The Art of Persuasion “She Stood Behind Her Car Door and Aimed Her Gun at Me”

Dave Hill - Presentation Skills: Successful Persuasion

In 1991 I moved to Canada from my home country, Ireland. My wife and I settled in London, Ontario, where we would start a new chapter in our lives. I purchased an old Ford Tempo and I felt a sense of accomplishment because at that time in Ireland, a 1.6 liter car was considered a “big” car. It came with power steering, air conditioning, and plastic seats that made you feel like you were wearing cold, wet underwear!

After being in Canada just a short time, I was driving alone in the countryside, listening to loud bagpipe music. Then in my mirror, I saw a blue, flashing police car light. I pulled over and the police car pulled over about 30 feet behind me.

In Ireland, it is common to get out of your car, walk over to the police car, and spin some kind of story or excuse to persuade the officer to let you off with a warning or at least a reduced fine.

As I was walking towards the police car, I was gathering my thoughts together and thinking about what I might say with a friendly smile on my face. I was thinking of using a line I had used in Ireland: “You must have had a great hiding place, I didn’t see you until I saw your lights! Sorry I was speeding, I was listening to some really loud bagpipe music and I lost sight of my speed. Any chance you could let me off with a warning?”

That was the plan. However, when I got about half way to the police car, I noticed that the policewoman was standing behind her door with her gun drawn, shouting hysterically, “Get back in your car NOW!”

As I sat in my car, the police woman gave me hell. She told me to “shut off the awful music” and shouted, “What do you think you were doing? I could have shot you!” I explained to her that in Ireland the typical thing to do is to walk to the police car with the intent of getting there before the police man or woman has to get out of the car. We then try to persuade the police officer to be lenient and consider a warning rather than a fine. The police woman, still furious and obviously upset said, “You are not in Ireland now, never get out of your car when you are pulled over, and by the way, here’s your ticket.”

I thought about trying to persuade her to lower the fine, but I thought that it would only infuriate her more. I drove away having learned a lesson that I will never forget.

Persuasion is an art, but I think you will agree that I chose the “wrong audience”; what typically works with the Irish police “audience” failed with the Canadian officer.

Many sections in presentation skills books tie into success strategies for persuasion. Whether you are a keynote speaker, trainer, preacher, educator, business employee, leader, or executive, you are involved in convincing others to buy into your concepts and take action. The following are some key considerations when you need to change or reinforce opinions or beliefs:

Overview – How do you Persuade Audiences to Buy into your Concepts and Take Action?
• Get their attention
• Provide information in a format that they will comprehend
• Convince them by changing and/or reinforcing opinions or beliefs
• Provide information in a format that can be remembered and relayed to others

Successful Presenters can Persuade Effectively Because they Have:
• Credibility on the subject
• Confidence
• Preparation and practice
• Excellent presentation skills

Audience Analysis is Key to Successful Persuasion:
• What is the audience’s level of knowledge?
• What presentation types will be most effective?
• What supporting information will they best relate to (information sources, statistics, stories, analogies etc.)?
• What do they agree on now (it can be beneficial to start on common-ground)?
• What “hot buttons” should I stay away from?
• Should I visit some of the audience members one-on-one beforehand to build allies?
• Do I know the names of the attendees or should I provide name badges so I can call people by name (people like to hear their own names and this can help build positive rapport)?
• Is humor appropriate for the occasion and the audience (to illuminate points, reduce tension, keep people energized)?
• What emotional content can I incorporate to help persuade (i.e. stories or examples they can relate to)? Example: if I am trying to persuade people to join a public speaking club to enhance their presentation skills and build confidence, I could state, “Have you ever stood in front of an audience with so much anxiety that your heart thumps loudly and suddenly your mind goes blank? Can you visualize the audience cringing as you struggle to recover your train of thought? Do you want to be able to avoid this kind of train wreck?”

Choosing the Correct Presentation Modes Increases your Potential for Success
• Discussion without any audio visual tools
• PowerPoint type presentation
• Flip chart
• Videos
• Props
• Interactive
• Conversational
• Brainstorming

Eliminate the Potential for the Audience to Become Confused
• Develop clear concise objectives – when developing your presentation you should have a crystal clear view of what you are going to persuade. I find it beneficial to take a business card size piece of paper and write on it: ‘As a result of this presentation, I want the audience to understand and/or do the following…’
• Roadmap your presentation so that the information is presented in a logical format and is supported by visuals such as a statistical chart, picture, diagram, video, analogy, etc. It can also help if the visuals can build on a relatable theme. For example, if I want to persuade people to take a presentation skills course, I could use golf as an analogy. The photo of a player teeing off and missing the ball could be used with a headline statement to drive home the point “Failure can get you noticed in a really bad way.” The photo of a grass divot could be a visual for “Expect setbacks, it takes practice. The golf ball falling in the hole could symbolize “Persistence and practice gets results.”
• The presentation should be developed so that the audience have a clear understanding within a short period of time what the objective is and what the specific outcomes are going to be.
• Develop your presentation taking into consideration the level of knowledge of the audience. For example, if you are delivering technical information to a non-technical audience, you may want to present information at a level they will understand, or give them the information piece by piece slowly bringing them into the details and complexity.
• Repeat, summarize, and emphasize your points to aid retention.
• Make sure your “call to action” is clear and achievable.

Build your Credibility and Likeability
• Analyze your audience so that you are incorporating information that they can best relate to. Illuminating your points with stories or statistics that they cannot perceive will lead to confusion.
• Do not turn up with an unpolished presentation; practice, practice, practice (out loud).
• Dress professionally and appropriately for the occasion and the audience. Consider dressing slightly better than your audience.
• If you are being introduced, spend time developing an introduction that will build your credibility on the subject. Practice the introduction with the person who is introducing you when possible. A bad introduction can sabotage your credibility and suck the energy level out of the room.
• Use credible facts and statistics that can help demonstrate you have taken the time to research your subject and that you are an expert. Identify the sources of information.

Dave Hill is a speaker, author, coach, and award-winning storyteller. He was also a finalist in the 2004 World Championship of Public Speaking. Dave works with companies that crave energized workplaces and his passion is to empower employees and leaders.

He is the author of the soon to be published book:
“Applause and Accolades – Attention-Grabbing Presentation Skills: Get Noticed and Promoted“, and his bi-monthly articles receive worldwide acclaim.

Dave is known for his Irish wit, stories, and strong sense of humor, which he incorporates into all his programs and published works.
For more information on Dave’s speaking programs, workshops, and coaching, contact dave@davehillspeaks.com or visit his website at: http://www.davehillspeaks.com.

Articles: http://www.davehillspeaks.wordpress.com
Video clips: http://www.youtube.com/user/davehillspeaks#g/p
LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davehillspeaks
Twitter Humor: http://twitter.com/davehillspeaks

Copyright © 2011 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

Statistics in Presentations – “I am a Little Teapot”

Dave Hill - Presentation Skills Article

Imagine you are 5 ft. 2 1/2 in. “tall” and you are web surfing and find a business article with statistics which state, “On average, tall people get paid about $900 more per year than small people.” As a “vertically challenged” person, imagine your anger as you consider this blatant societal imbalance and unfairness.

