WEBVTT 00:01:02.911 --> 00:01:05.975 Hello, I'm Tony Jeary. I'd like to ask you a question. 00:01:06.233 --> 00:01:09.701 When I say the word "presentation" what comes to your mind? 00:01:09.868 --> 00:01:14.600 I'll bet I can describe some of the mental images that word inspires for you... 00:01:14.625 --> 00:01:18.942 A conference room, lots of chairs, a few sleepy colleagues, or maybe even a 00:01:18.967 --> 00:01:23.925 sea of faces staring up at you. White boards. Projectors. PowerPoint slides. 00:01:23.950 --> 00:01:25.580 A printed agenda. Right? 00:01:25.786 --> 00:01:28.406 That's how most people think of presentations. 00:01:28.510 --> 00:01:32.135 But I'd like to suggest to you that it's a lot more than that. 00:01:32.160 --> 00:01:35.987 A presentation happens anytime we have an opportunity to inspire, 00:01:36.012 --> 00:01:40.413 inform and influence people... Literally hundreds of times everyday. 00:01:40.699 --> 00:01:44.581 It could be a phone call. A quick conversation in the hallway. An e-mail. 00:01:44.606 --> 00:01:46.859 A staff meeting. They're all presentations. 00:01:47.065 --> 00:01:51.835 Knowing that, wouldn't it be great if you could be more confident, more persuasive, 00:01:51.860 --> 00:01:55.618 build better working relationships and enhance your leadership ability 00:01:55.619 --> 00:02:00.567 with your coworkers and your customers in all kinds of presentation situations? 00:02:00.717 --> 00:02:04.228 Well, we're about to find out exactly how to do that. 00:02:07.037 --> 00:02:08.336 Hey, guys. You got a minute? 00:02:08.361 --> 00:02:10.200 Ah, we're kind of swamped. What do you need? 00:02:10.225 --> 00:02:13.028 Well, I need your help. Okay... 00:02:13.409 --> 00:02:14.563 I just got a call. 00:02:14.588 --> 00:02:18.703 We have to get 750 of these shipped out the door by day after tomorrow. 00:02:18.911 --> 00:02:20.657 Seriously? 00:02:24.263 --> 00:02:28.236 So, what's going on here? Well, let me give you a hint. 00:02:28.429 --> 00:02:31.701 It may not look like a presentation, but it is. 00:02:31.875 --> 00:02:35.413 It's the kind of opportunity we come across every day - 00:02:35.438 --> 00:02:40.765 where we've got to inspire, inform and influence people in order to get things done. 00:02:40.860 --> 00:02:45.928 And our ability to make effective presentations can mean the difference between 00:02:45.929 --> 00:02:50.709 solving a problem or missing the mark. Between closing a deal or not. 00:02:50.804 --> 00:02:55.111 Between creating shared understanding or just more confusion. 00:02:55.470 --> 00:03:02.049 In short, how we go about it can mean the difference between success and disaster. 00:03:04.415 --> 00:03:07.998 Look, let me start over. I know you guys are swamped 00:03:08.023 --> 00:03:10.580 and I wouldn't interrupt if it wasn't important. 00:03:11.681 --> 00:03:13.984 Let me just cut to the chase. Please do. 00:03:15.832 --> 00:03:19.516 I dumped everything into a spreadsheet and ran some graphs. 00:03:30.856 --> 00:03:34.869 You know, we all need to inspire, inform, and influence people 00:03:34.894 --> 00:03:37.946 just to get our jobs done and meet our obligations. 00:03:37.971 --> 00:03:42.375 And almost everyone we deal with is on information overload 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:45.885 and has multiple urgent priorities of their own. 00:03:46.099 --> 00:03:50.939 To be really effective, we have to be able to cut through the noise, 00:03:50.940 --> 00:03:55.568 clutter, and complexity to engage and involve coworkers, 00:03:55.569 --> 00:03:57.668 create shared understanding, 00:03:57.669 --> 00:04:01.514 and get commitment and buy-in for our ideas and priorities. 00:04:01.991 --> 00:04:06.253 There are hundreds of presentation opportunities every day that 00:04:06.278 --> 00:04:11.921 we don't think of as presentations. But, if we did, we'd be more effective. 