www.howtopresent.com.au How to Present Magazine June 2011 1 JUNE 2011 IN THIS ISSUE Glenn Capelli shares his tips for passionate learning and presenting The SECRET to effective teleconferences and webinars What does it take to be an excellent public speaker? How to stand when you present How do you really CONNECT with your audience? Traps for presenters PowerPoint Tips Success Stories Parents Corner Sales tips Answering Questions PLUS: much, much more....
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www.howtopresent.com.au How to Present Magazine June 2011 1
JUNE 2011
IN THIS ISSUEGlenn Capelli shares his tips for passionate learning and presenting The SECRET to e!ective teleconferences and webinarsWhat does it take to be an excellent public speaker?How to stand when you presentHow do you really CONNECT with your audience? Traps for presentersPowerPoint TipsSuccess StoriesParents Corner
Sales tipsAnswering QuestionsPLUS: much, much more....
www.howtopresent.com.au How to Present Magazine June 2011 2
Michelle’sUpdateWelcome to the June edition of How to Present magazine. This issue is packed full of tips to help you sell your ideas more persuasively in a variety of ways.
As our world opens up and becomes more of a village than disparate countries operating in silos, we are increasingly finding ourselves communicating in business with people across states and countries via teleconferences. If you have ever felt frustrated during a teleconference you’ll love The secrets to effective teleconference and webinars.
How to connect with an audience is certainly a skill worth learning if you run meetings or facilitate groups in your role and sometimes it’s good to refocus on the basics of presenting so I’ve included some tips on How to Stand, Traps for Presenters, and Business Fashion.
If you’ve ever had a presenter say (about their awful death by PowerPoint slides): “I know you can’t read this, but I’m going to show you anyway”, then you’ll know that many business presenters forget that a presentation is an opportunity to connect with the audience and help them to solve their frustrations and concerns - so be sure to read the very important article on Position Shifting. PLUS I’ve included some inspiring success stories and a Presentation Tips from our featured expert and guru of learning, Glenn Capelli, to help you present like a professional.
So grab yourself a ’cuppa’, put your feet up and have a read! And most importantly, make sure you put the invaluable advice into immediate action so you see some fast results. Happy Presenting!
Who is Michelle Bowden?
Michelle is an expert in influential presentation skills in business. She has run her 2-day Influential Presentation Skills program over 550 times with many thousands of people and she’s been nominated for Educator of the Year 3 years running. Michelle is one of only 25 Australian females who is a Certified Speaking Professional - the highest designation for speakers in the world. For a list of Michelle’s clients please go to: www.howtopresent.com.au
DIARYDATES
INFLUENTIAL PRESENTATION SKILLS(2-day Public Program)
Join Michelle at her next public program IN SYDNEY:
• June 21-22• July 19-20
BRISBANE:September 6-7
MELBOURNE:August 9-10
To register or chat about your specific needs please email:[email protected]
www.howtopresent.com.au How to Present Magazine June 2011 3
ROSEMARY CONNNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS MANAGERBEACON FOUNDATION
Beacon Foundation is a national non-profit organisation working in 118 secondary schools across all Australian states and territories, believes every young Australian can develop an independent will to achieve personal success for themselves and their community.
Beacon’s programs support young people to develop this focus through engaging and influencing the attitudes and behaviour of the broader community. By harnessing community involvement, it works within schools to ensure young people are either earning or learning at vulnerable transition points in their lives.
What kind of presenting do you do?
Working at the Beacon Foundation means presenting to teenagers one day and potential investors from large corporations the next. Senior
managers seem a breeze compared to a room full of 15 and 16 year olds... My role is to build relationships with new and existing funders, meaning that it is important to be able to communicate what Beacon does in a clear and compelling way.
What prompted you to attend Michelle's Influential Presentation Skills program?
A key part of my role is presenting and although I was happy to stand up in front of people, sometimes I found it hard to bring the story of Beacon and the work we do with disadvantaged young people to life. It was a challenge to convey the passion I felt about the organisation when I was delivering a speech.
How did Michelle's program change your attitude to presenting?
