“‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”        

                                                              - Lao-tsu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

A few weeks ago, I was having a heart to heart with a CEO needs to get out his office more often.  He wants to become an ambassador for his company.  More accurately, he knows he needs to.       

Like many bosses, he would rather stab himself repeatedly in the thigh with a sharp pencil than give a speech or interview to a reporter.  This is an accomplished executive who has led the transformation of the company, bringing an innovative new product to market, growing the customer base, cutting costs and improving profitability.  His credibility with employees and the board is rock solid.  It’s just that the company is kind of a best kept secret.  The story needs to be told.  This is a great time to do it.   

The real issue isn’t time, because as CEO, he determines how he spends his time.  The issue is mindset.  He’s used to organizing his calendar one way; this change requires a significant modification in behavior and priorities.  He knows he needs to do it and wants a coach to make it  happen.  ”I need someone to hold me accountable for getting there,” he says.

Changing your mindset isn’t like changing your shirt.  It requires a goal, commitment and a plan.  It isn’t enough to have the intention; you have to put these activities on your calendar every day.  If your schedule is filled with executive team and employee meetings, it isn’t going to happen.  Once you set the intention, you must schedule the intention and then honor the intention.  It won’t be comfortable at first.  It isn’t a familiar routine.  As my client observed,   “This will be a significant change in the way I spend my time.”

Changing a mindset is a little like standing at the foot of a mountain looking up and wondering, “How the hell am I supposed to get all the way up there?”  It seems insurmountable.  You can either turn back and head home or you can commit.  That means you draw up a plan, buy some gear and hire a crew to go with you.  You break down this overwhelming goal into doable tasks.  These are the steps that keep you from becoming paralyzed, staring at the mountain and saying, “It looks awful cold up there.” 

If you’re having trouble breaking down a big goal into smaller tasks, one approach is to imagine you’re already there.  Some of you who read my blog regularly know I suggested this ”looking back” exercise right after the New Year.  The idea is to imagine it’s 2012, just about two years from now.  You’re already up at the top of the mountain.  How did you get all the way up there?

When I posed the question to the CEO, he said, ”Well, I guess I started by deciding that I was going to go.”

“Good start,” I said.  

“I cleared my calendar several months out and starting scheduling time with the coach and the marketing team,” he said.   

“What else?” I asked.

“They booked me to speak at several events this year, so I had deadlines on my calendar,” he continued.

And so on.

By imagining that you have already achieved a goal it becomes so much clearer what you really need to do to succeed.  Instead of seeing obstacles, you see results, and the obstacles melt away. Once you “know” what “worked” you feel motivated.

Our CEO has started working on what I like to call a”Speech in a Drawer” (see Speak Like a CEO, Secrets to Commanding Attention and Getting Results).   We set a date by which the first draft will be finished for rehearsal.  Coaching dates are already on the calendar to write and develop stories that highlight his company’s accomplishments and lessons learned along the way.  He’s already started to relax; it will get easier as we go.  He’s already thinking, “Okay, I can do this.”  If you have a copy of Speak Like a CEO, refer to Chapter 16, pages 183-189 for five sample coaching plans you can implement on your own.

As you check off tasks you start to feel differently.  Not only are you achieving important goals; you are transforming your self image.  By starting with the end game belief (not just a far off goal) and scheduling activities you already know “worked,” you are able to identify important milestones, and that in turn energizes you and helps you commit to the process.    

Recently I listened to In Search of Excellence guru Tom Peters describing his drive from a home in Tinmouth VT to his other home, in Boston.   Obviously he is well-versed when it comes to imagining goals and milestones.  Peters gets out of bed and leaves between 3:15 and 3:30 a.m. because he really hates traffic.  (Having spent 9 years in television getting up at the same hour I can tell you that is a brutal hour to drag yourself out of bed but it is heaven to drive in Boston at that hour.) 

What gets him through the trip is marking the milestones.  Peters knows precisely what to look for at each stage of the trip. A house 17 miles from his Vermont house is 10% of the way; a restaurant where he can get a cup of coffee is a quarter of the way to Boston.  By anticipating and marking the milestones with visuals, he is able to stay awake and engaged. 

