Skillpresentations

Why use online training?

2010-09-24T04:08:00.000-07:00

If you are an HR manager putting together a training strategy, can you afford to rule out online tuition.

Skillpresentations and Edinburgh-ESL we offer our services online and believe that there are real advantages in using video conferencing as a means of delivering training.

Using easily available Internet conference technology (skype) we are able to conduct tutorials face-to-face in real time. Effectively we are in the same room, materials and exercises are shared using screen share and file share.

Online lessons are private lessons, so correction and direction can be offered confidentially.

By using the virtual class room huge savings in travel and accommodation costs are achieved along with clear environmental benefits. If you are developing a training strategy for your business, online tutorials offer clear advantages.

To find out more or to see how it works contact us at michael@edinburgh-esl.co.uk or via skype: michael.edinburgh-esl

Edinburgh ESL

2010-06-07T00:13:00.000-07:00

Giving a presentation can be a daunting task in one's own language, I am therefore especially impressed when I hear someone doing it in a second language.

Special challenges come into play, not least the matter of idiom. Business speak can sound daft enough but misplaced blue sky thinking and envelopes being pushed into the wrong part of a sentence can test us all.

Of course clarity of speech is appreciated whatever the language. Edinburgh ESL is a new business designed to help busy people develop their English skills where English is a second language. Courses are offered online via video conferencing for busy executives.

By working online we remove flight uncertainties and environmental impacts and we create workable one-to-one teaching relationships.

http://www.edinburgh-esl.co.uk/

Interruption to service

2010-03-19T02:21:00.000-07:00

Due to changes in our hosting account there will be a brief interruption to our our service on skillpresentations.com, keep watching and we'll be back soon.

MG

Guided discovery

2010-03-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

Watch these pages for some new services coming to a skype headset near you!

The current set up of skype is tremendous with real potential for tutoring and teaching. Real time assistance developing presentation content and those all important public speaking skills is readily available using the video technology that is available to anyone with a computer and Internet connection.

Drop us a line via skillpresentations.com and book some time now.

MG

Dont forget to press 'B'

2010-01-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

It is a wee while since we have spoken about the 'b' word in Powerpoint presentations. D you know what happens when you dare to press 'b'?

B for boring, or perhaps less boring than if you hadn't pressed 'b'.

B for brilliant, definitely if you have the skills to step away from the Powerpoint.

B for bold, go on you know you know you want to.

Stop hiding behind slide after slide, learn how to get your message across with powerful speaking skills.

If you still don't know what happens when you press 'b' check out http://skillpesentations.com and be ready for the focus to switch to you when the screen goes blank ('b' is for blank).

MG

Apologies for absence

2009-11-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Please accept my apologies for my absence from these pages for some time, I'll not bore you with the details and I'll try not to bore you with anything else.

At the heart of every successful presentation we should hope to find that simple aim; interesting, not boring. The truth of course can be somewhat far removed as we sit through PowerPoint presentations that do little more than demonstrate that the presenter owns a computer and is not afraid to use it.

Of course interesting can go the other way, not everyone is as funny as they think they are and most 'icebreakers' tend more to embarrassment than communication.

Interesting is not the same as entertaining, it is linked to informing an audience and it certainly helps to inspire an audience. At the core an interesting presentation is a presentation that provides something the audience needs and that the audience can perceive as useful.

An interesting presentation is well on the way top being a successful one.

Visit http://skillpresentations.com/

Jenson Button

2009-10-21T01:45:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jenson Button on winning the world championship.

I'm fascinated by the reaction to his off key rendering of 'we are the champions' over his team radio. Not the finest piece of oratory ever but effective!

Congratulations to Reubens too for a sporting response to his own disappointment, again there are lessons for the presenter here giving credit where it is due and maintaining a positive public persona, even in defeat.

Button and Hamilton, on message

2009-06-21T00:47:00.001-07:00

Button and Hamilton

It looks like Barricello or Vettel at the British Grand Prix to me, but being the BBC we see interviews aplenty with Messrs Button and Hamilton.

Each have their own style of communication, successful sportsmen with a team behind them; but note that each of them has their message clearly in mind and clearly communicated.

Hamilton is having a disappointing season in the McLaren but he is ‘still pushing’, the team ‘are ‘working flat out’.

Button’s task is to dampen speculation and keep is own feet on the ground so for him ‘Red Bull are the team to beat’. After practice for Silverstone it is Reubens that will have to do the job, taking the fight to ‘Red Bull’.

These are useful examples for business.

We need to identify the unique points of our message, our business, the things that set us apart and make that the core of our message, like the theme in a piece of music or indeed the riff in rock.

We need to employ synonyms to express the same ideas in new ways and we need to use different vocabulary for different groups.

