Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Positioning Your Presentation & Communicating Your Message: Story-Telling 101

Courtesy of LeadershipIQ's Mark Murphy--one of my very favorite gurus:

There isn’t a presenter alive that doesn’t want their audience absolutely riveted; sitting on the edge of their seats with rapt attention. Yet, the reality in most presentations is that the audience is sitting back, kind of relaxed and spacing in and out.
Here Leadership IQ CEO and best-selling author, Mark Murphy, shares some ways anyone can deliver a killer presentation.

Q: You say storytelling is a critical element in delivering killer presentations that really catch and keep an audience’s attention. How does that work?

MM: It’s all about dopaminergic response. Basically, when something really interesting, like a good story, happens, the brain starts to light up. And if the story is really exciting, the amygdala gets involved (that’s what you want) and says, “Wow! This is fascinating stuff! I’ve got to start activating some of the other chemicals in the brain—we’ve got to pay close attention to this!” So it goes and starts activating dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter for highly pleasurable things, highly attentive things.

And whoa! Once dopamine gets involved people really start to pay attention. Plus dopamine helps sear whatever it is folks are experiencing (in this case, your killer presentation) into their memory so they don’t forget it. So a great story is a way of getting the brain to say, “I am really engaged with this. I don’t want to miss a word that’s being said here. I am going to remember every word I hear.”
Next time you’re listening to someone else’s presentation, pay attention and see if you experience any moments that leap out at you and just get seared into your brain. Where you walk out of there quoting something you just heard to everyone you run into that day. If you don’t have that kind of experience then it is likely that the person speaking didn’t get anywhere near activating anything beyond your prefrontal cortex. They didn’t get into your limbic system, and they certainly didn’t excite your amygdala.

Q: So what’s the secret to telling a great story that excites the amygdala?
MM: There are a number of different ways to tell stories that really get people’s attention. Here’s one that uses an unexpected twist. Imagine you began a presentation by saying, “Six months ago, we upgraded our servers. Our website visitor capacity doubled. Our website loading speed tripled. And our profits dropped by 80%.” You can do something like that. Take your audience in one direction and then all of a sudden take them in a totally different direction. That’s one of those things that will make people’s heads spin a bit and get them to think, “Wait a minute, did I just hear what I thought I heard? I better start listening more closely.” You can also tell stories that build an emotional connection or introduce a startling fact.

Q: What’s one big thing to avoid when giving a presentation?
MM: Narcissism. When you talk about others more than you talk about yourself, that’s good. But when you talk about yourself more than you talk about others, that’s bad. But that can be challenging in some presentation situations. Leadership IQ teaches presenters to apply the Narcissism Ratio which is a little check that signals when it’s time to tell a story or to talk about somebody or something other than yourself. That way you don’t spend 20 minutes talking about all of the awards your company has won – something about which your audience probably doesn’t care. And it directs you to talk about something about which they do care, something that’s really going to activate them and get them on the edge of their seats.
To apply the Narcissism Ratio to your next presentation, keep track of how many times you say “I” or “me” versus the number of times you say “customers” or “employees” or “you” or “they” or anybody other than you. It takes some practice, but it’s really quite an effective way to keep your finger on the pulse of where your presentation is going as it happens. That way you are always on track and making sure your  audience stays fully engaged.
For more tips on delivering memorable presentations, join us for our upcoming webinar The Secrets of Killer Presentations.

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Marcom Resolutions for 2013- GS Exec Didn't Get The Memo?

In the spirit of "..'Tis the season to opine about resolutions for the new year..." we noticed 2 media articles today that inspired comment.
1. WSJ's "Money's No Object for His Stereo Types" .
This article profiles the Manhattan-based uber luxe business "catering to sound system/stereo aficionados for whom "money is no object", according to the business owner and former corporate litigator-turned-Crazy Eddie-to-the-ridiculously wealthy. 

Apparently, one (presumably senior) Goldman Sachs employee didn't read what any half-wit would think was an existing  internal memo that eschews employees from being profiled by the media whenever the topic of conspicuous consumption is being reported. This fellow not only spoke with the WSJ reporter who wrote the article, but acknowledged having just spent more than $200k to outfit his home with a state-of-art sound system. Although he did request that his name not be used for the article, the fact that he avowed being a Goldman Sachs employee would seemingly be in bad taste, particularly on the eve of a fiscal cliff agreement that imposes significant hits to the average Joe's take home pay.

On a more proactive point, WSJ's "How to Be a Better Boss in 2013" came equipped with elementary reminders for corporate execs and entrepreneurs.. The take-aways included the following:


  •  The "reply to all" button is among the most misused—and reviled—pieces of office technology. At best, an accidental click can lead to an inbox-clogging chain of messages. At worst, it can cause a personal embarrassment before the entire company 

  •   Set clear goals slightly beyond your current abilities and list specific actions that advance you toward that goal. Those hoping to move beyond the plateau should also seek feedback. Without frank, even harsh, feedback, progress will likely stall. 

  •  You need to get out of your comfort zone. 

  •  A successful manager needs to convince people to do things. Frame a choice as leading to a potential loss rather than a gain. This can create a sense of stress—and help managers get things done. Example: A study in which a group of executives were presented a proposal for an IT project. Twice as many in the group approved the proposal if the company was predicted to lose $500,000 if the proposal weren't accepted, compared with a scenario that predicted that the project would lead to profits of $500,000. 

  •  Favorable outcomes almost double when we identify common ground with the other party in a negotiation. Find similarities between you and your customer—such as the car you drive or the age of your kids—and express them before you start negotiating with them over a contract or a price. 

  •  Achieving any goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers. One solution: If-then planning. Not only decide what you need to do, but also decide when and where you will do it, in advance. The general format of an if-then plan looks like this: If — occurs, then I will —. For example: When it's 3 p.m. today, then I'll stop whatever I'm doing and work on that project; If it's Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, then I'll go to the gym before work; If it's Tuesday morning, then I'll check in with all my direct reports.