Think about what you’re trying to accomplish right now.  What are the milestones?  How will you see them?  what will mark your arrival?  The best way to do it is to put them on your calendar.  It’s a visual checklist.  Seeing things; knowing they’re just around the corner- well, that’s highly motivating. 

As always I welcome your ideas and suggestions on getting there.  What has worked for you?  Hit leave a reply.  

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I’m often asked whether there is a formula for success in public speaking, and my response has always been, “practice.”  Practice is the secret to becoming good and the antidote to fear.  

But I just had a personal experience that made me realize that practice is only one half of the formula.  Ten thousand hours of preparation won’t prevent a meltdown if you’re walking around with stupid, idiotic thoughts in your head. 

Last week I was invited to speak to the International Leadership Association (ILA) conference in Prague.  Didn’t know much about the conference.  Didn’t even know much about the organization.  I said “yes” because I thought it would be a great trip to take with my husband.  Turns out it coincided with the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Everybody said Prague was an historic, romantic city.  So, I thought, “Why not?”

As for presenting a “case study,”  I felt well-enough prepared. I was more worried about how I would recover from sleep deprivation after an overnight flight to Frankfurt, walking the guaranteed 5 miles through that huge airport to catch a the second leg to Prague at 4 a.m.  However, the reality of my situation came into clearer focus when I arrived, signed in, received my name badge and scanned the program.  Almost all the other speakers had a Ph.D. and some fancy- titled white papers or books with long, complex, theoretical themes.  Walking around and listening in on conversations it became obvious that most of the attendees were academics speaking a language that might as well have been Czech. 

That’s when I started feeling… nautious.

I awoke in the middle of the night conjuring up worst case scenarios.  I imagined that they would read my bio in the program description and not even bother to show up.  Or, that they’d come in with skeptical faces, arms folded, and proceed to stump me with questions on my “research methodology.”   It didn’t help that in the bar the previous evening I noted that these folks weren’t talking about the 135 varieties of beer on the menu; they partied all night talking leadership theory.  Woo hoo. 

By 6 a.m. I had slept little and  convinced myself this had been a terrible mistake.  I faced my impending doom the only way I knew how; I starting taking it out on my husband.  It wasn’t pretty.

When he finally asked what was going on, I told him.  And then, he said, ”You’re kidding right?” 

I replied with a wise crack.  No need to print that here.

“Have you forgotten,” he said, “that you’ve written two best selling books on leadership?  Most academics would love to write something other people want to buy,” he said.  ”They have nothing on you. In fact they’ll probably wish they were you.”

Now that’s very husbandly support, and it’s awfully nice, however on this topic I thought he did have some credibility, as well.  Drew is a screenwriter, author, attorney and film professor at Boston College.  So he’s one of them.  Sort of.  In a bar he would prefer to talk about New England Patriots football, politics or movies.  Or beer.

I had to halt this mental spiral, so I left early and headed to the meeting room, which thankfully was empty.  I ran through my program.  I decided he was right. What was the worst that could happen?  My plan was to share a few “case studies” (stories) of leaders who succeed in motivating and inspiring others by living and working with purpose and passion.  The exercises in the program are designed to get people thinking and talking about their own career passions.  

The room filled up; they had to bring in chairs.  I’m relieved to report that within 15 minutes, the place was buzzing. Everybody seemed to enjoy it.  We had not just academics, but smiling, energetic, engaged college students who added a lot to the mix.  They had some of the best stories to share. 

So - what did I learn?  I realized that I needed to revise my formula for success in public speaking.  It didn’t take into consideration the fact that even experienced speakers allow certain circumstances to rattle their confidence.  

So, here’s the new formula for success.     

Practice + Affirmation = Success.

As we all know, eight bazillion books have been written on success.  They all say the same thing.  Success requires mastery of a skill - you have to be really good at something.  And, success requires mastery of thought - you have to manage the way you think. 

We are what we think.  Our thoughts become our reality. 