You continue to read the article while biting your lower lip with resentment. It goes on to state that there are two notable exceptions, Jack Welsh, the ex Chairman and CEO of General Electric, and Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft, who are both 5 ft. 8 in. tall. As you consider this statement, you bite down even harder on your lower lip with a voice shouting in your head, “Since when did 5 ft. 8 in. people get to sneak into my “Small” Category?”

That was me back in 2007, and at the dinner table I ranted at my wife and two kids asking them rhetorically, “Where does that leave me? I seem to be too short to fit into the ‘Small’ category. If my height puts me somewhere between a small person and a dwarf…am I…a Smurf “? It was that point I started my quest to find out where I fitted in society. Like everything in my life, it turned up in a very unusual place, and under very unusual circumstances.

Fast forward a few months, I am in the Sym’s department store with my family to buy a new suit. Shopping is not my “cup of tea” and I was not in a particularly good mood. The suits were arranged on racks according to shape and size and went on for what seemed like several hundred feet.

The store assistant escorted my wife, son, teenage daughter, and me. We came to the suit rack and it had categorization tags, “Tall and Athletic”, then “Tall”, “Tall and Portly”, and we eventually got to my category. Under what seemed like a dim and dusty 40 Watt light bulb was a categorization tag…”Short and Stout”. It was then my teenage daughter with a big smile on her face, and without missing a beat, shouted out, “Daddy, you’re a little teapot…tall and stout”. Let the record show that my category in society is not “Small”, it is not a “Smurf”, I am…a “Little Teapot”.

This is an anecdote illustrating that statistics can be annoying and questionable. It leads into an important point for presenters and their use of statistics.

What is the major benefit of using statistics in presentations?
1. They are one method of providing supporting information for your points, helping to build your credibility, and enhancing your presentation.

What are the success strategies for using statistics in presentations?
1. Utilize an attention-grabbing statistic to start a presentation. This can be an impactful way to open a presentation, particularly if it has some “shock” value.
2. Unclutter your statistics. Round off the numbers where possible.
3. Limit the quantity of statistics you use at a time or you will lose your audience. Frequently a single one can be effective to support a point. A maximum of three at a time is often recommended to minimize the potential for confusion or boredom.
4. Incorporate graphs, charts and other visuals to illuminate your statistic and drive home your points.
5. Use analogies and anecdotes to specifically help people relate to the statistics.
6. If the audience can relate to the statistics and/or the anecdote you are using, they will have better comprehension.
7. Use statistics that are specific, credible, and within the norm.
8. Use recognizable statistical sources where possible. For example: “The US Bureau of Labor Statistics stated, “Nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers declined in 2009 to a rate of 3.6 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers – down from 3.9 cases in 2008.”
9. If you try to convince people to act based on a statistic that is on the far end of the scale, the audience may feel you are trying to manipulate them with loosely applicable or questionable facts.
10. Do not use statistics that are incomplete, exaggerated, or wrong, or you can end up eroding your credibility.
For example: In 2007 the New York Times questioned some of the statistics that Mayor Rudi Giuliani had used in his speeches. He was put in a defensive mode and ended up “clarifying” some of the statistics he used. The article is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/us/politics/30truth.html

How to use statistics to incorporate humor
Make sure the statistic is noticeably exaggerated or wrong so that the audience understands that they are being entertained rather than being given some credible facts:
Examples:
1. Canadian research shows that if a bear charges at you and you run at it, the bear will run away 9 out of 10 times. I wonder how much they pay the poor intern to find out.
2. They say that you are 3 times more likely to be killed driving to a store to buy a lottery ticket than to actually win the top prize.

Dave Hill is a speaker, author, coach, and award-winning storyteller. He was also a finalist in the 2004 World Championship of Public Speaking. Dave works with companies that crave energized workplaces and his passion is to empower employees and leaders.

He is the author of the soon to be published book:
“Applause and Accolades – Attention-Grabbing Presentation Skills: Get Noticed and Promoted“, and his bi-monthly articles receive worldwide acclaim.

Dave is known for his Irish wit, stories, and strong sense of humor, which he incorporates into all his programs and published works.
For more information on Dave’s speaking programs, workshops, and coaching, contact dave@davehillspeaks.com or visit his website at: http://www.davehillspeaks.com.

Articles: http://www.davehillspeaks.wordpress.com
Video clips: http://www.youtube.com/user/davehillspeaks#g/p
LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davehillspeaks
Twitter Humor: http://twitter.com/davehillspeaks

Copyright © 2011 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

The Business Presentation Structure – “Explosions Ruin Lives”

Dave Hill - Business Presentation Structure

In 2010 I was invited to speak at a technical conference on hazard analysis relating to chemical plant explosions. The audience size was about 50 technical people. I was one of three speakers lined up to speak that morning and we had strict instructions to start and finish on time, and to provide technical content that would interest, inspire, and educate the audience.

This information describes how to structure a business presentation, make sure the content flows in a logical format, and that you finish within the allotted time. The starting point is making sure you have a clear understanding of what you are going to speak about. You should not proceed with the development of your presentation until you have written down a clear description of your specific objectives. Have you ever witnessed a presentation where after 5 or even 10 minutes you have no idea where the presenter is going with the information? This is typically a sign of someone who put together a presentation with no clear objective in mind.

The following structure can be used in many different presentation types, but you first need to write down the objective of your presentation clearly and concisely.

Opening:
1. Grab attention (anecdote, quotation, rhetorical question, shock statement etc.)
2. Describe why the information is important for the audience – “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM)
3. Review the points briefly
4. Rules for questions are described

Body
1. Point
2. supporting information
3. transition to next point

Closing
1. Grab attention or reinforce WIIFM
2. Points review
3. Question time
4. Call to action

The conference presentation:
The specific objective of my presentation was to convince people to evaluate the effects of chemical plant explosion hazards on buildings, and to take action if safety issues are identified.

At the conference, my presentation started with someone reading my introduction. Since this was a serious technical presentation, I developed it with the intent to build my credibility on the subject.

Note: As I was being introduced, I stood out of view at the back of the room so the focus would be on the person delivering my introduction rather than on me. When the applause started, I moved energetically to the front of the room to shake my introducer’s hand. As the applause died down, I used my remote control to blank out the first slide on the screen before I started speaking (most remote controls have a button that blacks out the projector image). The reason you might black out the projector image is when you are delivering an anecdote (or other opening technique) and you want to make sure that the audience is focused on you rather that an image behind you (particularly when the slide image does not illuminate or relate to what you are talking about).

After my formal introduction, this is how I opened up my presentation:

1) Get their attention as soon as possible and gain interest in your presentation.
“Imagine it is April 23rd, 2004, at the Formosa Chemical Plant in Iliopoulos, Illinois, and you are a worker walking through the factory that day. An event is about to unfold that will change your life forever.”

Note: At this point, I pressed the button on the remote to activate the projector slide image and move to the next slide. I glanced at the screen (or subtly point my arm in that direction) to draw the audiences attention there. The slide showed a picture of the accident site following the explosion, and included a headline statement “Explosions ruin lives”. I then continued speaking.

Photo From CSB Website

“On this day, a horrific explosion will occur, a total of 4 people will be killed, and two will be seriously injured. For the rest of your life, you will ask yourself the question, “Could I have done something, or said something, to prevent this horrific accident?”

2) Identify the “What is in it for me?” (WIIFM). Why should they listen to you?”
“Today, we are going to talk about the means to make sure that your workers are protected from explosions that can cause buildings to catastrophically fail.

