With the possible exception of root canal work without anesthesia, human beings have no greater fear than the fear of getting up and speaking in public.
“The difference between nervousness and enthusiasm is your attitude!”
—Jim Cameron on the fear of public speaking
Exposing our ideas and ourselves terrifies most people. In our workshop we help you to understand and overcome those fears. We review the best practices in presentations, including:
- Body language
- Use of A/V tools
- Effective vocal skills
- Handling Q & A
Then we give our clients a chance to practice these skills in a friendly, nurturing environment. We use video and verbal feedback to help you build your confidence, showing you what you are doing right as well what you need to improve upon.
Our Training Approach
Some trainers delight in aggressive, in-your-face role-playing. We don’t, because it’s not realistic. Just as important, it’s the wrong way to confront an already-nervous trainee. Instead, we start off with a discussion of the best practices in presentations, illustrated by our own presentation style. Then, in our role-playing, we build up the your confidence by starting with an easy presentation . . . offering more challenging questions only when you seem ready. We leave our you feeling confident, not shaken.
Here are some examples of speaking opportunities that our training can enhance:
New Business Pitches
You’ve got maybe ten minutes to present your case and get the business. And yours is about the fourth or fifth presentation your prospect has seen just this morning! We can teach you how to get your message across in a compelling, memorable fashion, whether it’s with flip charts, PowerPoint or just you speaking alone.
We’ll teach you and your team how to work the crowd, how to anticipate and then triage their tough questions, and finally, how to close the deal!
Expert Witness Testimony
No, we’re not talking about Perry Mason. Instead, this kind of testimony refers to presentations before regulatory panels and governmental bodies where precision is everything. Yet you want to appear confident and relaxed.
We’ll teach you how to convey your thoughts not only for the record, but also for the media in attendance. We’ll guide you through the intense Q&A that can feel like a cross-examination so that you stay in control, rather than feeling like a deposed witness. And we’ll show you how to avoid the off-hand remark to a reporter that might get you convicted in the court of public opinion!
Employee Presentations
Is corporate down-sizing on the way? What about the employee stock options that are now underwater? New competitors breathing down your neck? How about those grumblings about unionizing by the staff? Whether the news is good or bad, sharing it with employees face-to-face or by videoconference is crucial to being a credible manager.
We’ll show you how to get up in front of your staff and communicate even bad news effectively. We’ll teach you the techniques to turn around hostile questions and use them as opportunities to explain your views. Open, honest communication is crucial to your success, but you cannot communicate effectively by memo.
Financial Analyst Briefings
Your dreams are coming true as you take your entreprenurial baby and present it to the investment community. But in today’s market, will they buy in to your dreams? What will separate you from your competitor-wannabe’s? It’s more than just your product and your financials — it’s YOU who will make the difference.
We’ll show you how to prepare your case and make it compelling. We’ll show you the tricks of holding the attention of the disinterested and skeptical audience. And we’ll be there with you every step of the way, even after the training, thanks to our free follow-up policy.
Panel Discussions
You’re at your industry’s big annual convention and have been invited to speak on a panel discussion on the hot issue of the day. You’ll have five or ten minutes to speak and then handle Q&A from the audience.
We’ll show you how to make the most of your few minutes of audience attention, even if you’re the last speaker. We’ll teach you how to prepare high-impact, memorable remarks that make you stand out from the others on the panel. And we show you to how to be sure the media in attendance quotes you accurately.
Video Conferencing
New technology has brought new challenges to effective communications. While your “people skills” may serve you well in face-to-face contacts, something gets lost when you have to get your message across on camera.
Our extensive media training experience with satellite media tours can give you the skills to connect one-to-one with your audience, even if you’re thousands of miles away on the other end of a satellite link. We’ll show you how to achieve accuracy in your remarks without reading a speech or sounding like a robot.