My friend and communication expert Paul Barton, ABC of Paul Barton Communications LLC, says that “all the world is a stage, and life is a series of presentations – networking, job interviews, pitching an idea to a client, even trying to get your colleague to try a new place for lunch – they are all persuasive presentations.”
As I started helping Paul to promote his upcoming July workshops, “How to Speak Up and Stand Out from the Crowd,” I’m learning more about public speaking and how it can improve not only your presentation skills, but also your networking and interpersonal skills.
Here are some great articles that discuss some of the same techniques that Paul teaches in his workshop:
Paul’s highly interactive workshop is about more than traditional public speaking. It’s geared toward everyday business situations with easy to remember tips, tricks and formulas to stand out from the crowd. Topics include:
Persuasive presentations to turn heads and win hearts.
Meaningful introductions to make a great first impression.
Powerful storytelling techniques to make a lasting impact.
Effective networking to be remembered.
Improved collaboration with co-workers and clients using active listening skills.
Put your public speaking fears in the rear-view mirror! Join me at Paul’s workshop on Wednesday, July 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Register here.
Paul will also present this workshop in Arizona next month:
“My view is that all the world is a stage, and life is a series of presentations – networking, job interviews, pitching an idea to a client, even something like trying to get your colleague to try a new place for lunch – they are all persuasive presentations.” – Paul Barton, ABC, business communication expert, instructor, author
For many of us, persuading others through public speaking is a big challenge to overcome. But once you do, you’re on the road to success in your personal and professional life. Improving your public speaking skills also improves your presentation, networking and interpersonal skills.
I’m taking this advice to heart by supporting my friend and fellow collaborator, Paul Barton, ABC, in his efforts to help everyone, “put the fear of public speaking in your rear-view mirror!”
During this highly interactive workshop, you’ll discover how to:
Deliver persuasive presentations that turn heads and win hearts
Introduce yourself and make a great first impression
Use storytelling techniques to make a lasting impact
Network effectively and be remembered
Collaborate more effectively with co-workers and clients using active listening skills
Be better prepared for your next presentation or networking opportunity. Register today!
In the meantime, read on to learn more about Paul and how his workshop can help you stand out from the crowd as an effective presenter and connector:
Peggy L. Bieniek, ABC: How is this workshop unique from other public speaking workshops? Paul Barton, ABC: This workshop is about much more than traditional public speaking. My view is that all the world is a stage, and life is a series of presentations – networking, job interviews, pitching an idea to a client, even something like trying to get your colleague to try a new place for lunch – they are all persuasive presentations. So this workshop is geared to everyday business situations, and it provides attendees with skills they can use on the job and in their daily lives to stand out from the crowd.
Most people have never been taught how to:
Introduce themselves to stand out from the crowd
Tell a succinct story that is memorable
Listen to really understand and ensure people feel heard
Properly exchange a business card
Shake hands to make a lasting impression
This workshop is not a PowerPoint lecture. It’s highly interactive. I present simple, common sense tips, tricks and formulas, and then we put them into practice. Attendees are up out of their chairs and on their feet, working in groups, role-playing and receiving personal coaching much of the time. It’s really a lot of fun!
PLB: What are the biggest challenges people face in public speaking? PB: The single biggest challenge for most people is overcoming the nervous jitters. The other major challenge many people face is organizing a presentation coherently so they don’t sound like they are just rambling.
PLB: How does your workshop help people overcome these challenges? PB: In the workshop I provide simple, but strong techniques attendees can use to redirect nervous energy and overcome their fear. I teach them how to “own the room” so they are the host and the audience are the guests, instead of the other way around.
Regarding the organization of a talk, I present several techniques to add “verbal signposts” to a presentation and a great template that can be adapted to give a clear structure to any topic resulting in a powerful persuasive presentation.
PLB: Do people need to change who they are to become better speakers? PB: We don’t try to change people into being someone they aren’t. That doesn’t work for in the long run. We don’t count “ahs” and “ums.” Instead, we focus on who they really are and then help them become more of it.
People don’t stand awkwardly and show nervous twitches when they are talking with their friends or family. I help them discover how to be comfortable in all situations and develop habits that will allow them to be effective speakers.
PLB: What was the inspiration for the creation of this workshop? PB: I teach college courses in business communication and public speaking as an adjunct instructor. I developed a curriculum aimed at helping people tackle real world experiences, and I saw how the students responded to the coaching and role-playing exercises. Many have told me months later that they still remember and use the formulas I taught them.
Every student has left my class with more confidence than when they came in, and in some cases the skills the students have learned have changed their lives. Some of the students I’ve taught have had speech impediments, but discovered they can still be effective presenters.
