Presenting Insights

Overview In this video, I discuss the “Rule of Thirds”, which is a concept that has been used by great painters for hundreds of years to compose effective and impactful art. The idea is to position important elements in particular areas of the canvas or screen to draw the viewer's attention. I provide an example and suggest viewers try recording videos to see where their heads are positioned. It is important to try out alternatives until you are satisfied. Stand in the right spot: The rule of thirds So what is the right spot?  Well there are no absolute rules. But there are some helpful guidelines and that is what I will describe here. Please look at my simple drawing above.👆🏻 Generally, the right spot is just where the cross is, above the guy who is waving. When we see any video, we are impacted in the first few seconds. This happens first subconsciously and then consciously. And it is instantaneous. Artists and photographers know this. So they arrange the picture very carefully. When we see a picture our eyes tend to move to the top left or top right. Then our eyes move to other parts of the picture and we judge the overall scene. The top right or left, where the guy is waving, (above right) is a good place to have your head placed. It is the position of power. Background Finding power positions on pictures is nothing new. Michelangelo knew about it and other artists. What is the Rule of Thirds? The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. As follows. As you are taking an image you would have done this in your mind through your viewfinder or in the LCD display that you use to frame your shot.  With this grid in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ now identifies four important parts of the image that you should consider placing points of interest in as you frame your image.   Summary It is a helpful tip to place yourself in the frame so that you are roughly on a level of the 2 higher, red circles above. This is no hard and fast rule. Some people, like me, like to stand with their head between the two red circles on top. I personally vary my position between this central position and the top right circle.   What is the point of learning about the rule of thirds? We generally find that the best speakers on video position themselves carefully to give themselves authority in the eyes of their audience. Try it out for yourself and see what feels best for you and ask your audience for feedback. How do you come across to your clients?

Overview In this video, I share tips on how to “draw people in” during a presentation. I explain how connecting with people's stories and using pictures can engage them and physically and emotionally involve them in the presentation. Drawing is a great way to keep the audience involved and I demonstrate this by presenting a drawing of Albert Einstein as an example.   Do something! Generate energy! Move! I like drawing, so I draw when I speak. But I only do this when I feel it adds to the key message or supports the flow of the talk I am giving. Some presenters, like a good friend of mine Kevin, creates fascination in his audience by using technology creatively and professionally. Two other friends, Robin and Ken, tell great stories to beautifully illustrate their points. Another friend from Berlin, Ulrike, uses her brilliant acting skills to show how various people react differently in different situations. These people do the opposite of what many presenters do.   Here is a NOT to do list. I call them presentation killers: A deadly start You have boring content You have no enthusiasm and energy You have no variation in the style of your presenting You just talk endlessly Your audience just sits and tries not to let you see that they are looking at their phone 85% of the time The other 15% of your talk, they are praying for a break or the end of your talk   Task Your homework is to think carefully and write down three ways in which people have held your attention in a social setting or in a professional one. For example, Howard, who is my awesome coach, when he is teaching or coaching has the wonderful ability of generating a light humorous atmosphere so that his audience (including me) will have a great learning experience. WHO of your friends, associates or colleagues inspire you when they speak to you. Think of three of them. And then – specifically – HOW do they inspire you?   Takeaways and Tips 1. Drawing is just one way of activating your audience.  2. I will be showing you some ways to draw for presenting.  3.Check out Dan Roam’s visual storytelling

Overview In this video, I share my tips on how to make sure your audience remembers the key points of your presentation. Using the analogy of keys, I explain why it's important to have a clear and concise message, and how to make it memorable for your listeners. Whether you're presenting in a professional setting or giving a talk to friends, these tips will help you leave a lasting impression. The Pub test In the UK (the United Kingdom) we love our pubs. And we like to meet in pubs after work to socialize and talk about the day. You might have talked about the performance of your bosses or other people you know. The discussion might sound something like this: Jim: Were you at Dave Richie's talk today? Tony: Yes, I was actually. Jim: Me too. I must admit he went on and on and never got to the point. Tony: Yes, I got some of my emails done while he was rambling on… and on… Well, this was not such a good evaluation of Dave, was it? Dave's challenge is that he does not know what he wants to tell his audience. He has no real take-home message. The audience does not know what they should do next. Summary It is a helpful tip to place yourself in the frame so that you are roughly on a level of the 2 higher, red circles above. This is no hard and fast rule. Some people, like me, like to stand with their head between the two red circles on top. I personally vary my position between this central position and the top right circle. Takeaways and Tips 1. Write down your take-home message in one sentence. Example 1 If you work in a company: At the end of this talk I want my audience to be so enthusiastic that they… click on the link to set up a meeting to discuss how to implement it in the team. Example 2 If you are an independent consultant trainer: At the end of this talk I want my audience to be so enthusiastic that they… a. sign up for my course or b. arrange a meeting with me c. sign up for my free Presenting Insights course d. sign up for for my newsletter All these actions are concrete and it is easy to see if the person has done them. 2. This CTA (call to action) is the phrase we use to get somebody to do something. 3. As an inspired and introverted business professional who “Speaks with Quiet Confidence”. As more introverted people we tend not to want to “intrude” on potential clients or bosses. So we procrastinate. Quotation “Just do it” –Nike

