Strategy. Innovation. Brand.
Three Things Not To Do
Yesterday, I wrote about four ways to be unpersuasive — in the broadest sense. Today, let’s narrow the focus and talk about three things not to do in public speaking. These are behaviors that I see all too frequently and they detract from your effectiveness and your persuasiveness. (For my tips on three things you should do, click here).
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No ned to apologize.
Don’t fumble around — I see far too many presenters using the first five to ten minutes of their time fumbling around with their technology. As you’re trying to find your PowerPoint file, I’m reading your desktop — and I often find some very interesting tidbits. Show up early, make sure everything works, and be ready when the audience shows up. Even more radical — give a presentation without using PowerPoint. That simplifies everything.
- Don’t apologize — if you apologize for yourself, you undercut your own position. If you don’t take yourself seriously, why would anyone else? You have a right to be there. Step forward and seize the moment.
- Dont forget the housekeeping — the most important housekeeping items are to agree on the time and on how you’ll handle questions. If you’ve misunderstood how much time you have (or if your audience’s schedule has changed), you may have to adjust your presentation on the fly. Always double check what the audience expects of you in terms of time and feedback.
You can learn more in the video. Speaking of which, this is a good opportunity to acknowledge again that I started this video series when I was still an executive at Lawson. When I retired, Lawson very graciously permitted me to use the videos to build my own practice. I certainly appreciate it.
Orlando Keynote
Where’s Travis?
I’m heading to Orlando this weekend and not just because it’s snowing in Colorado and sunny in Florida. On Monday, I’ll give a keynote speech to Amcom Software’s annual user group event, Connect 12. (You can read more about it here.) Amcom’s mission is “To help all organizations save lives and money by universally connecting data and people.” They’re out to make the world a better place and I’m happy to help. I like working with companies that have a strong sense of mission. My mission is to deliver a great speech. Wish me luck.
Leadership, Stress, and Communication
Even in the best of times, it’s hard to communicate effectively within an organization. There’s a lot of “noise” and 
your message can easily get drowned out. If your organization is like most, there are a lot of distractions. So, instead of listening to your presentation backed up by 100 Power Point slides, your employees may actually be daydreaming about lunch. Never assume that you can deliver your message once and everyone will just “get” it. As every marketer knows, repetition is required.
But what if it’s not the best of times? What if your organization is stressed out? Perhaps you’ve hit a rough patch. Perhaps your customers are upset. Perhaps a competitor is threatening to acquire you. If you’re a leader in such a situation, how do you communicate effectively? The short answer: you have to double down. Watch the video to learn more.
Nerves and Presentations
How nervous should you be when you start a speaking presentation? A little nervousness during a public speaking event can actually help you perform better. What does nervousness communicate to your audience? Mainly, it says that you’re taking them seriously and sincerely trying to do a good job. That builds credibility rather than reducing it. What should you do if you’re too nervous to make your presentation? Well, watch the video.
Are you ready?
Woody Allen says that eighty percent of success is just showing up. Unfortunately, it’s not true in the world of public speaking. I’ve seen far too many speakers — even those with a compelling message — defeat themselves because they didn’t prepare properly. They thought they could just show up, deliver a well-crafted message, and win the day. It rarely works that way. Audiences can tell when you’re “just showing up” and when you actually care about their wants and needs. The key to preparing is to start weeks ahead of time and to listen intently to your audience. Ask them open-ended questions and draw them out. Get them to open up and then listen closely. Remember: you must breathe in before you breathe out. Now watch the video.
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