Tag Archives: public speaking

Emotions Shape Us –

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Human Emotions shape us. They shape us professionally and personally. They also have a stronger influence on our overall performance and satisfaction with life than we care to realize.

In talking with participants of a Much More Than Words workshop we ran back in the Autumn, I was reminded of how strongly I too felt when working overseas about ‘not being who I thought I was’. What I mean by that is that in another country and not being as able to express myself as well as I might in my own language, I somehow felt ‘less’ and undoubtdly lost out, as did the company in different ways.  psst

It was if I had lost part of my identity because I had mentally defined myself by what I did, rather than who I was. I felt as if someone was going to tap me on the shoulder and whisper ‘Psst… what are you doing here’ and that I was an imposter somehow because by the time I opened my mouth to say something, to contribute in team meetings, all too often the conversations moved on before I had a chance.The problem was not that I lacked the ability to speak in French,  but I lacked the confidence to just say what I meant and not worry about speaking perfectly.  I believe it was this lack of confidence in my early working life that led to emotions getting the better of me and working in the world of advertising, I needed to brave up fast, which I did but paid the price, a story or two for another day.

Lack of Confidence can mean missing out 

But I learnt plenty from those early years.  That our experiences and emotions do indeed shape us and as my career progressed, I had a responsibility to those who worked in my teams to make sure how I handled situations didn’t have a detrimental impact like some of my earlier experiences had on me. Whether you are working and speaking in your own language or another, self confidence is key to performance.

January 2017 Event Logo

The first Dublin breakfast event for 2017 – Contact Janie on 087 8572005 or click on image to book your place.

Had I been a stronger, more resilient person and not so self conscious perhaps my ‘strangeness’, my identity as the girl from London could have been used to my advantage, as ‘a wild card’ and I would have played it stronger. But my emotions won and got the better of me.

In the workplace, how we see ourselves and others see us impact hugely on our ability to perform.  How we are treated by our peers and those who lead the organisations we find ourselves in impact in ways previously considered less important perhaps than they are today.

The Organisation as an ‘Emotional Arena’

Dr. Annette Clancy from the Quinn School of Business in UCD  will be sharing invaluable insights on the 18th January, at the first of our Breakfast Events for 2017 to be held at the Bank of Ireland Enterprise Centre, Montrose, Dublin.  If you’re involved in HR or a leadership role and can make it, I feel sure this will be time well spent. If you’d like to know more, you can call me directly on 086 8572005.

simply click here to book your place. 

Places limited. Booking advisable.

 

When words don’t come fast enough

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Years ago when I was a fairly competent French speaker living and working in Paris, I loved the life I had. The only thing was that no matter how well I spoke the language, I often found that conversation progressed so fast that by the time I’d begun to speak, the moment was lost.  You may have experienced this too. Frustrated and disappointed often, I eventually lost confidence in my ability to contribute as effectively as I wanted to. I feel my employers lost out, I did and probably my clients at the time too – I hasten to add there were no complaints !!

CATCH 22

I didn’t want to draw attention to the fact I needed help. My employers assumed that everything was ok because once I was ensconced I managed to get my work done efficiently. No-one asked or guessed anything was wrong at all. I never voiced my concerns. But with the benefit of hindsight, what a lost opportunity for both parties.  I never realized my potential within the organisation and my value to the company was not maximized.  Had I received more than basic induction training, which really revolved around product only I probably would have still been living in France.  Ah. C’est la vie…

Training needs are hopefully better identified these days, but I’m not entirely convinced. Technology is making so many every day tasks faster and in many instances being automated, thereby reducing the need or opportunity for human intervention. And yes, never has the need for human connection been greater. 

IS THERE SOMETHING MORE ABOUT THE 80/20 RULE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT?

If more than 80% of our satisfaction in life comes from our relationships with others, the need to connect and communicate effectively and especially in a business environment  appropriately, boosting core communication skills and language competency where it is most needed has to be an integral part of a continual program of professional development.

