Make feedback constructive to encourage future success
Ireland's rugby team is making its way around Australia during a three-test series, and so am I. That's why I was in Melbourne recently where Barry Corr, the CEO of the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce, welcomed me to a corporate lunch before the second match.
The event included a lively panel discussion led by local sports broadcaster and Co Cavan native Catherine Murphy.
She oversaw insights and observations from former Irish rugby team performance analyst Eoin Toolan, who now works for the Melbourne Rebels rugby team, and from former Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore, the nation's most capped player, raised Down Under by Irish parents.
Eoin and Stephen reviewed a series of plays from the first match between Ireland and the Wallabies (during which I probably don't need to remind you rugby fans that, er, Ireland lost) to explain what Ireland could try to do better next time. Catherine asked Stephen to recall what it felt like to go "through review sessions" with analysts when he was a player.
His answer jumped out at me. "It can be embarrassing to be called out before your teammates," he said, "You can break someone's confidence if it's not handled properly."
And that, my dear readers, is precisely the focus of today's column: how to give constructive feedback properly.
As organisation leaders, team members or just plain professional people, we often must give - and receive - feedback. And while we publicly say we welcome it, in reality we probably don't welcome it at all.
That's because when we say we want feedback, most of us are really hoping for reassurance. No one much likes to be told they're wrong or should be doing something in a different way.
Of course, it's important to get information about how you can better perform so as to add more value to your career and your company, but we don't want the information delivered in a negative way - and fear of that scares us. The risk of that negative experience is often associated with feedback. So, here are my top four thoughts on the matter.
1 Public v private
It's no wonder that, as Stephen pointed out, it could be very embarrassing to sit as a team with an analyst - who wasn't on the field - going over each play and calling out players in various forms of judgement. Ouch. It's often said, "praise in public and criticise in private". I think that's right. Sometimes, as in the rugby comparison, an issue covers a number of people - and that may be good reason to deliver critical feedback to a group.
But other than that, I can't think of any situation in which the best scenario is to correct someone in front of their peers. Shining the negative spotlight for all to see will make the issue seem bigger and the person feel smaller. If you're a manager, talking in private will allow the other person to more freely express themselves and open up.
2 Team effort
Rather than one manager presiding over everyone else, a super way to get a group or a team involved is to guide it as a collective effort. In this situation, perhaps as debrief after a project or event has been completed, each person takes a turn in a discussion - not finger-pointing - format. Speak in general terms about approach or lessons learned, but don't single out an individual.
3 Make that sandwich
You've probably already heard about the 'sandwich'. This is simply making sure to surround every piece of meaty criticism between two slices of soft positive observations about the person's work or professional style and effort. An unrelenting stream of negativity is bound to fatigue the receiver and unlikely to get the effect you may be after. So, don't forget to remind the person of their overall value and contribution to the team.
4 Let them talk
Obviously, when providing feedback, it's important to design solutions. But what isn't always obvious is where the solutions should come from.
If you're the manager, you might think you should have all the answers. Maybe, as with a rugby review, you'll announce what kind of actions should be taken next time. However, in most cases, it's better if you ask the other person what they imagine can be done. Rather than describing the situation to them and jumping into what you foresee as the needed change, first ask the person to give their own assessment. Let them do the talking and they're more likely to come up with a better plan than you even had.
Ireland lost in Brisbane and won in Melbourne. By the time this column runs, we'll all know how Ireland ultimately fared through the three-test series against Australia. What lessons can be learned for next time? It's the same delicate question-and-answer cycle we constantly try to incorporate into our communications for business and personal relations.
One of the best phrases I've come across in relation to striking that balance is to
"encourage the future, don't punish the past".
So, here's to your future of more encouraging, and therefore more effective, feedback.
It takes an age to build trust and only a moment to ruin it
Whatever your business, whatever your career, you need a combination of skills, networking and timing. But above everything else, real success depends on trust. And yet...
The Washington Post reported earlier this month that US President Donald Trump has now told a whopping 3,000 documented lies since taking office. And Facebook reluctantly admitted the enormous user data breach from its business with Cambridge Analytica.
And, of course, tragically, here in Ireland, the scandal enveloping the national health service continues to unfold over its decision not to tell women the truth about their Cervical Check smear tests which terminally-ill Vicky Phelan, a former patient, poignantly described as "an appalling breach of trust".
