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.

2


THAT WAS
TERRIBLE.

TALKING
IS EASY.


WE TALK EVERY DAY.

TALKING TO FRIENDS, FAMILY,
NEIGHBORS AND STRANGERS.
IS EASY. YOU KNOW YOUR VOICE AND
YOUR TONE.


SPEAKING
IS HARD.

PUBLIC SPEAKING IS THE #1 FEAR

GROUPS CAN BE ARE INTIMIDATING
SPEAKING
IS HARD. IT’S EASY TO FEEL ON THE SPOT,
ESPECIALLY STANDING IN FRONT OF
STRANGERS.


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
PRACTICE 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.


DON’T
PRACTICE.


MEANING, DON’T REHEARSE.

REHEARSED PITCHES SOUND ROTE
DON’T AND UNINTERESTING.

PRACTICE. REACT ORGANICALLY, IMPROVISE.

IF YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF, THIS IS
EASIER. SO...


KNOW
YOUR
STUFF.

SOUNDS OBVIOUS, BUT THIS IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN
DO.

THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE MORE
KNOW CONFIDENT YOU ARE.
YOUR SPEAKING WITH AUTHORITY WILL
STUFF. LET YOU RELAX, AND LET YOU
FOCUS ON THE STORY.

KNOWING AND BELIEVING IN THE
WORK WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER
ADVOCATE.


KNOW
YOUR
CLIENT.

KNOW TO WHOM YOU’RE GOING TO
BE PRESENTING.

HOW MANY? WHAT FORMAT? WHAT
KNOW MEDIUM? STANDING? SITTING?
YOUR RESEARCH THEIR BUSINESS AND
CLIENT. THEIR HISTORY.

KNOW WHAT THE GOALS ARE, AND
WHAT THEY NEED TO GET OUT OF
THE MEETING, AND STAY ON POINT.


READ
THE
ROOM.

PRESENTING TO SIX IS VERY
DIFFERENT THAN 20.

TRY TO SURVEY THE TONE OF THE
ROOM BEFORE YOUR MEETING
STARTS.
READ RELAXED? SERIOUS? CASUAL?
THE FIGURE OUT WHO IS SITTING
ROOM. 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.


TALK TO
#2.

THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT
PERSON ON THE CLIENT SIDE IS
YOUR FOCUS.

THEY WILL BE DOING THE HEAVY
LIFTING.
TALK TO
#2. THEY WANT APPROVAL FROM #1
(WHO IS ONLY THERE BECAUSE
THEY HAVE TO BE).

WIN THEM OVER, AND THEY ARE
YOUR ADVOCATE.


YOU ARE
THE
STORY-
TELLER.

GIVE YOUR PITCH LIKE YOU WERE
TRYING TO TELL A KID A STORY.
YOU ARE
WEAVE AN ENGAGING TALE. USE
THE EMOTION, HUMOR, DRAMATIC
STORY- PAUSES.
TELLER. KEEP YOUR ENTHUSIASM UP, BUT
DON’T BE ANNOYING.


BE
CONVERSATIONAL.


DON’T DICTATE. YOU’RE NOT
MUSSOLINI ADDRESSING THE
FASCISTS.

SPEAK IN A TONE THAT’S
APPROPRIATE FOR A CONVERSATION
BE YOU’D HAVE ONE ON ONE WITH
THESE PEOPLE.
CONVERSATIONAL.
CONVERSATIONS ARE 2 WAY
STREETS, SO LET THERE BE SOME
(CONTROLLED) INTERACTION.

CONVERSATIONS LET PEOPLE FEEL
ENGAGED.


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
SPEAK. SOMETHING, LIKE A TECHNICAL
PIECE.
DON’T EVEN THEN, DON’T.
READ.
OUTLINE YOUR PRESENTATION AS
BULLET POINTS TO HIT, AND THEN
SPEAK AROUND THEM.

DON’T READ OFF OF YOUR SLIDES
EVER.