I’ve been that executive working overseas, involved in client meetings, team meetings, training sessions. More recently, in Italy where people have been amazingly receptive to any efforts I make, once the conversation gets going, that sinking feeling returns as I cannot keep up enough to join in the conversation and I can feel my stress levels rising as I struggle to make sure I’ve understood the salient points of a meeting.

Emotions play havoc with our minds.  This we know. What we don’t fully appreciate is quite how this triggers unhelpful patterns of behavior, what employers can do to help and how we can help ourselves more.

It’s not rocket science and particularly as in Ireland the workplace is becoming more culturally diverse, we need to be more aware that many international employees are often doing jobs because of their native language and sometimes multilingual abilities  which is great for the clients they service. It may leave a gap where their Confidence and Competence (two words which in themselves can sound remarkably similar when mispronounced by a non native English Speaker!) in using English effectively may be slowing down the rate at which they integrate and contribute within their teams and the company overall. The greater the levels of engagement, the greater the performance.

Many people I work with whose first language is English lack confidence, fear public speaking and hate making presentations so it is easy to understand the difficulties facing non native English Speakers. I know. I’ve been there. And yes, lack of confidence, disappointment can play havoc with one’s emotions !

Much More Than Words specializes in working with International Executives boosting language competency through the provision of Professional and Personal Development.

‘the organisation as an emotional arena’  

18 January 2017 –  7.45 – 9.30 am

Be part of this conversation with Dr. Annette Clancy, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at UCD College of Business as she shares invaluable insights at our first Breakfast Meeting of 2017 for HR Specialists.

 MUCH MORE THAN WORDS

proud to be hosted by the Bank of Ireland

at the new Enterprise Lounge at UCD, Montrose

Contact Janie: 086 857 2005 

booking advisable

too fast?

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Be courageous enough to pause and give your audience time to think. That means slowing down your points of wisdom to the point that people can hear a penny drop. 

-Ron Arden

I just can’t help it. My nerves get the better of me and my mouth just runs away with me.

Well, I am sorry, you can.   

In training people often tell me how worried they are about getting all of their information out in the time they have to present, they felt they just want to get it over with, want to give as much information as they think they can jam in.  The result is they just rush, rush, rush and the presentation comes out almost as a stream of unstructured information. Just think about what this means.  The message a poor presenter who rushes through their slide show or talk says quite clearly:-

a) I have not prepared my work well enough to deliver the salient points succinctly

b) I don’t care if people cannot understand what I’m talking about because I’m talking too fast

c) I do not respect my audience sufficiently to give this presentation the way it should be

And the final message he/she is indirectly giving out is  ‘I do not believe that my reputation or that of the organisation I represent is worth upholding.’  OUCH.

Pretty shocking really, isn’t it?

 

Now, let’s re-write this scenario and imagine a situation where a presentation has been worked on and you conclude your presentation and receive a great heartfelt round of applause – and know you deserve it.  That is such a great feeling and you can achieve such an outcome when you’ve prepared with the audience in mind. Try using this to guide you:-

First Hot Three Tips – For a Successful Presentation 

I’ve given these in ‘3’s’, as this seems to be easier to remember.

Before anything, consider what the objective of your presentation is and ask yourself why you have been asked to deliver it. Then consider your audience, be it of one or to many people.

  1. Who am I presenting to?
  2. What time has been allocated?
  3. What is the most relevant information can I give in the time available 
What you are doing here is 'starting with the end in mind'

 

Next Steps

Now you know your audience, time and key information for your content, you need to think about:-

  1. The key message
  2. The structure and delivery –  to make it both interesting and appropriate, making sure you have an opening to get people’s attention, enough substance to hold their interest and a strong closing which reminds the audience why you were the right person for this occasion.
  3. The audience ‘take-away’, focusing on 3 key points  –  ‘sound-bites’ or ‘nuggets’ you want your audience to remember
Try mind-mapping to give you an outline - what I call 'the presentation framework'

 

Now for the Hard Work

  1. The CREATION, writing, editing, souring of images
  2. Continual EDITING ensuring your pitch, pace and strategic use of pauses all add, never distract and only what is useful remains. You may use story telling, or another delivery style to weave together your content to make your presentation flow
  3. Rehearsal, PRACTICE, time and time again.  Refining more and more each time.