In a world of post-truth, fake news, alternative facts, data breaches, Russian bots and trolls, we are living in a crisis of trust.
Sure, elected officials may be voted out. An unseemly company may fold, as with Cambridge Analytica. Or top leaders of organisations may step down - as in the case of HSE's now-former director Tony O'Brien.
Yet, what happens when a new leader steps in, and processes remain the same? What if the shuttered company rebrands under a different name, as reports have suggested Cambridge Analytica appears to be doing in the form of Emerdata. What reassurance do customers have?
But first, does trust really matter? Yes, according to a myriad of research and surveys. The Harvard Business Review reports that employees in high-trust companies are more productive and stay with their employees longer. Customers are more loyal. Trust is the basis of any relationship.
So, then, what does it take to establish and maintain trust?
I talked with global affairs analyst Michael Bociurkiw, who regularly guides large institutions through emergencies. Notably, he served as a spokesperson for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
"It takes a very long time to develop a brand which people trust. Yet it only takes a moment to bring it down," he said. "If you've made a mistake, own up to it immediately. Even if you don't have all the facts, it is better to sound contrite or empathetic than unapologetic or insensitive. Just ask the CEO of United Airlines if he'd do things differently after the airline took a terrible PR blow when one of its passengers was dragged off one of its oversold flights - all recorded on smartphones and sent around the world on social media and TV screens. Adopt the mentality that the customer always comes first."
The people-first mentality or mindset is the key. This past week, I had the privilege of facilitating a three-day cyber-security conference in London. There, Jyrki Rosenberg of host company F-Secure, a Helsinki-based global privacy company, said: "Being trusted and trustworthy must become the collective mindset of your organisation from top to bottom."
Establishing and nurturing an integrated mindset of trust can be divided in three parts:
1 Ethics
People must believe in you and your organisation's motives. They must be convinced that your intentions are good. That your values are grounded and all actions are guided by a moral compass. You must share your common goals and vision purposefully and thoughtfully with your employees and customers. You walk the talk. When you work in an ethical way, you need to do it consistently, when it's difficult and when no one else is watching.
2 Excellence
It's not enough if we believe your intentions are good, we must also trust that you can deliver. Does your company have the capabilities to provide the proper service, product or solution? This is all about having the abilities to achieve what you say you can do.
3 Empathy
This is the willingness, desire and passion to truly try to understand the customers, the people you claim to serve. Whoever they are. As real human beings with hopes, dreams and fears. This is done by creating opportunities for genuine dialogues. Have conversations. Find ways to engage and ask for feedback. Listen. Then act accordingly.
Trust can only be fully demonstrated through the tests of time. And speaking of time, if you lose trust, experts agree that it can be recovered. But it takes time. How much of it depends on the level of severity of the breach and the efforts taken to address the mistake.
Bociurkiw cites the way Starbucks management handled the wave of bad PR from last month's arrest of two African-American men in one of its stores in Philadelphia.
The men had sat at a table without buying anything, saying they were waiting for friends. The manager called police and the arrests sparked protests.
"Starbucks' CEO took action immediately, saying their removal was unjustified and this is not the way they treat customers," said Bociurkiw. He paid a visit to Philadelphia and announced the very bold decision to close more than 8,000 of its US stores on May 29 for racial-bias training for all its staff, using credible, outside sources to conduct those trainings. And just last week, Starbucks' chairman Howard Schultz said all are welcome to use its store washrooms, even if they haven't bought anything. A great customer-first move!"
For trust to be built or rebuilt, actions always will speak louder than words.
Driving Change. aka "When I Drove A Tesla MODEL X!"
Billed as the
"safest, fastest and most capable sport utility vehicle in history”
- you likely already know about Tesla’s MODEL X.
But have you actually driven one?
I have. And it was a game-changer!
Now, I wish I could say I am the proud owner, but it’s my sister’s husband who holds that distinction. Tony ordered one of the touch-screen paneled, falcon-winged doored, electric vehicles three years ago and it recently arrived to their Ohio home.
So! Last month visiting my family in the US, my gracious brother-in-law invited me to give the luxury car a test drive and of course I said,”Yes!”
I’m honestly not one to pay attention to the kind of car a person drives. I usually don’t remember if it was a black Jeep or a dark blue Ford that you picked me up in. I care more about the person inside than the metal transporting us.