Once I started thinking about the new formula, it also became obvious that affirmation needs some definition.  I believe there are two channels for affirmation.  Two “inputs” if you will.  One is the inner channel-your own thoughts, feelings and beliefs; that what you say to yourself.  The other is the outer channel-the affirmation you receive from others; what other people say to you. 

It’s hard to imagine consistent success if you don’t have the inner and outer channels open and working properly.  Last week proved that to me.  I probably would have been okay, but it sure helped to have someone else there who I trusted to offer genuine encouragement.   

You need to have other people who believe in you.  And you need to believe in yourself.  

Here are five steps to help you develop the inner and outer channels of affirmation:  

1.  Take stock of yours skills; if you have negative thoughts there may be a reason - you do need to get better. Practice.  If you are not as good as you need to be, make the commitment and improve.

2.  Take stock of your thought process; if you are a reasonably good speaker and still routinely experience  doubt and anxiety, learn to use the inner channel of self-affirmation.  “I have an interesting message to share,” ”Audiences always enjoy my presentations,” or “I’m a successful speaker,” are examples of affirmations.  Write your own.

3.  Take stock of personal and professional relationships in your life; if you don’t have supportive people who shine a light on your brilliance, find them.  None of us can do it alone.  We need need people we trust and respect to believe in us and tell us so.  

4.  Admit it when you’re feeling anxious; it doesn’t do any good to suffer in silence.  Seek the support of others you trust and let them know how you feel so they can help you get on track.  Embrace their words and let the magic of that outer channel of affirmations take hold.  

5.  Visualize your success; it always helps to rehearse and picture the audience.  Imagine people nodding, smiling, applauding and shaking your hand after a presentation.  I always do better when I go through this exercise a few hours before a presentation.  This means of course you have to set aside that time and honor the time to visualize and prepare.

So there’s my new formula; practice + affirmation = success.  The two go hand in hand.  Combine them for your next presentation and see how it works.  Let me know if you have affirmations you want to share. 

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This week I’ve been thinking about that saying, “lead by example.”  The origin of this well-worn standard is a Chinese proverb, yi shen zuo ze, which means ”to set a good example,” or “set yourself as the standard.”  For thousands of years people have known that a leader’s actions must match his or her words.  As I have discussed in the 8 principles of Motivate like a CEO, great leaders walk the talk. 

But is that enough?

Yes and no.

If you work in a high functioning organization, chances are your leaders walk the talk.  They live the values.  It comes from the top down.  Leaders who live the values inspire others.  

This brings me to posting your values statements on the wall.  This is a form of communication, but it isn’t the answer to creating a values based culture. People believe what they see and hear from their leaders, not what they read on a poster. If one leader in the organization is acting by a different set of rules, people will see that individual as an outlier.  However, if employees see that more than one leader living by different standards, that’s a trend.  They’ll scoff at the values and their cynicism will foster a negative, demoralized workplace.  

So of course, leaders have to live the values.  But is that enough?

Not really.  Why?

Because in a large organization, most people don’t get to meet you.  They certainly don’t see you every day, every week or every month.  In fact, they may go years without ever shaking your hand.

However, most people will be invited to a business meeting and hear you speak; they may receive emails from you; they may hear from their own bosses about how you’ve handled certain situations.    

This is why a leader has to not just lead by example, but also talk about examples of how the organization are living by its values.  If you can’t have lunch with every employee, you need to connect with them in a personal way through the stories of the organization.  You can do this through speeches, presentations, videos and even email and blogs.  

Tell stories that demonstrate how successful people in your organiztaion are walking the talk.  Collect these stories routinely and then share how teams and groups have been living the values.  Once you start to do this people will tell you more stories about living the values and you’ll soon have a collection of these stories to share. 

The ability to share compelling stories with points through speaking and writing is a critical leadershp skill.  if you’re not sure how to find stories - think of a time when your team has faced a difficult situation.  Perhaps you disappointed a customer and had to “do right by them.”  Perhaps someone working on a project had to go above and beyond.  What happened?  Why did the team or individual make that decision?  What was the outcome?  How did it illustrate the values? What did the team learn from that experience?  How can others apply the lesson?