The students amaze and inspire me every day, so I decided to offer some of the techniques I’ve developed for my classes into a six-hour course to help others discover how to be more effective presenters.
PLB: What will people gain from attending this workshop? PB: Attendees will acquire greater self-confidence, expand their comfort zones and discover how to deliver with presence and poise. They will come away with easy-to-remember tips, tricks and formulas to tackle real world situations. They will become better listeners and more persuasive presenters. Everyone communicates, but not everyone connects. With a little training, everyone can learn how to speak up and stand out from the crowd.
About the presenter:
Paul Barton, ABC
Paul Barton, ABC is Principal Consultant, Paul Barton Communications LLC. He’s been passionate about connecting the minds of organizational leaders with the hearts of employees for more than 20 years.
He’s a frequent speaker and workshop presenter on the topics of crisis communication, internal communication, and HR communication strategies. Paul also teaches courses in public speaking and business communication as an adjunct faculty member.
Paul is a long-time member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and has earned the association’s Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation.
You’ve probably heard that “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” But when a crisis happens in Vegas, it doesn’t stay in Vegas. Everyone outside of Vegas hears about it.
When (not if) a crisis happens for your organization, do you have a plan?
It’s not a matter of IF, but WHEN your organization will face a crisis. Are you ready to help your organization through it?
Be prepared with a powerful and quick response to protect and enhance your brand’s reputation when the crisis hits. Register today for “Be Your Best When Facing the Worst,” a crisis communication workshop sponsored by the Las Vegas Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators.Read on to learn more about communication expert and workshop presenter Paul Barton, ABC and how his workshop can help you to prepare your organization for a crisis:
Paul Barton, ABC
Peggy L. Bieniek, ABC: What is your experience in serving companies in crisis situations? Paul Barton, ABC: I have helped create crisis communication plans, dark websites and practice drills for PetSmart, APS, Phelps Dodge, America West Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce. I’ve have helped companies get through a wide variety of crisis situations including employee deaths on the job, major business disruptions, shootings and natural disasters. One of my more unusual experiences was not only coordinating communications, but also helping to coordinate supplies for search and rescue dog teams at Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of 9-11.
PLB: What are some common missteps organizations take during a crisis? PB: The top three missteps I see are:
(1) Some businesses think they need to wait to get all the facts verified before they say anything to the press, their customers and their employees. What they should be doing is getting out in front of a crisis right away and establishing themselves as the most credible information source. It’s OK to say “We don’t have all the facts yet, but we are aware of this incident, and we are making sure that all our employees and customers are safe and sound. We promise to keep you updated as soon as we have all the facts.”
(2) In the rush to get information out, some companies forget the importance of addressing the emotional side. Until people know that you care, they don’t care what you know. You need to establish that you care early on with a statement such as “Our immediate concern is for the safety and well-being of our employees and our customers. Our hearts go out to the victims.”
(3) Some organizations are so focused on getting statements to the news media that they forget about their own employees. It is quite often the employees who will determine how fast and how fully an organization will recover from a crisis. And it is employees who are the face of the organization to the customers. They can be great and credible advocates for the organization if they have the right information.
PLB: What is the most helpful action an organization can take to prepare for a crisis? PB: Practice, practice, practice. Many organizations have a plan, but they don’t conduct regular drills. Phone numbers and contacts get out of date, pre-gathered supplies get lost, and key players don’t know where to go and what to do. A failure to prepare can turn a crisis into a catastrophe.
PLB:What are the top things that communication professionals can learn from your upcoming crisis communication workshop? PB:
(1) How to create powerful crisis messages on the fly that not only protect your brand image, but actually enhance your brand reputation.
(2) How to turn social media into a third-party advocate and powerful listening tool during a crisis.
(3) The role good employee communication can play in helping a company to recover more quickly and fully.
(4) How to be at your best when your company is facing the worst by having a good plan on which to rely.
PLB: How is your workshop structured? PB: There is interactive learning and hands-on work. Attendees will come away with a working crisis communication plan template and many samples that they can take back to their offices and easily develop into a full crisis communication plan for their organizations or incorporate into existing plans.
PLB: What other types of workshops, products and services do you provide? PB: In addition to the crisis workshop, I can assist clients with writing the plan. My services include consulting, writing, editing, communication audits and project support. I can offer fresh ideas or just an extra pair of hands. And with a wide network of videographers, graphic designers and event planners that I partner with, no project is too big or too small. I also offer several products on my website including a step-by-step guide for strategic communication planning and a book on internal communication.
PLB: What is your contact information for questions and follow-up?
PB: Readers can find more information on my website at paulbartonabc.com or they can email me at PaulBarton@Outlook.com
Photo: Skitterphoto.com
Starry Blue Brilliance 