Presenting Naked

Dave Paradi describes a challenge to salespeople (and all others) that requires a presenter to be clear and concise about their message: “You are not allowed to use handouts” .

This is like saying “no notes”, or “memorize your presentation”. We offer handouts and think: “Well, if they do not remember my message from my presentation, they always have the handout….”

Dave’s first point is to “Plan your key messages even more carefully”. I suggest you do this with (no more than) three descriptive key points. No key points is like wearing a poorly fitting suit, or even worse, no clothes.

(Dave breaks my rule by offering 5 steps. After reading his article, write down those steps you remember. I bet it does not exceed three.)

If you can winnow your message, lose the chaff and keep the wheat of three descriptive key points, you will help your audience retain your message.

What do I mean by descriptive? Your audience should be able to combine your key points so they can anticipate your story, for example:

1. Productive meetings are focused
2. Focus on audience needs
3. Audience needs are part of your preparation

Often, I hear my class participants use three key points like “Where we have been, Where we are now, Where we are going…” While this is better than no key points, they don’t really tell the story. I cannot anticipate your content from them. Your audience will benefit with better understanding and retention when no more than three key points are part of your story.

Another benefit to having descriptive key points? You understand your message better. By going through the process of creating these key points, you are forced to acknowledge the essence of your message. If you have trouble creating (no more than three) key points, you probably need to refine your message. What content is key? What content supports your message? What content is superfluous?

Make sure your key points clothe your story like a well-tailored jacket and shirt, with the right shoes.

It’s a Gen “____” thing, you wouldn’t understand…

We have heard about the the older, newer, current and upcoming generations. They are called Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, Nexters or Generation Y. (This link is courtesy of NOAA – even the weather must respect diversity….) They have their own styles, work habits and preferences; it is suggestted we need to understand and accommodate these differences to successfully work with older, newer, current and upcoming generations.

My opinion is that people have similiar needs. It is how they express these needs that changes. The generations described above all came to be in the last 70 years. They all co-exist today. This is a trifle of time, in view of the evolutionary time spent becoming human which created our social and psychologocal needs.

This is what the “generational diversity” theory states:

“Fundamental value differences exist between those of different generations.
Understanding these values may help understand differences that may arise in the
learning environment.” (Organizational development scholar, Dr. Morris Massey)

Behavior and values have not changed, the opportunities have. I would have loved to be able to read a comic book or communicate with my friends while sitting in a college classroom. But I couldn’t. The opportunity and technology did not exist. Now that it does, I check web sites and email all the time. Did my values change? No, my behavior changed. I always wanted to talk more with work associates and friends. Now I can.

The things that Gen X, Gen Y or Nexters want are things we all want: independence with a desired level of security, social ties, status and a stable social environment. We talk about our personal lives on Facebook now because Facebook exists. The values we hold that lead to this always existed. Facebook is to Nexters what the barber shop was to Traditionalists. Same people, same behavior, same values. Different expression.

My spouse and her friend believe that email is a business communication. If they want to keep up on each others lives, they will call on the phone (!) or talk in person. While this is an example of a generational difference (Heck, even I disagree with this. Email has replaced letter-writing. And what do you suppose some people said about those new but impresonal inventions like telephones? If you want to talk to me, walk to town and met me in the square!) they still want to communicate. That value still exists.

Traditionalists, like my parents, already had a word and value for sitting in a meeting and checking your cell phone or blackberry at the same time: rude. They knew about it. They just did not have the opportunity to do it.

Postscript: Another opinion about generations is http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/09/18/generalizations-about-generations-are-good-for-you/.

I can agree with Ms Trunk this time. Knowing how you are the same, or different as everyone else in your "generation" is a valuable piece of self-knowledge.

The Power of Tone and Gesture

Sarah Palin – An Ordinary person doing the Extraordinary…

I have wanted to write about the recent convention speeches, and Sarah Palin is an excellent example of the power of tone and gesture. Peggy Noonan, in today’s WSJ, wrote:

“Her flaws accentuated her virtues. Now and then this happens in politics, but it's rare. An example: The very averageness of her voice, the not-wonderfulness of it, highlighted her normality: most people don't have great voices. That normality in turn highlighted the courage she showed in being there…”

Sarah sounded like us – no booming voice, not shrill or strained like she was working at it too hard – just a normal tone that any of us have when we relax as we speak. In fact, if I was not open to her message, I would have thought she sounded like an Alaska version of, like, a valley-girl, ya know?

It was the openness of her demeanor, her willingness to be herself and vulnerable, that attracted everyone to her speech. So how did she convey this message of: “I know this is extraordinary – but I am OK, in fact, I am kind of enjoying this and you can trust me to be the person you see and hear right now even after I am in office…”

First –her voice was not strained but at a comfortable volume, with inflections to enhance her points.

She used pauses: “…. I put it on Ebay… “. Or “….lipstick!” She has pretty good timing, and that comes with being comfortable with pause and silence.

Her gestures were effective. She used pointing, but did not hold the pointing gesture. We saw her hands, and they were under control, moving to punctuate her key words. She raised her eyebrow, nodded her head, and even put her elbow on the podium to share a secret with thousands of her close friends.

I would prefer political speakers lose the “thumb-on-the-outside fist” gesture. Did this start with Clinton? An open gesture is more effective, where you can see the palms of your hands. It is friendly and non-threatening.

Humor goes a long way. Self-depreciating humor goes even further. When the joke makes fun of yourself but also highlights your strength – it is a home run. The “pit-bull/hockey mom” joke did just that. That joke, I understand, was not scripted.

I am not saying Sarah Palin is ordinary, what she has achieved is clearly not ordinary. But public speakers can learn from her example.

Palin was having a great time just being herself. We loved it.