Finish Strong – Stick the Landing

Sharpen the Point and Make it Stick

Mental Velcro – Make Your Message Stick

Humor On Demand in Business Presentations - How to Be Funny When You Want to Be Funny

As a storytelling and speaking coach, one of the most gratifying aspects of what I do is helping people with their comedic timing. Natural comedians have an instinctive ability to know when to pause and for exactly how long. For them, timing is like the syncopation of music. At its best, comedic timing is the interplay of inflection, gesture, pacing, attitude and rhythm. It's like jazz with words instead of notes.

When I am coaching a student, I may work with them on their timing of a funny line, phrase or sequence many times until the student feels the rhythm of the timing. It is impossible to do this on paper.

After working with hundreds of students on their stories and presentations, I have come to one definitive conclusion. Most people are already funny. So what's the problem? The problem is they (and perhaps you?) have spent so many years trying NOT to be funny (i.e. trying to be taken seriously) that they have forgotten what their funny looks, sounds and feels like. My job is to reveal to them what is already there. And it's not always easy.

Storytelling for Business - When to Tell a Story

I recently gave the luncheon keynote speech for a state association. In the program that I presented, Emotional Eloquence, I usually tell three stories, which I call: The Oscar Story, The Chicago CEO Story and the Dagger Lady Story.

Because I was speaking after lunch, I knew I needed to keep the energy high and work in a little more interaction. I decided to take out the Dagger Lady Story and replace it with my Airport Story, because the Airport Story is funnier.

Have you considered not only what stories to tell, but also when to tell them? When you're designing a presentation, consider the time of day, the mood of the audience and the content being presented. Use strategically chosen stories to manage the energy of your audience while continuing to inform and influence. Certain stories are great openers and others are great closers. Stories that are more serious and emotional belong in the middle third of a presentation.

Don't just tell a story for the sake of telling a story. Storytelling in business is serious business. Stories are strategic tools. My Airport Story, which I've been telling for over 13 years, is a story that I use to create some fun and laughter, while at the same time making a very serious point about change. I know exactly when and how to use it.

Give Yourself Permission

You are huge. You are enormous. You are magnificent!

I'm not talking about your girth; I'm talking about your talent. I'm talking about your passion and depth of feeling. I'm talking about your potential to be an amazing speaker, communicator or leader.

Have you given yourself permission to be as large, as powerful and as passionate as you really are? Are you afraid if you really show up with all of who you are, you'll be rejected?

The one comment that I hear over and over again from the students in my corporate presentation skills and storytelling trainings is that I gave them "permission to be themselves." By working with them on their stories and on their personal power and presence, I help them to get comfortable being their authentic self when giving a presentation.

Not only do I help them get comfortable with it, I show them how powerful it is to be authentic and real. But more importantly, I help them realize why being themselves is their only real chance at long-term success and professional advancement.

How to Write an Inspiring Speech

Do you want to inspire people? Do you have a burning desire to share your life experiences and tell your stories so that other people can benefit? If so, there are a number of things to consider when writing an inspiring speech.

This last summer I was inspired by what I witnessed at the Beijing Olympics. As the drama unfolded around Michael Phelps' quest for eight gold medals, I found myself relating to his family watching from the stands. I couldn't relate to Michael and his mind-blowing accomplishments, but I could relate to the emotions that his family was experiencing: the pride and elation and love.

The reason I could relate to his family was because day after day the network kept telling us the story of his childhood. It was like being invited into his home and sitting on the couch watching home movies and going through family albums. By the time he won his eighth gold medal, I was rooting for him as if I was family. He became my surrogate child and when his mom cried, so did I. His accomplishment was inspiring because I felt I was a part of it.

Get Out of Your Own Way

Why are some people successful and others are not? Why do some people pursue their dreams with relentless determination while others give up before they ever get started?

From my observations, people who succeed get out of their own way and people who fail let self-limiting beliefs, challenges and setbacks get in their way. One of the most common ways that people get in their own way is when they interpret obstacles, limitations or difficulties personally, and therefore they believe that something is wrong with them or that they cannot reach their goal. People who get out of their own way don't take anything personally! They just get creative and find alternative ways to continue towards their goals.

I've been researching successful people and what it took for them to get where they are today. One person who has always intrigued me is Steven Spielberg. His personal story is as fascinating as one of his favorite characters, Indiana Jones.

From my research, I discovered that when Steven was 8 years old, he borrowed his dad's 8-millimeter movie camera and started shooting anything in front of him. On family vacations, he'd get his family to restage their activities to make the scenes more artistic.

