How to Present March 2014 Edition

MARCH 2014

www.michellebowden.com.au

STOP PRESS: This baby has a critical message for YOU if ever present your ideas at work!

IN THIS ISSUE How persuasive are YOU? Dealing with people who can’t take feedback The ABCs of Selling 10 Wellbeing Agreements What’s more Important the Numbers or the Presentation?

Don’t be Scared of the Q&A Microphone Tips Vocal Warm-up Exercises Autumn Style Guide PLUS: FREE book giveaway Success Stories www.michellebowden.com.au

How to Present Magazine

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DIARY DATE PERSUASIVE PRESENTATION SKILLS MASTERCLASS (2-day Public Program) SYDNEY 2014 March 12-13 April 7-8 May 20-21 June 24-25 MELBOURNE 2014 March 18-19 BRISBANE 2014 April 15-16

BUSINESS BUSINESSWRITING WRITINGSKILLS SKILLS (1-day (1-dayPublic PublicProgram) Program) SYDNEY SYDNEY June June20, 20, 2014 2014

To register or chat about your specific needs please email: michelle@michellebowden.com.au

WHO IS MICHELLE BOWDEN? Michelle is an expert in persuasive presentation skills in business. She has run her 2-day Persuasive Presentation Skills Masterclass over 640 times with more than 6400 people and she’s been nominated for Educator of the Year for 6 years running.

Michelle is one of only 35 Australian females who is a Certified Speaking Professional the highest designation for speakers in the world. For a list of Michelle’s clients please go to: www.michellebowden.com.au

Michelle’s Update Welcome to the March issue of How to Present! This issue is packed with articles that will assist you to present yourself and your ideas with greater confidence and influence at work.

Business Writing. Do you know the tricks for writing an Email, Business Report, Client Proposal, Tender Response, Business Case, Web or Advertising copy or Board Paper so your stakeholders read it, understand your intention and do what you want? My one-day Business Writing Skills program is an essential program for anyone in business. Learn how to get clear on your message, structure your writing in a way that compels any reader plus learn all the little tips and tricks you need to know to make that piece of writing stick. This program is running only once in 2014 as a public offering on 20 June, 2014 in North Sydney. Registrations close for this life-changing program on 20 May. The Investment is only $595+ GST per person (or $2500 for 5 delegates from the same company).

Register now to avoid disappointment.

Our cover baby this month is a classic! Click the link on page 4 and see how fantastic a slide presentation can be PLUS learn some interesting statistics about where Australians sit when it comes to engaging presentations.

PLUS in this edition I remind you: Don’t be Scared of the Q&A! Plus I’ve shared some of my top Tips for Using a Microphone, and Tips for Warming up your voice, plus I also ask you: How Persuasive Are You? David Penglase shares his New ABC of Selling. Ken Warren gives us some ideas on better managing People who Can’t Take Feedback and Harold Graycar asks us What’s more Important the Numbers or the Presentation? Jan Terkelsen gives us her 10 Wellbeing Agreements and Robin Powis gives us her Style Tips for Autumn 2014. Plus read some inspiring presentation Success Stories.

So grab yourself a ’cuppa’, put your feet up and have a read! And most importantly, make sure you put the invaluable advice into immediate action so you see some fast results. Happy Presenting!

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How to Present Magazine

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HOW CAN THIS BABY HELP YOU?

BY MICHELLE BOWDEN This baby is smarter than you might think! In 2010 we surveyed more than 800 respondents from across industry. We asked them about their own presentation experience as well as their experience sitting in a business audience like a conference or business meeting.

Iʼve teamed up with Antonia Grimard from AOK (designer of awesome, creative slides) to show you the results of our research.

Take a look here: Alarming feedback about presentations...

MICROPHONE TIPS

BY MICHELLE BOWDEN The aim of a microphone is to help you sound as close to natural as possible in an unnatural environment. The human voice doesn’t have too much bass or treble and that’s what the mic should replicate for you.

Here are some helpful tips for you:

Positioning. If you place it too close to your mouth, it will sound like you are talking down a pipe. If it’s too far away it’s ineffective. A hand held mic is uni directional which means you should talk into the top of the mic, not to the side - or it will sound really funny. Whereas a headset mic is multi directional so place it to the side of your mouth for a natural sound.

Trust. Let the staging people set you up and then don’t fiddle with the switches!

