Attention Grabbing Presentation Skills – Distracting Gestures – “Getting Undressed In Front Of the Audience”

Dave Hill - Presentation Skills Article

It was May 2005 in the conference room of a major corporation. I was listening to an acquaintance giving a presentation. She was well dressed and had a charming demeanor. I had heard her speak before, and was impressed with the thought provoking subject matter and humor that she would typically deliver. Within a few minutes of her presentation, I noticed that she had put her hands in her dress pockets and as she continued her presentation. I noticed her hands appeared to be fidgeting in there. Her facial expression gave a clear indication that she was troubled by something. I became distracted and curious. Was she scratching? Did she have a rash? My concentration on her presentation continued to diminish as I envisioned what was happening. My imagination started to kick in and I considered the possibility that she had acquired some Texas fire ants prior to the meeting. I also considered that maybe she had somehow come into contact with some poison oak, or even that she needed a bathroom in a hurry.

As someone who has a passion for training technical people to deliver exceptional presentations, I tend to look out for any distracting mannerisms that diminish the quality of a presentation or give an indication of nervousness. I knew the woman very well, and after her presentation I discreetly asked her what was going on. Her answer completely took me by surprise. She laughed and said, “Women sometimes wear pantyhose that do not fit very well, and as I was delivering my presentation, I could feel them sliding down and down and down.” She then added, “They slid down to the point that my brain was telling me that a major wardrobe malfunction was about to happen, and I could not focus on my presentation.”

What are some common visual distractions to avoid while presenting?
1. People leaning on the lectern or a table.
2. Speakers holding their hands in front of their crotch, behind their backs, or putting them into their pockets.
3. Most novice speakers have difficulty determining what to do with their hands, it takes them time to learn instinctively to keep the hands by the sides and raise them only to provide natural gestures that will illuminate the point.
4. Holding a pen or other object that does not provide value to the presentation.
5. People holding notes that they do not use and do not need.
6. Playing with your hair (as a bald man, I have not done that in years!).
7. Some women lean backwards and pivot a shoe on the heel with the toe pointed in the air. Sometimes the point of the shoe even oscillates backwards and forwards keeping some imaginary “beat”.
8. Nervous speakers sometimes hold their hands at chest height like a kangaroo or Tyrannosaurus Rex
9. When speakers are trying to improve hand gestures, sometimes they become too “mechanical” at first, but get smoother as experience builds. Aim for natural gestures.
10. Have you ever noticed a presenter unconsciously fiddling with their cufflinks or rings? Prince Charles is the notable expert on that!
11. Nervous presenters sometimes pace backwards and forwards without any purposeful reason. The movement does not compliment the content of the presentation.
12. Next to pantyhose mishaps, the only other very unusual gesture I have come across is someone who had a “monkey arm”; it swung backwards and forwards as if a chimpanzee was speaking passionately about bananas.

How can you improve your gestures and eliminate distracting ones?
1. Video yourself when you present and analyze yourself or get a competent speaker to coach you.
2. When you are scheduled to deliver a presentation, ask people to give you feedback and suggestions for improvement.
3. Some public speaking training clubs have a “Posture Monitor”. This is someone who looks out for distracting gestures and they have a small bell (or other device) to audibly let you know that you have some distracting mannerism going on. An enhancement of this is the bell combined with the Posture Monitor stating what body part they have noticed is distracting (e.g. “Ding” – hands…).

Final Note:
Learning about public speaking gestures is a very important step, but the most important thing is to practice, practice, practice, and get feedback from people who have expertise. Remember, most people do not even know that they have gestures that need improvement. The goal is to eliminate distracting gestures and to build ones that will enhance your presentation and illuminate your points and stories.

I would appreciate any feedback or personal stories on gestures during 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.