But my Tesla experience was transformative.
From the outside, it didn’t grab me. While the wrap-around windshield might say, "modern," my first glance at Tony’s white Model X exterior didn’t really make me do a double take. And even though the self-opening falcon doors are “Back to the Future” awesome, I was really blown away once I was inside the cock-pit, I mean, behind the wheel.
The large computer screen dash-board is comprehensive. The autopilot feature – keep your hands on the wheel! – was very user friendly.
And the acceleration mode: “Ludicrous” – which tilts you from 0-60 in under 3 seconds is well, you know!
I felt my stomach lurch. Not quite the Ludicrous Speed effect it had on Rick Moranis in Space Balls, but pretty darn close!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygE01sOhzz0]
Speaking of ludicrous, Tesla founder and self-made billionaire Elon Musk has been described by observers as an “Inventor,” “Engineer,” “Explorer – and “Eccentric.” Business Insider lists a string of Musk quotes is says are either “Crazy or brilliant or in some cases both.”
However you describe him, there’s no mistaking that Musk’s Teslas are accelerating the way the auto industry considers electric mobility.
With more than 125,000 of the Tesla Model S sold since mid-2012, there’s high demand for the more expensive Model X released in November last year. The success has prompted the competition to step up. BMW is now expected to soon introduce its own all-electric version.
So remember that if you’re out there pursuing some dream at the moment that your colleagues or family are perhaps criticizing. It may seem ludicrous to others, but worthwhile to you.
I’m not here pretending that every and all ideas are positive, productive or even really worth pursuing. There are plenty of them that really are just crazy – not brilliant. Sorry.
But I am saying that sometimes being persistent against all the naysayers and odds may be, like a Tesla, what drives change in your organization, your industry, your world.
Not so ludicrous at all.
Here's to driving change. And for me to save up for my first Tesla.
Cheers!
Kindly,
Gina
I’m so grateful you are reading my essays. I train, consult and speak about leadership, better communications, business and life empowerment. Please click ‘Follow’ (at the top of the page) and reach out to me directly to support you or your organization via LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and at GinaLondon.com
We can be better.
A fellow human being on this planet just wrote this to me on Linked In:
I saw you speak at the UCC Commerce Conference and was blown away by your speech - you're so inspirational! Hope you're keeping well :)
The message came at a time when I – and perhaps many of you – need a reminder about the importance of inspiring others.
It’s this time in the wake of the deadly rampage in Orlando – which just happens to be where I started my career as a journalist working for the Orlando Sentinel. A town I associated with happy memories now forever tainted with the statistic as the deadliest shooting in the US.
That horror was shortly followed by the senseless killing of a young Member of Britain’s Parliament. In the middle of the afternoon. In front of a library.
The victims in Orlando had been inspirations for their friends and family. MP Jo Cox was an inspiration too.
As Britain votes Thursday on Brexit, and my home country of the United States prepares to vote for a new president, I implore us all to remember that this is a time to not give up. We must go on and be inspirations.
Yes, there are plenty of people who are cynical or angry or divisive or even hateful. Some analysts say the global geopolitical landscape is turning more toward nationalism, more toward nativism. We can still stave off this turn.
We, as humans who share a planet, are better when we are positive. When we are uplifting. Encouraging. When we are appeal to our better instincts – which are, in fact, not instincts after all, but traits that we can develop and deploy – if we set our minds to it.
No matter if we’re in the public sector or the private sector. If we work in local or national government. For an SME or a major multi-national. A for-profit or a not-for-profit. If we interact with other people, let us try to focus on how we can encourage one another - not tear each other down - in order to get ahead.
We can deliberately decide that we won’t get personal when we disagree with someone else on a policy or about a work project or about a whatever.
It’s time to get serious about being kind. It’s about deliberately deciding that “we” is better than “me,” that being considerate is not the same as being weak. That caring for someone who may come from a different background than us, who may look different than us, who may even have a different culture than us – is okay.
I have lived or worked in dozens of countries. From Italy to Indonesia. Egypt to Nigeria. France to Romania. Cambodia to Ireland. I have friends from every place I have been. We continue to inspire each other.
As a fellow Member of Parliament, Rachel Reeves, said yesterday in tribute to Jo Cox, “What we have in common is greater than what divides us.”