These are the stories that you need to share with your organization.  For your next presentation, investigate three examples of how the organization has succeeded, and analyze how those successes are tied to your values.  It will be well worth it, because when people hear a story, they remember the story, and then they remember the point.

So living by example is only half of the battle. The rest is sharing the stories with others. 

以身作则
yǐ shēn zuò zé
To set a good example / Set yourself as the standard

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I’m just back from an intensive week in which our Bates team coached 23 top leaders of a Fortune 50 company on their strategic recommendations for the organization.   There was a lot riding on it for each of them, since the Chairman and CEO of the company and members of the senior leadership team would be evaluating their presentations and providing feedback. 

What the SLT was looking for were clear, bold solutions to significant challenges facing the business.  They wanted to see how effectively the groups worked together, defined the challenge, analyzed the data, developed strong solutions, and answered tough questions.  The final exercise was an outstanding way to see how these leaders think and how they show up as leaders.  Here are a few things I learned that I want to pass along to anyone who is presenting to their SLT.  

1.  Clearly define the problem: If you have not correctly decided what to look at then everything you propose will be for naught.  Remember, most senior leaders have already looked at issues you’re raising and they demand and expect precision.  Clarify the issue by thinking through the real issues and using precise language.

2.  Tell them why it matters:  Why is it important right now for the company to address this issue?  You must make a compelling case for the company putting its time and attention on the matter at hand.  Explain what the market opportunity is, or what is at stake, or what is at risk, if they do not address it, and conversely what the positive results might be if they take action now.

3.  Prove it:  How do you know what you know?  You need rock solid facts and analysis.  You data should be impeccable.  You also need to be intellectually honest when presenting it; data can be ambiguous and interpreted many ways.  There can be flaws in the gathering of it, as well.  Senior leaders will see right through any attempt to stack the deck in your favor, and they will consider you junior if you try to do so.  They also will insist that you apply rigor to your own process and will pounce if you have not proven your case.

4.  What’s the action step:  Be prepared to get to the bottom line quickly with a set of proposed  next steps that the senior leadership team might take.  If you’ve already sold them on the what and why you need to be ready to move on.  However, don’t tell them what to do; propose.  Avoid phrases such as ”have to” or “must,” and instead use words like, “we strongly recommend,” or “the most prudent action would be,”  because trust me they’re going to make the decision.  Be bold in what you recommend, just don’t be presumptuous in the way you address the top leaders of the organization.

5.  Watch your tone:  A good leader balances confidence and humility.  Leaders recognize high potential leaders when they do this effectively.  Don’t presume that your senior leaders don’t know a lot of what you know; that’s why they have the top jobs.  What they are really looking for in you is someone who cares about the company, in fact, loves the company, and wants to add value. 

6. Focus on the highest priorities for the business:  Business priorities change constantly so you need to be on top of what is most important for your senior leaders and your CEO RIGHT NOW.  Understand the business strategy thoroughly before you start proposing new programs, solutions or spending.  It may be a great idea but if it isn’t perfectly aligned with what the CEO wants to accomplish right now the SLT will have no bandwidth to listen.  And, stay current.  Don’t assume what mattered last week matters this week.  When crisis arises, everybody focuses on that until its resolved. 

7.  Look at the challenge from the top down, not the bottom up:  Don’t come in with a littany of complaints about how people see a problem or what the naysayers are yapping about.  Imagine you’re the CEO and look at the challenge the way he or she would look at it.  Solve the business problem first and then worry about how it gets implemented, including how you’ll work with people on culture or change management.  Change is difficult but it follows big strategic decisions; get the strategy right and then work on the rest of it.

8.  Work as a team and make the presentation as a team: Work out your differences among your team prior to making the presentation.  This is hard work but it will pay off when you have a unified front.  This isn’t to say that you might not have minor differences in how you would approach the issue but if you look like you’re arguing in front of the CEO, he or she will tell you to go back to the drawing board.  CEOs and senior leaders value team work and want to see how you make it happen.

