The Barbarian Group presents: Let's Talk About Talking!

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.

THAT WAS TERRIBLE.

TALKING IS EASY.

WE TALK EVERY DAY.

TO FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS AND STRANGERS.

YOU KNOW YOUR VOICE AND YOUR TONE.

TALKING IS EASY.

SPEAKING IS HARD.

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.

HOW DO WE MAKE HARD

TALKING EASIER?

PRACTICE.

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

DON’T PRACTICE.

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.

KNOW YOUR STUFF.

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.

KNOW YOUR

CLIENT.

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.

READ THE

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

TALK TO #2.

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.

YOU ARE THE

STORY-TELLER.

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.

BE CONVERSATIONAL.

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.

SPEAK.DON’T READ.

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.

LULLS ARE THE ENEMY.

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.

DO NOT TAKE

NOTES.

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.

NEVER APOLOGIZE.

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.

BE FUNNY.

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.

MEET STUPIDITY

WITH GRACE.

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.

PAUSE.

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.

WHERE ARE YOUR HANDS?

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?

YOUR CLIENT.

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.

YOUR CLIENT.

YOU’RE IN THIS

TOGETHER.

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.

BE ARROGANT.

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.

BE HUMBLE.

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.

BE YOUR BRAND.

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.

BE YOU.

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.

SPECIAL ADDENDUM:

PRESENTING OVER THE PHONE.

IN A WORD, DON’T.

BUT IF YOU

CAN’T AVOID IT...

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.

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.

SPECIAL ADDENDUM:

PRESENTING TONON-AMERICANS.

BE SIMPLE

AND DIRECT.

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.

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.

KNOW THE

CULTURE.

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.

SPECIAL ADDENDUM:

ON LEAVE-BEHINDS.

SPOILER ALERT!

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!

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!

THANKS.

The Barbarian Group presents: Let's Talk About Talking!

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