Energized Employees Power Your Profits – “Rewards and Recognition – Bringing Workplaces From Good To Great”

Dave Hill - Article on Rewarding and Recognizing Employees

A few weeks ago, my boss walked into my office and told me that I was going to receive an “on the spot award” of $100 for some work I did that was considered to be of great value to the corporation. It made me feel good, and it was used to have a relaxing meal with my family.
I am a great believer in taking everyday workplace activities and looking for opportunities to have fun and make people feel good. Looking back on my 28 year engineering career and my purpose as an engineer, I have come to the conclusion that I have a passion to help people, to create a fun working environment, and to make people laugh.
My job requires me to travel a lot, and to interact with hundreds of people a year. For many years, I have been asking people what exceptional things are going on in their workplaces. In a previous article, I talked about a secretary coming up with the idea of bringing an ice cream truck into a chemical plant as a fun way to get the heat stroke safety message across. In another article, I wrote about a charity organization that has a KUDOS program where employees are making note of fellow employees going over and beyond normal work duties, and is a formal recognition program. These are people that are proactive in taking a workplace from good to great. Let’s look at an example:

I want you to imagine your boss with a $100 check in his hand. You have been working late at night all week and also on the weekend to get a project completed on time. You volunteered to help out and you have been noticed. Your boss takes a thank you card out of a drawer in his desk and takes the elevator up to the executive offices. He walks from office to office and gets thank you signatures after explaining to them what you have done. He takes the check for $100 and inserts it into the card and puts it into an envelope. But he doesn’t send the card to you…he addresses it to your spouse and kids…..with a personal note, thanking the family for the personal time…
Imagine how you feel, your spouse who may have been angry at the company because of the extra household burden, trying to get kids to and from school, sport practices etc., is now feeling more amicable towards the company. The work and family time has not been taken for granted. The spouse might even boast to friends about the achievement and talk positively about the company (think free recruitment). Picture your kids reading the thank you note while holding the $100 check and thinking to themselves, “This is so cool, our parents are important, and now we have enough money to buy all the ice cream in the world!”

If you are a supervisor or manager etc., imagine what value was received from $100, and the price of a thank you card and stamp. Visualize a happy worker who is energized, more productive, and willing to volunteer for future challenges. Taking a workplace from good to great does not always require huge resources- it involves a proactive, creative, and thoughtful touch.

11 Success Strategy for Rewarding Employees
1. Recognize achievements at every opportunity – create a positive workplace culture of reinforcement at all levels of the organization and for all employees (favoritism can erode this initiative and deplete its credibility).
2. If you are recognizing or rewarding someone, for increased effectiveness, tell them the specific behavior or action that they are being rewarded for, and how it made you feel. This applies to the workplace, the community and your family members.
3. Reward in a timely manner and communicate the achievement as widespread as possible. By communicating throughout the organization, you are reinforcing the behaviors and actions that you want others to follow.
4. The specific level of accomplishment and reward size should correlate.
5. Put thought into what types of rewards would be best appreciated by the employee.
6. Brainstorm ways to reward and recognize people in your specific organization. Keep evolving and find and use new ways to make this program effective.
7. Have a competition on how recognition can be taken from good to great (and recognize the people who came up with ideas!).
8. Remember, everyone wants to be appreciated whether they are employees or leaders.
9. The newer generations thrive on recognition and rewards – if you have a high turnover of younger employees this can help stem that flow.
10. Look over your shoulder after you have implemented a successful recognition and reward program and see the increased camaraderie, productivity, loyalty, and employee engagement.
11. Read books such as 1001 Ways to Reward Employees by Bob Nelson; this contains a wealth of ideas, and costs only $10.

If you have any advice, thoughts, or comments on recognizing and rewarding employees, 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.) www.davehillspeaks.com

Copyright © 2009 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved

Powerful Presentations – Get Noticed and Promoted -“Just-In-Time Presentation Skills”

Dave Hill - Presentation Skills Training

1) Imagine your boss walks into your office and announces that he needs you to present to senior management on a subject within half an hour.

2) Visualize yourself just about to present a PowerPoint presentation and as you are setting up, the projector bulb pops and you have no notes or handouts to guide you.

3) Envision you are at a meeting discussing a project and its benefits, but the non-verbal body language from the audience indicates that they are not getting it. You know that you need to quickly come up with a more visual explanation technique to clarify and illuminate your points.

4) Picture yourself standing beside a friend or family member who is asking you to deliver a eulogy at a funeral in two days time.

Reading these statements may make many of you feel gut wrenching stress. Public speaking is fearful for many people, and short notice public speaking can cause people to have extreme anxiety, loss of sleep, and loss of the ability to keep thoughts lined up.