Skillpresentations can help you achieve this.

http://skillpresentations.com/page43.html
MG

Presenting a coherent message

2009-03-09T05:20:00.000-07:00

We communicate on so many levels that it is well beyond the scope of this blog to try and discuss each level in detail however we must be aware that in presenting we are communicating with more than words and pictures. Our audience will pick up messages from the emphasis we use, from the way we stand from our willingness to make eye contact or otherwise.

Our aim is to pull all of these layers together so that we deliver our presentation with ‘one voice’. This reinforces our message and builds trust between our audience and us.

What happens when layers disagree? We send a mixed and therefore confused message.

Consider the effect of proclaiming our enthusiasm for a new situation in a dull and lifeless voice with our hands in our pockets. Can our audience believe us if we tell them that their opinion matters to us whilst we look at the clock? How credible will we be if we state that this key idea is important to us personally as we examine our notes?

Not everyone will notice the details of your actions, neither will they be able to explain the discrepancies in tone, however each one in the audience will be affected at some level!

Modules discussing visual contact, use of an outline, body language, voice control and adding texture can help us understand the signals that we send out and preparation will help us to make sure that the signals work together to deliver a unified message. See advanced modules at skillpresentations.com.

Learning to present in a manner that is natural to ourselves is of great use as we will the be able to carry this style through into follow up discussions and our audience will be affected by the sincerity of our presentation.

When preparing to present think carefully about the need to present a unified message across the layers of communication, use the modules that follow to help you understand how you can achieve this within your own personality.

Learning to speak with one voice will require awareness on our part but our efforts will be well rewarded!

Priced to match the credit crunch

2009-02-24T14:12:00.001-08:00

We are delighted to announce our new look site with free access to tips and advanced content designed to help you develop your presentation skills.

In addition to our fundamentals course we have also made available advanced modules, thirteen in total looking at individual aspects of public speaking techniques such as voice control, illustrating our ideas, introductions and conclusions.

One of the key ideas developed is covered in the module ‘Layers of communication’, which stresses the importance of presenting a unified message across the various elements of communication.

We are confident this service will be of real benefit to anyone seeking to develop his or her presentation skills. We are also incorporating sponsorship opportunities that will be of great benefit for brand building.

Take a look at http://skillpresentations.com

MG

Hiding behind PowerPoint

2009-02-18T03:23:00.000-08:00

When it comes to presentation skills much thought is given to ‘the slides’ that will form the presentation. Fair enough but beware!

PowerPoint and similar programs are only part of the story. Too often the content of the visual element is concentrated on to the detriment of the spoken presentation. Often this results from a belief that the visual element has more impact on an audience and that somehow presenting a dull message in bullet points creates an interesting message.

To be truly successful the presentation must contain powerful elements across the spectrum of communication. Visual elements will go well beyond a few slides (or most likely a lot of them) and will include facial expression, gestures, body language and especially eye contact. See Layers of communication at skillpresentations.com.

Learn how to stand out in front of the screen, communicate directly with your audience and ‘dare to press B’.

http://skillpresentations.com
MG

Time to prepare; foundations of a successful presentation

2009-01-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

Where can you find the time to prepare your presentation? How much time do you need?

Of course, I’m being a bit naughty; I have no idea of your schedule. When I have to prepare something new there are a variety of elements that have to be accommodated and it can be difficult to find the time.

Often listening is a key requirement, especially if you are speaking for, or to, a team. If you don’t listen you won’t know where your boundaries are and how far you can expect the team to follow. If you are representing the team this becomes doubly important, so when you meet with the team listen.

Now you need to find time to think. I find that mechanical tasks, going for a walk (carry some files for camouflage) or washing the car can provide me with the thinking time I need to process the elements I have been bringing together. When the issues are complex it is of tremendous value to spend time at your desk, followed by something mechanical, followed by another desk session and so on. It is amazing how things start to come together.

Eventually you will need to find time to create the finished presentation, and it does take time. Can you block out time in your diary? Perhaps you can work out of the office or at home (assuming you can control the home environment); at the very least can you switch off your phone and give yourself some ‘voice mail time’.

If the presentation is important then preparation time has to be prioritised.

As you develop skill in making and preparing presentations you will find that some tasks are abbreviated and that your training and experience will carry you on, but preparation and planning will always be the foundations of a successful presentation.

Get the skills you need at skillpresentations.com

MG

Slow news day

2009-01-15T05:07:00.000-08:00

Slow news day

A look at today’s headlines suggests a slow news day. The emphasis seems to be on money, the lifeblood of business, with banks drawing back from bonus schemes and politicians trying to claw back £1 donations to charity (allegedly).

