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 What's wrong with this picture? "You need to understand how
our company works." (Substitute "department", "product,"
"process," or your own favorite for "company" and you've got
the idea.) I can see three problems with it. As soon as you get to the word
"understand," I'm already tuning out. And I doubt I'm the only
one, because you're about to tell me what's important to you,
not what's important to me. It also has the feel of teacher to
student, and not in the very best sense of that relationship. You
are going to straighten me out, and I'm obviously the one who is
going to have to adjust. Or else, it takes on the tone of being
defensive. Rethink it from the audience's point of view. How does this
affect their situation and how can you say it so it sounds as
though you care? Cynthia Amos, Program Director, Century/Lift, Century
Housing Corporation: "Fresh from presenting at our last board of
directors' meeting, I want to again say thank you, thank you,
thank you for your guidance during the public speaking
workshop at Century. As you know, during class I was feeling
challenged about this presentation. Your class helped me 'nail'
it. "Because of your class, I am more confident and deliberate with
my presentations and I learned pauses are a good thing. I learned
the power of telling a story (I began my presentation with a story
that captured the audience); I learned that pauses give the
audience a chance to really take in what you are saying; I spoke
slowly and deliberately, and paused after each point; and I also
used bumper sticker language ("a leg up, not a hand out.") I
looked at people (and saw them) and took my time and set the
stage for my presentation. Our CEO was pleased and the board
voted in our favor, unanimously." Manny Erives, Automotive Advertising Manager, The San
Francisco Chronicle: "The San Antonio speech went very well, I
received rave reviews, and, you'll be pleased to know, I didn't
use notes! Thanks for you help and training. "I suspect I'll be receiving more invitations to speak and now I
will jump at the opportunity." "I have a deep voice that tends to be monotone. How can I keep
my audience awake?" This is a two-part answer. First, if your voice tends to be
monotone even when you're not giving a speech, practice
reading children's stories aloud, taking on the voice and
personality of each character, or read a play aloud with the same
attention to getting into the role of the characters. That will
expand the range of your voice and give you more notes to work
with when you're speaking normally. Second, it's important to construct your remarks to be more
active. Use active, rather than passive, verbs, and active
thinking. More attention to the real nature of the people in the
audience, rather than automatically characterizing them as
serious business people with whom you must be appropriately
businesslike. Indeed, most of them are serious about succeeding at their
business (or the business at hand), but they also don't want to
have to work too hard to get your message. So, construct your remarks to be more conversational with more
examples and analogies. And be sure to invest your own interest
in every aspect of the information. Make it easy for yourself to
be interested in your message, and easy for them. It will bring a
level of sparkle to your voice and eyes that will get you beyond
the designation of monotone. Expanding the range of your vocal instrument and the depth of
your interest in your material can do wonders for a monotone
and help keep people alert and interested. Do not repeat anything you will not sign your name to. Author
Unknown When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's
my religion. Abraham Lincoln Quality means doing it right when no one is looking. Henry
Ford A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval. Mark
Twain You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats
those who can do nothing for him. James D. Miles My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already
thinks I am. Author Unknown To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.
Confucius Oliver Wendell Holmes once attended a meeting in which he
was the shortest man present. "Dr. Holmes," quipped a friend, "I
should think you'd feel rather small among us big fellows." "I
do," retorted Holmes, "I feel like a dime among a lot of
pennies." Author Unknown I'm currently developing content and structure for a Presentation
Skills Teleseminar series to launch in late Spring '04. Sound
interesting? If it's something you think you'd like to get in on, I'd
love to hear from you. Please let me know soon at
Barbara@GettingOverYourself.com. I promise to keep you in
the loop. Think gifts. Someone you know is going to be giving more
presentations soon. Give them a practical gift that will make those
presentations easier and more effective. Learn more or
Order Online. Book Audiotape or CD ROM Booklets by Barbara Rocha: Speeches on Tape: Video Learn more **How to Overcome the Stress of Public Speaking We have two public seminars each year: May and October/November. If
you have several people who could use this training, contact us
regarding an in-house seminar. As a refresher, workshop graduates (from any of our 3-day
workshops) may attend for half price at any time. People tell us
they get as much or more out of the workshop the second time
around. Visit our seminars section for details or call (888) 800-2001 For more information, contact: Barbara Rocha and Associates PO Box 60521, Pasadena, California 91116 (626) 792-8075 or toll free at (888) 800-2001 |
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