Ask, Not Tell

Further to my last post, let me post here Steve’s speech video. Frankly, the content is better than his presentation. So, pay attention to his content not how he presented. I hope this speech will set out your venture in 2008 to find out what you love!!

Let me take this chance to look at it from the presentation skills perspective. Here are what I like:

• Opening – He used humor. And it is safe one as it was about himself in not graduating from the college.
• Structure – He used simple structure – 3 stories implying 3 points. He said in the beginning ‘Just 3 stories. No big deal.’
• Story (even better, personal story) – People always love to hear stories, even the personal ones.

But at the same time, there are some shortcomings. Strangely, Steve is generally very good at presentation and does not commit the following mistakes. Anyway, let’s take it as learning opportunities:

• Eye contact – Serious lack of eye contact. Eye contact is particularly important for the kind of messages he was conveying. The messages were supposed to be emotional and personal.
• Do not just read – He did not have enough eye contact because he read from the note too much. It was strange. The speech was largely about his life. Well, he should know it very well. There should be no need to refer to the note so much. Watch his other speeches like those in Macworld. He did not need any note even presenting the product features of new iPod.

Again, the main point of this post. I hope this speech will start your venture in 2008 to find out what you love!!

I am sitting at my home and enjoying Internet with wine and Jazz. Quiet and comfortable.

2007 is coming to an end soon. I love 2007 as I manage to accomplish the major objectives which I sat out at the beginning of the year. More importantly, I love it because I can do what I like this year- training. It is amazing how things will work out itself when you do something you like. You will naturally spend your extra effort or take extra risk to accomplish things…. and the best part is that you enjoy the process!! As Steve Jobs said in the 2005 graduation address to the Stanford student ‘You’ve got to find what you love’. Let me extract a small paragraph from his speech:

‘…. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary…’

I guess I am lucky. I wish that you can find what you like as well. And I wish this happens to you in 2008!! A wonderful 2008!

I am clearing my annual leave these days as things get slower at the year end. One thing I am doing during this holiday is reading the book called Made it Stick. Again, I learn of this from Presentationzen.com!!

I like the ‘contemporary wisdom’ in this book. Unlike those old-fashion literature, this book is easy to read with simple sentences and lots of real life relevant examples!!   I am particularly amazed by the examples it given.   Right when you need one after reading a concept, you will get one.  And most examples are to-the-point and of real-life.

This is definitely a learning point for us as a trainer / facilitator / presenter who needs to communicate effectively.

Of course, other than how the book is written, got to talk about its content.   In short, the book argues that there are 6 principles in making an idea stick:

1. Simple
2. Unexpected
3. Concrete
4. Credible
5. Emotional
6. Stories

I agree.  It definitely applies directly in presentation.  I however will need some more time to think before I properly relate to training skills.  For example, I want to think through how these 6 factors can apply when we face with technical training with huge amount of dry knowledge.   I actually plan to read the book twice.   I will share with you more thoughts at that time.    But in short, a great book.   I believe as the readers of this blog, you will like it.   BTW, do go to its website www.madetostick.com as well.

I attend a pre-natal training today in a local hospital in Shanghai today. It is of good value – RMB50 for 2 hours. And to my surprise, the presentation quality is much better than I expected. I expected the training session to be a boring and lecture-like one. In short, I am very engaged in the whole 2 hours. I do not feel bored or simply I almost do not check my watch at all. Whilst I am listening to the content, I also jot down a few points why the presentation is good:

Lots of examples – The content is dry by nature e.g. how to breathe according to the Lamaze method. However, the speaker makes it lively by giving 1 to 2 examples as she introduces each point. Lots of real stories. People love to hear stories, especially exotic ones like how she helped a case where the baby was delivered with leg coming out first.

Humor – Again, her experience helps. They are mostly cases of how the parents-to-be over-reacted during preparation.

Creditability – Her wealth of stories only tells her rich in experience. Simple, she is credible.

Not all on the slides – Her slides are not exactly good. They are mostly word slides. The one on the left is one of the very few using diagram. However, the good thing is that not all the content is on the slides. People have to listen well to catch the extra points, and especially the stories.

Passion – She is simply engaged into what she is speaking. She is interested herself. I can feel that she wants to share with you something good. For example, she strongly advises all for Natural Delivery over Cesarean Section. I can feel that she cares (well, especially since I know that the hospital actually charges more for Cesarean Section!!) It is not easy to be that passionate especially if you have delivered the same topic many times. But it does come with reward. You earn good attention, if not respect, from the audience

On the other hand, there are a few things which do need improvement (in terms of presentation, not the content!!)