Twenty years ago, I stood up at my wedding and spoke briefly at the reception. “Briefly” is the key word! Back then I was scared to death of public speaking, and on the most important day of my life, I was unprepared. I held the microphone with sweaty, nervous hands and said my high speed thanks in what seemed like one long breath. I did not thank the Hungarian community properly at the reception. There were many of my wife’s family friends who had gone all out to help us put a wedding together on a very tight budget. If only I had known what I know now about public speaking, I could have thanked them properly.

As time went on, I discovered that I needed better speaking skills to help me succeed as an engineer. I joined a public speaking club. Public speaking soon became a passion, and I started to excel and have fun.

About 8 years ago, I discovered a speech development technique that has been invaluable to me. I use it to develop my own speeches and presentations and help other people gain clarity on how to make a speech effective. The side benefit is that it also helps me memorize the structure of my speech. The technique I am talking about is Mind-Mapping, and it has been around since the 1960’s. Tony Buzan is credited with being the “inventor” of this process.

The photo shows my speech writing book with simple mind maps to help guide me through my speech development process. This book also contains the Mind-Map for the three speeches that brought me to the finals of the 2004 World Championship of Public Speaking in Reno, Nevada.

In this article, I will outline its use specifically for the purpose of short notice speeches or presentations. If you want additional information on this subject, go to http://www.imindmap.com/.

STEP 1 – Clearly identify what you are going to talk about.

If you cannot describe what you are going to speak about with the amount of words that would fit on the back of a business card, you may not be focused enough yet. Make sure you clearly identify what you want to talk about before you proceed. What is your primary subject matter? Let’s use a speech I developed on multi-cultural diversity.

STEP 2 – Clearly identify what main points you want to make

STEP 3 – Identify what stories you could use to support and illustrate your points

STEP 4 – Identify what order you want to put your information and stories in. Determine what would be the most impactful opening, and how you could tie the ending back to the opening story.

STEP 5
Depending on the amount of time available, you could now either:
1) Write out the speech, hone it, and practice it out loud (If your speech needs to be a specific length, use the rule-of-thumb of 700 to 800 words = about 7 minutes of speech time).
2) Practice it out loud using the mind map as a mind jogging memorization tool

Keep practicing until you get it to flow without stumbling. I practice out loud while driving my car, and once I have the speech outline, transitions, and stories in my brain, I then practice in my home with a focus on my hand gestures and physical movement that will enhance the speech. Stories are typically easy to remember, spend most time memorizing the transitions (from point to point and from story to story). Make sure your opening and ending are practiced so they are flawless.

FINAL NOTE – sometimes my Mind-Maps get complicated. Here is one I used for a training session; I call it my Mind-Map on steroids!

Dave’s Public Speaking Website (bio – Keynotes – Workshops etc.)
www.davehillspeaks.com

Copyright © 2009 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved

The Exceptional Workplace – “Levity in the Heat of the Moment”

It was July 17th at 1:30 PM- the hottest part of the day in New Jersey. The temperature was 98 F, and humidity levels were also at a cruel level. The Australians jokingly say that only mad dogs and Englishmen walk in the midday sun, however the real world has real people working in extreme heat. The workers at the chemical plant were repairing a compressor out in the full glare of the sun, and everyone had drips of sweat running off the ends of their noses. As they grunted and groaned undoing large bolts, the unusual melodic sound of ice-cream truck music could be heard. Suddenly, an ice-cream truck came around the corner, and there at the side window of the truck was the chemical plant safety manager smiling, laughing, and waving wildly. The ice-cream truck pulled over, and the safety manager started handing out ice-cream cones. In a few moments of joviality, he also took the time to remind the workers that the temperature was in the range where people start making mistakes. He reminded them to keep hydrated, and also to keep an eye out for each other. He emphasized that if anyone had any signs of heat exhaustion, they had his full permission to shut down the job. He then drove away to the next group of workers.

SO WHAT DID THE WORKERS GET FROM THIS?
a. A few minutes of joviality
b. A welcome distraction from the heat
c. A renewed focus on heat stress and the job at hand
d. Maybe they had some additional respect for the safety manager and thought “that safety manager is tough on us, but you know, I think he really looks out for us and he has a fun attitude”
e. Maybe they have some additional respect for the company and think the company just does not talk about safety, it really cares about us and is prepared to “walk the talk”.

