First When Preparing for a Speech

 
First When Preparing for a Speech

When you’re giving a speech or presentation, it’s not your job to get the audience to like you. In fact, if the audience is paying too close attention to you, they may actually miss your message. Instead, focus on being present and staying attuned to your audience’s needs. From the moment you begin to prepare, think about who will be in the room. Each time you practice, maintain focus on your imaginary audience. The moment you catch yourself going into autopilot, stop and restart your sentence. And right before you speak, take a moment to breathe and look directly at your audience. Then begin with a “you” statement, e.g “Each of you in this room…” or “I want to share a story with you about the power of…” This immediately signals to your audience that you are there to help them.
This tip is adapted from “Do You Need Charisma to Be a Great Public Speaker?,” by Sarah Gershman

Find Daily Opportunities to Mentor Junior Employees

 Find Daily Opportunities to Mentor Junior Employees
Many companies have formal, hierarchical mentoring programs nested somewhere in their HR department. But evidence shows that these programs alone won’t sufficiently engage or develop junior talent. If you’re interested in mentoring, think about becoming a “mentor of the moment,” by seeking development opportunities in daily interactions. Check in regularly with junior colleagues. See how things are going and offer support or resources as appropriate. Ask questions about their development such as: “In a perfect world, what would you be doing in 10 years? How can I help make it happen?” When you observe a junior employee in action, make time to provide reinforcing feedback about what you found most successful and what you learned. This type of mentoring, while informal, often pays off big for organizations in terms of better retention and more loyalty and commitment among employees.
This tip is adapted from “Real Mentorship Starts with Company Culture, Not Formal Programs,” by W. Brad Johnson and David G. Smith

3 Tips to Get People to Actually Participate in Virtual Meetings

 Tue 17 March 2020

How to Encourage Participation During Virtual Meetings

It’s hard to get people to pay attention in meetings when everyone’s in the same room — let alone if they’re all calling in from home !! 

How can you get people to actually participate in a virtual meeting? 

(1) The key is to create structured opportunities for attendees to engage. Do something in the first 60 seconds to help participants experience the problem you want them to solve.

 For example, you might share statistics or anecdotes that dramatize the topic ! 

(2) Then assign people to groups of two or three and give them a very limited time frame to take on a highly structured and brief task. Be sure to give them a medium with which to communicate, like a Slack channel. If you’re on a virtual meeting platform that allows for breakout groups ( Such as Zoom ) , use them liberally. Then ask the teams to report back. 

(3) Never go longer than five to 10 minutes without giving the group another problem to solve. The key is to set and sustain an expectation of meaningful involvement. 

Otherwise, your participants will retreat into an observer role, and you’ll have to work extra hard to bring them back.

This tip is adapted from “How to Get People to Actually Participate in Virtual Meetings,” by Justin Hale and Joseph Grenny

“Don’t Just Memorize Your Next Presentation — Know It Cold,”

 Thu 05 March 2020

You Can’t Over Prepare for a Presentation

" Writing a speech or presentation is challenging, and memorizing it takes even more time and effort. But whether you’re speaking at a conference, setting a direction for your team, or persuading upper management to green-light an idea, it’s important to know your presentation cold.

(1) Transitions can be especially tricky, so break your talk into sections and REHEARSE  the SHIFTS  between the sections. Note any troublesome segues and practice them repeatedly.

(2)  Then, spend time each day MEMORIZING your speech. You might consider recording  and listening to it whenever you’re driving, exercising, or running errands. Or you can rehearse a portion of your script right before bedtime or multitask as you brush your teeth.

(3) Finally, have a plan for any slip-ups. Prepare two or three go-to phrases, such as, “Let me refer to my notes,” or “I’m struggling to remember my next point. Let me take a moment and step back.” The lapse will be less awkward for everyone when you don’t panic and do what you need to move on.

This tip is adapted from “Don’t Just Memorize Your Next Presentation — Know It Cold,” by Sabina Nawaz

3 tips to mend a work relationship after a disagreement

 Left unchecked, even a small dispute with a colleague can spiral out of control, leading to anger and resentment. When things get tense, you might be tempted to pull away. But it’s far better to engage and try to reset. 

(1) Immediately acknowledge the tension, and allow the other person (and yourself) room to air your differences, while expressing positivity about the future. For example, you might say: “I know that we’re not seeing eye to eye on this right now, and it is upsetting for both of us. But I’m optimistic we can work it out.” 

(2) Then, set a meeting for a few days later, giving you both time to let your emotions cool. Even something as small as a short coffee break can help ease the tension. 

(3) Lastly, remind your colleague that you care about the relationship and want to have more positive interactions in the future. This may help to keep your current conflict from contaminating the entire relationship.  

 

This tip is adapted from “How to Mend a Work Relationship,” by Brianna Barker Caza, Mara Olekalns, and Timothy J. Vogus

How to Communicate with Your Customers in a Crisis

 
How to Communicate with Your Customers in a Crisis
In a fast-moving crisis, it’s important for leaders to communicate with empathy and honesty — not just internally, but externally as well. Of course, customers require a different approach than employees. Make sure you focus on what is important to them. For example, with the current coronavirus crisis, 

 

Target’s CEO recently sent out a note to customers describing enhanced in-store cleaning procedures and additional staffing for order pickup and drive-up services. If possible, provide customers relief during a crisis by waiving fees or limits. This not only reassures current customers but can bring new ones on board. 

 

Most importantly, focus on empathy rather than trying to create sales opportunities. Companies should rethink advertising and promotion strategies to be more in line with what’s happening in the world. Otherwise you risk sounding tone-deaf and alienating your customers. Look at your messaging from the perspective of your audience, and let your compassion drive your communications, rather than fear of doing the wrong thing.
This tip is adapted from “Communicating Through the Corsonavirus Crisis,” by Paul A. Argenti

3 Tips in Disagreeing politey with co worker

 Wed 25 Nov 2020

Disagreeing politey with co worker

Many of us try to avoid conversations with those who have a sharply different point of view, or we try to convince them that they’re wrong. Neither approach is very productive. It’s possible to have healthy disagreements by employing a few tactics.

(1) Start by acknowledging the other person's perspective, whether you agree with it or not. Say something like, “I understand where you're coming from,” or, “Thank you for sharing your position,” before you state your point of view.

(2)  Also, demonstrate humility. While confidence is important in making persuasive arguments, too much of it can be abrasive and even offensive. And be sure to phrase your argument in positive terms. For instance, you could say something like, “Let's consider the possible benefits of having fewer people working on the marketing initiative,” rather than “We shouldn’t have any more people working on the marketing initiative.”

(3) Finally, if things start to get heated, reiterate areas of agreement — even if they're small and obvious. Something simple, such as “We both want this pandemic to end,” or “We agree that social distancing is presenting unprecedented challenges,” can reestablish common ground.
These strategies can help loosen gridlock, animosity, and resentment and open the door for connection.

This tip is adapted from “Disagreement Doesn’t Have to Be Divisive,” by Francesca Gino