 

this is the magic of 'how' you bring it together to make your presentation flow

 

It sounds so easy. And it is .. incredibly easy to get it wrong.  It is all about common sense.

When you don’t allow for the PAUSES, you are not giving your audience time to think, time to process the valuable information you have prepared.  When you talk too much and ad-lib, you are likely to move away from your key message and run overtime, disrespecting your hosts and if other speakers are following your speaker slot, your overrun may literally ‘steal’ their time, as they are obliged to keep to the overall schedule and cut their speech or presentation short.  It will nearly always take longer to deliver than you think, so be stringent in your editing. LESS IS MORE.  More memorable, more digestible, more enjoyable. For your audience and for you.  The more experienced you become, the more competent you will be and the more effectively you will be able to move ‘off script’ but as a new presenter, it is best to follow guidelines.

 

If you’d like to work with me on a one to one basis, or are interested in group training for your organisation, click to contact me directly or phone me on 086 8572005.

 

 

 

 

English not your first language?

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Make no mistake, the reality of the workplace today is that international employees are expected to be able to contribute effectively to their teams and within the organisation FAST. Usually within a very short time of starting in their new job or if they have been there a while and have been promoted, of taking up a new role.  Their company expects them to be able to communicate competently and confidently with colleagues and clients.

Employees who do are in many cases quickly recognised, rewarded and often promoted.  Those who simply keep their heads down and work hard are often overlooked, their abilities under-estimated and their contribution under-valued and their potential also overlooked.

The very fact that they are employed in many instances because of their native language abilities and may be talking for most of the day in their own language, or languages other than English sometimes, just sometimes is easily forgotten.

And yet, English is the most used language of international business and frequently the common language amongst a multi-cultural workforce.

What’s my point here?

The point is that no matter how well you may understand English, be able to work in English, the more confident a communicator you are, the more you will gain out of your life professionally and personally.

The more proficient you become, the sooner you can integrate more fully, engage with your colleagues and within your community and contribute more effectively.

This makes for a happier and satisfying life for you too, as well as for your company and the company’s customers too. For business owners, the same applies : happier clients and happier staff.

Effective communicators save time and confident communicators connect more easily, whether it is on a one to one basis or many.

Why is this so important?

Clear communication means more effective collaboration.  Better collaboration means things get done faster, usually better with less mistakes or misunderstandings. Which means the bottom line for a company, their profit margins are higher !!

But it’s not as easy as it sounds, is it?  When you’re a non-native English speaker just finding your feet in a new country, in a new environment, everything can be difficult and extremely challenging. We know this and it is why I began to think how to help and with Andrea Goldman, we’ve developed the Much More Than Words integrated approach to language learning which also tackles the issue of confident communication in the workplace. What it does for professionals is to:

  • Improve your command of English, to help you know how to use the language appropriately and effectively.
  • To understand how to communicate your message, spoken or written in the way in which it can produce the best outcome.
  • And develop your own personal style, which we call your own ‘conversational style’, so that you can talk naturally, feel comfortable and present with confidence.

    If you’re in HR, I’d love to have your feedback

There is a full Professional Development Program available and it starts with the Essential Core of Communication.  No matter how much technology advances… we all love to talk and be heard..  Feedback and all views welcome 🙂

You don’t sell…. really ?

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So many people believe they can’t sell, won’t sell and as a result, don’t sell.  But we all do sell .. all of the time whether we’re aware of it or not.  Friend to friend, parent to child, amongst colleagues.  We’re in a constant flow of collaboration.  What makes each connection work even better? Quite simply, when the focus is on what we are doing for the other person, rather than what we are hoping to get out of it

Listening rather than waiting to jump in with what we anticipate what we think someone wants to hear before we’ve heard them out.  Staying silent when that’s what is needed or appropriate. Being constructive in our comments, not destructive or devastating when there is no need.

