Tag: Kite

  • 3 Tips to Deal With Audiences from Hell

    by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    Resis­tant dynam­ics can be found in any audi­ence. Here are three essen­tial tech­niques to stay sane as a presenter.

    1. Check Your­self.
    Ask your­self: What am I feel­ing about this audi­ence? Why? What’s the worst that could hap­pen?

    Pre­pare your­self emo­tion­ally and phys­i­cally. Make sure you’ve had enough to eat, and drink plenty of water. If you find your­self going “on stage” expect­ing the worst, or not being pre­pared for  many ques­tions and chal­lenges, you set yourself up for failure.

    2. Don’t Let the Hostile Faces Hook You.
    Your goal is to present to the best of your abil­ity, to everyone in the room. Don’t get emotionally connected to the few unhappy audience members.

    Acknowl­edge and respect the dynam­ics in the room. Detach from them. Most likely, these have nothing to do with you.

    3. Present as if Every­one Were Uncom­mit­ted.
    I bor­row from Don Pfarrer’s book, Guerilla Per­sua­sion, for this incred­i­bly help­ful final tip. I’ve used it often, to great success.

    Assume that every audi­ence is comprised of four different groups. Each group is either friendly to your mes­sage, hostile, indif­fer­ent, or sim­ply uncom­mit­ted.

    Here’s the strategy: Focus on the uncom­mit­ted. In this way, you will successfully address everyone in the audience. By focusing on the uncommitted, you will con­struct and present your mes­sage more thoroughly and per­sua­sively.

    All 4 Audi­ence Seg­ments Ben­e­fit When You Focus on the Uncommitted.

    Audi­ence Segment What Do They Want From Listening to You?
    Dan­gers of Focus­ing Only on This Segment
    How This Seg­ment Ben­e­fits When You Focus on the Uncommitted
    “Friend­lies” Sat­is­fac­tion, affin­ity. Too easy — you may assume too much. Their knowl­edge and com­mit­ment is deepened.
    “Hos­tiles” To see you fail. Increases your own defen­sive­ness. You may come off abra­sively and unlikable. They expe­ri­ence human respect, open­ness and rea­son from you (and are likely to mir­ror the behavior).
    “Indif­fer­ents” To be left alone and unchanged. You may tie your­self up into knots try­ing get a response. They may get the mes­sage, while not being ham­mered by you.
    “Uncom­mit­teds” To expe­ri­ence a rea­soned, well-thought-out, good-natured expo­sure to the issues. NONE! They get the best of YOU: affin­ity and reason. You won’t cut cor­ners by assum­ing sup­port where it might not exist.

    The bot­tom line is: KNOW YOUR STUFF. Be ready for ques­tions and chal­lenges. By check­ing your­self, not getting “hooked” by hostility, and focus­ing on the Uncom­mit­ted, you take great strides towards more resiliency and professionalism as a presenter.

    Read more articles about Presentation Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Presentation Skills Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • Avoid Audience Overload: Less is More

    Pic­ture it: You’re a stu­dent in a class­room. The instruc­tor is throw­ing out fact after fact. At first, you lis­ten intently, try­ing to grasp every­thing that’s going on. After about 15 min­utes, your atten­tion drifts.  After try­ing to focus a few more times, you feel so over­whelmed (and pos­si­bly irri­tated and bored) that you just give up.

    Hey-how did you like being on the receiv­ing end?

    Trainers, have some sym­pa­thy. The instruc­tor was just try­ing to “cover the mate­r­ial.” (How many times have YOU used this line?)

    The fact is, more content does not produce more competencies. Information overload can produce confusion, anxiety, and indecision. It does NOT help students transfer learning into the real world.

    Training Rule: “Less is More”

    Identify the most important pieces of content. Spend training time to ensure that participants can process the information and apply it to real-world situations.

    Here is a short list of instruc­tional strate­gies you can use to bring your lesson’s con­tent alive:

    • Dis­cus­sions
    • Sur­veys
    • Con­tests
    • Case stud­ies
    • Drills
    • Reflec­tive writing
    • Mind maps
    • Jig­saws
    • Brain­storm­ing
    • Role-plays
    • Sim­u­la­tions

    The moral is: By trying to “cover all the material,” you do just that—cover up what’s really important.

  • Can You Hear Me Now? Three Tips to Rise Above the Crowd

    Can You Hear Me Now?!by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    WOW, the pressure on public speakers is great. Speakers and audiences realize that PowerPoint won’t save anyone anymore. The focus now shines on YOU more than ever before. How can you be heard above the crowd?