00:04:13.330 --> 00:04:18.383 It could be inspiring our sales staff to dig deep and hit this month's numbers. 00:04:18.756 --> 00:04:22.948 Maybe it's influencing our boss so that we can get that new piece of equipment 00:04:22.949 --> 00:04:26.252 or really important staff training into next year's budget. 00:04:26.638 --> 00:04:31.073 Or, it might be informing a coworker about a new process we need to follow 00:04:31.098 --> 00:04:32.578 to meet safety standards. 00:04:33.410 --> 00:04:37.262 And remember, a presentation is more than just face-to-face. 00:04:38.067 --> 00:04:42.118 Maybe it's that e-mail we have to send to inform co-workers about 00:04:42.119 --> 00:04:46.219 how important it is to enter guest reservations correctly. 00:04:46.220 --> 00:04:50.148 Or perhaps it's leaving a voice-mail message that inspires a potential customer 00:04:50.149 --> 00:04:53.125 to give us a call back. 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:59.575 Those are just a few of the kinds of presentations you and I make everyday. 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:04.881 So, the question is how do we make sure we're effective in those situations? 00:05:05.269 --> 00:05:08.677 Well, let me tell you about something I think can help. 00:05:08.702 --> 00:05:10.532 At least, it's sure worked for me. 00:05:10.807 --> 00:05:14.429 It's a concept that will help you make your point. 00:05:14.454 --> 00:05:19.316 If you want to inspire, inform, and influence people, anytime, anywhere..., 00:05:19.341 --> 00:05:21.154 here's what we have to do. 00:05:22.178 --> 00:05:27.963 Prepare... Outline our intent... Involve our audience... 00:05:28.424 --> 00:05:34.299 Narrow the focus of our message... and constantly tailor our presentation. 00:05:35.850 --> 00:05:40.750 The great thing about this concept is it not only helps us make our point, 00:05:40.775 --> 00:05:45.529 but does it in a way that helps us feel more confident in tough situations. 00:05:46.802 --> 00:05:51.734 We come across as more credible, so we're more respected by coworkers. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:56.907 We end up being more influential and persuasive. And, believe it or not, 00:05:56.932 --> 00:06:00.221 we build better working relationships because 00:06:00.246 --> 00:06:04.709 we can say what we have to say without wasting anyone's time and 00:06:04.710 --> 00:06:08.049 without stepping on toes or making people defensive. 00:06:08.627 --> 00:06:13.158 To give you a better idea of how this works, let's take a look at 00:06:13.159 --> 00:06:16.354 each of the elements in a little more detail. 00:06:26.845 --> 00:06:31.743 We all know preparation is the foundation for success, right? 00:06:31.934 --> 00:06:36.341 But, when it comes to influencing, informing or inspiring.... 00:06:36.427 --> 00:06:38.863 what is preparation, really? 00:06:39.309 --> 00:06:42.964 If we're doing a formal presentation, most of us know that 00:06:42.989 --> 00:06:45.459 being prepared means doing things like 00:06:45.460 --> 00:06:50.055 making sure we know what the room is going to be like and how to operate the equipment. 00:06:50.250 --> 00:06:53.589 In other words, we want to eliminate the unknowns. 00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:57.872 Well, we want to do the same thing with informal presentations, too. 00:06:57.897 --> 00:07:01.688 And it starts with making sure we know our audience. 00:07:01.869 --> 00:07:07.155 For example, are we going to be talking with a person who's very detail oriented? 00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:10.898 Or, are we going to be dealing with a group of people who 00:07:10.899 --> 00:07:13.846 tend to be impatient and just want the big picture? 