Tidy Up. Remember to tuck the cords down your pants or skirt so you look as professional as possible. Messy cords tend to flip around and distract.

Watch feedback. If you have two microphones be very careful with the frequencies you use.

Familiarise yourself with what’s in the room.

Where can you and can’t you walk? Don’t assume you can walk anywhere.!

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SUCCESS STORIES! DR CLIVE SIMON DIRECTOR THE SPD COMPANY

What kind of presenting do you do at work?

I present in a number of forums. I deliver seminars to my peers at industry-wide conferences. My clients regularly request that I provide training workshops to their employees and I conduct open workshops for the industry on specialist topics. I provide input at client management and team meetings. I also provide one-on-one mentoring to my clients’ staff. I am constantly interacting with clients and their stakeholders such as the government.

What prompted you to attend Michelle's Influential Presentation Skills program?

Clive’s love of science and intellectual pursuits culminated in gaining his PhD in organic chemistry in 1988. Since then he’s worked as a technical expert in the pharmaceutical, medical device, OTC, complementary and agrochemical industries.

Clive founded The SPD Company Pty Ltd in 2004. He thrives on tough challenges, especially within the highly specialised areas of scientific, regulatory and business management. He loves helping his clients resolve their critical knowledge gaps via his amazing Techgistics© Workshop Series. !

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The workshops part of our business has been growing over the years and so I want to ensure that I am providing value for money to participants. I have sat through many seminars of eminent scientists and medical doctors and battled to stay awake and concentrate on the topic. I don’t want people to experience that pain when they attend my sessions. I also find that because my presentations tend to be highly technical, I struggle to remember the content so in the past I have loaded too much content onto my slides causing a bit of ‘Death by PowerPoint’.

How did Michelle's program change your attitude to presenting in business?

Michelle has given me a formula for my presentations that has helped me engage more effectively and more immediately with my participants. This has made the beginning and end of my presentations much easier to construct. She has shown me how to use my body language and voice effectively. I am very conscious now when I stand with my hands in my pockets what sort of impression I am creating and why. She has given me a lot of confidence that I was on the right track and just need to hone my approach to take me to the next level of presentation mastery.

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SUCCESS STORIES! (CONT.) In general, what positive outcomes have you achieved from improving your presentation skills?

Presentations are as much about delivery such as body language and voice projection as they are about the content.

I am getting a better response from my participants. I recently conducted a workshop with a group of 24 people at a client site. Their response was overwhelmingly positive. Despite it being highly technical and consisting of a 2 hour lecture and 2 hours of hands on examples, they were totally engaged throughout the entire session.

Structure the presentation in terms of what is meaningful for your audience rather than structuring according to what you want to say!

In what specific ways have your presentation skills improved since completing Michelle's training? !

I am constructing the message based on Michelle’s 13-steps. I now construct the beginning and ending of my presentations using Michelle’s steps 1-5 and 8-13. I vary my stance between formal and informal depending on what I’m trying to achieve. I use my voice to emphasise important points. I am so confident now I’m about to send out a notification of a new workshop we will be running.

What were your top three take aways from Michelle's program?

The 13-step approach is a great way to set up the beginning and end of presentations.

TESTIMONIAL about Michelle’s training: FROM ELIZABETH WHILEY, PROJECT EDITOR, JOHN WILEY & SONS "Michelle is a motivated and engaging speaker who really walks the talk when it comes to brilliant speaking strategies!"

For more information on Michelle’s coaching or training go to www.michellebowden.com.au

www.michellebowden.com.au

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HOW PERSUASIVE ARE YOU?

BY MICHELLE BOWDEN From the simplest task of resolving a misunderstanding with a colleague or customer, to more complex tasks like negotiating the terms of a deal, we all use a variety of communication strategies aimed at influencing people around us every day.

Maybe there is someone you would like to be more influential with (a boss, an interviewer, an employee, a parent, a teenager) or maybe you would like to be more generally influential in your life. When it comes to careers, we know for sure, from the wide variety of studies on influence in the workplace since the 1960s, that influencing skills are integral to good leadership.

Regardless of whether you are the team member managing upwards, or the team leader managing your team, when you need to get people to do something for you it is preferable to rely on strong influencing skills than on your authority.

