Presentation Skills | Global Institute of Training and Presenting

A Powerful Presenter is PRESENT

Posted on March 11, 2020September 11, 2020 by Paula Smith

Being present is much more than just showing up to deliver.

A powerful presenter stands in their power. They recognise and value the gift they have for others.

According to Dr Amy Cuddy in her research on Presence she stated that ‘Presence is the state in which we stop worrying about the impression we’re making on others and adjust the impression we’ve been making on ourselves’. When we are truly present, we liberate ourselves from fear and we stand up and perform at our very best.

Only in this state can we really connect with our audience, we can then empower them to do the same.

And that is what a presenter or a trainer aims to do. Empower others to be the best they can be. If you want to be a powerful presenter, you need to be completely present when you stand in front of your audience ready to share every time. You need to be in your own authentic power, truly believing that your message, your story and your content is a gift for your participant or audience.

Stand in your power

Being present also means not being distracted by outside influences, not being distracted by self-doubt and not being distracted by other people’s demands. You can be flexible to meet the needs of your audience and clients but not be distracted away from the outcomes you need to achieve in this moment, this training or this presentation.

So how do you prepare to show up being 100% present?

Research has proven that our body can shape our mind and our mind can shape our behaviour. So, you can prepare and be present with your body as well as your mind. When you are feeling anxious or challenged, you react and can experience a fight, flight or even freeze moment.

By merely slowing your breathing down or visualising a positive experience free from threat, can change what your nervous system is doing.

By standing tall with your head up and smiling at the people around you can change the way your brain is reacting to an anxious situation. Therefore, if you walk into a training room or onto a platform smiling, with strong strides and your head up, your body will shape your brain into believing you are a self-assured, confident expert. You’ve probably heard the expression fake it until you make it well how about fake it until you become it. Dr Cuddy’s research about Power Posing, although has been criticised and challenged in recent years, suggests that just by standing in your power, it is optimising the brain to being 100% present. I’m a convert. I love to work with evidence-based theories, and I have witnessed this approach work for so many of my nervous clients.

Your brain is also wired to predict the future. When you are feeling confident and positive about the experience you are having, it can shape how you move forward into the next experience. Allow your brain to predict a positive presenting experience even before it has happened.

Only when you are completely present can you be of service to your audience. In my first book Speaking in the Shower, I suggested you rehearse in the shower. Many of us are confident singing rock stars in the shower, we are not nervous or apprehensive. When no-one is watching we feel totally comfortable to be ourselves, to be completely Present. We now need to capture that same authentic superstar from the shower, the one that is larger than life, confident and brave and transport them into the next presenting situation. Of course, do get dressed first.

When you are training or presenting you need to bring your boldest, your bravest, your best self to the classroom or platform. You need to be Present. Step into the shoes of your audience members for just a moment; believe they are there to graciously accept your gift. Your experience, your stories, your message is your gift. Give it wholeheartedly.

Are you ready to give it a try?

Find a mirror, stand up, stand tall, hands on hips and hold it for 30 seconds, say to yourself.

You’ve got this!!

Then rinse and repeat several times throughout the day. Are you ready to walk on that stage now?

Hold your head held high, walk on, smile – you’re in the moment now so stay there.

Paula Smith – Your expert in Presentation Intelligence ® and Leadership Communication.

Keynote Speaker CSP, Master Trainer, Author, Business Coach and trusted advisor for over 30 years.

If you would like to learn more about how to become an Exceptional Presenter check out Paula’s next public programmes or book an in-house session for your key people.

10 BIG Presenting Mistakes to Avoid

Posted on May 7, 2018February 23, 2020 by gitp

10 BIG PRESENTING MISTAKES TO AVOID or MAYBE 12

We’ve all been to those presentations.

Emotional Intelligence Training with GITP

The ones where we stare in horror at the presenter who lacks any presenting skill or worse, the presenter who just doesn’t know how to behave appropriately from the platform, boardroom or training room floor. Yes, that same presenter who has been hired to inspire, educate or influence us.