00:07:14.552 --> 00:07:19.728 It means taking the time to be sure we're clear on what our objectives are; 00:07:19.729 --> 00:07:22.773 what we need to get across and why. 00:07:23.660 --> 00:07:28.862 And being prepared means figuring out how to minimize interruptions - 00:07:28.887 --> 00:07:33.604 which can be as simple as remembering to put your phone on “do not disturb.” 00:07:34.424 --> 00:07:38.948 Another key part of preparation is to mine our presentation arsenal 00:07:38.949 --> 00:07:43.555 for examples that will help us add impact to our conversation. 00:07:44.060 --> 00:07:49.158 A presentation arsenal is anything from a folder full of clippings and stories, 00:07:49.159 --> 00:07:52.988 to a favorite quote web site, to those true stories 00:07:52.989 --> 00:07:57.715 you've filed away in your head over the years. Anything that will lend credibility 00:07:57.740 --> 00:08:02.173 and inspire the person you're presenting to, to take action. 00:08:03.081 --> 00:08:06.072 And the most important part of preparation? 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:11.351 Well, in my experience it's been just getting your head in the right place. 00:08:11.619 --> 00:08:15.951 Basically, that means taking the time to get mentally prepared 00:08:15.976 --> 00:08:21.588 and in the right frame of mind. It might take five minutes - or just five seconds. 00:08:21.589 --> 00:08:27.045 But those few minutes or seconds of mental prep can make all the difference 00:08:27.070 --> 00:08:31.560 in the world. So, what does it mean to prepare? 00:08:32.187 --> 00:08:38.901 It means identifying and eliminating unknowns. Knowing our audience. 00:08:38.979 --> 00:08:43.776 Being clear on our objectives. Minimizing interruptions. 00:08:44.364 --> 00:08:48.198 Mining our presentation arsenal. And it means 00:08:48.199 --> 00:08:52.989 taking the time to get mentally prepared and in the right frame of mind. 00:08:53.624 --> 00:08:57.205 To be honest, taking the time to be prepared 00:08:57.230 --> 00:09:00.366 is one of those things a lot of us just gloss over. 00:09:00.525 --> 00:09:06.422 We walk into situations and just wing it. Which often turns out to be a big mistake. 00:09:06.723 --> 00:09:09.198 Because - when we want to make our point - 00:09:09.199 --> 00:09:14.831 when we absolutely positively have to inspire, inform, or influence - 00:09:15.037 --> 00:09:20.959 being prepared is the best way I know of to make sure our message gets through. 00:09:39.641 --> 00:09:42.999 Another important part of making sure we get our point across 00:09:43.024 --> 00:09:49.130 in a way that inspires, informs or influences is to outline our intent. 00:09:49.709 --> 00:09:54.989 Basically, that means we explain the "why" of something, before we launch into the 00:09:55.014 --> 00:10:00.118 what's and how's. Because, the truth is, if we don't address the why 00:10:00.119 --> 00:10:05.309 in a positive, upbeat way - we'll never get the buy-in we're looking for. 00:10:05.755 --> 00:10:09.205 Let me show you a couple examples of what I'm talking about here. 00:10:09.230 --> 00:10:12.476 Well listen, we both know this is important. 00:10:12.501 --> 00:10:15.686 The team's worked hard on our safety record — and you know, 00:10:15.711 --> 00:10:17.966 this is going to help us stay #1 in the plant. 00:10:17.991 --> 00:10:19.251 Before we get into the numbers, 00:10:19.260 --> 00:10:23.354 I want to make sure that you all know what's in it for us if we hit them. 00:10:23.510 --> 00:10:25.623 If we hit our quota, we get a really.. 00:10:25.749 --> 00:10:29.911 Taking the time to work through this now will help make sure guests understand 00:10:29.936 --> 00:10:33.171 we're here to help them as quickly as possible. 00:10:33.275 --> 00:10:35.750 And that should make our jobs a lot easier. 