Present Like a Pro The Field Guide to Mastering the Art of Business, Professional, and Public Speaking

by Maxey, Cyndi; O'Connor, Kevin E.

• ISBN13: 9780312347734
• ISBN10: 0312347731
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-07-11
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary

Sales calls. Weddings. Conferences. Weekly meetings. We all have to speak in public. Yet many find the experience draining, terrifying, or remain unsatisfied with their own ability to engage and sway an audience. In Present Like a Pro, youll learn to: Solicit useful feedback Deal with hecklers Evoke the power of your own life in your talk And much more! Kevin E. OConnor and Cyndi Maxey have distilled over thirty years of professional speaking into a concise, easy-to-use guide that will help anyone....Present Like a Pro!

Author Biography

CYNDI MAXEY is a communication consultant and speaker who specializes in communication that drives profitable performance. She lives in Chicago, Illinois. KEVIN E. O'CONNOR is a leadership consultant and speaker who specializes in developing technical professionals. He lives in Long Grove, Illinois. Combined they speak more than 200 times per year.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xiii
Introduction	1	(6)
Part I Love the Language	7	(40)
1 Aristotle Knew the Basics	9	(4)
2 Master the Vocabulary of the Customer	13	(3)
3 Turn Your Expertise into a Speech	16	(4)
4 Be Creative with Word Color	20	(6)
5 Use Writers' Tricks to Unify and Emphasize	26	(5)
6 Language Is Your Best Tool	31	(5)
7 Bring Out the Interpreter in You	36	(6)
8 Say it Differently	42	(5)
Part II Prepare Like Crazy	47	(30)
9 Practice Is the First Priority	49	(5)
10 Begin So You Can Practice	54	(3)
11 Tape and Time Yourself	57	(3)
12 Know the First Four Minutes Cold	60	(5)
13 Give Yourself Think Time	65	(4)
14 Find Out What Happened Last Time	69	(3)
15 Set Yourself Up for Success	72	(5)
Part III Respect the Client	77	(22)
16 Know Who the Real Client Is	79	(2)
17 Know What the Meeting Planner Really Wants	81	(4)
18 Know What the Audience Needs	85	(3)
19 Know What to Use and What to Lose	88	(4)
20 Be an Expert on the Culture	92	(3)
21 Know What Works with This Client	95	(4)
Part IV Break the Rules	99	(24)
22 You Don't Have to Be Perfect	101	(5)
23 It's OK to Surprise Your Audience	106	(4)
24 Decide on Your Notes Policy	110	(3)
25 Begin Unexpectedly—Involve Your Audience!	113	(3)
26 End Unexpectedly	116	(3)
27 Face a Trend with an Antitrend	119	(4)
Part V Create a Connection	123	(32)
28 Start with the First Step	125	(2)
29 Try a Three-Part Warm-up	127	(3)
30 Connect with a Grieving Audience	130	(4)
31 Connect via Stories and More	134	(4)
32 No Joke! Know the Risks	138	(4)
33 Practice Consistent Eye Contact	142	(2)
34 Use Your Introduction to Connect	144	(3)
35 Connect with Visual Simplicity	147	(4)
36 Connect with Visual Innovation	151	(4)
Part VI Adapt to the Moment	155	(28)
37 When "Dr. Evil" Shows Up, Be Ready	157	(3)
38 When Your Presenter Doesn't Show, You Can Still Shine	160	(3)
39 Don't Let Murphy's Law Surprise You	163	(4)
40 When Asked to Edit, Be Prepared	167	(3)
41 When Asked for Your Opinion, Listen First	170	(4)
42 Beware of the Two-Year-Old in You	174	(3)
43 Inquire, Observe, and Learn	177	(4)
44 It's the Norm, Not the Exception	181	(2)
Part VII Propel the Image	183	(24)
45 Look Like You Mean It	185	(4)
46 Sound Like You Mean It	189	(3)
47 Don't Fall into the Apology Trap	192	(4)
48 Become One with Your Microphone	196	(3)
49 You Own the Power of Performance	199	(4)
50 Discover and Deliver Your Strengths	203	(4)
Part VIII Master Interaction	207	(26)
51 Walk a Fine Line When Facilitating	209	(2)
52 Always Remember: It's About Them	211	(4)
53 Become "Learner-Centric"	215	(4)
54 Technical Experts Are People Too	219	(4)
55 Be Prepared with Questions	223	(4)
56 Become a Master Teacher	227	(3)
57 Know the Nuances of Learners' Needs and Wants	230	(3)
Part IX Follow Up for More	233	(16)
58 Build Upon the Audience Perception of Your Expertise Before, During, and After Your Speech	235	(2)
59 The Eyes of the Audience Will Help You Follow Up	237	(3)
60 Ask for the Right Kinds of Information	240	(3)
61 Get Immediate Feedback	243	(4)
62 Determine the Next Step	247	(2)
Part X Never Give Up	249
63 Every Presentation Counts—Every Time	251	(4)
64 Every Presentation Is Different Even When It Is the Same	255	(2)
65 When You're Being Coached, Listen and Respond Carefully!	257	(3)
66 Step Up to the Retreat-Planning Challenge!	260	(5)
67 Go Forward with Follow-up	265	(3)
68 When You Are Asked, Always Do More	268	(4)
69 Final Thoughts from Your Biggest Fans	272

Excerpts

Chapter One

Aristotle Knew the Basics

Power is in the character of the speaker.

