Tag: Presentation Skills

  • 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.

  • How to Blow Your Credibility from the “Get-Go”

    When you are speaking in front of a group, do you really want to blow your relationship with the audience immediately? These two common presentation behaviors will help to ensure that you do!

    Myth #1: You should start a presentation by thanking your audience or your hosts

    Picture it: You’ve prepared carefully and are about to present. The first words to your audience as you take the stage? “Thank you. I’m glad to be here,” or something similar.

    These words serve many purposes. Quite possibly, you are not really thanking anyone. Instead, you are using the words to ease your way into your position as presenter. You say the words mechanically, not really hearing them yourself, as you peer at the crowd (or not) and shuffle your papers.

    Your attempt is to make yourself comfortable by uttering “Thank you.” Meanwhile, your audience has experienced this robotic opening so many times that:

    1. They don’t really hear it.
    2. “Thank you” means nothing.
    3. They start to tune you out-and you haven’t even started!

    You’ve already wasted an opportunity to connect with your audience, just so that YOU could take a stab at feeling more comfortable as you begin to speak. Was it worth it?

    What to Remember
    Your presentation actually begins two minutes before you take the stage. You should have slipped into your “presenter persona” before you are even introduced. This persona is the authentic YOU—but a little more so. You are alive with energy–pumped up, feeling powerful, and ready to go.

    Within just ten seconds after your taking the stage, you should have engaged your audience’s attention and interest. Simply saying “Thank you, etc., etc., ” won’t accomplish that.

    What to Do
    Take the stage. Stand for 1-2 seconds in silence. Stay connected with your body. Be totally present. Feel your feet, quads, spine, and chest. Fill your body with breath and strength. Breathe, smile, and connect with your audience. Look at audience members and “make friends” with them nonverbally.

    THEN open your mouth to speak. Engage your audience with an anecdote, question, or mental exercise. Be sure that this opening leads fluidly into the body of your presentation.

    To ensure that those first precious moments enhance your presentation and credibility, practice the first few minutes of your presentation at least 4-6 times prior to “showtime.” Your practice should take place in front of a mirror. Begin with pretending that you hear yourself being introduced (or get your spouse or friend to introduce you.)

    Make the motions of getting out of a chair and walking to the front of the room. Then take the stage, and follow the instructions above.

    Why?
    By centering yourself before speaking, you don’t need to fall back on clichés. And when you actually do thank your audience and/or hosts at the end of your presentation, your words will be much more heartfelt, authentic, and heard.

    Myth #2: You should move about as you present

    “You’ve got to be kidding!” I can hear some readers saying. “Some of the best presenters I had in college walked as they talked.” Others will say, “Look, I move around when I give a presentation. It keeps the audience awake!”

    What to Remember
    There is conscious, or deliberate, movement—and then there is its opposite. Many speakers (especially males) demonstrate a kind of unfocused, rambling, back-and-forth movement with their feet. This distracts enormously from their message.

    Focused movement has to do with centering yourself as a speaker. When your mind is jumbled and jumping from thought to thought, you are more likely to move about in a jumbled, unfocused way. When you are truly invested in what you are saying, AND connected via eye contact to your audience, your focus is clearer. You are less apt to aimlessly wander.

    Remember, it’s good to gesture with your arms and hands to enhance the meaning of your words. It is not good to wander the stage as you think out loud.

    What to Do
    Become aware of WHY you are moving. Do you want to address another part of the audience? It’s totally acceptable to move from one side of the stage to another, but then you must STOP to make your point. Gesture dramatically with the top half of your body. Use your hands, arms, and torso. But keep your feet still as you make your important points.

    The best suggestion is simply this: Be interested and invested in what you are saying, and say it directly to the audience as if they were a friend. Chances are, you won’t “wiggle around” so much with this mindset.

    Why?
    Aristotle paced the Lyceum when he was teaching, and Kierkegaard was a proponent of walking while he thought aloud. But today’s world, it’s all about connection with the audience. This means that you face your audience directly and securely, no “bobbling” allowed.