When he was 12, when most guys his age spent their weekends watching Flash Gordon on TV (it was 1958) or playing baseball in the park, Steven was busy pursuing his goal to be the next Cecil B. DeMille. At that time, there were lots of World War II fighter pilot movies - probably all starring John Wayne - so Steven decided to make his first movie a fighter pilot story.

What is Motivational Speaking? (Part One)

I’ve been giving speeches for 18 years now. After hundreds of speeches in front of all kinds of audiences large and small, I made a shift: I stopped focusing on content and started focusing on meaning.

Just last month, I delivered a keynote and a breakout session to a group of HR professionals on storytelling and presentation skills. I didn't just teach them what to do and how to do it, however. I talked about what it means to "Be Amazing” at the front of the room and in life. I spoke to their yearning to make a difference in the world and to be better people – to go beyond their desire to just give better speeches.

I challenged them to consider the meaning and significance of each speaking opportunity – the opportunity to inspire and lift people up.

After the applause had peaked, one of the organizers of the conference stepped onto the stage to thank me and give me a gift of appreciation. As he shook my hand, I could tell from his body language and demeanor that he was still feeling the effects of my talk. He looked into my eyes and connected with me as if the other 100 people weren’t even in the room.

His handshake was firm and sincere as he said, "I want to thank you for your program today. I don't think I've ever been so inspired and so uncomfortable at the same time. Thank you for making a difference in our lives today."

What is Motivational Speaking? (Part Two)

In this article, I’ll discuss three critical components of motivational speaking. These three components also apply to leadership.

The best motivational speakers challenge their audience members to think and act. They take ideas and principles, develop them in new and creative ways and deliver them with passion. The best leaders challenge their employees/direct reports/audience members to think and act. They take ideas and principles, develop them in new and creative ways and deliver them with passion. Successful speakers are successful leaders. If leaders are to become more successful, they must also learn how to be motivational speakers.

In his book, The Leadership Engine, Noel Tichy writes about “a teachable point of view.” He defines this as “both a sign that a person has clear ideas and values and a tool that enables him or her to communicate those ideas and values to others.”

The first component of motivational speaking is to create a teachable point of view.

A point of view is how you see a situation or the solution to a problem or dilemma. Creating a teachable point of view requires that you determine what you believe, and also how you want to deliver those beliefs.

Andy Grove of Intel Corporation, author of Only The Paranoid Survive, puts it this way, “I’m an engineer and a manager, but I have always had an urge to teach, to share with others what I’ve figured out for myself.”

Andy’s quote leads us to the second component of successful motivational speaking: to spend time in quiet contemplation.

What have you figured out for yourself? What is your unique point of view?

The Story Theater Method

For 10 seconds I was blind. As my vision returned, I could barely see past the first row because of the stage lights. It was full of people staring at me. I grabbed hold of the microphone stand, took a deep breath and began to tell my story. After seven long minutes it was over. My Hollywood stand up comedy debut was history. It had passed without a hint of laughter. As I walked towards the stage exit onto the parking lot, I passed autographed photos of Whoopie Goldberg, Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy and Ellen Degeneres. It was clear I was not going to join their ranks. Not unless I figured out what went wrong, or perhaps, didn’t go right. I knew I had a funny story, but that’s all I knew.

Ten years later I was giving a speech at a library in Colorado Springs when out of the blue I blurted out, “Do you want to hear a funny story?” Without any preparation or rehearsal, I launched into the same story, only this time with complete abandon. As the saying goes, I had them “rolling in the aisles.” People laughed so hard they cried. It was an amazing experience, a breakthrough. I had hit on something, but I had no clue know what it was.

Lou Heckler, a master storyteller says, “Don’t re-tell it, re-live it.” As I was driving home that night, trying to analyze what had just happened, all I could come up with was that I didn’t just tell it, I did it. I acted it out, playing all of the characters and doing all of the actions. The same story that bombed on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood was a hit in Colorado Springs.Storytelling is an art and the storyteller, the artist. All artists, however, need tools. The actor needs a stage, props and costumes. The musician needs her instrument. The artist needs his brushes and paint. And the storyteller needs form, content and presentation. Content alone is not enough. I found that out in Hollywood. Presentation alone is not enough. I found that out at the library because I had created a spontaneous moment that could not be replicated. For a story to come alive and captivate an audience, the content must be crafted in a calculated manner. The story itself is only a beginning. It must be worked and re-worked, formed and re-formed. Comedians do this all the time. They write, practice, perform and re-write. Once they find the perfect combination, they lock it in. I once heard a story about how Rodney Dangerfield was obsessed with finding just the right inflection for a specific word. It is the same with a great story.