It makes one wonder how would you present that one to the finance department? Presentations are a part of every day life, whenever we interact with colleagues or customers we can use the communication skills we have developed to make effective contact with the other person. Granted it may not always be wise to fire up the PowerPoint in order to explain our preference for tea over coffee (or vice versa) but understanding how our words are heard and understood can be of tremendous benefit in our day-to-day business.

Making reasonable links between what we say and the tone of voice employed, and the accompanying body language can lead to great progress in our communication style no matter the size of the ‘audience’.

Of course, and here comes the pitch, if we don’t have the skills or understand the nuts and bolts of presenting to a group we cannot be benefited by them.

At skillpresentations.com we can develop those skills.

http://skillpresentations.com
MG

Recession or recessive? Opportunity or problem?

2008-11-23T11:21:00.000-08:00

And so it begins.

In amongst the phoney war scenario surrounding us it is interesting to note indicators we can all relate to without an economics degree.

In my copy of Scotland on Sunday today the jobs section ran to four pages rather than the usual ten to twenty pages. This is the premier jobs page in our neck of the bog and frankly this tells us that people are worried in the boardrooms of corporate Scotland.

A problem or another opportunity? (This reminds me of the maintenance manager fresh from an entrepreneurial course who informed his customers that the toilets in his establishment were closed due to an opportunity in the cistern). It has to be said if you can achieve results, faster, cheaper and better then there is always an opportunity out there.

Now we get to the bit where I try to punt some of my key competencies and persuade you towards my website (http://skillpresentations.com thanks for asking).

Presentation skills help you stand out from the crowd and we are delighted to help you develop them.
MG

The 'R' word

2008-10-22T11:29:00.001-07:00

First the governor of the bank of England and now the Prime Minister have conceded the possibility of recession (whisper it low). Why the reluctance, after all the ‘r’ word has been the stuff of every news report for … well some time now.

Well of course this illustrates the power of vocabulary particularly in a febrile economic atmosphere in which every pronouncement of the powerful is scanned for hidden meaning attracting the same sort of attention once reserved for the internal organs of unfortunate chickens.

Of course leaders have to be concerned with the message they portray especially when those they lead are unable to see the example they set. So too with a business presentation it is essential that we develop and deploy a precise vocabulary that states clearly and precisely what we wish to communicate.
In difficult situations this will require discipline but it is to be hoped that with some practice and a little technique development it should be possible to express ourselves honestly and precisely without a script, presenting our message heads up.

Perception

2008-09-30T14:42:00.001-07:00

I’ve become something of a Robert Peston devotee in the midst of the current turmoil. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/ I was interested by his comments on perception (see above link) in the midst of the current febrile atmosphere.

If you think the world’s financial system is built on anything more concrete I can only presume you have just returned from a holiday on another planet. Was it nice?

From a presentation skills point of view it is interesting to note the favoured tone in such times. Anything other than calm and low is asking for trouble.

Vocal quality and the ability to control tone are massively important skills that can be developed once they are understood. That’s where we come in.

MG
http://www.skillpresentations.com

Obama McCain, presentation wars

2008-09-02T14:25:00.001-07:00

The first idea for this blog was a comparison between the styles of the presidential candidates, from a strictly apolitical, technical point of view drawing lessons from the presentations we are seeing regularly on TV.

From a business point of view of course there are limited opportunities to speak to an adoring crowd eager to applaud every second word. It was intriguing to watch Obama evidently trying to calm the crowd in order to finish his sentence, though this could also be read as a chance for him to look in charge whilst drawing attention to the hysteria surrounding him.

The applause and hysteria also makes it difficult to truly assess the candidates but it is clear that Obama is a gifted orator, McCain is less gifted in this area.

However that presents the difficulty of separating performance from the person making the presentation. After all there can be a thin line between oratory and acting and in business presentation it is essential that we speak with our own voice when presenting so that our audience feels we can be trusted.

The same challenge holds true for McCain and Obama who have to present on massive stages with conflicting demands.
Slick orator or trusted uncle seems to be the choice.

Chris Hoy

2008-08-21T14:32:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Chris Hoy in the cycling, bringing to all our attention forms of the sport we were probably unfamiliar with (Keirin anyone?).

In presentations there is little to replace preparation and planning and all the interviews with Sir Chris (or indeed Chris King of Scots to quote the First Minister) suggest that the same writ runs in Olympic sports.

What is certain is that gold medal performances reflect gold standard preparation and hard work.

Well done from one Edinburgh boy to another.

MG

Identifying the elements of a successful presentation

2008-07-15T04:58:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to make available in pdf form our introductory module, 'Identifying the elements of a successful presentation'.

This is the first in the fundamentals series soon to be released at http://skillpresentations.com.

This module is designed to help you appreciate the key elements you must include in any successful presentation, read it now free of charge and without any further obligation at http://skillpresentations.com/pdfbookiii/idel.pdf .