“We should not lose sight of the fact that the Formosa chemical plant not only resulted in fatalities and injuries, it was never rebuilt and many people were left unemployed.

“As engineers, contractors, and chemical plant workers, you never want to have to deal with an accident like this. Explosions ruin lives.”

Note: If at this stage, your presentation has not gotten their undivided attention, you are potentially boring them.

3) Provide a brief overview of the points you will cover – this will helps the audience process the information that you will give them.
Note: At this point, I glanced at the screen and simultaneously used the remote to advance to the next slide with the bullet points. By glancing at the screen, I can verify that I am on the correct slide and it prompts the audience to look at the screen. I can also prompt the audience to look at the screen by subtly pointing my arm in that direction.

“The three options I am going to cover today are:
a. Do nothing
b. Train people to evacuate buildings
c. Evaluate and manage the explosion hazards”

4) Explain the rules for asking questions (Can they ask questions at any time or will there be a Q & A session towards the end of the presentation?)
“This subject typically evokes a lot of questions. Given the time limitation I have for this presentation, I ask you to hold your questions until the question and answer segment towards the end of the presentation.”

5) Now I move into the body of my presentation where I provide detailed pros & cons discussion of each of the three points, support the information with specific references, and use transition statements to move from point to point.
Note: It is important to have transition statements between presentation sections and points to help the audience follow along. The following is a brief excerpt of the three points along with transitions. In the actual presentation, I supported the points with additional PowerPoint slide photos and charts.

1. “Doing nothing is a cheap option, but it is not a good option. A review of the explosion accident history on the US Government Chemical Safety Board (CSB) website shows that significant explosions occur every year.”

Transition Statement: “Let me move onto the second option which at first glance seems simple and effective, but has huge limitations.”

2. “Training people to evacuate buildings is also an option, but its effectiveness is limited. One reason is that people such as chemical plant operators need to stay in the control room to shut down the chemical plant quickly and safely during a leak of a flammable. Another reason is that vapor cloud explosions can happen quickly, before people are even aware that there is a hazardous condition that could lead to an explosion.”

Transition Statement: “The first two options are not considered appropriate by peer groups. The third option is used extensively in our industry, and done properly, can enhance the safety of employees.”

3. “The final option I am covering in this presentation relates to performing extensive explosion and building structural analysis evaluations. This is a process that is fully described and supported in the Industry recommended practice API 752.”

Transition statement: “To put this into a real life perspective, let me bring you back to the Formosa chemical plant accident site.”

6) Following the body of the presentation I now aim to reenergize the attentiveness of the audience by revisiting the attention grabber and/or the WIIFM content at the beginning.

Note: At this point I glanced at the screen and simultaneously used the remote to advance to the next slide back to the accident scene.

Photo From CSB Website

“I work with someone who used to sit in his Formosa chemical plant office in the forefront of the picture. A few years before the explosion, he dusted off his resume and decided to go work for another company. It turned out to be a life saving decision. Luck should not be the basis we rely on to keep people safe.”

7) Review the three options briefly
“The three options we have discussed include doing nothing, training people to evacuate, and evaluating and managing the explosion hazards.”

Transition Statement: “Before I get to my final comments I will take a few questions. I will also be available after the conference if anyone has additional questions.”

8) Conduct the Q & A session
Note: Since there were about 50 people in the audience and it was a fairly large room, I summarized the question back to the questioner. I spoke loud enough for everyone to be able to understand what was asked. While answering the question, I made eye contact with other members of the audience to make sure everyone felt involved.

Transition Statement: “My allocated time is nearly up and I will leave you with some final thoughts on this important subject.”

9) Call to action
“The hazards at chemical plants do not change until we take action. The handout contains contact information for explosion and structural engineers who can guide you through the process of hazard evaluation and hazard management. Explosions ruin lives; your actions can save them.”

I would appreciate any feedback or personal stories on developing the structure of a presentation. Please use the comments section below, or send me an e-mail at dave@davehillspeaks.com. Let us help each other succeed.
Thanks,
Dave Hill

Dave Hill – Public Speaking Website (Bio, Keynotes, Workshops, Video clips, Articles, Contact Info, etc.)
• Web:http://www.davehillspeaks.com
• Articles: http://www.davehillspeaks.wordpress.com
• Video clips: http://www.youtube.com/user/davehillspeaks#g/p

Copyright © 2011 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

Attention Grabbing Presentation Skills – Practicing Safe Humor – “My Brothers Shorts Exploded”

It was June 16th, 1978, and summer had finally arrived in Ireland. The warm sunshine was piercing the shadow of our garden trees and shining brightly on the grass. Lying on the ground was my younger brother Nigel; he was the picture of peacefulness as he dozed in the early afternoon. I crept over to him with mischief in mind; I could see that he was totally out of it in a deep slumber lying on his back. A wicked smile came to my face as I formulated a plan to destroy the pristine and picture perfect setting. The boredom of my day was literally going to explode into action.

I tiptoed back to the side wall of the house where a garden hose was curled up. I opened up the tap to run the water to feel how cold it was, and fill it completely. In Ireland, the cool climate keeps the tap water temperature somewhere in the 50 degrees Fahrenheit range, plenty cold enough for my purposes. I shut the tap off.

I gently and quietly uncoiled the hose so that I could drag it unnoticed. I tip-toed barefoot along the grass while silently pulling the open ended garden hose. My heart beat loudly as I got closer to my brother. The smile on my face was at the point of beaming as I envisioned the outcome of my brilliant plan. Being a mischievous teenager was so much fun.

With the hose in hand I stooped down to where the lower leg seam of my brother’s shorts was exposed. There was a bit of a gap which allowed me to gently insert the hose a few inches without touching his skin. I also placed a nearby small rock on the hose a few feet from the open end to prevent it from dislodging from the force of the water.

Back at the side wall of the house where the ¼ turn tap handle was, I peered around the corner, ready to put my plan into action. Being at the side of the house, I would be hidden from my brother’s line of sight. In a swift move, I fully opened the tap and the hose snorted as the water cascaded through. I gazed around the corner to get a view of the turmoil, and suddenly my brother’s shorts exploded into a tsunami of freezing cold water. His reactions appeared to go into slow motion; his body first appeared to levitate horizontally. With a confused look on his face, his sleepy brain tried to work out what was happening. As he stood up, the hose fell from the leg of his shorts and he noticed my grinning face peering from around the corner in the distance. With his hysterical screams, shouts, and fists clenched tightly, this was not to have a happy ending for me.

I am now 50 years old. I still have a strong sense of humor and mischief; however, I have grown to understand that there is a line of acceptable behavior. This also translates into using humor in presentations. I coach people to analyze the audience they will be presenting to and make sure that the humor is appropriate for the occasion and the audience. I use humor in nearly every presentation I conduct, whether it is a funny story that illuminates a point, or to provide entertainment and information retention when conducting technical training. Humor is such a powerful tool that it is well worth the effort to learn how to develop it and to incorporate it into speeches and presentations. In the professional speaking world, there is a question and answer that gives a clear indication of the benefits:
Question: Do I need to use stories and humor in my presentations?
Answer: No…..you only need to use stories and humor if you want to get paid!