The program has definitely given me a structure to follow and I find that presentations go so much better if I use the format rather than winging it (surprise, surprise!). I have still got a long way to go but have started to weave in some stories to my presentations and think about ‘what’s in it for my audience’ – it can be easy to forget that not everyone is motivated by the same things.
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What positive outcomes have you achieved from improving your presentation skills?
Recently we presented to a global business and they have come onboard as a sponsor which was a great success story – I certainly felt more comfortable going into the meeting having had the training. Since I met Michelle my role within Beacon has changed and presenting has become even more important.
I feel more confident walking into a room, holding my space and delivering a presentation. Planning has definitely given me more control over the direction of presentations to sponsors. I’ve even shared some of the tips with some of the students I’ve worked with – they are all experts now in pacing and looking at the audience!
In general, what positive outcomes have you achieved after improving your presentation skills?
Recently we presented to a global business and they have come onboard as a sponsor which was a great success story – I certainly felt more comfortable going into the meeting having had the training. Since I met Michelle my role within Beacon has changed and presenting has become even more important.
I feel more confident walking into a room, holding my space and delivering a presentation. Planning has definitely given me more control over the direction of presentations to sponsors. I’ve even shared some of the tips with some of the students I’ve worked with – they are all experts now in pacing and looking at the audience!
What were your top three take aways from Michelle's training?
1. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes.
2. Plan the presentation and
3. Bring it to life.
To support the Beacon Foundation go to http://www.beaconfoundation.net/
HANDBAG ANYONE? The ‘must have’ item used
to be the oversized handbag, big enough to
carry everything including
the kitchen sink. It was
ostentatious with gilt, logos and very expensive.
Now there has been a retreat to a timeless and more practical alternative with a smaller handbag
including the clutch and the shoulder handbag.
It's now more about neutrals, quilting and chains,
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GLENN CAPELLIPROFESSIONAL SPEAKER
A professional speaker, Mensa member and expert educator, Glenn Capelli delivers messages of creativity, innovation, and dynamic thinking skills to audiences around the world. Many will know him
best for Thinking Caps, a collection of inspiring, imaginative, amusing and often moving stories about the way we live and learn. Glenn is clearly a master at his craft – he’s so connected to and has studied with and presented with so many of the great contributors to learning in our world. You can hear his passion for learning in nearly every word can’t you? Here are his key points today:
1. It’s all about learning.
2. Honour your folk! Don’t be too judgemental, different folk have different mindsets – let people talk and interact at times. Some learners will reject before they accept – so be patient.
3. Use humour and allow the laughter in the group.
4. Learn your content well and master the craft of presenting.
5. Do the work then have confidence in your content.
6. Music has a variety of different purposes. Be purposeful. You can use the meaning in the lyrics or you can use music for mood. Snippets of music can enhance a point.
7. So ask yourself – why and how are you using music, slides and interactivity – ask yourself what’s the point and what’s the link?
8. A passive concert is where there’s a set rhythm to the music that repeats. And you gently – in a minute or two – say your key points.
9. Glenn suggests the song “And when I die” by the band Blood Sweat and Tears gives us a great insight into the rhythm of a presentation. There’s slow, fast, repetition and pauses – in a pattern we can replicate with our presentation design.
10. The sub-start can work to open up the audience. There should always be a point and a link and maybe there is humour in a sub-start.
11. When you tell stories make sure they link to the reason you are there.
12. Have a depth and breadth to the content you can present.
What an honour and a treat to hear from Glenn – wonderful! If you’d like to hear the interview with Glenn for yourself please grab a copy of How to Present - Tips from the Masters from my website.
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Relationships can be so complex can’t they? One minute we think we ‘know’ a person and the next they behave in a way that was completely unexpected that ‘throws us for a six!’ Do you ever find yourself in a situation of conflict that has arisen because different people created different meanings from the one communication? ‘But I thought you said...’ It’s frustrating when the same situation or behaviour means different things to different people.