9.  Socialize your idea before you present it: Your idea will probably go through several iterations during the process of gathering data, analyzing and developing recommendations.  Talk with other senior leaders, influencers and experts to be sure you are on track and answering their questions.  Find out whether there are third rail issues you shouldn’t touch until you understand them better.  Get feedback and accept feedback from people who are in the know.

I’d like your comments on this article - especially if you have new tips on presenting to senior leaders.  Click below to “Leave a reply.” 

I’m also interested in knowing whether you’d like to read more articles like this.  Let me know and also suggest other article topics.

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Even the most seasoned, experienced professionals can find their hearts racing and their palms getting clammy as they walk down the hall to the boss’s office.  If you are:  a. laying awake at night worrying about how it’s going to go, or b.  not sure how far you’ll get before you’re interrupted, or c. afraid you’ll be flummoxed by a tough question, then it’s time to analyze what’s happening.

Let me make 5 observations about mistakes people make when meeting with the boss.

Observation number one:   You probably aren’t prepared

Most managers and leaders are woefully underprepared for these exchanges.  I’m frankly shocked at how little thought they put into shaping their proposals, writing their comments or practicing out loud.  What is more important that a meeting with the CEO or the board?  What are you doing that would take priority over that?  If you’re not spending time preparing and practicing, it’s because you’re avoiding it, not because you’re too busy.  Too busy is a myth.  Too busy means you don’t have your priorities straight. 

Observation number 2:  It’s a huge mistake to treat this as a game.

Your goal cannot be to simply get in and out without saying anything controversial—playing it safe will never get you ahead; your goal is not to out maneuver your colleagues – you may win a round but with a good boss, you’ll lose when you’re not part of the team; your goal is not to get the boss to make the decision – any good CEO wants you to make your own decisions – based on sound evidence and a logical plan. 

Observation number 3:   Most people aren’t in tune with the CEOs agenda

Just the other day I heard the story of a well respected Chief Information Officer who went in to tell the CEO about a great idea he had.  This was something that would require an investment up front but had the potential to create tremendous efficiencies within six months to a year of implementation.  To the CIO it seemed like a no brainer, so he was quite shocked when the CEO said, sure, I’ll approve it, but I still expect you to reduce your overall budget by 10%. 

Has something like this happened to you?  Have you gone in thinking you have a strong case, only to get a monkey wrench thrown into your perfect plan?  You walk out thinking what just happened?  The problem is you’ve set your own trap by not tuning in to what matters to the CEO right now.

Observation number 4:   Your CEO is looking for answers.

You need to have some.  Let me give you an example.  I know the new president of one division of a financial services company.  This guy is smart, analytical, thoughtful and articulate.  Only one problem.  He prepared a presentation but he came in with just questions, not solutions.  The CEO finally stopped him and said, Listen, if you want me to tell you what to do I can do that.  But is that what you want?  Or do you want to decide?  It was a moment of truth – a moment of empowerment – the president was grateful but also learned a lesson.  Come in with answers.  You may get shot down but you need to take a stand.  That’s what leaders do. 

Observation number 5:  Winging it is just plain dumb.

You may think you have your ideas in your head, that you know the project, understand the issue and can talk about it in your sleep.  Then what happens.  The meeting starts, you’re rambling, your answers are disjointed, you can’t remember key facts, and you’re fumbling opportunities to make a powerful point.  In short, you’re winging it, and that’s suicide.  There’s a big difference between confidence and overconfidence; between self assurance and arrogance.  The person who doesn’t prepare well is not confident or cool; he or she is simply not doing what it takes to succeed at the executive level.

Meetings with the boss are a chance to show your potential and shine.  If you know how to prepare you will significantly reduce the fear factor and ace the meeting.

This week, I’ll be posting a new series of how-to communicate audio Podcasts on I Tunes, - including a longer version of this article with tips on how to build your confidence in speaking with the boss.  It isn’t posted yet, but look for it later this week.  Simply go to www.itunes.com and  search for Suzanne Bates. 

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I’ve never met anybody who didn’t wish they could give a great presentation.  I’ve met a lot of people who are kidding themselves about what they’re willing to do about it.  These are people with good intentions and bad habits that are killing them.