    1.  Do your homework.

    What are your audience’s needs, wants, anxieties, biases, “personality?” What history do people bring into the room? What do you need to know to ensure that your message fits this audience?

    Presenters who don’t ask these questions are like basketball players trying to dunk in the dark. All they can do is hope for the best.

    2.  Raise your fitness level.

    Quality presentations demand energy. You owe it to your audience to exude vitality. To increase your energy and vitality, you must build your physical endurance outside of speaking situations.

    It really doesn’t matter how what size you are. It does matter that you increase cardiovascular fitness in your everyday life. Do whatever turns you on, from walking the dog faster to taking up some scary and exciting new sport.

    3.  Start with the end in mind.

    Always ask yourself: “What do I want to this presentation to achieve?” Don’t move ahead to organize your presentation until the answer satisfies you.

    Yes, audiences expect more from speakers these days. But you can rise to the challenge–and rise above the crowd–simply by integrating these tips into your life as a speaker.

    Read more articles about Presentation Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Presentation Skills Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © 2009 Guila Muir. All rights reserved.
    You may make copies of this article and distribute in any media so long as you change nothing, credit the author, and include this copyright notice and web address.

  • The “Intensified You:” Key to Giving a Great Presentation

    by Guila Muir

    “An ounce of energy is worth a pound of technique”. (Anonymous)

    When people describe the best speaker they’ve ever seen, the word “energy” always comes up. What are the secrets of exuding energy, vitality, the life force, as a speaker?

    Be Big

    Regardless of what size you are, take up more room. Become the “Intensified You.” Practice in front of a mirror:

    • Stand up straight.
    • Use your arms and hands to create space around your body.
    • Pump up the volume in your voice. Try saying, “Hello! My name is…” in a healthy and robust voice.
    • Pour yourself in. Be 100% present.

    Practice “being big” before you get in front of a group!

    Come Alive in the Magic Circle

    Once you stand up and speak, you step into the Magic Circle. This is your space to shine. This little patch of earth is your Real Estate—so own it. Show what you’ve practiced-be big, take up room, and pour the energy on.

    When you step out of the Magic Circle, you can relax. You no longer have to take up space…you can go home and “be little” as you watch TV. But you owe it to your audience to shine when you’re in the Magic Circle.

    Energy is Key

    Your ability to exude energy plays a huge role in your success as a speaker. Just try “pumping it up” a little in your next presentation, and you’ll experience a true difference.

    Read more articles about Presentation Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Presentation Skills Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © 2009 Guila Muir. All rights reserved.

  • A “Train the Trainer” Tip: Start Your Sessions With a Bang

    istock_000009305487xsmall3by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    What’s the best way to assure your training participants groan inwardly and “turn off” when you first open your mouth? Simply by doing what you’ve always been told: By introducing yourself and providing your credentials.

    Why not generate your audience’s curiosity, interest, and investment from the outset? Use a “Hook” before introducing yourself or your professional credentials. If your hook is well-crafted, you will have already gained credibility when you do introduce yourself. The participants will be much more open to hearing your message.

    What is a Hook?
    First, what a hook is NOT:

    • An extended exercise or activity
    • An irrelevant joke
    • An apology of any kind
    • A meandering, “off-the-cuff” mumble meant to make YOU more comfortable in front of the class.

    A Hook is a short, carefully crafted statement that indicates you know who your audience is and what they care about. It should elicit some sort of emotion in your listeners, whether that is quiet reflection, hilarious recognition of a feeling or situation, or sorrow. The emotion doesn’t have to be “positive.” But it must resonate with your audience and its memories or experiences, while being relevant to your subject.

    Three Ideas for Powerful Hooks

    Quickie Quiz:
    Create a 3-5-question quiz and ask participants to take it the minute they sit down. It’s best if the questions are slightly provocative or controversial. Throughout the class, answer and clarify the issues.

    Here’s a “real-life” example currently being used in a Risk Management class for supervisors:
    •    What percentage of claims and incidents filed against this company were closed last year without payment?
    30%
    50%
    80%
    •    If an employee is sued because of an act s/he committed within the scope of their duties, the employee must provide his/her own legal defense. (T/F)
    •    This company is self-insured for Auto Liability and General Liability. (T/F)

    Questions
    Carefully constructed questions are often the easiest and most powerful “Hooks.” Questions can begin with the words “How many here have…?” or “Did you know that…?” Your question should demand a physical response from the participants, such as nodding, raising hands, even standing up.

