How to gain the advantage during your next presentation

How to gain the advantage during your next presentationHow to gain the advantage during your next presentationThere was a time when classes in public speaking, leadership, and other so-called soft skills were considered a nuisance or something to be tolerated. Thankfully, such attitudes have shifted.To cite one example, a recent study shows that when companiesconnect emotionallywith their customers, schlussverkauf growth accelerates. But we dont need a study to prove that connecting on a human level is the cornerstone of successful geschftliches miteinander communication and a skill to be cultivated.Today, most geschftlicher umgang professionals see the value in connecting with a purpose. After working with geschftsleben leaders to accomplish specific goals like acquiring the next piece of big business or persuading legislators to work on a specific policy change, I decided to compile (almost) everything Ive learned throughout my career into a goal-oriented, strategy-focused book.In the following blog post, I present the CliffsNotes - or StephaniesNotes - version of my bookTalk on Water Attaining the Mindset for Powerhouse Presentations.These highlights will give you a head start in preparing for your next big communication moment. Ultimately though, if youre looking for a real competitive edge and to gain an unfair competitive advantage, I do suggest reading the whole book. Are you ready to talk on water?Connection and opportunityOur heads are often so filled with the dos and donts of giving a business presentation that we can easily forget we are speaking to real people. Once weve lost our bearings, you can bet weve lost the connection to ourselves, our message or our audience.The power of connection is vital to business communication. Indeed, its the foundation for every lasting professional or customer relationship you create. Connection is so vital, in fact, that Ive seen missed opportunities to connect result inLost business when the sales team overwhel med a client with details of features and benefits and services and capabilities andShallow bench strength because the new vice president hadnt found her voice and the manager couldnt figure out how to move beyond his subject-matter expertise.Money wasted on town-hall meetings that didnt increase employee understanding, engagement or buy-in.If you could improve business presentations, what might be possible? Increased sales? Better financial standing? Deeper bench strength? More motivated and confident employees? All of this and more is possible when you discover how to connect and communicate on a higher level.The Talk on Water mindsetConnecting with your audience, whether during a one-on-one sales call, presenting market research to a group of eight stakeholders seated around a conference table or speaking to hundreds on a TEDx stage, starts with mindset. You simply cant connect with an audience of any size if you are plagued by self-doubt or putting on a facade that obscures your authenticity. Your audience will pick up on the subtle cues you are giving and respond accordingly.Rather than focusing on getting through a presentation, the best thinkers focus on developing a rapport with their audiences. They achieve this by keeping several foundational beliefs in mindYour audience is your biggest fan.A presentation is an enlarged conversation.Your audience wants connection, not perfection.There are enough ways for everyone to have their own.Ahead of your next powerhouse presentation, do your best to instill these foundational beliefs in your mind. This will put you well on your way to connecting with your audience. But dont forget that to get the results you are after, you also need to connect with yourself and with your message.Connect with yourself by knowing what you need to succeed.What will make you feel most confident in this presentation? How much time do you need to prepare? Who can you depend on for support as you prepare?Connect with your message by empathizing with your audience.You have one job while you are presenting to help your audience get it.Depending on your presenter profile, the it could be effectively communicating facts and sharing information about a new safety protocol (The Expert). Or the it could be sharing your startups business model and influencing venture capitalists to invest (The Interpreter). Or the it could be disrupting the status quo in the minds of your audience members and igniting change on a grand scale (The Catalyst).To achieve the results youre after, you must put yourself in your audiences shoes.The Presentation C.O.D.E.Once youve become aware of the Talk on Water mindset (Part 1) and figured out your presenter profile (Part 2), youre ready to start building your powerhouse presentation. The book presents a simple four-step process called the Presentation C.O.D.E (Part 3) to help with the nuts and bolts. Heres a quick overviewStep 1 Clarify your core message.Its important to keep your message s imple. I recommend asking yourself, If my audience takes away one key message, what does it need to be? Your goal will be for each person hearing