As those of you who read this blog reguarly know, I can write with absolute certainty about these mistakes because I’ve made all of them.  One of the dirty little secrets about professional speakers is that they cheat too, sometimes.  I’ve cheated and I don’t recommend it.  It’s not worth the price you pay in anxiety, stress and sometimes, total failure.

Most people know even before they walk to the front of the room, whether they’ve done enough.  In my experience, even newbie speakers have a sense that they’re simply not prepared.  However, as I say, some of the worst cheaters I know are leaders who think they’re pretty good at this.  As soon as you start believing your own press releases, you’re headed for mediocrity.  

Here are 7 suggestions to help you mend your cheatin ways:

#1: Start thinking, outlining and researching as you have the presentation date…don’t cheat yourself out of the time it takes to find great material and develop keen insights 

#2: Get on the phone with the meeting planner…don’t cheat yourself out of the opportunity to really know your audience and learn what they care about.

#3:  Write it out…don’t cheat yourself out of the opportunity to be an articulate leader - use the script to hone your ideas and choose poweful words and phrases. 

#4:  Let it rest….don’t cheat yourself out of those aha moments that come to you in the early morning or on a walk; let your subconcious work on it and the presentation will write itself.

#5:  Put practice on the calendar…don’t cheat yourself by pretending you will practice when your schedule is already brimming.

#6:  Track the number of practice sessions by marking your script…this is one of my favorite tricks…i make a mark like this /// at the top of the script each time so I can’t kid myself about how many times I’ve done it before I go live.   

#7:  Get feedback…don’t cheat yourself out of the sage advice and counsel of people who are good presenters and have your best interest at heart.  Find them and tell them you want to know how you can be better.

Speak Like a CEO Boot Camp - we’ll make you sweat here, so you don’t sweat out there.  www.bates-communications.com/bootcamps

Watch this video and learn what Alan Weiss, author of the business best seller Million Dollar Consulting, has to say about executive coaching with Bates. http://www.bates-communications.com/testimonials/

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I was reading Marshall Goldsmith’s blog and came across  ”4 Tips for Efficient Succession Planning” today.  One of the world’s most trusted executive coaches has finally put his finger on a big, broken piece of Leadership Development.   

In my experience, companies are way too focused on standard assessments and planning meetings, where they sit in a room, talking about their “top talent”, and moving young hi po names around on a board like puzzle pieces.  This is all part of “succession planning,” and Goldsmith says we spend far too much time doing it.  Instead he says, why don’t we start calling it “succession DEVELOPMENT.” 

“Plans do not develop anyone,” says Goldsmith, “only development experiences develop people. We see many companies put more effort and attention into the planning process than they do into the development process.”

If we focus on “planning” instead of “development,” we end up promoting smart, technical people who can’t motivate, inspire and empower people.  These leaders have business sense but hardly a clue about how to influence others and get results.  

After years of watching young leaders succeed and fail, I’ve noticed that the missing link for most of them is what is often called “executive presence.”  Executive presence is a combination of skills and qualities that make a person highly effective with others.  It’s often described as the impact you have when you walk into a room, engage in a conversation; it’s also how you listen, treat other people, behave in work and social situations, and even the way you dress.  

I think those things are important but the definition of executive presence is much broader.  It’s the knowing your leadership view, being able to speak your mind and articulate a big idea that excites others.  Even the strongest business mind will not be able to build a collaborative, innovative, progressive organization if they don’t know how to influence others and move them to act.

What too many companies are doing is sending their high potential leaders to a few courses and calling it development.  What they need to do is provide a structured, long term learning environment where leaders can learn and apply these communication skills in real time and real life situations.

If Human Resources groups charged with “succession planning” could get their companies to focus on the long term development of communication skills as an essential part of the leadership package, they would be pleasantly surprised at how these high potential leaders could quickly assimilate into new roles.   

This is the main reason we developed our Executive Coaching in Communications program.  Few coaches or courses are able to help leaders develop this critical skill.  Too often, leaders are told they need to improve their communication without being given a structured, long-term plan and resources for doing so.