LULLS
ARE THE
ENEMY.

A LULL GIVES LISTENERS AN EXUSE
TO LET THEIR MIND WANDER.

LULLS LOSE ALL THAT GREAT BUILT
LULLS UP EXCITEMENT.

ARE THE LULLS MEAN PEOPLE CHECKING
EMAIL, FACEBOOK, ETC.
ENEMY.
LULLS ARE AN EXCUSE TO INJECT
DOUBT INTO YOUR AUTHORITY AND
TO THE VIABILITY OF YOUR
CONCEPT.


DO NOT
TAKE
NOTES.

SOMEONE SHOULD TAKE NOTES.
THAT PERSON IS NOT YOU.

NOTES TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR
DO NOT FLOW.

TAKE NOTES CREATE LULLS, GIVE OTHERS
THE EXCUSE TO CHECK THEIR
NOTES. PHONES/EMAIL/TUMBLR.

AGREE ON WHO WILL BE TAKING
NOTES IN YOUR GROUP BEFORE THE
MEETING.


NEVER
APOLOGIZE.


APOLOGIZING FOR YOURSELF
UNDERCUTS YOUR AUTHORITY.

IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAVE BEEN
IN YOUR DECK, MAKE SURE IT IS.
NEVER IF SOMETHING IS SCREWED UP,
APOLOGIZE. ACKNOWLEDGE IT WITHOUT
FOCUSING ON IT.

PEOPLE WILL BE WARY OF YOUR
PITCH REGARDLESS - DON’T GIVE
THEM AMMUNITION.


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
BE IN VERY DRY SECTIONS.
FUNNY. 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.


MEET
STUPIDITY
WITH
GRACE.

PEOPLE WILL SAY STUPID THINGS.

THEY WILL SAY THEM FOR A VARIETY OF
REASONS:

MEET BECAUSE THEY ARE UNINFORMED
BECAUSE THEY AREN’T PAYING ATTENTION
BECAUSE THEY NEED TO JUSTIFY BEING IN THE ROOM
STUPIDITY BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT SMART

WITH REALIZE THERE IS NOTHING TO BE
GAINED BY PUBLICLY SHAMING THEM.
GRACE. EVEN IF YOUR CLIENT DOES IT,
ABSTAIN.

ANSWER AS GRACEFULLY AS POSSIBLE,
OFFER TO ELABORATE LATER.


YOU’RE PROBABLY RUSHING. IT’S
OK. JUST TAKE A BREATH.

TAKE A SIP OF WATER. USE THE
PAUSE. TIME TO RECALIBRATE YOUR
MESSAGE.

NO NOTES, NO LOOKING DOWN, NO
‘UM, UH’, NO PHONE!


WHERE
ARE YOUR
HANDS?

BE AWARE OF YOUR BODY
LANGUAGE.

ARE YOU SLOUCHING? HANDS IN
POCKETS?
WHERE
DON’T HOLD SOMETHING UNLESS
ARE YOUR YOU NEED TO. YOUR HANDS WILL
HANDS? SHAKE. A PAPER WILL MAGNIFY
THAT.

USE YOUR HANDS AS
PUNCTUATION, BUT TRY NOT TO
PUNCH YOUR CLIENT.


YOU
=
YOUR
CLIENT.

YOU’RE THE SAME: BOTH HUMANS.

YOU EVERYONE WANTS TO MAKE THE
RIGHT DECISION.
=
EVERYONE WANTS APPROVAL FROM
YOUR THEIR BOSS.
CLIENT.
YOU’RE PEOPLE. BE A PERSON,
TREAT THEM LIKE PEOPLE.


YOU’RE IN
THIS
TOGETHER.

MEETINGS AREN’T YOU DOING
SOMETHING TO THEM.

WE ARE A TEAM, AND OUR GOALS
YOU’RE IN ARE THE SAME.
THIS DO NOT APPROACH A MEETING AS
TOGETHER. ADVERSARIAL.

