| A powerful word picture will do the heavy lifting in a | | | | happened before they recognized the problem. Why |
| conversation the same way a jack lifts your car so | | | | fix something that isn't broken? |
| you can change the tire. Work hard to find the right | | | | When You Practice, Check the Time |
| word picture for the message you want to | | | | Ideally, your material should take no more than 20 |
| communicate. | | | | minutes to present. While employees in Corporate |
| "How's your project going?" | | | | America have developed a high tolerance for |
| "Down in flames." | | | | meetings, they are typically only willing to give up an |
| That's pretty vivid, but is it accurate? Is it | | | | hour out of their calendar for any one meeting. With |
| productive? Probably not. The next one is both funny | | | | getting-settled and packing-up-to-leave time taken |
| and positive, but obviously refers to a totally | | | | off the beginning and end of the hour, your actual |
| different project. We hope. | | | | meeting time is usually about 40 minutes. If you allow |
| "You're going live next week, right? So this project is | | | | time for interruptions and questions, you are left with |
| nearly over?" | | | | approximately 20 minutes of actual presentation time. |
| "The fat lady is getting her hair done and warming up | | | | As a general rule of thumb, a typical slide in a |
| her vocal cords." | | | | presentation takes a minimum of three minutes to |
| As consultants, we often find ourselves trying to | | | | present. Plan accordingly. |
| persuade people to see things the way we see them | | | | With proper planning and practice, you look poised |
| or to enlist others to support our proposal. This can | | | | and professional during your presentation. Without it, |
| be something small, like increasing the number of daily | | | | you may have to rush through the second half of |
| uploads from one to two, or something huge, like | | | | your material or allow the meeting to run over the |
| combining three separate instances into one global | | | | scheduled time. Neither enhances your professional |
| system. In either case, the argument that "the | | | | image. |
| consultant recommends it" might not be sufficient. | | | | Organizing Your Presentation |
| If you want people to get behind your proposal, you | | | | One of the most common presentation situations for |
| need to get them emotionally invested. If you want | | | | a consultant is when you are asked to present your |
| them to then advocate your proposal to others, you | | | | team's recommendation for resolving a particular |
| need to give them a message that is easy to | | | | issue. Once again, how you organize the presentation |
| remember and repeat. | | | | depends as much on your audience as it does on the |
| When we talk to leaders in consulting firms about the | | | | material you are presenting. |
| value of training their teams in consulting skills, we | | | | If you want to show the value you provide and you |
| don't use slide decks full of bullet point and statistics. | | | | have a somewhat captive audience, you may choose |
| There is nothing we can tell them about their | | | | to organize your presentation as a chronological |
| challenges that they don't already know. | | | | narrative that summarizes your activities, such as: |
| Instead, we start like this... | | | | |
| What if a pro football coach ran his team the way | | | | 1. The Issue, as you originally understood it |
| we run our teams in the consulting industry? What if | | | | 2. Your Investigation, including the number of people |
| he said to himself, "These guys have a lot of | | | | interviewed and a sample or summary of your |
| experience. They won a lot of games last year. We'll | | | | findings |
| skip training and I'll just tell them to come in for the | | | | 3. Alternatives Considered, including a summary of |
| first game, suit up, and we'll figure it out as we go | | | | the pros and cons identified |
| along." | | | | 4. Preliminary Solution, including reasons for selection |
| How would that first game go? Would they win? | | | | 5. Testing conducted to validate the solution |
| This short word picture, which creates a vivid and | | | | 6. Your Recommendation |
| humorous image in the leader's mind, replaces a | | | | 7. Proposed Approach With this organization, you |
| multitude of bullet points. It is memorable enough for | | | | include the details of your findings in each section of |
| them to repeat later to others, so the key message | | | | the presentation and you have the opportunity to |
| from our meeting is more likely to be circulated | | | | gauge your audience's level of acceptance at each |
| among their leadership team. | | | | step along the way. For example, you wouldn't move |
| A good word picture won't replace a good idea, but | | | | on to describe how you tested your solution until you |
| it will help you communicate your idea to someone | | | | were sure your audience understood how you |
| else. | | | | selected it from the alternatives.Presenting the same |
| The metaphor doesn't have to be perfect, but you | | | | information to upper management, who are |
| should also be prepared for the laughing objections. | | | | notoriously impatient with narrative presentations, |
| Our prospects might say, "But football teams have | | | | might require a totally different and much shorter |
| to practice. Their opponents play by specific rules | | | | agenda, particularly if they are the ones who originally |
| with a specific level of training," to which we say, | | | | told you the problem existed. In that case, you might |
