Presentation Techniques: Speaking in Threes

/1 Kommentar/in /von

Presentation techniques: tripling

There are hundreds of presentation techniques, and some are more common than others. One example is that people find it easy to remember things in threes, and building on this tendency (known as tripling) is one of the simple presentation techniques that work in all presentations.  You’ve probably already seen or heard people doing it…

„Veni, Vidi, Vici”  – Julius Caesar
“Friends, Romans, Countrymen …” –William Shakespeare
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people” – Abraham Lincoln

Of course you don’t need to be a great public speaker to make this work for you in your business presentations.

3 simple tips on presentation techniques for speaking in threes

1. Use three items that fit together to make an impact

Come back to the same item each time, hammering home the point:
  • We can retain customers by reducing our reaction time.
  • We can retain customers by offering round the clock support.
  • And we can retain customers by delivering spare parts within 48 hours.
  • Three items that act in sequence to reach a desired goal. e.g. “If we reduce our reaction time, offer round the clock support, and commit to delivering spare parts within 48 hours we will retain more customers.”
  • Three key themes that together cover a wide area. e.g. “We need to retain customers, we need to expand into the BRIC countries and we need to acquire smaller local competitors.”

2.  Use rhetorical questions

  • Ask a rhetorical question e.g. “So what is our new customer support strategy?”
  • Offer a simple, even minimalistic, response  e.g. “It’s called One Service.”
  • Then drive this home with three related words or phrases to grab attention, encapsulate or summarize. e.g. “One Service will form networks, it will promote best-practice sharing and most importantly it will make us even more effective.”

3.  Use your voice to leave a lasting impression

  • You can connect the three items by rising or reducing the pitch of your voice for each one.
  • Going up with your voice increases emotion, going down brings a sense of finality and certainty.
  • You may also want to put your most important point last – and then pause before it to make an additional impact.

Give it a go. Using presentation techniques such as speaking in threes will make your key messages simple. It will also make them clear and, above all, it will make them memorable. Let us know what you think in the comments area below.  Also, click here to see how Target Training’s seminar can help even the great presenters get better.

 

Managing High Performers: Miles Davis Part 2

/2 Kommentare/in /von

What does Miles Davis have to do with managing high performers in business?

Good question. Miles Davis is rightfully acclaimed as an icon of jazz but he didn’t make music alone. Miles worked with the best of the best to create music that stands as among the highest forms of the genre. In part 1 we explored three key lessons we can learn from Miles‘ approach to managing his high performing band mates. They were: Be excellent, publicly; Don’t hire a trumpet player; and Play together.

Managing high performers: Lessons 4-6

4.  Don’t tell them what to do, tell them what not to do

Related to lesson three, play together, is the style of debriefing and guidance Miles offered to his band mates following their performances.  Miles didn’t put a group together hearing the music he hoped they would produce in his mind, then correcting them to come as close as possible to his vision. Miles believed in an experimental approach to developing new music. When reflecting about what took place in performances, Miles would say what his band mates shouldn’t do but he wouldn’t tell them what to do. He hired them for their expertise on their individual instruments. He wanted them to bring their ideas to the table so they could take ownership of their performances and the product of the group.

The high performers in your organization reached a level of success before becoming members of your team. When managing high performers, take advantage of their creativity and input by channeling, not directing their contributions to the organization.

5.  Listen to save the day
“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.” Miles Davis

Deep listening is the art of hearing not only what is said but also what isn’t said.  On stage, Miles had the opportunity to lay out and listen to what his band mates were playing.  There were times when while reaching for new forms of expression, the band lost its way. By listening to what wasn’t there, Miles could enter the fray at the right moment with the phrase that would bring the other players back together again, finding a groove that was satisfying to the musicians and the audience.
Look for your opportunities, especially in conflict, to find what isn’t being said and remind the participants in the argument that they are on the same team. Listen for agreement that the parties may be missing, summarize, and encourage them to listen deeply to each other when emotions run high. “What I am hearing is…” is a great way to interject.

6.  Talk about life, not music

With our busy lives it may be tempting to leave work at work and leave life at home.  We can get through our workdays without sharing with others the experiences that shaped us outside of the work environment. Miles believed knowing the personal histories of his band mates was crucial to being able to know them musically. He invested time in learning about the backgrounds of his band mates and he shared his own. This sharing created an environment of trust that helped his musicians to work with each other more closely.
Be willing to be more open when you are managing high performers as it can lead to more effective, trusting relationships. A deeper bond of respect can increase loyalty to you, and commitment to your organization and its goals.

6 Lessons for managing high performers from Miles Ahead:

  1. Be excellent, publicly
  2. Don’t hire a trumpet player
  3. Play together and produce excellence
  4. Don’t tell them what to do, tell them what not to do
  5. Listen to save the day
  6. Talk about life, not music

Let us know what you think is missing regarding managing high performers in the comments area below.  Want more on managing high performers as well as others?  Click here.

 

Managing High Performers: The Miles Davis Way

/3 Kommentare/in /von

What does Miles Davis have to do with managing high performers in business?

Good question.  Miles Davis is rightfully acclaimed as an icon of jazz but he didn’t make music alone.  Throughout his career as a bandleader, Miles worked with other iconic figures of jazz to create music that stands even today as among the highest forms of the genre. John Coltrane, Herbbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, “Philly” Joe Jones, Keith Jarrett, Ron Carter, Tony Williams and many others known as among the giants of jazz graduated from “Miles University”. Miles Davis, time and time again, brought together some of the most talented musicians in their own right to work with him in his musical exploration. How did he do it? This two part blog will explore the lessons of Miles Davis in the art of leading the best to be their best.  In this part, we’ll look at lessons one through three on managing high performers and part two next week will cover lessons four through six.

