What It Takes to be a Master Presenter

Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers says 10,000 hours is the ‘key’ number for true expertise. He sites examples of composers, basketball players, skaters, concert pianists, chess players and fiction writers who achieved greatness after 10,000 hours of hard practice.

Obviously, 10,000 hours is an enormous amount of time, and most people can't reach this by themselves. They need people to coach them and support their efforts as they learn how to become an expert.

Gladwell's theory also applies to presenters.

Presenters only become experts when they speak often and practice hard. They hone their craft through coaching and feedback. You may be saying, "This leaves me out" right about now. The reality is you too can become an expert, even if you only rarely make formal presentations. How is this possible? You have to look for opportunities to speak, get feedback and practice.

Most of us attend meetings on a daily basis. Meetings are a perfect setting for practicing clarity and conciseness or any other desired issue. Whenever you answer a question or are asked for your opinion, do it with some forethought. Avoid ad-libbing. Take a moment to think about what your recommendation will be, what you want people to do as a result and how it will benefit them. Be clear and succinct. When the meeting is over, ask for specific feedback from someone in attendance that is a good speaker and willing to give you balanced feedback. Feedback from someone who simply says, "You were good" will not help you to grow.

Most of us have to give status reports or updates. These are also wonderful opportunities to practice organising and delivering prepared content. When a person rehearses a message out loud a few times, they begin to internalise it so that when they actually do deliver the message, they feel and act more confident. The same will be true for you.

Sometimes, there are opportunities at work to become involved in professional organisations. Instead of sitting back quietly, volunteer to speak on a topic you know well. For example, if you have lived and worked abroad, share your experiences. When possible, record yourself so that you can do some self coaching also.

Off the job there may be opportunities to speak. These might include Parent Teacher Associations, Associations, Committees, Fun Runs, or Church groups. Bear in mind that Associations have committees, and committee members have to deliver reports. Families and neighborhoods also have gatherings, reunions or holiday parties, and these too can allow you the chance to practice a skill like adding humor while delivering a toast.

Lastly, there is Toastmasters, an international organisation for anyone wanting to get better at speaking. Toastmaster meetings focus on developing speaker skills and attendees always have to get up and "talk." Participants also offer feedback on each presenter.

While achieving 10,000 hours and the expert speaker status you desire can take some time, it is not out of the question when one considers how much of their day is spent communicating. Just remember, experts are committed to achievement. They know they must work hard and they seek out people who will help them get better.

All the best on your speaking journey.

Is Face to Face Communication Necessary Today?

Social media, e-mail and other advancements in technology seem to suggest that face to face communication in the business world is "old school," that people do not miss or desire in person communiqués.


Recently I heard of a businessman who when anyone calls his mobile phone hears the following recorded message. "Hi, I only check phone messages once a week so if your message is important, please send me a text message or email." While business professionals accept that new methods are cost effective, they are offended when there is not a person to personally communicate with in certain situations. So what are those situations?


Change Messages
If your organisation is about to experience a significant change such as merging or restructuring, employees want the executive team to deliver this message personally and to be available to answer questions.


Even if the message is totally positive, people fear change. They wonder, "Will they be able to do it?" The bigger the change, the more important it is to deliver the message in person. Without face to face discussions, it is difficult to get people on board quickly and difficult for them to stay positive.


Often multiple meetings must be conducted to define the scope of the change. While the initial meeting should be done in person, follow-up meetings on the same topic can be done via a teleconference or other media.


Bad News Messages
Messages where there is likely to be a strong emotional response should never be communicated other than in person. For example, if a company needs to eliminate a department or layoff a percentage of their workforce, that message undoubtedly will precipitate fear and anger. Those concerned feel the least their manager or executive team can do is deliver this news to their face.


Emotional charged messages cannot be digested quickly. There must multiple meetings and plenty of time for discussion.


Critical Messages
Highly important data or information, such as test results, earnings, new opportunities or priorities should also be delivered in person. It demonstrates criticality and shows respect for the listeners' input.