00:10:35.775 --> 00:10:40.672 Those are just a few examples of how we can quickly outline our intent for people. 00:10:40.791 --> 00:10:44.584 Remember, outlining an intent means doing things like... 00:10:44.798 --> 00:10:49.436 Explain why. Tell people what's in it for them. 00:10:49.866 --> 00:10:54.270 And make sure we frame the message as a positive, instead of a negative. 00:10:54.756 --> 00:10:59.024 Believe me, it's an easy thing to skip - because we've all got a lot on our plates 00:10:59.059 --> 00:11:02.077 and we just want to get right to the heart of things... You know, 00:11:02.102 --> 00:11:04.488 here's what needs to happen and when. 00:11:04.513 --> 00:11:08.474 But, if we take the time to outline our intent, 00:11:08.499 --> 00:11:11.959 we're going to be a lot more successful at communicating. 00:11:30.569 --> 00:11:35.416 One of the real keys I've learned about cutting through the information overload 00:11:35.441 --> 00:11:41.161 and being able to inspire, inform and influence is to involve the audience. 00:11:41.729 --> 00:11:46.647 You see, a presentation - whether it's something like a formal group presentation or 00:11:46.672 --> 00:11:49.118 an informal one-on-one in the hallway - 00:11:49.213 --> 00:11:52.910 can't be a passive experience for the people we're talking to. 00:11:53.029 --> 00:11:58.570 We have to grab their interest and maintain it. And here's a few ways we can do it. 00:11:58.610 --> 00:12:01.755 Before I go any further, I want to take a little informal poll here. 00:12:01.780 --> 00:12:05.120 How many of you like the idea - as it stands now? 00:12:05.145 --> 00:12:08.228 Just a show of hands would be great. Okay. 00:12:08.253 --> 00:12:11.417 Do you have any concerns at this point? What do you mean? 00:12:11.442 --> 00:12:14.569 Well, this is going to impact your team as much as mine. 00:12:14.813 --> 00:12:17.558 What do you think the biggest hurdles are going to be? 00:12:17.583 --> 00:12:21.384 I tell you what. Why don't we take two minutes and each of us write down the top 00:12:21.409 --> 00:12:25.081 three or four hurdles we think we need to overcome for this project, okay? 00:12:25.716 --> 00:12:28.849 So, what does it mean to involve an audience? 00:12:29.517 --> 00:12:33.521 Well, it means things like having people do something physical - 00:12:33.546 --> 00:12:35.603 like raising their hands. 00:12:36.175 --> 00:12:39.727 It means asking questions to get feedback and perspective. 00:12:40.425 --> 00:12:45.180 And it can mean asking people to take a minute to write something down. 00:12:45.370 --> 00:12:50.021 Involving the audience helps actively engage and manage their attention. 00:12:50.291 --> 00:12:53.783 It gets their minds off of the five other urgent priorities 00:12:53.808 --> 00:12:59.003 they've got waiting for them back at their desk and focused on our message. 00:13:17.391 --> 00:13:21.883 One of the most effective techniques we can use to inspire, inform or 00:13:21.908 --> 00:13:26.825 influence people is to make sure we narrow the focus of our presentation. 00:13:26.969 --> 00:13:30.137 Basically, it's like, ah, using a funnel. 00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:34.474 Whenever we make a presentation, we want to start out wide 00:13:34.505 --> 00:13:37.325 in order to provide background and context. 00:13:37.350 --> 00:13:41.223 But then we need to quickly funnel down to specifics, 00:13:41.248 --> 00:13:47.271 because it's those specifics that provide the immediacy and clarity to our message. 00:13:48.096 --> 00:13:51.927 I mean, think about it. How many times have you been listening to someone 00:13:51.952 --> 00:13:57.654 and they get done talking and you think to yourself - okay, so what's your point? 00:13:57.884 --> 00:14:01.481 That's what I'm talking about here. If we want to cut through the noise, 00:14:01.506 --> 00:14:05.355 we absolutely have to just come right out and say - 00:14:05.380 --> 00:14:08.955 alright, here's the bottom line. Here's what needs to happen. 