Have you ever heard yourself say to someone ‘you just don’t understand!’ At times have you found yourself thinking that some people are seemingly so self absorbed and so interested in their own needs with very little care for others, whilst others seems to have little thought for themselves and a complete focus on others?
You’ll be pleased to know that there is a way to improve the richness of your experiences and increase your behavioural choices. You would know that there is limited wisdom in only one point of view. ‘Position Shifting’ or ‘Triple Descriptions’ defines three main ways that we
can look at any experience we have. They are called first, second and third perceptual positions.
We all naturally spend time in these three positions. They help us to understand the situations, conversations and experiences and their subsequent outcomes with greater insight.
1st Position
1st position (SELF position) is where you experience the world from your own reality. In this position you are ‘associated’. You see and hear other people and experiences from your own point of view, with your own thoughts and feelings in mind and you have little interest in the wants or needs of others. Your primary question would be: ‘How does this affect me?’
2nd Position
2nd position (OTHER position) is where experiencing the world from the other person's position. In this position it is as if you are completely in the other person’s shoes. The deeper your rapport with people, the easier it is for you to shift into this position and understand a situation or experience from their perspective. Your primary question would be ‘How would this appear to them?’
3rd Position
3rd Position (OBSERVER position) is where you experience the world from the outside. Here you have no personal involvement in the situation, you are completely independent. You are like a fly on the wall as an objective observer, taking a helicopter view of the situation. In third position you observe the situation from first position (your own reality) and you also observe the situation
UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE THROUGH ‘POSITION SHIFTING’BY MICHELLE BOWDEN
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from second position (the other person’s perspective).
Application of Position Shifting
All three positions are equally important and the idea is that we develop an ability to move freely between them.
There are a variety of uses for the skill of position shifting:
1 Conflict situations either one-on-one or in
groups can be well managed when the issues and needs of each party concerned are addressed. In biological evolution it is the species that are the same that come into conflict and struggle to survive, whereas the species that keep evolving and changing according to their environment continue to grow and prosper. John Grinder (NLP expert) said that ‘wisdom comes from balance and you cannot balance unless there are different forces to be balanced’.
2 Problem Solving and Decision Making can
be enhanced by shifting freely between the positions and focusing on the outcomes of each party involved.
3 Presenters and Public Speakers need to
consider all three positions in order to increase the chances of influencing their audience. Second Position is an extremely useful place for gathering information about your audience. It is where you ‘empathise’ with your audience members’ situations ‘as if’ you were them. This helps you decide on the appropriate language patterns and tools to use when you present, thus increasing your audience buy-in to your message.
The next time you are preparing a presentation, make sure you shift into second position to get a sense of your audience’s needs. And then, when you are presenting consider the different positions so that your audience experiences the most engaging you. You may just enjoy presenting!
Did you know? ... a note on nervousness as a speaker
Did you know that a phobia arises from being ‘stuck’ in first position? (For information on first position see the article above.) That means that a nervous presenter is generally presenting from first position and is typically plunging right back into past negative memories and panic when they speak in public. If this sounds like you, a positive step toward reducing anxiety when presenting is to present from Third Position (as an Observer). This means you would be experiencing the presentation not just from your own frightened state, but also from the audience perspective as well. Remember ‘it’s not about me, it’s all about the audience’.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE THROUGH POSITION SHIFTING (CONT.)
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EXIT STRATEGYDo you want to retire, leave, or do something else in your life?
Well there’s a trick to the graceful exit.
It begins with the vision to recognise when a job or a life stage is over and let it go.
It means leaving what’s over without denying it’s validity or it’s past importance in our lives.
It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit is an entry, that we are moving on instead of out.
Ellen Goodman
In sales, people meet you, they come to like you and pretty soon they choose to do business with you. There’s no need for complicated models -that’s the sales process in a nutshell.
If you’re not out there meeting people then you’re not allowing the natural sales
process to get started. So get out there into the middle of things and start making appointments, meeting people, listening to people talk about themselves and their issues and problems. Be someone people want to spend their time with.
Learn as much as you can about people - become someone people trust - a trusted advisor.