Managing high performers: Lessons 1-3

1.  Be Excellent, Publicly

Miles Davis was able, on many occasions, to put together bands of some of the most talented musicians of their time throughout his career. Miles‘ reputation clearly preceded him as receiving a call from Miles was seen as having achieved a high level of musicianship. But that wasn’t the only reason so many musicians with promising solo careers agreed to support Miles. They believed they would learn something based on Miles‘ excellence as a musician and band leader. Miles greatness was easy to see through his performances, compositions and recordings.


How easy is it for high performers to recognize your excellence? There is a tendency among many leaders not to “toot their own horns” about their own performance and accomplishments. While a leader may not need to sing his own praises, it is important that someone does it for him. A leader’s excellence will attract others who want to achieve the same level of competence, while increasing the leader’s  credibility and ability to guide, mentor and teach.

2.  Don’t hire a trumpet player

Miles‘ great combos included players with different styles and tendencies. He hired players who would complement his playing and each other’s. He didn’t need anyone who sounded like him in the groups because he had that covered.


In business, it can be difficult to avoid the temptation to hire people who mirror our backgrounds, experiences, styles and tendencies. After all those competencies served us well in our careers. It is important to remember as a leader that our success is a reflection of the past while we are hiring for the future.  The pace of change doesn’t only require different technological skills it also requires new communication and leadership skills from those current leaders needed at earlier stages of their careers. Hiring teams with complementary but different skills and areas of expertise broadens the set of problems they can solve and increases their impact on the organization.

3.  Play together and produce excellence

Miles‘ bands grew into cohesive units through performances, not rehearsals. They played together and learned through reflection about what happened on stage adjusted to the different situations, approaches, sound systems and audiences that influenced what they produced.
Each performance created a wealth of learning opportunities for Miles and his band mates. The urgency of the moment created a focus and intensity that would be very difficult if not impossible to reproduce in a rehearsal. By focusing on playing together and learning from the experience, Miles could correct on the spot, encourage and support his band to take risks, push themselves and reach new heights of excellence.

How often do you perform with your high performers? Finding opportunities to produce excellence together will give you more chances to learn about them and coach. They will have the chance to learn about your approach to problem solving and managing high performers.

Let us know what you think of the first three lessons in the comments area below.  Make sure to check back next Wed as Part 2 on managing high performers will be posted.  Want more on managing high performers and your employees?  Click here.

 

Meeting Agendas: 3 Key Elements

/in /von

Meeting agendas are optional, right?  Business meetings can be held for many reasons: to discuss a topic, find a plan of action or update team members on the status of a project. After you’ve established the purpose and need for your meeting, then the next step is to create an agenda. A meeting without a clear agenda can be compared to a ship that’s sailing without a map: you’re on the sea and going somewhere, but no one knows where. In order to ensure your ship is on the right course, send a copy of your well-written agenda 24 hours in advance and have paper copies ready for the participants at the start of the meeting.

Three Reasons Meeting Agendas are Necessary

  1. If none of the topics are relevant for one person, they can skip the meeting and focus on the tasks they’re responsible for.
  2. A numbered agenda is a powerful organizational tool. If you refer to the agenda often, you can stay in control of your meeting and the amount of time spent on a topic.
  3. Agendas can be used as a feedback mechanism for whether or not your meetings are successful.

Three Key Elements of Meeting Agendas

  1. Basic information like the location, names of expected participants, date, start time and end time of the meeting. Even better, estimate the amount of time necessary for each agenda item – and stick to it. If something unimportant comes up, add it to your topics Parking Lot, or create an agenda item called AOB (any other business) that can be discussed if there is time at the end of the meeting. The AOB item can also be added to the agenda of the next meeting.
  2. The topic and the person responsible for it. If someone sees their name in writing next to a topic, they’ll know they’re expected to speak and can prepare for the meeting.
  3. An objective for each item, or for the meeting in general. If you’re searching for a reason for the meeting and you can’t find one easily, perhaps this meeting isn’t necessary.

Three Positive Outcomes of Creating and Distributing Meeting Agendas

  1. Attending unnecessary meetings results in lost productivity, which means lost revenue for the company.
  2. A clear agenda saves time, as it keeps the discussion on track.
  3. The agenda can be used as a checklist to track what has been accomplished in the meeting.

Of course, there are many other elements that can make meeting agendas even more effective. However, after committing to using an agenda and following the above steps, your meetings will be more efficient and the attendees more interested in contributing. If you have other ideas for creating agendas or making meetings more efficient, please share them in the comments section below. For information on how  you can run effective meetings, click here.

Listening Skills: 10 Areas to Improve

/in /von

Listening effectively is not easy.  How often do you find yourself in a conversation and not completely concentrating on what your partner is saying?

New Call-to-action hbspt.cta.load(455190, ‚0455f399-a600-43a9-848f-986da3f8ea8e‘, {});

How good are your listening skills?

Take a look at the ten simple questions below and assess how good your listening skills are. Be honest with yourself.