Room setting – There are simply too many people cramped together. 42 people in a dark room of around 40sqm. And note, most are pregnant women of some size!!

Interaction – She can do much better if she interacts with the audience. For example, she can invite volunteer to the stage in order to demonstrate the Lamaze method. Or she can ask for show of hands to guess the right answer of her questions. The message will be more clearly delivered and audience will be even more engaged!

Overall speaking, she was already great as her profession is an Obstetrics and Gynecology physician, but not a trainer / professional presenter!! Well, the only question which I asked her at the end is ‘Which other training session is conducted by you as well?’!!!

• Course: A presentation course
• Date: 17-18 Dec 2007
• Location: Warm in Guangzhou, China
• # of Participants: 10
• I am feeling: Good

Tried the thought discussed in the last post. It is a good experience. I told them:

‘Before our last activity, I would like to ask for your feedback about this course. Here is the feedback form. You do not have to fill your name if you find it more comfortable this way. Other than the just choose the rating, please do write down your comment so that I know your view better. I assure you that I will read this. In fact, I will summarize your feedback and send to you later.

(Hand the forms to them). Now, I will leave some quiet time for you to complete it. After you complete it, please just leave the form on the desk at back of this room. Thanks!’

It turns out that there is much more and better quality feedback!! I like it!!

I have been discussing here it is difficult to get quality feedback in class. I really discuss this with one of my ex-participants. I learnt a new insight. Here is what she wrote:

“…………Well…talking about the feedback…from a participant perspective (for instance, myself), I am very happy to leave my comment on the form only if I feel that trainer’s passion and assume he/she is going to read them…if the trainer looks like collecting the feedback form just for “形式主义”, I might merely TICK, TICK, TICK as well…..”

Whilst we (or just me?) are complaining it is difficult to get feedback, do we do all we can to encourage good feedback? It is so true that you got to show your eagerness to read in order to make the others to write. Participants will not bother to write in details if they sense that it is just a formality. And sadly this is normally what they sense, right? It is because the following mistakes always happen:

• It is 1755 already, and we hand them the feedback in hurry
• We give the feedback instruction with no energy
• We do not say that we care

On the other hand, what we should do:

• Do not do it too late
• Do not let it be the last activity
• Leave them at least 10 minutes’ time to write
• Give the instruction with good energy
• Say that you care. Better, commit yourself you read and get back in a collective manner

Let me try, especially the last point, in the coming class on Mon and Tue. I will let you know how it does.

It is important to address “What’s In It For Me” (WIIFM) in every presentation. In fact, not only in the beginning or end, but also addressing it when you deliver each single message. That’s great if you could internalize this and really do it naturally in your presentation. If not (as there are too many things for you to look after during the presentation), this is the quick fix – you program yourself to make a statement starting with ‘So, the implication to you is….’ at the end of each of your messages. This forces you to:

• Remind yourself who the audience really is
• Think how your message is related to them
• And thus answer WIIFM whenever you make this statement.

For example, you make a presentation on your in-house Learning and Management system to a group of new-joiners. On one slide about course enrolment, you show them how to enroll courses online. You end the message by saying

‘So, the implication to you is that you got to understand this system in order to join any course in this organization. So, please practice it as you go back.’

And if your audience is a group of people managers, your statement will be different:

‘So, the implication to you is that you got to understand this system since you have to approve enrollment request on this system. No system, no one in your team can attend classes. So, please practice it as you go back.’

Some more practical tips here – how to memorize to make this statement. If you use script, you probably structure your messages in a way that each card contains one message. Write ‘So, the implication to you is… ‘ at the bottom of each card. If you use slide to structure your message i.e. one slide one message. Write ‘So, the implication to you is… ‘ at the bottom of each slide. Alternatively, if you do not want the audience to see such a “mechanical” line on the slide. Print the statement in bold and stick it on the desk you use.

Well, the key is to create the habit.

(A reminder on WIIFM – as said in my previous post, it is not enough for you to know that there is a reason for them to listen. You got to make aware of such a reason. Surface the issue. An example – All will agree that plane safety is important but few pay attention to the safety demonstration. Tell them that the consequence if you do not know See Things you should know but you do not pay attention to….)

• Course: A presentation course
• Date: 11-12 Dec 2007
• Location: Cold in Shanghai, China
• # of Participants: 8
• I am feeling: a bit tired physically but good spiritually

I love this class but at the same time I often felt very tired during the presentation class.   I used up a lot of energy during this class. 

• I talk
• I think what activity to do next
• I observe
• I think the best way to tell the comment
• I respond to their questions
• etc
  

I got to think of way to increase my energy during this class.   Perhaps a better breakfast and lunch.   And some chocolate in between!!