Presentation Skills
McGraw_Hill Construction Feature Story - May, 2007

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He scratched his head and said with a quizzical look, "I don't get it. They all have the presentation."

I commended him on investing the time to develop a script and a complementary visual component, and mentioned that it would be difficult to assess their effectiveness without further evaluation. But I did ask, "How frequently do you watch them present?"

He got a startled look on his face and began to chuckle. "Watch? I don't have time for that. They have the script."

Successful presentations require an effective messenger -- not just an effective message.

The script and visual component alone do not make a presentation. If they did, why would we need presenters? Why not send an e-mail or a Web-based presentation?

Call it old school, but the bottom line is that people sell, words on a slide don't.

We can't develop a relationship through words on a slide. People like to do business with people they like and trust. It is the person we connect with. It is the presenter who brings the presentation to life. Masterful presenters skillfully weave powerful content and dynamic delivery into a work of art.

Whether you agreed with his politics or not, most would agree that Ronald Reagan had a way of profoundly connecting with people. "The Great Communicator" was a truly engaging, gifted orator who spoke from the heart, with a conversational tone and informal style.

Granted, he had a group of talented writers to craft his speeches. But as an actor, he learned the technique that enabled him to deliver powerful and important messages masterfully to U.S. citizens and the people of the world.

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher paid tribute to Reagan prior to the end of his presidency, noting that he had achieved "the most difficult of all political tasks: changing attitudes and perceptions about what is possible." In business, presentations often do just that.

Dynamic messengers change attitudes and perceptions by serving substance with style and sizzle. They maintain interest, and listeners generally retain their information better. They make the message memorable.

Technique and artistry. When I was young, I took violin lessons using the Suzuki Method. Why did my version of Bach's "Minuet in G Major" sound nothing like Joshua Bell's or Itzhak Perlman's? Same music, very different sound. Playing notes is one thing; making magnificent and powerful music is another. Notes alone don't make music. Music also involves tempo, dynamics, emotion and silence -- the space between the notes.

Often, presenters are uncomfortable with silence. Find places in your presentation to add musical elements. Use inflection to color your words. Look for an opportunity to build to a verbal crescendo, or accent a powerful statement with a dramatic pause. Practice makes these technical elements become more comfortable and come across as more natural.

Confidence, personality and authenticity. Jordin Sparks, Glendale's spunky 17-year-old singing sensation, beat out thousands of competitors to win "American Idol."

Many were shocked that arguably the competition's most seasoned, consistent and technically sound singer, Melinda Doolittle, failed to secure enough votes to make the final two.

While several confident, talented and technically sound performers competed this year, Sparks' confidence, personality and authenticity made her a standout throughout the competition.

What was it about this vibrant and charismatic Sandra Day O'Connor High School student that had young, old and all ages in between dialing in votes for her week after week? Unlike many of her competitors, who tried to mimic their idols, Sparks approached each song with her own unique style.

Besides having an unbelievable amount of talent, artistry and solid musical technique, she was off the charts on the likeability scale. Young and confident, yet incredibly humble, her personality and authenticity made her a fan favorite.

The messenger matters. By adding some technique, artistry, confidence, personality and authenticity, you'll make your content more memorable and build a stronger connection with your audience.

Hilari Weinstein, president of High Impact Communication, helps others reach their presentation goals through customized workshops, PowerPoint consultation, group and individual coaching. She is a member of the board of directors for the National Speakers Association-Arizona. Reach her at hilari@powerpresenting.com or 602-795-5400.

Presentation Skills
McGraw_Hill Construction Feature Story - May, 2007

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Most folks in this business love to build and aren't natural presenters. When your people are unskilled, uncomfortable or unprepared they are more likely to send a negative impression to the selection panel that could cost the job.

How do you avoid such costly mistakes?
1. Do your homework. The presentation team needs to have a clear understanding of what it will take to build the project, what matters to the selection panel and the issues critical to the success of the project. This enables your team to speak passionately and intelligently to the questions posed in the formal presentation as well as Q & A.

2. Make it collaborative. Some presentation directors take a dictatorial approach to planning content. They plan it out, create the PowerPoint, and tell each participant what to say. While they do this to make it easier for their team members working in the field, I have found that collaboration is much more effective for several reasons. Your interview participants can provide different and valuable perspectives that enhance the presentation content. Besides, the panel doesn't expect your team to be professional speakers. They expect them to understand the project and provide solutions, while sounding natural and authentic. Plus, as the team begins taking ownership in the presentation and their role in it, they'll create that team energy so critical to making the interview flow.

