How To Present September 2011

20
www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 1 SEPTEMBER 2011 IN THIS ISSUE David Penglase CSP, Master Presenter shares his tips for professional presenting How to build intentional TRUST relationships Success Stories Presentation Guiding Principles Using questions in your business PITCH Analysing the audience PowerPoint tips PLUS: Parents Corner Reduce the National Sleep debt! www.michellebowden.com.au

description

A magazine full of tips and techniques for improving presentation skills and public speaking in the workplace.

Transcript of How To Present September 2011

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 1

SEPTEMBER 2011

IN THIS ISSUEDavid Penglase CSP, Master Presenter shares his tips for professional presentingHow to build intentional TRUST relationshipsSuccess StoriesPresentation Guiding PrinciplesUsing questions in your business PITCHAnalysing the audience

PowerPoint tips

PLUS: Parents Corner Reduce the National Sleep debt!

www.michellebowden.com.au

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 2

Michelle’sUpdate

Welcome to the September issue of How to Present! This issue is packed with articles that will assist you to present with greater confidence and influence at work.

I’m in the middle of a national speaking tour for a fantastic client at present. We are having a ball and the delegates are enjoying themselves tremendously. I sat in a hotel room in NZ (yes I know, get out your violins!) changing openings and closings, crafting new stories and planning how the flipcharts should look. Then I deleted some slides and added others and changed examples so they were completely relevant. And it occurred to me more than ever how it takes time, effort and commitment to make sure each and every audience is completely delighted. A joke that might work with one group simply won’t work with another. An image on a slide that works for one country doesn’t necessarily mean anything to the people from the same organisation who work in a different country. An icebreaker that works in Sydney maybe isn’t going to ‘land’ the same in Melbourne. Time and time again I’m reminded of my own mantra “it’s NOT about me, it’s ALL about the audience!” Put in this effort and it’s so rewarding for everyone involved. In this issue I’ve shared some of my other guiding principles for effective presenting for you.

And check out this handsome fox on the cover this month! David Penglase is a lovely guy and a master of the sales process, and he’s got lots of fancy academic quals too! I think you’ll enjoy his article on building intentional trust relationships and his tips for presenting in business,

PLUS read, tips for trust at work, using questions in your business pitch, how to use a remote with your slides properly as well as tips for parents and some inspiring success stories.

Plus, how proud am I? Maddie Bowden (aged 9) won her public speaking competition at Parliament House. You can see her photo on the back page! You’re never too young to become an exceptional communicator!

So grab yourself a ’cuppa’, put your feet up and have a read! And most importantly, make sure you put the invaluable advice into immediate action so you see some fast results. Happy Presenting!

Who is Michelle Bowden?

Michelle is an expert in influential

presentation skills in business. She

has run her 2-day Influential Presentation Skills program over

550 times with many thousands of

people and she’s been nominated

for Educator of the Year 3 years

running. Michelle is one of only 25

Australian females who is a

Certified Speaking Professional -

the highest designation for

speakers in the world. For a list of

Michelle’s clients please go to:

www.michellebowden.com.au

DIARYDATES

INFLUENTIAL PRESENTATION SKILLS(2-day Public Program)

Join Michelle at her next public program IN SYDNEY:

• November 22-23• December 13-14

BRISBANE:September 6-7To register or chat about your specific needs please email:[email protected]

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 3

MARINA PAWLEYBUSINESS LIAISON CONSULTANTSINGTEL OPTUS

Marina has over 9 years experience in the telecommunications industry, as a Territory Manager, Learning and Development Consultant and most recently as a Business Liaison Manager. Outside of work Marina runs a Jazzercise fitness class and attends acting classes. Having previously studied Public Relations, Marina is now completing a Business Degree via correspondence.

What kind of presenting do you do?

Every time I communicate at work, I’m presenting in some form, whether it’s formal presentations to customers and senior leaders, informal presentations to team members, and

even an email or phone call. Often I’m presenting to people I’m meeting for the first time which can test the nerves.

