Imagine this. You're the Guest Speaker in an important event. You want to make a good impression and leave your audience with a great and lasting memory of your speech.
As you walk towards the microphone, you wonder: How am I going to do that?
Well, for starters, it will help to know what the audience wants from us, Speakers.
Most audiences are not demanding. All they want from us are two (2) simple things. If we can give them these two things, then we are on the way to making a good impression and leaving them with a great and lasting memory of our speech.
Here are the two things they want from us:
First, that the ideas we are to present to them BE ORGANIZED.
Second, that as we stand before them to speak, we BE CONNECTED to them.
Be organised. Be connected.
Two simple things they want from us. It's not too big a favour. Not difficult to give, are they?
By "organised", they mean they want to know …
… what we will cover;
… what our main ideas are;
… how they will know we have come to the climax and to the end of our speech.
By "connected", our audiences mean they want to feel that …
… we are speaking not just from the head but also from the heart; and
… we are speaking to them, personally … even if there are a thousand people in the audience.
Here's how I make sure the ideas in my oral presentation or speech are organised.
I follow this timeless, simple yet powerful formula. Here's how the formula goes:
"First, tell them what you are about to tell them (audience). Then, tell them. And then, tell them again what you just told them."
The principle tells me that there are three (3) important items that must be present in the speech or presentation material.
One, the OVERVIEW ( I tell them what I am about to tell them).
Two, the PRESENTATION PROPER (I tell them).
Three, the SUMMARY (I tell them again what I just told them).
The Overview excites my audience. The Presentation Proper enriches my audience. The Summary … well … makes my audience very happy to know that I have reached the end of my presentation.
Seriously, the Summary tells the again what I have just covered and reminds them what ideas are important to remember.
How much more organised can one be?
Next week: Three (3) powerful tools that connect us to our audiences.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Sinabihan ka ng "Tanga!" Ano ang gagawin mo?
'Yung kausap mo, bigla kang sinabihan ng "Tanga!".
Teka. 'Wag ka muna mag-react. Hinto ka muna. Isip. Sabi nga, "Pause and think".
Ang tawag sa situwasyon mo, "adversarial" communication. Pag-uusap na medyo kulang sa pag-uunawaan. Puwedeng hindi nagkakaintindihan.
Ang kausap mo, puwedeng mahirap din intindihin. Mahirap pakisamahan. Sa ingles, "difficult person".
Bago ka mag-react sa nadinig mong masakit na salita, gawa ka muna ng ilang desisyon.
Una, decide ka: sasagot ka pa ba?
Pangalawa, decide ka: kung sasagot ka pa, paano at ano ang sasabihin mo?
SASAGOT KA PA BA?
Puwedeng oo, puwedeng hindi. Kung anuman ang piliin mo sa dalawa, dapat malinaw ang dahilan.
Puwedeng hindi sumagot? Oo naman. Halimbawa, ang taong nagsabi ng masakit sayo, wala namang kinalaman sa mahahalagang bagay sa buhay mo. Sabi nga, irrelevant. Hindi mo siya stakeholder. 'Pag ganun, puwedeng umalis ka na lang nang walang sinasabi. Sabi nga ni Matt Monro, "walk away". Sabi nga ni Allan K., "Vavuh!"
Strategy ang "walk away". Magandang strategy. Kasi, 'pag nag "walk away" ka at nagsalita pa din si Difficult Person, sino ngayon ang … ? Alam mo na 'yun.
Puwedeng sumagot? Oo naman din. Dapat malinaw sa isip mo ang "bakit pa ako sasagot?".
May magandang dahilan para sumagot. Ang dahilan - importante kasi sa buhay mo si Difficult Person. Stakeholder mo siya. May kinalaman siya sa tagumpay mo sa trabaho, sa propesyon o sa personal na buhay. Ayaw mong magkasira kayong dalawa.
Kasi, 'pag nagkasira kayong dalawa, pareho kayong …, 'di ba? Alam mo na 'yun.
PAANO SASAGOT?
May tatlong paraan. Ikaw ang mag-decide kung alin ang tama sa pagkakataong 'yun.
Una, "contain". Ibig sabihin, ang sagot mo, hindi na papalalain ang init ng ulo ni Difficult Person.
Pangalawa, "confront". Ibig sabihin, gusto mong makita niya na mali at masama ang sinabi niya.
Pangatlo, "control". Ibig sabihin, ikaw ang magdala ng pagpapatuloy ng usapan para pumunta ito sa isang maayos na pagkakasundo at solusyon. Reconciliation and resolution, sabi nga sa ingles.