When I go to different workplaces, I like to ask people what fun stuff goes on to energize workplaces and empower employees. There are some really creative things going on and the ideas come from all levels of the organization. What I love about this story is that the idea came from the chemical plant secretary. She is on a monthly safety team whose goal is to find fun ways to get a safety message to employees. She was beaming with pride telling me about this initiative, and it gives me great pleasure to share this with you. This is just one of the many fun things that they do.

Since then, I have learned that another chemical plant in Louisiana has purchased a snow cone machine for more than $1000, and during hot weather, they pull it around on a trailer with a golf cart with volunteers to feed in the ice, add the flavor concentrate, and hand out the cones. Brilliant!

TEN IDEAS TO INCORPORATE HUMOR INTO COMMUNICATIONS
1) Form a team that meets routinely to come up with creative ideas to make work fun
2) Encourage involvement at all levels of the organization by having competitions and prizes for the best suggestions.
3) Provide global recognition of people who come up with unique ideas to encourage them to continue this pursuit
4) Senior management should support balanced levity in the workplace
5) Set a personal goal for your personal involvement
6) Help each other make presentations, meetings and training sessions etc. more fun
7) Carefully use humor to deflect the potential for conflict when delivering negative information
8) When a meeting is scheduled what can you do to “decorate” the room to let everyone know that there is an atmosphere of playfulness (e.g. A cartoon on the first PowerPoint slide that relates to the subject matter of the meeting)
9) Be creative, be different, let down your guard and take measured risks
10) Read books such as The Levity Factor, and 1001 Ways To Energize Employees to get additional ideas (link to the resources page of my website for more details)

p.s. This may seem a daunting task for some at first, but once you experience the benefits, you will find that there is more creativity in your organization than you can ever imagine.
If you have any ideas to share, please respond to this blog in the comments section below or to dave@davehillspeaks.com. Helping people have fun in the workplace is one of my passions.

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

Copyright © 2009 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved

Energized Employees Power Your Profits – “Unconditional Workplace Loyalty”

Kudos Cup

Some days this Irishman drives home from the corporate office energized and in a state of euphoria. This happens when I hear stories about exceptional workplaces and people.

Recently I was talking to a woman who is an employee of a cancer research charity organization. I was asking her if she could put me in contact with people who have had cancer and were treated exceptionally well by workplace management. She then told me about a program that her charity program organizes. It is a reward program where fellow employees reward each other with “Kudos points” for going over and beyond the normal call of duty. What really impressed me was how much thought went into this program. The kudos points are only awarded for specific focus items of this charity organization:
1. Fiscal Responsibility (reduced expenses or increased charitable donations)
2. Operational Improvement (improvements to work processes – saving time, money or increasing employee satisfaction, improving timeliness or quality of service)
3. Customer Service (providing outstanding service to staff, volunteers, survivors, or donors, and displaying passion and integrity. Going the extra mile)
4. Strategic and Organizational Development (committing to be a positive agent of change, upgrading professional skills, treating interactions with the public as opportunities to support the organization and its mission)

There is then a team that evaluates the online points tracking system and every three months, they identify a winner. The winner has their name engraved on a silver cup that is presented at a staff gathering. It is displayed, and they also have their picture put on the organizations website. What a genius idea; fun, positive, rewarding, energizing, and totally focused on the charity organizations goals for success.

Imagine working in a place where employees are proactively looking out for positive work related behaviors. Envision how this positive forum would energize employees, make them feel good, and increase loyalty.

I then happened to go to the credit union where I do my banking for my public speaking business. I was telling her that one of the subjects I speak on is workplace excellence, and I shared some examples of unique things I have witnessed. She then told me about her husband who had battled cancer for six years before reaching a point of “no recovery”. I could see in her eyes that she was suppressing her emotions, but she exclaimed, “I am so loyal to this company, I would never leave! They will have to drag me out of here, and I would do anything to help them out”. She then told me that for the weeks that her husband was dying, she was told to stay away from work and spend time with him, and to “come back when you are ready”. The management and employees did not stop there; they visited her and her husband every single day at the hospital, even if it was just for a few minutes. This in my opinion is not a workplace, it is family!
Imagine if your fellow employees had that “golden heart” of loyalty.

Envision the increased profit from a reduction in turnover of valued employees. High turnover of employees is very expensive from a financial perspective and from a morale perspective. Putting systems in place where loyalty is increased is going to have huge payback. Surveys indicate that only about 30% of employees feel loyalty to their company and only 25% feel that their company deserves it. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely.