  1. As soon as you think you know what your partner wants to say you turn off and stop listening (jumping to conclusions)
  2. You spend the time used by your partner to prepare your next comment (rehearsing)
  3. You only concentrate when you expect that the point will be of direct interest to you (filtering)
  4. You expect to disagree so you only listen for weaknesses (judging)
  5. You continue nodding in agreement although your thoughts are on something else (dreaming)
  6. You refer everything to your own experience and compare what you did / would have done (comparing)
  7. You start thinking about the possible solutions before your partner has finished outlining the issue (solving)
  8. You don’t give your partner room to build their argument and start to discuss before the speaker is ready (interrupting)
  9. You think you / your work / your team are being criticized and jump in to block the supposed attack (defending)
  10. You agree politely to whatever your partner says so that you can move on to the next subject (placating)

 

Improving your listening skills awareness with ALF

Now next time you are talking with someone be aware of your internal listening behaviors. Focus on listening to them. A simple trick to improve your listening skills is to remember ALF:

Always Listen First

And finally here’s a tip from Lars, a project lead for an automotive manufacturer.  I met Lars a few years ago when he was a participant in a Virtual Teams seminar we ran.  A few months ago I bumped into him at a train station. He told me that he’d bought himself a key ring of ALF, the character from the 1980s comedy show.  Just so he wouldn’t forget to Always Listen First.

Let us know what has worked for you in the comments area below.

 

The RATER model in customer service – How do you RATE?

/in /von

All of us have “customers” of one sort or another. Whether we are working on a B2B or B2C basis, with internal or external customers, customer service skills make a huge difference at how successful you are at working with customers. Understanding what customers expect is a must. In a general sense, customers expect a positive customer experience, to feel like they matter (as your customer), and a resolution to their problem or query. Of course, individual expectations differ from one customer to the next. However, all individual customer expectations fall within the same five categories, as explained in this post.

DOWNLOAD THE CAN-DO TOOLBOX

The RATER model

We often (almost always) use the RATER model in our customer service training solutions. The model was developed by Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Berry (1990 – Delivering Quality Service; Balancing Customer Perceptions and Expectations). Based on the SERVQUAL model, RATER defines five categories that customers value when assessing service quality.

Reliability

  • Do you do what you say you will do?
  • Do you perform consistently and in a timely and accurate fashion?

Assurance

  • Do you inspire trust and confidence, making your customers feel safe in your hands?
  • Do your customers know that they have come to the right place?

Tangibility

  • Do you display expert knowledge?
  • Are you able to explain internal processes, or how you will deal with your customer’s needs?

Empathy

  • Do you show your customer that you understand their needs and situation?
  • Do you treat the customer like an individual?

Responsiveness

  • Do you provide timely customer service?
  • Do you convey a willingness to help?

The uses of the RATER model

This model is not intended to make you say „yes, I perform consistently and in a timely and accurate fashion when I work with customers.“ A better question would be, is that what ALL my customers would say about my service? The RATER model is a key part of customer satisfaction. Based on a series of personal impressions of your service, ff a customer’s expectations weren’t met, it will be related to one or more of the categories of the RATER model. (I have asked people in the training room, „is that what all your customers would say?“ The answer is never yes and I think that would be impossible anyway.)

Other questions to ask:

  1. How do I know I’m doing it well enough?
  2. What are the opportunities for improvement?
  3. What do my customers want more of?

Our experience with the RATER model

The model 30 years on is still relevant. Customer expectations are still the same, in many ways. Our clients are convinced that it should be used in customer service skills training, once they become aware of it. Even the most experienced participants will find it a useful framework – as I hope you will too.

If you would like to know more about our experience of working with global companies on developing their customer service communication, feel free to contact us.

Customer service training solutions

Click on the links below for more details.

Change Management: 3 Tips on Dealing with Resistance

/in /von

Change management is something we all have to deal with on a daily basis.  It would be nice if all of our ideas were easily put into action without any people resisting the change.  These „resisters“ can fight change for many reasons: they are comfortable with how things are, they have different ideas, they don’t see your issue as a priority at this point, etc.  No matter the reason, we have to find ways to get the resisters on our side in order to implement the change we feel will benefit our department, or company as a whole.  You may think it is easier to ignore these people, but that may lead to problems in the future.

3 problems that can arise if you don’t deal with resisters

  1. The transition is slowed down.  When you are looking to implement a new process, the speed of transition is important.  The longer it takes to implement the new process and get people trained on how to use it, the more expensive it is.  The sooner everyone is on board, the better.
  2. People working against you and your change.  If you don’t get buy-in early from people, some may make it a point to make the change difficult to carry out and work with the new process.  This will cause the change to be seen as something that made things more difficult, instead of bringing about positive results as planned.
  3. Future buy-in issues.  If someone resists change on one project, they are likely to do the same for future initiatives you may introduce.  Things may become personal and what may seem to be small issues, can turn into regular resistance in the future.

So, not addressing those who are resisting change early enough can lead to a number of negative outcomes.  How do we deal with resisters, then?

3 solutions to deal with resisters

  1. Use another tactic.  Take the time to listen to the „resisters“ and find out what is important to them.  Take this information and shift the focus of your change a bit to take their preferences into account.  If you make an effort to show them you are working together, they will be more likely to buy in and support your efforts.
  2. Start low.  If upper management is resisting your change, then start from the bottom and move your way up.  Building support at levels below you, as well as at your level, may allow you to gain strengths in numbers.  Then you can go to management and restate your case.
  3. Make friends with those closest to your resisters.  By befriending administrative assistants, co-workers, and people who report directly to those who are resisting your change, you can share your ideas and increase the chances of getting your message across.  People listen to and trust ideas coming from close colleagues or friends.

Once you try one, or more, of the possible solutions, you will start to see some positive results.

