Presentation Pointers - January 2008

How's 2008 treating you so far? Things are a little crazy over here. I've got a bunch of new clients, my e-course relaunching any minute now, a book to write, new presentations to create, and a couple of joint ventures in the works.

And my modem got fried in a power outage and I have been without e-mail or Internet access for four days! This is causing the e-course relaunch to be delayed; hopefully I'm back online by tomorrow.

The big news is that my husband is opening a tea shop! The location is still to be determined, but everything is moving forward as planned. Of course, this means a little extra work for me, as we are partners in the business.

We've been invited to give a presentation next month to the local chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food. Since food people love to know where their food comes from, we're going to focus on how tea goes from leaf to cup. Did you know that all of your black, green, white, oolong and pu-erh teas come from the camellia sinensis plant?

In the same way that infinite varieties of cheese and wine can be made from one basic ingredient, the finished product - tea - depends on the local culture, the leaf varietal, the terroir (yep, just like wine), and the method of processing.

We're also going to facilitate a cupping, so that the audience can learn how to analyze the basic characteristics of dry leaf and infused leaf, and the color, aroma, flavor and mouthfeel of the tea "liquor." And last, we'll be pairing tea with food, because you can't have a food event without some good eats. Very exciting!

That's me. What's new with you?

News

~ The "7-Week Shortcut to Public Speaking" e-course is indeed relaunching soon, with additional content, video tips and mini-coaching. With my loss of e-mail and Internet access, I've been unable to complete the launch in the timeframe I had planned, so it's moving back a couple of days into February. I'm disappointed, but that's life, isn't it?

For the opportunity to register for one of only 25 available spaces before it goes on sale to the general public, sign up here.

I'm limiting the number of copies available because of the level of one-on-one attention I will be delivering with this e-course.

Blog 

In the Speak Schmeak blog this month, I shared words and phrases I'd love to see banished,  talked about how room acoustics affect your voice, posted a link to the (now) 77 blogs of the Public Speaking Blogosphere, followed up on previous articles about shyness and social phobia and misrepresented communication research, clarified shoe vs. choux, shared my process of developing a short presentation . . . and more!

If you like what you read in the blog, consider subscribing (look for the little button on the blog). 

Get notifications when new posts are added - it saves a lot of time, especially if you read a lot of blogs like I do. You can sign up for a blog feed reader (aka RSS reader), which is a service that lists all of the blogs you subscribe to on one web page, and shows updates as they happen. Neato!

Here are a couple of popular feed readers:

Bloglines

NewsGator

Google Reader

Feedblitz (delivers updates by e-mail)

Feature Article ~ Tough Topics, Tough Audiences

Every speaker has to deal with a difficult audience at one time or another. Some speakers, however, because of a topic that is inherently uncomfortable or considered controversial, will face these audiences more frequently.

It may be difficult to get a hostile audience on your side, but if they leave angry, uninspired, unmotivated and unlikely to act on your call to action, who's to blame? Yep, you. It's your job to make sure the audience "gets it."

Here are some tips for getting the audience to resonate with your message, even when they seem unlikely to respond to you.

Pointer 1: Know your objective

In order to develop your objective, it helps to know three things: Who’s your audience? What are their needs? What do you want them to do as a result of your talk?

For the purposes of this article, let's use the example of a mandatory corporate training on sexual harassment.

Who's your audience? 

* Employees who are not there by choice.
* Employees who have been harassed.
* Employees who have harassed someone.
* Employees who don't have any experience with harassment and think it has nothing to do with them.

Do as much research as possible with the hosting organization beforehand, but even making an educated guess, you can imagine the different experiences of your audience.

What are their needs?

* Some employees need reassurance that it's okay to report harassment.
* Some employees need encouragement to speak up to coworkers who make inappropriate jokes.
* Some employees need to know that it's not their fault if they're harassed.

What do you want them to do as a result of your talk?

* Do you want them to stop using inappropriate humor?
* Do you want them to spread the word to their coworkers?
* Do you want them to be more aware of what's going on around them?

Keep these issues in mind as you develop your objective. Be very clear about what your message is and who it's for.

Pointer 2: Meet them where they are

Some people in the room are uncomfortable. Some are defensive. Some are offensive. Some are just plain ignorant. How do you get past your own frustration about people not hearing your message?

One way to deal with the discomfort in the room is to bring it up. Ask, "Who's uncomfortable with this topic?" Some people won't raise their hands, because they don't want to be perceived as "emotional" or having any experience with your topic. That's to be expected.

However, some people *will* raise their hands, and by confirming that 1) the topic is uncomfortable and 2) it's okay to acknowledge the discomfort, you create a safer space for everyone in the room. Creating a safer space builds trust and makes audience members more willing to participate.

When dealing with someone who's defensive or offensive, first understand that they might not realize their comments or actions are disruptive. Don't assume they're out to get you. They may not know a healthy, respectful way to express what they're trying to say.

One way to deal with resistance is to say, "I understand if you're uncomfortable with this topic; it's not something we talk about every day." Or, "You seem upset by what I just said. Can you share your concerns?" Sometimes people who are being disruptive just want to be heard. By acknowledging their concerns without making judgment, you might just create an ally.

If someone is being outright rude, try ignoring their comments so they don't get any attention for their bad behavior. Dealing with hecklers is a whole other article!

Humor often can break the ice and lighten up the atmosphere when there's discomfort in the room, but be sure that your humor is suitable and doesn't single out anyone.

How about the people who are just ignorant? These can be the most difficult audience members to deal with, because they're not attacking you - they just don't "get it."

Sometimes it's hard for us, the "experts," to remember what it was like *not* to have the knowledge, experience and information that we have. We can easily get frustrated when we are unable to convey our message, and then we blame the audience for being "dense" or "resistant."

But as mentioned above, it's your job to make sure your audience receives your message. It's your job to get past their fears, concerns, or hostility. Understand where they're coming from and meet them where they are. A person only knows what he knows at that particular moment in time.

By the end of your presentation, you will have given the audience tools to expand their knowledge. But they come to you with their own collection of experiences and knowledge that may not coincide with yours. Don't blame them for not knowing what you know.

Pointer 3 : Engage the audience

By now, you've given the audience a reason to trust you. You've expressed respect for and openness to what they might be feeling and what they have to say. Now get them involved.

Create a strong opening. Tell a story that draws them in and makes them want more. Give a quiz that tests their knowledge in a lighthearted way. Ask a few questions to gauge their knowledge or interest and ask for a show of hands. Or share a statistic that will startle them and get their attention.

Use stories, examples and analogies that move them emotionally through anger, empathy or humor, to connect with them and help them understand your topic. Examples also allow the audience to relate your topic to their own lives. Making a human connection is the best way to get your message across.

Audience members can be uncomfortable, defensive, offensive, or ignorant. They can also be receptive, responsive and grateful for your expertise. Meet them where they are, respectfully and without judgment, and you'll find your audiences will "get it" every time.

Send your questions to me and you may see your issue in a future newsletter!