So here are a few mistakes or ‘don’t dos’ to avoid when you next take the platform so you don’t have to be ‘that presenter’

1. Don’t start boring – your opening should get the attention of the audience and incite curiosity. Be creative and relevant.

2. Don’t ask the audience to do anything before you establish trust – you know the presenters who want us to raise our hands, stand up, sit down, or hug someone before the presentation has even begun.

3. Don’t get off topic – If you are asked to speak on a topic, design and deliver on that. Just because you know lots of other stuff – save it for next time.

4. Don’t steal time – You go over by 10 minutes, you have just stolen 10 minutes from the next presenter and now all the morning tea has gone cold all because you wanted to talk some more.

5. Don’t data dump – Tell stories, interact, share, inspire and give great examples. Too much data hurts our brains and your audience won’t remember it anyway.

6. Don’t present too fast or too slow – Present at a pace that is brain-friendly and enjoyable to watch and listen to.

7. Don’t wander around – There is something quite powerful about stillness. If you do move around make sure you move naturally and with purpose not because you can’t stand still.

8. Don’t sell from the platform – unless you have permission to do so. You don’t need to hard sell to get buy in from an audience who wants more of you.

9. Don’t complain – Never complain about anything from the platform. You’re bigger than that. Not even about the room, the organisers, the catering, the audience, the previous speaker or the Manager who booked you. Yes, presenters do it all the time, unbelievable.

10. Don’t let anyone else have the last word – Remember the primacy and recency effect. Your audience needs to leave with your key message ringing in their ears, not the audience member asking when the toilet break is.

Okay I’m on a roll and can’t stop so if you want 2 more tips stay put. Hmm that’s a bit like stealing time isn’t it. Thank goodness you’re still here and morning tea is late.

11. Don’t talk about yourself too much – talk about your audience and how your key message will benefit them

12. Don’t be a copy of any other presenter – You are a ‘one of a kind’ presenter with a unique message – embrace your message and your authentic presenting style.

There are a few more but that’s a start.

Which ones are you guilty of? Even the professional speakers get it wrong sometimes. So perhaps you just needed reminding.

Now you know what not to do – If you want to know how you can be a speaking superstar book Paula to present an in-house programme for your key people or book into tone of our public master classes

Paula Smith CSP is your expert in Presentation Intelligence (TM) and has been helping leaders and business owners to master their presentations to grow their business and amplify their brands for the past 30 years.

Or talk to me about an in-house solution for your key people.

Executive Speaking – Yes, It’s Scientific

Posted on June 19, 2017June 19, 2017 by gitp

Executive Speaking – Yes, it’s scientific

Do you want to get the boardroom addicted to your story? How about your staff or your clients?

Thanks to the latest findings in Neuroscience we now know what brain chemicals make us stop and pay attention. So, can we use this information to engage our listeners and make them pay attention by sharing stories? The answer is yes.

A great story can trigger the same brain chemicals that cause us to pay attention, chemicals like cortisol (help the body respond to stress and danger), oxytocin (love and trust) and dopamine (the brain’s reward and pleasure centres).

Inspirational Leaders tell stories. They know that emotion trumps logic and a presenter needs to touch a person’s heart as well as their head.

By carefully crafting your business stories, you can connect at a much deeper level. You can get your clients and staff on board with your vision and that can be powerful.

Business is rapidly changing and to stay connected in a rapidly changing world we need to master the art and science of communication, influence, presenting and storytelling. Our clients and staff are more sophisticated than ever and see through the old ways of ‘selling and telling. We now know how and why people are inspired by our stories so we have no excuse to bore everyone with hundreds of power point slides filled with data and charts.

Educate, inspire, inform, motivate, influence and even train others by getting our audiences addicted to our cause, our why, our stories.