your presentation to be able to repeat whatever your core message was at the end of your presentation.Step 2 Organize your content.Organization is key to helping your audience get it. Ask yourself how you can best segment your important content with a logical structure that maps back and supports your core message.Step 3 Develop your audio-visuals.Many presenters make the mistake of using audio-visuals in a distracting or overwhelming way. It can sometimes appear as if presenters are trying to hide behind their media. This impression is not the way to win over your audience Instead, consider how you can use audio-visuals to help your audience quickly grasp whats being discussed.Step 4 Express yourself and engage your audience.Never forget that you are best at being yourself. Rather than trying to imitate others or their captivating present ation styles, work to express yourself with ease, energy, and enthusiasm. If you can do this well, you will succeed in speaking with confidence. Skillful authenticity always results in a memorable presentation.Prepare for primetimeIn the fast-paced business world where everyone seems to want everything yesterday, preparing and rehearsing a presentation can seem like a luxury. But to achieve results in high-stakes presentations, practice is absolutely a necessity.What do I mean by practice? I want you to think of your presentation as a performance. Now, elsewhere Ive pushed back againstthe comparison between delivering a business presentation and giving a stage performance. But please allow me to explain.Theres no way an actress in a Broadway play would go out on stage without rehearsing adequately. To be stage-ready there are table read-throughs, off- and on-site rehearsals, partial and full rehearsals, dress rehearsals and technical rehearsals. If you are as prepared as an actress on Broadway, you are going to be your most confident and ready to achieve the results you desire.On average, it takes a business leader five focused practice sessions to be ready to seal the deal when it comes to high-stakes, career-defining presentations. I promise that, if you take the time to prepare, you will deliver a powerhouse presentation. You dont want to skimp on practice timeThe truth is, all business leaders are capable of giving a powerhouse presentation. All it takes is the right mindset, a well-crafted presentation with a strong core message and thorough preparation. These are all definitely within your graspBy far, the greatest key to success in any presentation is making connections that count. When you show up as your authentic self, the audience will respond positively and your message will have the lasting impact youre after. What strategies do you rely on when you want to talk on water?Stephanie Scotti is a strategic communication advisor specializing in high-st akes presentations. She has 25-plus years experience of coaching experience and eight years teaching presentation skills for Duke University. She has provided presentation coaching to over 3,000 individuals in professional practices, Fortune 500 companies, high-level government officials and international business executives. Learn more atProfessionallySpeaking.netandProfessionallySpeakingBlog.com.This article first appeared on SmartBrief. 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Can Where I Choose to Sit Affect my Professional Success

Can Where I Choose to Sit Affect my Professional Success Can Where I Choose to Sit Affect my Professional Success With so many different tips and tricks, sometimes it can be overwhelming trying to master the perfect formula and approach for interviewing success.We all know the universal rules of arriving at least 15 minutes early and following up after an interview just to reiterate your interest (along with thanking the interviewer for his/her time). And were all aware of how our appearance and body language can leave positive or negative impressions with hiring managers, ultimately affecting our employment success.But, did you know that besides the research, and showing up on time, and speaking with confidence, there is another area that could affect how successful you are during an interview- something most of us wouldnt even consider?According to furniture manufacturer Seats and Stools, candidates should consider this before their next interview Where should you sit?The company has created an infographic, Suits and Seats Where to Sit for Professional Success, which explains the relation between seats and professional geschftliches miteinander outcomes. And Seats and Stools even broke it down into four different business sitting scenarios.Lets take a look at how your seat can affect your professional lifeInterviews One-on-one interviewsIn a one-on-one interview scenario, the infographic advises you to sit opposite of the interviewer, which could make him/her feel intimidated. Candidates should wait to be asked to sit, and when they are seated, dont forget to sit up straight. The infographic advises to move your chair to be at eye level with the interviewer.Group interviewsIf you are interviewing with a group or panel, sit across from the group of interviewers. The