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ANSWERING QUESTIONS WITH FINESSEBY MICHELLE BOWDEN
The question and answer (Q&A) session is a part of the presentation that makes many people feel quite nervous. I think the nervousness comes from the uncertainty about what the audience might ask. I know that many people feel the Q&A is difficult to control, and no one wants to look like a ‘goose’ in front of their audience because they don’t know how to answer a question.
It’s a good idea for you to learn to facilitate the Q&A so you showcase your professional expertise and make the Q&A section of your presentation a really interesting and engaging part of your overall presentation event.
As a presenter, our role is generally to assist our audience to be relaxed, engaged and attentive throughout the Q&A and there is a real art to questioning. So let’s look at how you might ask for and then answer questions.
There are 4 steps you can use to ensure you maintain rapport with everyone in the group throughout the Q&A section of your presentation.
Acknowledge the question asker
For Example: ‘Important question Geoff, and the reason
it's important is because....’ This is called giving status, it’s where you compliment the question asker and make them feel special.
Paraphrase
This is where you repeat the question in your own words. You do this in case the audience didn't hear the question and also to ensure that you heard the question and understood it correctly. Remember to also open your eye contact and body language out to the group as you repeat the question.
Answer
Answer the question in an organised and structured way so it's easy for everyone in your audience to understand what you have said.
Check
Confirm the ‘asker' is happy with your answer. You might like to nod your head or give some direct eye contact.
What if I don't know the answer to the question?
There are a few things to consider if you don’t know the answer to a question.
Don't fake it! Your audience is smart and you will likely break rapport if they sense you are lying to them.
Try these four steps when answering questions in your business meetings and notice how much more thorough and easy it is for your audience!
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I believe everyone can be an exceptional presenter. It’s just a matter of knowing what to do and doing it! So I’ve created this excellent checklist that you can go through and use to evaluate your ability as a presenter. Give it a try – it will help you work out what you need to improve (and take it from me all these things are so easy to improve). It will also show you what you are already doing well – and there are probably more positives than you realise!
Analysis
1. Do you know how to work out what you’re trying to achieve?
2. Can you think about your presentation from your audience’s shoes?
Design
1. Do you know structure a presentation with your audience’s needs in mind?
2. Can you design your presentation in a minimum of time?
3. Do you deliver your opening in a way that builds rapport and motivates your audience?
4. Do you prepare for and manage objections?5. Do you deliver compelling facts, figures, and
data?
6. Do you plan to tell stories that link to your content and help bring your data to life?
7. Do you use a variety of presentation aids such as whiteboard, PowerPoint, video, handouts, props?
8. Can you present with limited use of speaker's notes?
9. Do you rehearse?10. Do you eat well and rest yourself before
presenting?11. Do you warm up your body, voice and mind
before presenting?
Delivery
1. Is your clothing smart and appropriate?2. Do you groom your hair and nails?3. Do you smell great?4. Do you stand tall with a straight back?5. Do you allow your natural facial expressions
to show?6. Do you look at people?7. Do you let your hands move freely when you
speak?8. Do you move around in the space?9. Do you allow your voice to exhibit a variety
of pitch, speed, and volume?10. Do you sound the same presenting as you
do when you speak normally?)11. Do you speak clearly?12. Do you minimise rambling13. Are you able to stay on track with your
message?14. Are you able to avoid filler words like “um”,
“ahrr”, “you know?”15. Do you engage your audience?16. Do you remember to explain the boundaries
for the presentations (agenda, timings, questions, phones)
17. Do you tell stories?18. Are you able to present with PowerPoint as
an aid instead of letting the PowerPoint take over your presentation?
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A GREAT PUBLIC SPEAKER?BY MICHELLE BOWDEN
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19. Do you summarise key points towards the end?
20. Do you remember to call your audience to action?
21. Can you manage a Q&A session effectively? 22. Do you know how to manage ‘difficult’
audience members?23. Do you stick to the time allocated to you?24. Is there anything else you do well?25. And what else?26. And what else?
