Top Seven Ways To Improve Your Presentation Skills
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Anyone aspiring to work in an executive capacity must to have refined presentation skills, unless of course you are the President of the United States – sorry George. However, few people are naturally eloquent speakers. Public speaking is difficult for most, but with a little help, you can polish your skills and impress even the most critical audiences. Use the following ideas to diminish your anxiety and improve your presentations.
1.Take a class. This may seem like a obvious solution, but you would be surprised how many people never think of enrolling in a public speaking class. Ask your employer if they will offer one through their training department or bring in an outside program. If they aren’t receptive to the idea, check out your local college as most offer refresher classes.
2.Join an organization dedicated to improving your public speaking skills. Not only do you have a safe environment to practice, but you get objective feedback on your presentations so you know where you need to improve.
3.Practice, practice, and then practice a little more. If you have a speech to deliver, you should know it start to finish. Practice until you are comfortable with the material and it just rolls off your tongue.
4.Video tape your practice sessions. Most people hate to see themselves on TV, so that makes this especially difficult – but extremely effective. If you are serious about mastering public speaking, you need to see yourself as others see you. Watching yourself deliver a speech will help you determine your strengths and show you where you still need improvement. You’ll also get an opportunity to see that you’re probably not as bad as you think!
5.Select topics that you are knowledgeable or passionate about. It’s much easier to be engaging and comfortable when speaking about something you are experience in or have a lot of energy around. Stick to your strengths and you’ll quickly build your confidence.
6.Speak at every opportunity. Speaking is like exercising a muscle, the more you use it, the better developed it becomes. So raise your hand the next time an opportunity arises – in all likelihood, you’ll be the only one.
7.Relax and remember that people came to see YOU. Chances are good that you are way more critical of yourself than anyone else. So take a deep breath and remember that you have something the audience wants – information – because that is where they are going to focus most of their attention.
Jill Frank
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/top-seven-ways-to-improve-your-presentation-skills-70719.html
The Second Chance Program in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a prison-based social rehab program. This program uses a manualized treatment approach rather than a counselor driven treatment criminal rehab program. These manuals are delivered as courses, addressing common insufficiencies found in offenders. Rick Pendery, who opened the center in New Mexico, is the national director of the Second Chance Centers and has piloted the program successfully over the past six years.
“The courses we deliver as part of this criminal and drug rehab program, specifically deal with common deficits found in those with criminal behavior difficulties and substance abuse histories, such as social behavioral skills, life skills, and the development of moral values and restoration of self-esteem.”, Pendery explains. “The address of which has been found to have a positive impact on the development of pro-social behaviors and reduced recidivism. Previous outcome studies on this treatment method have demonstrated equal success for a variety of commonly abused street drugs and alcohol.”
The Second Chance Program includes four modules, handling drug rehabilitation, learning skills, self respect and a reintegration model. One of the beginning steps of the drug rehab module is a communication course that emphasizes the application of the communication tools that are taught, especially confront drills.
A current inmate, Julio, has been in the prison system for over 10 years and had an inhalant addiction. He was referred to the Second Chance program by his social worker for the public defenders office. He is more than half-way through the program now and has hope for a new life when he completes his sentence. He explains, “After completing the communication course, I realize it has been a substantial win in a couple of areas. Obviously, 34 days ago it was very hard to envision completing all of the requirements of the communication booklet. Many days it just seemed easier to quit and go back to County. But then I realized how the very communication drills I was studying were the keys to helping me get through those frustrating urges to quit.”
The drills include confronting a person (sitting comfortably, looking eye to eye) until the student has no negative reaction to looking at another person, sometimes for many hours at a time. The Communication Course module is based on the research of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.
Pendery explains, “Our course in communication skills has many, many drills, including ones covering the areas of handling rebellious people and the ability to accurately determine the level of force necessary to handle a situation. As most of our students have histories of lack of self-control and of relying on force in lieu of communication, these drills address the use of communication and intention in handling life situations rather than confrontation and force. The practical course drills show them how, if in a position where force is necessary, to be able to use force dispassionately and with discipline and self-control, rather than “flying off the handle” or “losing their temper” and only as far as needed to allow communication to occur.”