3 tips for a great story:

Use the rule of 3 where possible
Make people care about your facts and figures
Never be the hero in your own story

Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx is the youngest self-made female millionaire in the world, sold 10 million products without spending a cent on advertising. She leveraged the power of her story and people found it irresistible. What’s your story?

Next time you are planning a boardroom pitch or perhaps a staff induction, choose the best stories that really demonstrate the point, then add a dose of data if you must.

Paula Smith is your expert in Presentation Intelligence (TM)

(Speaker CSP, CEP, Author, Master Trainer, Business Consultant and CEO of the Global Institute of Training and Presenting)

Helping experts and organisations to grow their business and their brand by harnessing the power of speaking for the past 30 years. Developer of the first Australian Qualifications in Presenting and now the world-first programme and qualification in Neuropresenting (TM)

Next 2-day Public programme (Paula’s signature programme) July 13th and 14th Perth $995.00 per person – Register for early bird rates

www.paulasmith.com.au

Are you ready to Speak Out and Play a Bigger Game in 2017?

Posted on January 5, 2017January 8, 2017 by gitp

Speak Out and Play a bigger game in 2017

It’s time to throw your fear of public speaking to the wind and make 2017 your year to be seen and heard. It’s time for Presentation Intelligence ™

Presentation Intelligence is the blend of art, science and practice of commercial speaking. PQ is not about perfectly crafted speeches, far from it. PQ is about the design, development, delivery and ROI strategies of speaking in a commercial setting.

This could be a pitch to the boardroom, an inspirational talk to your staff, speaking up about your products and services to your target clients, presenting a training course, leading a workshop or let’s take it one step further ‘speaking to a room full of attendees at an industry conference’

Do you know how to:

Structure an influential presentation?
Craft and deliver powerful storytelling in business?
Choose the right methodology to engage your audience?
Use non-verbals to re-enforce your message?
Use brain-friendly strategies to ensure your messages stick?
Ensure your audience takes action after your presentation?
Measure the ROI to see if your presentation is having real impact?

Winging a presentation is a dangerous game when so much can be at stake. However, this doesn’t mean you need to be the most charismatic and ‘perfect’ presenter either. In fact, audiences sometimes cringe when the presenter is word-perfect and looks like they have choreographed their presentation within an inch of its life.

You just need to:

Be authentic in your approach
Know your stuff
Be passionate about your message
Have the best intention for your audience

And

have the skills and knowledge to structure your presentation in such a way you know your message is being heard.

Your presentation needs to have an impact on your audience every time.

Public Speaking and Presenting Skills are no longer luxury skills to have. Having the confidence and ability to speak out and have your message heard is a ‘must have skill in today’s competitive business arena. In fact, presenting is a vital key skill that most organisations insist their key staff possess or if you’re in business, Speaking Skills can grow your business and your brand exponentially.

I believe anyone can be a powerful presenter once they have the knowledge, skills, confidence and a strong desire to just share their message to the people they know need to hear it.

Are you ready to speak out in 2017? Are you ready to play a bigger game in your career or business? Are you ready for Presentation Intelligence ™?

Paula Smith is your expert in Presentation Intelligence ™

Professional Speaker, Author of Speaking in the Shower, Powerful Presentation Principles and Sell Your Story, Master Trainer and Business Consultant.

Paula is the Director of the Global Institute of Training and Presenting and helps experts, entrepreneurs and organisations harness the power of Presentation Intelligence™ to grow their business and their brands.

In-house programmes can be booked at any time Australia wide or Internationally – Contact Paula to talk about your organisational goals

Next Public Programmes: Registrations now open

GITP Speaker Academy – March 2^nd and 3^rd Perth (The business of speaking for profit)

Exceptional Presenter – Paula’s signature presenting course March 16^th and 17^th Perth

Neuropresenting Certification – The first in the world (Certification and soon to be a National Diploma Qualification) 2 x 4 days – Block 1 March 9^th-12^th

Visit www.gitp.com.au for programme flyers, more information and contact details

Or pick up the phone and chat personally anytime