If you’d like to improve your ability in any of these areas register on one of my upcoming public programs where numbers are limited to ten (10) people and you can dramatically improve your ability to present and influence people.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A GREAT PUBLIC SPEAKER?BY MICHELLE BOWDEN
Avril Henry, expert on corporate leadership generational differences suggests some 70% of managers in Australian workplaces have a negative view of Generation Y employees, which she believes is largely due to the fact that they don’t understand them, nor do they understand what motivates them. The top 5 motivators of Generation Y are:
• Inspiring leadership• A supportive work environment which
encourages new ideas and creativity, and gives regular, constructive feedback
• Mentoring, including bosses who “like and respect” young people
• Access to training and development, and the most up-to-date technology
• FlexibilityAvril says, "what I think is most important is that Gen Y’s number one motivator is inspiring leadership. When I have interviewed Gen Ys and asked them what this means to them, they say: 'I
want to work for someone who loves what they do. In fact, I want to work for someone who loves what they do so much, that they are willing to share with me what they know, teach me and answer all my questions.'”
Avril asks an important question: Are you willing to do this for the Gen Ys in your organisation?
If not, then you will not retain them for any period of time. They are loyal to good managers and their team mates, not the organisation, industry or profession.
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Do you know what to do with your legs when you present? There is a link between the way you stand and the congruence of your message.
Is there a recommended way to stand when presenting?
Most presenters are at their most nervous at the start and finish of their presentation, and in the body of their presentation if situations of conflict or discomfort arise. It’s during these times that I recommend you consider standing in what is called the Natural Stance.
It’s called the Natural Stance because it’s how we learnt to stand when we were little. It was the natural way for us to stand when we were first learning to hold up our own body before learning to walk. We all once stood naturally in the Natural Stance. Interestingly though, there is some research that suggests that in western society we are attracted to patterns of asymmetry. So, although most of us stood in the Natural Stance when we were little, when we hit adolescence we mostly unlearn the Natural Stance in favour of more asymmetrical postures.
Why is the Natural Stance effective?
Standing symmetrically assists in diaphragmatic rather than chest breath. It's important to breath diaphragmatically if you want a strong voice. The Natural Stance will also help you feel solid and more confident as you stand to address your audience. Finally, standing in this posture helps your audience to feel confident about you too!
How do I do the Natural Stance?
It’s a really simple stance to master. Here’s what you do:
1. Place your feet under the bones of your hips
2. Ensure your weight is fully over both of your feet
3. Slightly relax your knees4. Imagine a bowl of your favourite drink all
around your pelvis that’s full to the brim. I don’t know about you, I wouldn’t want to spill a single drop over the sides!
5. Brace your core - your deep down tummy muscles
6. Relax your shoulders (this is very important so you don’t look or feel stiff)
7. Ensure your head is to the front.
Can I stand in other ways too?
Yes, the Natural Stance is for the times when you need to look and feel strong and unflustered! At other times in your presentation you will choose to stand in the plethora of other body postures that reinforce your message. For example, sometimes you will choose to lean because you want to come
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across as more casual and approachable.
The point is: you need to do what’s necessary with your body to maximise the chances of influencing your audience.
Is there a stance I should not do as a presenter?
The Fig Leaf or Crotch Clutch position is where you stand with your hands covering your crotch! I commonly notice that male board members are photographed in this stance! Ha! This is the only stance you shouldn’t do. It makes everyone look at the one part of your body you’d probably rather they didn’t! I’ll say no more!
Something to think about...
The next time you are asked to stand and address a crowd - think about your body and allow yourself to use your body to reinforce your message.
HOW TO STAND WHEN YOU PRESENT (CONT.)
Are you in sales and find yourself dreading picking up the phone to prospective
clients? Expert Jenny Cartwright suggests that it’s all about listening. Listening
allows you to engage in some important behaviours: empathising and summarising.
Once you receive permission to continue the call: listen to what your customer is
saying, empathise with their point of view and summarise their needs.
