the barbarian group presents: let's talk about talking!
DESCRIPTION
Talking is easy, but Speaking is hard. All of us, at some point, are presenters, and this presentation aims to make the whole business of getting up and explaining something to a room a whole lot easier (or at least less nerve wracking).Bonus Feature: Download this presentation and give it to your own company as practice of your newfound skills.(Part of The Barbarian Group's internal lecture series: Barbarians Teaching Barbarians.)TRANSCRIPT
barbarians teaching barbarians presents:
A TALK ABOUT TALKING.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
TALK ABOUT TALKING: What is public speaking?
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured,
deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. It is
closely allied to "presenting", although the latter has more of a commercial
connotation.
2
Thursday, May 5, 2011
THAT WAS TERRIBLE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
TALKING IS EASY.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
WE TALK EVERY DAY.
TO FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS AND STRANGERS.
YOU KNOW YOUR VOICE AND YOUR TONE.
TALKING IS EASY.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
SPEAKING IS HARD.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
PUBLIC SPEAKING IS THE #1 FEAR
GROUPS CAN BE ARE INTIMIDATING
IT’S EASY TO FEEL ON THE SPOT, ESPECIALLY STANDING IN FRONT OF STRANGERS.
SPEAKING IS HARD.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
HOW DO WE MAKE HARD
TALKING EASIER?
Thursday, May 5, 2011
PRACTICE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
RUN THROUGH YOUR PRESENTATION, AND THEN RUN THROUGH IT AGAIN. AND THEN AGAIN.
DONT SKIP STUFF - ACTUALLY PLAN WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO SAY.
LEARN THE STORY YOU’RE GOING TO SELL.
FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT STORY WORKS AND WHERE IT DOESN’T.
PRACTICE
Thursday, May 5, 2011
DON’T PRACTICE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
MEANING, DON’T REHEARSE.
REHEARSED PITCHES SOUND ROTE AND UNINTERESTING.
REACT ORGANICALLY, IMPROVISE.
IF YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF, THIS IS EASIER. SO...
DON’T PRACTICE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
KNOW YOUR STUFF.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
SOUNDS OBVIOUS, BUT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO.
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE MORE CONFIDENT YOU ARE.
SPEAKING WITH AUTHORITY WILL LET YOU RELAX, AND LET YOU FOCUS ON THE STORY.
KNOWING AND BELIEVING IN THE WORK WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER ADVOCATE.
KNOW YOUR STUFF.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
KNOW YOUR
CLIENT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
KNOW TO WHOM YOU’RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING.
HOW MANY? WHAT FORMAT? WHAT MEDIUM? STANDING? SITTING?
RESEARCH THEIR BUSINESS AND THEIR HISTORY.
KNOW WHAT THE GOALS ARE, AND WHAT THEY NEED TO GET OUT OF THE MEETING, AND STAY ON POINT.
KNOW YOUR
CLIENT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
READ THE
ROOM.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
PRESENTING TO SIX IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN 20.
TRY TO SURVEY THE TONE OF THE ROOM BEFORE YOUR MEETING STARTS.
RELAXED? SERIOUS? CASUAL?
FIGURE OUT WHO IS SITTING WHERE, AND POSITION YOURSELF FOR NATURAL EYE CONTACT.
SIT IF IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE (EVEN ON THE TABLE EDGE). STAND ONLY IF YOU HAVE TO, OR IT SEEMS APROPOS.
READ THE
ROOM.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
TALK TO #2.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT PERSON ON THE CLIENT SIDE IS YOUR FOCUS.
THEY WILL BE DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING.
THEY WANT APPROVAL FROM #1 (WHO IS ONLY THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE).
WIN THEM OVER, AND THEY ARE YOUR ADVOCATE.
TALK TO #2.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
YOU ARE THE
STORY-TELLER.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
GIVE YOUR PITCH LIKE YOU WERE TRYING TO TELL A KID A STORY.
WEAVE AN ENGAGING TALE. USE EMOTION, HUMOR, DRAMATIC PAUSES.
KEEP YOUR ENTHUSIASM UP, BUT DON’T BE ANNOYING.
YOU ARE THE
STORY-TELLER.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BE CONVERSATIONAL.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
DON’T DICTATE. YOU’RE NOT MUSSOLINI ADDRESSING THE FASCISTS.
SPEAK IN A TONE THAT’S APPROPRIATE FOR A CONVERSATION YOU’D HAVE ONE ON ONE WITH THESE PEOPLE.
CONVERSATIONS ARE 2 WAY STREETS, SO LET THERE BE SOME (CONTROLLED) INTERACTION.
CONVERSATIONS LET PEOPLE FEEL ENGAGED.
BE CONVERSATIONAL.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
SPEAK.DON’T READ.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
LISTENING TO SOMEONE READ IS THE MOST BORING THING EVER.
READING WILL KILL YOUR FLOW.
ONLY DO IT IF YOU NEED TO QUOTE SOMETHING, LIKE A TECHNICAL PIECE.
EVEN THEN, DON’T.