| "Okay, picture the same game on Sunday if both | | | | organize your presentation this way: |
| teams blow off training. Is it better? I mean, I would | | | | |
| pay a lot of money to see that game, but is it | | | | 1. Summary of Issue |
| football?" | | | | 2. Your Recommendation |
| Or they might say, "Yeah, but on our projects, there | | | | 3. Proposed Approach |
| isn't another team trying to stop us from scoring," to | | | | 4. Supporting Evidence |
| which we say, "Okay, then make it the marching | | | | 5. Details of investigation and research |
| band. What if they skipped training?" You don't have | | | | 6. Alternatives considered, including pros and cons of |
| to convince them that it's exactly the same. Your | | | | each |
| goal is to make an analogy that they can take away | | | | 7. Selection criteria for solution |
| from the meeting and discuss with others. | | | | 8. Testing and validation activities It's important to |
| We were frustrated for a while with one IT Manager | | | | have all the same supporting documentation available |
| at Biggish who treated everyone who had technical | | | | to you because you want to be prepared to answer |
| skills as if they were interchangeable. He would assign | | | | any questions that may arise. |
| tasks based entirely on availability with no regard for | | | | In either case, it is important to begin the |
| the individual's skills or unique experience. The | | | | presentation with an overview of how you intend to |
| argument that finally got his attention was, "Mr. | | | | present the information. People are more tolerant if |
| Smith, you are missing a great strategic advantage. | | | | they understand your agenda, whether you are |
| It's like you are playing checkers with a chess set." | | | | leading them through the suspenseful narrative or |
| In politics, they call this the 10-Word Answer. If you | | | | presenting a conclusion and waiting for them to ask |
| can create an image, state your position, include all | | | | questions to find out how you reached it. |
| your arguments, and draw an emotional response | | | | Questions and Objections |
| from your audience (laughter is an emotional | | | | When you are presenting material that you prepared, |
| response) in ten words, then you have found a | | | | every question or objection may seem like an attack. |
| powerful communication tool. "It's like you are playing | | | | (You are standing alone in front of a conference |
| checkers with a chess set" does all of this. | | | | room full of people who are firing questions at |
| It's an advantage, usually, for your word picture to | | | | you...of course it feels like an attack!) If you get |
| be funny enough to be repeated, especially if you | | | | defensive or show any resentment at the questions, |
| want everyone to get the message. Be prepared for | | | | your audience will see weakness and ego. They will |
| only part of your message to get out, though. While | | | | think you are weak because your argument doesn't |
| training the users on a new Purchasing system, we | | | | seem to stand up to reasonable discussion, which is |
| heard one instructor say that the users would be "as | | | | what their questions seem like from their side. They |
| happy as squirrels in a nut factory" when the project | | | | may think you are arrogant because you are unwilling |
| went live. Later, it was all over Biggish that the | | | | to have your conclusions challenged. |
| instructor called their company a nut factory. | | | | Instead, listen carefully to each question, objection or |
| Presentation Skills are Key | | | | suggestion and respond as though the attacker is |
| Formal presentations are a common occurrence in a | | | | being helpful. |
| consultant's life and being able to present effectively | | | | "What's wrong with [rejected alternative]? Wouldn't |
| is a basic move in your Consulting Stance skill set. | | | | that be cheaper?" |
| If you are afraid to stand up and speak in front of | | | | "Thank you for bringing that up. Yes, [rejected |
| people, and studies have shown that people fear this | | | | alternative] would be cheaper and we seriously |
| more than death or the IRS, there are things you | | | | considered it. However, we discovered that it would |
| can do to improve your confidence and eliminate the | | | | only solve half the problem and that it would really |
| worst of the fear. Everyone feels a little anxiety | | | | only buy us some time before we had to go with |
| before they make a presentation, but if you can get | | | | [selected alternative] anyway. At that point, you |
| rid of the visible sweat on your upper lip and that | | | | might feel that we had wasted time and money with |
| nervous twitch in your left shoulder, your audience | | | | the first solution." |
| will be able to concentrate on the information you | | | | When someone challenges your base assumptions, as |
| are providing. | | | | opposed to your conclusions, concede most of their |
| The keys to effective presentation skills are practice | | | | point, if you possibly can, before restating your |
| and feedback. | | | | perspective. |
| Volunteer to conduct as many presentations as you | | | | "I think you are overstating the issue. Things work |
| can. If you are working on a small team, be the one | | | | fine most of the time. Why should we change |
| who offers to speak when the project manager | | | | anything?" |
| comes in and asks for an update on your status. | | | | "That's a good point. We focused our attention on |
