"[Y]ou must know what you want to achieve, be certain of your aims, and have these goals constantly in mind… You must educate your (people) … And since the world never stops for a moment… you must constantly reassess chosen policies towards the achievement of your aims." ~ David Ben-Gurion, first prime minister of Israel Much has been written about how 21st century leaders differ from their 20th century counterparts. Today’s leaders must guide complex organizations that are more virtual and multinational in nature than ever before. They must nimbly navigate through a fast-paced marketplace that is in continuous flux and determine the proper course forward from a myriad of options. They also need to recruit and retain a millennial workforce that has different interests, needs, and working habits than their elders. In such a demanding business environment, leaders would be wise to develop a strong learning environment at the workplace. The celebrated CEO of General Electric Jack Welch famously said that "an organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage." Continuous learning and successful implementation of that learning is crucial to the success of today’s organizations. But learning alone is not enough. Leaders that want to stay ahead must make sure that their companies also place a premium on teaching. To be a learner is to engage in a one-way (receiving) process of understanding followed by action. The learning originates from an outside source: consultant, seminar presentation, book, etc. Even if the organization chooses to integrate the learning, it never really owns it. In contrast, teaching organizations go one meaningful step further. They emphasize teaching over learning, placing the learning onus on internal personnel who are expected to learn and master ideas that they will then pass along to others in the workplace. Research clearly shows that we remember more when we teach than when we listen. This is because the need to teach material forces us to master content to the point where we can deliver it clearly to others. As my ninth-grade teacher used to say, "If you can’t say (or teach) it, then you don’t know it." It may sound all nice and good to add teaching responsibilities to the mix, but we know that most workplaces are not filled with experienced teachers and presenters. How can leaders expect to implement a teaching culture if they don’t have a stable of instructors on hand to advance learning? As a former principal who has observed countless teachers, I can attest that the best teachers are the ones who can make learning clear, interesting and relevant. This ability stems mainly from a deep quest for personal learning as well as the ability to ask tough questions and present answers in a way that others can to process and understand. When preparing their talks or meetings, have your "teachers" think in terms of these "five p’s": Paint a picture. Create a vision of what others will do as the result of this learning process. Give them something vivid and exciting to wrap their heads around. Personal. Let others know what’s in it for them by learning this. How will it change and enhance their jobs? How will it help the company grow and become stronger? Positive praise. Encourage them with lots of praise and recognition of their achievements as well as their willingness to take risks. Perseverance. This can be the hardest part for both teacher and pupil. Challenges will invariably arise, particularly after the opening enthusiasm has waned. Be ready to work even harder mid-process so as to not lose steam. Perform. It’s not enough to share ideas and preach compliance. Good teachers know that they achieve so much through modeling. Show them what you want and then "walk the walk." That will do so much for your credibility while also reinforcing desired behaviors and thought processes. In summary, I present to you the words of Noel Tichy, author of "The Leadership Engine and Cycle of Leadership": "We have looked at winning companies—those that consistently outperform competitors and reward shareholders—and found that they’ve moved beyond being learning organizations to become teaching organizations. … That’s because teaching organizations are more agile, come up with better strategies, and are able to implement them more effectively. … Teaching organizations do share with learning organizations the goal that everyone continually acquire new knowledge and skills. But to do that, they add the more critical goal that everyone pass their learning on to others. … In a teaching organization, leaders benefit just by preparing to teach others. Because the teachers are people with hands-on experience within the organization—rather than outside consultants—the people being taught learn relevant, immediately useful concepts and skills. Teaching organizations are better able to achieve success and maintain it because their constant focus is on developing people to become leaders." Naphtali Hoff (@impactfulcoach) became an executive coach and consultant following a 15-year career as an educator and school administrator. Read his e-book "Core Essentials of Leadership" and his blog at impactfulcoaching.com/blog. If you enjoyed this article, join SmartBrief’s e-mail list for our daily newsletter on being a better, smarter leader. Related Posts: What makes a smart employee goal? The 6 R’s of a principal’s summer school Deepening the workplace bond 12 questions to help you conduct effective stay interviews When do you let an underperforming employee go? Build a team of workplace teachers originally published by SmartBlogs

This month, SmartBlog on Education is exploring classroom design and management — just in time for the new school year. In this blog post, educator Cheryl Mizerny shares strategies used by master teachers to help engage and motivate students. William Glasser said, "Effective teaching may be the hardest job there is." I tend to agree with him. How else can we explain the sheer volume of books, websites, blogs, courses and consulting firms expressly devoted to the art and science of teaching? In fact, one of the things I am most proud of about my chosen profession is that teachers, as a whole, are already doing a pretty great job, yet most of us explore how to do even better. One of the ways in which many teachers would like to improve is in their ability to reach and motivate all of their students. While it’s true that there are those who seem to be natural-born teachers, it is possible to learn some of their secrets to keep every student in your classroom engaged and invested in their learning. What do these "naturals" have in common? First, master teachers seem to be able to develop strong, yet professional relationships with their students. These are the adults to whom students seem to gravitate and seek out on their free time. They earn the fierce loyalty of their students and always get the very best work out of them. This doesn’t happen by accident. Some ways to develop stronger working relationships with students: First and foremost, don’t