Make no mistake presentation skills are essential for any professional trying to move ahead in their chosen field and skillpresentations is committed to producing accessible, effective training to help you.

Learn to inform, inspire and innovate with skillpresentations.com.

MG

Cracking the credit crunch

2008-07-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Like most things in capitalism the credit crunch is not particularly real, it is a matter of perception as are the prices and values assigned to goods which are based on a notional value rather than an estimate of the costs involved in producing the goods. Regrettably, like other perceptions in the capitalist system, the credit crunch does have some very real effects on people and wealth.

Workology have requested some tips on surviving said crunch so here goes with Mik’s selection.

Spread the risk: Look at your customer base and ask whether they represent a single industry or socio economic group, if they do you better hope that they do well because you are joined at the hip with your customers. In previous business incarnations I have noted the value of having a significant percentage of older customers, people who are less affected by variations in property prices and mortgage rates, these are also people whose income is assured, if modest. If your business is essentially business-to-business you will want to find businesses that are selling to this older age group and try to work with them. Damart and Saga aren’t the only ones in this group but both are very successful.

Identify the groups that are making headway and align your business with them. For instance charities and social housing providers can have significant sums available, even in a downturn. In fact such social businesses can sometimes benefit from an injection of cash from governments keen to show they want to help.

Write a popular bestseller. Easier said than done… now for the hard bit.

Well one and two should be do-able.

Momentum

2008-07-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this as I watch Nadal v. Federer at Wimbledon on the BBC. Watching two great sportsmen playing a game I don't especially understand I am struck as ever by the importance of momentum. The man or woman with the momentum carries the day. Even when coming from behind the player on the rise brings something else to the game, a sureness of hand, a confidence, a sense of invincibility. This is more than luck (which has a lot to do with practice and nothing to do with limping rabbits).

This is momentum. How can we bring this to our 'game'?

The first point to note is that the sportsmen mentioned above are very good at what they do. So we have to develop the skills we need as a professional, skills which will be specific to our craft or profession. To these individual abilities we have to add that little bit more; life skills that set us apart from the crowd.

Will this give us momentum? Well it won't hold us back and when everything else is even in business the professional with the expanded skill-set will be the man or woman who carries the day.

My interest is the development of presentation skills, a tremendous way to stand apart from the crowd. If you are able to inspire your team, communicate your abilities to clients and employers with a successful presentation you will develop momentum that will carry you beyond your competitors.

Skillpresentations will help you develop your skill-set, check out our free introductory module, identifying the elements of a successful presentation at http://skillpresentations.blogspot.com/2008/05/identifying-elements-of-succesful.html .

As I write the British weather is playing its part in the tennis, by the time you read this it will be clear who maintained their momentum.

MG

Niche sandwich delivery

2008-06-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ah the joys of statcounter, google and the net.

Among those who have logged on to skillpresentations.blogspot in the recent past was a user looking for ‘niche sandwich delivery statement’. Clearly this chap or chappette was looking for skillpresentations and wasn’t sure how to get there, or perhaps he or she was hungry, or was concerned that he or she had been overcharged in a bread delivery scenario. Either way amongst the more obvious options this searcher was offered skillpresentations on page 2.

If I am honest this was not the route up the rankings I was looking for but as W.C. Fields reminded us ‘there is no such thing as bad publicity’.

There is of course a serious point in here somewhere, the blog in question ( http://skillpresentations.blogspot.com/2008/02/marketing-dilemmas-revisited.html ) was looking briefly at the joys of re-branding and searching for the niche that turns into the chasm everyone wants to pour their cash into: as funds tighten and fuel soars in price resourceful Internet entrepreneurs will be pressing forward with the simple message, develop here, save resources, enhance green credentials and utilise your time to best advantage.

At skillpresentations we think we are on the right track with training you need, whenever and wherever you need it.

Best wishes to niche sandwich marketers everywhere.
MG

Bikes and apprentices

2008-06-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

Viewers of ‘the Apprentice’ might have enjoyed the fnal programme or perhaps not depending on their enthusiasm for the contestants and ‘Surallan’ as he is known in my preferred paper (the Scotsman). I was heartened to note that the end result was affected largely by presentation skills.

So where does public speaking fit into the business skill set, ‘essential’ I cry, but then I would, wouldn’t I? Of course without a good product, an understanding of business, an ability to organise and sell presentation skills won’t get you very far. On the other hand there is a definite limit to the heights achievable by those unable to get their message across.

On another note I have been commuting by bike for the last two weeks and can only recommend the experience to adrenaline junkies everywhere I have tasted fear and survived… so far.
MG

Confidence

2008-06-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Surely only a confident person could make an effective presentation in front of an audience?

