Art of Speaking Business

Recently I read an article on BNET by Steve Tobak that talked about how to be a good manager.  Steve mentions the importance of being adept at five things: finance, selling, presenting, negotiating, and business communications.

I thought his grouping was odd.  Why did he separate business communications as a separate category? To me, business communications includes selling, presenting, and negotiating.  But it ALSO includes networking, conflict management, team building, and perhaps even interviewing.

Then just today, I read this list of critical business communication skills from Joey Asher.  His list is as follows:

1. Give a persuasive 10-minute presentation. (Presenting)
2. Deliver an elevator pitch for your business, division, project, etc. (Selling)
3. Make a cold call. (Selling)
4. Report out on a project with no preparation. (Presenting)
5. Deliver bad news. (Presenting / Selling)
6. Answer a question in a way that inspires confidence. (Presenting)
7. Build a relationship through listening. (Networking / Selling)
8. Tell a story. (Presenting/ Selling)
9. Rebut an objection. (Selling)

I added the categories to match Steve’s (and my) breakdown.  When I commented on Joey Asher’s blog I mentioned that I would have added a few more onto his list.  Joey’s list seemed more specific than Steve’s.

So I would have added:

10.  Interview people
11.  Negotiate a contract
12.  Motivate others
13.  Manage conflict

and I also suggested modifying his first point

1.  Deliver engaging, concise, and compelling presentations

But after thinking about it some more, I think I would suggest that the core communication skill required to be effective in business is the ability to inform, persuade, and motivate others in an authentic and engaging manner.  To me that includes all of the ideas that both Steve and Joey mention.

To me the bottom line is this…communication skills are the most critical skill to the success of any professional.

Did we miss any?  What do you think?

I thought it would be fun to compare a traditional storyteller a Seanachai (pronounced “shan-a-hee”), an Irish storyteller to a modern day American storyteller Jeff Smith-Luedke, who is an author of two books and runs a popular channel azrinoch on Youtube.  

Watch them both, then we can discuss a bit.  When you watch the clips, try to listen for descriptive details.

Here’s Jeff Smith-Luedke (azrinoch)…

The best thing we can learn from both of these storytellers is their use of very specific adjectives and specific verbs to help us create unique memorable mind images.

• “he put the pony in a makeshift shed that was at the gable of the house”
• “there it twas a beautiful wheel of bread with a cross on it like you see the spokes on a wheel”
• “his teeth were swimming inside of his mouth for a bite of it”
• “bounded to the bathroom with glee” (he just didn’t go to the bathroom)
• “the avatar of my body, the very skin of my face had been mercilessly slaughtered” (he had pimples)
• “vying for a last-minute, well-scripted Hollywood miracle” (looking for skin care product)

I’m sure you heard even more descriptive language that stuck out.  Tons more we can learn. Listen for the unique analogies, listen for the repetition, listen for vocal variety, and listen for the use of pauses.  Thanks to master story tellers for lessons we can incorporate into our own stories.  Use this for the stories you tell at parties, in presentations, in interviews, or even at the dinner table.

Was does African drumming, Mexican folk dancing, roller exercise, and chanting have in common?

Each of these were classes that I took at a beautiful health spa in Mexico.

Perhaps the most surprising class was the chanting class, which included a lot of time discussing breathing. As a professional speaker I figured I pretty much knew all about “proper” technique for deep breathing (if you want to learn more about the basic deep breathing technique listen to my show The Public Speaker: Quick and Dirty Tips for Improving Your Communication), but what I didn’t know what that there are several techniques for breathing– each for different situations.

Since my trip I have been testing them out and I have found a few of the exercises to be quite helpful. I thought I’d share them here. I know it’s may seem a bit beyond the scope of this blog, however, proper breathing technique should be part of every speaker’s basic tool belt.

So here are my four favorite exercises that I learned:

1. Energizing or Stimulating Breath

• Breath in and out of your nose, with your mouth closed. At first you can do this slowly breathing in through your nostrils while making a big belling and ballooning out your abdominal muscles. When you exhale, do it also through your nose, but exhale more quickly than the inhale. It’s almost like you are snapping in your abdomen towards your spine. Gradually you can get faster and faster.
• Some people suggest a rapid inhale/exhale through the nose (without ballooning). In this case, the inhale is the same length as the exhale and it kind of sounds like you are blowing up a tire.