What descriptors come to mind when you hear

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the word 'influence'; charm, tempt, entice, cajole, shape, force, negotiate, brainwash, manipulate, impress, incite, convince, lead, persuade, sell, woo, urge, inspire, sway, transform. How many of these words do you see as positive or negative? These are all value-laden words that may affect your view of what is desirable influencing and what is overstepping the line into the realm of unethical manipulating or misuse of power.

Have you ever wondered whether successful influencers are born or made? Is there a proven formula for being influential that can be learnt?

Should everybody therefore strive to influence in the same way? Or, does everyone have a natural influencing style? If so, can we change the way we communicate so that we become more influential?

Influencing Styles Some people by virtue of their personality are

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HOW PERSUASIVE ARE YOU? (CONT.) naturally active influencers. They are driven to communicate, network, lobby, propose, canvas support, and 'play the politics' in the workplace in order to ‘get their way’ or have their ideas adopted. Others of us are not so naturally inclined and may feel that we are not the influential type. Interestingly, the overt ‘push’ style of influencing is not always the most effective and often more subtle, ‘pull’ styles of influencing can be more effective in certain situations.

In general, your degree of influence depends on your approach to communication and the way you interact with others. However, the good news is that everybody can modify or adapt the way they communicate so that they are more influential.

Becoming more Influential Influencing skills can definitely be developed, regardless of your personality or style. I recently worked with the CEO of the Australian arm of an international company who had been lobbying unsuccessfully for 3 years to close one of his branch offices as a way of improving the financial performance of the company. After learning a number of new influencing skills relevant to the level of board presentation, he received the board approval that he needed on the spot. I have also worked with many technology-focused clients pitching for multimillion dollar projects where those involved would certainly not describe themselves as ‘people people’. Yet once they learnt the simple steps to influencing they too have won their bids.

In order to improve your power to influence you must appreciate that not everyone will be influenced by the same things and in the same way as you. It is critical then, to learn ways of flexing or adapting your influencing style to suit the needs and decision-making behaviour of your stakeholder. If you are serious about www.michellebowden.com.au

increasing your chances of hearing the word ‘yes’ then you must also seek to develop specific influencing skills in your influence toolkit.

Top Influencing Tips 1. Build your credibility over time: Your personal credibility has a significant impact on your degree of influence. Your credibility is determined by such things as your self confidence, your presence, your charisma, your experience, your work networks and your skill level. Solid credibility gives you a solid foundation on which to plan an influential communication strategy.

2. Be connected: Be clear in your mind about the basis on which there is the potential for a connection between you and the people you would like to persuade. In other words, why do others need what you have to offer or why should they change in the way you would like?

What is the strategic value you have to offer?

Apart from anything else, if you are really clear about this you will have more success in matching your influencing style to the situation.

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HOW PERSUASIVE ARE YOU? (CONT.) 3. Build rapport: Zig Ziglar famously said: “They don’t care what you know until they know how much you care”. Work on your rapportbuilding skills because others cannot be persuaded unless they feel an affinity with you.

Rapport is about, trust, a common connection, mutual understanding and a functional relationship in which both parties feel at ease.

Rapport-building is a science and there is much to learn for those to whom it does not come naturally.

4. Be assertive: Powerful influencing requires a high degree of assertiveness. In the 21st century people are much less likely to allow people with authority to dictate. Yet an unassertive person will not be heard in our increasingly competitive world. So, communicate your needs or position in a clear, direct and concise way whilst being sure to show respect for the position and feelings of others.

5. Develop persuasive language: Language is a powerful tool in your influence toolkit. Learn how to use language to increase your influence.

There are a variety of approaches to influencing worth learning and trying throughout your day.

Remember, it doesn’t matter how good your business is, how good your products or service are, how good your ideas are or how good your message is if no one’s listening. Influencing techniques will help you ensure your message is heard and will increase the chance that you’ll hear the word ‘yes’ more often in your life.

About Michelle Bowden Michelle Bowden is Australia’s presentation and influencing skills expert and one of only 35 female Certified Speaking Professionals in Australia. This is the highest designation for speakers in the world. Michelle is the author of How to Present: the ultimate guide to presenting your ideas and influencing people using techniques that actually work (Wiley), and STOP! Your PowerPoint is Killing Me! For further tips and techniques to dramatically improve the way you communicate, present and i n fl u e n c e please visit www.michellebowden.com.au

6. Use social Influence: Take time to understand and apply Cialdini’s six principles of social influence.

1. Social Proof – we look to what others do to guide our behaviour.

2. Reciprocity – we feel obligated to return favours performed for us.

3. Commitment and Consistency – we want to act consistently with our commitments and values.

4. Authority – we look to experts to show us the way.

5. Scarcity – the less available the resource, the more we want it.

6. Liking – the more we like people the more we want to say yes to them. www.michellebowden.com.au

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VOCAL WARM-UPS

BY MICHELLE BOWDEN Why warm up your voice?