This may seem a fairly obvious comment; however consider the possibility that the fact of making the presentation can be the source of confidence. Feeling in control of a presentation, seeing the impact you are making on a large group of people is a sure way of developing confidence but how can you find the confidence to stand up there and make the presentation in the first place?

From my point of view I know how I feel if I’m asked to cut a straight line in a piece of wood with a handsaw. With all due respect to my woodworking teacher at Libby High, I’ve never been taught how to do it therefore I have no confidence and for that matter I have never really tried to find out by myself.

Obviously this analogy is chosen to suggest seeking training in presentation skills, which by a remarkable coincidence is the business I am in.

Having learned the basics you can be in a better position than most to use the professional abilities you already have to best effect. I like to think of this as a complimentary skill, a life skill adding value to everything that you do.

We offer online video tutorials in presentation skills available when you need them, where you need them.

http://skillpresentations.com

MG

Craft operative

2008-05-27T14:19:00.001-07:00

Public speaking is to my mind something of an art, a craft rather than a purely technical expression.

On visiting a Lowry exhibition sometime ago I was struck by the trademark pictures of industrial scenes with simple ‘matchstick’ figures; it was a mistake however to presume that the great man painted this way because he couldn’t paint ‘properly’. Other sketches on display showed him as a young man learning his craft, which once understood he was able to marshal as required.

So too with public speaking and presentation skills, there are certain technical abilities and understandings we have to acquire, within these however there is scope for us to give expression to our own personality, our own take on life and business.

As we make the leap from a simple technical expression to a consummate craftsman or craftswoman and frankly we can add another dimension; as we express ourselves we can enjoy ourselves and derive greater satisfaction from the task in hand.

So in public speaking we seek to understand structures, body language, means of emphasis, vocal quality and so on; having grasped these qualities we are in a position to do something remarkable with them, to inspire our audience.

Inform, inspire, innovate with skillpresentations.com.

MG

Identifying the elements of a successful presentation

2008-05-08T01:45:00.000-07:00

with compliments

Skillpresentations are delighted to release a free version of module 1 in the fundamentals course. The presentation lasts less than twenty minutes so why not use your lunch hour, or some dead time at the airport or a service station stop to review what makes a presentation successful because skillpresentations courses are available wherever you can access the internet.

See http://skillpresentations.com/ for the full course, it isn't free but it is very reasonably priced at £8.95 per module; a very small price to pay for a big leap forward in your career.

I hope that you enjoy our free introductory module, Identifying the elements of a successful presentation' now offered on this website. Look out for the key factors we need to include in our presentations, if you want to continue the course 'Fundamentals' is designed to help you utilise this knowledge by incorporating these elements in your own work.

Keep a note pad handy to note the key ideas, and make sure you have a cup of coffee to hand too!

Wishing you every success.

Mixed messages

2008-04-25T11:58:00.001-07:00

As government ministers tell us there is no need to panic, queues develop at filling stations in Scotland. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7367488.stm

In fairness there is a particular problem for politicians in the matter of trust but for anyone speaking to an audience trust is vital. Work too obviously to persuade the audience to trust you and many will respond by digging in their heels and looking for the catch.

In business as in the rest of life trust is earned, so the public speaker must take care to speak honestly not attempting to use sleight of hand. After all we will generally be speaking to people we wish to preserve a relationship with; colleagues, customers, bankers, board members.

If we have a name for telling it like it is, even when that does not appear to be for our short-term advantage, we can expect a better response when we advise, ‘don’t panic’.
Techniques for building trust tend to concentrate on eye contact and appropriate body language and for good reason, we respond on a sub conscious level to these prompts and these responses help us decide who we are going to trust.

http://skillpresentations.com
MG

Debrief

2008-04-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

It may sound a bit on the side of Le Carre but a debrief session is essential in developing your presentation skills, especially after a successful event; after all it’s good to know what you are doing right so you can do it again.

How would you define a successful presentation?

You might be concerned with your audience’s responses, were they appropriate to the material presented? Did they nod at the right bits, were there signs of notes being taken, were they relieved when you finished or enthusiastic in asking follow up questions?

If the response wasn’t what you hoped for, don’t blame the audience; look at your material, consider the way you presented the information, try to work out what that audience needed from you.

There will be times when you are sent to speak to an unreceptive audience or there is a mismatch between your topic and the people present, nonetheless it is your job to speak to the audience you have, not the one you think you should have.

Check out identifying the elements of a successful presentation at skillpresentations.com.

P.S. if they didn’t laugh at your jokes it is probably because they are not funny.

Leadership

2008-03-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

Recently quoted in the Scotsman (14 March 2008) were Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell, themselves quoted in the FBI’s leadership course. These luminaries were cited by Gordon Meldrum director general of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency.