Performance Reviews
People work hard, especially in this difficult economy. They want to hear how well they are performing and what they need to improve. They need their efforts recognized with a face to face performance review if at all possible. While employees recognise cost cuts and travel freezes, performance reviews by phone are not well received. The individual does not feel valued.


Social media and virtual communications are here to stay, but so also is the need to recognise that some meetings can or should not be done virtually or electronically.


We encourage you to further develop your face to face communication skills.

Build Credibility with Every E-mail You Write

E-mails can either build or erode credibility. For e-mails to differentiate you in a positive light, take the time to write them clearly and concisely. Make sure to focus them on the recipients and their needs. Lastly, plainly define any follow-up actions.

 
When e-mails erode one's image, they contain unnecessary details, endless amounts of background or multiple digressions. Because today's business professionals often receive 50-250 e-mails a day, most readers only skim them for pertinent details. If readers can't discern relevance or clarity at a glance, they will begrudgingly read your text or skip to the next e-mail. If your e-mails fall into the pattern of being unclear or drawn out, people will loathe receiving any messages from you.


 Mechanics and punctuation can also jeopardise credibility. Incorrect tense, agreement errors, comma splices, fragments or run-on sentences will be noticed and remembered. These errors will make the writer look careless or lazy. Additionally, the person's manager may want to review important e-mails before they are disseminated.

-  Consider their audience first and foremost. If a method other than e-mail is better or preferred, they take the time to do what is appropriate. They are also very sure about who goes in the To, CC or BCC fields. They send their message to the minimum number of people.

-  Use priority symbols only when appropriate.

-  Create a headline for the subject line that answers the question, "What is this all about?" Their subject line generates reader interest.

-  Keep their message brief out of respect for their readers. The message typically fits on the screen and is rarely more than one page. There is a lot of white space so that visually people see points quickly.

-  Make ideas jump off the page by putting key points in a headline format and bold print.

-  Use bullets so that readers easily find the specifics.

-  Answer the questions people have in an opening paragraph - what's this all about; what am I suppose to do; what are the benefits for me.

-  Proofread for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

-  Are warm and friendly. Comments can be misinterpreted so they are mindful of tone.

-  Avoid acronyms when possible.

-  State any required actions directly.

-  End their message as if writing a letter.

Written Communication Rule – Clarity

Clarity should be a writer's highest priority. While people might externally nod in agreement, miscommunication is rampant. 

How many of us have had the unsettling experience of trying to assemble a child's toy, only to be thwarted by unclear directions. Anyone interested in healthy living will tell you how difficult it is to make wise food choices when they can't understand the contents on a label.

While aggravating on the home-front, imagine what havoc confusing emails or other written documents cause the already overworked business professional. It is estimated that millions of dollars are lost each year in fines, missed deadlines and productivity due to miscommunication. So how do you rid yourself of ambiguity?
 

Say it simply

Business professionals get into trouble when they try to ‘dress it up’. The best approach is to streamline your ideas so that an eighth grader could understand them. Keep your sentence structures simple. Forget attaching all sorts or phrases and clauses to your main ideas. These dangling phrases or clauses leave people second guessing your meaning.


 Be specific
Avoid generalities. Consider this statement, "Customer Satisfaction is down 9%" While we know it is down, we are not sure what market segments are involved or what issues were surveyed. Anecdotes and examples are necessary to make abstract ideas resonate with readers.


Bullet points & Sub-bullet points

People want to get ideas quickly. The fewer the words in any bullet point; the better it is for the reader. Bullet points written in full sentences, inevitably, provide unnecessary details. Sub-bullet points further confuse the issue. Rather than sub-bullet points, include additional information in an appendix. Always ask yourself, "Does this depth of information help or hinder my reader?"


Eliminate jargon

Every company has its own jargon or slang, but also every business unit within that same corporation. For example, the people in ‘IT’ often talk or write using acronyms that only engineers or developers would understand. The same is true for people in benefits, sales or accounting. We get so used to our own vernacular that we forget others aren't savvy. People who are unsure may incorrectly assume or delay action. You may never know that the reason your recommendation wasn't accepted was because it was misunderstood.


