SmartMouth Talks!

Always a Student

by Beth Levine | Dec 5, 2011

I’m always learning, usually from examples that others provide. Every client and every client situation reveals at least one lesson or nuance that is so instructive I cannot help but to make a note of it … and then share it or use it later on.

So, when I’m asked for quick tips on presenting, speaking or executive presence, I often ask, “well, who do you admire, what do you find effective, are you observing others?”

One of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to improve your presentation skills, ramp up your public speaking, or polish your presence is to watch others and note – literally make notes for yourself – what-to-do and what-not-to-do. Oftentimes, the what-not-to-do is more glaring and therefore more immediately instructive. On the what-to-do side, though, I would encourage you to look and listen for some of the harder to hit fine points, such as how others connect with an audience, memorable openings and closings, the kind of stories that work, how people move and use the “stage” and how they use their voices. There’s so much to learn by observing and studying others.

Tip of the day? Go grab a journal or open a new document on your laptop. Some of your best moments at the front of the room may come from having sat and taken notes in the student section!

Communications Lessons from Otis

by Beth Levine | Nov 28, 2011

Otis is new to the family. I thought he was going to be just a pet. Turns out, he’s a teacher too. Otis is a Maltese mix, almost a year old, cute as a button and sweet as pie. And, to boot, he’s very smart. He’s been with us just shy of a week, but already Otis has provided multiple teachable moments.

In particular, Otis has been a case-in-point on good communications practices. Here are just a few of the important lessons Otis has re-taught me these past few days …

Brevity. Otis responds best to one-word commands. Too many words, and it’s all a jumble, and then he’s unsure of what’s expected. And nothing happens. Hmmmm, sound familiar? Clarity and understanding often come from brevity.

Consistency. Consistency of message, voice and tone are vital in leading, managing … or in the role of master. Just with our being consistent in word, voice and tone, Otis already knows the drill around the house. Consistency is efficient and ultimately reassuring to an audience that knows you.

Positivity. Wow, the power of positive feedback! Dogs aren’t the only ones who like to be told they’re good. It’s universal. You get what you give, and positivity feeds everyone. Let’s face it, nothing is more motivating than a good stroking! It feels good to give it, and feels good to receive it.

Thanks, Otis, for inspiring this blogpost … and welcome to the family!

Me and Al Sharpton on the Same Page?

by Beth Levine | Nov 22, 2011

“A speaker has to determine what he is trying to do and what is the setting. You give speeches for different reasons, and you’ve gotta know going in: Am I there to inform and inspire or am I going in there to entertain and impress? Then lock down two or three outlined points to inform them or razzle-dazzle them.”

– The Reverend Al Sharpton

Amen, Reverend Sharpton, Amen!

Lessons Learned

by Beth Levine | Nov 8, 2011

Wow, I learned a lot. At last week’s concluding session of SmartTalk – a year-long seminar for professionals who came together monthly to practice and polish their presentation skills – participants were asked, on the spot, to stand up and give a 3-minute talk on something they had learned in SmartTalk. They gave great talks, and it might well be that I learned more from them than they did from me!

So here are my takeaways from their “teachbacks” …

1. Flipping the switch in your brain to think about your audience – their needs, biases, expectations – may be all you need to do in some cases in order to communicate effectively. The tendency is to think about ourselves – our own needs, biases, expectations – when addressing an audience. But when you’re communicating, it’s simply not all about you, it’s all about them. All the fancy preparation in the world may never beat just empathizing with your audience. Thanks for sharing the stories that illustrated this, SmartTalkers!

2. The disclaimers, explanations, apologies, and self-deprecation that precede many people’s communications – formally at a podium, or when speaking up in a meeting – do nothing but make an audience uncomfortable. Communicating is all about them, your audience, and they expect speakers to be competent, together, successful. So don’t put them on edge by trying to lower the bar for yourself and telling them you’re not 100% prepared or that you’re not very good at this. Instead, make everyone, including yourself, feel good about your presentation. SmartTalkers were compelled to approach the podium saying, “I love doing this!” It made such a difference in their performances. No more sandbagging!

3. Packaging and prioritizing are huge. We all have lots of information to share in meetings and presentations, but unless we package it inside a message – a point that conveys the value, significance, meaning, or context for the info – it can so easily get lost. SmartTalkers definitely learned, and demonstrated, that they know how to pare down information and share it selectively, so that what they say is understood and remembered by their audiences. Yes, there is such a thing as TMI!

Thank you, thank you to all SmartTalk participants, you were awesome! Isn’t it amazing how long 3 minutes can be and how short 9 months can be? Lessons learned indeed.

Making Connections

by Beth Levine | Oct 19, 2011

Schmoozing today with my electrician and painter, and for way longer than I should have, I started to think about how people connect – even, and especially, people who don’t know one another. From that, I extrapolated a few common themes that are good to keep in mind when you need to connect with an audience you don’t know at all or very well.

Ask questions, be curious.
Show interest in what you know about the other person’s work or mission.
Tell relevant stories.
Get personal, reveal just a little bit that makes you human and real.
Treat everyone as if they’re the most important person or group you’ve talked to all day.

Incorporate a few or all of these in your next presentation, and see how it feels. It worked for me with Shane and Matt today, we could’ve talked forever!