Taste your Words

I grew up with a father who was in love with words. His reverence for language, pronunciation and proper diction was an annoyance to me as a child, but a gift to me as an adult.

I remember the way he would read aloud a passage from a book or a poem. He had a natural gift for rhythm and tempo. It was as if he were tasting the words. Some words seemed so delicious to him that he’d linger on them as if tasting a fine Cabernet Sauvignon. Others must have been bitter to his taste because he spit them out like sour grapes.

He made the words come alive with feeling. His delivery of a word or phrase seemed so congruent with it’s meaning, that you didn’t notice how well it was delivered, you just appreciated the experience of the words. If he were to say, “in the stillness of the night you could hear the wind caressing the trees,” you could feel the stillness from the sound of his voice. You could sense the wind’s caress from his slow and gentle tempo.

Identify the Moments

All stories revolve around "the moments." In the context of the Nine Steps of Story Structure, "the moments" usually take place in Steps Four and Five: Encounter the Obstacle and Overcome the Obstacle. There are two key reasons why it's important to understand and identify "the moments" in your story.

First: When choosing and identifying stories to use in a speech or presentation, you need to look for times in your life where there was a "moment" of crisis, challenge or realization. Our best stories revolve around those moments because those are the times when we made a decision or learned a lesson. Sometimes we call them "ah-ha" moments. I often suggest to my students that they stop looking for good stories and instead look for important "moments." Once you've identified the turning point "moments" in your life, you can use the rest of the nine steps to craft the story.

Get Out of the Audience

Sales Success: Quadruple your leads and double your sales by being the speaker at networking meetings.

In order to sell your product or service, you’ve got to have prospects. For many entrepreneurs, that means becoming a member of various networking organizations and eating lots of chicken wings. But just showing up isn’t enough. You’re there to sell something. One way to accelerate your sales is to get out of the audience and be the speaker.

Mention to the program chair that you’d like to speak and get out your Palm Pilot. Schedule your speech four weeks away to give yourself time to prepare.

Here are nine steps to follow that will make your networking speech a success:

Silence Speaks

It was a good question – the kind that you want to think about. But before my mind could even begin to consider my answer, the speaker kept talking. She segued onto another topic and the question disappeared from my consciousness. An opportunity for connection was lost.

People don’t learn by listening. They learn by thinking about and processing what they see and hear. What implication does this concept have for us, as speakers and trainers?

One of the most powerful principles that I teach in The Story Theater Method is that “silence speaks.” During a silent moment between our words, the listener has time to process. They think thoughts and feel feelings. They are actively involved in the learning process. They make personal connections between what we’ve said and what it means to them. It is in this powerful moment, when the listener connects a new concept or idea with their own present need, that learning – and possibly transformation – takes place.

As a business presenter, you don’t use a story or other content delivery vehicle, “willy-nilly.” Everything that you say and do should be strategic. It is the same with the use of silence. You must determine in advance where in your presentation you are going to say something powerful, profound or stimulating. After you say it, pause and let it sink in. Let your audience speak. Give them time to talk to themselves.

Storytelling: A Leadership Development Tool

As the waiters cleared the dessert plates from the banquet tables, Joanne, the VP of Sales, stepped to the podium and began the annual meeting. The CEO, Jeff Carlson, could feel the heat building under his collar. He wiped his sweaty palms on the linen napkin and took another sip of water to wet his cottonmouth lips.

Joanne welcomed everyone with charm and candor. She got a few laughs with a short story about the Region Three delivery truck that was impounded for parking illegally. Then came the moment when she introduced Jeff.

As he moved toward the podium, he felt time stand still. The room was dark except for the spotlight, which felt to Jeff like a heat lamp beaming on his face. He glanced down at his notes, made a funny comment about the driver of the truck, and then, with hands shaking almost uncontrollably, launched into his speech.

Afterward, as his mental acuity returned to normal, he asked his wife how he did. He really didn’t know. It was as if he wasn’t there during the speech, at least not as the confident and secure CEO that he knew himself to be.

Jeff knew instinctively that something was missing when he spoke in front of a group. After observing the confidence and poise of the guest speaker that followed him, he finally put a name to it: his power. In every other aspect of his life, he was a confident and powerful man. But when he stepped in front of a room full of people to speak, he lost connection to that power.Does that happen to you? Do you feel the same level of confidence and power while giving a speech as you do while running your company or department? If not, it’s time to learn an important skill that will make sure you retain your power on the platform: strategic storytelling.

Speak from Your Heart

What does it mean to speak from your heart? And why is it important to do so when speaking in a business context?

