Biggest Public Speaking Mistake: Focusing on What You Want to Say

The single biggest mistake a presenter can make is to focus on what he wants to say. I imagine that after reading the first sentence of this blog, you’re questioning my sanity.  But it’s with complete mental clarity that I assure you that whether you’re the keynote speaker at a major trade show, addressing your board of directors or pitching a prospective client, you will only be successful if you view that speaking opportunity as a conversation — not a one-way presentation. What you say is only part of the story…

Too often we lose sight of the individuals in our audience — the human beings with their own agendas, needs, interests, pains and passions.  When we focus on building a connection — human to human vs. presenter/expert to audience or vendor to prospect — we ensure that what we’re saying will be heard.  Always anticipate the ways in which what you say will make the individuals in your audience smarter, better, more successful or even happier. Don’t jam-pack your presentation with everything you want to tell them about you, what you’ve done and why you’re so smart.  Good conversationalists knows that you want the person with whom you’re having a conversation to feel important, valued and appreciated.  Think about the times you’ve had a conversation with someone who made you feel as if you were the most important person in the world and that they wouldn’t be anyone else than speaking with you.  That’s how you want to connect with your audience when you’re a public speaker.  Demonstrate to your audience that you value their time, attention and intellect!

So don’t make the mistake of spending all of your time focusing on what you want to say.  Instead, focus on your audience.  The rest will follow — including what you should say, how much to include and how you should convey it.

Communication Lessons for Managers from Patriots’ Star Quarterback Tom Brady

The Great Communicator A surprising headline to find on page one of today’s Boston Globe Sports section.

The New England Patriots’ star quarterback, Tom Brady, is a coach on the field — “tutoring, correcting, cajoling, applauding.”   As Brady describes it, “You take the learning when it comes, but it’s a constant process.  It happens in the meetings, happens in the walk-throughs, and happens in the games.”

The article’s analysis of Brady’s role as a communicator and coach on his team offers the following ten tips for managers in the workplace.

1. Managing is a continuous process.
2. Managers should have a crystal clear sense of their role.
3. Managers need to listen, be open to questions from their team members.
4. Managers need to tune into all possible options and anticipate the “what if’s.”
5. Managers need to demonstrate a proven ability to execute.
6. Managers need to have a clear understanding of their company’s “game plan,” and be able to drive that game plan forward.
7. With consistent success comes greater trust by senior management to make independent decisions and improvise when necessary.
8. Managers need to master the details (as Brady needs to be a “master of the minutiae that decides football games”) while still maintaining sight of the big picture.
9. Managers need to be in sync with company leadership.
10. Managers need to share both accountability and glory.

Just One Thing

What’s your “one thing?”

May 2011 bring you just one thing. Focus and specifically focus on what really matters!

Today’s world conspires against being able to focus.  Text messages, Blackberry messages, IMs, Pings and e-mails.  Phone calls from clients, friends and family.   And our too-long to-do lists.  I’ve cautioned in previous blogs about too-long “laundry list” to-do lists. But today, in this new year, I’m proposing that you answer one question in order to determine how to spend your time.

What is the single most important thing you could accomplish today that would help you be successful? (Of course…it helps to have previously defined what success is.)    But once you’ve clarified what success means to you, would writing a blog, networking with 5 new potential clients, sending out a proposal, planning new service offerings, doing research, updating your website or simply de-cluttering your office be the most important thing you could do today?   The tough part is narrowing down your “would like to do’s” to that one, single most important thing.  Your day will still be busy with other meetings you need to attend, calls you have to make and deadlines you have to make.  BUT, you’ll be sure to accomplish the one thing that matters most!

Once you’ve got that one thing — just one thing — figured out, then you need to quickly set aside prime time (not later when you get to it or tonight after you’ve finished all your other work and will most likely feel too tired to think straight), identify what the first step will be and anticipate what the subsequent bite-size steps will be.

Then do it!

Remember you get to identify a different “just one thing” tomorrow.