3 possible outcomes from dealing effectively with resisters 

  1. You will turn adversaries into allies.  The more people that are working with you, as opposed to against you, at work will allow you to get more things done.  Plus it provides for a more comfortable working environment.
  2. You will be seen as more credible and competent.  If you can implement change quickly and effectively, you will be seen as a good leader and someone who can get things done.  This can lead to a number of great career opportunities in the future.
  3. Your company culture will be more open to change.  People naturally resist change, but once they embrace some change, it is then easier to embrace more and more.  A company culture that is open to change is open to progress which can lead to better business results.

Change management will always include dealing with those who resist change.  Try a few of the solutions above and let us know what worked for you in the comments area below.  Also, click here for more information on Target Training’s seminars designed to help you handle conflict within your organization.

 

Motivating People: Using Emails Within a Virtual Environment

/in /von

Motivating people isn’t easy no matter what position you hold in the company. There is an old Japanese proverb which says ‘the bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.’

A common mistake

I was reminded of this recently when working with a client who was responsible for communicating a company-wide change. He needed colleagues in three different global locations to log in to an existing system and perform a task before the system could be replaced with a different, better tool.  It would take them 5 minutes. The most efficient way to communicate this request? Email of course. Easy he thought….wrong I’m afraid.
The first email he sent was a masterpiece of clarity and politeness. It laid out beautifully what was changing and how. The instructions were clear and easily understandable, (even when put through an online translator tool and back. Trust me, he tested that). There were six weeks until the deadline for the switch to the new tool, plenty of time.

The countdown began….
Four weeks before the deadline and two reminder emails later – only 54% of colleagues had carried out the request….
Three weeks before and another reminder, 61%….
Two weeks before and another reminder about the reminders, 69%….
One week before the deadline, another two slightly less polite but very clear reminders and still only 82% of his colleagues had carried out the request.
Why weren’t his colleagues more motivated to make the change? There was time for one last email, and this is when he came and saw me.
‘What’s wrong with my English?’ he asked me. ‘Nothing’ I said. ‘You’ve told them what will happen, you’ve simplified the technical language so even I can understand it and your instructions are clearer than those for an IKEA flat pack’. ‘So why are they so reluctant to make the change?’ he asked. ‘Simple’ I said. ‘They’re made of oak, and you want them to be bamboo.’

Realizing what your message should say

Before he thought I’d completely lost it, I told him the proverb and explained that at the moment, his colleagues were the oak trees. They knew how the old system worked and didn’t want to change to the unknown. If they were going to be like the stronger bamboo, they needed to know why they should bend. ‘That’s simple’ he said. ‘The old tool often asked you to repeat information and it could take a long time to enter data. The new tool only asks for information once and is far more accurate. Their life will be much easier. It will all be much quicker which will make their customers happy too.’
Great, that should make everyone happy, but where did it say all this in the original email? It didn’t, and there was the root of the problem, (or oak tree).
Normally, when communicating a change via email or group media, the biggest concern is making sure the ‘what’ and ‘how’ is explained as clearly as possible so people understand what they must do. It’s easy to lose focus of the motivational side, the ‘why’.

Getting results with your emails

It doesn’t matter how polite your request is, if people can’t relate it to themselves they will resist. To avoid this, try following these five simple steps:

  1. Explain what the change is
  2. Explain why it makes sense
  3. Explain why they should care about the change, (what’s in it for them)
  4. Explain how the change is going to happen
  5. Explain what you need them to do and when

Of course, these can be applied to any situation where you’re asking people to make a change, whether it’s by email or face to face; to 1,100 or 10,000 people.
By the way, the deadline was met, the new tool was launched and it has proved a success. I’m not so sure my client would be so ‘Zen’ as to say he’s now surrounded by a forest of bamboo trees, but I do know he didn’t have to send 12 reminders when he next asked people to do something.

Click here for more information on to work effectively in virtual teams.  Also, let us know in the comments areas below if you have had any similar situation in your job, and what worked for you.

Time Management: 2 Simple Tips

/in /von

Time management does not come naturally to me. Managing my own time is something that I have had to work at. And, good time management is something that I find works best if you apply one or two systems. Here are my two tips for improving your time management:

1.  Use a calendar

Sounds simple, yes? But, I use a calendar for everything. Every meeting and discussion that is planned goes into my calendar. Additionally, I also include tasks that need to be done, followed by planning the time for these tasks and then blocking the time in my calendar.

I plan long-term, non-urgent tasks in advance and block the time to complete them.

At the start of each day, I write a list of any additional tasks that need to be completed. Where possible, I include the time of the day when I will do these things. Each task gets crossed out once it is completed. If it is the end of the day and something has not been crossed out, I put it into the list for the following day, or find an actual time-slot in my calendar to perform the task at a later date.

2.  Keep your inbox clean

Again, this sounds simple. But, almost every day I see someone’s inbox with 200+ emails and 50+ not even read. Part of my solution is to be honest with myself. If I really don’t think I will do anything about an email, I won’t keep it in my inbox “just-in-case”.

When reading a new email, I immediately decide if I’ll do something with the email. If not, I will delete or archive it. If I plan to do something with the email, I’ll either do it straight away (for small tasks) or plan the task into my calendar. Once the task is planned, I’ll move the email to the relevant folder and also put a copy in my calendar if necessary.

It seems that a lot of people use their inbox as a “to-do” list. They leave the email in the inbox as a reminder to do something and this is how they “plan” their work. But, cleaning out my inbox forces me to actually plan tasks in my calendar and make time for the tasks.

Both of these ideas are simple. What works for me is the combination of the two ideas.  Why not share your own time management ideas in the comments below?  Also, click here for information on how to further improve your time management.