Humor can help you form a bond with the audience and help them relax. The added benefits are that it can help illuminate your point to make it understandable and help retention. Imagine how good it feels to have someone come up to you and say, “I remember you- you told the hilarious story about….. when you presented to my group several years ago.”

A short video clip example of me making fun of myself during a presentation can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/davehillspeaks#p/c/3A2ECDC9F2DC20E2/1/Bq0a4ybDtbE. Notice the audience reaction.

Engage your audience by making fun of yourself:
1. Humor is a powerful tool to use in all speaking occasions. One of the most important considerations as a presenter should be to asking the question “Is the humor appropriate for the audience and the occasion?” I highly recommend analyzing your audience to the extent that is practical and feasible. It can be beneficial to interview people to find out what is topical, what subjects are off limits, and to get some feedback on the humor you are considering using. Building your instinct to be able to determine when to use humor is critical for success. The humor instinct comes with experience and thoughtfulness.

While coaching a woman for a huge California event where she would be speaking to over 1000 of her peers, a question came up regarding the use of a line of risqué humor she had written. She really wanted to include levity in her presentation but was in two minds about using what she had written. She had been advised by friends to give it a shot. I asked her about the audience, how well she knew them, what percentage of men to women, age group, purpose of the event, what she was trying to achieve at the event, etc. It became very clear that this event, if done properly could build her credibility and her business. The humor line she was considering using was not exceptional, in fact it was at the pun level. The end result was that I recommended she leave it out. She did not know everyone in the audience, the pun could easily be taken badly, it could reflect on her professionalism, and it could have a significant impact on the potential growth of her business. Just because some people laugh does not necessarily make the humor appropriate. We have all been in a situation where someone told a joke or story where there were some groans of laughter, but in our minds, we silently considered it inappropriate and we viewed the person telling it negatively.
2. As a short, fat, bald Irishman who speaks with an Irish accent, let me tell you that the safest humor is typically making fun of yourself. This is also a great way to warm up an audience and start them laughing. Audiences are very comfortable laughing at someone who is making fun of themselves. If you are making fun of others, people may be hesitant to laugh and decide to wait and see if others will laugh first (particularly smaller audiences). If you do not have a few instinctive laughers (the kind of people who are typically first to laugh and do it instinctively) then you may just get silence or token groans.

One of the best examples I have seen of someone poking fun at themselves and getting the audience rolling with laughter was at a corporate office meeting. The morning presentation was interrupted upon arrival of a sandwich lunch, which was laid out on a table outside the conference room. As everyone ate their lunch, the out of place, loud beeping sound of a truck reversing penetrated the room. Accompanied by this noise was a coworker walking through the door slowly, in reverse, with his plate overflowing with food. With a big smile on his face, the people in the conference room spontaneously erupted into laughter. The 300+ lb. coworker had recently acquired a two-way radio that hung on his belt and came with a choice of emergency sounds. His sense of humor was spot-on, and I will never forget this hilarious scene. It has been several years since this event; however, I still find myself talking about it several times a year.

I would appreciate any feedback or personal stories on incorporating humor into presentations. Please use the comments section below, or send me an e-mail at dave@davehillspeaks.com. Let’s help each other succeed.
Thanks,
Dave Hill

Dave Hill – Public Speaking Website (Bio, Keynotes, Workshops, video clips, articles, contact info. etc.)
• Web:http://www.davehillspeaks.com
• Articles: http://www.davehillspeaks.wordpress.com
• Video clips: http://www.youtube.com/user/davehillspeaks#g/p
• Dave’s humor observations on Twitter http://twitter.com/davehillspeaks

Copyright © 2010 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

Attention Grabbing Presentation Skills – Get Noticed and Promoted – “Little Did I Know That the Gremlins Were Going to Participate”

Dave Hill - Presentation Skills Article

Imagine you are in New York City awaiting a subway train that will bring you to a venue where you will deliver your first formal presentation in front of a crowd. You are standing on the platform nervously holding your notes and you are focused on memorizing the bullet-point content. You have numbered the note cards because a friend told you that nervous speakers sometimes drop them and are so panicky that they cannot work out what order they should be in when they pick them up. You have recently joined a public speaking club to try and become an exceptional speaker. Your job is in the financial insurance industry, and strong presentation skills are the recipe for success.

As you stand on the platform a few feet from the edge, a subway train screeches to a halt. Commuters pour off the train like highly focused soldier ants. There is jostling and hostility as frantic people squeeze their way on and off the train. It was then that the unthinkable happened. As you were glancing at the note cards awaiting the last of the crowd to exit the train, someone grabs a few of your cards and disappears into the mass. As you stand there with confusion and panic on your face you wonder, “What has just happened here”? You step onto the train to get to your destination, and dread sets in. You now have incomplete notes to guide you through your presentation.

The person on the train was my youngest brother Brian, it turned out that this was just to be a minor hiccup in his public speaking endeavors, he progressed quickly, got noticed and promoted, and now lives the “high life” working for a major insurance carrier. He concluded that the person who “stole” some of his note cards at the subway station in New York that day may have thought that he was handing out flyers or coupons! His outgoing personable demeanor and proficiency in presentation skills gets him invited to speak at his company’s conferences throughout North America. He has even been part of a group that has had the privilege of teaching presentation skills at the United Nations (UN).

In the 13 years I have been immersed in public speaking, I have learned that one of the most important criteria for presenters is to be prepared and to have the confidence to deal with the unexpected, i.e., things not going quite as planned. It’s critical to understand what can go wrong and also to be able to deal with the unusual “snags” that you couldn’t possibly conceive (think subway train incident!). Preparation and confidence are the two main components that can help keep the Gremlins at bay. The more you present, the quicker you will learn what can go wrong and how to prevent it or deal with it.

What are some of the stumbling blocks that I have experienced or witnessed?
1. Recently I was presenting a 1 hour seminar to about 100 people at a technical conference. My presentation was being delivered in a university auditorium. I had a lavaliere lapel type microphone which worked exceptionally well. During my presentation I had a question and answer session and some other audience interaction exercises. Unfortunately there was not a handheld microphone and a helper available to go to the person asking the question and make sure the question being asked was being heard by all. I had to make sure I repeated the question back to the audience to make sure they understood the dialogue. See my previous article on success strategies for using microphones at https://davehillspeaks.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/exceptional-presenters-get-noticed-and-promoted-%e2%80%9cbefriending-the-microphone%e2%80%9d/
2. Recently I was told to use a new net meeting software program a few days before I was scheduled to deliver a technical training session. I played with it to try and work out any potential kinks ahead of time. I worked with an administrative assistant to make sure it worked smoothly from computer to computer. A set of instructions including a web link to log into the online presentation, were e-mailed to the trainees. Gremlins visited right from the start, some people had not opened the e-mail and were looking at a “blue screen” (they had logged into the “old” net meeting site). In addition, some people who did manage to log in were unable to get the new software to work and could not view the slides.
3. Some time ago I attended a net meeting to listen to a technical training session. For some reason the presenter had given control of the PowerPoint presentation to someone on a different computer. That “helper” was supposed to move the slides as the presenter went from point-to-point. Unfortunately the helper moving the slides was not fully fluent in the presentation and most of the slides did not relate to what the presenter was saying. In addition, the slides would occasionally flick backwards and forwards as the helper tried frantically to find the correct one. See my previous article on net meeting success strategies at: https://davehillspeaks.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/attention-grabbing-presentation-skills-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%9cnet-meeting-presentations-%e2%80%93-what-happens-when-your-cranky-baby-argues-with-a-top-executive-on-a-conference-call%e2%80%9d/
4. At a recent 1 day workshop on “Attention Grabbing Presentation Skills for Technical people – Get noticed and promoted” I arrived 1 hour early to set up and make sure the audio visual equipment was working etc. I immediately found that the audio system that was supposed to be supplied was not there. Luckily I carry all sorts of backup equipment to deal with these types of issues. My small laptop size speakers were not perfect but they were adequate so the audience could hear the content of some video segments I use to illuminate some of my points. See my previous article on audio-visual success strategies at: https://davehillspeaks.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/attention-grabbing-presentation-skills-–-get-noticed-and-promoted-–-preparing-for-audio-visual-disasters-–-“the-bulb-on-the-projector-popped-and-the-teachers-freaked/