FREE GIFT: Yippee! Same gift as last month! If you’d like a copy of Don’t Get
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CREATIVE AGENCIES: 10 THINGS YOUR CLIENT WANTS FROM YOU
If you're a smooth-talking sales person who runs a script that you have ‘tailored up’ thinking that it 'works' the clients every time, then this isn't likely for you. There's no place for that kind of thinking in my world at all and has been no part in my own success in sales. What I'm about is consultative selling - getting an understanding of the client's issues and serving them. Sometimes that even means referring them elsewhere. Gasp! So, here are 10 things that your client wants from you (not the only 10 but 10 to put into practice now).
1. Be Human. Be Real - Connect at a gut level and don't just recite the words as if they are separate to you. Put everything else aside and really be there for the conversation. Your client can hear it in your voice and will be disconnected from the beginning if you're not real. Be warm, sincere, really want to understand them. There is a difference and it can't be faked.
2. Ask Good Questions - ask lots of questions that help you understand what their real
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10 THINGS YOUR CLIENT WANTS FROM YOU IN SALES (CONT.)2. problem is and then you can better find a
solution that suits them. Don't just read a script either, really talk and look behind what they say.
3. The Truth - They want to know where your strengths are and some honest feedback about your weaknesses. Show them examples of the standard of work they can get from your business and be straight up. If you have a set 'look' or style then show them the parameters of the work you do. Make it their decision.
4. To See Your Value - they wont be able to see what you're worth unless you tell them. Compare to competitors (be nice), compare to industry standards... whatever it takes to show why you're good value to work with. They often need to sell your work to others - give them the language to be able to do so.
5. Think Like You Are A Website Landing Page - they're busy and certainly not sitting around all day waiting for your call. So, think like you're a website page - you have 7 seconds to hold their attention before they start figuring out how to hang up on you. That means no small talk. Once you get going there are some personality types that wont like it if you don't have any small talk at all, so be careful to read them properly and see which kind of personality they are once you get going into conversation.
6. Have A Reason To Call - make a reason if you don't have one - ask advice, get a referral, offer a sample, offer to be a back up in case their usual supplier is not available for example. None of this is about asking for business or to make them listen to a spiel. It’s about creating opportunities to begin building a relationship which is more important in the long run.
7. Do What You Say You Will - call back when you say you will, deliver what is promised.
8. Get Feedback - clients love to be involved in your business and will want to have input into how you work. Ask - they love being asked and you end up serving them better and on ongoing jobs build an even stronger relationship...yes, even if the news is bad.
9. Don't Be Too Creative - well, I know the ultimate goal for creative people is to deliver awesome work because in the end the better the creative the better the result. It's just how you present it at this crucial time that matters. If they don't 'get' you then you wont get past home base. Present to the client in terms of what they want first - results, solutions, process, relationships. Then, along the way your sparkling creativity can come out to play.
10. Think Like Them - just like when we go to our Grandmother's house we behave a certain way that's different to when we talk to our mates at the pub. They're all versions of ourself, but with respect to who we're with. Get in their head respectfully.
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I had a whirl wind trip to Melbourne recently for Personal Branding Workshops and I also squeezed in some shopping and research. I know Melbourne women wear a lot of black and are quite trendy, but they do dress up!
While wandering around Sydney in the city this week, I was distressed to see so many dishevelled workers who don't seem to care about how they look.
City Dressing Tips:
Don't dress too trendy unless you work in fashion, advertising or entertainment.
It's ok to look feminine in the workplace.
Tailor your wardrobe to be in line with your role and industry.
Keep your accessories to a minimum depending on your role.
Keep your skirt at knee length.
Shine your shoes.
Maintain your lipstick colour throughout the day.
Consider a stylish scarf tied in an interesting way to keep you warm in winter
For more information go to http://www.definingstyle.com.au/
SYDNEY VERSUS MELBOURNE STYLEBY ROBIN POWIS
DEVELOP TRUSTTrust takes time. If you want people to trust you and your ideas, you need to be able to express yourself with confidence, clarity and influence every time. If you want people to trust you they need to know about your achievements so they find you credible and worth listening to.