I don’t recommend you do this one longer than 10 or 15 seconds when you first start. After practicing you can slowing extend the length of the 5 seconds or so, but don’t go longer than a minute. Why? Because there is risk for hyperventilation, be sure you are in a safe place. (Really, I got dizzy just writing this post because I was kept testing my instructions!)

This one is great when you need an extra energy boost. You can do when you wake up, in the afternoon when you feeling a bit sleepy, or at night when you are trying to get one last thing done!

2. Relaxing Breath

• Sit or stand and take slow deep breath in. Exhale, slowly, to the count of ten.
• Which each breath concentrate on relaxing your muscles. Start at the bottom of your bottom and move up to your head giving each area of your body attention. If you feel stressful in a certain spot, spend a bit more time.

I particularly find this relaxing and will often do this just before drifting off to sleep. Sometimes, I am so relaxed that I don’t even make it all the way to my head!

3. Aerobic Exercise Breath

• You should always you proper deep breathing during aerobic exercise.
• In through the nose and out through the nose, is best. If you can’t, then in through the nose and out through the mouth. As a last resort, in through mouth, out through mouth.

The trick to proper aerobic exercise is to not have to stop to breathe! Before I learned this, I was always stopping to breathe. I now understand the importance of adjusting the intensity of the workout so that I can maintain my breath.

4. Strength Training Breath

• Never hold your breath while strength training.
• Exhale on effort.

Summary

I like to encourage you to give some of these techniques a try. Let us us know what you think in the comments. Or share with us your favorite breathing techniques.

Why do we tell stories?

Every night, after tooth brushing, my pajama-clad identical twin daughters crawl into their beds and ask, “Who is reading the story tonight?” (When you imagine this, don’t forget to image hearing the words in stereo!)

Our nightly family tradition represents the larger tradition of storytelling in our society.

We tell stories to help children and adults make sense of the world. Stories are how we experience life and each other. Each of us is the sum of the stories we tell about ourselves. It’s the same thing with companies, cultures, and even nations. Each are the sum total of a series of stories.

We tell stories to entertain, we tell stories to teach, we tell stories to elicit change. Stories help us to share our cultural expectations, to teach morals and to influence behavioral norms. Storytelling is an integral part of everyday life. Books, magazines, television, movies, the internet, or newspapers- the stories we tell maintain and perpetuate our society.

Stories evolved from a need to communicate our experience with other human beings. When we make a presentation we need to talk not only about the subject at hand, but also about our personal experience with that subject. It is how we share our emotion and passion for a topic.

When we hear a story we are transported, together, outside of the present moment, to another time and place. We live the experience of the speaker through the use of our imagination. Good stories inject emotional and meaning into the content. Stories bring the teller and listener together, making a personal connection to both the speaker and the topic.

How exactly do you incorporate stories into a presentation?

I think the best way to learn is see and hear examples, so I included three of my favorites below. Most likely you will want to listen to them each at least twice. Notice how each of the styles are quite different but each in their own way successful. As you listen, specifically, notice, the items listed below each link.

Presentation One: Hector Ruiz: The power to connect the world
Listen for how he personalizes—tells about his personal relationship with his father
Listen how he weaves a theme
Listen for his sincerity, his believability

Presentation Two: George Ayittey: Cheetahs vs. Hippos for Africa’s future
Watch and listen for his passion
Watch for vocal variety
Watch for facial expressions
Watch for word repetition
Listen for the use of questions
Listen for analogies

Presentation Three: Rick Warren: Living a life of purpose
Watch for his conversational style
Notice his use of storytelling that includes conversations and questions (repeated questions)
Notice how he repeats certain ideas, certain words (look for his use of stewardship)

Do you have a favorite story teller example? Tell us about it in the comments!

Recently, I went to NYC to take (yet another) public speaking training course! When the other training participants found out what I did for a living they asked me…”But why are you here? You could teach this course!”

Yes, I could have taught the course, however, as a participant I was dedicating two full days to improving my craft. I strongly believe that continued review and practice makes me an even stronger speaker. So I spent two full days developing new materials, delivering new stories, and critiquing myself via video review.

So, what did I learn?

First, that I am still not ready to share personal stories that include my late husband, John. I thought I was ready, especially since my late husband died more than 12 years ago! However, I found myself emotionally caught up in the stories, at times, having difficulty finding my voice. The training facilitator stated that he found the stories moving and appropriate–perhaps they were. However, I feel very strongly that a speaker should not only evoke emotion, but also maintains control. I’ll try again next year and in the meantime revise the stories!

