A Google search on ‘Are women better leaders than men?’ returns a staggering 47,300,000 results (as of today) which tells me this is a hot topic of conversation!

At Skye, when we are facilitating our leadership programs and high performing team retreats we will, at some point during the proceedings be asked by the participants:

“How do we compare to other companies / leaders / teams [insert your own comparison group].”

Understanding what others may (or may not be doing) to deliver their results is a key step in learning and changing your own game to improve results and achieve your goals.  However, in most cases the question “How do we compare with…” is usually asked without regard for the learning that may come from the answer, especially if the team in question is already struggling to work effectively together.

While the research and the debate that has ensued from the Harvard study is no doubt important, for me, the key insights are not necessarily about who is better (or worse) but simply the fact that approaches are different.  We all bring our own unique approach to leadership.

The question is not “how do we compare to others?” the critical question is

“Do you believe you are the best leader / team / organization that you can be, right now, today?”

and if the answer is ‘No’ then what are YOU going to do about it?

First piece of advice is to avoid the predictable (and boring) opening to a presentation:

“I am here today to talk to you about…”

or any apology of any kind:

“I’m sorry that you now have to listen to me”

Look at the opening you have written for your presentation – see if you can shorten it.  If it currently takes you 3 minutes to make your point, try to do it in two, then one, and less if you can.  You need to be precise but if you can capture the key message in as short a time as possible, then that will help to keep you focused, and ensure that your audience is clear on what to expect from your presentation.

Now back to your opening… Instead of the ‘tell them what you are going to tell them’, try a different approach…

• Ask a question – “How many of you have ever XXXX”
• Ask a rhetorical question – “Poor identification of future talent in the workforce costs companies $x million per year.  How much is it costing you?  [pause]  Today I will share techniques and approaches that could save you x% of this.”
• Use statistics – 11% of employees are actively disengaged in work.
• Link it to a headline in today’s newspaper
• Use a story to set the scene

The unexpected approach to starting your presentation will cause your audience to sit up and take notice.  To wonder what the link is and where you are going, once you have used one of these suggestions (and I sure you have other ideas as well) then you need to set the scene, what are you going to cover, what will the audience learn and allow them to sit back and enjoy the journey.

So why talk about hats and who we are?  This week I had lunch with a good friend, Cynthia, who as ever, left me inspired and energized about work, life and everything.  I love friends and opportunities that leave you with a spring in your step!!  Our conversation over lunch was far-ranging, from our children and their school life, to work, to what we were doing for Mothers Day. We shared the frustrations and low points since we last met, and the highs and successes we had both had.  We talked about our hopes for the future.  It was fun, it was energizing.

Somehow we transitioned onto the topic of who we are vs the roles we play.  Cynthia shared that she had recently received an email from someone that had really caught her attention.  In addition to the standard (boring) email signature this person had included three statements:

• Basketball Fanatic
• Queen of Karaoke
• Aspiring Yoga Master

These statements went far beyond the job title we usually share, which in reality tells us very little about what someone does, let alone who they are!  We laughed at the idea and then of course went on to decide what our three would be.

For Cynthia:

• Joyful Mum
• Fitness Fanatic
• Grateful Giver

For Me:

• Sparkly Ballroom Babe
• Enthusiastic Musician
• Adrenaline Junky

If you are curious to know what these mean for me, do ask next time we meet!  I’ll be honest, it wasn’t an easy exercise, trying to describe who I am in way that got beyond the obvious titles was challenging.

I am curious… Who are you?

At Skye we are all about helping to uncover the real you, our leadership programs and executive coaching programs are not about creating clones, rather about unlocking the strengths in each and every one of us that makes us unique.  If you would like to find out who you are, and discover your unique leadership strengths, then call us today!

Have you been in that situation, in a meeting or preparing for a presentation and your mind either goes blank “oh no what am I going to talk about” or goes into overdrive “how am I going to fit all of this into the time available”?  This is where I have found the power of mind maps and this technique.

Essentially you start with your central theme / idea in the middle of your page (Think of it as your book / book title). You then draw main branches leading from this, (these are the chapters) that you will need to touch on during your presentation.  From each branch you draw side branches, (the paragraphs) that you need to cover within each chapter and from each side branch you can subdivide further to key points / statistics etc that need to be discussed, and… ta-da… you have a mind map.

How is this useful? well it allows you to organize your thoughts onto one piece of paper. You can determine the order that you want to talk to each point and depending on time available you can focus on the main branches or go to more detail as required. It helps to ensure you cover the key themes the NEED TO HAVE information not just the small branches or NICE TO HAVES.  It also allows me to capture my thoughts in whatever order they come to me and then prioritize them.  I simply number each key point in the order that makes most sense.  Invariably, if I try to do the same activity in a linear form or as a list I will remember something later on that I want to talk about earlier in the order.  I then need to ‘squeeze it in’, the page starts to look a mess, I can’t read or follow it as easily and I end up less than fluent and articulate when I need to actually deliver my message.  With the mind map technique it is easier to slot in the information as a new branch / side branch as required.

