Three tips for avoiding the meeting from hell!

Chairing a meeting is like running a three ring circus.

You have the elephants that want to slow everything down, the clowns’ intent on turning your meeting into a slapstick show and the lions in the wings waiting to bite your head off!

There is a way to be a proficient ringmaster… you just need to focus on task, time and keep the people happy.

Here are three tips to make your next meeting more effective. 

1. Have an objective and an agenda

A meeting with out an agenda is like going on a trip without a map.

Do your meetings start like the hiking trip from hell?

Q: “Where are we going?”

A: “Oooo, ahhh, dunno haven’t thought about that!”

Q: “Ok then, how long will we be?”

A: “Around three hours, maybe?”

Q: “Well… what do we need to bring?”

A: “Oh, just yourselves… maybe a notepad…”

Does this sound like some of the meetings you have attended in the past? How is your anxiety level?

The solution is to have an objective and agenda. Even if it is an informal meeting a quick email like this will let people know what to expect:

Hi Team,

 Re: Product launch

We need to catch up next week to finalise the product launch details:

Date: Next Tuesday the 28th in the board room

Time: 9.30 – 10.20

Objective: To finalise the roles and running sheet for the launch

Please Read: The marketing brief

Please Bring: Ideas on items for the running sheet

Clearly set out the expectations of the group and the preparation they need to do before the meeting. Many people feel uncomfortable coming up with ideas on the spot so let them know in advance that you will be asking for their input.

2. Include the team

You invited them to attend so include them in the conversation. Set some ground rules where people agree to get involved, listen to others and be respectful. Empower everyone to speak up when the meeting goes off task. Spread the meeting roles so everyone has a change to contribute. Don your ringmaster top hat and ensure people play fair.

3. Summarise frequently and agree on action items

People love to see progress. Summarise decisions made and items to be actioned. These action items (What, by whom and by when) need to be on the front page of the minutes so people can clearly see what they need to do before the next meeting.

Finish when you said you would and congratulate them for staying on task and on time. If there is unfinished business roll it over to the next meeting.  

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Managing meetings is tricky, but by applying a bit of thought and working on your communication skills you can have the elephants dancing, the clowns performing and the lions jumping through hoops!

Why you NEVER want to read your speech!

I want you to try something for me next time you’re alone.

Stand up and hold a book at waist height and read it out loud. Listen to what happens to your voice. When you lower your head your voice gets squashed and vocal variety is reduced. It’s also harder for people to hear as you cannot project your voice as well. We also tend to fall into a ‘reading rhythm’ which can have the same effect as swinging a pendulum in front of the audience – “You are getting sleepy…”

Here are four ways to deliver your presentation – but only one of them will increase your persuasion quotient.  

1. Read your speech

When we write a speech we tend to fall into report mode. The language and the tone becomes more formal and doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily.

On top of this, we lose all the things that make a presentation engaging: eye-contact, gestures and vocal variety. 

2.  Memorise your speech 

We’ve all seen someone who as delivered a memorised speech. They stand as if super-glued to the spot, beads of sweat break out on their brow as they desperately try not to lose their way and they stare over your head, fearful that if they look anyone in the eye their brain will turn to mush.

Memorising a speech to the point where you can deliver a natural sounding presentation is possible – but do you really have the time for that?

3. Wing it!

Those of us that love to stand up and speak often fall into this trap. We know the topic, we know the audience, why do we need to prepare?

The challenge here is that we can talk too much, go off on wild tangents and before you know it 30 minutes have passed and we have not even touched on the first main point we wanted to talk about! Even if you know the topic well, a few notes with an introduction, some headings for the main body of the presentation and some thoughts about how you would like to conclude will be enough to keep you on task and on time.

4. Have a prepared plan

Hmmm… a prepared plan I hear you ask, what’s that?

A prepared plan provides you with the structure to stay on task and on time. Your presentation is not written out word-for-word, so you can deliver it in a conversational tone. Your notes are in large font, so it’s easy to see where you’re at if you forget the next point. Most importantly, you can focus on the stories and delivering your message with passion to ensure you are engaging and persuasive. I’ll share more tips and tricks on delivering a prepared plan next month.