prejudge them based on data available to you before the school year. I never look at my students’ files until after I have had them I class for a little while and seen what they can do with my own eyes — including students with IEPs. If this is not possible in your circumstances, then make a conscious effort not to let what you read and hear color your opinion of a child and how you work with him or her. Students appreciate the opportunity for a clean slate. This also applies to any preconceived notions you may have based upon your experience with their siblings. Get to know your students as individuals. What are their interests and hobbies? Seeing themselves reflected in your classrooms goes a long way in establishing buy-in. Make sure that every student in your classroom experiences some degree of success. Even if they have difficulties with the concepts, there must be a way for them to access the knowledge. This can be slow-going, but capitalize on the parts that they do understand, be their cheerleader and celebrate that while they gain competence. Use techniques that allow students to get to know you as a person. While I do not believe it is appropriate to share every detail of your private lives, it is beneficial for them to hear of some of your experiences with school and learning. The best teachers are also storytellers. If they see what you went through and how you are successful as an adult, you can serve as a mentor or model. Above all, be sincere in everything you do and say. Children sense insincerity a mile away. When you tell them something, mean it and follow through. They will lose all faith in you if they believe you are just going through the motions. Second, talented teachers establish a positive classroom climate where students want to be. Again, this is deliberate and by design. Every one of us has walked into a room and felt as if we don’t belong or aren’t wanted. How much learning do you think will be done if your classroom feels like a hostile environment? Some ways to develop a positive classroom climate: A mutually respectful classroom is one based upon inclusion, trust and safety. You must make it clear, through your words and actions, that you believe every student in your classroom has inherent value, that you will do nothing to hurt them emotionally, and that you will not allow others to do so. Promote the concept of a growth mindset. Instill in your students that the key word in their learning is "yet." In other words, they should understand that improvement is possible and be able to say, "I don’t know how to do that . . . yet." Failure in this type of classroom is inevitable and should be encouraged as learning opportunities. This allows students to accept risk taking and they are more willing to try what you are asking of them. Make a thoughtful effort to be fair in any and all administering evaluation, discipline, and privileges. Nothing turns students off faster than if they think you don’t like them as much as their peers. This, of course, could be just their perception, but this misconception can become reality if not corrected. Teach students the skills of effective collaboration. Placing your students in groups to work is a great idea, but it only works well if they know what a productive team looks and acts like. Teachers tend to assume that students know how to conduct academic conversations because they seem to want to talk to one another all the time, but learning how to focus their energy is a valuable use of your time. Students will not feel fully invested in your classroom if they don’t see themselves. All cultures and backgrounds should be represented to the greatest extent possible. Accept and promote multiple perspectives. Better still, make some of this part of the curriculum. Finally, plan to devote significant time to how you deliver your content. As a teacher, you are charged not only with teaching your material, but with teaching students. You may be sitting on a vast store of the most interesting knowledge in the world—but it does you no good if your students tune you out. You need to make that material interesting to your students. Make your enthusiasm infectious. Some ways to effectively deliver content: Relevance is important, especially with older children. To the greatest extent possible, frame your content within an inquiry structure. Providing problem-based, real-world, hands-on issues to grapple with gets students excited and helps them see why and how the material is worth knowing. The content should be challenging and involve critical thinking, but know that some students will need scaffolding and support to get there. Providing this extra assistance ensures their success. Do your research do become aware of best-practices such as making thinking visible, flexible grouping, and brain-based learning, and reflect upon your lessons to incorporate as many as you can. Experiment every year with something that scares you. Not only does this show students that you practice what you preach, it puts you in their shoes as you become a learner. Try something such as gamifying a lesson, incorporating Genius Hour or playing with a new technology. Your students will appreciate the novelty, and you may find something you love and want to do again. This happened to me this year when I turned my choice research projects into Genius Hour (which I called Passion Projects). Nothing I have done in years has been as well received by the students and parents, and my engine was revved as well. Well-worth taking that risk and trying something I’ve never done. Like all mindful teachers, I constantly evaluate my practice to see if I am doing the best I can for my students. Every summer I spend time tweaking what has worked and determining what new thing I will try. I reflect on what was successful and crashed and burned and make adjustments accordingly. Because teaching is the hardest job there is, I know I will never feel as if I’m doing everything perfectly, but that doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying. My lofty goal is to reach every student, every day, every year. Cheryl Mizerny is an Editor’s Choice Content Award winner. She is a veteran educator with over 20 years experience. She began her career in special education, became a teacher consultant and adjunct professor of educational psychology, and currently teaches sixth-grade English in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She writes a blog about student motivation and engagement at The Accidental English Teacher. If you enjoyed this article, join SmartBrief’s email list for more stories about education. We offer newsletters covering educational leadership, special education and more.                 Related Posts: Channeling Goldilocks: Trying to get it "just right" The serious business of classroom fun Tips to ease students’ test anxiety Finding the gift in every student PBL spotlight: Passion project serendipity Reaching every student originally published by SmartBlogs

Alpert's new album "Come Fly With Me" is due Sept. 25.