In our program we focus on working with leaders in real time on real events, so that they learn to exercise this muscle - finding their leadership voice - and making it stronger.   If you’d like to learn more I recommend reading Motivate Like a CEO especially chapters 3,4, 11 and 12.   

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I’m often asked, “what are the biggest mistakes people make in a business presentation?”  I’ve seen speakers trip up on all of these, and the pain is also personal - I’ve made every one of these mistakes myself.

Here are 5 mistakes to avoid at all costs:

Mistake #1:  Failing to get important information about your audience.  This is not just a rookie mistake.  Experienced speakers do it, usually when they get lazy and make assumptions.  The more you speak, the more you kid yourself that you know enough to get by.  If you want to hear a story about how I blew it by making assumptions about an audience, listen to my new podcast, “How to Make Your Audience Love You,” which will be posted on I Tunes next week.

The simplest way to avoid this is to pick up the phone and talk to the meeting planner or person in charge. They know the audience.  If they don’t, they’ll probably be happy to set you up to interview one or two people who will be there.  Get on the phone, find out what’s on their minds, and craft your speech with them in mind.

Mistake #2: Failing to open with a bang.  You have to grab them.  Audiences size you up in about 30 seconds.  If they’re generous they’ll give you a minute or two.  Attention spans are shorter than ever and we live in a culture of entertainment.  You don’t have to be Letterman, but you should make an effort.

So, engage them from the start.  Tell a story that makes a powerful point and takes your audience to the heart of the issue.  And please, please, don’t ever say, “Good morning,” and wait for the audience to respond.  Think about how you feel when it happens.  Audiences want to drink their coffee and be engaged in the first few minutes.  Don’t make them fake a cheery attitude.

Mistake #3:  Depending too much on your slides.  Aren’t you sick of hearing this?  But 98.7 percent of all presentations are driven by PowerPoint and are deadly, deadly, deadly.

You’re going to have to depend on your slides if you start slamming the presentation together the night before you give it.  How can you be creative, find interesting visuals, or come up with stories and examples that make the presentation memorable?   If you start the night before you’ll have to read the bullet points because you don’t know your presentation.  The bottom line - don’t procrastinate!

Mistake #4:  Failing to find time to practice.  And this is an absolute.  You must practice.  Sometimes people tell me they are afraid that they will come across as too rehearsed.

That’s absurd!

I’ve never, ever seen a speaker who isn’t better when they practice.  Practice has many purposes; you try out your comments and edit out loud; you hear how it will sound to your audience; you internalize the messages; your synapses start firing and you create pathways of recollection that will be handy when you get up in front of the group.  As one of my mentors Patricia Fripp often says, practice is the work, performance is the relaxation.

Mistake #5:  Failing to connect with the audience while you’re on stage.  I mean, really connecting with them.  Looking them in the eye and seeing them.  Enjoying the opportunity to be there.  Having fun.  Making it an experience.

One of the most important keys to connecting is to know your material very well.  If you don’t, all you can think about is what you want to say.  You won’t even know the audience is there if you’re busy trying to figure out what’s on the next slide.

Make it a point to practice and know your material.  Then, when you step to the front of the room, look around, meet people eye to eye; gauge their reaction as you speak; ask them questions, make observations; in other words, be in the moment with your audience.  You don’t have to be perfect or polished as long as you are with them.

I welcome your comments on the “biggest mistakes” especially if you would like to add to this list.  I’m always looking for new ideas.  Just click on comments at the end of this article.

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Maybe you’ve read Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado.  Parrado co-wrote the 2006 book Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home, with Vince Rause. In Miracle in the Andes, Parrado returns to Piers Paul Read’s 1974 book, Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors (which tells the story of the Uruguayan Rugby team who were alumni of Stella Maris College (Montevideo) who were involved in the airplane crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 which crashed into the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972).

 Miracle of the Andes, however, is told from Parrado’s point of view thirty-four years later.  Last week, I had the extraordinary opportunity to hear Parrado speak.  His gripping tale of survival in the harshest conditions imaginable held the audience in a state of suspension for almost an hour.  As in the book, he takes an introspective journey presenting both the jaw-dropping realities of the 16 survivors’ story and the life-altering lessons he learned from the experience.