Stand up, Speak up & Persuade – July 29th 2014

So you want to be a confident speaker? You want to be able to think on your feet? You want to be able to put together a persuasive presentation easily and quickly?

Great! I’ll see you at my Stand up, Speak up and Persuade workshop!

• Date: Tuesday July 29th 2014
• Venue: Education Development Centre, Milner St, Hindmarsh SA (Only 5 mins out of the city)
• Still only $550.00!

This workshop is limited to 10 participants only – so I can focus on your needs.

“Sharon is able to transform people into good presenters that thought they might not otherwise be”

Want more information? Email me for a flyer or call me as I’d love to have a chat.

Confidence – Do you want it?

A few years ago I attended a talk by psychologist and film maker Eve Ash. She said that for anyone to be successful they needed to have both persistence and confidence. I agree, but there is I believe one more element need: competence.

We need to be persistent in order to build competence and this can increase our confidence. But where do we start? What comes first? I believe it starts with confidence.

Think back to when you first learnt to ride a bike. Your parents showed you the bike and said, “Hop on and pedal and you’ll be fine.” And your five year old brain was thinking “You’re crazy! Look at the thing! It can’t even stand up by itself. I’m going to die…”

There was no competence and there was, as yet, no persistence. You had to trust in the process, breathe deeply and choose to be confident. In other words – you had to fake it!

The first step in something new is always going to be a leap of faith. You can’t fake your flying test, but you can fake the confidence needed to get you to sign up for the course.

Here are 5 ways you can fake confidence to get you over the hump in your next presentation.

1. Choose your thoughts
Ralph Waldo Emerson said “We become what we think about all day long.”

So what are you thinking about? The little voice in our head is very vocal and most of the time not very nice! Click here to read how Herb Elliot managed the voice in his head and went on to win a world record.

2. Your physiology will effect your psychology
Interesting isn’t it? How do you stand when you are nervous?Research show that you can feel more confident simply by striking a confident pose. How easy is that? Amy Cuddy explains why in this fabulous TED talk.

3. Channel a confident person
I caught up recently with a participant who attended an in-house Networking and You workshop that I ran and I asked her how her networking was going.

She said that she was doing well and actually enjoying the process and had made some fabulous connections. I asked her what is was that she was doing differently and she replied “Oh, well, I get to an event early, like you suggested, and then I say to myself, ‘Now, what would Sharon do? Well, I rekon she’d go up to that person standing alone and introduce herself’ and then I do exactly that!”

I used to use this technique when I was younger. I would ask myself “What does a successful person in this role look like?” and create an image in my head and emulate that. If you have a real person you can channel all the better!

4. Build up your ‘Confidence Fitness’
You’ve decided to run a marathon – great! So, do you wait till the day before, get into your running gear and set off? I hope not! I imagine you start 6 to 12 months before, perfecting your stride and setting yourself goals to build your fitness.

Confidence is the same. We procrastinate on that which we fear. The only way to become a more confident speaker is to speak! Find an opportunity to speak up at meetings, ask to deliver that project update and if you need more practice join Toastmasters, Rostrum or the Penguin Club.

Accept that the nerves will always be there (and yes after 25+ years I can still feel nervous) but with practice you can make those butterflies fly in formation.

5. Choose to be confident
So, do you want to be confident? Really? Then now is the time to lean in. You need to choose to be confident because despite what you may have been told, no one can make you confident.

Confidence is a choice and it is a choice that we need to make in order to get what we want.

Sometimes we need to make it annually, sometimes monthly, sometimes weekly, sometimes daily, sometimes hourly and sometimes minute by minute.

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It’s your choice – you can do what you’ve always done or do something different. It’s time to choose which way you are going to go.

Authority vs Credibility – Which one will work for you?

Robert Cialdini in his book Influence – The psychology of persuasion, credits authority as one of the pillars of influence. He cites the 1963  Milgram experiment where volunteers were more likely to be influenced by an individual who they perceived had authority.

The challenge for us is that authority in business is in decline. The days of control and command are long gone and many organisations are doing away with corporate hierarchy altogether. Today, in order to get our job done, we need to be able to influence those we have no authority over.