Julio explains his use, “By applying the Training Routines, I experienced a first-hand example of how the techniques in the training drills help me to stay in control of the outcome of various situation and circumstances that I once allowed to run out of control. My blood test situation, my baby’s mama drama and my negative mentality have all been alleviated because of my persistence in learning, drilling, passing and completing this first book. But even more important, is my new gained ability to communicate in a higher quality, not being personally affected by someone’s communication being thrown off, and being able to regain control of the communication, handle the person or situation and bringing the communication back to a level where it is pleasant, effective and stable.”
Jayden Adams
http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/incarcerated-offender-is-taught-vital-communication-skills-as-part-of-rehab-120464.html
Job Negotiation Tips That Work!
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Climbing the corporate ladder may prove to be a difficult task for many. If you’re aiming to get what you want from your job, you have to strategize, enhance your communication skills, and negotiate for it. That’s where using certain job negotiation tips can be a great help to your career.
Asking for what you want may seem fearsome to many people; but if you really wanted to be successful in your work, you’ve got to be more assertive and take a stand!
Your employer is bound to think that you’re contented with your work set-up and not offer anything to alter or improve it. If you’re discontented with the way things work, or if there are some benefits you’d like to have, it’s always best to talk openly with your employer.
Job Negotiation Tip For A Salary Increase
You know you’ve earned it and you deserve it. But does your boss know?
Before marching up to your boss and make demands, do some research. Find out if your current salary is within the range of similar positions at your level elsewhere. Make sure that the company is presently in a position to grant pay raises to its employees. There are some times in a year when a company is overflowing with funds—that would be the best time for you to ask.
Keep a sharp mind at all times. When your boss asks you why you deserve that raise, be sure to back it up with the evidence why. Build a tight case. Make sure he can’t say no. Be persuasive. Study the right words people use to get that raise surely. Model your proposal after the best raise-getting talks. Be confident, but not egotistical. Be aware of your strengths, but not be full of yourself. Never show that you feel like you’re better than anyone else. Truly great people are humble.
To know if you’re worth the raise, you should assess your own performance at work and how you’ve helped the company. Analyze if you have any skills that could be useful or if the skills you possess has been beneficial to your company .
All the information you gathered will help you come prepared for your dialogue with your boss. Don’t forget to prepare your presentation so you will be able to deliver your argument calmly and coherently. Again, being prepared and informed will go a long way in helping you get what you want, and it could help you anticipate any rebuttals during the course of your discussion.
Job Negotiation Tip For Extra Perks
You might want a little change in your work set-up, or enjoy a few extra things to improve the way you work. For example, you might want to be able to telecommute from time to time. Or maybe you’d like an increase in your allowances or perhaps add some extra vacation days. You don’t need specialized training to enjoy some added benefits. The key thing here is to always be able to clearly explain why your requests are necessary and in what ways they could be beneficial to the company.
Overall, the point of negotiating is to be able to strike the perfect balance and achieve the things that would make you happy and would still be good for the company. If you push too hard to swing matters your way, your employer may think you’re a liability or that you’re simply taking advantage of the business. So you should be prepared to compromise at times. But it’s always best to know exactly why you’re entitled to the benefits you’re requesting, and for you to be able to deliver that message without being too demanding. I hope that these job negotiation tips will help you in getting what you want and deserve from your work.
Michael Lee
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/job-negotiation-tips-that-work-134880.html
Business Communication Skills
By · CommentsBusiness Communication Skills
As in any other area in your life, improving your communication skills in business is important. In fact, good business communication skills are a critial ingredient for your success.
Now, what’s the difference between communication skills and business communication skills? Have a think and come back once you’ve got an answer.
OK, here’s my take on it. Communication is communication. In business and anywhere else. It’s a two-way process of imparting information, thoughts, opinions, and you can do this by talking, writing or even with body language. And there are just two types of communication, communication that works and communication that doesn’t work. Which one do you want to use for your business?
Don’t get me wrong, there are certain things you need to take into consideration in a business environment that are not necessarily so important in other areas of your life. But basically, communication is about sending your message in such a way that it is understood by the other person involved. It is also about listening to what is being said carefully to understand anything that may not have been said but implied.