00:14:09.097 --> 00:14:10.685 Let me show you what I mean. 00:14:10.710 --> 00:14:13.621 Look, I know I've given you a lot of background information... 00:14:13.646 --> 00:14:15.309 Which I appreciate, by the way. 00:14:15.310 --> 00:14:18.688 Well, that's good. But, I know that everybody's been coming to you 00:14:18.713 --> 00:14:21.105 asking to get their pet project into the budget... 00:14:21.130 --> 00:14:22.812 That's an understatement... 00:14:22.923 --> 00:14:25.545 So let me just cut to the chase. Please do. 00:14:26.234 --> 00:14:32.233 I want to show you how implementing this idea will save us $245,000 next year. 00:14:32.467 --> 00:14:34.362 Alright. You have my attention. 00:14:34.387 --> 00:14:37.487 That's what we need to focus on for the next 50 minutes - 00:14:37.512 --> 00:14:41.091 coming up with the best way to trim 3% off the budget. 00:14:41.366 --> 00:14:44.758 We need to figure out how to get this end cap reset before we open, alright? 00:14:44.783 --> 00:14:46.047 Before we open? 00:14:46.072 --> 00:14:49.294 I have at least a dozen other things I need to get done before we open. 00:14:49.319 --> 00:14:51.895 And, on top of that, Leanne called in sick this morning. 00:14:51.920 --> 00:14:54.119 Like, that's something new, right? 00:14:54.301 --> 00:14:57.710 We should focus on this end cap for a couple minutes; work out a plan. 00:14:57.735 --> 00:15:01.063 I'm sure between the two of us we can figure out something. 00:15:01.359 --> 00:15:07.262 So, part of being able to inspire, inform and influence people effectively 00:15:07.287 --> 00:15:10.889 means we have need to use the funnel technique to start wide - 00:15:10.914 --> 00:15:15.128 then narrow our focus. And that means we need to do things like.... 00:15:15.153 --> 00:15:19.923 Be specific. Set a time limit and stick to it. 00:15:20.289 --> 00:15:25.400 And avoid distractions and side-bar conversations that could get things off-track. 00:15:25.966 --> 00:15:30.314 When we narrow the focus of our presentation, we help avoid confusion... 00:15:30.339 --> 00:15:34.346 You know - the "You said X but I heard Y" trap.... 00:15:34.386 --> 00:15:38.185 Instead, we quickly drill down to communicate in a way that 00:15:38.210 --> 00:15:42.240 helps everyone clearly understand our message. 00:16:00.492 --> 00:16:05.732 To keep people engaged, we have to constantly tailor our presentation. 00:16:05.757 --> 00:16:10.141 Now, I'm not talking about being able to "ad lib" here. I'm talking about 00:16:10.166 --> 00:16:14.681 "planned spontaneity." In other words, we have to think and plan ahead. 00:16:14.706 --> 00:16:16.903 Um, let me give you a couple examples. 00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:21.900 We've all been in situations where someone comes up with a question that 00:16:21.925 --> 00:16:24.279 stumps us for a minute or two, right? 00:16:24.414 --> 00:16:28.285 That's when we need to create a "breathing space" to direct attention 00:16:28.310 --> 00:16:31.948 away from us and give us a chance to collect our thoughts. 00:16:32.122 --> 00:16:36.270 Sometimes that's as simple as directing the question to someone else. 00:16:36.295 --> 00:16:39.648 As you can see, the trend isn't looking very good at this point. 00:16:39.673 --> 00:16:42.843 I don't mean to interrupt, but something just occurred to me. 00:16:42.868 --> 00:16:43.919 Sure. What is it? 00:16:43.920 --> 00:16:48.135 I heard a rumor IT is planning on phasing in a new operating system next year. 00:16:48.160 --> 00:16:49.730 How's that going to effect what we're taking about? 00:16:49.755 --> 00:16:51.377 That's a good question. 00:16:51.402 --> 00:16:52.405 Um, Mary, what do you think? 