| Later, ask both the project manager and someone | | | | the times when a problem occurred and looked for a |
| else in the room for feedback. Ask them separately | | | | way to prevent those problems, You're absolutely |
| and privately, so that you can be sure you are | | | | right that these problems are rare, but they can be |
| getting honest information. | | | | very expensive. For instance,..." |
| Join Toastmasters, if there is a chapter available to | | | | Managing Participation |
| you. This is a great place to learn to speak in public | | | | If you are doing a presentation, particularly if you are |
| and to get practice in a supportive environment | | | | using a slide deck, stand up. This establishes your |
| where productive feedback is readily available. | | | | authority in the meeting and encourages people to |
| With important presentations, practice what you are | | | | pay attention to you. |
| going to say in advance. Extemporaneous speaking is | | | | This works even if you are in a small team room. If |
| never as well-organized or smoothly executed as a | | | | you want to limit discussion and keep attention |
| planned speech. If they're available, enlist supportive | | | | focused on you, get out of your chair and stand by |
| colleagues to listen and give you feedback; | | | | the whiteboard with a pen in your hand. Even if you |
| otherwise, enlist your family, friends or other people | | | | don't write anything, and you probably will, this gives |
| you trust to provide honest and helpful feedback. | | | | you a reason to be standing. When you are standing, |
| Know Your Audience | | | | you are in charge. |
| Biggish engaged us to develop a comprehensive | | | | If you want to encourage participation and open |
| global strategy for one segment of the IT | | | | discussion, the reverse applies. Sit down. The people |
| infrastructure. We spent weeks investigating | | | | in the room may not know why they feel free to |
| requirements, researching alternatives, devising a | | | | talk now, but they will. |
| strategy and developing a detailed approach for how | | | | When you are ready to end the conversation, stand |
| to reach our objectives over the next ten years. The | | | | up. The person who is talking when you stand up will |
| program was ambitious and included many different | | | | finish his thought, but when he stops talking, you'll |
| facets. | | | | see all eyes back on you. |
| In the course of this larger effort, we identified a | | | | Open With a Joke |
| weakness in one aspect of the IT operation and | | | | The conventional wisdom for speeches and |
| determined that a complete overhaul of project | | | | presentations is that you should begin with a joke or |
| governance in IT was needed, regardless of whether | | | | humorous observation to establish a bond with the |
| our overall strategy was adopted. Rather than fold | | | | audience. For some speakers, this is an effective tool |
| our recommendations for project governance into | | | | that helps them relax. For others, it feels (and looks) |
| our findings and recommendations at the end of our | | | | fake. You already know which category you fall into. |
| project, we decided to produce a separate | | | | If it helps you, do it. If not, don't force it. |
| recommendation that could be adopted immediately. | | | | If you do a lot of presentations or training classes, |
| Once we had a solution, we began to prepare our | | | | you'll soon develop a collection of anecdotes and |
| presentation. We divided our audience into two | | | | stories that illustrate the points you make often. |
| general groups: managers who knew there was a | | | | One consultant who often taught classes in her |
| problem and those who did not. We added the | | | | particular application specialty had a fairly noticeable |
| managers that we had not talked with during our | | | | southern accent. As part of her training, she got into |
| research to the group that did not know there was a | | | | the habit of telling stories from her childhood that |
| problem. | | | | poked fun at her Texas roots and entertained the |
| When we presented our findings, we spent very little | | | | class while they waited, for instance, for a query to |
| time defining the problem with the audience who | | | | run on their systems. Over time, the stories evolved |
| already knew it existed, and instead jumped directly | | | | from pure fact to a more humorous interpretation of |
| into the details of our solution. This audience would | | | | fact to, eventually, outright fiction. |
| have been impatient with a presentation that included | | | | This was not a problem and would never have |
| too much information they already knew. They would | | | | mattered, except that she was assigned to teach |
| have felt we were wasting their time, which is never | | | | these training classes at the company where her |
| a good idea. | | | | mother worked as a senior executive. Imagine Mom's |
| With the second group, we started by discussing our | | | | surprise, sitting in a board meeting, when she learned |
| investigation and the issues we discovered before | | | | that her daughter was ten before she discovered |
| leading them to the conclusion that a problem | | | | that her Uncle Bob didn't invent "bob-wire" (barbed |
| existed, and only then presented our solution to the | | | | wire). The bigger surprise, of course, was the |
| problem. For this audience, time spent discussing the | | | | discovery that her daughter had an Uncle Bob. |
| solution would have felt like a waste of time if it | | | | When you tell stories, always consider your audience. |