Ten Things you can do to enhance employee loyalty:
1. Get employees to brainstorm and identify ways to recognize and reward each other
2. Celebrate, celebrate, and celebrate as many events as possible. Move beyond the office Christmas party!! Celebrate success, and even celebrate failure
3. Get ideas from the book 1001 Ways to Reward Employees by Bob Nelson
4. Get ideas from the Institute of Great Places to Work – click here to get to the online resource section http://www.greatplacetowork.com/great/reading.php
5. Keep employees engaged and challenged
6. Allow a workplace where balanced fun is promoted by all levels of the organization
7. Motivate employees by employing managers that have positive energy and can energize others
8. Solicit feedback from employees on their loyalty, what does the company do to make them loyal (or to erode loyalty)
9. Ask the question – does the company deserve loyalty?
10. Do everything in your power to get a strong culture of respect and trust.

What are some things that employees of Fortune 100 Companies say (summarized and referenced from The Great Places To Work Institute at http://www.greatplacetowork.com/great/employees.php)
a) My boss has an open door policy. I can walk in and discuss issues honestly and openly
b) I am encouraged to take risks and I am not punished for making mistakes
c) The employer puts people before profits – happy energized employees will take care of profits
d) There are opportunities for personal and professional development
e) My superiors are fair in their decision making
f) I feel my job makes a difference to the organization
g) The company I work for has products and services that are valuable to the community
h) The company takes care of its people, especially in a crisis

P.S. When I see workplace excellence that drives loyalty to the extent that someone states, “they would have to drag me out of here kicking and screaming”, it opens my eyes to the possibilities. I would really appreciate if you could share any stories with me regarding unique things that are happing. Just comment on this blog or send an e-mail to: dave@davehillspeaks.com

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

Copyright © 2009 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved

Empowered Groups Power Your Profits – “Attack of the Corporate Toad”

Bad Day at the Office

The title of this article and the photo may give the impression of some humorous story about to be told; however, what I am writing about is a very sad day at the corporate office.

The setting was an executive conference room. The attendees were a group of corporate safety employees who were presenting to upper management. It was a time of cost cutting, and all programs were being evaluated for value. Several issues were on the table, and there was no doubt that there would be tough questions and conflict. One woman was there to defend her safety program. She had over 25 years experience, and was an expert in her subject matter. The senior management did not have very much understanding of the subject matter, and also did not have a lot of value for it. Their focus was to cut cost, and this program was a target. The woman expressed her concerns that the program was going to be diluted to the point of usefulness. After a heated debate and feeling that she was being set up for failure, she flung her pen on the table in an outburst of frustration. The minute the pen hit the table, her career ended with the company. This woman is a good friend and I am glad to say that she started up her own business and is earning many times more than she was previously.

So what was the result of this confrontation? Her group, who had previously been short staffed, was now under even more pressure. More work was not being done. By the time they hired a suitable candidate (they couldn’t find someone with the same qualifications or experience) one year later, the work had piled up. The person who was hired turned out to be good at the job and a great character to work with; however he got frustrated with the colossal amount of work that needed to be done, and he was bitterly disappointed with upper management’s lack of value for his work and the absence of resources to get the job done well. He left within two years, and it took another year to fill his spot. The circle of workplace frustration continues. Imagine the financial cost of this destructive cycle.

What can we learn from this?
The success of technical groups is paramount for any organization. If they are not energized and empowered the results can be devastating:
a. Technical people can get frustrated that their proposals are not readily accepted (“I gave management all the high tech. information and they still said no!”)
b. Energy levels can become eroded, morale issues and apathy can creep into the workplace
c. Competent experts may get frustrated to the point of jumping ship and going to work for the competition
d. Project deadlines get missed due to unresolved conflict

Ten Aspects of Exceptional Workplaces That Can Help Empower Technical Groups:
1. Employees have a sense of value for the company they work for
2. Employees feel that their job is important and valued by peers and management
3. Technical groups make an effort to put information in a format that is vividly clear to the specific audience. They present their technical information to others to get a feel for it being understandable
4. People are good listeners
5. Technical groups take the time to meet and discuss possible questions and answers when preparing to present information at a meeting with the potential for conflict.
6. Technical information is made understandable using descriptions that the audience can relate to
7. Employees and management are trained in negotiation skills, listening skills and conflict management skills.
8. Companies hire people with exceptional communication skills and impeccable ethics
9. The company has a culture that embraces respect and trust
10. Employees address unresolved conflict efficiently and effectively through workplace resources

How can you help me communicate more information on this important subject?
1) Do you have any stories to share pertaining to conflict in the workplace (whether positive or negative)?
2) What other success points would you advise people to focus on?