OUTLINE YOUR PRESENTATION AS BULLET POINTS TO HIT, AND THEN SPEAK AROUND THEM.
DON’T READ OFF OF YOUR SLIDES EVER.
SPEAK.DON’T READ.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
LULLS ARE THE ENEMY.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
A LULL GIVES LISTENERS AN EXUSE TO LET THEIR MIND WANDER.
LULLS LOSE ALL THAT GREAT BUILT UP EXCITEMENT.
LULLS MEAN PEOPLE CHECKING EMAIL, FACEBOOK, ETC.
LULLS ARE AN EXCUSE TO INJECT DOUBT INTO YOUR AUTHORITY AND TO THE VIABILITY OF YOUR CONCEPT.
LULLS ARE THE ENEMY.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
DO NOT TAKE
NOTES.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
SOMEONE SHOULD TAKE NOTES. THAT PERSON IS NOT YOU.
NOTES TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR FLOW.
NOTES CREATE LULLS, GIVE OTHERS THE EXCUSE TO CHECK THEIR PHONES/EMAIL/TUMBLR.
AGREE ON WHO WILL BE TAKING NOTES IN YOUR GROUP BEFORE THE MEETING.
DO NOT TAKE
NOTES.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
NEVER APOLOGIZE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
APOLOGIZING FOR YOURSELF UNDERCUTS YOUR AUTHORITY.
IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN YOUR DECK, MAKE SURE IT IS.
IF SOMETHING IS SCREWED UP, ACKNOWLEDGE IT WITHOUT FOCUSING ON IT.
PEOPLE WILL BE WARY OF YOUR PITCH REGARDLESS - DON’T GIVE THEM AMMUNITION.
NEVER APOLOGIZE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BE FUNNY.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
IF YOU’RE FUNNY, BE FUNNY. FUNNY IS GOOD - FUNNY IS ENTERTAINING.
HUMOR GOES A LONG WAY IN A LONG MEETING.
INJECT SOME LEVITY, ESPECIALLY IN VERY DRY SECTIONS.
THIS DEPENDS AGAIN ON THE CLIENT AND THE ROOM - MAKE SURE HUMOR IS APPROPRIATE.
DON’T BE RACIST, SEXIST, OR MAKE SPORTS JOKES UNLESS IT’S A SPORTS CLIENT.
BE FUNNY.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
MEET STUPIDITY
WITH GRACE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
PEOPLE WILL SAY STUPID THINGS.
THEY WILL SAY THEM FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS:
BECAUSE THEY ARE UNINFORMEDBECAUSE THEY AREN’T PAYING ATTENTIONBECAUSE THEY NEED TO JUSTIFY BEING IN THE ROOM BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT SMART
REALIZE THERE IS NOTHING TO BE GAINED BY PUBLICLY SHAMING THEM.
EVEN IF YOUR CLIENT DOES IT, ABSTAIN.
ANSWER AS GRACEFULLY AS POSSIBLE, OFFER TO ELABORATE LATER.
MEET STUPIDITY
WITH GRACE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
PAUSE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
YOU’RE PROBABLY RUSHING. IT’S OK. JUST TAKE A BREATH.
TAKE A SIP OF WATER. USE THE TIME TO RECALIBRATE YOUR MESSAGE.
NO NOTES, NO LOOKING DOWN, NO ‘UM, UH’, NO PHONE!
PAUSE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
WHERE ARE YOUR HANDS?
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BE AWARE OF YOUR BODY LANGUAGE.
ARE YOU SLOUCHING? HANDS IN POCKETS?
DON’T HOLD SOMETHING UNLESS YOU NEED TO. YOUR HANDS WILL SHAKE. A PAPER WILL MAGNIFY THAT.
USE YOUR HANDS AS PUNCTUATION, BUT TRY NOT TO PUNCH YOUR CLIENT.
WHERE ARE YOUR HANDS?
Thursday, May 5, 2011
YOU=
YOUR CLIENT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
YOU’RE THE SAME: BOTH HUMANS.
EVERYONE WANTS TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
EVERYONE WANTS APPROVAL FROM THEIR BOSS.
YOU’RE PEOPLE. BE A PERSON, TREAT THEM LIKE PEOPLE.
YOU =
YOUR CLIENT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
YOU’RE IN THIS
TOGETHER.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
MEETINGS AREN’T YOU DOING SOMETHING TO THEM.
WE ARE A TEAM, AND OUR GOALS ARE THE SAME.
DO NOT APPROACH A MEETING AS ADVERSARIAL.
EVERYONE WANTS TO GO HOME AND GET OUT OF THIS MEETING HAVING REACHED A GOOD DECISION.
YOU’RE IN THIS
TOGETHER.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BE ARROGANT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
YOU’RE THE LEADER OF THE MEETING, AND YOU ARE CALLING THE SHOTS.
YOU ARE THE HIRED EXPERT, THE NINJA THEY BROUGHT IN TO FIX THEIR PROBLEMS. ACT LIKE A NINJA.
THEY WANT TO BELIEVE IN YOU AND TRUST YOU’RE A GENIUS.