General success strategies for dealing with “Gremlins”
1. Think of all that could go wrong, ask other presenters what they have experienced, and develop some form of backup plan. The sooner you learn about “snags” the better prepared you will be and the lower your anxiety level will be. Back-up plan, back-up plan, and back-up plan, prepare, prepare and prepare!
2. Develop an equipment checklist that also includes success strategies to counteract any potential issues. Keep adding to it when challenges come about. Learn from your mistakes, other people’s misfortunes, and do not repeat them. For example, my checklist now includes “make sure there will be a handheld microphone and a helper for the question and answer session and other audience interaction segments”. Another benefit of this is if the lavaliere microphone fails, I now have a handheld microphone as a backup.
3. Get to your venue as early as possible, set up the equipment, and test everything. If using new technology give yourself plenty of time to learn the vulnerabilities (months before important events if possible). How many times have you seen a presenter come into a conference room 10 minutes before an important presentation and get frustrated, hot, sweaty, and “leaking” anxiety because the laptop wouldn’t “connect” with the projector?

Final note: The importance of gaining an understanding of “Gremlins” should never be underestimated. Anxiety (fear of failing in front of our peers etc.) is one of the main hurdles for many speakers. Understanding that Murphy’s Law prevails (“If something can go wrong… it will”!) and being prepared with a plan, and the confidence to deal with it, are what you are aiming for. Exceptional presentation skills will get you noticed and promoted, it’s worth the effort.

I would appreciate any feedback or personal stories on preparing for “Gremlins” when delivering presentations. Please use the comments section below, or send me an e-mail at dave@davehillspeaks.com. Let’s help each other succeed.
Thanks,
Dave Hill

Dave’s Public Speaking Website (Bio, Keynotes, Workshops, etc.)
http://www.davehillspeaks.com

Copyright © 2010 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

Getting the Exceptional Workplace – “Opening the Door to Effective Brainstorming”

Dave Hill Public Speaking Article

In 2009, I was on a worldwide team that had to update an industry engineering standard. The standard was highly technical and it covered keeping people safe from major accidents in industries using toxic, flammable, or explosive chemicals. At one of the early meetings, engineering technical experts flew in from all over the world to participate in the kick-off meeting. One of the large energy companies was hosting it in one of their conference rooms at the corporate office. We arrived early in the morning and went to security to meet our contact. He brought us to the security desk where we had our identification checked and were given security scanning badges.

The conference room we were meeting in was located in an inner sanctum deep inside the highly secure corporate office. The first level of security was a turnstile inside the building and all twenty five of us had to individually swipe our badges to get it to operate. At the next security area, there were double doors and a one foot square security badge scanner that we once again had to swipe our badges to get through. As we were walking down a corridor, our host had to make a bathroom stop and instructed us to follow the signs to the inner conference room. After a period of time, we arrived at another set of double doors where the trouble started. We checked around the door for a similar one foot square security badge scanner, but we could not see it anywhere. After about five minutes of holding our badges up to anything that would resemble a security scanner and not having any luck getting the doors to open, we gave up and decided to wait for our host to reappear. As we were waiting, a little old Hispanic lady came by with her cleaning cart, mops, toilet rolls and cleaning sprays. In broken English, she asked us why we were grouped here. We explained that we could not find the security scanner to open the double doors. She frowned and said in a heavy accent, “Just push, just push to open the doors boys!” One engineer sheepishly pushed on the doors, and they swung open. There, a short way down another corridor, was our conference room. Twenty-five experienced engineers getting ready to do “brain surgery” on an industry standard, and we could not work out the simple task of opening doors…who would have thought?

Brainstorming can be a very effective means to come up with as many ideas as possible when trying to solve a problem or come up with innovative ideas. To maximize participation and the effectiveness of this type of initiative, there are some basic considerations.

Maximizing the value of brainstorming sessions to generate and evaluate ideas:
1. Brainstorming using about 7 to 10 participants can be effective and manageable from a facilitation perspective.
2. Some pre-meeting work may help the effectiveness of brainstorming.
• Clearly understand the problem being solved.
• Identify any pertinent focus areas.
• It may help to get a small group together beforehand to gather background information for the brainstorming session and to do some pre-filtering. This should be done with the intent of using the brainstorming group’s time as efficiently as possible; however, it should not be done to the extent that it limits the effectiveness. The results of this mini-session can be presented to the brainstorming group to help them become orientated to the task at hand.
• Depending on the type of problem being solved, the brainstorming session can sometimes be broken down into a series of meetings with some proof-of-concept trials between them.
3. A diverse group of participants can maximize effectiveness. The following are some considerations:
• Experienced facilitator
• People with specialized technical knowledge
• Generalists
• “Outsiders” – such as customers
• Multi-functional input
• Different levels of experience
• Different personalities
• Some humorous outgoing people to help develop energy and encourage the group to identify “crazy ideas” while stretching the boundaries of creativity
• Be wary of using people who are known to be high volume, vocal, narrow-minded, and forceful persuaders, as they can diminish the energy and creativity of the group
4. Set an atmosphere that is fun, relaxed, and conjunctive to creative thinking. Some simple ice breaker warm up exercises can help build enthusiasm. Provide a prize for the most outrageous idea to encourage a no boundaries forum.
5. Set the agenda and rules up front:
• Get the participants talking about their understanding of the objectives of the specific brainstorming session.
• Reinforce that there are no bad ideas and there should be no judging or criticizing ideas.
• Think outside your area of expertise.
• Capture the ideas first; evaluate the ideas at the end. There should be no premature evaluations.
6. Write out the ideas on a flip chart or white board to help with the visual correlation.
7. Incorporate visuals and hands-on activities where possible. Plan this before the meeting when possible. Using visuals and hands-on activities can help maximize the creativity, participation, and effectiveness of your brainstorming session.
8. Be aware of the tendency to lean towards obvious good ideas and limiting the brainstorming outcome by just building on them.
9. One of the challenges with brainstorming is getting everyone in the group involved. With the “vocal noise energy in the room” you may find that some people (particularly shy people) may refrain from active participation as their inactivity may not be noticed. Hands-on activities can help overcome this challenge, as it is more difficult for people to take a back seat.
10. It is important that brainstorming sessions are not considered futile exercises where nothing the teams suggest ever gets implemented. This can erode the energy and active participation level for future endeavors. It can be highly beneficial to communicate ideas that that are implemented, to recognize the members of the team that identified them, to identify the benefits to the organization, and to even have a reward associated with accomplishments.