We can carry on the work of those who stood for togetherness. For walking forward. Hand in hand.
I am convinced that we can be better.
Copyright 2016 Gina London. All Rights Reserved.
I’m so grateful you are reading my essays. I train, consult and speak about leadership, better communications, business and life empowerment. Please click ‘Follow’ (at the top of the page) and reach out to me directly to support you or your organization via LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and at GinaLondon.com
Food for Thought!
Eating right doesn’t only help keep your body fit, it helps your brain stay fit too!
Plenty of studies show that what we eat has an impact on our ability to remember – and even our likelihood of developing dementia as we age.
Eating healthy is a critical consideration in this high-action era –in which we are staying active in our professional lives longer than ever before.
Many executives hang their “consultant” shingle in their sixties- after they’ve racked up great experience in the corporate world. They rightly understand the value their experience can be for others. How important, then, is it that we eat right? Now and as we age?
I had the extreme pleasure recently, at a TodayFM business event I spoke at, to meet an Irish food scientist who is putting his business where our mouths are.
Dr. John Collier launched “Life Kitchen” after his father died and he realized the pre-packaged meals his now-alone mom was buying at the grocery stores, were, quite frankly, crap.
“I could see a decline in my mother,” John told me. “She wasn’t looking at what she was eating. She had high cholesterol high blood pressure, and diabetes. Those supermarket ready-made meals are full of fat, high in sugar and salt. They’re not what she should be eating.”
His meals, which can be ordered and delivered to anywhere in Ireland and the UK at the moment, are high in protein - 30 grams in each meal, minimum - and feature foods high in anti-oxidants with no extra salt or sugar.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVjaAkZ_XNA?wmode=transparent]
All that and they’re still tasty! My eight-year-old daughter Lulu and I tried three different meals last week. We especially enjoyed the Turkey Meatballs, which are served on a barley pilaf with a red pepper sauce that packed a huge flavor punch!
John sneaks vegetables like corn and courgettes (that’s “zucchini” to you Americans out there) into his meatballs which unsuspectingly boost the vitamin count without detracting from the taste.
Nutrients and protein are one of his main focuses because, as John points out, “Once we’re over 35, our muscle degradation increases and we need to take in more protein. For many of us, especially if we’re under work pressure, we’re working long hours and we may not be eating properly. That has an impact on our muscle mass.”
And, as research shows, it impacts our brain matter too.
We know the adage,
We are what we eat – but that doesn’t only apply to our body composition. It applies to our minds too.
Our strategic thinking requires us to train our brain with the right fuel too. If we’re too busy to prepare healthy food, Life Kitchen can do it for you.
The healthier meals are doing wonders for John’s mom.
“My mother is flying it now. Her own mother lived to 105. You can’t rid of a bad thing,” John jokingly adds. I think.
Great food for thought.
Copyright 2016 Gina London. All Rights Reserved.
Bruce Springsteen and Employee Engagement!
What does Bruce Springsteen and Employee Engagement have in common?
The answer in a second. But first. Quick! Close your eyes and imagine your all your organization’s various processes as an expensive golden chain link bracelet. Gorgeous.
Now, keep your eyes closed: Which link in your organization’s process is Communications?
For too many, it’s in one of the last positions.
Is your Comms team brought in only after a new employee rewards system or human resources policy or pick any type of idea or change has been decided upon and is ready to roll out? You know, the situation in which the Chief Marketing Officer or the Chief Information Officer or the Chief Whatever Officer calls in the Director of Communications and says, “Tell everyone this is happening” type of approach?
No. no. no!
Put Communications foremost in your strategy at every stage!
Instead, consider what might occur if management brings the Comms Director to the table at the planning stage. Your Comms Team should be experts in crafting and guiding strategy to drive Employee Engagement.
Last Friday, I was fortunate to lead a “Lunch and Learn” session with the super-committed Communications Team from Ireland’s electricity company, ESB Group. We explored and discussed a variety of ways to better connect the company around ideas of efficacy and activation.
For instance, consider:
- How can you reduce the work-load from first reports and get employees to comply with a new policy – on their own accord –and happily???
- Who are the various department influencers out there beyond supervisors who could help promote the new idea internally?
- Conversely, who are the known naysayers and what can be done preemptively to help bring them on board to champion an idea?