Your voice must be warmed up if you are to prevent injury, avoid stumbling and ensure your audience can hear you easily and understand each and every one of your words.

How do you do it?

A great way to warm up your voice is to do some humming and chanting exercises.

Step 1 Start with making the following sounds that help you warm up the way you would articulate your vowels. Then move through the steps with a focus on the proper articulation of each of the letters in the words.

Me, May, Ma, Mo, Moo Step 2 Much Many Monday Morning Mountains Men Money Maidens Merry Mary

Step 4 Mailmen make mistakes Make some more Mark is coming Merry Maidens make mischief Many men make money My mother makes marvellous muffins Meet on Monday mornings Step 5

Step 3 My mother Many men Much money Monday morning Merry maidens Many mosquitoes Make mistakes Much mayonaise Mountain music Million miles www.michellebowden.com.au

May I go to the park?

Mail me letter My thumb is sore Mark joined the army Many people came to watch My birthday is next month My brother moved the lawn Meet me around the corner Make your bed Make a small mark Mary is a swimmer Make the water warmer Have fun with these exercises and notice how much easier it is for people to understand you when you present in business. Happy Presenting! M

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CURRENT TRENDS FOR AUTUMN/ WINTER 2014

BY ROBIN POWIS Animal Instincts Go for elegant, timeless pieces.

Black on Black Very now and very stark.

Women - Key Trends dressing up and ladylike lengths spliced textures crisp classic looks and dramatic shapes masculine style embellishment modern cape boots â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ankle, knee length or over the knee velvet floppy hats Women - Key Looks Colour Alert Red, Bright Pink, Orange, Yellow.

Neutrals Black & White, Navy, Dove Grey, Anthracite.

Modern Prints Feminine florals, geometrics, plaids, stripes Denim A timeless staple in jeans to flatter your shape, shirts and jackets Sport Luxe A sport aesthetic with a luxurious twist creating a beautifull silhouette.

Men - Key Trends Perfectly cut slim suit with pocket squares return of three button suit skinny pants bomber style jackets full length coat waistcoats sport style floral shirts

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Men - Key Looks Colours Red, Pale Blue, Burgundy Neutrals Navy, Grey Camouflage and Khaki Wardrobe staples Denim An integral part of your wardrobe that stand the test of time.

How to Present Magazine

www.definingstyle.com.au MARCH 2014

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WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOUR PERSONAL SUCCESS: THE NUMBERS OR THE PRESENTATION?

BY HAROLD GRAYCAR Working with a range of different organisations, I have often been asked about what’s more important for business success: numerate skills or presentation skills?

Many professionals are good at ‘cranking out the numbers’, i.e. financial accounts, forecasts, operational data, report statistics [the numerate skills], but are poor at organising and presenting the information meaningfully i.e. into effective and comprehensible reports, charts and tables for their colleagues and clients [the presentation skills].

like to be on the chart. In a functional area, or up in the management quadrant?

Harold advises corporate and government clients on: strategies for business development, procurement of equipment and services, outsourcing of systems and operations, financial modelling and project funding. www.xlnumerics.com

Looking at what is important for success in various job roles, you can broadly classify functional roles by the types of skill needed to succeed in each role: High presentation skills can lead to great roles in sales or HR, and conversely, high numerate skills can be the foundation for a rewarding career in trading or quantitative analysis.

But if you really want to be where the action is, i.e. team leadership, general management and executive management, you need both!

So if you have to ask why you should develop numerate skills as well as presentation skills, just take a moment to think where you would

TESTIMONIAL about Michelle’s training: FROM DR. DAVID KEANE, AUTHOR, DELIBERATE ABOUT SUCCESS "Michelle is an absolute authority on public speaking and presentation success. She is worldclass."

For more information on Michelle’s coaching or training please go to www.michellebowden.com.au

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CONFIDENT SPEAKING VOCALS–AUDIO

A confident, persuasive speaking voice lies within you!