Do You Deliver?

by Beth Levine | Oct 11, 2011

Do you deliver when you speak? Do you engage and connect physically as well as intellectually? It’s not enough just to prepare some remarks or show some slides. You’ve got to literally show up and deliver … with your whole body!

Here are 5 keys to being physically present and engaged with your audience:

Eyes. Use your eyes to connect. Look around the room at everyone, being very careful not to get stuck on one person or one section of a room. I’ve often heard the “Z” formation recommended; start by looking in the back corner of the room and slowly allow your gaze to move forward on the diagonal, from side to side, as if making a Z with your eyes until you reach the front. Then do it again …

Hands. For some reason, talking with your hands has a bad rap. It’s okay to talk with your hands, as long as your gestures aren’t wildly distracting … and as long as your hands aren’t blocking your face. If it’s natural for you to use your hands for emphasis, then go for it. Better to be animated than stiff.

Voice. If your body and your visuals are the video, your voice is the audio. Play it! Use pace, volume, and intonation to keep the soundtrack moving and interesting. Use silence too. Turn off the audio for a few seconds of pause to recapture attention. Being able to modulate your voice while speaking, versus droning through a presentation, makes you appear confident and in command of the material. And it’s a heck of a lot easier on the ears of your audience.

Body. Don’t cross your arms. Don’t jiggle the coins in your pocket. Don’t play with your hair. Yada yada yada. You know all of the don’ts. How about the do’s? Do use your body … move toward the audience, lean into the audience, have all gestures open to and embracing of the audience. If at a podium with a fixed mic, be on the balls of your feet, reaching toward the audience. It’s a lot more engaging than the slouched podium lean, or the side-to-side sway, or the hanging back on heels stance.

Movement. Use the room. If you have space to move around, and proximity to a fixed mic isn’t an issue, then use your floor space as if it’s a stage. Move into and around your audience. Be super present and in their face and space, and you will have their attention.

Have a Big One? Help is on its Way …

by Beth Levine | Oct 6, 2011

Introducing SmartMouth Communications “Need a Consult?” button.

If you need a second pair of eyes on a speech or presentation; if you need someone to write or rewrite your opening or closing; if you need input or feedback on your slides; or if you simply need to talk through your ideas with a trusted consultant, give us a shout!

Go to Smartmouthgroup.com, “Need a Consult?” to see the menu of online services. Check it out!

Work, Work, Work

by Beth Levine | Oct 4, 2011

That’s what a lot of presenters make their audiences do … work. Work to sift through heaps of detail and information. Work to make sense of dense, complex material. Work to follow along. Work to figure out the point …

If you are the presenter, you should do the heavy lifting for your audience. It’ll pay off; the audience will appreciate you, have a good impression of you, and, most important, they will understand and remember what you said!

So here are 3 tips on the kind of “work” you can do so your audience can sit back and absorb, then leave the room satisfied:

Provide guidance. Identify what it is you want your audience to think, know, do, or feel about your presentation. Then weave that into your opening and closing. The mere power of suggestion has a lot of power indeed.

Eliminate waste. Cut out extra detail and information just because it’s interesting to you or because it’s so cool you just have to share it. Be selective with your detail and info. Your audience can digest and retain only so much.

Narrate. Let your audience know where you are, what you’re doing, and where you’re going during the presentation. If you tell them you’re going to cover three main points, let them know when you’ve moved on to the next point. When you’re diverting to a quick sidebar, or you’re backtracking, or you’re stopping to tell a funny story, tell them that’s what you’re doing so they can follow along appropriately.

Audiences don’t want to work. But they do want to get it. If you do the work, you’ll get the reward … your audience’s attention and respect!

It All Comes Down To …

by Beth Levine | Sep 19, 2011

Self-discipline.

Even just a little bit of self-discipline can make a big difference in a meeting or presentation. Here’s a 5-point checklist for you to consider while keeping yourself in check:

You can’t cover everything, so don’t try. Be selective and prioritize.
No one is as interested in what you have to say as you are … unless, of course, it pertains directly to them! It’s all about them.
Observing the boundary of a time allotment shows respect, restraint, and command. Going over a time allotment shows the opposite.
Winging it is not cool. Winging it is simply the intersection of avoidance and false hopes. You’re better than that, so prepare.
And above all, take a second to identify what it is that you want your audience to think or know or do at the end. If you’re not solid with the takeaway, how can you expect them to be?

Child’s Play

by Beth Levine | Sep 6, 2011

Ever wonder how to get a group of adults to pay attention and stay engaged? Have you ever tried toys, crayons or games? You should, it can totally change the dynamics in the room … in your favor!

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly I can transform a room of “hostages” – i.e. adult participants in a training they didn’t exactly beg to attend! – into a room of giddy “vacationers” just by engaging them in a game. Or by leaving crayons and paper on the table. Or by putting Slinkys, squishy balls, Rubik’s Cubes and even candy in the middle of the table.

Talk about unspoken messages! Toys, games, and candy are the language of fun, of childhood, and they loosen people up. Studies have been conducted, showing that adults will be more open and even more honest when sitting in an environment that stimulates their inner child. Whether those studies are conclusive or not, I can tell you from my own anecdotal experience that adding elements of “child’s play” in a meeting, presentation, or group training sends the message that you expect your audience to have fun, to occupy their hands, to need stimuli, and that you’re okay with it.

Try it and see. You might just find a group of fully grown adults warming up to you a lot faster than you expected and a lot easier than usual!