What prompted you to attend Michelle's Influential Presentation Skills program?

I knew I wanted to be an exceptional presenter, but I didn’t know how to get there! I’ve always admired the leaders at my work and their ability to connect with their audience and inspire others. I’ve sat in some meetings over the duration of my career where the presenter had little connection with their audience. And I’ve also sat in meetings where the presenter was simply amazing, inspirational and really impressive. There are many inspirational leaders at my current organisation and I realised that if I ever wanted to be an influential leader, I’d need to fine tune my own skills so that I could bring my team members on the journey with me.

In general, what positive outcomes have you achieved from improving your presentation skills?

I’ve been asked to share my experiences and thoughts as a presenter through a mentoring program at work but I’ll admit, I’m using Michelle’s ‘Don’t Picture me Naked’ book as my bible. I was also asked to be master of ceremonies at a work annual award night and present at our quarterly divisional meeting.

The best thing is the confidence and skills that Michelle’s program has given me not only in the workplace, but also outside of work. Presenting and being on stage has given me the confidence to take up acting classes and teach fitness classes in my spare time. So attending Michelle’s training was one of the best things I have done for my own personal development.

SUCCESS STORIES!

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 4

MARINA PAWLEYBUSINESS LIAISON CONSULTANTSINGTEL OPTUS

How did Michelle's program change your attitude to presenting?

I realised that it is ok to be yourself, stand out and shine as long as you are well prepared and have a clear message. I particularly love this quote that Michelle introduced me to as it really captures how I now attack my presentations.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ʻWho am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?ʼ Actually, who are you not to be? … Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory…that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others".

By Marianne Williamson

In what specific ways have your presentation skills improved since completing Michelle's training?!

Now every time I present, I spend time planning my message and approach. I think about the audience, and the fact that they are giving up time in their day to listen to me! How can I make the message relevant to them? What do I want them to walk out thinking? Do I have a call to

action? I’ve also learnt to reduce the number of PowerPoint slides so that they are not the focus of the presentation. The benefits are huge! There is less confusion for the audience, I don’t have to repeat or clarify my message, the audience walks out knowing what the next steps are, and no-one has suffered ‘death by PowerPoint’.

What were your top three take aways from Michelle's program?

1. Know your audience

2. Plan your message and rehearse

3. Have fun and be yourself

SUCCESS STORIES (CONT.)

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 5

A guiding principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning. It assists you to stay on track so you are more likely to achieve your goals and ambitions.!

I have come up with some guiding principles that will help you to serve your audience, communicate clearly and achieve your objectives when you are presenting in business.

If you’re really serious about becoming an exceptional presenter who is able to influence your audience to think and behave as you require then these guiding principles could be your presentation mantra every day you go to work!

■ It’s not about me. It’s all about the audience!

■ I respect my audience, prepare in advance and strive to master my craft.

■ I am awesome! I will strive to be as good at being myself as possible.

■ It doesn’t matter how good my message is if no-one’s listening!

■ Presenting is a lot more than a nice voice, good body language and some PowerPoint slides.

■ Presenting is about connecting with people through the words I choose to say and the way I choose to say them. I will choose carefully!

Please consider emailing me with your thoughts after implementing these principles into your everyday presenting and communication. [email protected]

Happy Presenting!

MICHELLE’S PRESENTATION SKILLS GUIDING PRINCIPLES

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 6

As you know, audiences are made up of a variety of different people with different ideas, different attitudes and different approaches to tasks and challenges.

They attend your presentation with all sorts of things going on in their minds, distractions and agendas, many of which are not related to your presentation!

And interestingly, many presenters forget this when they present to their audience. They just talk about the things they want to talk about. They have little concern for what the audience needs to hear. And they generally have very few links from their content to the audience and the audience’s needs.

If you want to bring your audience on your journey you need to know ‘where they are’ in their heads before you begin to speak.

In the early stages of the presentation design phase you need to step into your audience’s shoes and decipher what they are thinking about you and your message, so you can shift them to your way of thinking.