Many of us know someone who has a strong, rich, resonant voice. Maybe it’s an actor like Sean Connery or Cate Blanchett.

At some point you may have found yourself wishing that you could enhance your vocal quality and projection so you were more compelling, influential and persuasive when speaking in meetings, persuading your manager, or selling to your clients.

Well you know it’s possible, and it’s easy! Creating a rich, resonant influential voice is all about warming up your voice, and this CD will take you through the warm-ups that actually work one by one. Enjoy!

HOW TO PRESENT–TIPS FROM THE MASTERS–AUDIO SERIES

Fast-track your presentation and speaking skills success by discovering the presentation secrets of 14 of Australia’s top conference keynote presenters.

What would be possible for your career and income if you absorbed the wisdom of Australia’s top speaking professionals and could learn from their tips and their mistakes?

Well, now you can in this series of insightful interviews by Australia’s #1 Presentation Skills Expert–Michelle Bowden.

Learn critical presentation tips from the amazing: Amanda Gore, Lisa McInnes-Smith, Glenn Capelli, Alan Parker, Siimon Reynolds, Rodney Marks, Sam Cawthorn, Marty Wilson, Terry Hawkins, Dale Beaumont, Catherine DeVrye, David Penglase, Avril Henry and Bruce Sullivan.

EXCEPTIONAL PRESENTATION DESIGN–DVD

You can design an exceptional presentation in a minimum amount of time!

Imagine how helpful it would be if you could have your very own coach taking you through the design process for an exceptional presentation. That’s exactly what this DVD is for!

If you have a presentation to write, simply play this DVD and Michelle Bowden will coach you through the design of an exceptional presentation from beginning to end. It couldn’t be simpler!

An ideal accompaniment to Michelle’s book How to Present, you’ll be reminded how to identify the purpose of your presentation, analyse your audience and design a powerful message that influences your audience to change their thinking and/or behaviour using techniques that actually work!

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10 WELLBEING AGREEMENTS

BY JAN TERKELSEN 1. Drink more water.

2. Stop judging yourself, treat yourself with kindness and compassion, watch your self-talk

8. Control your alcohol intake – remember the best beer/wine for your body, is the first one.

9. Breathe, deep full belly breaths.

3. Make physical activity a priority in your life.

Move your body, it was meant to carry you around with ease and efficiency.

4. Allow time to stop, relax and feel a sense of gratitude everyday.

10. Ask yourself everyday, “What have I done to bring me closer to what I want?” www.janterkelsen.com

( 5 minutes every day practice a relaxed state of awareness).

5. Control your portion size. Never eat more in one sitting than you can fit in two hands cupped together 6. Do something in every 24 hour period that lights you up. If you don’t know what that is, start looking.

7. Listen to your body – it doesn’t lie, If something doesn’t feel right, change the way you are taking care of yourself.

DON’T BE SCARED OF THE Q&A!

BY MICHELLE BOWDEN People often tell me their greatest fear of public speaking is the question and answer section (Q&A). It’s important that you don’t allow yourself so get worried about the Q&A. Generally in the workplace, the Q&A section is not a malicious attack from your colleagues.

Instead, the Q&A is an excellent opportunity to showcase your professional expertise, your indepth knowledge of the topic and your www.michellebowden.com.au

willingness to help people better understand. To reduce your discomfort about the Q&A be sure to work out what questions the audience might actually ask you and plan your answers in advance. Brainstorm the types of questions your colleagues think the audience will ask you.

Practice with a colleague if it’s an important presentation. Perfect preparation produces a persuasive performance. Happy Presenting! M

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THE NEW ABC’S OF SELLING

BY DAVID PENGLASE My first ever training course....way back in the early 1980's (how time flies) was called the A.B.C.'s of Selling. The ABC's of selling stood for .... Always ....Be ..... Closing The mantra was something like, "close early, close often and close hard." What a load of rubbish it was! I learned the ‘puppy dog’ close, the press hard there's ‘3 copies’ close, the ‘getting to yes’ close, and the ‘if you're not feeling guilty now you will be soon’ close.

