If you are frustrated that people are not taking action on your
message when presenting to groups... here might be why. Whether you love
or hate speaking to groups, make sure you understand what it really
takes to inspire people to buy from you, hire you, or agree to go along
with your idea.
While
that may be true in some cases, more often it's because you haven't
answered people's favorite question, "What's in it for me?" Make sure
you clearly state at the beginning how your listener will benefit. Too
often people talk about features or details without translating those
into specific benefits for the listeners. Take the time to walk in their
shoes. Make a very long list of all the possible benefits people can
gain from listening to your presentation. Then put those into a pithy
opening statement. For example, if you wanted people to stop being late
to meetings don't launch right into effective time management
techniques, but start with what benefits people will get from being more
punctual. More on this in Myth #2.
Myth #2 - They are resistant to change
That's only true for people if they view the costs to changing as higher than the benefits. Your presentation needs to help them see the costs to NOT changing has higher, and the benefits to NOT changing as much lower. For example, latecomers usually see the costs to changing their relationship with time as too costly and the benefits as too low. Your presentation would need to help them see all the ways their lateness is a cost to them and to others, and also to see how punctuality would benefit them and others.
Myth #3 - There is only one right way to do address a group
Some people believe there is one way to give a presentation and if they just went to enough Toastmasters meetings, or read enough books, they would finally "get it". There is actually one way that's related to connecting to your "best self", or your intuitive wisdom when addressing a group. Unfortunately, that personal magic is not available to you when you reach for a set of techniques. It's more a matter of surrendering to what Malcolm Gladwell calls "Thinking without thinking" in his book, Blink. It's a kind of rapid cognition or the kind of thinking that happens in a blink of an eye. It's like a genius part of your nature that can know exactly what to say, how to say it and when to say it to reach your intended outcome. And that may look different on each person.
Myth #1 -They have poor listening skills
Myth #2 - They are resistant to change
That's only true for people if they view the costs to changing as higher than the benefits. Your presentation needs to help them see the costs to NOT changing has higher, and the benefits to NOT changing as much lower. For example, latecomers usually see the costs to changing their relationship with time as too costly and the benefits as too low. Your presentation would need to help them see all the ways their lateness is a cost to them and to others, and also to see how punctuality would benefit them and others.
Myth #3 - There is only one right way to do address a group
Some people believe there is one way to give a presentation and if they just went to enough Toastmasters meetings, or read enough books, they would finally "get it". There is actually one way that's related to connecting to your "best self", or your intuitive wisdom when addressing a group. Unfortunately, that personal magic is not available to you when you reach for a set of techniques. It's more a matter of surrendering to what Malcolm Gladwell calls "Thinking without thinking" in his book, Blink. It's a kind of rapid cognition or the kind of thinking that happens in a blink of an eye. It's like a genius part of your nature that can know exactly what to say, how to say it and when to say it to reach your intended outcome. And that may look different on each person.
No comments:
Post a Comment