There are certain elements that, when integrated, will enhance communication. Trust is one of them. Respect for the other person is another. And so is a willingness for cooperation. Of course, when you think about it, these three are just the tip of the iceberg.
Look at it this way: when you improve business communication skills that don’t take into account these three elements, your business won’t be selling anything, you won’t have any customer service, and there will be ill will because you might have buyers’ remorse. You won’t be able to forge partnerships, employees will be leaving in droves, and your business will go down the tubes in no time flat.
If you master these three elements of business communication skills, building trust, showing respect, and working towards cooperation, you will be a long way toward a successful business. And, oh yes, let’s not forget, you will have more successful relationships outside of your business and this means a happier, more satisfying life.
So, what is the secret?
Listening skills. Yes, you heard right. Think about it. How do you feel when someone is listening to you attentively, connecting with you, and really understanding what you’re talking about? You start to trust this person, feeling relaxed and comfortable with them. You also feel they have respect for you and your opinions. And very importantly, you will want to cooperate with that person.
As you might guess, listening skills are just one component of business communication skills, but is critical in building business relationships. On a communication skills training you will also lean how to clearly and assertively communicate, especially when there’s a problem. Because listening is just one part of the communication process, the other part is how you send your message so that it creates an optimum of cooperation.
So, you see, learning business communication skills is not much different to learning communication skills for other areas in your life. And here’s something interesting: once you’ve mastered them, you have a whole new skill for building relationships that work.
Improve Communication Skills In 10 Ways
By · Comments10 Ways To Improve Communication Skills
By Tamara Monell
1. Say Hello to your neighbors, friends and family more. Even if you do not know the person, it is important and beneficial to maintain such a habit when maintaining relationships.
2. Make Eye Contact with as many people as possible. Especially if you are uncomfortable doing so. This is a good way to practice and get use to doing it more.
3. Use Body language especially when you are not good with words. This is another way to express your interest in relating with that person. (e.g. Hand wave, Smile, Hugs, Hand shake etc.)
4. Smile more with people around you as it is a more favorable look and attracts people your way. Smiles also help keep you looking younger by using your facial muscles more frequently.
5. Ask Questions when in doubt to avoid miscommunication.
6. Speak Clearly and repeat if needed to assure what you are saying is being understood by others.
7. Prepare to Listen as it is part of communicating with others in addition to speaking clearly.
8. Focus on key points of what is exactly is being said to you. Think nothing more or less. If you are not sure what message they are trying to relay, ask questions as mentioned above.
9. Avoid Assuming If you still have questions about what is being said. Take time to ask for clarity to avoid making assumptions that lead to misunderstanding.
10. Avoid Criticizing and focus more on understand where the person is coming from.
Written by: Tamara A. Monell, LMHC
Date: September 29, 2007
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tamara_Monell
http://EzineArticles.com/?10-Ways-To-Improve-Communication-Skills&id=799161
Communication Skills part 1
By · CommentsCommunication skills…
Probably the most taken for granted yet most essential skill that you can possess. Let me explain why and you will see how you aren’t getting everything that you really want from your life…
First though lets look at some really powerful people. ( or at least that’s what most folks think they are ).
What is it that makes someone powerful ? Well usually it’s because they have told us how wonderful they are. Hundreds of polticians spring to mind here. They have planted ideas in your head…and mine…that they are the person you and me can trust to look after us.
They do more than just talk though..
You can see that by planting those ideas and you and me accepting them they have occupied the primary position in the front of your mind. They have also worked out EXACTLY what they want you to think about them.
How was this done ? Well communication skills are a part of this but there’s so much to learn here about this rather complex process.
In future posts I’m going to break this down into a step by step process that you can follow easily so that you can start to use the exact same skills in your own communication and get the success that you really deserve.
For now I’d like to invite you to consider what it really is that you want from life ( as I said previously, there’s more to this process than just talking )
If you want total success in life work out EXACTLY what you want other people to think you are and then I’ll show you ways that you can become that ideal you.
Talk soon…
Communication Skills Training – Communication skills
By · CommentsCommunication Skills Training…. Why it is Important.
You’ve probably been on a communication course. You may have been on several …?