His summation was as follows: “You can be light years ahead of everyone else, but if you don’t actually have an ability to turn around and communicate it to the people who work for you and with you, you just end up leading yourself”.

Teams have to be persuaded to follow and whilst threats and intimidation may achieve something in some settings, in a business setting they are most likely to lead to a claim for constructive dismissal.

So persuasion it is!

A team inspired by a leader can achieve great things but only if the leader can impart his or her ideas clearly to the team. When the leader can inform the team of the key ideas and inspire them to follow through, inspiration can’t be far away. This takes time and effort but ultimately adds value to the company and with economic storm clouds gathering inspiration is going to be a much needed quality.

Presentation skills and the ability to understand the component parts of successful communication are essential pieces of kit for any leader.

MG
Skillpresentations.com

Off the record…

2008-03-08T04:12:00.000-08:00

Recent political events in the American Presidential campaign have raised the question of off the record comments.

In public speaking there is no such thing, the luxury simply does not exist of saying something and then commenting to the effect ‘this is what I think, but it isn’t what I want you to hear’.

Presenting to a room of colleagues, a board or a group of customers it is essential that you say what you meant to say. To achieve this it is clear that you must know what it is you wish to communicate to your audience. Having identified your theme you must be focused on this key idea.

This is achievable through preparation and practice, note however that ad libs and off the cuff comments represent real danger areas for the speaker (or interviewee).

Make sure your message gets through, prepare, rehearse, rehearse and then rehearse some more.

MG

Skillpresentations.com

Whither the economy

2008-02-21T14:34:00.000-08:00

So where are we headed for the near future? Do we invest or hunker down and draw in our spending?

Perhaps the greatest danger from a business point of view is that of talking ourselves into a recession, with the simple result that fear of the future creates a future to be afraid of.

I am no economist but from previous experience things that seem too good to be true usually are. It’s fascinating to think that approaching bankers to get a loan to invest in a get rich quick scheme will result in a simple no, unless of course you are also a banker being offered the scheme by another banker in which case allowances have been made.

Everyone predicts a rough ride but as ever niche market exploiters can survive and in a competitive market it will be more important than ever to stand out from the crowd.

If I might be so bold, presentation skills, added to professional ability, can differentiate between a competent professional and a positive asset.

Develop your skills a little at a time with skillpresentations lunch sized modules.

skillpresentations.com

MG

Getting the point of powerpoint

2008-02-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

Powerpoint is a fantastic tool for presentation as are the alternatives which are available via Lotus, open source etc.

Using these tools well creates impact, impresses main points and makes audiences take note. And yet…

And yet time and again these powerful tools are utilised as note paper, sharing the speaker’s notes with the audience, turning brains to mush and switching people off. The truth is that most audiences don’t want to see your notes, nor do they care what kind of bullet points you use and frankly most would rather send a lowly assistant than attend a bullet point fest themselves.

The value of these tools is missed entirely. Dare to press B, send the screen blank, talk to the people, interact with them. Don’t give them a print out of your bullet points, they will not look at them ever again and if they do they will be meaningless: unless of course you use them in a meaningful way, to create an impact, to underline and reinforce.

Visual aids should be used sparingly. Less really is more.

MG

http://skillpresentations.com

You're quite right, but...

2008-02-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Simon Raybould for his comment to my post on interview skills.
He is of course quite right. Presentation skills lend a strategic edge in addition to the tactical advantage they present to the user.

Understanding the processes of communication cannot be anything other than advantageous in any forum, the opportunities they impart in an interview situation can be immense.

Understanding the aims of communication and the means of delivery places an interviewee in a great position to discern the real concerns and goals of the interviewer. If the interview is a negotiation, and after all business is negotiation, then questions, statements, silences and pauses, patterns in speech, gestures and facial expression are the tools of the trade.

Knowing how to use this skill-set places you in a powerful position when it comes to assessing its use by others. Good research, tactical deployment of presentation skills and a keen eye and ear should yield good results.

You are quite right Simon.

MG skillpresentations.com

Marketing dilemmas revisited

2008-02-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

So we launch a new approach to pricing our product making modules available as individual items. This makes it possible to access modest amounts of information at impressively modest prices.

The modules are short enough to be covered over a lunchtime, why not treat yourself to a leg up the career ladder along with your tuna sandwich? Actually, if anyone can help me combine Internet sandwich delivery with online training systems we could be on to a winner.

Learn and lunch, could this be the way forward?

The simple fact is that with uncertainty in the market place this is a great time to give yourself a competitive advantage in the job market. Nothing marks out a potential leader as presentation skills do, so we thought we’d make it easy to acquire these key skills.

MG

skillpresentations.com

Hi ho and here we go...again

2008-01-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

For better or worse 2007 has gone and now we get to know the stranger known as 2008.

