Browse published articles attributed to Stephanie Scotti, with full-archive search.
Hopefully, you enjoyed some relaxing downtime with your family and friends during the holidays. For me, it was a welcome break to go to the movies with my daughter-in-law Jill and watch her all-time favorite story, Les Miserables — starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway.
Watch any skilled speaker on TV - a celebrity, news commentator, or political leader - and chances are, much of their seemingly "effortless" delivery is due to practiced use of a teleprompter. It's also likely that, at some point in your role as a professional communicator, you'll be called on to use a teleprompter, if you haven't already done so. Teleprompters are valuable tools, there's no doubt. But like any technology, their use shouldn't distract you from your primary goal: connecting with your audience.
You may be surprised to learn that, with rare exceptions, your audience is rooting for you. Every time you step up to speak, they want you to succeed. If you’re ever witnessed a comedian bomb or a singer hit a “pitchy” note, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The audience shudders with embarrassment for the performer. They want the person on stage to be entertaining — that’s why they came. The same holds true for a speaker giving a presentation.
In this age of information overload, the window of opportunity to keep your audience’s attention gets smaller by the tweet. How bad is it? It has been reported that we are bombarded by the equivalent of 174 newspapers of data a day. No doubt about it; we constantly battle a tidal wave of information demanding our attention. The question is, “what can you do to capture the attention of your listeners?” Here are eight ways to “disrupt” the barrage of noise so your message is heard. 1. Tell a story.r
Recently, a client expressed anxiety about presenting. She said she always over-prepared, obsessing for weeks in advance, losing sleep and repeatedly rehashing what she wanted to say and do. I asked her, "When do you know your presentation is good enough?" She responded, “Good enough to do what?” Her question led me to read TJ Walker’s two excellent books, How to Give a Pretty Good Presentation and TJ Walker’s Secret to Foolproof Presentations.
Is it possible to overthink what could be a career-defining presentation?... In a word, yes. If you’re in the midst of preparing for your next presentation and suspect you might be overthinking it, try this quick test. Are you… • Obsessing rather than progressing? • Feeling as if you’ve hit a wall? • Frantically looking for that magic bullet to get back on track?
Let’s say you’re preparing to speak to your board of directors, present a budget for approval, launch a new initiative or rally the troops in the office. And let’s assume that each of these endeavors requires a persuasive conversation. Like most business people, you approach this task as a straightforward process, consisting of:rnï§ A clear statement of what needs to be accomplishedrnï§ A strong statement of a solution with data based supporting argumentsrnï§ An assumption that the audience will readily agree with an understanding of “the facts”rnï§ A confident and engaging delivery
Trembling hands. Dry mouth. Weak legs. Your mind is racing and so is your heart. Sound familiar? Welcome to the very popular “glossophobia” club, more commonly known as stage fright. If you suffer from speaker’s anxiety, you’re in excellent company. Fear of speaking in public still ranks as one of the top — if not the number one fear — in the western world.
Recently I was engaged to provide speakers’ training for a group of prestigious physicians launching a groundbreaking new therapy in Europe. Each member of the group was extraordinarily committed to the success of the launch, and their approach made an indelible impression on me. Why?
In 1979, AT&T debuted its iconic “Reach Out and Touch Someone” ads on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Almost quaint by today’s standards, the emotion-driven campaign highlighted the power of picking up a phone and connecting with someone across the street or across the world. Though the tools may have changed — Skype, cell phones, Facebook, Twitter — the concept of “reaching out” and connecting with someone (or lots of someones!) on an emotional level remains just as vital for today’s high-stakes presenters.
Imagine facing a room full of skittish investors and analysts to present your company’s management plan for the next quarter. Talk about high stakes! That was exactly the scenario recently faced by a client’s company. While they brought me in to rehearse with them the day before, in this type of meeting — one that’s likely to be packed with detailed data and statistics — it’s also likely that audience members will be focused on note taking or reviewing handouts rather than keeping their eyes on the presenters.
Leveraging the Power of a Team Presentation. While meeting with a new client last week, one of the partners took me aside and confided that his company had just lost a potential new piece of business. What had gone wrong? The prospect said their pitch wasn’t “buttoned up” enough — the kiss of death for any sales presentation. My client quickly realized that his prospect’s feedback was accurate. Countless hours had been spent on the pitch content, but they hadn’t taken five minutes to coordinate and build real teamwork among the presenters.
A client recently asked, “How do I control my urge to give more information than my audience needs?” Great (and very mindful) question! Consider this answer from authors Dan and Chip Heath in Made to Stick. They say that in an effort to be complete, we often feel obligated to share every single thing we know rather than considering just what our listeners need to get the point (called “The Curse of Knowledge” by the authors). When “cursed,” we keep going and going; as a result, little sticks with our now-overwhelmed audience. Sound familiar?
Watching the presidential election coverage I wondered, how the two candidates felt as the returns streamed in? How would the "loser" prepare himself for his final speech? And how would the "winner" present himself as he delivered that all-important acceptance speech to the American public?
