Tag: Presentation Skills

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.

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.

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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.

Does this sound like you?

“I’m a fine communicator one-on-one, but put me in front of a group and I just die!” Why is it easier for many of us to present in front of a few people than to a larger audience? Why do many of us believe that some people just “have what it takes” to present effectively, and the rest of us don’t?

The truth is that everyone has the innate gifts to speak in public. True, few may possess the flamboyance of the professional motivational speaker. But I question the value of many of these presentation skills. They can be mechanistically learned  and often look mechanical. And although it does matter how you use your hands (avoiding the  infamous “figleaf” pose, for example) and how you pitch your voice, the real gift you have to offer is YOU.

The Best Tool of All
Envision for an instant the most compelling speaker you have witnessed. Chances are you felt he or she was 100% authentic, no matter what speaking “style” s/he possessed. This willingness to fully be ourselves in front of a group is both the risk and the gift of truly wonderful speakers.

I work with many individuals who never thought of themselves as speakers–whose personalities are naturally introspective or reflective, the opposite of what is popularly thought of as “speaker material.” Yet when these presenters “unpeel” their previous expectations about what a speaker should be or do, they often become the most moving and impressive I have seen.

Three Essential Tips

• Connect.
  It’s important to remember that speaking publicly is, to use Lee Glickenstein’s phrase, a relationship event, NOT a performance event. Your audience remembers what you say because you connect with them, not because you are the smartest or most charismatic person in the world.
• Don’t speak “to,” speak “with.”
  Think of the event as a dialogue or conversation. Look directly at people and share your knowledge with them.
• Express yourself.
  Remember that your unique style is better than any set of “stage skills.” Be yourself.

But Is “Being Yourself” Really Enough?

All truly compelling presenters use their greatest asset–themselves–to sell their concept and get their message across. All also realize that they can intensify their authentic selves for a more dynamic effect. Don Pfarrer, author of Guerilla Persuasion: Mastering the Art of Effective and Winning Business Presentation, calls this the “Intensified You” persona. It is “a task oriented, turned-on, intensified version of yourself.”

When I work with clients to achieve their own Intensified You personas, I notice their increased confidence and resilience as speakers. This is particularly useful when they deal with jaded or potentially hostile audiences.

4 Elements of The Intensified You

1. Subject Mastery
   You must know your subject thoroughly AND know the limits of your knowledge.
2. Steadiness
   You must “keep a steady hand on the tiller”–knowing you might need to change course to avoid a hurricane, but not allowing a small squall to deflect you.
3. Empathy
   You must remain sensitive to your audience. If you were a member of your own audience, what would you need to hear? To see?
4. Candor
   Include in your presentation what needs to be there–don’t hide anything. Show you are aware of challenges or problems; then present solutions.

When you remember that the authentic YOU is your most valuable speaking tool, your confidence will increase dramatically!

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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 rights reserved.