Yet for something new there is a lot that is familiar, turn on the news and the tone is very similar to last year. Open the papers and the same hopes and fears are still there and of course from a business view the questions are the same.

Will we grow? How can we grow? If everyone else takes a backward step how can we minimise the impact on our business? What's wrong with my tie?

Ok the last one may be specific to me, but this is a moment when we can take stock and make plans; even as I write this I realise that this can't be the only time we do that. Businesses need constant monitoring and re-evaluation if they are to survive, never mind succeed.

For 2008 I'm putting my money on the growth of accesible, affordable, time efficient training as part of the road to growth for SMEs in Britain and beyond. The caution required in a slowing market place may well lead to conservative investment decisions, but as ever well trained and confident staff are the best business investment any of us can make.

Will I be right? Ask me next year.

MG skillpresentations

Trust

2007-12-05T14:18:00.000-08:00

Issues of confidence are central to the news agenda at the moment and lead to consideration of trust, how can we develop it between our audience and ourselves.

The eyes have it, to bend a parliamentary phrase.

We learn from an early age to respond to eye contact, if a speaker fails to look us in the eye we find it very difficult to trust that person.

On the other hand holding eye contact for too long can be read as a challenge or an accusation. Of course it may be that this is the effect we want to create then fair play.

So in presenting to an audience we have to develop strategies that allow us to make and maintain eye contact whilst keeping our presentation on course so that we can present the message we need to communicate and have that message received with confidence.

We need to learn how to prepare and how to use notes and outlines effectively and you’ll not be surprised to hear that skillpresentations.com can help.
MG

Confidence

2007-11-22T09:07:00.000-08:00

Confidence, where does it come from? Where does it go?

As Saturday's football result suggest it can be something of a will o' the wisp. Here today and gone in a momentary lapse of judgement by a referee.

How do we create confidence in ourselves? An obvious route is the acquiring of skills. To illustrate I remember a friend of mine who was apparently lacking in self confidence. I thought this till the day I saw him at his trade, taking command and moving the situation forward in a room of people who didn't have his knowledge.

The difference was simple acquired skills. In a presentation situation, confidence is a key and it is important to make sure that we have the skills of our particular discipline and presentation skills.

Well armed with these acquired skills we can face the world with confidence.

Where can we acquire these presentation skills... ah you're ahead of me.

Of more immediate note , given Wednesday's result has to be the question, how can we manage expectations?

skillpresentations.com

Nervous - moi?

2007-11-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

Nerves – you know you’ve got them

A seminar attendee recently asked if I had been nervous whilst speaking. Of course I was –‘well you didn’t look nervous’.

Was I pleased – you bet I was.

Much of coping with nerves is about coping with the outward manifestation of your nerves. If the speaker can create the impression of confidence this does much to promote an aura of control and ability. In turn these qualities make it easier to trust the speaker and buy into what he or she is trying to communicate.

On the other hand the speaker entirely lacking in nerves is potentially shaky ground. How many football fans have realised that their team are swaggering too much just before they go down to a lesser team (yes I am Scottish and I do remember Ally’s army- if you don’t drop me a mail and I’ll explain the reference)?

We shouldn’t be afraid of nerves themselves but the successful speaker must find strategies to control these nerves with a view to creating the aura of confidence, it may not be entirely real but to our audience it will be real enough.

Check out Coping with nerves on skillpresentations.com part of the Fundamentals course.

MG

Interview skills meet presentation skills

2007-10-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

It might be a bit much to fly into a full illustrated talk in response to each question in an interview but be assured presentation skills will be of use to you in an interview situation in the following ways:

Boosting confidence.
Organising your thoughts.
Controlling your nerves.

Knowing how to speak to an audience and being aware of your abilities can make it easier in a one to one or panel situation, especially as you will be able to predict many of the questions that will come your way.

You can take the time to order your thinking in your preparation accentuating the positive (and minimising if not eliminating the negative). Look for logical progressions in your career path that have brought you this far and which suggest your future trajectory in your new situation.

Learn to breathe well and how to control your voice. If you don’t look nervous then from your audience’s perspective you are not nervous, you are in control.

The interviewer may object to oratory and speechmaking but they will be interested in confident articulate candidates who appear in control.
Check out Fundamentals at skillpresentations.com

Volume up or down?

2007-10-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

If you can’t be heard it doesn’t matter how well you have prepared or what you have up your sleeve. It is essential that you speak to the individual at the back of the room; but beware.

Speaking at the weekend I was grateful for the assistance of Jan who helped me appreciate that I was projecting a tad too much.

A sore throat that that seemed to induce coughing as we chatted before the presentation had me feeling a bit nervous that my throat would expire long before the scheduled forty five minutes were done, additionally I’d underestimated the quality of the sound system and set out with a bit more attack than necessary.