While English isn’t his first language, Parrado never the less took us on a remarkable journey with flawless storytelling execution.  He is not a high energy, motivational speaker in the classic sense - in fact his presence on stage is utter calm.  Yet he is simply one of the most inspiring, powerful people you’ve ever seen on a stage because of his ability to allow the story to unfold.  He shares powerful insights and turns them into universal lessons for us all. 

Early on, you learn that the entire group of survivors went on to become very successful businessmen.  Why, you wonder.  He creates the question and then tells you that as a teenager he learned how to make life and death decisions.  As you hear his story you realize after this ordeal, nothing would ever be hard.  We suddenly appreciate how we, too, must be courageous, move ahead and keep going.

Few of us will ever live through such a harrowing experience, however, we can all appreciate and tap into the power of storytelling in our presentations.  Stories not only relate powerful points; they transform the psychological and emotional experience of the audience.  Leaders who tell stories know the power of relating experiences that allow others to share in the insights and learn from them.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story of the crash, below this photo you’ll find an abridged version. If you’re interested in learning the art and magic of storytelling, I invite you to go to our web site www.bates-communications.com and find resources, including free articles as well as my book, audio programs and home study course on How to Speak Like a CEO.  Also don’t forget our next boot camp is coming up in October - our early bird rates are still available until early August.  www.bates-communications.com/bootcamp

FROM WIKIPEDIA

Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, also known less formally as the Andes flight disaster, was a chartered airline flight carrying 45 rugby team members and associates that crashed in the Andes on Friday the 13th of October, 1972. The last of the 16 remaining survivors were rescued by December 23, 1972. More than a quarter of the passengers died in the crash and several survivors of the initial impact had died of cold and injuries by the next day. Twenty-nine were alive several days after the accident, but the number of survivors was further reduced by an avalanche sweeping over their wreckage shelter.

The crash survivors, thinking they would be found and rescued within hours, a day or two at worst, had very little food and no way to make heat in the harsh climate, at over 3,600 meters (11,700+/- feet) altitude. Faced with starvation and the radio news reports they heard that the search and rescue mission for them had been abandoned, the survivors eventually fed on the dead passengers who were preserved in the snow. Rescue teams were not aware of the survivors until 72 days after the crash when survivors Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, after a 12 day snow trek across the treacherous Andes mountains, found a Chilean huaso who guided them to safety where help was found for the other survivors still trapped at the crash site.

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The story about President Obama’s teleprompter “snafu” was all over the morning news today.

For those of you who didn’t see it, Obama was in the middle of a press conference when suddenly one of his teleprompters crashed to the ground.  You can see the video here: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/07/13/obamas_teleprompter_crashes_during_speech.html

Unfortunately for the President, the snafu brought up chatter in the news circuits about how he has a reputation of relying too much on his teleprompter.  Some news sites and blogs even go as far as to credit teleprompters for his election!

However, this particular incident is a reminder to anyone who speaks - on a stage, in a meeting, in general presentations - that you can’t rely on technology.  Obama had one teleprompter still functioning, but also had printed notes in front of him, which allowed him to continue seamlessly.

Whether you’re using a teleprompter, a PowerPoint, or any other technology to assist you with a speech or presentation; having printed, old-fashioned notes is still essential.  Even better?  Knowing your topic and talking points so well that you can continue unscripted! But that’s a whole other subject…

This “snafu” is also a great example of how to deal with distractions during a speech or presentation.  When the teleprompter crashed, Obama simply said “Oh, goodness.  Sorry about that.” The audience quickly chuckled and he went right back into his speech.

Distractions are inevitable during speeches, large and small.  Whether it’s a cell phone ringing, a door opening, or a teleprompter crashing, don’t allow distractions to ruin your speech or presentation.  Like Obama did, just keep on talking as if nothing happened.  As hard as it might be to stay focused, these are the “little things” that make the difference between being a great speaker and an “OK” speaker.

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