If the training was good then you will have reaped the benefits already. If not then you have a gap in one of the most important skills that any body can have.
Communication skills are more important than the ability to read or write, do arithmetic or anything else. The evidence for this is that several people I know who are completely illiterate are multi millionaires.
They can’t read or write but my goodness..they can talk….
The thing is this…They talk in a certain way, that gets them all of the results that they want…! Well… most of the time…
Now I’m not saying that the three R’s aren’t important because they are…!
Communication is all about exchanging information. You can receive the information or you can send it. Most people think of talking when they use the word. They think that when you communicate it is all words.
This myth is partly responsible for a lot of the confusion that exists between people; particularly when there are conflicts ( read, “disagreements” ) between them.
They think that by talking more assertively or louder that they can sort the problems out.
Often The Problem comes back to bite them…
You see…
If you use assertiveness skills to dominate bludgeon or bully your opponent then you both lose. The other person will only cooperate with you for as little time as they can. They won’t feel good about you and if the truth be known…
you probably won’t feel too good about you either…
Nobody likes to be bullied or to be a bully…unless of course you happen to be some sort of psychopathic kitten killer….
I’ll go into this concept a bit later but first I want to go back to the ways that people receive and send information.
There’s talking and hearing which is known as auditory….
There’s seeing which is known as visual….
There is also smell and taste. Olfactory and Gustatory…
Lastly there is touch which is referred to as Kinaesthetic…
All of these senses are used by you and people like you. You’ve done it so often that it has probably become unconscious. You’re not aware of it most times. Nor are you aware of the fact that around 87% of your communication is via your body language.
Your voice is the smallest factor in how you get your message across…
Another thing…
They say that seeing is believing….unfortunately this isn’t strictly true…
Around 2/3 of what you “see” is based on information that is already stored in your brain. The brain simply connects to the information that makes the most sense based on what comes in via the visual cortex…
Kinda scary huh…?
A good communication skills training will show you ways to be aware of the body language of others and to be able to “read” it accurately; It will teach you how to listen correctly so that you can detect what is really being said: It will give you the skills to respond in the most appropriate way in any situation…
( sometimes that may be by saying “time out ” )
Effective communication training will show you how to discover “who owns the problem” ? And quite often the answer to that question will surprise you…
It will teach you about the three types of conflict and how to deal with each one…including dealing with any anger that you may have.
Most important of all a good training will give you the tools to create the no problem areas in your life where you win and feel good and so does everyone else.
How will you know if you’ve had a great training ?
Well, you’ll be relaxed and confident…in almost any situation.
You will know how to say what you want or state your needs without getting the whole worlds back up..
You’ll be able to create trust and understanding with other people almost instantly…
You’ll probably also be happier, though that is also related to other functions of the brain so maybe take that with a pinch of salt..
You will be clear on your goals and will know how to state them so that you can create agreement with others. ( this skill is great for building teams and friendships )
There is so much more to communicating skillfully that this post could go on for several days….
Right now though I’m going to take the dog for a walk…talk to him…
tune in here regularly as this is just the start of something beautiful…
Now that could be auditory, visual, olfactory or gustatory or even kinaesthetic…
Changing How You Manage and Communicate Change
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Changing How You Manage and Communicate Change deals with the issue of change from a refreshingly different perspective. Its premise is that change will proceed more smoothly and effectively if serious consideration is given to the people aspects. The book offers ideas, guidelines and advice to help you implement change in a way which respects those affected, using communication skills as guidance tools. All those who work in and with IT will benefit from reading this book. You will better understand your own reactions to change and those of colleagues, customers, and suppliers. You will be able to explain more confidently why a one-size-fits-all change management plan doesn’t work and how to make it more flexible. You will also understand more clearly why there is always a productivity drop when a change is introduced, and how to help people move up the learning curve more quickly. The author, Naomi Karten, is a highly experienced professional speaker, consultant and trainer, drawing on her psychology and IT background to help organizations improve customer satisfaction, manage change, and strengthen teamwork. Naomi’s website, www.nkarten.com, features more than 100 articles on a wide range of topics, including strengthening customer relations, managing expectations, improving communication, gathering customer feedback, enhancing teamwork, and building consulting skills.