Public Speaking & Presenting

Does the thought of presenting or speaking in public rock your very core? So many are paralysed - reduced to a hyperventilating, sweaty fight or flight muddle by the very thought of getting up in front of a group. And yet, having the presence to deliver your intended message in an impactful way is a vital foundation skill that we can all learn. I think that they should teach this stuff in school. And not only in the debating society. The ability to perform with passion and conviction is all about a simple change in focus - from ourselves to our audience.

So as a start, with a focus on your audience, you need to apply the power of PIE. That is Persuading, Informing, Entertaining or Educating. I'm not too keen on yet another acronym, however, we all like the power of PIE/Pi/pie.

This particular PIE is all about the purpose or objective of your talk - whether you are delivering to the members of the board or at a conference of thousands. What are you trying to achieve? Do you need to persuade; are you simply informing; does it need to be entertaining or is the purpose to educate? Once you are clear in your own mind, you have the flavour or tone of your presentation. The secret here is to keep the focus, don't waiver.

The charismatic Steve Jobs does it best:



Job markets - so many are electing to step out

So what's the world going to look like in the next three to five years? Along with the tough economic climate right now, so many are choosing to extend their education, embark on further education or take time off to see the world. In other words, they are electing to step out of these difficult, competitive job markets. But what happens when they need to step back in again. All at once? A plethora of well educated and school of life candidates on the market. A great shift - what impact will it have on job markets and how difficult will it be for those who are left behind in the education stakes?

I am not psychic, but I predict two things - the great divide between the educated and uneducated will increase dramatically, and with it all the socioeconomic stuff too. And the even greater divide between the developed and underdeveloped world will become almost insurmountable. Two parallel, totally disconnected streams that will shape things to come.

Kate Winslet's Oscar

I was up bright and early on Saturday morning in a London studio for BBC Radio Wales with Gareth Lewis, Sian Pari Huws and film critic, Damon Smith to discuss the do's and don'ts of award season acceptance speeches. Notably Kate Winslet's recent blunder at the Golden Globe awards where she apologised to Anne, Merryl, Kristen and forgot Angelina. I believe that this clip is now fast becoming a youtube classic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJGRnO93MXg.

I was delighted to see that despite a lot of rambling and rumbling in the press about insulting Hollywood royalty, Kate's blunder did not cost her an Oscar. And too that Slumdog got there - what a great night for the best of the Brits.

Leadership brands - the banks

I was watching the Treasury Select Committee's grilling of four former bankers last week. The interesting face of this story is the perception of banks in the broadest sense. When we look at the global brands that had until September last year have been synonymous with institution, due diligence, risk management, trustworthiness, solvency - we are now faced with an entirely different perspective. Bankers on the other hand have in recent years been perceived as risk-takers, financial wizards having a magic touch earning bonuses in multiple millions. The two have never really been congruent.

And with bankers bonuses being limited in bale-out banks, and the banks themselves being institutionalised, I believe that we are going to see very different leadership brands.

The premise of a strong leadership brand is that the leaders in the organisations they work for personify the aspirations of the corporate brand - and the successful application of this has a direct effect on the bottom line. So we expect that those working for Nike, swoosh, just do it - will in turn display the fundamental characteristics and personality of this well known brand - if they don't it, it has a negative effect on investors and customers alike.

And how will this now translate to the banks... with a whole new set of criterion, will the leadership in turn change dramatically to reflect the current situation? Somber leaders for somber times?

Job Losses

Whilst trying to get a feel for the numbers of job losses à la crunch I stumbled across an article in the Telegraph by Jamie Dunkley on the 2nd February titled Financial Crisis: Job Losses. It's worth a read as he diligently lists the 83,368 job losses in the four months prior (UK). And according to an influential report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development due to be published tomorrow, it seems that two out of five employers plan redundancies in the next three months.

This all begs a key question - what criteria will those who decide the fate of this soon to be unemployed workforce use to make their decisions? The obvious - closure of unprofitable business units will see unnecessary, un-transferable skills and expertise go first. The fat will be cut and under performing individuals will be next on the list. Plans for growth and expansion will be shelved for the time being and with it the associated headcount. And then the difficult bit. The bit that is based on how people are perceived vs. any of the above.

I was consulting with a client who was employed by one of the financial giants that lost its footing recently. He and a number of his team were subsequently reemployed by the organisation that bought out selected business units. He described the agonising process of picking the few who would stay. The cut was 30 out of an original team of 100. The under performers and skills mismatch were a no brainer, which left him with 60. Losing the remaining 30 was difficult to say the least. All qualified, experienced, skilled - all technically right for the roles.