Reveal the “Why" Behind These days, almost every company is scouring the balance sheet, looking for savings. The value of business meetings, for example, is seriously scrutinized and presenters are asking themselves: “How can I create a presentation that delivers real bottom-line results?” For an answer, first imagine a presenter who says the following: “We need to develop an optimum contract agreement with our South American distributor in support of our 2016 subsidiary conversion plan.” Would that motivate you to get the job done?
Talent shows are back on U.S. television and bigger than ever. One of the newest is The Voice, where vocalists compete for a recording contract and $100,000. What makes this show unique is its innovative “blind audition,” in which judges select contestants based solely on their voice. How would you measure up if your entire presentation was judged solely on your voice? Once you’re comfortable with your content and organization, it’s time to enhance your delivery using these techniques to make the most of your unique voice.
The first Presidential debate I asked . . . what will win over the American voter, substance, style or possibly both? And the answer is BOTH — at least for Romney. First, let me state that I observed the presidential debate from a non-partisan point of view. As a speaker coach, I was listening for clarity of thought as well as how each man expressed himself. So, what exactly did Romney do that projected a presence that said, “confident, credible and congenial”? What happened to the dynamic and engaging persona that has contributed to Obama’s popularity?
“I want you to discuss your accomplishments in the meeting, but please — no more than four slides.” That was the directive given to my husband last week as he prepared for a company performance review meeting. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. When did PowerPoint become our default communication mode? I fear that someday soo I’ll sit down to have a conversation and be expected to launch my slides.
While visiting a friend recently in Chapel Hill, NC, we attended a lecture on the University of North Carolina campus. When the speaker started presenting, I noticed that the audience — which ranged in age from 6 to well over 60 — was completely enthralled (including me!) from start to end. Intrigued, I decided to take a step back to see exactly how this presenter was creating such a powerful experience for his listeners. To tell you the truth, he wasn’t doing every single thing right — and somehow it didn’t matter.
YouTube videos satirize them. Bestsellers criticize them. And we all dread them. I’m talking about those dense, badly organized, put-you-to-sleep PowerPoint presentations. Why do people keep plodding down the typical tedious PowerPoint path? Here are a few possible reasons: ï§ That’s the way I’ve always done it!rnï§ They’re only giving 15 minutes and I’ve got a lot to say.rnï§ That’s the way my boss does it!rnï§ People will need all this information when they get back to their offices. (Be honest, how often do you go back to a PowerPoint for reference? Others probably don’t either.)
Pet peeves. Those mundane (yet infuriating) habits that get under your skin and drive you crazy! We all have them. Perhaps your pet peeve is drivers who don't use turn signals. No? How about someone cracking their knuckles...or noisy eaters? Admit it, you've got at least one. As 2012 comes to a close, I’d like to share three of my pet peeves -- presentation peeves, of course! Each is remarkably easy to fix and each an ideal resolution for sharpening your skills in the coming year – transforming a presentation peeve into presentation presence. #1. Avoid the weak “thank you” opener.r
The pressure was on, each candidate striving to deliver the knock-out punch that would leave a lasting impression, swaying undecided voters. Two evenly matched candidates, this debate felt like a tug-of-war … one moment one candidate winning until the rebuttal, when his opponent would take the lead. While I thought Obama was closer to his second-debate performance tha Romney was to his first round win, all in all I’d say it was a draw. Why? Quite different in their styles, both men projected the confidence, credibility and connection that is critical to presidential leadership.
You spent hours polishing your presentation, making sure it was clear, well organized and easy to follow. It even included an inspiring call to action. After delivering it, you thought it was a home run — only your audience didn’t hear much of what you said. In fact, it was as if your audience wasn’t even in the same room. How could that be? What distracted them? The question isn't so much “what” as it is “who” distracted them. And the answer just might be “you.”
Authenticity. You've seen it preached here countless times as a vital component to a home-run presentation. But what if the material you're delivering isn't your own? A colleague recently auditioned to become a certified trainer for a well-known sales guru, delivering customized versions of his popular seminars under a licensing arrangement.
"As a presenter, how do you make sure you’re ready for the 'big leagues' and poised to make a positive impact in a high-stakes environment?"> This question came from Carolyn, a long-time client, as we were reviewing 100+ speakers at an annual trade show — a marquee event for this leading industry association.
From Paper to Podium: Rehearse your way to prime time Think back to the last conference you attended. While an event’s keynote or session speakers may be subject matter experts, most are not professional speakers. If you’ve ever wondered what makes one presenter sparkle while others fall flat, I’d bet you the difference is the time each speaker spent rehearsing. Many speakers believe that their presentations are ready for prime time the moment the toner's dry on their PowerPoint printout.
The Art of Using Notes I’m often surprised that many speakers still fall prey to the fallacy that preparation means memorization — and that bringing notes to the podium might make you appear ill-prepared in the eyes of your audience.
The tension was palatable as the 2012 Presidential Town Hall meeting concluded. Following the debate, both men greeted their families and then continued campaigning — signing autographs and having their picture taken. Neither candidate turned to greet the other, neither acknowledged the others family. To me, this was a natural reaction to the animosity that was expressed during the debate. And in fact, if they had greeted each other I would have questioned the authenticity of the gesture.