IF YOU BELIEVE IN AN IDEA OR A CONCEPT, FIGHT FOR IT (WITHIN REASON).
BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU’RE PITCHING (THIS IS HARD SOMETIMES, BUT SO SO IMPORTANT)
BEARROGANT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BE HUMBLE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
TAKE CRITICISM HUMBLY, AND LISTEN.
ACCEPT WHEN YOU MAKE MISTAKES, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEY WILL BE CORRECTED.
KNOW YOUR CLIENT KNOWS MORE THAN YOU ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS.
LET YOUR IDEAS AND YOUR WORK BRAG FOR THEMSELVES.
BE HUMBLE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BE YOUR BRAND.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
YOU ARE REPRESENTING YOUR COMPANY UP THERE, AND ARE A LIVING BREATHING EXTENSION OF YOUR BRAND.
THAT BRAND HAS A REPUTATION, AND NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED.
UNDERSTAND WHAT DEFINES YOUR COMPANY’S PARTICULAR PERSONALITY, AND MAKE SURE YOUR CHARACTER REFLECTS IT.
BE YOUR BRAND.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BE YOU.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
IT’S HARD ENOUGH REMEMBERING ALL THE OTHER RULES.
SO DON’T TRY TO TAKE ON A ROLE THAT YOU’RE NOT COMFORTABLE IN.
YOU’LL BE MOST AT EASE AND CONFIDENT IN YOUR OWN STYLE, WITH YOUR OWN FLOW.
SO ROCK IT.
BE YOU.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
SPECIAL ADDENDUM:
PRESENTING OVER THE PHONE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
IN A WORD, DON’T.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BUT IF YOU
CAN’T AVOID IT...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
FIRST, BE IN AN OFFICE WITH THE REST OF YOUR TEAM.
DETERMINE SPEAKING ORDER AND WHO WILL BE COVERING WHAT.
SPEAK CLEARLY AND DIRECTLY, NEAR THE PHONE.
PRESENTING ON THE PHONE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
POLITENESS CAN BE A PITFALL.
IF YOU BEGIN SPEAKING WHEN SOMEONE ELSE BEGINS, DO NOT YIELD. IT JUST ENDS UP SOUNDING RIDICULOUS.
MAKE UP FOR LACK OF FACIAL EXPRESSION AND FEEDBACK BY ASKING MORE QUESTIONS TO SEE HOW THE INFORMATION IS BEING RECEIVED.
BEWARE THE MUTE BUTTON (BOTH USING IT AND THE CLIENT BEING ON IT).
PRESENTING ON THE PHONE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
SPECIAL ADDENDUM:
PRESENTING TONON-AMERICANS.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BE SIMPLE
AND DIRECT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
FOREIGN CLIENTS WILL LIKELY ONLY PICK UP ON 70-90% OF YOUR MESSAGE, AT BEST.
WORSE IF YOU’RE BEING TRANSLATED (“WITH INTENSITY!”)
THE MORE PLAIN YOUR LANGUAGE, THE MORE EFFECTIVE.
BE SIMPLE
AND DIRECT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
AVOID METAPHORS, ADAGES, AND PRETTY MUCH ALL CULTURAL REFERENCES. THEY WILL FAIL.
HARDEST: ATTEMPT ONLY THE SIMPLEST OF HUMOR. JOKES ARE LOST IN TRANSLATION.
BE SIMPLE
AND DIRECT.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
KNOW THE
CULTURE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
BUSINESS CULTURE IS NOTORIOUSLY PARTICULAR FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY.
WHAT MIGHT BE CASUAL TO US, MAY BE UNPROFESSIONAL OR DOWNRIGHT OFFENSIVE.
MAKE AN EFFORT TO AT LEAST LEARN THE BASICS OF THEIR CULTURE, ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP.
KNOW THE
CULTURE.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
SPECIAL ADDENDUM:
ON LEAVE-BEHINDS.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
SPOILER ALERT!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
IF THERE IS A PACKET OF WHAT YOU’RE PRESENTING ON THE TABLE, THE CLIENT WILL LOOK THROUGH THE WHOLE THING BEFORE YOU GET THROUGH YOUR INTRO.
THIS IS NOT IN YOUR INTEREST.
IN THE METAPHOR OF THE STORYTELLER, THEY WILL HAVE SEEN THE ENDING AND ALREADY FORMED AN OPINION.
SPOILER ALERT!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
TO CONTROL THE STORY, YOU NEED TO CONTROL THE RATE OF INFORMATION DISSEMINATION.
“LEAVE-BEHINDS” ARE JUST THAT - A RECAP OF WHAT YOU’VE JUST SAID FOR THE CLIENT TO KEEP ONCE YOU’VE LEFT.
THIS IS EVEN WORSE WHEN SOMEONE HAS SHARED THE CONTENT WITH THE CLIENT BEFORE THE MEETING.
SOMETIMES UNAVOIDABLE (LIKE ON THE PHONE), BUT TRY TO AVOID IT.
SPOILER ALERT!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
THANKS.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011