Professionally Speaking...

It's Not What You Say

There would be people who'd disagree with the premise of Michael Parker's new book, It's Not What You Say. I would not be one of them.

Parker, a former vice chairman of the global communications and advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi London, certainly has a wealth of experience with speeches, presentations and pitches -- making them; evaluating them; coaching others to give them. His key message is that, "...most of us tend to focus on the content -- the what we say -- at the expense of the delivery -- the way we say it."

In all my presentation skills training work with various industries and types of presenters, I think he's bang on. Of course the content and the message are important. But if the delivery is not compelling, if the presenter cannot connect with the audience, if busy slides capture all the attention, then the message may not even be heard. It certainly won't be remembered.

Having established the proposition that we need to focus more on the delivery, Parker takes the reader through bite-sized pieces of presentation advice ranging from "make the audience your friend" to "talk from the heart, not the chart" to "the longer you go on, the less impact." Each section contains useful ideas, reminders and nuggets of advice on how to be a more powerful and effective speaker. Running through the book are pertinent quotes and stories illustrating the points he makes.

The book is an easy read at 139 small pages. What makes it even more readable are the whimsical illustrations scattered throughout which create visual appeal and help to cement the concepts.

Many presentation books, while good, are very detailed and required a significant commitment of time to work through the concepts. Parker's book is the condensed version. It's so practical and so relevant it definitely deserves a place in your presentation toolkit.

 

 

 

 

 

6 Ways To Counteract Your Audience's Short Attention Span

I recently read an updated statistic about people’s attention span. According to research done at Kaiser Permanente, humans have an average attention span of 8 seconds [one second shorter than a goldfish!].

As presenters, this should be very worrisome.

We’ve known for some time that we need to capture our audience’s attention quickly and work hard to keep it by presenting our information in an engaging manner. Now it looks like that’s more important than ever.

Here are some techniques for extending that 8 second time frame:

1. Ask lots of questions. Our brain processes a question differently than a straight declarative statement. When someone hears a question they automatically start formulating an answer even if they don’t verbalize it. Use frequent rhetorical questions to create a break in your narrative and keep listeners involved. Use closed and open ended questions to generate real participation. If the audience is talking it’s much harder for them to dis-engage.

2. Don’t keep a slide on the screen for very long [8 seconds??]. This means that you can’t have a slide covered in bullet points [which isn’t a good idea anyway] because it will take you too long to cover all that content before moving to the next slide. Change the visual cues frequently to keep listeners’ attention.

3. Guard against information overload. Be quite ruthless in editing your content. Ask yourself, “What does my audience really need to know about my topic?” And then find another vehicle [handout, document on website, email] through which to share the nice-to-knows.

4. Organize your content into bite-sized chunks of information. These smaller segments will make it easier for your audience to follow and increase the likelihood they’ll stay engaged.

5. Make your presentations shorter. Just because you have an hour, it doesn’t mean you have to talk for an hour. See #3 above and plan to use at least a third of your allotted time to engage in dialogue with the audience. Let them ask questions; ask questions of them; ask them to share their experiences; ask them how they think your information will help them or how they will use it.

6. Incorporate interactive activities into your presentation. In addition to audience participation [see #5 above] use quizzes to test knowledge or present scenarios requiring a solution. Add video snippets to demonstrate how something should – or shouldn’t – be done. Leverage technology to poll audience opinions or solicit answers to questions [Poll Everywhere] or gather audience feedback through a Tweetstream.

No matter what technique you use – and I suggest using several – you’ll have a good shot at extending that attention span so your audience can triumph over the goldfish...and far more importantly, get maximum value from your presentation.

Photo Credit:
www.flickr.com/Three Second Memory C.C. 2.0

 

 

 

 

3 Places To Use A Neutral Face In Your Presentations

Since the days when we were mere babes in arms we have used facial expressions to convey what we feel, what we want, what we think. It has been such a successful way of communicating our emotions over the evolutionary years it's not surprising that we've never put much emphasis on cultivating a neutral expression [except perhaps for poker enthusiasts], one that doesn't convey any particular emotion.

