Toastmaster Tips: 2013

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Overcoming the fear of speaking up

Overcoming the fear of speaking up takes an
overwhelming desire,
strong coaching, and
repetitive practice.
Then you will make a
powerful impression.

Overwhelming Desire – When your desire to overcome your fear of speaking up overwhelms your comfort to stay just like you are right now, then you are ready to learn a new skill.

Maybe you are facing a new position where you will need to speak up to be clearly understood and truly believed. Will you continue to let others pass you by out of your own insecurities?

Many are facing career changes: How will you set yourself apart from the herd in the interview process to be heard?

Strong Coaching - The sage revealed: "When you are ready, the teacher will appear."

We all know that skilled athletes only improve with the right coaching and mentoring. The same is true for every acquired skill, such as public speaking.

If you are trained by amateurs, then your will be skilled at an amateur’s level. Maybe that will get you by in some cases. Your competition is getting professional training, aren’t they? So should you.

Repetitive Practice – In continued practice we reduce our fears.

Of course, the practice has to be supervised by a pro, if you want to improve your speaking skills. Once you know how to do speak up, then you need to speak up over and over and over until you are no longer afraid.

You will see your fear diminish over time. You will also see that same fear diminish when you present to your clients.

Powerful Impression - When you consider you have 30 seconds to make a powerful first impression that will gain their interest – what do you do?

If you live in the Tampa Bay area and would like to see how the pros speak up, then come to at the next Dale Carnegie Course Free Session
>>> http://tampabay.dalecarnegie.com/events/dale_carnegie_course_free_session/

Come, be my guest, when you are ready,
Robert

Robert Graves, MBA, DCT
Director Business Performance Improvement
Dale Carnegie Training Tampa Bay
813-966-3058 direct cell or text
813-667-6224 Executive Assistant
http://www.linkedin.com/in/robertgraves
http://www.facebook.com/robertgraves2
http://dalecarnegieconnection.blogspot.com
http://www.CarnegieConnection.com/online.html <<< new online courses

“You will improve your life and
grow your business too
if you choose
the training that is right for you.”
~ Robert Graves

Thursday, October 24, 2013

5 Tips for Conducting a Successful Presentation

THE COACH'S CORNER

QUICK SUCCESS TIPS FROM THE CARNEGIE COACH

5 Tips for Conducting a Successful Presentation

Now more than ever, business professionals are being asked to give presentations with teams. Everyone on your team must hone their presentation and preparation skills for these types of team presentations to be effective. Professional team presentations involve thorough planning, smooth transitions, logical sequencing of subject material, and the ability to create a coherent professional message. Here are 5 steps your team should follow in order to have a successful presentation.

Powerful Opening Open up with a bang. You want to immediately engage your listeners and set the tone for the presentation. Make sure to plan your statement carefully and deliver a startling statement (statistic or fact) that you can drive home with sincere appreciation.

Introduction
After your opening, you should always briefly overview your agenda for the presentation and introduce all the members of the team. There are two different ways you can go about your introductions. The team leader can briefly introduce each member of the team and their respective role in the project, or each person can briefly state their own name and what their role will be in the project.

Handoffs Part of your preparation for the presentation should go towards planning your handoffs. A poor handoff may slow down the flow of your presentation and confuse the audience. To help ease the transition, you should keep to a strict time frame for each speaker and use verbal cues to indicate that the next speaker is coming up: "In a minute, Bob will tell us how the timeline will work." As a presenter, make sure you are listening so that you hear your cue.

Team Question and Answer Session
An effectively facilitated question and answer session will leave a lasting and positive impression on your listeners. It is important in a team presentation to plan and prepare for this session. Take some time to predetermine which questions/subjects of questions will be answered by which team member. Also, determine a cue that will let your team members know to add on to your point.
Close with an Impact
It is important that you end your presentation on a high note. The closing of your presentation will reinforce the message you want your audience to take away with them. You want to have one person, typically the leader, close for the team. At the conclusion of the closing, make sure that you efficiently gather any materials and equipment that you used.

If you live in the Tampa Bay area and would like to see how the pros present, then come to at the next Dale Carnegie High Impact Presentations Free Session >>> http://tampabay.dalecarnegie.com/events/free_session_high_impact_presentations/

Regards,
Robert

Robert Graves, MBA, DCT, CC/CL
Club Coach / Member Mentor

District 48 Area 41 Governor 2013-2014
Toastmasters International

813-966-3058 direct cell or text

813-667-6224 office

Robert.Graves@CarnegieConnection.com

www.Linkedin.com/in/robertgraves

www.Facebook.com/robertgraves2

http://DaleCarnegieConnection.blogspot.com

http://ToastmastersTips.blogspot.com/

Thursday, June 27, 2013

What does it mean to be a mentor?

I was asked what does it mean to be a mentor. Here's what I replied:

Being a mentor is a deeply satisfying experience. You watch another move through various stages of personal development, knowing you were there to encourage and give advice.

I think of 2 college Professors who took me under their wings and guided me in my career. I am eternally grateful for their inspiration and leadership. Now I try to pay that it forward with my friends at Toastmasters.

(Thanks Dr. Porter and Dr. Nichols – you guys were great!)

If you live in the Tampa Bay area and would like to see mentors in action, then come to at the next Dale Carnegie Leadership Training for Managers Free Session >>> http://tampabay.dalecarnegie.com/events/leadership_training_for_managers_free_session/