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

Copyright © 2009 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved

Exceptional Presenters get Noticed and Promoted – “Befriending the Microphone”

Dave Hill Speaking at the 2004 World Championship of Public Speaking

It was February 2001, and I was a contestant in a speech competition. The crowd was larger than I was comfortable with, the room was large, and to add to the stress, I was told that I would need to use the lavaliere (lapel) microphone so my voice would project to the back of the room. My speech was practiced and finely honed. I had entered the competition with the intent to win.

My speech included stories that allowed my speaking character to fully blossom. My stories were told with energy, and my body gestures were animated as I presented my speech with passion. Unfortunately at one part of my speech when I was speaking in a loud animated voice, I stood in front of a very large speaker- and it squealed irritating feedback into the audience ears with the same effect as fingernails screeching on the blackboard. The feedback destroyed the effect of my speech, and I did not win.

If I was doing the same speech today, I would know that I would need to test the microphone before my speech by walking around the stage while simultaneously talking in a loud voice. This test would help me find feedback “hot-spot locations”, which I would then know to avoid.

In the last 10 years, I have entered over 60 speech competitions, and have taken home trophies for most of them. Sometimes I have won because someone with a better speech had microphone problems that could have been avoided. My stories and humor seem to give me an edge, and the microphone helps me project my energy and visualizations to the audience. Microphones are a huge benefit for a speech; however, in the hands of inexperienced speakers, they can destroy the effect of the most polished speech.

The following are some of the tips that I have learned from the school of hard (and very loud) knocks:
1. Microphones are beneficial – they can really enhance your speech or presentation. It takes a bit of practice to get comfortable with them, but it is worth the effort.
2. When using a mike, make sure you know how to turn it off and on and where the “mute” switch is. Practice using a mike as often as possible, and think about how you will manage all parts of your speech with a microphone at the lectern- in your hand, or with a lapel mike. Use a “dummy” microphone to practice if you will be using a hand held one.
3. Microphones do go wrong, they sometimes don’t work, they can give annoying feedback, and they can make you sound as if you have a bucket over your head. Think ahead – if any one of these faults occurs, what will I do? Will I battle on or dump the microphone?
4. Arrive early to do a sound check. You can get someone sitting at the back to help out.
5. Do not tap the microphone to check if it is on. Do you really want the audience to be irritated before you speak?.
6. Know where the audio speakers are – if you walk in front of them and speak, you run a high risk of getting loud, nasty feedback. The sound check can help identify bad areas to speak – walk around the speaking area while talking in your loudest voice to identify “feedback hot spots”.
7. When using a lectern microphone, adjust it so that it is an appropriate distance from you for good sound, and that it is not blocking your face.
8. Remember, if you are using a lectern mike, you are stuck there. If you turn away to point to a screen etc, your voice could be lost.
9. Make sure the lectern or mike is in a position such that it is not obstructing the screen, it is not blocking your speaking area, and that it is in a position to minimize feedback.
10. Ladies – and guys wearing kilts – if you will need to use a lavaliere microphone, think about where the transmitter box will be located (in a pocket, on a belt etc.). Also, think about how the lapel mike wire can be hidden in your clothing.
11. If you are going to be moving about energetically, think about how to attach the transmitter firmly (I have seen it dropped many times, and it can ruin a speech with distraction etc.)
12. The lapel microphone needs to be attached firmly to a tie, jacket or other piece of clothing. Do not assume the person attaching it on you is experienced in this; many times they are not. You do not want the mike rubbing against clothing, jewelry or hair. Prior to your speech, discuss with your helper who is going to turn on the transmitter. I prefer to get the helper to turn it on so I can mentally focus and control any anxiety.
13. Over-the-ear type microphones can fall off if not attached correctly. Practice attaching it, and even shake your head to make sure it will not dislodge itself.
14. Practice as much as possible with a microphone, and think about how your gestures could end up rubbing or banging the microphone with distracting noise.
15. When using a microphone, move papers or other materials quietly- the noise is picked up, and is distracting. Use heavier paper such as 32 lb.
16. If there is a break during your presentation, make sure you turn off the microphone before going to the washroom. Imagine the potential embarrassment!