What else did I learn? That I have developed a ‘bad’ habit over the past year. I didn’t realize I was doing it, but there is was, on the video, me resting my hand on my hip. When I was reviewing the video I knew I didn’t like that I was doing that, but wasn’t really sure why. I decided to research it and see what I could find. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really find much, but I did find this from Tom Holland, a 27 year veteran of car sales! He says in the non-verbal communication chapter of his book, “The Perfect Sale Every Time”, that hands on this hip has the following meaning.

Hands On Hips.

(A) When a person has their hands on their hips, with their fingers facing forward and the elbows directly out to either side, the person is telling you he/she is anti-social. One hand on a hip may be used when directed at a person who is an intended target of non-social acceptance.

(B) Again, hands on hips, but when the fingers are aimed toward the rear, and the elbows are cocked to the back, this signal may mean, “I’m listening, but I’m not sure I’m believing.”

I figure if he’s been selling cars for so many years, he probably does know a thing or two about people and non-verbal communication.

However, the academic in me would prefer to see something well, more academic! I am interested to find out why this stance is displeasing and distracting. It feels really comfortable for me, but clearly it is uncomfortable for the viewing audience. I will be working on remove this distracting habit.

Oh, and one last thing I learned. I need to lose some weight! (Well, I suppose I already knew that, this was just a vivid reminder!)

-Lisa

P.S. Use the comments to share with us what you learned at your last public speaking training session or perhaps consider coming to one of my public speaking workshops.

I can’t tell you how many times, someone will come up to me from behind and say “Are you Lisa B. Marshall? I thought I recognized your voice and wanted to see if it was really you.” I have always strongly believed that our voice is large part of our signature style and has a great impact on our listeners.

Of course there are many important vocal techniques, but there is one that I frequently rely on and often teach my clients. When you want your audience to remember specific words or important ideas you need to emphasize specific words with your voice. What exactly do I mean by that? Simply “lengthen” the consonants on the “important” words. (Remember Tony the Tiger, the well known champion for Frosted Flakes breakfast cereal? He would say “They’re Ggggggrrrrreat!” )

I knew from experience that this technique worked but I never had read anything about it until today.

I found this sample chapter (The Amazing power of Consonants) from Voice Power written by Renee Grant-Williams, a voice coach. This chapter confirmed many practical techniques that I had been using over the years. The chapter is definitely worth the read and now I’m thinking about buying the book. If you do, let us know what you think!

I was searching the internet archive today and stumbled across a manual for public speaking written in 1922! So I decided to give it a read. I’m so glad I did. Wow what a resource!

The introduction –oratory still the supreme art–applies today just as much today as it did then. It starts “the demand for good public speaking is as great as it ever was. Some years ago there was a prevailing belief that the spoken word had lost its power as a real force in shaping men’s opinions and influencing their actions. It was commonly thought that that the newspaper and the magazine were about to take the place of the preacher, the lecturer, and the stump speaker. But such is not been the case…Society still cherishes its gifted speakers…Chauncey Depew says There is no accomplishment which any man can have which so quickly make for him a career and secure recognition as the ability to speak acceptably.”

What I found most interesting was the level of detail–far more than I usually found today for basic areas such as voice, loudness, variety, pitch, enunciation, pronunciation, etc. For example, it details how to use the tongue, the lips and breath control. It has diagrams of how the lungs work and describes in detail the proper way to breath to have the best voice control–great stuff!

So why did I include it here? Because I think it includes many ideas are particularly helpful for the non-native English speaker. I particularly like this manual because it contains many helpful exercises that build fundamental skills. I plan to spend more time with this “oldie but goodie” and perhaps start incorporating some of the exercises into my workshops!

Hope you find it a useful resource too. Let me know what YOU think.

When I am making presentations about public speaking or delivering a podcast (yes, that really is me in the picture above), I often talk about the perceptions formed based on the rate of speech of the presenter. Inevitably someone in the audience asks me,

“Lisa, how fast do YOU speak?”

If you have attended one of my seminars or spoken with me on the phone you would know that my natural rate of speech is quite fast. When making presentations I speak at approximately 145-160 words per minute (wpm), while an average American English speaker engaged in a friendly conversation speaks at a rate of approximately 110–150 wpm. (Interestingly, publishers recommend books on tape to be voiced at 150-160 wpm, auctioneers are generally 250-400 wpm while the average reading rate is about 200-300 wpm).