 

Doing Business Internationally: What JFK Can Teach Us

/2 Kommentare/in /von

June 26th marks the 50th anniversary of American President John F. Kennedy’s ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ speech in West Berlin.  Kennedy’s historically significant address came after the Soviet backed East Berlin had erected a wall to prevent ease of movement.  Although delivered on a German platform the speech was intended for the world’s stage.  So why are we still talking about this speech?  And better yet, what can this speech teach us about doing international business in a global company?

Kennedy successfully draws in his audience and creates connection with the West Berliners by uttering a few words in German.  Kennedy connected with his listeners by delivering a simple yet passionate message.  With his distinctive Bostonian accent, he is able to relate to the crowd by employing the language of his host country.  Although some believe his declarative is really a cry about his similarity to jelly donuts, he left the podium with cheering crowds.  Hence Kennedy provides an excellent model of what the visitor in a foreign country should thoughtfully replicate.

Quick Tips on doing business internationally:

  1. Learn a few words in the language of your host country.  When meeting with global business partners, an attempt at the local language can establish more rapport and trust than people care to realize.  A simple greeting and ‘thank you’ can go a long way.
  2. Know the name of your partner’s nationality.  Yes, you are communicating with colleagues and customers in English. Therefore, you should know that people from Prague are Czech, people from Amsterdam are Dutch and people from Athens are Greek.  And of course, citizens from Berlin are Berliners.
  3. Be aware of the local political, social, economic climate of the place you are visiting.  You might just be in the country for a few days doing business, but your business partner lives there and is impacted and influenced by their local landscape.  However this is not carte blanche to act like an expert and give advice because every language has a word for someone who is a Klugscheißer.

Moreover compelling communication is not about your agenda, your priorities or your end game.  It is about understanding the needs and concerns of your partner, appreciating their point of view and adding value and meaning to the relationship.

So, have you had your jelly donut moment yet?  Let us know, or if you have any other tips on doing business internationally in the comments are below.

Remembering Names: Quick Tips

/1 Kommentar/in /von

Do you often take part in meetings or workshops? Do you have trouble remembering the names of new people?

In my job as a trainer, I often spend whole days running sessions with people who I have never met before. I make a point of remembering the names of all of the people. I am often asked how I remember everyone or if I have a great memory.

I don’t have a great memory, but I do work on remembering the names. How do I do it? There are two things I always do.

2 Easy ways to help you remember names

  1. As a trainer, when a new group of people comes into the room, I draw a map of the room in my notepad. I then ask the people to introduce themselves. I write their names on the map and try to include one or two extra details: job title, responsibility, etc.  If I am a participant in a meeting, I also look for an opportunity to find out who is who. If everyone introduces themselves, I write their names in the appropriate position on the map. If I am not sure who someone is, I simply ask the person next to me.
  1. Whenever I talk directly to someone in the room, I make an effort to use their name. Always! At the beginning of the day / meeting, I need to use my map of the room first. I check quickly on the map, note the name and then address the person. Once I have addressed someone 3 or 4 times, I find that their name sticks in my head. At this point, I no longer need to look at the map.       

Incredibly simple! First, I write the names of the people on a seating plan. Then, I use the name at every opportunity. The more I use it, the quicker I will remember it.

Why not try this yourself at the next meeting that you attend?  Let us know if you have any other tips for remembering names in the comments areas below.

The 9 Ground Rules for Effective Groups

/in /von

In a recent conversation, one of my program participants mentioned the workplace value of the skills of moderation and facilitation. This conversation piqued my interest, so I searched the Net for the best books about facilitation and chose one that is considered a classic text on the topic of facilitation: The Skilled Facilitator: A Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches by Roger Schwarz.

As a trainer who very often works with groups, one of Schwarz’s theories caught my eye: establishing ground rules for groups. Schwarz compiled a list known as The Ground Rules for Effective Groups that help make sure groups are communicating effectively. Below, the nine Ground Rules are listed with a short description (some or all of these rules can be adopted, or the group can create their own, at the first group meeting).

Go to the eBook

9 Ground rules for effective groups

1. Test assumptions and inferences – making inferences from available information is a valuable skill, but what if we make these assumptions based on incorrect information or a misunderstanding of what someone else said? 

2. Share all relevant information – If members of the team don’t share all of their information, this can lead to incorrect decisions. Even worse, if it’s discovered later that someone withheld information, it can cause major problems. 

3. Use specific examples and agree on what important terms mean – If important terms are fully defined, team members can be assured that they’re speaking about the same issues in the same way.

4. Explain your reasoning and intent – If you can explain your line of reasoning to your colleagues, they’ll be better able to understand where you’re coming from. In addition, listening carefully to your colleagues‘ explanations will help you understand the situation more fully.

5. Focus on interests, not positions – Closely linked to Ground Rule 4, number 5 suggests that we discuss the interests of the people involved and not the position they are taking. Rather than, for example, “He says the budget can’t go up, but I want a new computer,” think, “He needs more money for the advertising costs, but I can’t process the graphics with my old, slow computer.” Then, we’re thinking in terms of what people really need, instead of what we think they might want.

6. Combine advocacy and inquiry – In a nutshell, this ground rules means that when you state an opinion, you ask for comments and questions immediately. 

7. Jointly design next steps and ways to test disagreements – Agreeing on a system for solving disagreements beforehand can save time and make sure disputes don’t bring the meeting to a halt. 

8. Discuss undiscussable issues – Bringing sensitive subjects out into the open needs to be handled very carefully, but can ultimately lead to a group that is moving forward rather than constantly avoiding an uncomfortable conversation.