I use this as a demonstration of how to prepare for a presentation in each of my presentation skills classes.  The group choose a topic that they feel I am not that well versed in; I have had suggestions like American Football, old cars, golf, the history of fly fishing etc etc.  The group then help to create the mind map and I then give a three-five minute presentation on that chosen topic.  Trust me mind maps are a powerful tool.  Mind maps work.

I have also used it in meetings when an impromptu round table starts, requiring updates on key projects etc.  I will quickly draw a mind map with a branch for each project, outline progress, challenges, current priorities on the sub branches and (hopefully) by the time it is my turn, have my notes ready such that I can deliver a concise and effective summary of my priorities.

There is much written about mind maps – some sources cite the use of color and all sorts of ground rules etc.  Me? I stick with simplicity, whichever pen comes to hand, one color and quickly sketch it out.  I have seen others use it as a tool for taking minutes in a meeting or studying – this hasn’t worked for me (though it may for you).  The most powerful use I have found, is those moments where someone says to you “hey I need you to go and talk about x in 5 minutes…will you be ok with that?”

Try it – see if it works for you.

As you write your first draft of the presentation, keep the objective of your talk in mind at all times.  What it is that your audience needs to know or be able to do at the end.  This will help you to focus on the core content areas that your audience MUST know in order to achieve this objective.  If you have time you can focus on content that you could describe as SHOULD know and finally the bonus material is COULD or NICE to know.

A common mistake is to try to squeeze everything you know into your presentation and a short period of time.  Trust me – it doesn’t work.  You are not there to prove how smart you are and how much you know – your goal is to raise the knowledge level of your audience and to pique their curiosity to find out more.

An effective presentation is not a ‘fire hose’ experience where everything comes at you at such a rate that the audience becomes overwhelmed.  Have you ever sat through a presentation wondering what the point was? why it was relevant to you? or where there was so much information that you couldn’t keep it all straight? Its frustrating isn’t it?

Here’s a the start of a short poem (The Elephant’s Child) by Rudyard Kipling:

I keep six honest serving men
(they taught me all I know);
Their names are What and Why
and When, How and Were and Who.

and if you can keep these 6 questions in mind it will help ensure your presentation stays focused on the purpose and answers the questions your audience will be asking themselves.

A Quick Activity:

• On a sheet of paper write the objective for your presentation – what is it the audience needs to know or do differently as a result of your presentation?
• Now quickly list the MUST KNOW topics that you will need to cover to achieve this.  Be ruthless, re read this list and where you can, reduce it.

Now think about the time you have available.  Lets say its 30 minutes.  If your first reaction to your time frame was “how on earth will I talk for that long”, let me show you

• Opening and Introduction: 2 minutes
• Content: 25 Minutes
• Closing: 3 minutes

This is a simple presentation structure – a beginning, a middle and an end.

Now look back at your list…how many MUST KNOW bullet points did you identify that need to be included in your presentation? 4?, 5?, 6?, more?  With this presentation structure you have 25 minutes to cover these points.  If its MUST KNOW then plan on at least 5 minutes per point during your presentation.  So with 6 points - that’s 30 minutes, you’ve just over run your presentation time slot… Do you need to shorten your list?

By focusing on the core points and timing, you may find it less intimidating to fill 5 minute sections than 30 or 60!  Also it may help to avoid the embarrassment of not preparing sufficiently and having far too much information for the time available.

So you are now ready to WRITE your presentation (no Powerpoint slides at this stage) and then we can start to edit and improve.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is written as a fable, following the trials and stresses of an executive team at DecisionTech, an imaginary Silicon Valley company.  If you don’t like the fable style of management book then simply turn to the last chapter for the cliff note version!

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team demonstrates how each of the five dysfunctions, or an absence of a critical element for high performing teams, build on each other and result in less than optimal performance.

The Five Dysfunctions that the author identifies are:

1. Absence of trust.  If team members are not open with each other about their mistakes and weaknesses, it is impossible to build a foundation of trust.  This requires team members to be vulnerable and be able to admit when they don’t know the answer.  An absence of trust leads to the second dysfunction
2. Fear of conflict.  Teams that lack trust resort to veiled discussions and guarded comments, and are unable to have the candid discussions and debate required to ensure high quality decisions and solve business problems.  The inability to openly discuss issues leads to a
3. Lack of commitment.  If team members are unable to fully air their views, if they don’t feel their concerns have been heard, or that they have contributed to the decision, it is unlikely that they will be fully committed to the decisions of the group (see also ‘Why Great Leaders Don’t Take Yes For an Answer‘).  If team members are not fully bought into the decisions of the group, then there will be a:
4. Lack of accountability.  This is demonstrated in many ways, passive aggressive behavior, decisions that continue to be revisited, or decisions that appear to be made but there is a failure to execute and deliver the required results.  Failure to hold one another accountable then leads to the fifth dysfunction an: 
5. Inattention to results.  This occurs when team members put their individual needs (for example ego, career, recognition or reward) or their function or team above the collective needs of the business.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is a quick read, and I would definitely recommended it as a resource for helping to take your team’s performance to the next level.