    Visualization
    This technique gives even “dry” subjects the emotional content you need to hook the learners’ interest.

    Here’s a real-life example of a visualization “Hook” from a supervisory class on wage and hour laws: “Close your eyes and imagine that you are a 10 year old child in the 1930’s working in a factory 12 hours a day, 60 hours a week for 10 cents an hour. You’ve never seen the inside of a school…your feet are cold and you get just one meal break a day. How do you feel?” Ask the participants to open their eyes. Debrief thoughts and feelings; connect to the course topic and state the learning outcomes.

    Remember: to keep your audience actively engaged from the get-go, you must HOOK their interest in the first few minutes of class. Wait until they’re hooked to introduce yourself!

    Read more articles to boost your Training Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Train the Trainer Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • All Presenting is Persuasive

    Don’t Do a Data Dump!

    After stumbling a bit, most presenters are able to name the purpose of any presentation they might give. However, most really stumble when asked if their presentations are meant to persuade anyone of anything.The answer, 99% of the time, is YES. And yet most presenters don’t realize it. As a result, the world is full of “information-only” presentations that do NOT achieve the presenters’ or the audience’s expectations or needs. Information in itself does not lead people to understand, believe, or act. Information alone is a “data-dump,” not a presentation.

    Think about it. Why give a presentation at all if you are not attempting to change the audience’s behaviors or attitudes?

    Persuasion versus Coercion

    “Thaw with her gentle persuasion is more powerful than Thor with his hammer. The one melts, the other breaks into pieces.”
    — Henry David Thoreau

    The term “persuasion” can turn presenters off. Many subconsciously equate it with coercion. And in fact both do share the same continuum of strategies that seek compliance from the listener. Yet persuasion, when done well, answers the audience’s questions, address its concerns, and fulfills its needs…while achieving the presenter’s goals.

    Persuasion is nonadversarial in nature. Because it does not command, negotiate, or coerce, those who are persuaded almost always feel comfortable and satisfied with the outcomes. Why do they feel satisfied? Because the speaker has done her homework. She KNOWS what the audience needs and cares about. The presentation moves out of being a data dump and into the realm of dialogue, even if no formal “Q & A” takes place.

    Credibility as Persuasion

    “Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion.” — Aristotle

    Persuasion is more than strategy or technique. Your credibility factor underlies all persuasion. All the charisma in the world falls flat if the audience doesn’t perceive you as being credible.

    Empirical research (McCroskey, Holdrige & Toomb, 1974) describes five dimensions that must be evident in order for a speaker to be credible:

    • Competence: the degree to which you are perceived to be an expert.
    • Character: the degree to which you are perceived as a reliable, essentially trustworthy message source.
    • Composure: the degree to which you are perceived as being able to maintain emotional control.
    • Extroversion: the degree to which you are perceived as bold, outgoing, and dynamic.
    • Sociability: the degree to which the audience perceives you as someone with whom they could be friends.

    Remember that the effectiveness of your presentation is really about building a relationship with the audience. These five dimensions of credibility are far more effective tools than PowerPoint or any other technology. People are “buying” (or not buying) you.

    What’s in it for Them?

    Jerry Weissman, in his book “Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story” calls persuasion audience advocacy. By that, he means the ability to view yourself, your company, your story, and your presentation through your audience’s eyes. You must be able to answer the question “What’s in it for them?” at every juncture of your presentation.

    If you want to move the uninformed, dubious, or resistant audience to understand, believe, and act, (and what speaker doesn’t?) you must:

    1. Know your audience.Do your homework. Find out what your audience cares about, what it wants to know, what its concerns are.
    2. Link every piece of information to your audience’s needs.

    Here’s a helpful test.

    1. First, determine your next presentation’s purpose. Write it down. Reflect on it. Change it if necessary.
    2. Then, compose the first draft of your presentation. Focus on the purpose as you write.
    3. Go through your presentation. Every time you provide a piece of data, STOP. Then ask and answerthese questions:
      • “This is important to them because…” (answer it!)
      • “So what?” (explain how it benefits the audience.)
    4. When you discover information for which you cannot answer these questions, ask yourself: Does this data help the audience understand, believe, or act? Remove the data if it does not.

    You’re On!