- What will it take to properly socialize your new idea?
- Is there a way to incrementally roll out the new idea in controlled phases and make it fun?
- How do you socialize the new idea?
- Is there a way to gamify the new idea?
- How can you create a friendly competition with real prizes around the new idea?
- What’s the #Hashtag around the campaign on social media?
It might be as simple as a popular ESB competition going on right now to winBRUCE SPRINGSTEEN tickets which, I’m told, has awesome employee engagement behind it and proves you don’t have to be “Born in the USA” to love the Boss.
Good Communication ideas aren’t simple. They’re strategic.
Employees often fear change, because it sounds like a code-word for MORE WORK! So, bringing in your Comms Team at the planning stage (and throughout the entire process), can help your organization better strategize, plan and implement change.
Think of your Comms Team as People Strategists! And since any organization is comprised of People (NOT "HUMAN CAPITAL" – Blech, what a term), you need those People Strategists at the onset of any new idea, not merely in the implementation phrase!
It’s the human way and it’s the right way. Research (duh, not surprisingly) shows that employees who have fun, feel valued and therefore are more productive!
Get Real and Get Going!
Here's to engaging employees in the real way, Gina
Copyright 2016 Gina London. All Rights Reserved.
The future of leadership...
Amidst the backdrop of the US Presidential election, it only seems fitting that I will be participating in not one, but two “Future Leadership” events in coming days.
Ireland’s national spring conference of Junior Chamber International (JCI) will take place Saturday overlooking the lovely River Lee here in Cork City. American President John F. Kennedy once reflected on JCI saying, “Harvard gave me an education, but Junior Chamber gave me an education for life.”
I’m looking forward to being surrounded by JCI people in their 20s and 30s who believe in...
creating positive changes in their communities”
(as excepted from JCI’s press release on the event). These committed participants will be, among other things, taking part in a public speaking competition. As a veteran CNN correspondent and now communications consultant, I am honoured to be one of the judges.
Later in the week, I’ll be heading up to Kildare to the historic Carton Housewhere Dublin City University will be holding a conference to launch its newLeadership and Talent Institute.
Committed to analysing and sharing the best research on how organizations can promote personal and professional growth, I’ll be serving as compère for notable speakers like Joe Schmidt, Head Coach of Ireland; Unilever’s Chief HR Officer, Doug Baillie and Dr. Jack McCarthy, Director of Boston University’s Executive Development Roundtable.
Of course, there’s already so much punditry and discussion these days about what is and isn’t the best leadership style. Most experts agree that positive leadership is compassionate, empathetic and understanding. Without naming names, it goes without saying that some leaders, while effective, are certainly not positive.
While a sheer-forceful leader may get initial results, the lasting legacies will bring about a true reflection of the approach.
President Kennedy also said that “leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
I know I learn something every week from the wide range of incredible executives and professionals I consult and work with. And I’m sure there will be much to be learned from the lessons the 2016 American presidential election.
In the meantime, I look forward to learning from the young leaders and researchers whom I will be soon meeting. Those committed to changing their organizations and communities in positive ways.
I also look forward to sharing what I learn with you too!
Kindly,
Gina
Copyright 2016 Gina London. All Rights Reserved.
Lifting the Uplifters!
I was fortunate to work with the HR department of one of the world’s largest beverage companies this past week.
They were preparing to launch an employee recognition program that is AMAZING!
Simply put, each employee- from top to bottom – will receive 100 points every six months that are redeemable for vouchers like movies, shopping, travel, sky-diving, etc.
That’s not so amazing, you may be thinking. Lots of places do that. That’s just a rewards card. BUT! In this program, you don’t get to redeem your own points. You award them to a peer whom you see doing something that personifies the company BRAND.
It's Cool. It’s “Pay It Forward” codified by a company.
Unfortunately, due to proprietary reasons, I can’t give you the details. Yet. As soon as this pilot program is successfully ticking along, I plan to absolutely seek a thumbs up from them to tell you – and anybody else who will listen - about this great motivating idea!
What I can tell you is that although this new program was the result of years of internal surveys and had already been socialized in smaller groups, my HR team knew how incredibly pivotal their presentations would be on the official day of the launch. They wanted to leave nothing to chance.