9. Use a decision-making rule that generates the degree of commitment needed – If these (or other) ground rules are followed, hopefully all members will feel that they have all the information necessary to make an informed choice and that their voices have been heard. If this is the case and a consensus is reached, every member of the team will feel more dedicated to following-up on the decision, as they they have been an active part of the decision-making process.

The short description of the ground rules above doesn’t really do the book justice. If you’re interested in this topic, I’d recommend getting a copy of The Skilled Facilitator for yourself. If you have experience with groups that work well together (or more tips for how to make group interaction more effective), please share them with us in the comments section below.  Click here for more information on how you can build effective groups and teams.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Audience-centered Presentations in Business

/in /von

Are you delivering audience-centered presentations? Presentations training has been a big part of the work we’ve done in Europe over the years.  This is especially true for working with speakers of English as a foreign language. Everyone understands the importance of presentations. Everyone talks about the potential for generating new business, for influencing others, and creating positive relationships. The problem is, when we talk about their processes for making a presentation, participants tend to spend most of their time thinking about what they want to say and not what the audience needs to hear.  Here are a few things to keep in mind for ensuring audience-centered presentations.

Content vs Context in audience-centered presentations

The difference comes down to content and context.  Content is what you want to say while the context is the situation surrounding the communication.  Does the audience like the idea already, is it new to them, and are you already a credible source for them? What do you want the audience to feel, know, or do after the presentation? The answers to these context questions, and many others, can make a big difference in how you would design audience-centered presentations.

Not many would deliver a presentation in Japanese to an English speaking audience.  At the very least, they would ensure the presentation was simultaneously translated. We accommodate language differences in context as a matter of course.  Language differences affect our processes and our product, the presentation itself. Are there other contextual factors that influence the success of the presentation? Let’s say you want to sell cakes to a group of consumers. Picture making a presentation about the impact of ingredient selection and the scientific processes involved in and baking a cake to the group. While the presentation may be interesting, the most obvious question for the consumers is probably, “How does the cake taste?” Giving product samples at the beginning of the presentation is a lot more effective than a description.

Starting your audience-centered presentations with relevant examples

How many times do people describe products or services without answering, “How does the cake taste?” for their audiences?

We often know better but our processes often get in the way. For example, when you start your presentation by opening the slide deck from a previous presentation on the topic, you are starting with a content focus.  By starting with a presentation created for a different audience or a generic context, we run the risk of missing what our audience needs to see or hear to have the impact we want.  Often, how we start determines how we will finish.

If we want to design and deliver high impact presentations, we need to begin by considering the context and content in every step of our process.  Asking ourselves, “What questions may the audience have about the presentation?” is a great place to start on the road to memorable, effective presentations.

Target Training helps clients develop presentations  skills, presenting in English, and presentation design. We’ve helped clients make effective presentations in the areas of logistics, finance, manufacturing, sales, consulting and training. Watch for new products for presenting in a virtual environment coming soon.

Presentations: The 4Rs

/in /von

The 4Rs is a model for handling questions, consisting of four stages—Reflect, Respect, Respond and Review. Presenters don’t have to use each of the 4 steps every time they answer a question, and there is also room to play with the order of the Rs (indeed, slavishly following the steps can sound robotic).  The model provides structure for the nervous and encourages rapport-building for the confident.  Above all, it moves the presenter’s mindset from “answer the question” towards “use the opportunity.”

4 Rs in presentations

Reflect

Reflecting what you have heard serves a number of purposes.  Firstly you can check that you’ve understood the question correctly.  Secondly you can make sure that everyone else in the audience has heard the question you are about to answer.  By reflecting you can demonstrate that you have listened to the question, and you can reframe the question if you feel it will help provide the answer the questioner is seeking.  Finally, reflecting is particularly helpful when the question is either unexpected or hostile and you need to buy time for yourself

Typical language:  So what you’re asking is … ,  You’d like to know …  If I can just check I’ve understood you …

Respect

Showing respect helps to build rapport, provided it comes across in a genuine manner. This is where you show that you actually do want to be asked questions. It also encourages other, more reticent members of the audience to step forward and ask questions.

Typical language:  That’s a good question …, I’m happy you asked that…, That’s an interesting point you’ve raised.

Respond

Of course, this is where the answer comes.

Typical language:  Our experience is …, I’m convinced that … , We’ve found …

Review

Finally, check if your answer is clear and complete.  If time is an issue, suggest a fuller discussion after the presentation.

Typical language:  Does that answer your question …?, Has that helped to explain things better ?

 

You have any suggestions to add?  Please write them in the comments area below if so. Also, check out Target Training’s seminars on audience-center presentations for further help by clicking here.

Negotiation Tips: Preparation

/1 Kommentar/in /von

The motto “be prepared” might normally be associated with the Girl Guides, Scouts, and campfires, but it could just as well be adopted as a motto for a successful negotiation. Whether or not we are born negotiators, preparing ourselves for a negotiation is essential. But how do we go about preparing as simply as possible? How can we prepare if we don’t know what the other side will say, do, or want? At Target Training we tend to find it works best to divide preparation into two phases:

  1. What you do before you meet the other guy
  2. What you do when you meet the other guy

Or perhaps more elegantly, we can speak of preparation and bargaining. You may find it helpful to divide both steps into five main question areas. It may take time to work through these questions, but if you do, you are likely to find yourself in a more confident position and be prepared for any surprises.

5 Steps of preparation

1. What is your main objective?

(What do you really want to achieve?)

2. What is your alternative?

 (What options do you have if no deal is reached?)