Easier said than done. Of course.  But back to selling.  For success in sales, compelling communication is crucial and developing your own style is key. When you’re more comfortable and relaxed,  people feel more inclined to engage with you.  Logical really. It’s a win/win situation.   If any of the following describe where you’re at right now, then take a look at how effectively you’re presenting. Whatever you’re working towards, whether it is a speech, a presentation, a pitch, just remember be clear about what you want people to remember. And most of all, remember…

People remember how you make them feel

Remember…The sales process is NOT about YOU. People prefer to do business with people they like.  The most important reason someone does business with you, is because of YOU and how you make your customer feel. The sales process is about how your customer feels, you  have to give clearly demonstrate  why they should buy from you.  Remember too, just because you are ready to sell something, now may not be the time for them to buy even if they want what you are offering. Give them a reason to choose YOU.  To come back to you if the time is not right.  Think about it, what sets you apart.  What can you do that makes their buying and post sales experience better than anyone else can provide.  Build that loyalty, over-deliver and you’ll deserve their business.  Fall short and someone else will fill that gap…. Fast.


Professional Self Smarter TipRemember…..You are only as good as the service you give your customers. As well as doing a great job,  It is not enough just to do the job well, you need to over-deliver and give your customers much more in terms of service.  This is what will set you apart and creates customer loyalty. Always remember…..People remember how you make them feel.


Professional Self Smarter TipRemember…..Delivering a good service is only part of the unspoken ‘Rule of Engagement’. Ask yourself each time you meet with a customer, what worked, what can I do better next time?

Professional Self Smarter TipWhen you don’t secure a sale, there’s a good reason why…. When you’ve done your pitch and your customer is  not willing to commit, there’s every likelihood, you’ve not convinced them you’re the right choice. Perhaps there is some fear or risk attached to your customer making that commitment. Some people don’t like to say no or perhaps, the person you’ve just presented to is NOT the decision maker. Price, lack of trust or confidence, unsuitability of what you’re offering are all possible reasons for not buying from you.  All possible reasons that you could, if you had been listening or asking the right questions, have known before the end of your presentation.The real questions after an unsuccessful pitch include…….. Did I establish any level of rapport? Did I know what this customer is expecting out of my pitch? Did I ask enough to establish what their motive for buying and degree of urgency to buy before pitching? Did I make a real value proposal in light of this knowledge? If someone wants to think about your proposition, usually  they want a better price, are not the decision maker, or think they can get a better deal elsewhere. If you find yourself in this position and they want more time to ‘think about it’, ask how long do they think they need and agree a date to revisit. Ask too, what else can you do to help them decide.

 

Professional Self Smarter TipRemember…. People Buy from you because of YOU……

So…. You need to be liked and trusted to secure the sale. Finding your own style of presenting yourself and your company is crucial.  When you feel comfortable, you’ll communicate well and with integrity.  Then, you begin to build trust.

Professional Self Smarter TipSee Failure as an opportunity.  When you don’t get the result you anticipated, it’s a great opportunity to learn from the experience.  An experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want – and is worth it’s weight in gold !

Perhaps MOST important of all..

221-121aRemember… you have two eyes, two ears and one mouth for a reason !!

So, in the words of Oscar Wilde “Be yourself, everyone else is taken”. Develop your own style that you’re comfortable with and see your business relationships flourish.

mailto:janie@janielazar.com where you’ll get practical advice, build on the skills you already have, and remind yourself of skills you’ve forgotten!

 

human capital..?

So much is written about companies investing in their staff.  They pay huge (sometimes well earned) recruitment fees to find the right employees.  Then pay for them to move countries often, settle their families and then – it’s a case of sink or swim.  People, that’s all of us. People are assets.  People are what companies invest in. But to what degree?  How much practical help is given to non native English Speaking International Employees?  How quickly are they able to integrate, engage and actively contribute and belong?  Language competency in a language that is not your own is only one part of the equation, having the confidence to use it is another, making a real connection is where the magic happens. Only when a person feels comfortable will they begin to fully integrate. Only when they fully integrate can they engage.  Only when they can engage will they contribute fully to their team and their company.