If you have any advice, thoughts, or comments on this subject, please feel free respond to this blog or send me an e-mail at dave@davehillspeaks.com.

Dave’s Public Speaking Website (Bio – Keynotes – Workshops etc.) http://www.davehillspeaks.com

Copyright © 2010 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved

Energized Employees Power Profits – What a Thirteen Year Old Boy Can Teach Us about Attitude

Dave Hill - Ideal Workplaces Article

Picture a 13 year old short boy on a soccer field. He is playing defense during a tough tournament game. The score is 1-1; the teams are equal in strength and energized to score the winning goal. The opponent he has been assigned to mark is tall for his age, and towers at least a foot higher than him.

On the sideline, I joke with one of the other parents that these two boys standing side by side in the distance look like father and son with the height difference. Suddenly, there is a breakaway. The ball is kicked from mid-field and comes in high; I see the agile short defender stoop and spring vertically, stretching his body up into the air, trying to head the ball away. The tall boy also goes for the ball and easily makes contact with it, nudging it towards the goal posts. He chases it and is about to take a shot at goal when the defender aggressively clears it away with so much force that both of them tumble to the ground. There are cheers from the parents at the sideline and a few words of encouragement from the coach. The defender is my son Eric; I have been proudly watching him play the game since he was four years old.

Many kids at this age have started sprouting; however, my family has not had anyone reach a height greater than 5 ft. 3 in. for a few generations. Growing pains are not a genetic concern!

This vignette gives you a picture of my son’s focus and attitude. He does not let his stature get in the way of following his passion for sports. He uses his skills and his perceptions to play smart, and it impresses me and makes me chuckle when I see him trying to head the ball when an opponent looms over him.

One of the great things about kids is that they can teach adults “stuff”. Stuff we knew when we were kids, but the gentle erosion of life’s challenges can leave us cynical and diminish the “can do” attitude. Last year, I had a gentle reminder when Eric announced that he wanted to try out for the school basketball team. My first instinct was to frown, “go negative”, and try and convince him to choose a school sport where he could be more successful. He went to try-out anyway, and came home elated, telling us that he had been accepted onto the team. When I attended his games, I could see that he was focused, highly energetic, and played smart. He gave 100%, even though playing against his many “towering opponents” was an obvious challenge. The year has come and gone, and it was with surprise for me and delight for him when he came home with the announcement that his basketball coach awarded him with the “Most Valuable Player” medal at the end of the school year. His attitude and dedication had once again prevailed. I had an opportunity to reflect on my own attitude and recalibrate myself for focusing on challenges rather than strengths.

Research has shown that attitude is a critical employee component along with experience and qualifications. Over my nearly 30 years experience in three different engineering careers, I have met many remarkable people. A good job for me includes having coworkers who I respect and trust, and who are wired to help each other succeed. I have had some tough jobs, both physically and mentally, however when I reflect back into the past, I remember all the great people who made life rewarding.

A director I reported to a few years ago had an infectious positive attitude. No matter how bad things got, no matter how frustrated we got, he would bring optimism. Research has shown that successful employees do not just have experience and qualifications; they also bring a healthy attitude to the workplace. I have heard speakers talk about the ideal employee being made up of 70% attitude and 30% experience and qualifications. These types of statistics are always questionable, but the bottom line is that hiring people with the correct type of attitude is as important a consideration as qualifications and technical ability. Hiring employees with an empowering attitude, combined with experience and qualifications, is a worthwhile endeavor.

What can happen if you take the time to hire people with a workplace empowering attitudes?
1. Increase customer service satisfaction
2. Reduce employee turnover
3. Increase productivity
4. Conflict and negations are handled while maintaining healthy trusting and respectful relationships
5. Coworkers are motivated

How do you hire people with healthy attitudes?
One of the ways of identifying new hires with an attitude that will help grow your organization is to get to understand how people think and deal with workplace challenges. The following are some example interview questions that can help find the best employees:
1. Describe a situation where you made your coworkers laugh.
2. Picture a heated conflict situation you have been in. Explain how you dealt with this situation and what the outcome was.
3. Describe fun activities you have had with coworkers outside the workplace.
4. What character traits would your ideal boss have?
5. What aspects of your communication skills would you like to improve on and why?
6. Give me an example of a time you felt that your interaction with a coworker or boss did not go well?
7. In your opinion what makes a great workplace?
8. What personal development training have you volunteered for in the last 5 years and why?

I would appreciate any feedback or personal stories on employee attitude. Please use the comments section below, or send me an e-mail at dave@davehillspeaks.com. Let’s help each other succeed.
Thanks,
Dave Hill

Dave’s Public Speaking Website (Bio, Keynotes, Workshops, etc.)
http://www.davehillspeaks.com

Copyright © 2010 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

Attention- Grabbing Presentation Skills – “Initiatives to Get Audience Interaction, Enthusiasm, and Energy”

Dave Hill - Presentation Skills Article

One of the big challenges presenters have is how to form a bond with the audience and keep them engaged and energized. Have you ever been on a training session where the instructor asks a question and there is no energy in the room and responses are hesitant? Have you ever been on a net meeting where the host asks a question and the silence is deafening? For any instructor, presenter or trainer, it can make you feel uneasy if you do not get feedback from your audience, whether in a conference room setting or on a net meeting. On the other hand, if you have a highly interactive session, you go away feeling that people were interested in your material and had value for it. The difference between success and failure is knowledge and technique.

At a recent monthly technical net meeting, an acquaintance was delivering technical information and I was impressed with the tact he used in getting about 50 people highly involved in his technical information exchange. The net meeting was lively, evoked discussion, and provided value. This meeting was highly successful, considering that many similar meeting prior to this had been relatively subdued.

Here is an excerpt from the meeting notice that was sent out a week before the meeting with the presentation slides:

“Remember this month we are having a homework exercise. The attached presentation slides contain nine scenarios that may or may not require a safety review for the impact of change of; procedures, materials of construction, or operating parameters. Each site should evaluate these as a team in advance, and be ready to discuss not only if a review is required but WHY. I will call out a plant name at random as we review the list, and that team will respond to that particular question“.

In his book titled “Winning”, ex CEO of GE, Jack Welch wrote that one of the biggest wastes of a company’s resources was the lack of candor in meetings. He also talked about the huge benefits of having a culture where people speak up at meetings, get involved, vocally challenge ideas, and feel a passion to do so. More information can be found on this at http://www.welchway.com/Principles/Candor-(1).aspx

As someone who has been researching presentation skills for over 13 years, I am well aware of the need to engage the audience as soon as possible and get interaction building the energy and excitement in the room.

One of the key considerations when using audience interaction techniques is what will work effectively for your specific audience and for your specific subject matter. What may work for one audience may seem flippant for another. The level of entertainment versus the learning value is important. Question such as “how many of you want to be successful and get rich” provides limited value and you as a presenter will have no practical use for the response from this “no-brainer” question. Another important factor is to make sure that your instructions to the audience are crystal clear for any engagement activities.