00:16:52.430 --> 00:16:55.132 Is it going to cause problems for us if they roll out a new OS? 00:16:55.163 --> 00:16:58.470 Well, actually, it might. I mean, I heard with this new OS program 00:16:58.495 --> 00:17:01.866 that it's going to cause some issues with our legacy databases. 00:17:02.615 --> 00:17:04.903 Well, we'll be sure to take that into consideration. 00:17:05.109 --> 00:17:08.554 Tailoring our presentation with a breathing space 00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:11.245 can give us the chance to collect our own thoughts 00:17:11.270 --> 00:17:13.760 and figure out the best way to respond. 00:17:14.130 --> 00:17:17.367 Now, another great way to tailor our presentation 00:17:17.470 --> 00:17:22.235 is to make sure we're prepared to communicate information in a variety of ways. 00:17:22.509 --> 00:17:26.192 For example, if we're going through a lot of complex data - 00:17:26.217 --> 00:17:29.593 and we see that glazed over look on someone's face - 00:17:29.887 --> 00:17:33.975 we need to be prepared with some visuals to help get our point across. 00:17:34.142 --> 00:17:36.598 So, if we push the lead time on this, 00:17:36.623 --> 00:17:39.625 we will cut down the idle time down by 10% or more. Right? 00:17:39.650 --> 00:17:42.442 Sure, if you say so. Is something wrong? 00:17:42.636 --> 00:17:45.898 No, no. It's just that staring at these printouts. 00:17:45.923 --> 00:17:48.057 After awhile it's all just mush. 00:17:48.525 --> 00:17:53.039 I'll tell you what. I dumped everything into a spreadsheet and ran some graphs. 00:17:53.064 --> 00:18:00.606 Oh, okay. Yeah. Just being able to visualize it like this really helps. Thanks! 00:18:00.876 --> 00:18:05.248 Here's another one. How many times have we been in a situation where 00:18:05.249 --> 00:18:10.437 we're trying to inspire, inform or influence someone and... we get interrupted? 00:18:10.469 --> 00:18:15.186 You know, the person we're talking to gets a call and has to bail out on us early. 00:18:15.444 --> 00:18:17.618 It happens to me all the time. 00:18:17.753 --> 00:18:20.982 Now, in those situations, we need to be ready to 00:18:21.007 --> 00:18:23.954 tailor our presentation by condensing things. 00:18:24.121 --> 00:18:27.847 I did a little informal survey a couple of weeks ago and... 00:18:28.069 --> 00:18:29.668 Sorry to interrupt. Yeah.. what is it? 00:18:29.693 --> 00:18:32.305 Mickelson called. He said he needs you to call him back right away. 00:18:32.330 --> 00:18:35.315 He said something about the Zemax deal? Okay, thanks. 00:18:35.830 --> 00:18:37.639 Look, I'm sorry. But I really need to make this call. 00:18:37.664 --> 00:18:41.484 That's okay. I understand. But if you could give me just two more minutes, 00:18:41.509 --> 00:18:43.661 I put together these bullet points. 00:18:44.020 --> 00:18:45.558 I'd like to go over them real quickly with you, 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:48.747 and then maybe we could just schedule a follow up to answer any questions. 00:18:48.772 --> 00:18:52.511 Okay. I can give you two minutes. Great. Thank you. 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:57.794 Constantly tailoring our presentation is important because, like I said before, 00:18:57.819 --> 00:19:02.384 we're generally not talking to a brick wall; we're talking to human beings and 00:19:02.409 --> 00:19:04.334 in other words, moving targets. 00:19:04.420 --> 00:19:08.479 So, we need to be prepared, on the fly, to do things like.... 00:19:08.659 --> 00:19:13.951 Create a breathing space. Use visuals, when appropriate. 00:19:14.355 --> 00:19:18.509 And condense our presentation down to the bare essentials. 00:19:18.996 --> 00:19:23.898 You see, when we have the ability to be flexible and tailor our presentation 00:19:23.899 --> 00:19:28.428 in the face of changing situations, we're going to be able maintain interest 00:19:28.429 --> 00:19:31.242 and make our message compelling. 