Now showing emotion and having varied facial expressions when we deliver our presentations is a great way to keep our audience engaged and communicate that we are fully present and involved. But there are times, both when delivering a presentation and when watching one, that a neutral face is a very useful technique.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A NEUTRAL FACE?

In the context of presentations I describe a neutral face as one that has an unbiased, impartial expression. It's not an "open book." With a neutral face the audience shouldn't be able to discern your opinion about something that's been said -- either by you or by someone in the audience.

Not for a moment, however, do I mean to suggest that a neutral face is somehow blank, disengaged or unfriendly. It is just not guiding the audience to a particular conclusion or biasing them in any way.

 

View image | gettyimages.com

The neutral face is pleasant and attentive with strong eye contact and relaxed facial muscles.

WHERE WOULD YOU USE A NEUTRAL FACE IN A PRESENTATION?

There are several key places in any presentation where a neutral face is one of your best tools:

1. When you're answering a question that is confrontational or argumentative. Under these circumstances you want to maintain your cool and your facial expression is key to communicating to the audience...and the questioner...that you're in control of your emotions. Your neutral face in this situation enhances your credibility, professionalism and maturity far more than a frown, look of disgust or rolling eyes.

2. When you ask a question of the audience and someone gives you a wrong answer. Maintaining a neutral expression assures you won't embarrass the responder by overtly signifying that the answer is wrong (or dumb or stupid). You can then elicit responses from other audience members and reinforce the correct answer once someone offers it so the audience is left with the accurate information.

3. When you want to encourage the audience to express different perspectives. By remaining neutral during a dialogue you will encourage more audience members to share ideas. Knowing that you hold certain opinions because your facial expressions have communicated them can shut down opposite points of view.

 

Photo Credit:
flickr/Aztec Greenstone Mask  C.C. 2.0

 

 

 

What I Learned About Presentation Skills From My 3 Cats

I am one of those fortunate beings who gets to dedicate my life to creating happiness for my feline companions -- Gilbert, Sullivan and Jake (aka the boys).  This is not an endeavor I take lightly, nor do they. And for all the toys, cat food, prime window spots, kitty climbing trees and love I shower on them, they pay me back in countless ways, including demonstrating some truths about presentation skills.

Here are the presentation best practices my kitties employ:

::Focus:: When my boys want something -- food, play, my lap -- they are laser focused in their intent. They do not allow themselves to be distracted or deterred. They shut out everything else going on around them and give their undivided attention to what they desire at the moment.

Presentation Best Practice: Focus is important for a presenter in a couple of ways. Staying focused on your presentation when you're developing it means you will dedicate sufficient time for prep and practice and not let other things get in the way. As well, a clear focus on your intent and what you want your presentation to achieve will ensure success. As you develop your content and design your visuals, keep coming back to your objective and key message to ensure that what you're creating supports what you want to achieve.

::Posture and Gestures:: When the boys are trying to communicate they use their bodies to underscore their message. They may lie on their backs with paws in the air communicating that they want to play. They may sit up tall and straight with one paw slightly lifted when asking for food. They may stretch a paw out and gently touch my arm to communicate that they want to be petted.

Presentation Best Practice: Use your body in your presentation to transmit engagement and energy. Stand tall and confidently. Move around your space with intention. Be aware of your gestures and use them to add visual interest to your words. Walk closer to the audience when you're making a key point. But also be aware of when it's appropriate to stand still. Ensure your body and your gestures enhance the message you're communicating, rather than detract from it.

::Repetition:: The boys gain my attention with their persistence and repetition. When their kitty alarm goes off telling them it's time to eat, they don't digress from their purpose. They tell me that they're hungry by rubbing against me, meowing, walking back and forth in front of me and then doing it all again and again until they accomplish their goal.

Presentation Best Practice: Repetition helps your audience process and absorb your message. Look for different ways of repeating and reinforcing your key message. When your audience hears that message multiple times they'll find it harder to ignore and easier to remember.