Some techniques I use for getting an interactive audience:
1. While training people on “Attention Grabbing Presentation Skills for Technical People – Get Noticed and Promoted” I play a video of an excellent speaker doing a technical presentation which incorporates some PowerPoint slides. The video is played early on in the presentation to help the audience envision what they are aiming for. I ask the audience to form several groups and I get them to watch the 5 minute video and discuss amongst themselves the quality of the content of the video presentation, the delivery, and also ask them to imagine that they are that presenter and want them to discuss how they feel (the presenter is confident, knows his subject matter, is funny, and the audience is visibly engaged and energized). After the groups have discussed the key attributes, I ask them to assign a leader who will summarize the groups’ thoughts.
2. I usually start off my presentations with a story that relates to what I am talking about and make sure that the audience can relate to that specific story – use the technique “make a point, tell a story, relate to the audience”. Relating to the audience is one of the most powerful aspects.
3. Get the audience brainstorming on a specific point, then choose the ones you want to “drill down” further to explore them in more detail. The initial brainstorming could be conducted on a flip chart if the writing is visible to the audience. Another way would be to have a projector and assign an assistant to scribe and capture the ideas.
4. Ask the audience (or separate groups) to discuss the pros and/or cons of a specific idea.
e.g. In my keynote speech on “Making Sure Your Meetings Have a Positive Impact on the Bottom Line” I ask audiences to give me feedback on the pros and cons of brainstorming in meetings.
5. A powerful way of energizing a meeting or presentation is to include competition such as a game. Everyone from front line workers to executives has a competitive urge. The important aspect here is to know your audience to make sure the competition/game is appropriate to the attendees, the occasion, and the learning value.
6. A simple way of getting the audience members focused on best choices is to give them a choice of several specific answers and ask them to identify the least effective ones. E.g. which of the following three speech opening techniques would tend to be least effective and why:
• Story
• Joke
• Rhetorical question
• Quotation
• Shock statement
Once they have answered, I have the opportunity to support the conversation and talk about jokes being ineffective if people have heard them before. I can build on the conversation and suggest that people use quotations that are not too familiar so that they will be more impactful than one that people have heard before.
7. When I have a presentation or keynote speech that uses a handout, I may have some pages with sentences that have key words missing. The audience members fill in the words as the information is given to them. The advantages of this technique is that it provides you with a “cheat sheet” so you do not need to remember the content and order of the information and it also helps the audience retain the information (“If they ink it…they will think it”)
8. When I was at the National Speakers Association (NSA) Academy, the Dean had an audience interaction technique that worked well. At the beginning of his training he would get all 15 of us to form a wide circle in the room and he would throw a baseball size lightweight “fuzzy ball” to someone and ask them to tell one thing that they learned from the previous training session. The person would respond and then throw the ball to another person. This would continue until everyone had spoken. The value of this was to help recall information from the previous training session and help put it into our long term memories.
9. Statistics indicate that when audiences hear information, they will remember about 20% after a week, if they listen and see information they will remember about 50% and if the listen, see, and physically work out a problem, or solve a specific problem with “hands on” techniques, they are likely to remember about 75%. In my presentation skills training for technical people, I have several exercises where we take ineffective PowerPoint slides and unclutter them to turn data into uncluttered visual information that audiences will understand. I start off on easy examples and make them progressively more challenging, building on the learnings from each one.

I would appreciate any feedback or personal stories on audience interaction techniques. Please use the comments section below, or send me an e-mail at dave@davehillspeaks.com. Let’s help each other succeed.
Thanks,
Dave Hill

Dave’s Public Speaking Website (Bio, Keynotes, Workshops, etc.)
http://www.davehillspeaks.com

Copyright © 2010 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

Attention- Grabbing Presentation Skills – Cultural Considerations – “My Ass-tronomical Mistake”

Dave Hill - Cultural Considerations For Presentors And Travelers

In May 2002, I spent three weeks traveling around Chile and Brazil, doing safety audits of chemical plants. I arrived at a chemical plant in Brazil and I was fascinated that the place was full of beautiful trees and landscaping, with birds and animals making it part of their home. In a way, it reminded me of a private zoo. At the water discharge area, the waste water was pumped through an aquarium which had beautiful tropical fish in it. The visual effects of this chemical plant were awesome and they set the stage for a very positive visit. My main hurdle at this location was that I didn’t speak Portuguese, and the people I was meeting up with spoke broken English. I have never been one to let my lack of languages get in the way of communication, so I used hand gestures, facial expressions, smiles, and a few key words to allow me to get my work done. Everything about the Brazilians impressed me- their use of hydro-electric power, their focus on conserving energy, and their passion and friendliness.

There were two things that went wrong during this visit that still get me chuckling today, and remind me of a key consideration when interacting with people of different cultures.

During my safety audit, I took the time to work on a project with one of the local Brazilian engineers. In Brazil, I noticed that the engineers appear to be high up on the social scale. They were all immaculately dressed in suits and ties, and looked extremely professional. I was brought to the top of a steep grassy hill where the engineer I was working with wanted to show me the location where he wanted to put new processing equipment. There had been a heavy rain that morning, and the ground was very slippery. In fact, it was so slippery that we had to pull ourselves up to the top of the hill by clinging onto the surrounding wire fence. At the top of the hill, the engineer pointed out the area where he wanted to put the equipment and then started to unroll his engineering drawings. While unrolling his drawings, he let go of the wire fence and immediately lost his footing and started rolling down the grassy hill, picking up mud as he fell, with his engineering drawings blowing away into the distance. He came to a stop at the bottom of the hill with his face, arms and suit absolutely caked in mud. I carefully came down the hill clinging to the wire fence. I went over to him and asked him if he was ok, making an “ok” sign with my hand. The engineer was not happy with what had happened and went away to get cleaned up.

I continued my safety audit going from section to section of the chemical plant. Everything was immaculate and the documentation was thorough. It energizes me to see people implementing safety at a high level, and I spent a lot of time smiling at people, thanking them for doing good work and simultaneously giving them the “ok” sign to emphasize my appreciation.

On day three, the head auditor came up to me with a sarcastic smile on his face and said, “You need to stop doing the ok sign, it is an extremely rude gesture here in Brazil”. My face dropped when I considered that I had already done the damage by inadvertently telling about 20 people that they were ass@#!&!’s…even the poor mud-caked engineer.

I made my apologies and there were no hard feelings; they knew that my intent was not bad and they laughed it off. I must admit that I was angry with myself because as someone who has travelled to 75 countries, I should have known better and should have researched the cultural differences before visiting.

This memory reminds me of the importance of understanding cultural aspects whether you are visiting a foreign country or presenting to people of different cultures. In a previous article, I talked about “audience analysis” so you can hone your presentation materials to your audience’s needs and circumstances. Imagine how powerful it would be to know ahead of time what different cultures will be represented in the audience and to incorporate some cultural uniqueness that they can relate to. The other benefit can be to get an understanding of gestures that are considered appropriate or inappropriate, and to understand ahead of time the cultural nuances of the audience. Here are some general examples:

Brazil
• The “O.K.” sign is considered very rude and vulgar; the “thumbs up” gesture is used for approval.
• Clicking the tongue and shaking the head indicates disagreement or disapproval.
• Presentations should be expressive and have some flair.
• Brazilians are expressive and passionate conversationalists. Be prepared to be interrupted.