CONTAIN
Isang example ng "contain" answer: "Sa tingin ko, napainit ko ang ulo mo. Marahil ay may nagawa akong hindi maayos sa pandinig mo. Humihingi ako ng paumanhin. 'Pag ready ka na, mag-usap ulit tayo."
'Pag nagdadaldal pa si Difficult Person, ulitin mo ang sagot nang mas banayad (gentle) at mas marahan (slower) ang boses mo.
CONFRONT
Example ng sagot na pang-confront: "Masakit ang sinabi. Sa tingin ko, hindi mo dapat sinabi sa akin 'yun. I would appreciate an apology. At 'pag ready ka na, mag-usap ulit tayo".
Teka muna. Dapat ang boses mo dito, banayad at marahan din, ha. Kahit confront 'yan. hindi puwede diyan ang taray. Hindi ka si Kris, noh!
'Pag nagsalita pa si Difficult Person, ulitin mo lang ulit ang sinabi mo. Lalo pang marahan. Lalong pang banayad. Pero may konting diin.
Sa "contain" sinalo mo ang init. Sa "confront", ibinalik mo ang init sa pinanggalingan - kay Difficult Person.
Pero sa kanilang dalawa, wala kang isinarang pinto. Bukas pa din ang pag-uusap. Kasi nga, importante ang relasyon ninyo. At ayaw ninyo parehong maging …, 'di ba? Alam mo na 'yun.
CONTROL
Example ng "control" answer: "Sa tingin ko, nalalayo ang usapan natin sa ating original goal. Ang suggestion ko is magpalamig muna tayo. At 'pag malamig na pareho ang ulo natin, i-review natin ang goal natin at pag-aralan natin kung papaano tayo makaka-move forward".
Ganun din - 'pag nagsalita pa si Difficult Person, ulitin mo lang ang sagot mo.
Sa "control" walang pasahan ng init. Hindi mo sinalo. Hindi mo ibinalik. Ang focus, sa "original goal" at sa "moving forward". Hirap, 'di ba? Kaya sa "control" strategy, kailangan may control ka din sa emotions mo. Kailangan, malinaw sa isip natin na mas importante ang goal and moving forward mesa sa Pride. Ang Pride, magaling lang sa pagpapaputi ng damit pero walang kuwenta sa pag-uusap nang maayos.
Ayan. Tatlong paraan.
Ikaw pumili kung alin ang mas bagay sa pangyayari.
Alinman sa tatlo, garantisado - hindi ikaw ang …, 'di ba?
Alam mo na 'yun.
Teka. 'Wag ka muna mag-react. Hinto ka muna. Isip. Sabi nga, "Pause and think".
Ang tawag sa situwasyon mo, "adversarial" communication. Pag-uusap na medyo kulang sa pag-uunawaan. Puwedeng hindi nagkakaintindihan.
Ang kausap mo, puwedeng mahirap din intindihin. Mahirap pakisamahan. Sa ingles, "difficult person".
Bago ka mag-react sa nadinig mong masakit na salita, gawa ka muna ng ilang desisyon.
Una, decide ka: sasagot ka pa ba?
Pangalawa, decide ka: kung sasagot ka pa, paano at ano ang sasabihin mo?
SASAGOT KA PA BA?
Puwedeng oo, puwedeng hindi. Kung anuman ang piliin mo sa dalawa, dapat malinaw ang dahilan.
Puwedeng hindi sumagot? Oo naman. Halimbawa, ang taong nagsabi ng masakit sayo, wala namang kinalaman sa mahahalagang bagay sa buhay mo. Sabi nga, irrelevant. Hindi mo siya stakeholder. 'Pag ganun, puwedeng umalis ka na lang nang walang sinasabi. Sabi nga ni Matt Monro, "walk away". Sabi nga ni Allan K., "Vavuh!"
Strategy ang "walk away". Magandang strategy. Kasi, 'pag nag "walk away" ka at nagsalita pa din si Difficult Person, sino ngayon ang … ? Alam mo na 'yun.
Puwedeng sumagot? Oo naman din. Dapat malinaw sa isip mo ang "bakit pa ako sasagot?".
May magandang dahilan para sumagot. Ang dahilan - importante kasi sa buhay mo si Difficult Person. Stakeholder mo siya. May kinalaman siya sa tagumpay mo sa trabaho, sa propesyon o sa personal na buhay. Ayaw mong magkasira kayong dalawa.
Kasi, 'pag nagkasira kayong dalawa, pareho kayong …, 'di ba? Alam mo na 'yun.
PAANO SASAGOT?
May tatlong paraan. Ikaw ang mag-decide kung alin ang tama sa pagkakataong 'yun.
Una, "contain". Ibig sabihin, ang sagot mo, hindi na papalalain ang init ng ulo ni Difficult Person.