Then I got the signal. Hands over the ears, ouch.

I took a step back from the microphone and moderated my volume, which seemed to do the trick.

At least I hope it did.

There’s so much more to volume in speaking than being heard. Variations in volume and pace can do a lot to underline your key points and to make it easier for your audience to listen to you. Choosing the correct level of volume also conveys meaning and adds a sense of veracity to your comments.

MG
Skillpresentations.com

Without notes??

2007-10-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

Recently we heard from a speaker; we’ll call him Dave.

Dave wanted to speak without a script, it worked for him before and he was sure he should try it again even though he was speaking for a good deal longer and he had more to lose.

Of course Dave is a professional speaker with a skill-set of fluency, superior audience awareness and a nice line in presenting himself as the next big thing.

Did he succeed?

On some levels he has been very successful a standing ovation, he still has his job and some say he has scared off the opposition (though they say they don’t scare so easily). On the other hand all the talk is along the lines of ‘look no notes’. Does anyone remember what he said?

Would it work for others? Why not? From day to day we all talk without notes but seldom to an audience.

Of course Dave did have notes; minimal notes, but enough to provide a series of way marks. Think of a list of directions for a motorway journey, simply a series of junction numbers and destinations. Way marks.

Knowing the points to be made and the order in which to make them can be sufficient for many speakers on one condition. Time has been spent in preparation. If you think Dave didn’t prepare you really need to think about the fundamentals of public speaking.

When are you presenting?

2007-10-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

It seems fairly clear that standing in front of a dozen people, all of whom are listening to us intently, we will be using presentation skills. However this is by no means the only scenario where these skills come to the fore.

Asking a question at a meeting or seeking clarification of a point would be moments in time when clarity of thought and fluency would be required. These would also be occasions when vocal quality and appropriate body language would enhance the reception of your point and your audience’s (because now they are your audience) perception of you.

An understanding of the fundamentals of presenting to an audience will empower you in the business setting. These are life skills fully transferable from one profession to another. Any manager or leader – not necessarily the same thing- must have presentation ability as part of their repertoire.

Motivating staff, outlining strategy, persuading the board, making the sale: all opportunities to use our presentation skills and because these are truly transferable skills we can use them to send colleagues on their way with our congratulations, we can speak at our friend's wedding or our own special events.

We all need presentations skills. skillpresentations.com

To note or not to note?

2007-10-05T02:29:00.000-07:00

It’s conference season and speechifying is everywhere, theoretically we should be looking at the cream of presentation skills. Theoretically.

The difference between a barn storming performance and being tied in linguistic knots can come down to something as simple as notes. An extemporaneous speech can communicate personality fantastically well, impressing the audience with your leadership credentials, however the need to avoid inadvertently promising to do away with income tax means that notes are essential.

The key difficulty with notes is that it is very difficult to read your notes and look at your audience at the same time (thus the clear screen displays so the leaders can look like they are looking at the audience).

When you don’t look at your audience they don’t believe what you are saying (don’t believe me, try it with your friends), so your notes need to be manageable and unobtrusive and above all you must not be tied to them. So rehearse and then rehearse again.

Then do it again. skillpresentations.com

Stretching analogies

2007-10-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

A bank holiday today spent bouldering at Alien Rock Edinburgh tempts me to the topic of analogies in presenting. It is always possible to stretch too far but a well placed analogy can lend interest and comprehension to a topic. It can catch and retain attention without being overly distracting or gimmicky.

Can success on the boulder face illustrate business?

Be prepared to stretch but don’t overstretch; moving from our comfort zone can bring us a surprising result. Reaching higher on the wall, making an overhang that has previously defied us, convincing an unwilling client, improving a sales conversion ratio or finding new skills in the team and building new confidence as a result.

Overstretching can lead to rapid falls in both settings. Awareness is required of present position, physical strength and future potential: translate this into financial terms and an awareness of the team’s capabilities and strengths.

Three point contact; the wise climber remains in contact with the rock face at three points, in other words only one limb is removed from safety at a time, a firm grip on the rock face is maintained at all times for fairly obvious reasons.

What is the rock face in business? That might depend on the slant of our presentation. The market, our core competencies, business goals, a geographic area or financial restraints would be possible interpretations. Maintaining a firm grip of the desired area without fear of movement powers the business upward with minimal risk.

Many business tasks are far from exciting in their own right, however choosing analogies that compare these tasks with something a bit more dramatic can help us communicate the importance of attending to the business tasks at hand.

Often we will be presenting information to a team with the intention of sharpening their performance for the benefit of the business. Helping the team to see their tasks in a positive light can be a great step forward in achieving our goal.
See 'Clear logical structure' at skillpresentations.com.

MG skillpresentations.com