France
• Use last names and appropriate titles until specifically invited by your French host or colleagues to use their first names. First names are used only for close friends and family
• Academic titles and degrees are very important. You are expected to know them and use them properly.
• The “ok” sign, made with index finger and thumb, means “zero.”
• The French use the “thumbs up” sign to say “ok.”
• Keep your hands out of your pockets.
• Be on time. The French appreciate punctuality.
• The French dislike disagreeing and debating in a public forum, but enjoy a controlled debate, whereby an informed rebuttal is appreciated.
• Presentations should be well prepared, comprehensive, clear, well-written, informative, and presented in a formal, rational, professional manner- appealing always to the intellect.
• The French do not tell or like to hear jokes. They prefer intelligent and satirical wit. Funny stories of real life situations are appreciated.

Ireland
• The Irish are uncomfortable with loud, aggressive, and arrogant behavior.
• A “Reverse V for victory” gesture is considered obscene.
• The Irish respect reserved behavior. Initial meetings should be low key.
• Always be sincere. The Irish dislike pretentious behavior.

India
• Use your right hand only to touch someone, pass money or pick up merchandise. The left hand is considered unclean.
• Do not touch anyone’s head. The head is considered sensitive.
• Feet are considered unclean. Pointing footwear at people is considered an insult.
• Never point with a single finger or two fingers (used only with inferiors). Point with your chin, whole hand or thumb.

Country-specific information is excerpted from the “Put Your Best Foot Forward” series by Mary Murray Bosrock.

I would appreciate any feedback or personal stories on success strategies for presenting to multi-cultural audiences. Please use the comments section below, or send me an e-mail at dave@davehillspeaks.com. Let’s help each other succeed.
Thanks,
Dave Hill

Dave’s Public Speaking Website (Bio, Keynotes, Workshops, etc.)
http://www.davehillspeaks.com

Copyright © 2010 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

Attention- Grabbing Presentation Skills – Watch Your Color – “How a Day of Humiliation Changed My Career Path”

Dave Hill - Presentation Skills Article

In February 1977, I was getting ready to graduate high school in Ireland, and was pursuing a career as an officer on cargo ships. I was still trying to determine if I wanted to be a deck officer or an engineer officer. I was leaning towards becoming an engineer officer, but I wanted to keep my options open as the job market was very tight. One cargo ship company I had contacted to enter their cadetship program was interested in sponsoring me and sending me to college with a full scholarship- as long as I graduated with certain grades and passed the interview and medical tests. I had to travel to England by ferry and train to go to the company headquarters in London.

It didn’t take too long for things to go wrong. The ferry pulled away from the Irish port, turned the corner into the Irish Sea, and immediately entered the turbulent ocean. My parents had fed me a full fried Irish breakfast, and I stood on the upper deck looking over the side of the ship, feeling miserable. The salty saliva built up in my mouth, and it was inevitable that the fish were going to eat well that morning! Before a ship leaves port they give you the safety instructions for lifejackets and lifeboats, but for some reason they never told us that you should never vomit while facing the wind. My projectile vomit hit the wind head on, the updraft caught it, and the next minute I could hear the cries of disgusted passengers evacuating the deck. I had not even graduated high school and I had already entered a world where curse words were being hurled at me. I would like to say that this was the only bad thing to happen on this journey, but it was only a taste of the humiliation that was to come.

I arrived at the London office and was escorted high up into the corporate building by a porter who was immaculately dressed in a uniform that included white gloves. In a waiting room there were other young people waiting to be interviewed and get a medical test. We were served hot tea by the company “tea ladies” who served tea on the company’s fine china. I remember these motherly type women being very friendly and talkative, helping distract us from our stresses. On the walls of the room were photos of huge ocean going square rig sailing ships. The shipping company had been in business for over 200 years, way back to the sailing ship days. The only disturbing thing I found in this room were little notes on the bottom of some pictures that told of the ship in the picture being “lost at sea with all hands”.

My turn to get interviewed came, and it went very well. I was then brought to another room where the company doctor was doing the tests. It was my first time peeing in a cup, and he was visibly amused when I walked out of the bathroom very slowly and deliberately holding my urine cup filled to the very brim. When you give your first urine sample, someone needs to tell you that you don’t need to fill it all the way to the top! By now, you would think that that was enough humiliation for the day but no…bad things seem to happen in threes.

The last test the doctor had to conduct was called the “Farnsworth Lantern Test”. It is used to test ship deck officers and airline pilots for color blindness. It consisted of a lantern that shone two vertically orientated pinprick size dots of light from behind me. The alternating red, green and white pinprick dots of light from the lantern shone into a mirror located in front of me and I had to read the reflected colors from top to bottom. The color selections were alternated to determine the possibility of color blindness and the ability to see ship navigation lights which are red, green and white. The test instructions sounded easier than giving a urine sample, the lights were turned out, the lantern was switched on, and the medical officer asked me to read the colors from top to bottom. There was an uncomfortable silence in the room as my eyes probed the darkness for any lights. The medical officer repeated his request and after a few more minutes of silence I told him in a stress filled voice that I could not see any lights what so ever. He changed the light combination and asked me again to read the colors from top to bottom. Nothing…I could see nothing. The room lights were turned on, and then the medical officer left the room leaving me standing there extremely worried.

I was surprised when he returned with a smile on his face carrying three large telephone directories. He put them on the ground where I was located and told me to step up on them. He explained that the reason I could not see any lights was probably because I was too short for the mirror to be able to reflect the pinprick dots of colors directly into my eyes. The room lights were turned out and I was happy that I could now see the pinprick lights. Unfortunately, my ability to determine the colors of each dot of light was impaired- the reds and greens seemed to float together and as I could not consistently make them out, I was officially color blind.

That day I had suffered the humiliation of projectile vomiting, had found out that I was color blind, was laughed at for filling my urine cup too full, and you would think that that was enough for one day. The doctor shook his head, laughed, and said, “Don’t worry about the color blindness; you are probably too short to be able to see out the ship bridge windows anyway!”

So that was how I made my mind up to become an engineer officer rather than a deck officer, and I am glad to say that even though I got more than my fair share of humiliation that day, destiny made a good choice for me.

Let me use the learnings from this day to lead into color considerations for visual presentations such as PowerPoint. Many people are colorblind, the most prominent being the inability to distinguish the red-green hues. A small percentage of people have difficulty distinguishing yellow and blue hues. Research shows that about 8% to 10% of males and about 0.5% of females have some forms of red-green color blindness.

Dave Hill - Presentation Skills Article - Color Blindness

Success Strategies for Presenting Using Visual Color:
1. Research colors and make sure that are not prominent for the different types of color blindness (particularly red-green and blue-yellow)
2. Test your presentation to see what the colors look like (remember that they may look slightly different on different projectors). Test your presentation on the projector you will be using if possible
3. My preference for background colors in order of preference is blue, purple and green. Use bold colors
4. Do not use color alone to convey content. Shading styles and other visual cues such as asterisks or line types (dash, dotted, full etc.) can help audiences see and understand the relationships
5. A tool to check how your presentation slides would look to people with different types of color blindness is at http://www.vischeck.com/vischeck/vischeckImage.php
6. Use color sparingly – i.e. don’t overload with too much visual multi-color clutter
7. Find the balance between professionalism and pleasant appearance

I would appreciate any feedback or personal stories on success strategies for color selection considerations for visual presentations. Please use the comments section below, or send me an e-mail at dave@davehillspeaks.com. Let’s help each other succeed.
Thanks,
Dave Hill

Dave’s Public Speaking Website (Bio, Keynotes, Workshops, etc.)
http://www.davehillspeaks.com

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