Former and current 'Daily Show' correspondents recall their favorite moments from working with host Jon Stewart.

Do you use your face and body language with dynamic effect? A very effective CEO once told me that if any of her people are having a problem with a client, she knows exactly what to do. She puts that person on a plane and sends him or her off to work things out in person. This is far more effective than a phone conference and many, many times more helpful than writing a memo or sending an email, she says. Nothing compares to a face-to-face meeting. She intuitively came to the conclusion that my observations have verified and communications researcher Dr. Albert Mehrabian has even tried to quantify—that words are less important than your voice in affecting the feelings and attitudes of your audience, and, even added together, they don’t make as big an impression as nonverbal and nonvocal cues. While there are no reliable, exact measures as yet, from all the anecdotal evidence I have accumulated from my years of doing and observing presentations, I have no doubt that facial expressions and body language play a major role in whatever impression you make on your audience. Whether you are meeting someone one-on-one or speaking to an audience of five thousand, before you’ve said a word, people have made some kind of judgment about you. And while your superficial appearance is important—what you’re wearing, how fit and groomed you are, and how attractive you may be—they determine what kind of a person you are based on cues that are far more subtle. Unaware of this, many presenters focus exclusively on the words of their presentation and ignore all the other more important components. They give no thought to the best place to stand when talking to an audience. They don’t know how to use their hands or their eyes to give their message maximum impact. When you know how to use the tools of body language and facial expression to enhance your persuasive powers, you will be a far more effective presenter than you ever imagined. There are three ways to master nonverbal communication skills: Take a strong stance. Move purposefully. Master eye contact. Learn about these and more in my new program: Presentation Bootcamp: Hands-on Presentation Delivery Skills   Go Rule It!   Jason Teteak Rule the Room   The post Command With Your Body appeared first on Rule The Room.

Recently, I received an email from one of the members of my Rule the Room Newsletter with the following questions: 1. If you have a longer talk and want to remember everything and all points, what is the best way to have reminder cards? 2. Do you break the talk down to parts that will key your memory or do you make abbreviated notes for salient points? 3. Do you write the whole talk out & refer to it when need be? These questions are so important that I decided to write a blog on the topic using an excerpt from my new book: Rule the Room:  Unique, Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Making a Successful Presentation. When I have one-on-one meetings with new clients who have come to me on their own or whom I have been hired to help with their presentation work, I invariably discover they are very knowledgeable and genuinely enthusiastic about their topics. Yet often, when I observe them in front of an audience, I see all that energy and excitement disappear. The presentation they deliver is not compelling. In fact, they may even bore the audience. My goal is to help those clients get up in front of an audience and fire it up—to present with the same ease, spontaneity, conviction, and, when appropriate, humor I saw when they were speaking in a more casual, intimate setting. The first thing I do is tell them to get rid of a conventional script. The number one way to guarantee your presentation will fail is by referring to your notes too often or, even worse, making the catastrophic mistake of reading directly from the script. In general, the more attention a presenter pays to the script, the less attention the audience pays to the presenter. I have never met a presenter who was not able to talk about the subject of his or her presentation at great length and in great detail in an informal situation. This is why there is no reason to write out, word-for-word, what you’re going to say when you speak to an audience. You’re the expert. You know your subject. Trust me, and trust yourself. You already know what you need to say. You have the words. Instead of a script, what you need is a blueprint. Creating this tool will serve two essential purposes. First, it helps eliminate the primary fear of every presenter: making a mistake with the material. When you create your blueprint, you can be more assured that when you deliver your presentation, you will say everything you had intended and in the right order. Relieving your anxiety on that score will make you feel more secure. Feeling secure will make you seem relaxed. This makes you seem more credible, and as a result the audience will be more receptive to you. Second, the blueprint helps you ensure that your audience will never be disappointed or bored. It delivers to audience members exactly what they need and what they want—the tools that will enable them to achieve the takeaways that you promised them. This is what will make your presentation different from any other. To develop your core content, follow three essential principles: Define the tasks. Solve the mysteries. Keep things simple. You can learn more about these in Chapters 1-4 of my new book, Rule the Room.  