We start with the reason we give speeches and presentations in the first place: to deliver a message. If you have something to say, a message to convey, you make a speech or give a presentation. The whole point is to get the message delivered.

Or is it? Is it simply to deliver the message, or is it to get people to do something with the information being conveyed – to take action?

Like you, I’ve listened to boring speakers. They had a message and they delivered it. But if they were so boring that I lost interest and stopped paying attention within minutes of their opening comments – or by the time the third PowerPoint slide came up – then I didn’t receive their message. They delivered it, but it wasn’t received.

Someone once said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

When you speak from your heart, it is evident to everyone in your audience that you care. Speaking from your heart means that you are emotionally invested in what you are saying. It means that you care about the people you are speaking to.

For some reason, the same message resonates on an entirely different level when you speak from your heart. The basic content is the same, but the inflection and tone are different. I believe the reason for this is what I call emotional language.

Emotional language is the non-verbal expression of any emotional state. Love, compassion, anger, bitterness and joy are just a few examples. The speaker experiences the emotion rather than talking about it. Emotional language is a universal language that is understood on a deep level.

How to be Funnier

Where did we learn that we have to be serious all the time to be taken seriously? In my experience, it’s just not true. As a speaker and trainer, I know that when people laugh, they learn.

After coaching over 650 students on their stories and presentations in my two-day Story Theater Retreat, I have come to one simple conclusion: People are already funny. So why do so many speakers seek comedy coaching? Because they have spent so many years trying NOT to be funny that they don’t have a clue what their funny looks, sounds and feels like. My job is to reveal to them what is already there.

The challenge of humor is to be as funny on the platform as you are at work or at the kitchen table. That means that you must be able to see your funny behavior away from the platform in order to bring that “funny” to the platform. You must objectify your neurosis, categorize your quirks and capitalize on your insanity. In other words, you must be able to see yourself as the world sees you. Dr. Pat Gangi from Phoenix had this to say about finding her funny at a recent retreat.

“What I liked best was that you helped us discover the best in ourselves. You made suggestions, not commands. To be honest, this is the best I’ve ever felt about my gifts and talents in this area.”

Let’s focus on three elements that will make you funnier: comedy writing, exaggeration and playfulness.

Storytelling: The Art of Audience Engagement

It was an odd reaction. I was in the middle of a leadership development training session when my entire audience put down their pens, leaned back in their chairs and looked up at me with smiles and childlike innocence. It was as if a switch had been flipped in the room and all of a sudden the room was warmer.

Up until that moment, the eighty people that were gathered in our chilly hotel room were listening to me, some more intently than others, while at the same time writing notes in their workbooks. They were listening, but they weren’t really with me. I knew this because when I’d ask a question, it would take a minute for people to respond.

But when I said those magic words, “let me tell you a story about a customer that I had...” and I began telling a personal story, they all looked up and paid attention. They were right there with me hanging on every word. The only thing I can relate it to is a school of fish. You know how an entire school of fish turns left and then right and then left again at the same time as if they all have one brain? Well the minute I started telling my story, it was as if we were all one. All of a sudden and without warning - we were connected.

At the end of that day, a number of people came up to me to thank me for the training. One lady commented on the story that I told and then launched into her own story about a particularly difficult employee she supervised. I didn’t think much about it at the time – but it kept happening time and again at every program where I told that story. My story reminded her of her story, but now she understood her story better.

Talk your Walk

The CEO of the mid-sized insurance company squirmed on the podium. As I watched him, I imagined him as the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz after Dorothy doused her with water. Screaming “I’m shrinking, I’m shrinking,” the Wicked Witch disintegrated.

Although no one doused this CEO with water, his approach to speaking at his company’s meeting was definitely all wet. He stood behind the lectern with his glasses perched on the tip of his nose and read his speech word for word. He gripped the sides of the lectern, looking like a frightened tourist clinging to the rope on a shaky bridge crossing a perilous canyon. From the sound of his voice, I thought he was reading a eulogy for a distant relative in a flat, emotionless monotone.

But this was no eulogy. His speech marked the kickoff for a new customer service initiative. Everyone in the company was ready to be inspired and motivated. Yet instead of getting excited, people fidgeted with their papers as the CEO fidgeted with his words.

Just 30 minutes earlier, he and I had talked about the importance of the employees buying into this initiative. Then, he had gestured energetically, projecting an inner confidence that commanded my respect.

What happened? One minute he was a powerful CEO; the next, a shrinking speaker. Why do dynamic people suddenly lose their power when called upon to speak to an audience?