However, as you may suspect, people speak at different rates at different times. Natural speech includes bursts of more rapid speech and in addition, we are all capable of speaking faster and slower when we want. Of course, there are also variations in speed associated with the situation in which the speech is being produced.

We speak more rapidly if we are in a hurry, or saying something urgent, or trying not to be interrupted in a conversation. For many people, nervousness or excitement will also increase the rate of speech. Conversely, we tend to speak more slowly when we are tired or bored. I know for me, I tend to talk more slowly and with more non-words (um, ah, pauses, etc.) when making impromptu
presentations and while practicing delivery of new presentation materials. Clearly the emotional state of the speaker greatly influences the rate of speaking.

Finally, I think there is also a cultural and personal element. In some places, like New York City people tend to naturally talk faster, while in other locales people talk much slower. Culturally, if English isn’t the speakers first language, that can also slow down the rate of speech. In addition, some people are naturally fast talkers, while others habitually speak slowly. I was a fast talker even as a child. My mother was constantly telling me to slow down and breathe!

So how do you calculate how your rate of speech?

We are used to measuring the speed at which someone can type, write or take shorthand dictation in terms of how many words per minute are taken down. Some adjustment usually has to be made to penalize someone for going so rapidly that they make mistakes. In measuring speech, we can do the same thing – we can give someone a speaking task such as describing what their work is or what they did on their last vacation – and count how many words they speak in a given time period.

So, are your ready to calculate your speech rate? You have two options. The first option is a more accurate measure of your speech rate, but requires you to speak extemporaneously about a topic for one minute. While the alternative method, isn’t quite as accurate, but does give you a general idea of your speech rate.

Option One: Talk, Tape and Count

Take out your tape recorder. Think of a topic you have a genuine interest in…your family, your work, and your favorite hobby. Once you are ready, begin speaking and begin recording yourself. Be sure to speak for at least one minute on the topic. Then using the rewind function, play the tape back several times to count the number of words you uttered in one minute. It is even better if you
extemporaneously present and record one minute of your most recent presentation. This way, your score will be a more accurate measure of your “presentation” speech rate.

Option Two: Read and Count

For those of you that would prefer not to record yourself, here is another way to measure your speech rate. Read the following “test” paragraph aloud. Try to pace yourself as if you are presenting or talking at your “normal” rate. This method isn’t as accurate but it is easier to count.

Start “presenting” the paragraph below. See how far you get after a minute has gone by. Count the number of words you were able to express in one minute. This is your presentation speech rate.

(Start your timing, then stop, after one minute.)

This begins my test of my presentation speech rate. Using this method, I will measure my speech rate by reading the following sentences as if I am actually speaking in my normal manner.

In our company we are launching a new mobile banking service that lets you do your day-to-day banking on your cell phone. Cool, huh? It’s fast, easy, convenient and accessible anywhere in the U.S. on a wide range of phones across several U.S. wireless carriers–with more on the way. If your phone and carrier are not on the list, please fill out this form and we’ll notify you once support becomes available. Access your money anytime, anywhere.

(Word count 110)

You can navigate using the up, down, left, and right arrow keys on your phone. It’s easy to use.

(Word count 129)

Your banking information is protected by 128-bit encryption, just as it is when you bank online. Your security is very important.

(Word count 150)

It’s easy to enroll. You just need your cell phone number, your carrier and your phone model. After you enroll, you’ll get a text message.

(Word count 175)

This was a test. This was only a test of my speech rate.

(Word count 183)

So does your rate of speaking matter?

Yes! It does. Research has shown that speaking rate influences perceptions. In fact, a positive linear relationship has repeatedly been found between speech rate and perceived competence. In fact several studies found that faster rates of speech are associated with perceptions of competence, extraversion, and social attractiveness. In other similar studies, listeners rated competence and social
attractiveness higher for those speakers whose perceived and actual speaking rates were similar to their own than to those whose rates they believed to be different from their own.

Obviously, other factors also influence perceptions of competence, extraversion and social attractiveness. What is important to remember is that your rate of speech does have an impact on the perceptions of your audience.

So what is your rate of speech? Let us know in the comments. Which method did you choose.