Pangalawa, "confront". Ibig sabihin, gusto mong makita niya na mali at masama ang sinabi niya.
Pangatlo, "control". Ibig sabihin, ikaw ang magdala ng pagpapatuloy ng usapan para pumunta ito sa isang maayos na pagkakasundo at solusyon. Reconciliation and resolution, sabi nga sa ingles.
CONTAIN
Isang example ng "contain" answer: "Sa tingin ko, napainit ko ang ulo mo. Marahil ay may nagawa akong hindi maayos sa pandinig mo. Humihingi ako ng paumanhin. 'Pag ready ka na, mag-usap ulit tayo."
'Pag nagdadaldal pa si Difficult Person, ulitin mo ang sagot nang mas banayad (gentle) at mas marahan (slower) ang boses mo.
CONFRONT
Example ng sagot na pang-confront: "Masakit ang sinabi. Sa tingin ko, hindi mo dapat sinabi sa akin 'yun. I would appreciate an apology. At 'pag ready ka na, mag-usap ulit tayo".
Teka muna. Dapat ang boses mo dito, banayad at marahan din, ha. Kahit confront 'yan. hindi puwede diyan ang taray. Hindi ka si Kris, noh!
'Pag nagsalita pa si Difficult Person, ulitin mo lang ulit ang sinabi mo. Lalo pang marahan. Lalong pang banayad. Pero may konting diin.
Sa "contain" sinalo mo ang init. Sa "confront", ibinalik mo ang init sa pinanggalingan - kay Difficult Person.
Pero sa kanilang dalawa, wala kang isinarang pinto. Bukas pa din ang pag-uusap. Kasi nga, importante ang relasyon ninyo. At ayaw ninyo parehong maging …, 'di ba? Alam mo na 'yun.
CONTROL
Example ng "control" answer: "Sa tingin ko, nalalayo ang usapan natin sa ating original goal. Ang suggestion ko is magpalamig muna tayo. At 'pag malamig na pareho ang ulo natin, i-review natin ang goal natin at pag-aralan natin kung papaano tayo makaka-move forward".
Ganun din - 'pag nagsalita pa si Difficult Person, ulitin mo lang ang sagot mo.
Sa "control" walang pasahan ng init. Hindi mo sinalo. Hindi mo ibinalik. Ang focus, sa "original goal" at sa "moving forward". Hirap, 'di ba? Kaya sa "control" strategy, kailangan may control ka din sa emotions mo. Kailangan, malinaw sa isip natin na mas importante ang goal and moving forward mesa sa Pride. Ang Pride, magaling lang sa pagpapaputi ng damit pero walang kuwenta sa pag-uusap nang maayos.
Ayan. Tatlong paraan.
Ikaw pumili kung alin ang mas bagay sa pangyayari.
Alinman sa tatlo, garantisado - hindi ikaw ang …, 'di ba?
Alam mo na 'yun.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Three (3) Things that Make Your Audiences REALLY Happy
After every workshop or speaking engagement, I make it a point to get feedback from several people from my audience.
Two things I make sure I find out from them:
1. Among the things I said, which one was most significant and useful to them; and
2. How did they feel after listening to me.
This habit has made me understand my audiences better. Today, I can say I know what works with audiences and what does not.
I also know what make them happy. Really happy.
Here are three (3) things audiences appreciate much.
1. A clear Purpose
2. A crisp Overview
3. A coherent Flow
They love it when you say right at the start why you are there, why you are making the presentation or delivering a speech. They appreciate a clear statement of the Purpose. They say it helps them "tune in" to the speaker or presenter. It helps them understand how they should listen, what items in the speech or presentation they should pay close attention to and what they are expected to do at afterwards.
Here's another winner - a crisp Overview. Overview is "telling the audience what we are about to tell them". My audiences say the Overview helps them organise the ideas in their head. A crisp Overview is their "mental map" of the presentation or speech. If the Overview tells them that the speaker or presenter intends to cover Three Points, then they know that when Point 1 is done, Point 2 follows. And they know that when Point 3 has been covered, that's the end.
Overview is a forgotten yet powerful tool. Let's start using it again.
Lastly, a coherent Flow. This is a no-brainer. Our listeners "demand" two things from us. One, that each and every part of the speech or presentation be related. It has to be a "family of clearly connected ideas", not a neighbourhood of strangers. Two, that the train of ideas makes sense, follows a pattern, and comes to a logical conclusion.
Purpose. Overview. Flow. They make the speech or presentation seem like going on a smooth journey. You leave port with a clear destination. You have a good view of how the whole journey will proceed. Then, you sail with the current and with the cool, gentle wind behind you.