Below is a summary of each of them for you: Define the tasks. Go through the takeaways (what your presentation gives your audience) one by one. Begin by asking yourself, "Does the audience know how to do this?" This is unlikely, of course, since if the audience already knew how to make those takeaways happen, they wouldn’t be at your presentation. For example, when I asked a client of mine named Richard if he felt his audience would understand how to put his takeaway "Mine existing relationships" into practice, he said no. So I told him that he would have to come up with tasks—procedures or actions that make the takeaways possible. You must do the same. I suggest that a presenter come up with about three tasks for each takeaway. You describe the tasks in exactly the same way you described the takeaways. Use an action verb. Use as few words as possible—ideally, seven words or fewer. Use clear and simple language. When I asked Richard to come up with tasks that would help the audience mine existing relationships, the first one he came up with was "Prioritize your client list." What he would explain and help his audience understand was how to figure out which of their customers were the best prospects for the services Richard was proposing they offer. Once you’ve defined the tasks, go over each one individually and ask yourself if the people in your audience would know how to carry it out. If not, then you have to come up with at least one subtask. Go through the same process as in creating the task. Use an action verb, as few words as possible, and clear and simple language. Looking at his first task, Richard felt the audience wouldn’t necessarily know what to do when he said "Prioritize your client list," so he came up with a subtask: "Sort by client type (municipal, agricultural, etc.)." What he meant by this, he would explain to his audience of bankers, was defining which businesses were most likely to use the services his company could help the bankers offer. Solve the mysteries. The example is the final level of the task hierarchy. A good presenter gets to it as quickly as possible. It is the most powerful way to ensure that your audience knows how to do what you suggest. The examples are very important because they’re the solutions to the mysteries. If you don’t give examples, the next time you give the audience members a mystery, you run the risk that they won’t listen, because they won’t trust that you have a solution. When you do give them an example, you will see some very active note taking. Your audience members will have been satisfied by getting some actionable information. Focus on finding and delivering a single example that is so specific and clear that the immediate reaction will be, Aha! I get it! If you want to include additional examples, list them in your handout (see chapter 4 in my new book). You can use words to describe your example. In some cases, a picture will do a better job, and if you can find one that does, use it.  Either way, make sure your audience does not leave the room without a very detailed mental image of how to translate the takeaway you’ve promised them into an action. Richard concluded his explanation of how to mine existing relationships by giving his audience two examples of loans he had helped other bankers successfully place. The first was a loan for a piece of farm equipment (Smith Farms), and the second was a loan for a snowplow (Town of Jonesburg). After hearing these real examples, Richard’s audience knew how to follow through on the task, subtask, and sub-subtask he had recommended. Keep things simple. Don’t overwhelm your audience with material. Try to keep your presentation to around five agenda items per hour, ideally ten minutes each but no shorter than six and no longer than thirteen. If you discover you have too much content, restructure your presentation—that is, make a single takeaway into two. Cut the amount of content only as a last resort. To stay within the guidelines, do not exceed one full page of notes for each takeaway. Use Richard’s blueprint as a real-case example to create your own pages. I am going to review the entire process here so you get the big picture. His presentation had five takeaways: Expand your loan services. Lower your loan risk. Mine existing relationships. Meet your customers’ needs. Get a supportive partner. For "Mine existing relationships," Richard felt his audience would understand the concept but might not know how to put it into practice. So he went to step 1, "Create the main tasks." He used an action verb for each one, described it in fewer than seven words, and used simple language to convey it. I have mentioned one of the tasks he came up with, but he ultimately came up with three: Prioritize your client list. Find qualified leads. Ask the right questions. He next went to step 2, "Create the subtasks." He considered the first task: "Prioritize your client list." He felt his listeners would not know how to do this without further instruction. So he continued the process. He used an action verb, described it in very few words, and used clear and simple language. He came up with one subtask: "Sort by client type (municipal, commercial, etc.)." Again, he felt his audience would need further instruction. So he continued the process. For step 3, "Create sub-subtasks," he came up with one. He used an action verb, described it in very few words, and used clear and simple language: "Focus on clients who have additional financial relationships." Would his listeners understand how to do that? He felt the answer was yes. He gave the example of two clients (Smith Farms, Town of Jonesburg) he knew had needed loans for leased equipment. Once Richard had defined the entire hierarchy of tasks and given the example, people in his audience knew exactly what to do. They could leave his presentation and put his suggestions into action. Because they had learned something actionable, they were able to actually change their behavior.   Jason Teteak Rule the Room     The post Create Your Presentation Script appeared first on Rule The Room.

