Archive for the 'Manage all Interruptions' Category

How to handle mobile phones during presentations Part 3 of 3: The Extreme Approach

Published on in Manage all Interruptions and You the Presenter. Closed Tags: , , .

smashed-mobile-phoneYou can read Part 1 on Ground Rules here and Part 2 on Incentives here.

Extreme Examples to Stop Mobile Phone use
While these suggestions will help most business settings, sometimes a presenter will adopt an extreme position to make their point. These high risk approaches can really make an impact but when done well add to the overall impact of your presentation.

For example, one presenter started a presentation by pulling out a mobile phone, placed the phone into a padded envelope, dropped the envelope to the floor, stomped on it repeatedly, picked the envelope back up, and then threw it to the back of the hall. He smiled politely and asked if anyone in the room had another device he could practice on. If so, all they had to do was let it make any noise during his presentation.
The outcome was that with over 200 people in the room for a two-hour presentation, there was not a single instance of a phone ringing, beeping, or even buzzing.  The key to  these extreme approaches is a certain sense of humour so choose them with care.

Remember as a presenter you need to keep the audience on your side, so while mobile phones ringing in meetings are an irritation, they are a fact of life. Set ground rules, keep a sense of humour and don’t react to a phone ringing in an angry way.

RESOURCE BOX

Warwick John Fahy is the international executive speech coach for senior executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs who need to influence clients, investors, shareholders and team members. His highly practical approach and deep cross cultural intelligence have made him a sought-after business presentation coach throughout the world.

Warwick is the author of the acclaimed book, The One Minute Presenter – 8 steps to successful business presentations in a short attention span world. For free executive speaking tips visit http://www.oneminutepresenter.com/blog

To arrange presentation skills training or coaching to build your executive presence visit this web site.

For a media interview call +86 1391 786 7502.

Copyright 2010 Warwick John Fahy All rights reserved.

How to handle mobile phones during presentations Part 2 of 3: “Incentives” to stop mobile phones ringing

Published on in Manage all Interruptions and rapport. Closed Tags: , , .

carrot_psfYou can read Part 1 on Ground Rules here.

“Incentives” to stop mobile phones ringing
A ground rule is only as good as the audience’s willingness to follow it. Mobile phones are such a personal device that many people will not cooperate or simply will forget to switch it to silent.  What can a business presenter do when a mobile phone goes off in a meeting – and still keep rapport with the audience?

In some Western cultures, presenters have tried this incentive:
“Anyone whose phone rings during a meeting buys a round of beers that night for everyone in the meeting”. In a meeting with many participants that is large motivator. The only opt out clause is if the person takes a call to close a big deal, in which case they would be expected to to celebrate the deal.

In certain cultures, the disapproval of the presenter or trainer can be a motivator.  The caveat here is that you have to know the line that you can’t cross with your audience. If you insult them or look down on them or become a dictator then you’re going to find it difficult to get things done with them.

One method is to stop speaking when the phone rings. This signals to the participants that you have been interrupted and can’t continue until the distraction is eliminated. Don’t call out the person’s name or even look in their direction. Keep calm and smile. When the phone is switched off, simply say “Thank you” and move on.

RESOURCE BOX

Warwick John Fahy is the international executive speech coach for senior executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs who need to influence clients, investors, shareholders and team members. His highly practical approach and deep cross cultural intelligence have made him a sought-after business presentation coach throughout the world.

Warwick is the author of the acclaimed book, The One Minute Presenter – 8 steps to successful business presentations in a short attention span world. For free executive speaking tips visit http://www.oneminutepresenter.com/blog

To arrange presentation skills training or coaching to build your executive presence visit this web site.

For a media interview call +86 1391 786 7502.

Copyright 2010 Warwick John Fahy All rights reserved.

How to handle mobile phones during presentations Part 1 of 3: Set Ground Rules

Published on in Attention spans and Manage all Interruptions. Closed Tags: , , , .

on-the-dayFor anyone who has run a meeting or given a presentation to a group, the sound of a mobile phone going off is one of those annoying but common interruptions. What can business presenters do to minimize these distractions?

This article will look at setting ground rules.

Ground Rules
Although you may never completely stop the use of mobile phones in larger meetings, you can let the audience know what the meeting’s expectations are. This can be done by the host or MC of the meeting, written on a flipchart or computer slide. A simple ground rule can reduce the number of distractions.

At the beginning of the presentation, take out your mobile phone, show it to the audience and ask them to switch it to vibrate or silent mode. Explain that when an important call is received, they should step outside the room to take the call.

Good presenters also  take this opportunity to explain that the purpose of this ground rule is not to stop the audience conducting their important business but to show respect and politeness for the other audience members. This not only reduces resistance to your ground rule but also elevates the audience to a higher place where they show respect and courtesy for other participants.

Explain to the audience that there will be a ten minute break every hour, and so they can take calls and call back then. This will also reduce the need for immediate calls.


RESOURCE BOX

Warwick John Fahy is the international executive speech coach for senior executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs who need to influence clients, investors, shareholders and team members. His highly practical approach and deep cross cultural intelligence have made him a sought-after business presentation coach throughout the world.

Warwick is the author of the acclaimed book, The One Minute Presenter – 8 steps to successful business presentations in a short attention span world. For free executive speaking tips visit http://www.oneminutepresenter.com/blog

To arrange presentation skills training or coaching to build your executive presence visit this web site.

For a media interview call +86 1391 786 7502.

Copyright 2010 Warwick John Fahy All rights reserved.

Theater Rehearsals: What Executive Presenters Must Know Part 3 of 5: Cue-to-Cue

Published on in Manage all Interruptions and You the Presenter. Closed Tags: , , , .

cue-to-cue

To view the other steps in this series, see Step 1 “Script read through” and Step 2 “Run Through”

Step 3: Cue-to-Cue
Always plan a technology check for all types of presentation. For smaller conference room presentations, go at least a couple of hours before to connect your computer to the projector, test the sound and video and ensure the mouse clicker works. For larger settings, arrive the day before and work with technicans in the venue. Spend time on the stage and walk around planning where to start, how to move on the stage and where to finish. Rehearse a couple of sections of the presentation with a microphone to hear what vocal volume is needed to fill the room.

Related articles:

Do you hate rehearsing?

Vary your Lifeforce

Product Launch like an Executive – Memorable product launches Part 3

RESOURCE BOX

Warwick John Fahy is the international executive speech coach for senior executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs who need to influence clients, investors, shareholders and team members. His highly practical approach and deep cross cultural intelligence have made him a sought-after business presentation coach throughout the world.

Warwick is the author of the acclaimed book, The One Minute Presenter – 8 steps to successful business presentations in a short attention span world. For free executive speaking tips visit http://www.oneminutepresenter.com/blog

To arrange presentation skills training or coaching to build your executive presence visit this web site.

For a media interview call +86 1391 786 7502.

Copyright 2010 Warwick John Fahy All rights reserved.

Improvisation is a key presentation skill you need to learn

Published on in Deliver with Style, Manage all Interruptions and Resources. Closed Tags: , , , .

improv-team-april-2009One of the golden rules of presenting is that – at some time in your presenting career – something unexpected is going to happen. Someone will heckle you, the microphone will die, someone will wander across the stage. Whatever it is, your ability to react in a positive way will influence your credibility in the eyes of the audience.

Improvisation is an important skill for all presenters. Born out of the theatre, it is a great way to build creativity, listening and teamwork skills. For a presenter it allows you to smoothly move forward and manage anything unusual that is thrown at you (can help with Q&A sessions too).

Learn about Improv (short for improvisation) at Wiki.

See some great improv resources at Story Robot.