    Once you’ve gotten through the test and integrated the answers into your presentation, be ready to put on your Audience Advocacy hat once again. Select at least three of the phrases below and insert them into your presentation at the appropriate times:

    “This is important to you because…”

    “What does this mean to you?”

    “Why am I telling you this?”

    “Who cares? (“You should care, because…”)

    “So what?” (“Here’s what!”)

    You are Credible; You Meet Your Audience’s Needs

    Develop and practice the five dimensions of credibility. They are an innate and natural part of you. A higher awareness of them will increase your effectiveness as a speaker. Remember to “see, taste, and hear” your presentation as if you are a member of your own audience. And always ask yourself: What’s in it for them?

    Far from being coercive, you are proving yourself to be powerfully aligned with your audience. Your message will benefit, motivate and move them!


    Read more articles about Presentation Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Presentation Skills Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • Five Tips to Present Like a Pro

    How to Rise Above the Crowd

    Over the last five years, I’ve noticed a dramatic change in the field of presentation skills. Increasingly, experts support the idea that being a “good enough” speaker is no longer “good enough.” Mere competency as a speaker is no longer enough to sell your ideas, bring communities together, or move clients to action.

    What are the reasons for this change? I believe it results from a unique confluence between popular and business cultures. The private sphere has become more public, reality shows rule, PowerPoint is the norm, and the idea of individual “performance” is key. Whatever the reasons, the expectations of ordinary audiences have risen. It’s no longer good enough to be good enough.

    How can presenters overcome these new challenges?

    Here are five essential tips to ensure you are better than “just good enough.”

    1. Ensure that you have a good design.

    More presentations fail because of poor design than because of poor delivery. In fact, high quality design actually improves delivery.

    Here are the three factors most likely to cause poor design:

    • Composing your presentation without an “end in mind.”
    • Using PowerPoint to compose your presentation.
    • Overlooking your audience’s needs, wants, anxieties, biases, “personality…”

    How to avoid these pitfalls:

    Always ask yourself: “What do I want to this presentation to achieve?” Many speakers who want to persuade their audiences compose “information-only” speeches. Guess what? The audience, in most cases, will NOT fill in the blanks. They will NOT be moved to action. Learn how to construct the right speech for the job. (I can help – drop me a line at guila@guilamuir.com.)

    PowerPoint is meant to support your message, not to be used as a composing tool. You must identify your desired outcome(s) and design your presentation to achieve those. The best tools to do this are a pen and paper, (or Word if you are so inclined.) Composing on PowerPoint increases the chance that you will deliver an unfocused, rambling “data-dump.”

    Know your audience. Design your presentation to answer the question, “What’s in it for THEM?”

    2. Be fit.

    The best presenters, even the “low-key” ones, use a lot of personal energy. If you feel out of shape, find an activity that strengthens you, speeds up your metabolism, and gives you stamina. It doesn’t matter what “size” you are. It does matter how fit you are.

    3. Remember that presenting is a relationship event, not a performance event.

    Above all, effective presenters connect with their audiences. The presentation becomes a large conversation. Everyone feels more comfortable, even when the topic is thorny.

    How to connect? Greet people individually as they come in the door. Hob-nob at the refreshment table. Learn people’s names. Make eye contact. Ask questions. Show empathy.

    4. Breathe. Be yourself. Have fun!

    This tip is integrally attached to point #3. When we are authentic, we connect authentically with people. They are more apt to listen to us and receive our message. When we have enough oxygen to fuel our brains, we don’t forget our material. We are energized. When we’re having fun, the audience is more receptive.

    5. Remember that your internal voice never tells the whole truth.

    You’re done with the presentation. You’re privately debriefing the experience inside your brain. Some presenters will hear mean-spirited comments—crueler by far than any comment they might dream of giving someone else. Other presenters hear overly grandiose feedback, telling them that they did much better than they actually did.

    Many presenters don’t hear much self-feedback at all, since they became oblivious of their actions and words once they began their presentations (not a good thing.)

    How do we discover how effective we actually were?

    Elicit feedback from people you trust will tell you the truth. Take their comments seriously, and then decide what, if any, changes you want to make. Don’t depend totally on your internal voice.

    Approximately 50 million presentations are given every day across the United States. Since you sometimes give one of those presentations, why not rise beyond being “just good enough?” Integrate these tips and you’ll present like a pro!

    © 2007 Guila Muir .

    Does improving your presentation skills interest you? Find related reading here.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © 2007 Guila Muir. www.guilamuir.com All rights reserved.