::Flexibility:: In spite of their single-minded focus and persistence, the boys know when flexibility is the best strategy. Once they recognize that they're not going to get any more food or that I'm working and can't play with them, they read the situation, revise their plans and go have a nap.

Presentation Best Practice: Although you've planned your presentation to follow a certain flow, it's useful to have some options in your back pocket in case you need to modify your plan. The sign of a seasoned presenter is having the confidence to be flexible. If you notice your audience looks confused or you think you've lost them or it's just after lunch, be flexible enough to adjust what you'd planned to do. Take a break, insert a Q&A session, give them a quiz, tell a story.

You can certainly learn presentation best practices from many sources. But if you are lucky enough to have kitties in your world, do watch and listen to what they can teach you about communicating effectively.

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation Myths

Of the various titles I’ve held in my career, myth-buster actually hasn’t been one of them. Yet when I teach the Association for Talent Development's (ATD) Presentation Skills Certificate program and other presentation courses and workshops, I find myself “busting” a lot of myths about presentation practices.

So many businesspeople who are tasked with making presentations, even at senior levels, have never had any formal training in how to engage an audience, manage anxiety and get a message across effectively. It’s no wonder presentation myths are so prevalent.

Some of the common myths I encounter are easily corrected:

Myth:: Admitting to your audience that you're nervous helps calm your anxiety.

Reality :: Would you want your airline pilot to tell you he's nervous at the beginning of your flight? I didn't think so. Don't make it about you. Your audience wants and expects to receive value by spending time with you. Telling them you're nervous makes them uncomfortable and compromises your credibility. Learn to manage your nervousness and keep this secret to yourself.

Myth:: You shouldn't use your hands when you talk.

Reality:: Hand gestures are like punctuation for your words. If you typically use hand gestures when you speak you will look awkward and inauthentic if you try and squash them during a presentation. Hand gestures also convey enthusiasm and energy. If you don't typically use them, consider adding a few in strategic parts of your presentation to increase impact.

Myth:: Look at a point just over the audience’s heads and they will think you're making eye contact with them.

Reality :: Unless your audience has their collective eyes closed, it will be pretty easy to see that you're not looking anyone in the eye. Intentional eye contact enhances your credibility and trustworthiness. Make eye contact for 3-5 seconds with one person and then move on to someone else.

Now those myths were relatively simple to deal with. Other myths require more attention and practice to bust:

Myth:: You shouldn’t use notes during your presentation.
Myth:: Start a presentation by introducing yourself.
Myth:: Your slide deck is a good handout for the audience.
Myth:: Finish your presentation with a Q&A session.
Myth:: It’s best to memorize your presentation so you won’t forget important details.
Myth:: Bullet points on your slides should include full sentences and punctuation.

Since presentations have become the accepted way of communicating in our business world presentation myths are transmitted quickly and easily like a contagious virus throughout and between organizations. Every time you speak in front of a group you can perpetuate the myths by using the same old presentation practices that disengage the audience and may even limit your career. Or you have the opportunity to change minds and influence perspectives by delivering a clear, powerful and memorable message.

If you’re interested in busting some of the presentation myths you may be operating with, join me at one of my upcoming ATD Presentation Skills Certificate programs and learn how to be a more engaging, confident presenter.

Photo Credit:
flickr/The Unicorn  C.C. 2.0

In Presentations, Normal Isn't The Same As Effective

New normal is a frequently heard phrase these days, describing everything from the tough economy to instability in the Middle East to the make-up of the modern family. I'm thinking maybe it's time for a new normal in presentations because the old normal isn't working very well.

Too many times I hear my clients say, "...but that's the norm...that's what's expected...," when explaining why they continue to follow bad presentation practices. But when did the norm become synonymous with effective?

Let's look at some of the worst "normal" practices and consider what might make for a new normal.

The Norm :: Using copious bullet points, filling up each slide until there's almost no white space left.
The New Normal :: Using only key words and phrases, not sentences, on slides. Drastically reducing word slides in favor of visuals [charts, graphs, illustrations, pictures] and more dialogue with the audience.