    In Conclusion

    The underlying message of both these Myth-Busters is this: Presenters, be Present! Be 100% “there” for your audience, both physically and mentally.

    Remember that your presentation begins minutes before you take the stage. Get centered and focused before you start talking…and beware of your “wandering ways.”

    Boost your Training Skills with a workshop from Guila. We can also help you improve your  Facilitation and Presentation Skills.

    © Guila Muir.

  • How Do You Know They Know? Designing In-Class Assessment

    How serious are you about your students actually learning? Most of us would say, “VERY serious!” Yet many trainers and instructional designers actually have no idea what, and even if, participants have learned by the end of a session.

    Because trainers operate in organizations and businesses, we typically don’t issue grades. Even in preparing participants for a performance test down the line, we often don’t do a good job of checking in along the way. At best, many trainers rely on “Happy Sheets,” the end-of-class evaluations that mainly determine if the training room was too warm, or the coffee not warm enough.

    It’s hard to know if this lack of attention to assessment in organizational learning can be traced to lethargy, lack of knowledge about how adults learn, or the culture of corporate training itself. Whatever its root, “Warning! Warning!” as the Lost in Space robot used to say on TV. Assessment is so integral to learning that if we don’t do it, we cannot claim to be serious about our participants actually learning.

    The Real Test
    Jane Vella, founder of Global Learning Partners, answers the question, “How do they know they know?” with this answer: “Because they did it!”

    Certainly, the ability to perform is the real assessment of learning. Can the participants do what you promised them they’d be able to do when you developed the learning objectives?

    Although performance is the real test, many corporate trainers don’t have the luxury of following their participants when they return to the workplace. Once they leave our classrooms, it’s impossible for many of us to observe how well participants actually use the new skills.

    Assessment AS Learning
    Research shows that students learn better when they receive feedback early and often. When trainers use in-class assessments, they are able to provide this feedback. The best assessment exercises are fun and engaging (forget the dreaded pop quiz!)

    Try one of these in-class assessment techniques to enrich your training.

    Three Tips for In-Class Assessment
    Tip #1: One-Minute Paper

    When to Use: Midway or later in a training session.

    After delivering important content, ask the participants to write their reflections for a solid minute. Reflections can include how they will actually apply the information, their thoughts and feelings, challenges, etc.

    Collect the (anonymous) papers, read to self, and respond if appropriate.

    Tip #2: Two Insights, One Area of Confusion

    When to Use: Midway or later in a training session.

    Have participants write two insights and one area of confusion based on the information you have provided. Either collect and address in the next module, or have participants read these to a partner, then discuss issues as a class.

    Tip #3: Using Learning Objectives as Assessment Points

    When to Use: Throughout the session.

    Ask a variety of prepared questions based on the session’s learning objectives either to the whole group, or to subgroups.

    Remember: Assessment is part of learning. It’s not an add-on, and it’s not “just for show.” Integrate in-class assessments into your training sessions, and watch the learning soar!

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

    © Guila Muir.

  • So You Want to Do a Seminar!

    Are you an entrepreneur or small business owner? Have you been asked to present at a professional conference? Giving a great seminar can increase your business, your status, and your memorability. Yet most professionals don’t feel 100% comfortable with their ability to develop and deliver an effective seminar.

    Here are 3 tips to ensure your “Seminar Success.”

    1. Choose three points you MUST get across.
    Before developing visuals of any kind, or even an outline of your talk, determine its three most essential points. These points must mean something to your audience, not just be sales incentives. Design your presentation around these points. Stick to them.

    2. Don’t waste time with fluff.
    Grab your audience from the get-go. Don’t bother to tell them how nice it is to be there, or mention the weather. The first three minutes are essential to your success. Make these minutes count by making them meaningful to the audience.