Power is in the speech itself.

Power is in the mood of the audience.

Why should you look forward to your next presentation? Because it’s an absolutely irreplaceable experience! You get back much more than you give---every time you present.

First, giving a successful presentation is great for your psyche; you feel good when you do well. It even feels good when you try new things and not all go well.

Second, it is a practical way to move up in your organization or circle of friends and associates. If you are good at presenting, people automatically think you are good at everything you do because they see you as a courageous person with not only high self-esteem but also high “act-ability”---someone who does things. People give a lot of credence to a speaker; often it’s simply because the speaker is up front and they are not! Standing up and speaking well are keys to your promotability quotient.

Third, you have personal power when you have command of an audience. To persuade a busy group of people to take notice of your message and to do something about it as a result ranks high on the scale of winning friends and influencing people.

The presenter’s power is great. In fact, your ability to use that power well was first prescribed in an ancient art form perfected by the Greeks---the art of rhetoric. Some of the most well known philosophy comes from Aristotle (384--322 BC), who believed that people have a natural disposition for the truth and who called rhetoric “the ability to see the available means of persuasion” on the speaker’s part.

The available means of persuasion for you are basically three elements: you, the talk, and the audience. That’s it. Everything you do is a carefully concerted blend of these three. Giving a toast to the bride and groom? It’s you, the toast, and the wedding guests. Addressing your new staff? It’s you, your notes, and a group of people who are wondering about you. Selling a key account? It’s you, your notes and visuals, and the three decision makers at the end of the boardroom table.

The balance of the three elements is key. Aristotle’s view held that character of the speaker, the emotional state of the listener, and the argument itself (the talk) all combine to achieve the persuasion. He said the speaker has three powers: ethos, logos, and pathos. Ethos is the power of personal character. Logos is the power of proving a truth through logic. Pathos is the power to stir up emotions in the listener. The best presenters find a way to use all three powers in the right combination: who you are, what you say, and how you say it.

Your character is in your shared self. The best presenters communicate naturally as real people. They don’t try to be someone they are not. One of our favorite professional speakers, a former penniless immigrant who is now a millionaire, is in demand today as a speaker because of the stories he tells and the many examples he gives of how he amassed his fortune. But he does it with little ego and lots of reverence for his friends, his beliefs, and his business relationships. All this is inherent in his character as he speaks. The audience believes him because of the power of his character.

Coach’s Comments

Question: How can I communicate naturally when my natural self hates to speak to groups?

Your coach says: Most people do! Despite your dislike of speaking, one way to bring out your natural self is in the opening. You can do that by using an approach that nobody else would use and communicating it naturally because you have really, really practiced! The more you practice, the more natural you will be. It sounds odd, but it’s true. When you think less about your words, you can think more about being yourself.

Your truth is in your argument and knowledge. How does a speaker find truth? Sometimes you may need to research and document to prove your points---in a sales presentation, for example. Other times you may not need intense research to support your thoughts. As long as you present evidence of the truth in the best way you know how, you demonstrate logos, or your reasoning. If you don’t present with reason, the audience will quickly dismiss you as unqualified to speak. A minister or priest speaks with the evidence of the Bible. A professor brings research and case studies. An introducer brings knowledge of the speaker being introduced. Any talk, no matter how long, is truth telling. The more clarity to the truth you tell, the more convinced your audience is of your message.

Your emotional appeal is in your audience’s hearts and minds. Of the three powers, this is the least predictable. You can learn to share your character and select your arguments more readily than you can pick up on the nuances of an audience. How will they react? What will they feel? What will they think? This power is perfected only by practice and listening to feedback---over and over again. If you really listen, you’ll realize that your audiences are talking to you all the time---before, during, and after your presentation.

The true pro becomes adept at continuously gathering this information . . . day after day, speech after speech. It’s best to avoid attempting to speak to any audience without first meeting them. Perfect opportunities include: at the dinner the night before, at breakfast the day of your presentation, moments before you go on. Your best opportunity is to approach audience members with a smile and a handshake and even ask the audience for their “burning questions,” questions that bring out what the audience really wants to learn from your talk. All of these are vital methods used by the most successful of presenters who never forget this essential third element.

A presentation is an exercise in the acknowledgment of power.

Copyright © 2006 by Cyndi Maxey

---

Excerpted from Present Like a Pro: The Field Guide to Mastering the Art of Business, Professional, and Public Speaking by Cyndi Maxey
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.