3. Provide ample time to rehearse. It is hard to get your folks out of the field. However, when your team is uncomfortable or unprepared they are more likely to make costly mistakes that could send a negative impression to the selection panel.

4. Find ways to make it enjoyable. Every team knows dollars are on the line. This adds stress and pressure so try to make presentation preparation as enjoyable, fun and light as possible.

5. When possible, avoid making major last-minute changes. Occasionally it is necessary to redirect segments of the interview. But sometimes changes can make a stressful situation more challenging. Keep in mind that less skilled presenters can require more time to adjust to changes.

6. Give them the skills and tools that will help them do a good job. You wouldn't send someone into the field without the skills and tool necessary to do their job. Yet many firms fail to provide their people with the skills and tools necessary to help them skillfully interview. While they are great at marketing and may have public speaking experience, don't expect your marketing staff to know how to coach speakers. It is a unique skill set that some may or may not have. With an experienced presentation coach, you can see dramatic results in a short period of time.

7. Let your team know you appreciate their efforts and value them. Some members of your presentation team may not enjoy presenting. It may be difficult for them or they may experience anxiety. When we are appreciated and valued, we are more likely to put in the extra effort and go the extra mile to make something a success. The good news is that interviewing is a skill that can be developed by anyone.

Hilari Weinstein, president of High Impact Communication, helps others reach their presentation goals through customized workshops, PowerPoint consultation, group and individual coaching. She is a member of the board of directors for the National Speakers Association-Arizona. Reach her at hilari@powerpresenting.com or 602-795-5400.

Aim well, hit your presentation target consistently
The Business Journal of Phoenix - April 27, 2007

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While most poor presenters are not subject to the humiliation of being fired on national television, there can be tremendous consequences when presentations miss the mark. In the non-TV world, the cost of poor presentations can be grave -- jeopardizing your business, income, reputation and clients.

Presenters often miss the mark when they lack direction, clarity, simplicity and a good understanding of their audience.

A client came to me re­cently with a similar problem. As a board member of a large professional organization, she had been asked to present at a national conference. Afterward, discussions with audience members revealed that most of them were confused and unaffected by her presentation. She became keenly aware of how much she had missed her intended target.

She shared her presentation with me, and it was in fact difficult to follow. Her PowerPoint slides were wordy and without purposeful direction. The graphs and charts, created to clarify complex information, only added to the confusion. It was easy to see how her audience might have been left thinking, "huh?"

We reworked her presentation, and the next time around she received an overwhelmingly positive response -- a clear indication that the audience got it!

I recently led a series of presentation skills workshops for a large local company. After the first session, the 10 participants each were asked to outline and rehearse their assigned talk before the next class.

On presentation day, one of the participants bragged that he had needed no preparation. He claimed he was a much better speaker just shooting from the hip. But after his presentation, we replayed the video. He saw for himself that he wasn't nearly as clear, concise or compelling as he'd thought. After that, he realized the value of preparation and began taking the time to outline and practice his presentations.

Tips to help stay on target:

• Start with the end in mind. When preparing your content, identify your goal, then work backward from there. Once you know where you want to go, you can come up with a plan -- an outline that leads to your goal. Presenters are like tour guides who take listeners through the perplexing jungle of information to a clearly predetermined destination.
• Know your audience. Take the time to learn about your audience. Who are they? What do they know? What do they want or need to learn from you? What matters most to them?
• Script key elements. To ensure you communicate the critical aspects of your message with maximum clarity, you must script it. With practice, you're much more likely to have a natural, likable and compelling delivery.
• Paint pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words. Use broad-appeal analogies or create simple charts or graphs that can make it easy for your audience to understand complex information. Be sure to use a "test audience" to ensure this particular part of your talk is hitting the mark. Even one or two colleagues can provide important "listener" feedback.
• Practice. Never leave your presentation to chance. This greatly increases the risk of missing your presentation mark. Don't procrastinate. Give yourself plenty of time to practice aloud well in advance of the presentation. Smart presenters get sufficient rest the night before they present.
• Record yourself. When you are presenting, it is impossible to be listener and speaker simultaneously. If you don't have a colleague or coach to help you reach your presentation target, make an audio or video recording. You can evaluate where you are and refine elements of your presentation that are missing the mark.
• Get into it. Share your energy and passion. If you appear bored and disinterested, your audience will be as well. An engaged audience will stay with you.

Hilari Weinstein, president of High Impact Communication, helps others reach their presentation goals through customized workshops, PowerPoint consultation, group and individual coaching. She is a member of the board of directors for the National Speakers Association-Arizona. Reach her at hilari@powerpresenting.com or 602-795-5400.