So if we have less authority, what tools do we have to help us be more influential? 

The answer is credibility.

The Oxford dictionary defines authority as the power or right to give orders, to make decisions and enforce obedience. Unless you work in the military or a para military organisation, you may have a little trouble trying to ‘enforce obedience’. Credibility is defined as the quality of being trusted, convincing or believable, which is something that we can earn rather than wait until it is bestowed upon us.

Here are 5 ways you can boost your credibility in your next presentation.  

1. Establish trust

Do your homework on your audience. Understand their jobs and the burning issues that they are facing. Work on building rapport as soon as you meet them. Smile, shake hands, ask questions and listen intently.

Share a personal story that relates to your message. A West Virginia University study by Myers and Brann in 2009 demonstrated the benefits of self disclosure in building credibility.

2. Weave in credibility

Demonstrate that you know what you are talking about. Give us examples of your expertise. Tell us the projects you have worked on and the results you have achieved. 

If you use examples that are relevant to your message and your audience you will enhance your credibility rather than come across as boastful.

3. Ensure your non verbal signs match your message

Now is the time to stand tall, raise your head and look people in the eye. In western culture we instinctively don’t trust people that don’t look at us. We perceive your clasped hands as a lack of confidence and an upward intonation at the end of a sentence makes it sound like you don’t know what you are talking about.

4. Be authentic

Keep it real and accept your humanity and the limitations of your product or idea. Nothing kills credibility faster than if you bluff or promise things that you can’t deliver. If you don’t know the answer, reply with: “I don’t have that information available on me now, but I can email it to you as soon as I get back to my office” This will help maintain your credibility rather than shatter it.

5. Look the part

Yes, you will be judged on how you look. Fair? No. Reality? Yes. Dress appropriately for your position and consider your audience’s perception. So if you’re speaking on personal fitness, you better look better than me in lycra. When presenting to the board, spend a little extra time making sure that you are professionally attired in clothes that match the company culture.

I once asked an Elders employee what would happen if he arrived on a farm wearing his Italian wool suit and silk tie and he replied, “Well, you gotta remember that farmers own guns…”

So… now it’s your turn. What are you going to do to enhance your credibility?

Snipers, Hijackers and Clowns – Managing the tricky personalities when you present

It’s what people fear most during a presentation: Some smart Alec up the back hijacking your presentation, the clown that leads your audience into a giggling fit and the sniper who wants to shoot you down. We have all experienced them at some time. But you can prevent them from occurring. 

Here are 3 reasons you may have a disruptive audience  and what to do about it.  

1. They’re experiencing cognitive overload

Pitching your presentation at the right level is vital. Too much jargon and acronyms quickly increases the cognitive load and can leave your audience feeling overwhelmed. Too simplistic and they get bored and before you know it, the clowns take centre stage to relieve the monotony.

The solution:

•  Do your homework. Speak to as many people as you can to gauge their understanding of your topic
• If in doubt, eliminate jargon – as it can alienate people
• Use stories, metaphors and analogies to explain your topic
• Watch the body language of your audience and check constantly for understanding

2. They’ve been sitting too long

Have a look at the people in your audience. What is their normal job? If it’s not sitting for eight hours a day you better get them moving!

The solution

• Get ’em up. Especially after lunch
• Get them to demonstrate what it is you are discussing
• Have exercises where they can practice the skill rather than talk about it
• Move them around the room to interact with other people. An easy way to do this is with coloured stickers on name tags or workbooks

3. They need to talk and contribute

Adult learners bring a lifetime of experience to the table and they all have Google in their pockets. They need to be able to tie in their experience to your message. Talking enables them to develop the link and cement the learning.

The solution

•  Small group interaction. (Don’t ask ‘any questions?’ to a large group as you you will hear the sound of silence)
• Give them challenging topics to discuss
• Ask them how they would apply this to their workplace
• Ask them what they think – Yes? No? and if not why not? 

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 Good luck with handling your snipers, hijackers and clowns and if you have a particular challenge you have, let me know below and I’ll share some recommendations.

Road rage in aisle three!