Are you getting called in to do a sales presentation on your product?  Perhaps the audience already knows what the product is.  They already know the "what" before you tell them the "why".  How do you use the Rule the Room technique to captivate them when they already know the "what" and are already expecting "the sales pitch"? This is something many people want to know.  Whether you do technical sales or non-technical sales, the key is to stop pitch selling and start getting the clients to sell themselves. When we were little kids, we were taught to lead with the product. We were handed a tin of popcorn or a box of cookies and told, "Go sell the product." People would go around and sell a couple of tins of popcorn and a couple boxes of cookies. Ever since we were little kids, each of us was taught product sales, product sales, and product sales. Are you a product salesperson or a coach? Here’s how you can tell: the product salesperson focuses the close around the recommendation or product he/she is intending to sell. Often times, you are describing all of the neat features the product provides and how it can benefit the client. This leads commonly to cognitive dissonance and a thirty percent closing ratio. Being a coach is very different. It’s about guiding the prospect through a series of strategic questions that leads to the prospect coming to his own conclusions. The coach is giving up ultimate control of the meeting, but is ensuring cognitive connection and a sixty percent close ratio. Getting people to sell themselves is not about the product. If you pitch a product for even just one sentence during your entire close, it’s over. Some people will take what it is we’re going to be talking about in this blog (getting the client to sell himself), and they’re going to use 99% of it. But, 1% of it they’re going to forget. Do not forget!!! The first rule of getting clients to sell themselves: you can’t pitch anything. There are no more product sales! If you can’t pitch anything, how are you supposed to sell it? The answer is getting the client to sell himself. When you do this, it becomes a true partnership with your client, and the following scenarios start to take place more and more in your business as you are getting all your clients to sell themselves on your solution: Your clients put their energy into you. People fill you up. You are consistently getting restored. You have more energy to give to other areas of your life. You close even more business than ever before. Your client acquisition rate increases by 50% or more. Your prospects routinely say, "When can I sign?" Your prospects are incredibly excited to meet with you next. Your prospects truly understand why this is so important. You are decreasing the time it takes to acquire a client by 33% or more. Imagine asking the client, "Do you want to go on a road trip?" The client says, "Yes, I want to go on a road trip." You respond, "Okay, so we’re going to go on this road trip together. Are you sure you want to go on this road trip together?" The client says yes. You’ve just formed a partnership with your client that you’re going on this road trip together. When you’re in the car together, you’re in a partnership. You both chose to be in the car. At this point, you have to ask yourself, "At any point, are you grabbing the wheel?" Most sales people feel they need to be the one driving the car on the road trip. Getting the clients to sell themselves suggests a different solution: the sales person sits in the co-pilot seat instead of the driver’s seat and lets the prospective client drive the car. That’s the difference. Why not let the client drive? Who has to spend more energy? The person driving or the person being the copilot? The answer is the person driving. Ironically, many sales people live every single day as the drivers of the car. Why do they do that? Many feel that they have to drive in order to be successful. Many feel like they can maintain a sense of control. Often, it’s a false sense of security. When you’re the one driving the car, you’re not noticing all the cool things and all of the opportunities around you, because you’re rarely able to look out the side of the window. As the copilot, you have the mental capacity to notice things that other people won’t notice. This includes things like: Other client opportunities Other prospect opportunities Referral opportunities Opportunities to help the client think bigger Being able to see what’s going on in the client’s eyes Noticing what the client is thinking or feeling People are scared of being sold. Getting the client to sell himself isn’t about fear selling. It’s about asking the right questions so that the client comes to his own conclusions and answers. You make the process as simple and clear to him or her as "water is wet." It’s about anchoring the answers to your questions in the client’s mind. Any time you refer to a question in the future, you are essentially asking the client, "Mr. Prospect, is water wet?" Now the client won’t say, "Let me think about that. I’ll get back to you." They will simply say, "Yes, of course water is wet." Instead of selling a product or pitching a process, you are coaching somebody to come to his own solution by asking strategic questions. Think of it in the same way you would teach a child to tie his shoes. You could just tell a child how to do it, or you can ask the child questions. You can show the child how to tie a shoe all day long, but he won’t get it until he is the one actually tying the shoe. If you’re going to pitch sell, then you have to worry about style. But if you’re going to get the client to sell himself, this is a universal technique that works for anyone. This is the one place that we can throw the styles out the window, and we’re going to prove it by looking at a panel of all four styles in this boot camp so that you can see that no matter what personality style you have, you can be incredibly successful getting your client to sell himself. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book David and Goliath, points out that a disproportionate number of highly successful business owners and CEOs are dyslexic. But, it’s not because they’re dyslexic that they are successful. It’s because they struggled with school so much that the one thing they had to learn how to do was be incredibly good listeners. That’s the difference. Getting a client to sell himself has to do with those listening skills. When you’re listening, it doesn’t matter what your communication style is, because listening is listening. This whole chapter, this whole concept, this whole process, is about listening. No matter what your style is, you can do this method. Do you know the people that when you talk to them, you can’t get a word in edge-wise? You feel you’re competing with them for the ability to talk. Well, not the great sales presenters. The best sales people are also some of the best listeners I have ever seen.  Did you ever notice that the great sales people (who are great listeners) almost always defer to the other person when the other person has something to say? It’s as if the person almost has a zipper on his mouth and just instantly closes it whenever anyone starts talking. They won’t interrupt. The best sales people have learned how to sit back and listen and only talk when it’s critical to get the client to sell himself with four simple steps: Ask Leading Questions (I talk about how to do these here: http://ruletheroom.com/how-to-create-good-leading-questions/ Ask for his thoughts Get a double commitment Rinse and Repeat Think of these techniques as a cycle. Asking leading questions, then asking for his thoughts, and then getting a double commitment forms a complete cycle that allows you to get the client to sell himself.  Try it and then let me know how it goes. P.S. To learn more about how to give an amazing presentation, check out my new book Rule the Room. Best, JasonTeteak Rule the Room The post Sales Presentations That Get Clients To Sell Themselves appeared first on Rule The Room.

I was at a national health care conference a few years ago. One of the presenters finished, signed off with sincerity and warmth, and promised to stick around. The handclapping had been spirited. As they filed out, people were talking to one another and there was a feeling of energy in the room. "Wow!" someone said. "You said it!" someone else agreed. "That was an amazing presentation!" Some months later, I returned to the same room to hear another presentation. That one ended quite differently. I didn’t hear anyone say "wow." In fact, there wasn’t even any applause at the conclusion, because people weren’t quite certain that the presentation was over. The screen went to black, at which point the presenter merely said, "Thank you," and left the stage. There were a few awkward moments of people looking around, unsure whether it was time to go. Then they began to drift out, silently. The presenters had equally interesting topics, good material, and polished deliveries, yet one sent the audience out the door buoyed and energized and the other let them leave feeling let down. The difference was that the first presenter knew what performers, directors, and producers—people who are always conscious of the audience—know almost intuitively: You need to put as much emphasis on the finale as on the opening of a show. How you close is critical. Focused on overcoming their anxieties about the opener and their concerns about the core of the presentation, many presenters pay scant attention to how they will end it. But Rule the Room style is to plan to the end—and beyond. The presentation isn’t over until you’ve met the needs of all the audience members. Do that, and they’ll be saying "wow" about your presentation, too. To make that happen...   Show that the presentation was worthwhile. Put up the summary slide and summarize all the takeaways in one sentence. Begin the sentence with "You have just learned . . ." and complete the statement using the summary of the main hook for your presentation. For example, at the end of my presentation bootcamp, I say, You have just learned forty-eight new ways to create a customized, memorable presentation; feel more prepared and confident; and engage and entertain even the most challenging audience."   Address any remaining questions. When you’re finished summarizing the presentation, and while you’re still on the summary slide of all the takeaways, make your final question request. Ask, "What questions do you have about [the title of your presentation]?" In my case, it would be: "What questions do you have about giving an irresistible presentation?" Tell the audience where they can get more information. You’ve reminded them what they got and why they wanted it, and presumably have won their trust and appreciation. Take advantage of the opportunity to make an ongoing connection, and do it correctly, when you display the final slide. Avoid a heavy-handed approach such as, "If you’d like more information about [whatever you’re offering], go to [name of website]. There you’ll find material and information that will make you a huge success." It’s more subtle and, I believe, more effective, simply to include the contact information on the very last slide of your presentation along with the words "Thank you." Let them read the information, and assume they will contact you. This shows a lot of confidence. If you have offered to the entire group or to any individual that you will answer particular questions, provide a resource, or make a phone call, confirm at this point that you will follow through on your promise. You can make a generic statement such as "I will follow up on [the information you promised] by [specific date]."   