In this busy life we lead, it’s often difficult to find the time to reflect on your audience.! If you can make some time to do it anyway you will find that the rest of your preparation is quick and easy.

When you think deeply about who will be in your audience, what they might be expecting from you and what you are trying to achieve, you’ll be ideally placed to affect a change in their attitudes and behaviour.

I suggest you aim to take your audience members on a journey: one that transports them from their current mindset, to where you need them to go.

This approach will work much better than simply expecting your audience to adopt your views, interpret information or reach conclusions in the same way as you.

Happy Presenting!

SHOULD I ANALYSE MY AUDIENCE?BY MICHELLE BOWDEN

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 7

TRUST RELATIONSHIPS AT WORKBY HANNAH SAMUEL

Almost without exception, one of the biggest concerns people have about their personal or professional reputation is the impact the people they work with have on it.!‘I can guarantee to deliver on the promises I make’, they say, ‘but I have less confidence they’ll deliver on theirs?’!Indeed, one of the most frequent reasons people move on from a role has little to do with their job, it relates to feeling undervalued, and wanting to work in a culture with greater trust.!

Fortunately, behaving in a way that builds trust amongst colleagues is relatively straightforward:!Be TruthfulBe open and honest. Not only does it help you sleep well at night, it also enables informed decisions to be made. Avoid making untrue or misleading claims which could come back to haunt you and raise doubt about your integrity and ability to deliver.

Be RespectfulThe best way to find out how someone wants to be treated is to ask them! The saying ‘do unto others as you would have done unto you’ should be avoided. Instead, ‘do unto others as they would like you to do unto them!’

Be UnderstandingAvoid making assumptions or jumping to conclusions. Keep communication channels open and respectful to ensure you are both clear on what’s required before agreeing deadlines and outcomes.

ServeYou’ll do them, and yourself, no justice at all if you over-promise and under-deliver. If you can’t deliver what’s being asked of you, it’s better to

say so up-front so you can both make informed decisions about how to move forward effectively.

Be ThankfulGive credit where credit’s due, and deal with people with an 'attitude of gratitude’. Not only will this help colleagues feel valued and valuable, it will also increase the chances of them going ‘above and beyond’ for you when needed in the future.

Building high-trust/high-value relationships with your colleagues and peers will allow you to put your reputation on the line more willingly and enhance interpersonal relationships for both personal and professional success.

Hannah Samuel is The Reputation Champion. Professional speaker, author & reputation advisor. She passionate about creating trust and working with integrity, values and ethics.www.hannahsamuel.com

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 8

PITCHING? USE QUESTIONS...BY ANDREW GRIFFITHS

At the Key Person of Influence Conference in Melbourne recently I was fortunate enough to meet Ian Elliot. Ian was Chairman and CEO at Australia’s largest advertising agency, George Patterson Bates, before retiring from those roles in 2002, and he is the author of, Stop Bitching, Start Pitching – the 9 success steps to winning business. Ian shared some of his best ideas for pitching.

One of the first points that really resonated with me was when Ian Elliot stated that most sales people, or people pitching their business, get it wrong from the minute they open their mouth. Their “pitch” generally consists of a boring, monotone rendition of their company brochure or website – in other words, they make it all about them instead of being all about the customer.

Any sales pitch should be about the customer – not about the business trying to do the selling. This means starting off by asking questions and collecting information that will give you the information you need to make a positive and integral recommendation to the customer.

How often do you get asked intelligent, probing, specific questions from a sales person? I can only remember three times in the past four years.

Many years ago when I started selling I remember having the concept that the sales pitch is all about the customer drilled into me by my sales mentors. But like many people, when I got nervous I pressed “play” and started spouting a pile of facts and figures about the company I worked for.