    3. Conclude with a call to action.
    It’s not enough to leave people excited. Challenge them with a concrete action. Also offer a “real” resource (a free consultation, an article, something that will help them–no strings attached.)

    Seminars are a prime marketing tool. Follow the tips above and make the most of this opportunity!

    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.

  • “I Thought I Would Die!” How to Deal With Stage Fright

    First, let’s surface what you probably already know:

    • Americans rank the fear of public speaking far above the fear of death (41% to 19%, respectably.) Way overused by speaking coaches, this statistic was first reported by the London Times in 1973 in a survey of 3,000 Americans.

    • No one has actually ever died from public speaking (except, perhaps, William H. Harrison, the ninth president of the United States. He died of pneumonia soon after delivering a two-hour inauguration speech outdoors in the winter without a coat or hat.)

    • “Butterflies can be your friends.” (Admit it — you DO know this, at least intellectually.)

    Yet: do your hands still sweat at the mere idea of speaking in public? Does your stomach flip-flop? Do you avoid public speaking at all costs?

    Well, bad news first: there is no golden bullet for stage fright. Although some fearful speakers swallow beta-blockers (drugs developed to manage cardiac arrhythmias,) the reality is that no outside intervention will reliably rescue you. Which brings us to the good news!

    You are capable of dealing with stage fright. The antidote lies within you. And, surprisingly, the antidote is not only to practice, practice, practice! (Although you must practice a presentation at least 4-6 times to feel proficient anyway.)

    Three Guidelines
    If you’re serious about changing your pattern of stage fight, I’d like you to make a commitment: Take some time to read and reflect on these guidelines before running off to the next activity on your “to-do” list. If you give yourself time to fully integrate them, I guarantee that you will feel more comfortable the next time you present.

    Guideline #1
    To quote speaking guru Jean Hamilton: “Become friends with the part of you that is scared.”

    In order to change our patterns, we need to accept our whole selves. Too often, my clients truly hate the part of themselves that is nervous. They’re incredibly hard on themselves! These clients end up being “nervous about being nervous,” compounding their discomfort and alienation. This downward spiral quite neatly lays the groundwork for a dreaded “out-of-body” experience when they present.

    To quote Hamilton again: “Often the scared part of ourselves is diligent; it really wants to do a good job. It has a lot of energy, and it can also be vulnerable. Diligence, energy, and vulnerability are valuable assets to a presenter.” In fact, add “authenticity” to that list of characteristics, and you’ve got all it takes to be an effective, dynamic presenter.

    Love that part of yourself that is scared. Don’t reject it. You may even want to give it a name, and to picture what it looks like. Then accept it. You will feel more whole, stronger, and more full of integrity.

    One more quote from Hamilton: “When your scared part begins to realize its value, it can begin to relax.”

    Guideline #2
    Be clear on the purpose of your presentation.

    If you’re not able to state the purpose clearly in one short sentence, starting with “The purpose of my presentation is to…”, DON’T give the presentation. Nothing will make you more obscenely nervous than feeling unclear about your presentation’s ultimate goal.

    Remember—your goal is NOT to overcome fear itself. Instead, your goal is to design and deliver an effective message. Suggestion: if given a choice between taking a class on “body language for presenters,” and “how to design a presentation,” choose the class on design, hands-down. A well-designed speech with a clear purpose is one of the most powerful antidotes to fear you will ever possess.

    Guideline #3
    Keep yourself physically fit.

    Physical fitness reduces anxiety. It’s as simple as that. A state of fitness simply means that your heart and lungs are able to get enough oxygen—and if there’s anything we need to think and present effectively, it’s oxygen. Oxygen soothes nerves and increases our resilience as speakers.

    I often tell my clients “It’s not what size you are, it’s how fit you are.” Many, many studies make a clear link between fitness and lowered anxiety in general—and nowhere does this become clearer than during the stress of a presentation.

    Whatever physical exercise you like to do—do it, and do it regularly. Your lowered blood pressure, heightened endurance, and increased flexibility will act as a “shield” against an attack of nerves.