A few weeks ago I was idly wandering the aisles of the local supermarkets, trying to find the mythical breakfast cereal that is both healthy and tasty when I came across a roadblock.

An elderly gentleman had parked his scooter opposite a product display while he perused the tinned fruit section and I watched as the woman in front of me became increasingly agitated.

She tried several times to squeeze past with no success and ended up almost hopping from foot to foot while muttering under her breath… and yet she said nothing. By this stage a bottle neck was developing with people queuing behind me and despite her frustration the woman did not speak up.   

I decided in order to prevent an escalation, it was time to intervene. I stepped past the woman and approached the man who was oblivious to all the drama around him.

“Excuse me Sir. We have a bit of a problem as we can’t get past your scooter – can I hold your basket so you can back it up a bit? Thanks so much.”

The man was happy to oblige and the woman smiled and thanked me and we all went happily on our way. 

Now you may well be thinking – “Well DUH – Simple really – all she had to do was say something!” And yes, it is simple – but simple is not always easy.

So what stops us from speaking up? In most situations it’s that dirty little F word – fear. It is fear which holds us back and stops us speaking out.

We:

• Fear confrontation
• Fear rejection
• Fear looking stupid
• Fear criticism
• Fear being seen as pushy
• Fear being judged
• Fear people not liking us.

Our fear is disabling and makes us passive and as our frustration grows we bypass persuasion and launch straight into pushy. I see it frequently in offices, meetings, boardrooms and, occasionally supermarkets!

Here are 5 simple steps for speaking up to prevent the molehill developing into an unsurpassable mountain.

1. Pleasantries first

• “Hi Geoff, sorry to disturb you, have you got a minute?”

2. Clearly state the problem

• “I received your report today, but it is missing the SA figures.”

3. Ask for what you want

• “Can you please add them and email it to me as I need to print out copies for the presentation this afternoon.”

4. Offer to help if appropriate

• “I rang Julie and she’s sending through the latest stats.”

5. Thank them

• Thanks, Geoff – I appreciate it.”

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Simple! But not always easy, so it is worth asking yourself “I know, but do I do?” And next time you encounter a road block choose speaking up rather than road rage.

Do you really need to send that email?

Everyone is suffering from e-mail overload. In consideration of your colleagues, and in support of the best use of your time, consider these points each time you create an email or copy someone on an email.

1. Can this information be better communicated with faster results through a phone call?
2. Can this information be held for discussion at an upcoming meeting?
3. Can this information be included in a broader status report?
4. How many people really want or need to know about this information?
5. How many people really need to be copied on this email? For instance, consider emails copied to senior leadership: Are they concerned with seeing the step-by-step process (multiple emails) or are they only concerned with outcomes (final summary email or report)?
6. If your email is part of a long series, consider restating the issue briefly as a recap so readers do not have to start at the beginning to follow along.
7. Communicate your needs:
   • If you are questioning whether or not to copy your boss or colleague on a certain topic, ask!
   • If you are receiving emails from staff or colleagues regarding a certain topic, tell them how you prefer to stay in the loop. Be clear on what type of information you’re looking for.

This document will self-destruct in 10 seconds…

Question: What do all these movie quotes have in common?
• “Hasta la vista, Baby.”
• “I’m king of the world!”
• “May the force be with you”
• “You can’t handle the truth!”
• “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
• “I want to be alone.”
• “After all, tomorrow is another day!”
Answer: They engage you, generate an emotion and are highly memorable.

Now, think back to the last workshop you attended or the last speaker you heard. Can you remember the title of their presentation or workshop? Hmmmm? Probably not.

Your presentation title is an opportunity to create a ‘pow’ first impression. It’s a chance to win then over and get them excited about you and your topic.

Here are three ways to ‘get them at hello’ for your next presentation.

1. Think like a journalist
One of the things that Jeremy Clarkson does really well is have a catchy title for his columns. Past titles have included:
• ‘I’ve spayed my wasps with glue, not what?’
• ‘I’m going to cure dumb Britain’
• ‘Concussion is what holidays are all about’
• ‘Please carry on filming, I’m only burning to death’
• ‘Burial? Cremation? Boil-in-the-bag?’
Like him or hate him, these titles make you want to read. Just like you need a grab for your talk, think like a journalist and create a hook in your title.