I started to get exceptional sales results when I overcame my nerves and mastered the art of

asking questions and asking good questions of all of my sales prospects. In fact, I would spend 80% of my meeting time asking questions and 10% of my time recommending a product or service and the final 10% of my time signing-up the customer. The more you do it, the better you will get at it. So, the moral is; to ask better questions, long before you start to tell the customer about your products or your business. !The questions you ask need to give you answers to the following:

1. What does the customer actually need (or think they need)?

2. Find out why they need it (this tells you a lot).3. Ask them when they need it by (and can you meet this expectation).4. Ask about their journey so far (are they talking to anyone else, are they frustrated etc).5. Ask them why they came to you (this should always be asked).

Anyone who masters the art of pitching will never be short of customers. Learning to ask better questions is a great place to start.

Andrew Griffiths is an entrepreneur with a real passion for small business. Inspired by a constant desire to see others reach their full potential, Andrew has written ten hugely successful books (eight are bestsellers), with many more on the way. www.andrewgriffiths.com.au

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 9

POWERPOINT TIP - 3 TIPS TO PRESENTING WITH SLIDES

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2010 9

BY MICHELLE BOWDEN

One of the most consistently distracting things I see business presenters do is fidget with the remote control that they use for changing from one slide to the next. Here are some tips to make sure you present seamlessly with slides.

1. The first tip to using a remote is to know how to use it well – become acquainted with the buttons and what they do. It’s not good enough to turn up on the day and hope for the best – you are asking for trouble and will probably embarrass yourself.! Get there early and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse – no excuses!

2. The second tip is make sure you either put the remote in your pocket when you don’t need it, or rehearse so you know for certain you won’t fidget with it.! Presenters who fidget with their flip chart pens, props or remote control look unprepared and uncomfortable and convey less confidence in themselves and their point.

3. The third tip relates to the way you interplay the slides, the space, the message and your personal brand.

" Find the slide you will soon want to show " on the screen. Use the (blank) button on " the remote, or the ‘b’ key on the keyboard " to blank out the slides before you start.!

" Claim your space and engage your " audience.! Look at them with ‘whites of the " eyes’, eye contact.! Deliver your " presentation.! Assuming you are presenting "

with one large screen in the centre of the room, when you come to content that you will reinforce on a slide, press the (blank) button on your remote to reveal the slide, and walk out of the way of your slides so you are not in the audience’s frame of vision.! The reason you do this is to ensure that you are not distracting your audience.!

If you have 2 screens on either side of the room then you can stay in the ‘hot spot’, or centre of the room.! When you are standing out of the way, you can either talk the audience through what they are looking at, or you can remain silent.!

Enjoy the power of pause and try to avoid breaking your audience’s concentration as they read through the points on the screen or absorb you pictorial representation of the message.! If you must talk because perhaps it is a chart that needs explaining, then still move out of the way and use an open palm to indicate to your audience that they should listen to you and look at the slides.

Try this and see how much more effective you are next time. Happy Presenting!

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 10

Dramatically improve the way you present and influence.

Attend one of my Influential Presentation Skills programs.

It’s a life changing experience!

Risk free - 100% money-back guarantee.

Endorsed by thousands of people from over a hundred corporations around Australia.

Interactive and personalised.

Facilitated by Michelle Bowden who has over 18 years experience running her

programs and who has been nominated for Educator of the Year for the last 3 years.

Absorb yourself in a generative and experiential approach. Learn something then practice, then learn something then practice…

Group sizes are limited to only 10 people per program.

Risk free approach to a subject most people find ‘daunting’!

Plenty of time for you to get personal one-on-one time with Michelle’s during the program.

Address your specific, personal needs.

Learning with lots of laughter.

Techniques are embedded so you remember them decades later.

SYDNEY DATES:

November 22-23 (1 place left)December 13-14 (6 places left)

To chat about your specific needs or receive more information please email Michelle directly: [email protected]

IS IT TIME YOU IMPROVED YOUR PRESENTATION SKILLS? COME JOIN ME!

