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Getting back to live presenting and speaking , post-pandemic
For others , the pandemic seems very near : social distancing , mask-wearing and shielding are vivid memories .
But whatever camp you are in , the reality is that most of us are back at work , at least some of the time , face-to-face with colleagues , clients and contacts . And that means presenting , attending meetings , networking , and having conversations with people , live , in the flesh and in person .
How are you feeling about this ? Nervous , unconfident , would rather do anything but ? If so , you ’ re not alone .
At Open Dawes Training , we are working with a number of organisations and individuals who , while their life is now back to normal , feel anything but normal when they are presenting , networking or attending meetings . And , to be frank , some never enjoyed talking in front of other people in the first place and were grateful that live events were on hold for the pandemic : every cloud has a silver lining .
So , if this sounds like you , here are our top tips for getting back on that horse , standing up presenting , or speaking up in a meeting or at an event .
1 . Try not to worry about how you are feeling . You ’ re out of practice and feeling unconfident , but this is normal . However , this lack of confidence means you are reluctant to practise ; you ’ re effectively , in a cycle . This cycle can ’ t be broken by simply waiting for your confidence to magically return . Just remember , you used to do this and you can do it again . Don ’ t let the negative voice control you – just start putting it back into practise . ( For more on this , we recommend you read The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters ).
2 . Take a deep breath , smile , make eye contact , and remain slow and steady to ensure that your brain is ahead of your mouth . When we are nervous , we have a tendency to talk too quickly , which makes it hard for people to follow and easier for us to make mistakes and lose our way . Slow down .
3 . When trying to engage in conversations , don ’ t feel the need to come up with something clever to say to get started . Instead , ask questions . This has the double bonus of giving you some breathing space while they speak , and makes them feel that you are interested
By Chris Dawes , Founder of Open Dawes Training
Sometimes , it ’ s hard to digest the fact that the pandemic hit us three years ago . For many , work and personal life have returned to normal and it ’ s almost as if Covid never happened – although , of course , the virus is still very much present .
in what they have to say ( which , hopefully , you are !)
4 . Actively listen and let this trigger the next thing you ask or say . Don ’ t plan ahead to your next interjection , as this will interrupt the natural flow of the conversation and the person you ’ re talking to will know you ’ ve not been paying attention .
5 . Actively listen and let this trigger the next thing you ask or say . Don ’ t plan ahead to your next interjection , as this will interrupt the natural flow of the conversation and the person you ’ re talking to will know you ’ ve not been paying attention .
6 . Use all these same techniques for presenting . Deliver what you have to say using a conversational tone about something that you know , have experienced , or are passionate about . Don ’ t present in a dictatorial way , but have a conversation with your audience about your subject matter . It makes them feel like you are talking directly to them , it is much more natural than when someone kicks into presenter mode to both deliver and receive , and it will help you relax into it .
7 . And our final tip is to remember that you have a lot to share with others , and others have a lot to share with you . It is how we become empowered , and how we can help empower others .
At Open Dawes Training , we have invested in training platforms that work for everybody . You can choose face-to-face training , live training delivered remotely , or use our online video on-demand training programmes .
For more information about Open Dawes Training ’ s face-to-face and online training services ...
visit : www . opendawestraining . co . uk call : 01793 238259 email : enquiries @ opendawestraining . co . uk
ARE YOU PLANNING TO GO
BIG ?
By Paul Holmes , Founder of PCH Business Consultants
Dealing with organisations struggling to overcome ‘ overwhelm ’ or facing challenges in the business is a significant part of a business consultant ’ s working life .
When dealing with situations where a business is already in a difficult place , it can often give you a sense of simply being the person of ‘ last resort ’ or ‘ last hope ’ trying to fix problems rather than helping a business to flourish . This does , of course , have its place and its rewarding to help a business survive and move forward , albeit slowly .
So it ’ s been a thoroughly enjoyable few months working with several PCH clients who are planning to ‘ go BIG ’ – as in this scenario there is a tangible sense of adding real value from the outset .
Planning what success could look like , creating the roadmap to get there and then seeing it start to take shape feels , and is , amazing . This is why we do this , this is why we want to make a difference .
What does planning to go BIG actually mean ?
In these cases , it involves business owners recognising their businesses as they stand , can ’ t provide a lucrative exit , fulfil financial dreams or deliver a luxurious lifestyle , that they all hoped was at the end of the rainbow .
Working with them , we have planned for success , imagined that day when success has already happened , at a scale that will actually deliver on those dreams .
It ’ s been startling for some just how much growth will be needed to get there , how many people , how many customers will actually be needed – and sometimes it is daunting !
By being clear about what ‘ BIG ’ really looks like , allows us to break it down into manageable chunks and smaller tasks , that step by step look possible and these create the roadmap to a level that had seemed so far out of reach .
Understanding the vision and the road map allows the behaviour of the whole organisation to be lifted alongside incorporating the processes needed to achieve that vision .
Having the goals , the plan , the roadmap , means that those business owners can now tell the story of how it will happen , sell the vision to their teams , to partners and to investors as required .
Planning for that success has landed one of the clients the opportunity to become a master franchisee , another to strengthen the spirit and morale in the team , another to invest in a new operating platform and another to be able to start planning even more significant growth on the back of astonishing growth in the last 12 months .
What could ‘ going BIG ’ look like for your business ? Do you need help to get there ?
If you would like to find out , please don ’ t hesitate to get in touch .
To find out more about PCH Business Consultants :
Visit : www . pchbusinesssupport . co . uk Email : paul @ pchbusinesssupport . co . uk Call : 07715 08521
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