EVERYONE WANTS TO GO HOME
AND GET OUT OF THIS MEETING
HAVING REACHED A GOOD DECISION.


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.

BE THEY WANT TO BELIEVE IN YOU AND
TRUST YOU’RE A GENIUS.
ARROGANT. 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)


BE
HUMBLE.


TAKE CRITICISM HUMBLY, AND
LISTEN.

ACCEPT WHEN YOU MAKE
MISTAKES, AND ACKNOWLEDGE
BE THEY WILL BE CORRECTED.
HUMBLE. KNOW YOUR CLIENT KNOWS MORE
THAN YOU ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS.

LET YOUR IDEAS AND YOUR WORK
BRAG FOR THEMSELVES.


BE YOUR
BRAND.

YOU ARE REPRESENTING YOUR
COMPANY UP THERE, AND ARE A
LIVING BREATHING EXTENSION OF
YOUR BRAND.

BE YOUR THAT BRAND HAS A REPUTATION,
AND NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED.
BRAND.
UNDERSTAND WHAT DEFINES YOUR
COMPANY’S PARTICULAR
PERSONALITY, AND MAKE SURE
YOUR CHARACTER REFLECTS IT.


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.
BE YOU. YOU’LL BE MOST AT EASE AND
CONFIDENT IN YOUR OWN STYLE,
WITH YOUR OWN FLOW.

SO ROCK IT.


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.
PRESENTING DETERMINE SPEAKING ORDER AND
ON THE WHO WILL BE COVERING WHAT.

PHONE. SPEAK CLEARLY AND DIRECTLY,
NEAR THE PHONE.


POLITENESS CAN BE A PITFALL.

IF YOU BEGIN SPEAKING WHEN
SOMEONE ELSE BEGINS, DO NOT
YIELD. IT JUST ENDS UP SOUNDING
RIDICULOUS.
PRESENTING MAKE UP FOR LACK OF FACIAL
ON THE EXPRESSION AND FEEDBACK BY
ASKING MORE QUESTIONS TO SEE
PHONE. HOW THE INFORMATION IS BEING
RECEIVED.

BEWARE THE MUTE BUTTON (BOTH
USING IT AND THE CLIENT BEING ON
IT).


SPECIAL ADDENDUM:

PRESENTING TO
NON-AMERICANS.


BE
SIMPLE
AND
DIRECT.

FOREIGN CLIENTS WILL LIKELY ONLY
PICK UP ON 70-90% OF YOUR
BE MESSAGE, AT BEST.
SIMPLE WORSE IF YOU’RE BEING
AND TRANSLATED (“WITH INTENSITY!”)
DIRECT. THE MORE PLAIN YOUR LANGUAGE,
THE MORE EFFECTIVE.


AVOID METAPHORS, ADAGES, AND
BE PRETTY MUCH ALL CULTURAL
SIMPLE REFERENCES. THEY WILL FAIL.

AND HARDEST: ATTEMPT ONLY THE
SIMPLEST OF HUMOR. JOKES ARE
DIRECT. LOST IN TRANSLATION.


KNOW
THE
CULTURE.

BUSINESS CULTURE IS
NOTORIOUSLY PARTICULAR FROM
COUNTRY TO COUNTRY.

KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE CASUAL TO US,
MAY BE UNPROFESSIONAL OR
THE DOWNRIGHT OFFENSIVE.
CULTURE. MAKE AN EFFORT TO AT LEAST
LEARN THE BASICS OF THEIR
CULTURE, ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS AN
ONGOING RELATIONSHIP.


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.
SPOILER
THIS IS NOT IN YOUR INTEREST.
ALERT!
IN THE METAPHOR OF THE
STORYTELLER, THEY WILL HAVE
SEEN THE ENDING AND ALREADY
FORMED AN OPINION.


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
SPOILER ONCE YOU’VE LEFT.
ALERT! 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.


THANKS.


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

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