Part with warm closing words. When you thank your audience, give an actual, specific reason to thank them and you will seem even more sincere. Many presenters tend to thank the audience for their time, which suggests they might have been spending their time doing something more important. Instead, mention why you appreciate something they have done. For example, if they were very responsive—they were listening attentively and asking great questions—you might say, "Thank you for being such a warm audience." If they gave you some great feedback you were looking for, say so: "Thank you for your feedback." As always, your tone is more important than the words you use. Keep your volume down, your pace normal, and your speech free of inflections. Close with a pleasantry. You have to be able to read your audience. If your audience has been especially responsive, then you can add again, "If you have additional questions, stick around," which shows again you want to reach out to them. Otherwise cut directly to your closing remark. "Have a great day" will suffice. It shows them you’re done, just as if you’re closing the curtains on a performance. To make sure they have no doubt, walk away from the sweet spot as soon as you’ve uttered your closing words. Often, some of your audience will approach you to have a few words before you leave. Stay where you are or return to center stage and answer the individual questions you promised to handle. Meet their needs. Oh . . . and expect some applause. It may begin when you make your pleasant final remark or when you walk away from the sweet spot. (The audience needs such a cue to begin.) You may never have gotten applause for a presentation before, but if you’ve followed through on all my suggestions in my new book, Rule the Room, now you will hear it time and again, after every amazing presentation you give. Best,   Jason T. Teteak Rule the Room The post How to Close Your Presentation appeared first on Rule The Room.

What’s a surefire way to make sure you’re meeting your audience’s needs? The circle of knowledge is a way to get the audience members to reveal what they actually want to know from you and to look good while they do it—and ultimately, it will be a tool to get them to listen. The simple, three-step process is an unparalleled tool to help you connect with your audience and get them to want to listen to you. Step 1: Ask a question Begin by saying, "Before we get started, I want to know what you think." Ask them what they think are the top three things that represent a success in the topic you’re presenting about. Then, give them thirty seconds to write down their individual answers. Asking the right question is key. For example: If you’re presenting to sales professionals: "What are the top three qualities you think successful salespeople all have?" If you’re presenting to a group of academic administrators: "What are the top three things that make an effective staff meeting?" If you’re presenting to software developers: "What are the top three features that make a new software program appealing to any market?" If you’re presenting to venture capitalists to get funding for your startup: "What are the top three criteria a great investment should meet?" What the question achieves: When I described the circle of knowledge, Richard White, who wanted to sell his services to community bankers, wanted to ask, "What are the top three concerns community bankers have?" For a presentation I would make, I would like to ask, "What are the top three areas you need to improve as a presenter?" so I could address those concerns. But it is pointless to ask a question designed to uncover pain points. Why? Because you won’t get many responses. People don’t want to reveal their weaknesses publicly. However, if you ask what are the top qualities or skills or results they’d like to achieve in their area, you will get lots of answers. Though they may be unwilling to express their deficiencies, people always know how to state positive goals. Richard reworded his question to ask, "What do you think are the top three qualities of a great loan?" As a presenter myself, I would ask, "What are the top three qualities that make an amazing presenter?" By making our audience members feel like experts and keeping the topic positive, we gain insights and build our credibility to our audiences. Spend time on coming up with questions for the circle of knowledge that will prompt useful responses. Ask a question that: directly relates to the overall topic of the presentation. is expressed in a positive way. is open-ended, with multiple right answers. is designed to tell you what your listeners want to know about the topic. allows the audience to demonstrate some expertise about the topic. Step 2: Request agreement Ask audience members to take another thirty seconds to discuss and then agree with the person sitting next to them on the best answer. What this process achieves: Your audience is always a bit apprehensive at the beginning, both about you and about interacting with others. But your question will allow audience members to express their opinions about a topic they care about and to come to an agreement—people love to agree—with a colleague or