3. What are your tradable points and their priorities?

 (In which areas can you give and take?

Which of these are most important?)

4. What are the trading limits?

 (When do you get up and leave?)

5. What if … ?

(What will the other guy say?)

5 Steps of bargaining

1. Set the scene

 (What is the framework of the negotiation?

What subjects are you going to talk about?)

2. Asking questions

 (What does the other guy want?

Why do they want it?)

3. Check comprehension

 (Are they clear what you want?

Are you clear what they want?)

4. Trading Concessions

– quid pro quo –

(What do I have that they want?

Can I exchange it for somethingthat I need?)

5. Summarize and Record

 (Are you sure that you agree on what you have agreed on?)

Why not try these steps out in preparation for your next negotiation. Tell us how it went. Would you change or add anything to the advice above?

Asking for Feedback

/1 Kommentar/in /von

Could I ask you for some feedback? Seven words which can make both the person asking and the person being asked nervous. Asking for feedback can be awkward and challenging at times, but there are a few things to help make it easier.

I recently asked a colleague of mine for some feedback following a presentation which I thought had been a bit shaky. ‚You did great‘ was the reply, and the conversation moved on. Later on, when the warm glow of being told ‚well done‘ had faded, I asked myself what I had actually learnt from that feedback and how would it help me improve. I realized that apart from thinking what a nice person my colleague was, I’d actually heard nothing which would help me do better next time. It then dawned on me that this was because of how I’d gone about asking for it. If I wanted to get meaningful feedback, then the way I asked for it had to be structured too.

Getting feedback from peers is one of the most useful tools we have for enhancing our performance. Peer feedback is in real time, looks at learnt skills being used in real situations, and it’s from ‚end users‘. But how we go about asking for this feedback has a huge influence on how useful what we hear will be. No more ‚Do you think my presentation was OK‘? type questions, what do you really want to know?

Basis steps to get the feedback you want

1. Check with your peer that they are comfortable giving you feedback. Don’t be offended if they say no, it’s not necessarily because they have nothing good to say! Not everyone is comfortable giving feedback, and those that aren’t tend to give the type of empty answers such as ‚great‘ or ‚it was fine‘.  A few ways to ask could be:

  • „I’m really hoping to improve my presentations skills and could use your help.  Do you mind giving me some feedback after my presentation?“
  • „Could you give me some feedback on my presentation afterwards?  It would help me a lot in improving my presentation skills.“ 

2. When asking for feedback, briefly explain what you would like to cover, and why it’s important to you.

  • „It would help me a lot if you could specifically pay attention to my body language during my presentation.“
  • „Could you try and focus on how I transition from point to point during my talk?“

3. If the other person is struggling to think of something to say, ask two basic questions:

  • „What did I do best?“ 
  • „Is there something I can improve?“ 

4. Don’t be afraid to dig deeper. For example, I was told that I had lost the audience in a presentation. By asking where I had lost them, why did they feel this had happened and did they have any suggestions for what I could do differently, I was able to think of ways to prevent this happening in my next presentation.

                                   

Since following these steps, I’ve found feedback far more useful and an increase in respect from both sides. There have only been a couple of times that I’ve winced at something somebody has said, but what they said was true. Ultimately, audiences at future presentations have benefited. So, take a big breath, smile and ask the question – could I ask you for some feedback?


 

 

Features or Benefits: What’s the Difference?

/in /von

Do you ever have to talk to customers about your products or services? Do you focus on the features or benefits?  I often see presentations or sales pitches where the speaker talks about the features of their product. This sounds fine until you think about what features really are.

Features are what define your product. Features are what your product has or does. But, talking about features means that we are talking in the language of the producer, the developer or the deliverer of the product.

We need to talk in the language of the customer or client.

Feature or Benefit?

A customer or client is interested in the benefits of the product or the service.  Benefits are what will help the customer improve his or her business.

One way to make sure that we do this is to prepare. Before you visit a customer, write down the features of the product or service – if you know your product, you know the features. Now, next to every feature, write down the benefit to the customer that comes from that feature.

Example in action:

Feature = quad-core processor

Benefit = your computer reacts quicker

If you cannot think of a customer benefit of the feature, ask yourself whether you need to tell the customer about that feature.

Once you have your feature and your benefit clarified, decide how you will deliver that message. This is a good structure to use:

The (product or service) gives you (benefit to the customer) because of (feature of your product or service).

Possible statement to use:

Our x65 PC lets you run 3D simulations thanks to the quad-core processor.

As you can see in the example, the x65 PC has a quad-core processor. This is our industry jargon though (the feature). What the customer cares about is 3D simulations (the benefit).

So remember, before you talk to the customer, think about the benefit that your feature brings. If you can not think of a benefit, why do you need to tell the customer about the feature?  Let us know of any other tips, in the comments area below, that have worked for you when presenting your product or service to your customer.  Also, take a look at our seminar on selling across cultures for more information.

 

 

Informational Interviews: Questions to Ask

/in /von

Have you ever had a dream job or a job you really wanted, but didn’t know how to get started in looking for it?  An informational (or information) interview is when someone looking for a job meets with someone else in their target company or industry and asks for career or industry advice, but not directly for a job. An informational interview can be very helpful from both an information and networking perspective.  It’s a great way to get some helpful information and, at the same time, is a chance for the other person to feel like an “expert”.  Even though it should be a somewhat informal meeting, you should come prepared with some relevant questions.  Here are some suggestions to ask the person you meet:

Individual’s experience/current job

  • What would you say are the best steps to take in this career path?
  • What interested you most about this industry and your company?
  • What would you do differently if you were starting over today?
  • What do you see as possible next steps for you? What career expectations do you have in the short and long term?
  • What are you most excited or concerned about regarding this industry/company/career path in the future?
  • What would you do if you were looking for a job tomorrow?
  • What are your main responsibilities?
  • What do you do in a typical day or week? How much time are you in meetings, on telecons, traveling, etc.?