TESTIMONIALI just want to say a big THANK YOU for your book Don't Picture me Naked. It has already made a huge impact in my business & personal presentation skills. I have changed my thoughts on presenting from nervous/anxious to EXCITING/WHAT A THRILL! "It's not about me - It's all about the audience" has helped me to stay focused on what the audience wants and this in itself has removed the nervousness I usually feel. Thank you for providing a system that is easy to pick up and use from my everyday 1:1 presentations to large team meetings. Ayla, NAB

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 11

HOW TO BUILD INTENTIONAL TRUST RELATIONSHIPSBY DAVID PENGLASE

People get your truth!

Whether you agree with this or not, it is inescapable that this platform principle, that people get your truth, is having a direct impact on your sense of personal pride, your relationships and your success. This is an inescapable truth for individuals, teams, and organisations.

Have I got your attention?

I first started to explore this concept back in the late nineties as part of my research project while completing my Masters degree in Professional Ethics. As I researched ethics from the perspectives of ancient philosophy through to the current day thought leaders, I was particularly drawn to Aristotle’s philosophy on ethics and character, and his position that the purpose of life is to be happy and to flourish.

At the time, my research thesis was on the ‘ethics of selling’ and I was exploring what impact an individual’s character and integrity can have in a buying and selling situation. This research led me to develop an entire behavioural change program around creating sales cultures to be proud of, which I have been helping corporate Australia implement now for the past decade. The program focuses on aligning the sales process with the buyers’ journey and at its very core is the practice of positive influence through building what I refer to as intentional trust relationships.

Since completing my masters degree, I have continued to explore the impact of character, integrity, competency and action on the results that are achieved through building intentional

trust relationships. This research and application has gone beyond sales and service environments, and extends to being essential for every aspect of our business and personal lives.

This is the background to what I am now calling Intentionomics® - the economics of our intentions.

Let’s face it. The success we have in business (and in our personal life) is built around the levels of trust we develop in the relationships we have. In sales and service, it’s the level of trust we develop with our potential and existing clients.

In other areas of business, it’s the level of trust we develop with individuals and teams either inside or outside of the company. In our personal lives, whether it’s with family or friends or our interactions with the broader community trust is the cornerstone for all relationships.

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 12

HOW TO BUILD INTENTIONAL TRUST RELATIONSHIPSIn this article I will provide you with the three key pillars of developing and maintaining intentional trust relationships and show you how to simply and successfully apply these pillars to your personal and business relationships.

The three key pillars of developing intentional trust relationships are embedded on the foundation of intention and look like this:

A model for intentional trust relationships

You can see in this model that it is your intention for each life role that is the foundation upon which trust sits.

The model works like this:

1. Be clear on your positive intention for the other person in your relationship, (an intention to in some way create value for that other person), then...

2. Ensure that both of you are clear on what you expect from each other (and why), and what you understand are the promises you have made to each other on what you intend to do and WHY you intend to do it.

3. Then it is necessary for you to complete the intentional actions (actions completed in ways that demonstrate your character or your truth

about you) to live up to those expectations and promises.

4. This will then deliver on the promises and expectations that those actions were intended to achieve.

5. The result is an intentional trust relationship which further strengthens the foundation upon which trust is built – your intention.

It might seem trivial and simplistic to break down an intentional trust relationship with these steps and model, however, the reality is, you have the choice to consciously, and with intention, practically implement these steps for all relationships you have, and it is an inescapable truth for living a prosperous life that when your relationships are flourishing both you and those others in the relationships are flourishing and happy.

Of course, being human means that sometimes things don’t always follow simple models and steps. Potential problems can occur when we are not consciously choosing to follow the steps to creating and maintaining intentional trust relationships and we either fall into habitual interaction, or don’t complete one or more of the steps in the model.

When you are communicating with others in an habitually interactive mode, that is, not consciously being in the moment with them, not genuinely listening with intention to them, you potentially damage the level of trust within those relationships. Again, this is a conscious choice you make. Trust is the key measure of the micro (you) and macro (others) impact of your choices in how and WHY you communicate within relationships.