Be concise

Keep it short and to the point. Most business professionals tell us that they carefully read the overview or the introduction and then skim the rest. They just do not have the time to read a lengthy text. Documents longer than two pages are usually not carefully read.


Be vigilant about grammar and punctuation

You don't have to be an expert to catch errors in grammar or punctuation. Try reading your document out loud line by line. You will hear many hard to catch mistakes. If you have an issue with a particular issue of grammar or punctuation, take time to review the basics using a good business writing book.



What you communicate in writing reflects on your intelligence, thoroughness and professionalism. It is the image you are sending of yourself to your clients and colleagues. Being known as a clear communicator is a ‘feather in your cap’.

A Presentation Cardinal Rule - End on Time

It is not okay to end meetings and presentations late...

When moderators say, "I am sorry we ended 15 minutes over time, but I hope you found it valuable," it is not really all right. People have commitments. Sometimes, they are rushing to airports or to pick up children at day-care; sometimes, it is to cheer their child on at their soccer game or to make a dentist's last appointment for the day. If you are their manager, it is likely they will have to tough it out and be late.

If attendees at your meeting are late for another meeting or engagement, others might be waiting, putting the next moderator behind in timing. If the meeting has already started, it makes the person who joins late on a conference call or webcast appear disrespectful or lackadaisical.

Why it happens

Meetings run overtime for a number of reasons. Too much time is spent socializing with attendees at the beginning.

There may also be lengthy discussion over an emotional issue or debate about the appropriate next steps.

Sometimes, the moderator is too wordy or down right unclear. As a result, there are lots of unnecessary questions and sidebar conversations. Additionally, the topic may be too vast to discuss in the allocated time frame or the moderator related unnecessary details.


What to do about it
Obviously, it is important to conclude a meeting on a timely basis. So what are some strategies?


1.  Send out an agenda with time frames attached to areas for discussion and ask for approval of both the agenda and the allocated times. Then, if debate continues beyond the agreed time, the moderator should interrupt and ask people how they would like to proceed, reminding them of the remaining agenda items. Further discussion can be tabled for another meeting or the agenda set aside or adjusted.

2.  Don't cram too much information into a meeting. If there is a lot of information, consider scheduling two meetings or reserving discussion of some items for later.

3.  Identify any emotional areas and allow more time for discussion. As the moderator, have a sense of the reactions certain issues will have on people. Will certain departments or people be skeptical of the data or how it was collected? Will they be defensive of why sales went down or angry about proposed cutbacks in staff? If so, be sure to over-budget time for discussion.

4.  Arrange the agenda so that the most important items are discussed first. Sometimes too much time is spent giving the history. While context is important, attendees are usually more interested in solutions. They fully recognize that things didn't turn out well, but their focus is on the future.

5.  Be flexible. Sometimes, a senior executive offers a lengthy opinion. As the junior person, the moderator cannot interrupt. In those cases, the moderator must be prepared to adjust his content quickly and on the fly.

6.  Be brief. While the moderator can't always gauge the amount of discussion between attendees, he or she can monitor his own words and be concise. Nine times out of ten, participants prefer an overview. If they want more details, they will ask for it. If the moderator distributes handouts with the details prior to the meeting, attendees can come in with their questions. Technical deep dives on a topic can thus be avoided.

7.  Begin on time. If the meeting is supposed to start at 9, start at 9, not 9:15. Make your opening remarks meaningful and capture attention with a humorous anecdote, relevant story, startling statistic or relevant story.


While there are times when as much as you plan, things go array. Ending late should be a rarity, not the typical occurrence. Those moderators that keep the meeting on track are respected and appreciated.

3 Quick Principles to Construct & Deliver Successful Sales Presentations

Amidst all the changes happening at present across international economies there are
a number of companies that are still maintaining growth.