Their company and industry

  • What would you do differently if you were in charge of your company?
  • What do you see as the biggest competitive challenge for your company?
  • What have been your biggest surprises in this area of work?
  • What are the common misconceptions about working in this field?
  • What motivates you to continue on in this company/industry?
  • What worries you about this company/industry?
  • What challenges are there regarding hiring practices in this company/industry?
  • Can you recommend others I can talk to about this field?

 Skills needed

  • What skills have been most critical to your success?
  • What weaknesses in a person’s skill set would make him or her struggle in this company/industry?
  • What are the most valuable skills in your job? Which experiences enabled you to develop these skills?
  • How do you keep your skills current?  What type of training seminars do you attend?  What do you read?  What professional associations do you belong to?

Informational interviews can be a great tool in helping you plan your next career move, and establish a clear and focused career path.  Make sure to check out Target Training’s seminar on interviews as well.  What other good questions or tips have worked well for you?  Let us know in the comments section below.

 

Networking Successfully: 5 Quick Tips

/in /von

I know enough people at my company.  I have enough friends.  I’m not comfortable speaking and reaching out to people I don’t know.  I’m not a salesperson.  The list of excuses on why not to engage in professional networking can go on and on.  As undesirable as it can seem, networking successfully can lead to improved performance in your current job, as well as opportunities for future career development.

5 quick tips on making networking easy

Network with a purpose

Set a specific goal (improving inter-department relationships, growing sales in the logistics industry, discovering opportunities to work abroad in your company, etc).  The more focused your networking is, the faster the desired results will be.

Share useful information

It is always easier to reach out to someone when you know you have something they can use.  Think of something that has helped you in your job (a process, document, tip, etc) and pass it along.  If you help someone first, they are more willing to help you when you may need it in the future.

Use the other person’s ego

You don’t want to contact someone and ask them for a job.  Instead, contact them and ask for an informational interview if you are looking for a job.  Tell them you have some questions that you feel their experience will help answer.  You will get some insight and a good networking contact, and they get to feel like an expert and helpful.  It’s a win-win situation.

Follow up

If you say you are going to send something, send it.  If you say you are going to check on something, do it.  Following up on what you say you will do shows respect and professionalism, and helps build trust with the contact.  Also, make sure to follow up regularly with contacts even when you don’t need something as there will be a time when you will; and no one likes that friend who only calls when they need something.

Use good etiquette

The same skills you have used to become a successful professional are the ones you will use to build and maintain a good network of contacts.  Here are some good reminders on what to do/not to do when networking online and face-to-face.

There are many other ideas on networking successfully.  Check out Target Training’s seminar on networking for professionals here.  Tell us in the comments area below what have you done to build your network.

 

Target Talks: Sebastian Turnbull on the importance of training and international business communication

/in /von

Target Talks is a series of interviews with key Target Training GmbH employees, designed to put them on the spot about a topic that really matters to all of us: the importance of training.  This week, we talk to Sebastian Turnbull, Training Materials Specialist.

Before we get down to talking about your views on the importance of training, tell us a little about yourself (experience and qualifications).

ST: Well, when I was studying at University, I didn’t know that languages would play such an important part in my life, but then I did my Teaching Certificate and became fascinated by how people learn.  I also saw that training can make a real difference in people’s lives.  After that, I worked a further 2 years in London, studied for my Postgraduate Diploma and then went to France to teach Business English; it was there that I became uncertain about the security of the language teaching profession and, due to a general lack of opportunities, I returned to the UK and retrained as a lawyer.  It soon became clear to me, though, that my heart was still in language training and, on applying to Target, I found a company that offered me the professional environment and career opportunities I was looking for.

Why is language and communications training still so important for managers and employees in the business world today?

ST: Communication is extremely important in all areas, and people just don’t think about it often enough on an everyday level.  We don’t always listen well; we are not always understood in the way we want to be understood and in a way that gets results.  And this is in our native language!  International business communication is doubly important and doubly difficult in an multinational, multilingual workplace; people have to set aside time to reflect on how they communicate and how they can make it more effective.

How is this reflected in the training materials you author and develop?

ST: A lot depends on the language level. Obviously, the lower language level materials focus more on the nuts and bolts of the language and, as your level goes up, the why and how of communicating gets increasingly important.  Even at a basic level, though, including activities for participants on, for example, how to structure a telephone call is vital in helping them to get their message across.

Tell us about a current materials-development project that you’re involved in.

ST: I am currently working on an epic project: modularizing Target’s language and international business communications skills seminars!  The idea behind it is to pool Target’s extensive know-how and make it directly available to our clients and staff.  I am working on a series of Target seminars at all levels across many topics (e.g. Working with Virtual Teams, Presenting, Negotiating and Meetings) which will be available on a ‘Plug ‘n’ Play’ basis or used as a base from which to tailor client-specific training.

How has your legal background helped your training?

ST: I have a lot of experience in courtroom work, and that has given me a valuable insight into how people communicate and how that communication can affect outcomes.  My legal experience has also proved extremely valuable in language training for particular specialist areas (e.g. banking, accounting, HR and obviously legal).

Many thanks to Sebastian for taking part in our Target Talks series.  Now, over to our readers: which questions do you have for Target Training about training?