peer. This makes them loosen up, which makes them feel safer, which makes them more comfortable and ready to enjoy your presentation. Step 3: Call on a relayer Ask each pair to assign one of them to be the relayer who states what they came up with. What this achieves: Using a relayer system will be far more productive than asking for individual responses. People are less hesitant to speak in front of an audience if they are speaking on behalf of someone else, because they don’t have to take individual responsibility if their answer is not well received. In this case, since the question is based on their expertise, people often are eager to answer, hoping to look good in front of and be validated by you and by their peers. After a minute has elapsed (thirty seconds to write things down, thirty seconds to consult with the relayer), ask, "Relayers, what did you come up with?" They may not be sure whether to raise their hand or not, so I encourage them to be a bit informal by saying, "Shout it out. What are the top three things that make an effective [your topic]?" As they shout out answers, write them down on a board or a large sticky note if you can. (You’ll want to refer back to these later in your presentation to show you’ve met their needs). When you use the circle of knowledge, the answers come so quickly you may have trouble writing fast enough to get them all down. In the hundreds of times I’ve used the circle of knowledge, it has never failed to get an enthusiastic and helpful response. The circle of knowledge is effective and powerful. It enlivens the presentation. It gives your audience a chance to show its expertise and feel comfortable with you. It shows your empathy: You care what they have to say and you’re listening to them. It tells you exactly what they want to know. To the question of what makes a great loan, Richard’s audience mentioned such topics as minimizing risk, using existing customer relationships, and satisfying their customers. Among the qualities my audiences have said will make you amazing as a presenter are showing confidence, looking knowledgeable, using humor, appearing calm and flexible, building rapport, and so on. These answers reconfirmed the topics research told us were of interest, but with the circle of knowledge, the audience was hearing the answers aloud. If people add a topic you hadn’t prepared for, but you’re knowledgeable in that area, you may be able to weave the topic into your presentation in real time. (I’ll make some suggestions for doing that later in chapter 12.) At the very least, you’ve got some market research for the future. Best of all, you’ll have the perfect segue from what they want to the takeaways that you have. Once you bridge that gap, you will have them exactly where you want them, hanging on every word you are about to say. Best, Jason Teteak Rule the Room The post Meet Your Audience's Needs appeared first on Rule The Room.

Questions are a sign people are interested and provide an opportunity for interaction that makes your presentation livelier. Presenters often tell me they have a hard time getting responses when they invite questions. You can turn that around with just a few simple techniques.     Make people feel safe to ask a question Adult learners’ greatest fear is looking foolish in front of their peers. That’s why if you ask, "Do you have any questions?," chances are you’ll get nothing but dead silence. No one wants to be the first to raise a hand for fear of looking as if he or she is the sole individual in the room who doesn’t understand what’s going on. If instead you say, "What questions do you have about [the topic you’ve just covered]?," you’ve increased the likelihood of a response. You’ve suggested that you fully expect there will be questions, and therefore no one should be embarrassed to ask one. Still, you will have to wait for one to come.   Wait seven seconds to get a response The real key to getting questions is taking enough time to wait for them. Typically, presenters invite questions, wait a beat or so, say, "Then let’s continue," and go immediately to the next topic. When I point this out after an observation, the usual response is, "Nobody spoke up, and I felt so awkward and weird standing there silently while they stared at me, so I figured I should just move on." But you have to wait. You have to wait a full seven seconds. Though that’s not a lot of time, it can feel like an eternity. Do it anyway. Here’s why: The average human being needs one or two seconds to process a question, another three or four to come up with a response, and one to two more to get the courage up to ask the question publicly. And though you may find the wait uncomfortable, I’ll remind you that this presentation is not about you; it’s about your audience. You may experience discomfort while you’re waiting, but they won’t. You may feel they’re looking at you, but in fact, they’re not paying any attention to you. They’re thinking about what you just asked. While you’re waiting, their brains are busy. You will be more comfortable if you use the techniques I described to display confidence, taking the stance I have described in a previous blog. Swivel your head slowly from one side of the room to the other, gazing across the entire audience, so everyone knows you’re just waiting for a question. The more calm and confident you look, the more questions you’re apt to get. The first question often arrives just before the seventh second. If you allow less time, you may not get any questions at all. Until next time,   Jason Teteak Rule the Room The post How do you get an audience to ask questions? appeared first on Rule The Room.