Summary
Use the microphone if it is available. Both the speaker and the audience will benefit from its use. Remember – the microphone is your friend. Practice, practice, practice, and use it to your advantage.

Empowered Presenters – The Successful Eulogy – “Learning From Senator Ted Kennedy’s Celebration of Life”

This week I have been captivated by the speeches during Senator Ted Kennedy’s “Celebration of Life”. There are things we can all learn from this and use when the time comes to speak in public during emotional circumstances.

The dignity, character, and strength of the Kennedy family at this difficult time made me proud as an Irishman and also reinforce what I know as a public speaker. The Kennedy family gave Teddy such a great “send-off”. What made it so impactful in my opinion was the content and wording of the speeches which empowered the speakers to maintain composure, and allowed us to visualize moments from his life. We were all part of that family for a while.

Imagine if speaker after speaker was to break down into an emotional roller coaster, fighting tears and struggling to finish sentences. How many funerals have you been to where you sat in the congregation feeling uncomfortable and striving to suppress your own emotions? With a bit of understanding, we can all follow the Kennedy example and deliver speeches that help the emotional healing process while celebrating the life and stories of the recently deceased.

You may be thinking to yourself, “Well, that won’t apply to me for a long time. Nobody is sick or old in my family”. The reality is that death has a way of being very unpredictable.

Ten Tips for Delivering a Successful Eulogy:
1) When developing the outline of a eulogy, talk to friends and family and discuss what stories could be included. Refrain from stories that could offend anyone.
2) Structure your speech with a strong opening (start with a story, humorous if appropriate).
3) Bring the recently deceased “back to life” by reminiscing with vivid stories.
4) Provide visual details in the stories so the congregation can clearly relate to the event.
5) Read your speech when practicing, and identify areas that will challenge you to maintain composure – if possible, leave these parts out. Remember, on the day of the funeral, the emotional level can be even higher.
6) Read your notes many times, and identify words that are hard to pronounce, or ones you keep “tripping over” – change them.
7) Put your page-numbered notes on stiff paper (32 lb.) in as large a font as your eyes need. Use heavy paper to counter the potential for shaking, nervous hands. It also provides for less rustling noise if there is a microphone. Put the pages in order, and slide them to the side when each page is finished (don’t staple them).
8) If there is a podium microphone, determine if you will have to switch it on (your preference should be that someone else looks after that). Do not tap on the microphone to test it.
9) Adjust the microphone close to your mouth, and remember that if you move your head to one side, the congregation will not hear you clearly.
10) Finally, the audience is not your psychiatrist. Do not bring everyone to tears with details of negativity and suffering. It’s not beneficial.

How can you help me communicate more information on this important subject?
a) Do you have any stories to share about public speaking during emotional circumstances?
b) What made a eulogy the best or worst you have ever heard?
c) What other tips would you recommend?

Copyright © 2009 Dave Hill Speaks LLC all rights reserved.

The Exceptional Workplace – Preventing Accidents During an Economic Downturn – “All Fired Up by a Washing Machine”

It was July 27th 1989 and I was the chief engineer officer on a cargo ship hundreds of miles from shore. We were travelling between Morocco and France with a full load of oranges. I was sitting in my cabin when the shout of “Fire!” came booming down the corridor – followed by the piercing fire alarm. With my heart racing and my engineer mind going through ingrained emergency procedures “Shut down the air conditioning fans, shut the ventilation dampers, slow down the engine, start up the fire pump….” I ran and turned the corner into a wall of smoke with orange flames flickering in the background. Less than an hour later the fire was out, adrenalin was easing itself from my bloodstream, and I was looking at the melted mass of a burnt out washing machine and a room and corridor with smoke, water and heat damage. This was a time when the cargo shipping industry was in a lengthy economic downturn, and doing things cheaply had become the norm. Accidents were so routine that I slept with my working coveralls laid out beside my bed so I could dress and hurry to the emergency. When I would go home on vacation from a six month voyage, I would look gaunt and sick from stress.
The washing machine had caught fire because it had a water heater that would stay on whether there was water or not. The last person using the washing machine had switched on the heater to wash his oily working clothes, but had forgotten to turn the manual heater switch off after the wash cycle. The washing machine had no safety devices to prevent this kind of accident. It heated up to a critical point then exploded into flames. I informed the ship owners in London of the cause, and requested a better washing machine with safety controls. It was to my amazement when we arrived in port in Marseilles, France to see a brand new washing machine awaiting us, of exactly the same make and model. The economic downturn had reduced the safety culture to a tattered safety poster on the wall.