  • So You’ve Been Selected

    6 Tips for Conference Presenters

    “Someone’s got to do something, and it’s just incredibly pitiful that it has to be us.” — Jerry Garcia

    Some are chosen, some are forced…but in the end, most business professionals present at industry conferences, annual meetings, or other events during the course of their careers. Please allow me to be the first to congratulate you if you have been recently selected to present! You were chosen out of many, and are now charged with a fantastic opportunity to enhance your reputation as a credible expert in your field.

    These TIPS will help you give the best presentation possible, while fulfilling your responsibility to your audience. Use them, and you’ll come off like a pro!

    TIP #1: Get off the WHAT. Tell them HOW.

    The sad truth is that no one really wants to know how great your program, discovery, or event is. But everyone wants to know HOW it got to be that way! Be ready to provide at least 3 specific, tangible HOW-TO’s that others can use in their own businesses, organizations, or communities.

    Examples of tangible HOW TO’s:

    • How did we get 2,500 people to participate in our annual fund drive? (What specific actions did we take?)
    • What were the most important 5 steps we took to accomplish…
    • Mistakes we made–things NOT to do…

    TIP #2: Do what you said you would do in your session proposal

    Most conferences have a Program Committee, which selected your session based on your session objectives. Re-visit those objectives. Did you say participants would…

    • Identify methods to develop corporate-community partnerships?
    • Develop next steps to connect to technology resources?
    • Learn at least 3 new business development techniques?

    Don’t b.s. your audience…Make sure you give them what you promised. That is your primary responsibility to the people who will sit through your session.

    TIP #3: PREPARE

    Do you really want to come off like an unprepared buffoon at a professional conference? Demonstrate your respect for the audience and for yourself by spending quality time preparing and practicing your presentation. Run it by your spouse and friends, and take their feedback to heart. Your presentation should never be “last-minute.”

    If you’re on a panel, make a solid plan with your co-presenters about what specific aspects each will address. Talk with ALL of them at least twice before the conference. Make sure you are all clear on time limits. Put your plan in writing, and meet once more before your session to make sure everyone’s clear on what’s going to happen. Don’t “assume” anything.

    TIP #4: Make it active

    As an audience member, do YOU really like sitting there like a lump on a log? On the other hand, few of us enjoy participating in meaningless “fluff.” Here are some easy strategies to bring your content alive while keeping your group energized:® INTEGRATE Q-A throughout your presentation. DON”T wait until the last 5 minutes to ask “Are there any questions?” But always bring the conversation back on track. (That’s when your preparation will really help you!)

    • ASK the audience questions. They can either answer you or talk with their neighbor about the issue. Be ready to pull them back to order.
    • MINIMIZE your PowerPoint slides or transparencies. A good rule of thumb is to use only 3-6 slides for a 75-minute presentation. Use your time to look at and discuss relevant handouts, materials, case studies, financial reports, etc.
    • BREAK THE GROUP INTO SMALL GROUPS to discuss and solve a problem. Don’t ask for reports from each group–5 top responses from the entire group may suffice. Remember, people can often learn as much by talking to each other as they can by listening to you.

    TIP # 5: Begin and end ON TIME

    Tough luck if people are late! You are responsible to those who got to your session on time. Maintain your awareness of time throughout the session. True professionals never “run out of time,” because they have practiced thoroughly beforehand.

    PLAN the last five minutes for an overall summary, written evaluations and last-minute questions.

    TIP #6: Relax and Have Fun

    If you’ve followed the preceding tips, this one will be much easier to achieve. Remember that your presentation is really not “about you,” it’s about your audience. Give them what you promised and what you practiced. The audience wants you to succeed!

    When you’re done, give yourself a pat on the back. Think about what went right and what you might change next time. Find a friend, buy a coffee, and enjoy the rest of the conference!


    Read more articles about Presentation Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Presentation Skills Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • Speakers’ Top 3 Fears… and How to Prevent Them!

    Avoid the worst-feared pitfalls of public speaking.

    Will you be giving a presentation or seminar soon? Many professionals choke up when they begin picturing all that “could go wrong!”

    To avoid the worst-feared pitfalls of public speaking, you must start with oxygen. Fritz Perls said, “Fear is excitement without the breath.” Breathe! Then, accept and enjoy the “rush” you get before presenting, not as fear, but as motivating and sustaining energy.

    How to Prevent the Worst!