They know we’re all a bit skeptical of change. Especially something that feels “too good to be true” like this program almost does.
Therefore, it was imperative that this plan was announced with a great amount of passion, conviction and genuine connection to the employees in their audiences.
We spent a great deal of time discussing the mindset and backgrounds of the audiences, refining the goals and intent the team had for how their presentation should be received, and of course, an equally great deal of time rehearsing and coaching around the content and delivery of the presentation.
Here, then, is the email I received soon after our session, for which I am grateful:
Many thanks for the session on Monday – I really enjoyed it and just wished that we had longer with you!
We did a full rehearsal yesterday and it was amazing how different our delivery was after our time with you. I’m feeling more relaxed about tomorrow than I expected to after you gave my confidence a lift. So thank you!”
It was a pleasure and an honor to work with people who are truly committed to innovating ways to inspire and motivate others.
And for you out there: Where are you on this spectrum? Are you a naysayer? An innovator? An encourager? Or perhaps even a “Lifter of the uplifter?”
Thanks for the opportunity, folks. Because even the uplifters need a boost now and again. Maybe especially. Here's to them.
Kindly,
Gina
Copyright 2016 Gina London. All Rights Reserved.
How to Practice Presentations. 3 Top Tips!
Developing an outstanding presentation takes time and organization.
It’s a combination of crafting compelling content designed to connect with your audience’s hopes, dreams and alleviate fears and then delivering with the right blend of para-lingual and body language techniques.
Last time, I addressed, WHY it’s good practice to practice. Today, we’ll focus on HOW practice.
(Next time, I’ll write about content creation, so stay tuned.)
I’m often asked how to help get rid of nervousness for a presentation. My number one piece of advice is: “Practice!”
And by practice, I mean three things:
1) Speak aloud. Don’t quietly memorize your script to yourself. Do practice aloud and in full volume. Also do not be boring. Do not be monotone. Along with volume, pay attention to the emotion that is behind each word or phrase and make sure to add pitch, inflection, tone and/or pacing to help convey each meaning. Consider emotions like surprise, enthusiasm, frustration, disappointment, imagination, hope and many more. There are so many great ways to play with the sound of your voice. Practicing aloud is where you can begin to hear the difference.
2) Stand and use gestures and expressions. Along with aloud, I also urge you to stand up. Standing up allows your lungs to better be filled with air which provides you the breath support you need to project. Standing is the more commanding and authoritative way to present. If you're one who wants to appear folksy and approachable, I would probably still encourage you to consider standing instead. Command that room. (Oh, and get away from that dang podium. You don't need it and it's just a barrier between you and the real humans in the audience.) Standing also allows you to incorporate important hand gestures. Make broad gestures - even incorporating the whole body at times. Don’t flail your arms at the elbow like a seal. And please, please, please – tell your face that you are delivering some emotion too. Engage your eyes. Hold a smile. Take a pause and really look at the eyes of your audience. Engage!
3) Get in front of a mirror (or while recording video). All of this practice will be more effective if you see how others see you. Stand up and deliver in front of a mirror. Look at yourself. Do you look like you care about your audience? Are you smiling broadly when you are talking about how proud you are about this quarter’s earnings? Are you leaning in when you are encouraging your team that you know they can boost the numbers to reach projections? If you can hit record on your phone or have someone else record you, better still. There’s nothing like watching yourself played back, to help correct areas where you may be flat.
Okay! Those are my top three tips for practicing.
I’m also asked, “How many times should I practice?”
The answer:
“As many times as you need to do get extremely comfortable with the material.”
You must be solid on your introduction and closing. You should also know the middle well enough to not have to look over your shoulder to read your slide deck – Grr! The more comfortable you are with the presentation, the more comfortable you will be with your audience so you can react and respond in real time with them.
And remember, as with any presentation, it IS all about THEM.
Here’s to great practicing.
Cheers,
Gina
P.S. Last word on nerves: While you may never be perfectly calm when speaking before a large crowd, if you discipline yourself to regularly apply careful preparation and practice, you can transfer that extra adrenaline into energy that will make the delivery of your rehearsed script a powerful - and engaging - performance!
Copyright 2016 Gina London. All Rights Reserved.
Practice makes Perfect. Or Does it?!
For the first time in the twenty years that I have been leading communications training programs, I got push-back that:
Practice Makes Perfect.”
