public speaking skills: a project manager’s best friend

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Public Speaking Skills: A Project Manager’s Best Friend

David A. Zimmer, PMP

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“Bottom line, clear communication is the most important key to a business leader’s success”

Lee Froschheiser, President and CEO

Management Action Programs

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Why?“Without communication, there is no way to express thoughts, ideas and feelings.”

- Marketing Devianthttp://marketingdeviant.com/the-importance-of-communication/

“. . . most effective communicators had 47 percent higher total returns to shareholders over a five-year span than the least effective communicators.”

- Towers Watson's 2009/2010 Communication ROI Study ReportCapitalizing on Effective Communication

How a person speaks impacts how others perceive that person professionally and personally.

- Houston Chroniclehttp://smallbusiness.chron.com/characteristics-effective-communication-3182.html

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Anatomy of a Good Presentation• Audience is Hero of Presentation

• Story

• Tacking* – what is and what could be

• Involve Audienceo Humoro Clapo Marvel – model what the audience should feel

• Call to Action* Nancy Duarte – TED Talk

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Skeleton of Poor Speaking

• All about the Speaker

• No Audience Rapport

• No Strong Points

• No Flow or Disorganized

• Many “Scholarly” Ums

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Dissecting Communications

• Communication Model

• Communication Bandwidth

• Presentation Topology

• Stories

• Common Mistakes

• Tips from the Pros

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Communication Model

Encode

Filter

Medium Noise

Decode

Sender Receiver

Distractions, Priorities, Interruptions, Environmental, etc.

Non-Verbal

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Communication Bandwidth

• Breakdown of Understandingo Body Language 52%o Tonality 38%o Content 10%

• Mediumo Face-to-Face 100%o Video-Conferencing 70-80%*o Phone or Verbal 48%o Social Media 30-48%*o Written 10%

* My estimation, no data to support at this point.

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Communication Bandwidth Illustration

Face-to-Face

In-person Meetings

In-person Presentations

Virtual Meetings / Presentations

Telephone / TeleconferenceAudio / Podcast / Voicemail

Video conference

Social Media(pictures, video, comment-ability)

Email, Documents, Content

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Presentation TopologyStories, Jokes, Building To PointNews, Articles, Delivering Results

Problem Solving, Solutioning

Results

Supporting Date

Problem

Solutions

Test Decision

Solutions

Final Resolution

Foundation – Build Suspense

Create Anticipation

Conclusion - Satisfaction

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Learning

Rote - Repetition Analogy - Comparison

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Storytelling

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Why Stories?

• Stories Drives to the Truth of Who We Are

• Stories Affirm Us

• Stories Take Us Back to “Better” Times

• Stories Teach Us Through Our Feelings and Taps Our Intellects

• Stories are Timeless

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Storytelling• Illustrate Important Points with a Story

o A personal experienceo Something you read

• Clear Purpose

• Personal Connection

• Detailed Characters

• Conflict – Resolution

• Pace

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Common Mistakes in Presenting

• Trying to be Perfect

• Lack of Preparationo Insufficient research or creditable evidenceo Ad-libbing – no practiceo No central theme or organization

• Impressing instead of Imparting

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Tips from the Pros• 9 Second Rule - Squirrel

• 10 Second Rule – Judge/Jury

• 30 Second Rule – Decision Made

• Power of the Pause – Point Maker

• Vocal Variety

• Audience Engagement

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Wrap It Up

• People Judge You by Your Communications

• Understanding Mechanics Helps Presentation Structure

• Storytelling Creates Lasting Memories

• It’s Not About You. It’s About Others

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Questions

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David A. Zimmer, PMP

• ExpertiseDavid A. Zimmer, PMP has managed projects for major corporations as an employee and consultant. Through this experience plus speaking at industry conferences and teaching at local universities and colleges, he’s learned the importance of public speaking skills. He has developed his skills through researching public speaking techniques, listening to professional speakers’ lessons on public speaking and experimenting with what he has learned to determine what works for him.

After joining Toastmasters International, an organization dedicated to developing leaders and public speaking skills, Mr. Zimmer has mentored others in the art of public speaking and learned additional critical skills. He has leveraged those lessons and skills in helping him manage his projects even better.

• BiographyDavid A. Zimmer, PMP managed projects for such companies as AT&T, Siemens, Avaya, Lucent, Cisco, Sprint and many more. Whether at industry conferences, speaking to executives, reporting progress to stakeholders or simply conducting a meeting, Mr. Zimmer leverages his skills in public speaking to deliver his message.

As a speaker, author, instructor, consultant and professor, Mr. Zimmer’s entertaining presentation style helps audiences learn how to present better. He writes and speaks extensively concerning project management topics with emphasis on the human side of managing projects. His students learn the importance of proper leadership, team building, conflict resolution and public speaking in addition to project management practices.

Mr. Zimmer is available for consulting and training sessions. He can be contacted at dazimmer@ameagle.com

The Project Professors provide group and private tutoring sessions for those individuals needing help in passing the PMP® exam, as well as, those looking to improve their project management skills and knowledge in Microsoft Project. Need help with a thorny project problem? Contact us – www.PersonalPMTutor.com.