Overview In this video, I discuss the idea of creating a big goal or vision for your presentation. I draw inspiration from the book Steal Like an Artist and Simon Sinek’s TED Talk on the power of “Why”. Successful companies and purposes have a deeper meaning behind them that goes beyond the surface level. For example, my big “why” is to support inspired and introverted business professionals to Speak with Quiet Confidence. When you think about your presentation, consider what's below the surface level and find your own why. This is a significant aspect of presenting that everyone should consider. Why are you doing this? Decide why you are doing what you are doing. This might sound crazy. You might be saying to yourself as you read this. “Of course we always know why you are doing what you are doing.” Not the case. A lot of people just get up in the morning. They do their job as if they are in a dream. Then they go home and only then does their life begin. An example… Let me add up the number of hours we might work in our lifetimes: 35 hours - 7 x 5 (weekly). 35 x 4 - 140 hours (monthly); 140 140 x 10 months (yearly - includes 2 months holiday) 1,400 1,400 x 40 years - 56,000 hours This is just an example, of course… some work more, some less. But you get the idea. “56,000 hours is a looooong time.” Start with Why Simon Sinek wrote a great book called Start with Why. I recommend that you buy it and read it carefully. We all know what we do, and how we do it, but very few of us actually know WHY we do it. Think of the WHY as a compass. We all need a direction to move towards. I personally worked on my WHY for 30 years. Offer: Find your “Why” with me, John Doorbar If why is important enough to you, I can help you to find out what your “Why” is too. It provides us with direction and focus so that we can live our lives with purpose, on purpose. Simon Sinek wrote the book on it, and worked with his team to develop the process to help you find your WHY. While you can read the book and do it yourself the one thing you do need in order to find your WHY is an objective partner.  Takeaway 1.Think about why you do what you do Write it down. ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ I found that, for 30 years, I didn't really have one. Now I have one. I still modify it a bit, though not very much. I can speak about this in one of my future newsletters. But not now. The benefit to me and my clients is that I am much clearer on what I want. This means that I can help my clients get what they want. 2. Contact me and we can chat about your “Why” johndoorbar@ece-euro.de 3. You will be a great presenter When you know your WHY you will be a great presenter. Knowing your WHY blows your introversion to smithereens. Send me a message to see whether and how I can help you. Best wishes, John

Overview In this conversation, a viewer asks for advice on how to deal with imposter syndrome, the feeling of being inadequate or undeserving of success. In response, I explain what imposter syndrome is and share some practical tips on how to overcome it, such as reframing negative self-talk, seeking feedback, and acknowledging one's accomplishments. We also discuss the importance of recognizing that imposter syndrome is a common experience and that seeking help from a coach can be helpful.   For example… Make a plan to take very small steps. Break down the talk preparation into a lot of micro-steps. Be very specific. A solution This “thinking through things” can mean that we put off doing our work to prepare a great talk. We procrastinate. How can we stop procrastinating? As introverts we like to think through things before committing to doing them. Extroverted characters get ideas and energy from talking to people (sometimes endlessly). It is therefore a bit easier for them to generate ideas just by talking. As introverts, we get our energy from quiet reflection rather than from going to big parties or conferences. Presenting and Procrastinating and Being more Introverted We all need motivation to get things done. As you know, it is easier to do nothing and remain stuck than to get up and do something. Plan Mini-Steps Research – spend 10 minutes on the internet learning about your audience. (Look on LinkedIn, invite them to connect, and set up a short meeting.) Think of your key message. What exactly do you want to say? How will you begin and end your talk? Takeaways 1. Start very simply – get the ball rolling 2. Write down a list as a friend for ideas 3. Keep moving forward in tiny steps

Overview In this video, I had an interesting conversation with a guest about the importance of mental health and self-care. We discussed the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and how seeking help should be normalized. We also talked about different self-care practices that can improve mental health, such as exercise, meditation, and therapy. We also touched on the importance of setting boundaries and the benefits of taking breaks from social media. If you're looking to prioritize your mental health, this video is a must-watch! Use Visuals Use stickers, show pictures, invite visitors, draw pictures, etc… I like the dynamic speed of using transparent stickers in webinars, presentations and meetings. People love to see things developing on a screen. It has a certain fascination. Kids are mesmerized as they sit in front of the TV and watch their favourite show. My niece, Pippa, was fascinated by the beautiful film, “The Snowman”. She was so emotionally touched that she cried when the snowman melted. Our goal in presenting is normally not to get people to cry. But we do want to get them involved (emotionally if possible). But how can we do this? Magic stickers? Magic Stickers are thin pieces of transparent paper which you can write things on before you give your talk and then you can place them on a surface. e.g a flip chart or a wall or even a window. The advantage of these stickers? They are very quick to use in the meeting and they keep the dynamic of the meeting high. They are also easy and quick to prepare. You can prepare beforehand. This is great for me because, as a quiet person (an introvert), I love to have at least some “activation material” prepared which I can use to initiate an open atmosphere and discussion when I present or run a meeting or conference. Another idea – a creative way of using drawings I have been learning how to integrate drawing into videos and live meetings from Dan Roam. He has a very creative way of doing this that is worth reading about. The Pop-up Pitch is a great book about making very persuasive presentations. I like to use many of Dan Roam’s methods in my training when I teach people to Present with Quiet Confidence. These methods will help to make your presenting very memorable and enjoyable to deliver. And they will get people to take action.