    Here are the three typical concerns that high-ranking executives have shared with me, with “fail-safe” solutions:

    What happens if I…

    1. …“Blank out?”

    “Blanking out,” or suddenly forgetting what one is going to say, is perhaps the speaker’s worst fear. Blanking out is caused by

    • lack of enough oxygen to the brain,
    • not knowing your stuff, and
    • too much focus on performance (focus on me) instead of connection (focus on them.)

    To prevent “blanking out,” you must relax. You can only relax by getting oxygen zipping through your body. If you’re relaxed throughout the presentation, you’ll be able to handle small lapses in memory while still making the points you need.Obviously, you need to really know your stuff to be able to handle small lapses in memory. Don’t go into any speaking situation unprepared.

    Right before getting to the podium or front of the room, remember to think of the presentation as an opportunity to build relationships with those in the audience, not as a performance. Focus on connecting, not on yourself.

    2. …Lose my place and look stupid?

    You’ll only feel comfortable (and look natural) if you practice, practice, practice. Practice at home until you can look UP from your notes while dealing with distractions. Practice talking to yourself in front of the mirror. Encourage your spouse, kids and dogs to make a ruckus while you maintain your focus.

    Make notes and don’t be afraid to hold onto them. Capture the highlights of each section of your speech in 1-5 words. Don’t write it out like a script, and don’t try to memorize it word–for-word. Consider your notes your “safety net.” Once you establish a relationship with your audience, you’ll be surprised how little you actually use them—so long as you’ve practiced.

    3. …Screw up my PowerPoint or my microphone or my overhead projector or…

    Fumbling with mechanics will not only undermine your confidence, it will reduce your image as an expert. The only way to prevent mechanical problems is to practice in the room you’ll be presenting in, on the equipment you’ll be using. Never attempt PowerPoint in an untested environment. Because not all computers and projectors are compatible, especially where cables are concerned, it’s best to use your own computer and projector. Be familiar with all the computer settings you’ll need.

    Familiarize yourself with the on-off and volume switches of every machine you will use (including your microphone) before you begin, even if that means coming in early that morning or even the previous night. Ensure you know how to deal with the remote for lights, video, screen and everything else that plays a part in your presentation.

    Two Final Tips to Ensure Success

    Center yourself. This is not an “New-Age-style” recommendation. Centering yourself means becoming aware of your body (getting out of your head) and assuming a strong, focused stance. Feel your weight in your feet so that your head doesn’t get light. Maintain slightly bouncy knees. Keep your sternum (breastbone) up so that your chest opens. Shake your hands to release energy. Get that oxygen flowing!

    Relax and Have Fun. Acknowledge that you’re excited and allow yourself to feel that way. Remind yourself you know your stuff. You’re going to enjoy the connections you make with the audience and let your expertise shine.

    If you follow these tips, your audience will be engaged, connected and impressed—and you’ll actually enjoy the experience of speaking in public.


    Read more articles about Training Development and Presentation Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Trainer Development Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • When Leaders Train: How to Avoid the Pitfalls

    by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    Why don’t all leaders make great trainers? Perhaps it’s because they believe that training falls outside their (already large) job descriptions. As a result, leaders often strive to “cover the material” in order to get on with business.

    Yet the ability to facilitate learning, not just to cover the material, is an essential leadership skill.

    “Acquitting Oneself” vs. Facilitating Learning
    To acquit means “to release from duty or obligation;” or to get off the hook. Leaders most often acquit themselves by simply covering the material. They do this by lecturing, even though evidence shows that participants forget 50% of a lecture in just 20 minutes.

    For leaders who want to competently facilitate learning, I offer these tips.

    1. Hook your students.

    In the few minutes of class, you must:

    • Excite: Demonstrate your own excitement about, and commitment to, your topic.
    • Involve: Ask a relevant question to get participants’ hands up, refer to a recent critical incident, or deliver an interactive quiz.
    • Inform: State the training’s purpose clearly. Succinctly describe how the participants will benefit from the training.

    2. Make it Active.

    Include small-group work using case studies, skill practice, or other problem-solving exercises. Honor your participants by supporting interaction.

    3. Design a conscious closure.
    Always build in several minutes at the end to test participants’ knowledge and skills. This ensures accountability-both your participants’ and your own.

    Leaders, challenge yourselves to deliver vibrant, compelling learning opportunities. Forget about “acquitting yourself,” and  include great training as part of your job description.


    © Guila Muir.