2. Use what, why, how and when
Two of my most popular workshops are ‘How to escape PowerPoint purgatory’ and ‘Staple it to their heads – how to make your training stick’.

When I ask people why they chose to attend, they often reply, “It sounded practical and fun.” You may well have a serious topic – but put a unique spin on it and make it your own.

3. Please don’t bore me!
Are you going to be happy attending a talk entitled ‘Interpretive Guidelines to the model WHS Act – section 27’? Or like me, would you rather stab your left eyeball out with a blunt pencil?

Think of your presentation title like the cover of a book. If you wouldn’t buy it at the airport when about to depart on a 10 hour flight, then don’t use it as a title for your presentation.

Get the most out of your next conference

Heading off to a conference soon? Here’s how to get your money’s worth from this experience.

Charles Jones said “You will be the same person in five years as you are today, except for the people you meet and the books you read.” Earlier this year when I MC’d the AITD/ARTDO International Conference I put a slightly different twist on this quote. I said “You will be the same person you are at the end of this conference except for the speakers you hear, the exhibitors you visit and the contacts you make.”

I attend and speak at conferences around Australia. They are great for professional development but even more importantly, they are great for reconnecting and building your network.

Here are five ways for you to get the most out of your next conference.

1. Go prepared
Think about what you would like to get out of the conference, what you’d like to see and who you’d like to meet. Research the speakers a little and think up some questions you’d like to ask them. There’s always an opportunity and if you have a question ready ahead of time you can be the first one in. You could even contact them via LinkedIn or Twitter and let them know you are looking forward to seeing and hearing them speak.

Now is also the time to perfect your grab. Your grab is your response to the question “So… what do you do?” Rather than say “Oh, I’m just a practice manager” Say “I am the practice manager for Fantastic Lawyers in SA. I help our team do what they do best and this year we won the Adelaide Law Firm of the year award for the fourth year in a row.”

2. Be brave
Now is the time to don your ‘confidence cloak’. For many of us networking does not come easily, and we often feel self-conscious meeting people for the first time. My recommendation is to wear something professional that you feel good in and practice a few icebreakers. My favourite conversation starters at events are:

• The venue – “Have you been to the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre before?”
• The food – “Did you try the lemon tarts? Soooo worth the calories!”
• The speaker – “So, are you a fan of General Gosgrove?”
• The event – “Are you a member of ALPMA?”
• Significant news of the day – “Did you hear who won the ALPMA/Telstra Thought Leadership Awards last night?”
• A compliment – “I love your jacket; red is my favourite colour to wear.”

3. Get there early
It’s always easier to walk into a room before the masses arrive and rescue a wall flower. There is always a person standing there looking lost because their friend has not arrived as yet. Go up to them and say “I don’t know anyone here so I thought I’d come up and introduce myself.” Congratulations – You’ve just made a friend for life.

If you are attending a conference for the first time, or don’t know anyone else attending, look for host stand in the Trade Exhibition and introduce yourself the people who are running the booth. They will happily introduce you to other members, delegates and exhibitors.

4. Make the most of the breaks
As tempting as it is to check your emails and make some calls, remember to be present and make the most of the experience. Grab your lunch and walk over to meet someone new – you never know what may come out of that meeting. Take the time to introduce yourself to the exhibitors and visit each booth. I find this is the quickest and easiest way to find new developments that are occurring in your industry.

5. Follow up
Write on the back of their business card a brief description and what you chatted to them about. Make a note if you promised to send them something and follow up within the week. I find one of the easiest ways to stay in touch is to connect on LinkedIn. Make sure you download the free LinkedIn Contacts app before you go, as it enables you to save a new contact as well as make notes on where you met them and who introduced you.

At the end of the conference you will be a different person. It could be due to the speakers you heard or the exhibitors you visited, but most likely it is because of the people you met. Rarely do we have an opportunity to share ideas and information with like-minded individuals. Conferences provide an opportunity to do this. Follow these five suggestions and you’ll make the most out of your next conference.