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 13

HOW TO BUILD INTENTIONAL TRUST RELATIONSHIPS

You don’t get trust, you earn it. In Vanessa Hall’s book ‘The Truth About Trust’ of which I am a contributing author, Vanessa says “Trust is fragile” and it is because of this fragility you need to devote serious concentration on the impact that intentional trust relationships can play in you living a prosperous life.

Have you ever caught yourself in a conversation where you realise that you are not really listening to the other person? Have you ever been in a conversation where you realise that the person you are talking to was not really listening to you? Have you ever promised to do something for someone else and not delivered on the promise? Have you ever had someone promise to do something for you and they haven’t delivered on their promise? Have you ever been in conversation with someone where you realise a sarcastic comment got a laugh from others around you but not from the person at which the sarcastic comment was directed? Have you ever been in a conversation with others where they all laughed at a sarcastic comment directed at you by another person, but you didn’t find it funny and were personally (privately) hurt by the comment? Have you ever been at a family dinner where you know in your heart that you were the cause of an argument over something trivial? Have you ever been at a family dinner where you know in your heart that you may not have started an argument over something trivial, but got caught up in the cross-fire?

Many of these situations have happened to most of us at some time in our lives and whenever they have, there has been a micro and macro impact on the relationship. Perhaps not a significant impact, and perhaps on other times the impact and damage caused is severe.

My key objective is for you to understand the power of your intention as the foundation for building intentional trust relationships....people get your truth, and even when you may poorly communicate or slip into habitual interaction, if you work hard on defining your intention for the people in your business (and personal) relationships, you will be able to recover trust – it may take some work and time, however, when your intention is to always respect the other person’s points of view and to genuinely want to help them in their life, in some way, to be more prosperous, on most occasions, you will be able to recover trust, respect and maintain an intentional trust relationship.

Work on your own truthIt is important to note that sometimes just knowing what to do, and even giving it your best attempt, doesn’t guarantee anything when it comes to communication. Sometimes you just need some personal space to work through what’s really going on and I recommend you start working on your own truth about you first and asking yourself “What is my intention for this relationship, what am I doing to contribute

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 14

HOW TO BUILD INTENTIONAL TRUST RELATIONSHIPSto the problem in this relationship, and what can I do to regain trust and respect in this relationship?”

The Communication Techniques Trap

In closing, I want to warn you of a potential trap that many people who are trying to build relationships fall into. Did you notice how I purposefully left the words ‘intentional trust’ out of the ‘build relationships’ in the previous sentence?

There has been significant behavioural research undertaken over many years, which has resulted in a range of landmark books being written about how to influence, persuade and ‘win’ people over to your way of thinking so that your life and relationships can be improved.

The communication technique trap involves both verbal and body language techniques.

When your intention to persuade someone else to make a decision or to take an action is for your personal gain and will not enhance the life or situation of the other person, you are not building intentional trust relationships. You are simply using a communication technique to get your own way. This may work for you in the short term with that person. In the long term, people get your truth, and whatever level of trust you have in that relationship (if any), will be damaged or lost.

Your intention is the foundation for building intentional trust relationships. The more consciously you are aware of your intention, the more clarity you will be able to provide in communicating that intention to others, and there will be a mutual understanding of expectations and promises. When you deliver

on the expectations and promises you have made through intentional actions, this builds and maintains intentional trust relationships. And there is very little that any of us achieve in life without the assistance of others.

Intentionomics® is about the economics of your intentions - the impact of your intention on you and on others. Intentionomics® is central to building intentional trust relationships and it is an inescapable truth that it is having a direct impact on your current levels of success in your business and personal life.

About the author: David Penglase is an award

winning international conference speaker,

consultant and thought leader helping

individuals, teams and corporations to

increase success through building intentional

trust relationships. For more information call

+61 2 9529 6201 or visit:

www.davidpenglase.com

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 15

TELEMARKETING TIP

DON’T READ FROM YOUR SLIDES!Perhaps worried about remembering what to say, and/or not devoting sufficient time to rehearsal, many presenters prepare for their presentation by ‘typing up’ a number of PowerPoint slides and then ‘speaking to them’ – (a common expression used in Australia’s corporate market).!