Develop a way of saying what you mean succinctly with examples and make sure it’s ALWAYS audience-focused. Remember it’s not about you, it’s all about your audience - especially when you are explaining your credentials and achievements.
Tell people about your achievements in a way that makes sense to them and in a way that is interesting to them. Don’t expect your boss to
always know how hard you have worked, how much you have cared and how well you have performed. Often the boss is the last person to know this about you. So tell them!
A big part of trust is about how you help the other person feel safe with you, confident in your abilities and credentials and when trust is high people feel good around you.
Who do you need to have trust you? What could you do to advance your trust relationship with them? It’s probably as simple as updating them on more of your activity that you are doing at present. Good luck!
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PARENTS CORNERParents Corner is a dedicated section designed to give adults tips for equipping their children with one of the most fundamental skills they can develop in life - the skill of public speaking.
If your children fear public speaking there’s lots of things you can do to help them. You can assist your child or children to be confident public speakers by simply following a few simple tips.
How should I stand?
You should stand with your feet under the bones of your hips, tummy back not slouched forwards, shoulders back and your hands by your side.
How should I start?
Why not try an icebreaker for your start? Most kids start with “Hello everyone. My name is X and I’m here to talk with you about X”. This is an OK start, but not very interesting to the teacher or the class. And it’s not the best way to make yourself stand out. An icebreaker is a quick fact, figure, statistic, or story that grabs your audience’s attention and makes them sit up and listen to you. You will find all sorts of interesting facts and information for use in icebreakers on the internet. Here’s an example my daughter Maddie used for her presentation at school this month. She found this information on the internet:
“Recently in Cairns, a whale beached itself. Sadly the whale died. When the scientists conducted an autopsy to find out what made the whale die, they found 6 square meters of plastic bags inside the whale’s digestive system. The poor thing had beached itself because it was slowly choking on all that man-made plastic. The same plastic we get from Coles, Woolies or our local shopping centre. (pause) Say NO to Plastic bags!”
The school captain at my children’s school also had a fantastic opening to his speech this week. He made a space intercom system noise and then said in the perfect American accent: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” and then he introduced himself and explained he would be talking about the amazing historical event of man walking on the moon. Excellent work!
Should I use palm cards?
I’m personally against them, as no adult uses them, do we? Schools do tend to teach children to use them and in many schools the children have to use them. It’s still ideal that you practice the speech so much you can do it without palm cards. Then be sure to practice with your palm cards so that you know when to turn to the next one (even if you’re not reading them).
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BATH CRAYONSHave you been to one of my conference presentations or attended one of my training
programs? If yes you’ll know that bath crayons are an incredibly
important part of the exceptional presenter’s confidence arsenal!
Available at toy shops everywhere.
CD OF THE MONTHThinking of improving your
presentation skills but don’t want to go on a training program? You need to grab a copy of How to
Present - Tips from the Master. Tips from 13 of Australia’s top public
speakers. Go to http://howtopresent/products
MRS CAREY’S CONCERT
A triumphant documentary about excellence and being the best you
can be. Karen Carey, music director of MLC School, Sydney, prepares her students for a concert at the
Opera House. I wept! Highly recommended!
http://www.mrscareysconcert.com/
LIP COLOUREstee Lauder Pure Colour Beige is the ‘business perfect’ lip colour for
most complexions.
MICHELLELOVES
Here are some of my favourite things for you
BOOK OF THE MONTH
OK, I know it’s MY book, but if you are serious about really improving your presentation skills then you
need Don’t Picture me Naked. It’s my 2-day advanced training program in a book. Go to my
website
FEEL GOODBlend some ice, soy/rice milk, & 2 cups of berries. Then sit back and
drink the taste of heaven! This berry smoothie is packed full of
anti-oxidants and is super for you!
LIMITED EDITIONFrom the vibrant top notes, to the rich floral middle notes, to the dramatic yet smooth end notes, the feeling is vibrant, luminous and irrepressibly alive with Estee Lauder’s Wild Elixir.
MARY POPPINSI took my daughter to see this
wonderful show and itʼs supercalifragalisticexpialidocious!