    That’s It!
    Let these three suggestions guide you as you prepare for your next presentation. Remember, the antidote to nervousness is not “out there” somewhere…the keys are already inside of you.

    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.

  • 3 Presentation Positions to Avoid

    (more…)

  • Four Lessons from the Open Water

    by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    How is Public Speaking Like Open Water Swimming?
    (more…)

  • The Power of the HOOK

    by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    Capturing Your Audience in the First 30 Seconds

    What’s wrong with these pictures?

    1. Helen begins her presentation by introducing herself and telling the participants at some length how happy she is to be with them. She then launches into her content.

    2. Bill kicks off his training session by explaining where the bathrooms and telephones are. He then asks people to go around the room and introduce themselves.

    If you said the problem in each example is “They aren’t using a ‘Hook!’” you are correct! Both Helen and Bill have squandered their one-time-only opportunity to immediately get their participants involved. Inadvertently, they have both weakened the power of their presentations.

    What is a Hook?

    In the literature on learning and presenting, hooks have many names. These include “opening gambits,” “advance organizers”, “ideational scaffolding” and “motivational sets.” (Weissman, 2003, Shulman, 1986, Bruning, 1995.) A hook is “an umbrella statement, activity or question that provides a conceptual link between the learner’s existing knowledge and the new learning.” (Ausubel, 1968.) By using a hook, the trainer or presenter gives participants the opportunity to use their brains immediately-and when their brains are engaged, so are they.

    In any training or presentation, the hook should precede introductions, course overview, and even the statement of learning objectives.

    Essential Guidelines for a Great Hook

    Great hooks are not “fluff.” When you use a hook, you must desire more than just getting an easy laugh. To design a good hook, you must ensure that it:

    • Has a clear relationship to your topic;
    • Elicits the past knowledge, emotions, and/or experiences of most people in your audience. (This demands, of course, that you have done your homework and know some basics about the participants.)

    Developing a hook that imbeds both criteria takes careful preparation on your part. However, if either criterion above is left out, your hook will suffer, and so will your audience’s interest and involvement.

    Three “Never-Fail” Hook Types

    Question
    Questions are perhaps the easiest type of hook to create. Just make sure that your questions imbed both of the criteria above.

    Examples:
    “Would you be willing to…
    “Raise your hand if you’ve ever…
    “How many of you have ever…”

    Note that asking participants to raise their hands forces an immediate response. Asking several questions in a row can work well.

    Provocative Fact or Statistic
    An effective hook often combines a question with a follow-up piece of data that shocks or moves participants in some way.

    Example:
    “Raise your hand if you hate cancer.
    “It’s shocking to think that, statistically, (%) of the (#) of us in this room today will die from cancer in the next five years.”

    Think-Back
    Ask the participants to recall an experience that had emotional meaning for them and that is relevant to the topic. You can request that they close their eyes for an even more evocative experience.

    Example:
    “Remember your first day on the job…your thoughts and feelings as you met the people in your office for the first time. What worries did you carry in the door with you? What did you feel confident about? What did you want to know? (Please open your eyes…”)

    “Your new employees are experiencing those same emotions as they arrive. Let’s focus on some ways to orient and train them effectively.”

    In Conclusion

    Developing a great hook is a creative act that may take time and careful thought. Yet you can use almost anything as a source for an effective hook.

    Here is a short list to get you going:

    • Newspaper articles, trivia pages and cartoons
    • Publications both related and unrelated to your field
    • Riddles, proverbs, myths and stories
    • Experiences gleaned from the group itself, gathered in pre-meetings.

    The bottom line: All great presenters and trainers use hooks. (Just watch them!) If you are truly serious about your audience “getting” your message, you must take the time to develop and use a hook every time you train or present. Creating hooks stretches your mind and enhances your delivery. Have fun!

    Read more articles about Training Development. 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.

  • 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.