I often say to my executive clients: ‘and while you’re speaking to your slides, what is the audience going to do?’

Some people even go so far as to turn their back on the audience for the whole presentation and read straight from the slide projection on the wall.! This is boring for the audience and makes it very difficult to develop sufficient credibility and interest in your message.!

The results of one Australian survey showed that more audience members ranked ‘presenter reading from slides’ as annoying than any other complaint about presenter behaviour.! And in my own Australian research I have found that over 60% of respondents suggested most presenters read from their slides for the entire presentation, leading only 28% of respondents to suggest they

were moved to action after the latest presentation.

If you plan to read out your slides to your audience, then please do everyone a favour, cancel the presentation and email the PowerPoint file to all concerned for everyone to read when they have time. Seriously, it’s much better than making them sit there while you read to them!

Are you in sales and find yourself dreading picking up the phone to prospective clients?

Expert Jenny Cartwright suggests that because it’s important to keep the energy in your

voice up and confident, you might like to schedule to do your calls in two-hour blocks

and then have a break. She also recommends you stand up every 5 calls to get your

blood flowing and re-energise yourself.

FREE GIFT: If you’re in telesales and would like a copy of Don’t Get Hung Up! be one of

the first 5 readers to email [email protected] with the words: Don’t Get Hung Up.

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 16

DAVID PENGLASEPROFESSIONAL SPEAKER, CSP

David Penglase is an award winning international conference speaker, consultant and thought leader helping individuals, teams and corporations to increase success through building intentional trust relationships. He has this lovely mix of being professional yet connected and friendly and is a master of the sales process. David’s top presenting tips are:

1. Selling is a process of building trust relationships with the aim to create reciprocal value on a continual basis. The central component of this definition is trust.

2. So, be clear on your intentions.

3. Know your audience.

4. Master the techniques for effective presenting.

5. Start a journal to capture stories that you can use later.

6. Pause for impact.

7. And get good at asking quality questions.

8. Be present in the moment when you present.

9. Watch your PowerPoints – make sure they reinforce your message.

10. Practice and rehearse.

11. Stick to time.

12. Don’t settle for mediocrity – what wonderful advice!

David is a true expert. Make sure you put his tips into action asap!

TIPS FROM A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER

How to Present - Presentation Skills Tips from the Masters features essential presentation skills tips, and techniques from 13 of Australia’s top keynote speakers. You can listen to all the interviews plus much more from the inspiring David Penglase by purchasing your very own copy of this must-have business resource. Purchase your own copy here.

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 17

PARENTS CORNER REDUCE OUR CHILDRENS’ NATIONAL SLEEP DEBT!

Many children struggle to get a good night’s sleep. Unrefreshing sleep, difficulty falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, early morning awakening and nightmares are among the most common issues that affect children.

Interestingly, many parents underestimate the importance of sleep on children’s learning and well-being. As a community we lack a great deal of knowledge about what’s required to get a good night’s sleep.

How much sleep is enough?

All children differ in the amount of sleep they require. Most pre schoolers need about 10 to 12 hours a day. At nine, it’s closer to ten hours. When puberty hits, kids still need between eight and nine hours sleep, yet most get less than this.

As they progress through puberty teenagers need more sleep. The developing body and their brain place extra demands on their systems at a time when their schedules overflow with activities. Sleep needs to ramp up again. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many teenagers are chronically sleep deprived and lack sufficient sleep to function well.

Sleep deprivation has a compounding affect so an hour less per night is like a full night without sleep by the end of the week. Lack of sleep can lead to inattentiveness at school, poor memory, inconsistent performance, bad temper and even stimulant use as a sleep substitute.

Teenagers sleep cycle is delayed

The sleep-wake cycle for teenagers is delayed by up to two hours, so they are sleepy later and

awake later than when they were children.

