malfunction…
Here’s a best practices for all you speakers, trainers, and presenters. Bring an extra shirt.
I’m in Leavenworth, WA about to give a training on leadership, team building, and goal setting. I am just getting into my suit with about 2 hours to go before start time. I avoid eating breakfast with my “good clothes” to miss the inevitable spillage. Here’s a new one…
I put on my favorite blue mock sweater to go with my black suit. I love that outfit. To my horror, I notice a tear on the seam of the sweater under my left armpit! OUCH! I brought no other shirts other than the golf shirt I wore to drive in yesterday and that won’t work. After a call to my wife, she assures me it won’t tear further and I don’t need to rush and uy a new shirt. I guess I’m wearing my jacket all day.
The morale of the story is this…
Bring an extra dress shirt to your presentations. You never know when you will spill, stain, or tear. That will now be added to my checklist!
Cheers,
Are You a Victim or Competitor?
“Adversity makes weak people victims and strong people competitors.” Bruce Brown - This is a quote Seahawks head coach Jim Mora recently cited during a press conference. The same theory is true in business. Look around. Who are the victims and who are the competitors in your world? Which one are you?
Cheers,