I was in Singapore just over a week ago working with a group of twenty managers from all over the region (photo above is me obviously after the training). I was recording each participant as he or she delivered a message. An executive questioned my practice recommendation saying:
I don’t know. I think I lose the true emotion of what I am trying to say. I think the spontaneity is gone.”
I welcome all challenges. Good dialogue helps us learn more about each other’s perspectives. It also compels me to reflect and reconsider my approaches and opinions. So, we put it to the test. I doubled back to the participant who had just completed his first round video recording and had him give it a second go on-camera.
He edited his content from his previous attempt which made his wording tighter, more concise.
The group agreed that his second time was stronger. But what about his “emotional spontaneity”?
Did he give up some of his initial extemporaneous expressions for those of a more contrived nature? My loyal adversary watched the recordings a couple days later (I give all my participants copies of their video clips to keep) and emailed me that to him, there was a natural and emphatic “blink in the eyes” that you couldn’t have repeated on command with the same impact.
Without debating the impact derived from a single blink, let’s broaden the topic to consider overall impact from a lengthy speech. What are the benefits of practice? Here are some of my reasons:
Why Practice?
1. You will KNOW your material. More than anything else, practice will prevent you from losing your train of thought or completely omitting a point. I don’t have to toss a stone too far on this one to hit Sarah Palin’s recent rambling ad-lib-a-thon US presidential endorsement of Donald Trump.
(This, of course, presumes you have actually written a script or an outline or something on which you can practice. We can’t make that same presumption with Palin.)
2. You will get rid of FILLERS. This is connected to Reason Number 1, but I list it separately to remind you that fillers are killers. When we don’t know precisely what we want to say next, many of us unconsciously add “uhh”, “you know”, “uhm”, “eh” or any other number of distracting – and unprofessional – utterances. These interrupt the smooth flow of our messages and can be completely disruptive to a highly expectant audience. I was told of a performance professional who once counted a whopping 37 of these during a presentation made by someone who had eschewed his urging to practice. Speaking with fillers is a sure-sign that you are a rookie and will undermine whatever it is you’re trying to say.
3. You will be more CONFIDENT. Whenever anyone asks me the best way to reduce nervous butterflies, I encourage them to practice more. When you know what you are going to say, in the order that you are going to say it and have practiced doing so OUTLOUD several times, you WILL gain confidence.
4. Knowing your structure gives you FREEDOM. The confidence you have in knowing what you are going to say, allows you the freedom to be in the moment with your audience. I don’t advocate strict and unwavering memorization of a text. I encourage you to know it well enough that you can relax and have a genuine conversation with your audience. Think about the actor who explores a well-known role. Presentation delivery should be like a pianist playing a concert. You know the piece so well, you are in the moment. You know what emotions your words are conveying. Don’t be a robot. Experience what you are saying with them. Watch their faces for verbal cues and give a little more or edit a bit depending.
5. Your Audience will APPRECIATE your professionalism. When you are comfortable and confident, your audience will be more so too. Nobody wants to watch someone ramble. You’re wasting their time.
6. Your MESSAGE will be MORE clearly understood. As with Reason Number 5, it’s frustrating for an audience to have to try and follow someone who doesn’t have a clear path. Audiences have other things on their minds. It’s up to you to make sure you’re easily understood and remembered. Don’t forget to tell them what’s in it for them!
Okay! There are six reasons why it’s beneficial to practice your next presentation. To help round out this topic, next time, I will outline some helpful tips for HOW to PRACTICE.
I’d love to hear from you about your own experiences with practice. When you did it to perfection and when you didn’t. What happened? What could have happened??
One quick follow-up from my loyal opposition: he has since emailed me that he is going to change his approach and try to practice more. I love that we’re engaging deeper on this issue. That’s how progress is made! He added in his last email that he’s “not a good repeater. Even if I do the same presentation several times, I use different words.”
That’s okay. As I mentioned above, you do not have to memorize your entire presentation word for word – to repeat it exactly the same way every time. I do encourage you to have your introduction and your final closing lines pretty close to memorized. That ensures your message is solidly delivered. But again, the confidence you have from practicing your overall structure, will allow you the freedom to act within that structure.
The more your practice, the more you can really explore!
Cheers! Gina
Copyright 2016 Gina London. All Rights Reserved.