00:19:49.819 --> 00:19:54.552 Okay, we've broken the POINT model down and taken a look at each of the pieces. 00:19:54.862 --> 00:19:57.274 Now, let's take a look at how we can 00:19:57.299 --> 00:20:01.507 put it all together to inspire, inform, and influence people. 00:20:01.657 --> 00:20:03.898 Keep in mind while you're watching this 00:20:03.899 --> 00:20:08.646 that this concept isn't a series of steps we just work through one after the other. 00:20:09.146 --> 00:20:12.874 Probably the best way to think of it is as a tool kit - 00:20:12.899 --> 00:20:16.690 we can reach into the bag and pull out the tool we need, when we need it. 00:20:16.769 --> 00:20:20.233 Alright. Enough said. Let's see how it all goes together. 00:20:20.258 --> 00:20:21.417 Hey, guys. You got a minute? 00:20:21.442 --> 00:20:23.452 Ah, we're kind of swamped, but what do you need? 00:20:23.477 --> 00:20:26.547 Well, I need your help. Okay... 00:20:26.682 --> 00:20:27.760 I just got a call. 00:20:27.785 --> 00:20:32.174 We have to get 750 of these shipped out the door by day after tomorrow. 00:20:32.199 --> 00:20:33.767 Seriously? 00:20:34.630 --> 00:20:38.191 I wasn't really surprised by their reaction. I mean, I knew going in they were busy. 00:20:38.216 --> 00:20:41.964 And I knew that I had to be prepared if I was going to get their cooperation. 00:20:41.989 --> 00:20:45.050 So I took the time to make sure I was clear on my objectives... 00:20:45.075 --> 00:20:48.394 Think through the kinds of questions and concerns they were going to have... 00:20:48.419 --> 00:20:51.365 And I even printed out a couple flowcharts and a checklist I could use 00:20:51.390 --> 00:20:54.105 to help them understand what needed to happen and why. 00:20:54.197 --> 00:20:56.110 Look, let me start over. 00:20:56.340 --> 00:21:00.190 I know you guys are swamped and I wouldn't interrupt if it wasn't important. 00:21:00.215 --> 00:21:02.836 I've put together some things that I think will help us get through this quickly. 00:21:02.861 --> 00:21:04.114 We're listening. 00:21:04.210 --> 00:21:08.158 A couple things, first. You need to know why this is so important. 00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:10.258 One, these kits need to be in customers hands 00:21:10.259 --> 00:21:13.099 so they have a chance to look at them before their trade show. 00:21:13.115 --> 00:21:14.732 Yup, that makes sense. 00:21:14.757 --> 00:21:16.697 And, if we can get these out the door on schedule - 00:21:16.722 --> 00:21:19.538 we'll be able to ship three-day - and that will save us a boatload. 00:21:19.563 --> 00:21:20.775 I have to tell you, 00:21:20.800 --> 00:21:23.704 I appreciated the way that he took the time to explain to us 00:21:23.729 --> 00:21:25.491 why he was asking for our help. 00:21:25.555 --> 00:21:28.604 I mean, most of the time, people just come in here and dump on us... 00:21:28.629 --> 00:21:32.894 At least the way Neal approached it, made me a little more willing to want to help him. 00:21:32.919 --> 00:21:36.781 So, what I'd like to do is take ten minutes and walk through this with you. 00:21:36.828 --> 00:21:40.401 The goal is to make sure we all know what needs to happen, in what order, 00:21:40.426 --> 00:21:42.344 and who's going to be responsible. Okay? 00:21:42.369 --> 00:21:45.209 Well, actually, we don't have ten minutes right now. 00:21:45.234 --> 00:21:48.467 See all this stuff? That all got to be ready to go by 3. 00:21:48.492 --> 00:21:50.569 Not a problem. I'll make it quick. 00:21:50.570 --> 00:21:53.578 A minute to go through the flow chart and a couple of minutes to 00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:56.447 walk through this checklist. 5 minutes, max. 00:21:56.472 --> 00:21:57.416 Meter's running. 