The Norm :: Reading from the slides. Continually turning to the screen to read so one's back or side is to the audience.
The New Normal :: Being well enough prepared that reading the slides isn't necessary. Making continual eye contact with the audience to engage them and read their reactions.

The Norm :: Using filler words -- ums, ahs, you knows -- to the extreme both in the middle of and between sentences.
The New Normal :: Replacing filler words with a pause to gather thoughts and let the audience absorb what's been said. Practicing enough before the presentation so the delivery flows smoothly without the crutch of filler words.

The Norm :: Handing out the PowerPoint deck as a take-away.
The New Normal :: Recognizing that the slides and handouts serve two different purposes. In keeping with having less detailed slides, providing a more detailed handout that includes information/resources that will be useful to the audience after the presentation.

Moving from the norm to a new normal doesn't happen overnight. If a major change isn't feasible or comfortable, gradually may be the best way to implement improvements in your presentation practices. Then step by step the norm will become so much more effective.

Photo Credit:
Wikimedia Commons/iPhone&Steve Jobs  C.C. 3.0

 

 

 

 

Toasts for the Season

With Thanksgiving kicking off the festive holiday season next week here in the US, many of you will find yourselves in numerous situations where a toast or a few words to a group will be in order. Just because you're at the company holiday party or at the dinner table with Grandpa Horace and Aunt Willamina, don't leave your presentation skills back in the office.

TIPS FOR TOASTING

A few tips to keep in mind as you toast the season:

• If you know you're going to be asked to say a few words, do choose your remarks in advance. Very, very few people are naturally good extemporaneous speakers. As Mark Twain said, "It usually takes three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech."

• Even if you're not explicitly tasked with holiday remarks, prepare some anyway. You never know when it might be opportune, appropriate or just plain charming to have a clever or heartfelt toast or mini-speech to contribute to the occasion.

• As in all presentation situations, make eye contact with the entire group and speak clearly, slowly and loudly enough so everyone can hear.

• Practice enough so that you can say what you want to say smoothly and confidently. Even the best words and sentiments will be rendered ineffective if you stumble through them.

Here are a few of my favorite toasts and quotes...use them as is, or personalize for your situation. 

"May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and the road downhill all the way to your door."  Celtic salutation

"Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take 12 minutes. This is not coincidence."  Erma Bombeck

"May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey be plump, may your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump. May your yams be delicious, and your pies take the prize, and may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs!"  Unknown

"In the coming year, may good fortune precede you, love walk with you and good friends follow you."  Irish toast

Presentation Tip: Carve Every Word

Speak clearly if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.
Oliver Wendell Holmes

When making a presentation, the clarity of your diction, or lack of it, affects how you're perceived. Slurred consonants, words tumbling on top of each other and endings dropped off words all compromise your credibility and likely make you difficult to understand.

WHAT IS POOR DICTION?

Poor diction is not enunciating all the appropriate letters in a word [think Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady] or mashing them together in a way that deviates from the proper pronunciation of the word. Examples include:

~~ doin instead of doing

~~ probly instead of probably

~~ gonna instead of going to

~~ wanna instead of want to

~~ shoulda instead of should have

Unfortunately it isn't just the novice or occasional presenter who makes these mistakes. Listen to public figures -- athletes, movie stars, politicians -- and you'll hear many of them make the same errors.

WHAT CAUSES THESE SHORT CUTS IN OUR SPEECH?

Mostly it's laziness and getting into the habit of not being articulate. And then we don't even think about it. Other things that compromise clear diction are speaking fast; the familiarity that comes with giving a presentation or talk over and over [which can cause us to speed up our rate of speech, thus impacting our diction]; and certain regional patterns of speech which tend to be less crisp and more casual.

HOW DO WE CORRECT THIS PROBLEM OF SLOPPY DICTION?

Luckily there are some simple things which can improve enunciation:

• Become aware of how clearly you articulate your words by recording yourself speaking [a regular conversation or reading from a newspaper or practicing a presentation] and then listen objectively for words that are sloppily spoken. Awareness is the most critical step in making a change.
  