Two things I make sure I find out from them:
1. Among the things I said, which one was most significant and useful to them; and
2. How did they feel after listening to me.
This habit has made me understand my audiences better. Today, I can say I know what works with audiences and what does not.
I also know what make them happy. Really happy.
Here are three (3) things audiences appreciate much.
1. A clear Purpose
2. A crisp Overview
3. A coherent Flow
They love it when you say right at the start why you are there, why you are making the presentation or delivering a speech. They appreciate a clear statement of the Purpose. They say it helps them "tune in" to the speaker or presenter. It helps them understand how they should listen, what items in the speech or presentation they should pay close attention to and what they are expected to do at afterwards.
Here's another winner - a crisp Overview. Overview is "telling the audience what we are about to tell them". My audiences say the Overview helps them organise the ideas in their head. A crisp Overview is their "mental map" of the presentation or speech. If the Overview tells them that the speaker or presenter intends to cover Three Points, then they know that when Point 1 is done, Point 2 follows. And they know that when Point 3 has been covered, that's the end.
Overview is a forgotten yet powerful tool. Let's start using it again.
Lastly, a coherent Flow. This is a no-brainer. Our listeners "demand" two things from us. One, that each and every part of the speech or presentation be related. It has to be a "family of clearly connected ideas", not a neighbourhood of strangers. Two, that the train of ideas makes sense, follows a pattern, and comes to a logical conclusion.
Purpose. Overview. Flow. They make the speech or presentation seem like going on a smooth journey. You leave port with a clear destination. You have a good view of how the whole journey will proceed. Then, you sail with the current and with the cool, gentle wind behind you.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Three Things Standout Speakers "Own"
We've heard public speaking mentors say we must "own the room" if we want to command the audience's attention and hold it to the end of our speech.
That's true. I have seen standout speakers delight, inspire and move their audiences using varying styles and with one thing in common - they all "own the room".
Public speaking mentor Timothy J. Koegel, in his book "The Exceptional Presenter" (Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2007), defines "owning the room" as a originally used to describe " an actor who is so completely in character that he walks on stage with total confidence".
Well, "the room" is just one of three things every standout speaker must "own".
Here are the other two:
1. The standout speaker "owns the message"
2. The standout speaker "owns the communication process"
Why "own the message"? It is because audiences expect the speaker to be an authority on what he is telling them. Otherwise, it would be better for them to just read up on the subject matter or google the net to find out what others have already said about it.
We listen to a speaker because, no matter what the subject matter is, at that particular moment, the message is his.
Here are the three elements in a speech or presentation that tells the audience that the speaker truly "owns the message":
1. The speaker "feels" the message.
The movements in his face, voice and body reflect his the importance of what he is saying and that he, himself, believes it.
2. The speaker "knows" the subject matter of the message.
He knows it so well that he can highlight the points that truly matter to the audience, can use simple words to express them, and can present them from the "first person"viewpoint.
3. The speaker "lives" the message.
He can explain the message using examples from real-life experience, and enrich the message by injecting his personal insights and viewpoints.
I will share my insights on "owning the communication process" in the next post.
[Archie Inlong helps speakers "own" the room, the message and the process through workshops or personal coaching. For information, email archie_inlong@yahoo.com]
That's true. I have seen standout speakers delight, inspire and move their audiences using varying styles and with one thing in common - they all "own the room".
Public speaking mentor Timothy J. Koegel, in his book "The Exceptional Presenter" (Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2007), defines "owning the room" as a originally used to describe " an actor who is so completely in character that he walks on stage with total confidence".
Well, "the room" is just one of three things every standout speaker must "own".
Here are the other two:
1. The standout speaker "owns the message"
2. The standout speaker "owns the communication process"
Why "own the message"? It is because audiences expect the speaker to be an authority on what he is telling them. Otherwise, it would be better for them to just read up on the subject matter or google the net to find out what others have already said about it.
We listen to a speaker because, no matter what the subject matter is, at that particular moment, the message is his.
Here are the three elements in a speech or presentation that tells the audience that the speaker truly "owns the message":
1. The speaker "feels" the message.
The movements in his face, voice and body reflect his the importance of what he is saying and that he, himself, believes it.
2. The speaker "knows" the subject matter of the message.
He knows it so well that he can highlight the points that truly matter to the audience, can use simple words to express them, and can present them from the "first person"viewpoint.
3. The speaker "lives" the message.
He can explain the message using examples from real-life experience, and enrich the message by injecting his personal insights and viewpoints.
I will share my insights on "owning the communication process" in the next post.
[Archie Inlong helps speakers "own" the room, the message and the process through workshops or personal coaching. For information, email archie_inlong@yahoo.com]
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