If this post resonates with you, either as an HR Professional, or an international employee,I’d love to hear your views.  You can also contact me directly to hear more about how Much More than Words can help. 

 

MUCH MORE

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When English is not your first language and giving presentations stresses you out, then I have a solution…

 

If you really want to boost your English Language Competency & Essential Communication Skills, then much more than words could be for you.MMTW.FB You may already have a good command and understanding of the English Language, or perhaps understand a reasonable amount, but every time you want to contribute something to the conversation, BANG, the moment has gone.  You stand up to give a presentation and your mind goes blank. You freeze. Do not panic! Once we’ve worked with you and you know how to communicate and present effectively – and as importantly you understand why you feel the way you do, you’ll be fine !

Along with my Co-Founder Andrea Goldman, we’re running a mini TWO session workshop hosted by the Bank of Ireland, Grand Canal Square – and  this is a FREE event.  You must be available to attend both  sessions and ONLY 12 PLACES ARE AVAILABLE

If you’re interested, check out the website and contact us to reserve your place..fast ! 

learn by looking … closely

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Want to really Speak with Confidence?

One way to quickly improve your speaking skills is by listening and watching yourself and others.  Go on to U-tube and you’ll find some amazing tutorials.  You’ll find people who are at the top of their game and their advice is invaluable.  Go one step better and start videoing yourself, learn to let your personal, conversational style of presenting, of talking to camera develop.  Only by seeing yourself on camera will you really understanding how to improve.  Share the videos with an honest colleague or friend, learn to take advice from others and watch yourself improve.  If you’re serious about developing your personal Conversational Style, then click read more and to check out our workshops.  If the notion of developing your public speaking and leadership skills on a regular basis appeals to you, then consider organisations like Toastmasters where you can learn in a supportive environment.  Contrary to popular belief, Toastmasters gives you far more than public speaking skills.  Visit a local club or two and see for yourself. 

 

are you worth listening to?

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Yadidagh, didagh, dagh…..

How many times have you sat listening to an expert yet….. been bored rigid?  Even been on the brink of nodding off? You know the speaker knows their stuff but boy, you’d wonder if they’ve ever seen themselves on video or played back a recording of their talk.  Yet, we know that Confident Communicators Inspire!  They motivate.  They fire us up and feed our insatiable appetite for learning even more.  The best leave us wanting more… every time!  Wanting more Knowledge.  More of their books.  More of them.  Which makes you realise, in the sales process, people buy because of you.  You are that special ingredient, which is why developing your own conversational style that allows your personality to come through is so important.

PRACTICE MAKES BETTER……..If people give their time, their attention, even their money, then there is a responsibility and respect that needs to be given……WINGING IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH ! We owe it to ourselves and to anyone who is generous enough to listen, to do the best we can.  The question is do you? 

To become a more effective speaker, consider joining us for a practical workshop
 

 

 

Introverts make great Speakers too

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If you thought only extroverts make great Speakers, think again.  Introverts make great speakers because they master the skill of speaking in public and know how to capture the attention of their audience. Check out Susan Cain on TED Talks and you’ll see what I mean. TED TALKS are a great way to learn how to hone your speaking skills, as well as filling those moments when the person you’re waiting for is running late!

Described as a quiet revolutionary, Susan Cain’s book  ‘The Power of Introverts’  will change your perception of Extraverts/Intraverts.   Well written, well researched.  Well worth buying and taking the time to read. Just listening to her talk, you’ll see how captivating a well structured and prepared a well researched speech can be, especially when the subject is something the writer feels so close to.  Listen to her talk by clicking on the link below.

http://www.ted.com/speakers/susan_cain.html

http://www.ted.com/

janie-saysthink of giving a speech as a conversation……talking is performing and you can do it too…