• Practice opening your mouth wider as you read something outloud and focus on crisply ending each word [pronouncing the ng or t or d at the end] before beginning the next word. Record yourself and see if you can notice a difference from the first recording. If you are having trouble assessing yourself, ask someone else to listen.

• Try some tongue twisters to loosen up your mouth and jaw. Listen to yourself reciting tongue twisters and it will be very evident if your words are running together.

Hold the image in your mind of carving each word, as if you had a sharp knife, before you let that word fall from your lips. Because if you can't be heard and understood, if your speaking runs together sloppily, you won't be able to communicate your ideas effectively. And isn't that what a presentation is all about?

 

Photo Credit:
flickr/Initials Carved Into a Tree  C.C.2.0

Presentation Tip: Don't Talk So Much

News flash for presenters...during your presentation, you don't have to do all the talking.

Most presenters have a difficult time accepting this concept. There are likely diverse reasons for a presenter's belief that except for a brief Q&A, he must be the one to deliver all the presentation content: it's always been done this way; the audience came to hear my expertise; I won't be able to get back on track if the audience starts talking; I'll lose too much time and won't be able to get through my presentation. But perhaps a paradigm shift might be in order.

In our world of constant and assorted stimuli, audiences often don't have the patience or the motivation to listen to a presenter speak continuously for 30, 45, 60 minutes in the same format. Add to this the increasing desire among audiences for participation and involvement to enhance their engagement and you begin to have a road map for that paradigm shift.

Dialogue and discussion are more beneficial to an audience than listening to a talking head. Structure your next presentation to include opportunities for the audience to share their perspective or discuss an issue or question you pose. This dialogue can be between you and the entire audience or you can have people turn to the person next to them for a brief discussion. Strive to create variety in your presentation by alternating between you talking and the audience participating. The benefit of this approach to you [besides a highly engaged audience] is that you can enlist the audience's assistance in answering questions and sharing their examples which takes some of the pressure off you to be the expert on every aspect of the topic.

Thankfully, this format won't allow for the typical information overload presentation so focus on the couple of key messages that are most relevant to your audience and provide additional material, if necessary, in a handout.

Using this approach will move you from the talking head presenter to a presenter who facilitates discovery and the sharing of ideas. Your presentation will be a richer experience for all concerned.

 

Repetition in Your Presentation

Repetition has long been heralded in advertising, politics and public speaking as a device which can add emphasis and impact to key thoughts and phrases. But too much repetition in a presentation becomes annoying rather than powerful.

I recently attended a webinar given by a well-known author – whose name you would recognize – and he repeated so much of his presentation I felt I was hearing it all twice. In some cases he repeated phrases three times AND the same words were showing on the slide. His presentations to live audiences follow a similar pattern.

What has happened to this author is that repeating much of what he says has become a crutch for him. It's become another form of filler words, similar to ‘um’, ‘you know’, ‘like’, et al. Rather than pausing to gather his thoughts and formulate what he is going to say next, this repetition has become a habit to bridge from one thought to the next. It has become so ingrained, he likely doesn’t even hear himself repeat things two or three times.

For repetition to be effective, it must be intentional. As a speaker you must consciously decide where you can lend more emphasis and importance to a word or phrase by repeating it. You can repeat the word(s) exactly, with a pause before the repetition to give the audience a moment to absorb the impact. Or, you can explore a rhetorical device, such as anaphora, which is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases. Repetition used in this way not only creates emphasis but also moves the thought/message forward.

Take a look at these examples to see how powerful repetition can be when used with intention:

"To raise a happy, healthy, and hopeful child, it takes a family; it takes teachers; it takes clergy; it takes business people; it takes community leaders; it takes those who protect our health and safety. It takes all of us."  [Hillary Clinton, 1996 Democratic National Convention Address]

"What we need in the United States is not division. What we need in the United States is not hatred. What we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness; but is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country whether they be white or whether they be black."  [Robert F. Kennedy, On the death of Martin Luther King, Jr.]

Photo Credit:
flickr/Repetition  C.C. 2.0