Let’s look at 3 presentation principles that growing companies apply to shift buying criteria away from price during economic challenges.


1. Position Your Business As An Expert

 Here's the thing...

In today's business environment, you need to position your business as an expert with your prospective client before you show up for any meeting or presentation.

The best way to do this is to educate your buyer on how to become an expert consumer of your product.

Clients don't necessarily know what to look for when purchasing. They don't know what to do when comparing competitive options.

And guess what?

The presenter that provides this type of buying information helps audiences to breathe a sigh of relief. This will immediately position your business HEAD and SHOULDERS above the majority of other providers competing with your business.

By delivering an education based presentation at the right time during a clients buying process will most definitely work in your favour.

Your presentation should be constructed in order to stimulate and impress audience ears, eyes, intellect and emotion.

Ensure your presentations offer indisputable proof your business is an absolute EXPERT in what it delivers.

During the past ten (10) years EffectiveCommunication.com.au (EC) has served numerous clients to construct and deliver expert presentations for a wide range of audiences. The results in many cases have been very successful. To view some success case studies, you’re welcome to visit the ‘Return on Investment’ page of our website.

Many times over the years companies have decide to work with EC and have become long term clients simply because they say we present as business communication experts based on the E-newsletters we send plus, quality of our website.

Present your business as an expert – EC has seen this principle result successfully many times for many clients, which is why we recommend your business start or continue to do the same.


2. Solve A Problem… Don’t Just Present Another Product

This reads as obvious, yet continually EC works with companies and people who leave large amounts of unbanked profit on the table because they simply do not uncover the true scope of the opportunity before presenting products and services.

And what we know is this...

Presenting your business as a problem solver will alone INSTANTLY create a shift in how professional your business is perceived by your clients.

To put this bluntly, your business rises from being perceived as "just another rep selling something" to "an equal business, genuinely looking to help a client solve a problem in ways that benefits both parties"

You can not gain a much better presentation outcome than this!


3.  Be More Thorough in Your Fact Finding with Companies Prior to Presenting Recommendations
This principle goes hand in glove with the previous principle.

Unless you have a pre-determined set of great questions that aim at the core of how you might help a prospective client, you will not get all the facts required to successfully serve them.

How To Present Via Video

 Let’s consider best practices for presenting using synchronous video conferencing.


Synchronous Video Conferencing

Video conferencing capability has come a long way, and it’s gaining momentum for becoming a standard delivery technique for meetings, presentations and training.


Here are 5 best practices for your next video conference:


1.  Understand Lag & Synch Issues 

It’s important to understand that there may be some lag and that the video and audio may be out of synch. This causes people to unintentionally interrupt and trip over each other.

Our recommendation is to be patient with others, and pause before speaking to ensure that the previous speaker was finished. This means that the conversations will be slower paced than face-to-face, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

When communicating via one-way radio, it’s common practice to say “over” when you’re done speaking. Perhaps you can implement an equivalent process? This may be particularly useful when there are more than two locations dialing in.


2.  Assign One Person to be the Moderator

The moderator can be the host or someone else, but make it clear at the beginning of the video conference that this person is in charge. When the discussion gets going and people start tripping over each other, this person should step in and moderate.


3.  Pay Particular Attention to Your Eye Contact 

You should look into the camera’s lens when speaking, not at the person’s eyes as they are projected on the screen or monitor. When you look into the lens, the people you’re speaking to will feel as if you’re looking directly at them. If you look at their projection, you’ll appear as if you’re looking elsewhere as you speak.

This is difficult to do, but once you master it this technique won’t feel so awkward.


4.  Adjust Your Lights

To the degree possible, adjust lights in your room so that your face can be seen on video. In general you want more light in front of you shining on your face and less light behind you.


5.  Don’t Yell 

I’m not sure why people do this, but many people tend to raise their voices when on a video conference. Speak in your normal tone and in the general direction of the microphone. Check in with people, especially at the beginning, to set or correct your volume level.


So there you have it: best practices for presenting in a virtual world.


All the best