Twenty years and two careers later as I sit pondering some of the major challenges to engineers in my “circle”, an alert e-mail popped up from the US Government Chemical Safety Board (CSB). The e-mail pointed directly towards challenges that engineers face as companies go through tough financial times and cycles of cost cutting, re-engineering, or a declaration of “survival mode”. These are times where decisions are made that can lead to accidents, the accidents probably do not happen immediately (which helps justify the thought process), the things that cause accidents tend to fester in the background until circumstances line up to allow bad things to happen. After the accident engineers and others get to look in the mirror and ask the questions, “How did we get here?”, “Is there something I could have done to prevent this?” “What if I had spoken up at the cost-cutting meetings?” These are tough times for engineers we enter our careers; with passion, and in the blink of an eyelid, we can be put in a box where we feel our ethics getting eroded and our attention to detail getting watered down.

Chemical Safety Board Bulletin:
“My safety message for oil and chemical companies is clear: even during economic downturns, spending for needed process safety measures must be maintained,” Chairman Bresland stated. He noted that the CSB investigation of the 2005 Texas City refinery disaster linked the accident to corporate spending decisions in the 1990s, when low oil prices triggered cutbacks in maintenance, training, and operator positions at the plant. A total of 15 people were killed and 170 injures. Costs to the company were in the billions of dollars.

Anyone who has had a serious accident at work knows the devastative effect on workers. In my first career where I spent 14 years as an engineering officer on cargo ships, I was involved in three major fires- one explosion and the fatality of a friend. I got the opportunity to look in the mirror and ask if I could have done something differently. So what are some of the potential results of an accident?
• Morale gets eroded
• Workers lose focus and more accidents can start lining up
• The “blame game” can start and relationships get broken
• Worker energy levels are impacted
• Trust levels are impacted
• Work loads can increase due to investigating accidents and taking corrective action
• The company image can be impacted
• People get hurt, equipment gets damaged and the company finances are strained even further.

Ten Ways Exceptional Workplaces Stay Focused During Economic Downturns
1. Generate a strong safety culture and “transparency” from the board of directors all the way down to the front line.
2. Develop workers so they are not afraid to speak openly
3. Establish open communication channels at all levels of the organization
4. Incorporate a culture where senior management interact with employees and solicit ideas for safe cost reduction
5. Produce systems where employee ideas are considered. Employees receive recognition and rewards for ideas that are implemented
6. Recognize and reward employees so they feel invested in the solution and bring ideas to the table
7. Employ experts who get down to the detail, challenge ideas, come up with alternatives and have exceptional communication skills
8. Invest in employee career development including communication skills.
9. Develop employees so they have the expertise, confidence, communication skills and ethics to convince people of adverse consequences of actions and are also able to convince people of alternative approaches
10. Incorporate a culture where the senior management lead by example and are respected. A culture where employees will do anything to help each other and advance the company. They evoke a self-sustaining workplace of creativity, employee empowerment and energy.

How can you help me communicate more information on this important subject?
1) Share stories pertaining to safety in the workplace during the economic downturn, whether they are positive or negative.
2) Find other points you would advise people on.
3) Do you have any unique methods for increasing the effectiveness of any of the 10 points above?

Final Note
The day I got married was the day I quit this career. The history of accidents that I had been immersed in played a big part in my decision. After 14 years as an engineering officer, I had reached the top of my career in qualifications and rank, was earning an excellent salary, and was travelling the world- but it was not a journey I wanted to continue. The change in career took me off in a different direction, and allowed me to pursue my passion to prevent accidents.

Copyright © 2009 Dave Hill Speaks LLC All rights reserved.