00:21:57.441 --> 00:21:59.563 I've got to hand it to him. Most of the time, 00:21:59.588 --> 00:22:02.953 I intimidate the heck out of people with the "that stacks got to be out by 3" routine. 00:22:02.978 --> 00:22:05.987 Not that it isn't true, but with Neal, hey, 00:22:06.082 --> 00:22:08.575 he'd done his homework, you know. He was ready. 00:22:08.745 --> 00:22:13.332 Okay, so that's the plan. What do you think? Any questions? Concerns? 00:22:13.483 --> 00:22:15.565 It's going to be tight, that's for sure. 00:22:15.590 --> 00:22:20.317 I know. But I think we can pull it off. Steve, what about you? 00:22:20.897 --> 00:22:24.335 I don't know. I think there might be some holes in this. 00:22:24.360 --> 00:22:25.928 I need more time to think about this. 00:22:25.953 --> 00:22:29.678 Tell you what, can you do me a favor? Actually, the both of you. 00:22:29.731 --> 00:22:32.375 Just take 30 seconds, look through the list one more time, 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:34.664 and put a check by the things you've got questions about 00:22:34.689 --> 00:22:36.285 or you need more information on. 00:22:36.310 --> 00:22:38.998 Instead of taking anymore of your time, I'll take those with me 00:22:38.999 --> 00:22:41.923 and see if I can't flesh out those parts of the plan some more. 00:22:41.948 --> 00:22:43.569 Alright. Yeah, I can live with that. 00:22:43.570 --> 00:22:47.283 Great. I'll stop back at say, ah, 4:45 today to review. 00:22:47.308 --> 00:22:50.304 I think they really appreciated the fact that I was prepared, 00:22:50.329 --> 00:22:53.273 that I acknowledged the other priorities they were dealing with, 00:22:53.298 --> 00:22:55.260 and that I could tailor the message in a way that 00:22:55.285 --> 00:22:59.631 helped them understand what needed to happen and why in a minimum amount of time. 00:22:59.872 --> 00:23:02.268 That really helped me get things started off on the right foot. 00:23:02.293 --> 00:23:06.039 Things pretty much just went off without a hitch after that. 00:23:21.016 --> 00:23:23.310 So, what's the point here? 00:23:23.600 --> 00:23:28.137 Well, it's that life really is a series of presentations. 00:23:28.272 --> 00:23:32.613 We make presentations hundreds of times everyday. On the phone, 00:23:32.638 --> 00:23:36.826 face-to-face in the hall or waiting for a document to come off the printer, 00:23:36.851 --> 00:23:41.355 or even those more formal team meetings or presentations to customers. 00:23:42.014 --> 00:23:46.708 You know what they all have in common? They're all opportunities to 00:23:46.709 --> 00:23:50.182 communicate and get our points across effectively. 00:23:50.249 --> 00:23:53.398 And to make sure we're successful, we need to... 00:23:53.423 --> 00:24:00.200 Prepare... Outline our intent... Involve our audience... 00:24:00.887 --> 00:24:07.766 Narrow the focus of our message... and constantly tailor our presentation. 00:24:08.390 --> 00:24:12.404 You know, this isn't something we just instantly become good at. 00:24:12.429 --> 00:24:15.308 We have to work at it until it becomes a habit. 00:24:15.333 --> 00:24:18.071 But, believe me, it's worth the effort. 00:24:18.298 --> 00:24:22.684 Because the things I've talked about today help us cut through the clutter 00:24:22.709 --> 00:24:28.031 and information overload, get people's attention, and make sure they understand 00:24:28.056 --> 00:24:31.429 where we're coming from and why they should care. 00:24:31.529 --> 00:24:37.134 Bottom line - no matter what the situation - when we make effective presentations, 00:24:37.159 --> 00:24:42.502 we're going to inspire, inform and influence people to take action. 00:24:42.589 --> 00:24:46.945 And that means we're going to get the results we're all looking for. 00:24:46.970 --> 00:24:49.251 Hey Sam, see you at the presentation.