If you’d like to learn more about Skye Associates High Performing Team programs then contact us today on +1 303 800 5442.

Lane Bess, President and CEO, Palo Alto Networks

Genevieve Bell, Director of User Experience, Intel Digital Home Group

When asked to give a presentation many of us fall into the first trap of “what am I going to talk about?”  Here is my recommendation for the first step you should take (we will come onto structure in my next posting).  Presentation and Public Speaking isn’t about you and what you want to talk about, it is ALL about your audience and what they want to hear about.  

Start by asking the organizer (or yourself) the following questions about the presentation they have requested.  These will help you to frame the context and focus for what you NEED to talk about:

Audience Focused Questions

• What are the goals of the conference / event that you are participating in?
• What is the Audiences point of view? Are they for or against the subject of your presentation?
• Do the organizers have a preference for what they would like you to discuss in your presentation?
• How experienced is your audience in your area? for example
• Are they novices / beginners to the topic and unaware of your subject?
• Are they aware, but don’t understand it or how to apply it?
• Do they understand, but don’t believe in it/recognize the importance for them?
• Do they believe and if so are they ready to act?
• What does the audience need to know or be able to do by the end of the presentation? for example, make a decision, vote on a course of action, or is it simply for information.

Logistic Questions

Finally you need to consider questions regarding the logistics of the event.  Planning a presentation for 300 people is different to talking to a smaller group (more on this in a later posting).

• How much time has been allocated for your presentation?
• Does it include time for questions?
• When is your presentation scheduled on the agenda? for example immediately before or after lunch may change how you approach your presentation
• What else is included in the agenda?
• What is the person before / after me talking about?
• What is the room layout?
• How large will the audience be?
• What equipment will be available? LCD projector/ overhead projector, microphones etc
• How long will you have to set up any equipment / displays etc?
• Will you be introduced? If so by whom?
• Do you need to submit advance copies of your presentation?  If so what is the time-line?

If you are representing your company you may want to check what permissions or reviews you need to complete.  You may also find that your company has experts in the training department and/or marketing team who can help you practice your delivery and perfect the content of your presentation to ensure a professional end result.  Make use of these resources if you have access to them, they really will add value both to your content and to your skills as an effective presenter.

All this, and you haven’t started to write your content.  However, consider these points now and it will avoid mistakes later on.

While the article shares a few recommendations on how to avoid the stereotype labels or behaviors that can undermine success this is sometimes easier said than done, as I personally experienced this week.

On Monday I was launching a women’s mentoring program and at one point heard myself say

“I was lucky enough to be asked to join the bank’s accelerated management program”…

I caught myself in that moment and corrected my comment to

“I was asked to join the bank’s accelerated management program.  There was no luck involved, I worked hard to join that program.”

In that simple statement I had demonstrated how we can sometime undermine and diminish our own success. I remember a manager of mine, early in my career who pointed out that I had a tendency to apologize (frequently):

• If we were passing in the corridor and we had to move to pass each other I would say “I’m sorry”
• If I was assigned a new project for the first time I would say “I’m sorry” and apologize for not being an expert

The phrase was an unconscious habit, and one that he rightfully corrected me of.  When I became a Bank Manager (one of the youngest in the region as a result of successfully completing the accelerated management program) I remember that my cashiers (tellers) would sometimes describe their role as

“I’m just a cashier”

“I’m only part-time”

I would correct them… they were not ‘just a cashier’ or only a part-time member of the team, they were the face of the bank. For most of our customers the ONLY human interaction they had.  The customer’s experience of the service they received, the bank’s reputation in our community, was ALL down to them, they were a critical member of the team, we wouldn’t have been able to operate without them.

How many times do you find yourself diminishing your own achievements or contributions with “oh it was nothing” or other limiting statements?  What examples do you have?

We all need to stand tall and be proud of our achievements and the contribution we bring to every aspect of our lives.  If we can’t do that, how can we expect others to appreciate and recognize our contributions?

The first piece of good news is that presenting or public speaking is a skill.  In the same way as you practice to improve at a sport or any other activity, effective communication and presentation skills can be developed.  However, since we all ’communicate’ everyday it is all to easy to assume it is something we either have or don’t have and we tend not to give the time and effort required to improve and build on the fundamental skill and confidence that we have (or don’t have) in this area.

You have a choice.  You can choose to learn to manage the nerves (more on those later) and overcome your fear, to more effectively and creatively deliver your message, or you can let your nerves manage you.

Lets start with a simple exercise, grab a piece of paper and a pen and create two columns:

• In the first write down the characteristics of the worst presentations you have seen.
• In the second column write down the characteristics of the best presentations you have seen.

What is it about either that makes them memorable for you?  Are there things about the best that you can emulate now?  Anything on your ‘worst’ list that can avoid or stop doing immediately?

Congratulations!! you have just taken the first step in improving your effectiveness as a public speaker.

Over the next few postings I hope to share some best practices and ideas that will enable you to continue to grow your confidence to deliver effective presentations. I will also include links and recommend resources – feel free to let me know if you have any others that you have found useful or if you have any questions we can help answer.