“The most important thing I learned in the session was how to come out of my ‘cocoon.’ It makes a world of difference presenting when your brain is actually working!”
–
Jill Ourth, Anthem BlueCross
BlueShield of Missouri
If all people were the same, and there were a one-size-fits-all model for success, our job would be simple. But we don't live in that world. The world we live in is one in which:
Everyone has a unique personality.
Everyone has individual goals and needs.
Everyone has a different level of presentation anxiety and a different reaction to it.
Everyone comes into a workshop with a different level of experience, a different set of assumptions and his or her own habits.
Permission to let their personality come through:
Participants in our workshops have always told us they want to be more comfortable. They want to be themselves. We take them seriously. During your workshop, we'll help you be more comfortable, confident and in control. We call it helping you be yourself...only better.
Insights to deal with the nature of the beast:
Often, without even realizing it, presenters approach presentations as if they're delivering formal speeches-bringing assumptions and concerns to the process that don't apply. That's why we'll encourage you to think of presentations as orderly conversations. Orderly because they have a clear goal and structure. Conversations because they need to feel spontaneous and engaging. When you look at presentations in this way, the challenges they present are much more manageable.
Skills to find their focus, engage listeners, and be comfortable and in control:
Whether you're facilitating a training session or delivering a sales presentation, your goal is to engage your audience in a genuine conversation. That means focusing on the engagement skills that work for you. When you're engaged, your thoughts come together and your nervousness is under control.
Approaches to capitalize on their strengths:
Everyone responds to the pressures of presenting differently. This affects not only your approach to preparation and delivery but also how you judge your success along the way. When you understand and work with your default approach, you're able to focus on the specific skills and techniques that work for you. And forget about those that don't.