The body clock, which was more variable in pre teen years, becomes more fixed in adolescence. Most teens secrete melatonin, which makes them sleepy, around 11.00pm, which makes the time before then a sleepless zone. Children secrete melatonin far earlier than this. Cortisol, the chemical that wakes them up, is secreted at around 8.15am for many teens. It seems the teen brain wants to be asleep just when they have woken up.

One US study found that 20% of teens were asleep in class in the morning, which had catastrophic effects on learning. As a result some high schools in the US have delayed the start of school time to accommodate the teen sleep-wake cycle.

This has enabled teens not only to get more sleep but to be at their best (or at least awake) when they are at school. The results in these schools have been startling and immediate including: better learning, better behaviour, less fights and less kids dropping out of school.

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 18

PARENTS CORNERIdeas to help:

Sleep experts stress that while adults may not have control over children’s biology we can assist by helping children and teens establish good sleep patterns. Children who develop good sleep patterns tend to carry these into adolescence.

1. Encourage regular bed-times. Kids may fight this, but regular bed-times during the week and later bed-times on weekends are the best options for kids of all ages.

2. Make sure there is a wind-down time. Up to 45 minutes wind-down time is the recommendation from most sleep experts. This includes, removing TV and other stimuli, calming children down, and limiting food intake (and caffeine for teens). In fact, parents should set an alarm clock 45 minutes before bedtime to signal the start of a bed-time routine.

3. Establish a bed-time routine. This might be bath, teeth-cleaning and story that signals psychologically that it is time for sleep.

4. Keep bedrooms for sleep. Encourage parents to remove the TV and computers from children’s and young people’s bedrooms. A cave-like atmosphere is the aim.

5. Maximise the 3 sleep cues: By maintaining a dark room; lowering body temperature and recognising the role that melatonin plays parents can develop good sleep hygiene habits that will stay for life.

Sleep is one thing that we can all become educated about. We take it for granted and often view poor sleepers through a behavioural lens. Better knowledge of the biology of sleep and also sleep patterns will go a long way to helping kids and teens get a good night’s sleep.

Michael Grose has been helping parents raise

confident, resilient kids for over 20 years. He

is a current Channel 9 Today Show parenting

expert, a popular & entertaining speaker and a

frequent columnist for a variety of media.

Michael is the author of 8 parenting books,

including his latest release Thriving!, widely

acknowledged 'as the new roadmap for

raising 3-12 year olds with confidence,

character and resilience." Michael is married

with three adult children who have all

successfully flown the parent nest. http://

www.parentingideas.com.au

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 19

FLOWERSThe Floriade flower festival in

Australia's capital city is an

annual festival redolent with the

scents, sounds and sights of the

Canberra spring. from

September 17th to October 16th

2011.

CD OF THE MONTHThinking of improving your

presentation skills but don’t want to go on a training program? You need to grab a copy of How to

Present - Tips from the Master. Tips from 13 of Australia’s top public

speakers. Go to my website

BALLETI saw the Festival of Russian Ballet at the State Theatre last weekend

with my mum. I loved it! In particular the Dying Swan (made famous by Anna Pavlova). Go to: http://www.russianballet.com.au/

festival-of-russian-ballet.html

MICHELLELOVES...

Here are some of my favourite things for you

TREAT YOURSELFWeight Watchers is expanding its

healthy muffin range at Muffin

Break, adding new Cranberry and

Blue Berry as well as Passionfruit

and Pineapple to the mix.

FLOWERSThe 2XU Support Bra range is

engineered to offer the ultimate in

comfort and protection. Run, sprint,

cycle, jump, dance – they’ve got

you covered!

FRAGRANCENEW: Armani Sport Code. Infinitely masculine, the design of the bottle is an invitation to slip it into a travel

bag and carry it everywhere.

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Serious about being able to write a world class presentation? Then grab a copy of Don’t Picture me

Naked and get started today. www.michellebowden.com.au

RUOK?September 15th is RUOK Day. ?

The one day of the year where

we acknowledge the importance

of reaching out to help others.

http://www.ruokday.com.au/

content/home.aspx

www.michellebowden.com.au How to Present Magazine September 2011 20

Photo Gallery