It eventually boiled down to perceived soft skills and relationships. Now we all know that perception is reality. Or I should say, perception is a form of reality. It can be demonstrably false, and all too often it is. Those with the perceived soft skill smarts stayed, and those without, left.

There could not be a more urgent need for all of us to take a good look at the impressions we are creating in the minds of those who can and may affect our success in the future. And I am talking all areas that have an influence - our bosses, clients, investors, employees, suppliers, business partners, colleagues. Its not rocket science, its not complicated - but it does need attention, soonest.

At times like these, extraordinary times, some settle into an inertia born of a perceived lack of control over their destinies. And others reach determinedly for the next rung. They both take the same amount of energy with very different outcomes.

Learn how: Personal Branding - The Competitive Edge

Personal Branding Masterclass

The next personal branding masterclass is coming up on the 3rd February 2008. This is a half-day interactive workshop, from 8:30am - 12:30pm in Knightsbridge, London. Suited to those in business or the public eye, we will work through the same methodology that we use when consulting with clients on a one-to-one basis.

Places are limited so do book yours now: http://personalbrandmc.eventbrite.com

And Jonathan Isaby, Co-Editor of ConservativeHome.com writes about his experience of personal brand coaching in the February edition of Total Politics magazine - you can read his article here: Decontaminating your brand

Seven personal branding essentials for 09

Whilst many are focused on a dry January, nil-per-mouth and a gym membership to shift the holiday pounds, I thought I'd add to the mix with seven personal branding essentials for what promises to be an interesting year...

1. Perception is reality - spend some time discovering how you are actually perceived by your audience or markets - what you learn will give you invaluable clues as to anything that might be creating obstacles for you.
2. Really focus on what is distinct, different, memorable, unique, and ultimately compelling about who you are and what you do and find ways to demonstrate this to those who can influence your success.
3. Turn the tables and examine each market or audience that has an influence on your success from their perspective, and ask yourself what they want from someone like you – adapt how you deal with them accordingly.
4. Ensure that all of this is authentic and consistent – anything less will be perceived as untrustworthy and unreliable.
5. Take the lead in a variety of ways appropriate to your role and markets to demonstrate your brand - from initiatives to focus groups to keynote speaking or new endeavours – you will be associated with the topic and perceived as the person to go to in that field.
6. Relationships are key… ultimately we tend to go with those that we feel that we have some sort of emotional connection with – let your personality shine through in order to give others something to buy into.
7. Make sure that your image is not standing in your way… first and foremost it needs to be appropriate, which will communicate how you value yourself, leading others to value you in the same way.

Above all, don’t attempt to be anything other than yourself - just do it better.

30th October invitation...

Please join me in London at the Chicago GSB campus on the 30th October. I will be talking at a breakfast meeting - the topic is "Personal branding in an uncertain world: why it matters, how it works and how we can turn it to our advantage."

Who: CGSB, Insead, LBS and Harvard Alumni will be attending
What: Breakfast meeting
When: Thursday, 30th October 2008
Where: CGSB London Campus, Woolgate Exchange, 25 Basinghall St, London
Why: Soft skills are vital in tough markets
How: Register online to book your place

The event starts at 07:45am, will finish at 08:45am and costs £15.

We still have some places left, so please book as soon as possible - and for those of you who have already confirmed, thank you, I am looking forward to seeing you there.

Louise

Financial Crisis explained...

Adversity and wry humour are never far apart....

CEO - Chief Embezzlement Officer

CFO - Corporate Fraud Officer.

BULL MARKET - A random market movement causing an investor to mistake him/her self for some kind of financial genius.

BEAR MARKET - a 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewellery, and the husband gets no sex.

VALUE INVESTING - The art of buying low and selling lower.

P/E RATIO - The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing.

BROKER - What my broker has made me.

STANDARD & POOR - Your life in a nutshell.

STOCK ANALYST - Idiot who just downgraded your stock.

STOCK SPLIT - When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets equally between themselves.

FINANCIAL PLANNER - A guy whose phone has been disconnected.

MARKET CORRECTION - The day after you buy stocks.

CASH FLOW - The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet.

YAHOO - What you yell after selling it to some poor sucker for $240 per share.

WINDOWS - What you jump out of when you're the sucker who bought Yahoo @ $240 per share.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR - Past year investor who's now locked up in a nuthouse.

PROFIT - An archaic word no longer in use.

Do people see right through you?

In the tightening job market its more important than ever to stand out with a strong, robust personal brand. And for those who have lost jobs and are focused on getting back into the market - a strong brand will give you an all important competitive edge.

Last week, after five months of development and beta testing, we launched iWorkshop™ - the first interactive personal branding workshop available online. It feels extraordinary to crystalise an enduring, relentless niggling fascination with what makes one person succeed above others - into an application that can help people to stand out and shine.