infographic shows the best seat is directly in the middle if there are three people on the interview panel.The visual says to introduce yourself by giving your full name to everyone on the panel, make eye contact with the group, smile and show enthusiasm. Also, place your belongings on the floor, not the table.I agree with the point about introducing yourself to everyone. Once when I interviewed with a panel of three, I made it a point to introduce myself and shake each interviewers hand when I walked into the room. I could tell each person was impressed with this gesture.Brainstorming SessionWhen your gruppe in brainstorming, the infographic believes you should keep groups small for spontaneous thinking.The infographic has seats in a circle, advising to try creating a brainstorming circle of seats without a table for an informal group discussion that facilitates lively discussion. And dont forget to separate strong personalities by distance when placing chairs in this type of seating scenario.PresentationsOne-to-manyPresentations are a form of business communication that many of us will encounter. The infographic says to arrange seats in theater style with rows facing the speaker in a semi-circular pattern or herringbone pattern. Make sure you stagger the seats for maximum viewing.This setup, the infographic explains, is best for the presenter because there are fewer distractions and allows the audience to pay more attention. The best seat to sit in during a one-to-many presentation is toward the middle of the row and close to the front (typical best seat when going to an actual movie theater).Sales MeetingDuring a schlussverkauf meeting, the presenter should be at the front while the audience is at small tables. This banquet style approach to a sales meeting will help foster communication and keep the attention of the attendees.Business LunchNow, business lunches are extremely common- but according to the infographic- most of us who give no thought to where we or our clients sit may be missing out on the opportunity for maximum communication success. The best seating for a business lunch is a 4-top table in the quiet area of a restaurant with minima l noise and distractions, the infographic explains.If you and a colleague are hosting the lunch, sit next to each other on the corner of the table rather than across from each other. This way, according to the visual, both of you can have a client seated on the other corner next to you, allowing for intimate conversation. The infographic advises to subtly direct your client to the chair next to you once he or she arrives.I must admit, where I choose to sit affecting my professional life is an idea that never occurred to me before seeing this infographic. Yet, after viewing it, I can understand how ones seat can either hurt or help him/her in different business communication settings.What do you think? Is your choice of seat really a factor in professional business communication success?

This is the best state to have a child in this year

This is the best state to have a child in this yearThis is the best state to have a child in this yearNew research from WalletHub shows that the best state to have a child in this year is Vermont.WalletHub took a look at all 50 states and D.C. in terms of health care, family-friendliness, cost and baby-friendliness.They then looked at those factors in terms of 26 others before eventually giving each area a total score out of 100.The company used information from the U.S. Census Bureau, among many other sources.The Top 10 states to have a child in this year1) Vermont 69.612) Massachusetts 67.763) Minnesota 67.064) New Hampshire 65.655) North Dakota 63.216) Connecticut 59.307) Colorado 57.808) Nebraska 56.599) District of Columbia 56.4410) California 56.07Mississippi came in last place (51) with a total score of 23.16.How the states compare to each otherWalletHubs infographic takes a look at this topic from a variety of angles.Dont make this money mistake when having kidsSteven Meyers is a psychology professor, Associate Chair of Psychology, and director of the Initiative for Child and Family Studies and Undergraduate Programs in Psychology at Roosevelt University.He told WalletHub that worst thing prospective parents can do when comes to money is avoiding planning.He continued, some prospective parents will ignore these issues completely and assume that everything will ultimately work out in terms of money. Others will worry or think about finances, but only in very vague or general terms. Still, other prospective parents will focus instead only on whether they are emotionally ready for a child rather than on whether they are financially prepared. Ultimately, finances will be a major challenge for many families in the United States, where approximately 20% of children live in poverty.Couples do not need to have everything figured out. Many decisions are tentative and will change as the facts and circumstances emerge. However, there is a middle ground in which pa rents have the needed information and have a preliminary framework as far as finances as they seek to build their families, Meyers told the site.