• Rehearsal. It is all about intentional communication, not a random discourse. Practicing helps ensure effective flow.
• Enthusiasm. If you are not enthusiastic there is no way your audience will be.
• Expertise. Make sure you provide a quick and simple description followed by a clear, two-sentence explanation that establishes your knowledge. Use analogies that relate to your audience.
• Minimizing potential distractions. Audiovisuals, appearance and humor can add or detract.
• PowerPoint programs that are bold and wordy with too many bells and whistles confuse listeners.
• Misplaced or mistimed humor also can spell disaster. Think twice and practice carefully when you plan to use humor.
• Personal appearance will help or hinder business audiences from taking you seriously.
• Making a call to action -- do not expect that your audience automatically will know to take the next step. Make a clear call to action and appeal to people's preference for choice by offering alternative options

Get connected
High Impact Communication: www.highimpactcommunication.com
My Computer Works: www.mycomputerworks.com
Decker Communications: www.deckercommunications.com

PowerPoint misuse raises threat of losing audiences
The Business Journal of Phoenix - September 29, 2006

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Smart companies recognize that presentation quality directly affects their bottom line.

Unfortunately, rather than improving presentation quality, PowerPoint has exponentially increased the number of ways presentations can go sour.

Most of us have had the unpleasant experience of sitting through a bad PowerPoint presentation. So, why has PPM reached epidemic proportions?

Fear. Most people would rather die than give a presentation. PowerPoint enables many to, like the Wizard of Oz, hide behind the screen.

The 007 effect. We are gadget freaks. Commercials tell us cool toys make us look cool.

Many presenters hope an interesting PowerPoint with bright colors, psychedelic animation and fancy graphics will make them more likable.

Plus, PowerPoint offers:

A crutch. Many presenters don't take the time to actually learn their content, looking to the screen for support.

In this case, the PowerPoint becomes a security blanket rather than a powerful visual persuasion tool.

Convenience. We are busy! Who has time to actually craft the presentation, incorporate visual aids and rehearse? It makes presenting easy.

Type it all in, throw in a few pretty pictures and graphs, voila! Dress up and show up. This "type it in and show up" mentality is a recipe for disaster.

Here are the four most common forms of PPM and a few tips to mitigate misuse:

1. FTA (Forgetting the Audience). On many occasions, presenters design the PowerPoint to guide them through their presentation instead of designing it to help their audience better understand and retain presentation content.

Tip: Try to see the PowerPoint from your audience's perspective. If that is a challenge, invite another set of eyes to view your presentation. Honest and helpful feedback is hard to find.
This is why it can be advantageous to hire an unbiased professional coach. Sometimes, a presenter can be so engrossed in the topic that it is difficult to visualize the experience from the audience's perspective.

2. TMS (Too Many Slides). This is possibly the most common misuse of PowerPoint. I was introduced to the vice president of a local technology company. He showed me a presentation he had been diligently working on for an upcoming conference in Atlanta. Fifty-two slides for a 20-minute presentation! I was hired on the spot.

Tip: Start on paper, then add PowerPoint. You can't fit your whole closet into one suitcase. Make smart choices about what you need for the trip and leave the rest.

3. JUS (Junked Up Slides) aka PMS (Pimp My Slide). When your presentation has JUS, you force the audience's attention to the screen instead of you, the presenter.

If you show it, we will look and not pay attention to you or what you say.

Too many words on the slide, paragraphs instead of bullet points, confusing or unnecessary charts or diagrams, pictures and flashy graphics that detract from the message rather than enhance it.

JUS/PMS misuses are like creative gluttony. For your audience, it is like going to a restaurant and ordering a delicious salad that is just saturated in dressing. Ugh, gross!

Tip: Less is more. Observe the 6 x 6 rule. No more than six lines and no more than six words per line.

For each slide, ask: Is this purposeful or pimped-up?

4. RIP (Rough Interaction with the PowerPoint). We've all been witness to this: presenters reading everything off the screen, standing in front of the screen and blocking the images, or walking to the screen and touching it with their finger to point something out.

When the audience experiences poor delivery, they tend to critique the messenger, diminishing the value of the message.

Tip: Learn the skill of speaking. Using high-end golf clubs does not make someone a golfer. Using PowerPoint does not make one a speaker. Learn the skill of speaking.

Need more help? Get 20 more Tips for Minimizing PowerPoint Misuse www.powerpresenting.com.

Hilari Weinstein, president of High Impact Communication, helps others reach their presentation goals through customized workshops, PowerPoint consultation, group and individual coaching. She is a member of the board of directors for the National Speakers Association-Arizona. Reach her at hilari@powerpresenting.com or 602-795-5400.