I was relating this at a presentation in Melbourne and a number of business owners and sales people approached me at the end of the program telling me there 'horror stories' of when they'd tried to use some of these manipulative type of closing techniques. So I thought it was time for some new A.B.C.'s of selling.....and here they are. When you first see the key words, keep reading because the true meaning behind them is not necessarily at first obvious: The New ABC's of Selling We first of all need to be Attentive We also need to be Branded, and finally We need to be Consistent.

Attentive. This is all about being absolutely clear and able to articulate who our ideal client is and who are the influencers of our ideal clients' buying decisions. It is being attentive to their individual and collective needs, wants, and problems.

3.Where can you be seen by your ideal clients and their influencers? Think beyond just client visits or when they come to you at your office or place of business.

Branded. This is all about taking the concept of traditional branding of our products, service and company and extending it to something at a much deeper and more inspiring level.

What's your premise about what you do?

Write down your personal beliefs and philosophy about why you are in the role and the value that your products and services create for your customers when they buy from you.

How would you like your customers to describe their buying experience?

Map out the 'moments of impact' that your prospective and existing clients experience. A process map of the customer buying experience through to after they buy, can be an extremely revealing exercise.

What could you be doing with your style, and/or business processes to help your clients when they buy from you, to have incredible buying experiences where they will want to recommend and refer others?

Consistent. Consistency is about having the discipline and process in place to be able to do answer and act on the A and B.

Here are three questions to consider:

Here's just one question for you to answer.....

1.Who are your ideal clients? Define them in as many ways as you possibly can.

To what extent are you managing your A's & B's?

2.Who are the influencers of your ideal clients' buying decisions? Think beyond just partners or advisers.....what about media, networks etc. www.michellebowden.com.au

Now, I'm aware that none of this is new, perhaps a refocus on these areas might just be the ignition you need to spark some new, repeat or referral sales. www.intentionomics.com

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PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT OPEN TO FEEDBACK

BY KEN WARREN One of the most tragic personal flaws I see in people is the inability to be open to the feedback others give you. There are: - individuals who act defensively to a perceived criticism.

- people who think the problem is always with others, never with themselves - those who refuse to change, even though what they are doing is not working.

If you live or work with someone like this, it can be extremely frustrating. But we can’t become too self-righteous here - we have all been guilty of a lack of flexibility at times. !

Being open to feedback certainly has considerable benefits. It can give us an awareness of blind spots, help us to learn, and become better at what we do. Being receptive can also provide the opportunity to mend relationships or take other rectifying actions. !

Being open to feedback is one of the things that high-achievers tend to be good at - constantly adjusting their approach based on the feedback being given through others’ words and behaviours, as well as the extent to which goals are being achieved. !

But what can we do to help someone we live or work with become more open to feedback?

Here are some ideas: !

Develop a more positive relationship: The general rule of thumb is that people tend to be more open to feedback from those with whom they have a good relationship. www.michellebowden.com.au

!

However, the reality is that we often need to give feedback to those with whom we have a difficult or distant relationship. In such cases, easing the tension or closing the distance is a good place to start, perhaps small steps, over time. !

Relationships are a bit like emotional bank accounts. The more deposits we can make by ! listening to them, supporting them, thanking them, teasing them, having morning tea with them – the better they will handle any challenges (withdrawals) that come in their relationship with us, including any constructive feedback we may be giving. !

The research suggests that openness to feedback is encouraged when positive interactions outweigh challenging interactions by a factor of 5 to 1. !

In addition, as we develop a better relationship with other people, this puts us in a better position to figure out how they work and to appreciate stressors that are contributing to that person’s performance or defensiveness. !

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PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT OPEN TO FEEDBACK (CONT.)

Be specific: Here we need to be avoiding labels such as disrespectful, under-performing, or inconsiderate. People don’t like being labeled as the problem. These types of labels are also very non-specific and don’t give the person anything they can work with. !

It is much easier to come up with labels, of course. They come from an emotional place that doesn’t require any thinking. However, we don’t want to let our emotions dictate our decisions.

Emotions are a good guide that something needs to change. But they are a very bad master. !

The focus instead needs to be on specific behaviours that concern you or behaviours you would like to see. (One of these might be openness to the feedback you are giving). Here you can let people know what you appreciate or would find helpful. There doesn’t need to be any blame. !

Respond well to any defensiveness: There is no one right way to respond well. Your responses need to be determined by what is working or not working for the situation. !

Kind responses include demonstrating understanding for how they are seeing things, agreeing where you can, apologising for how you may have come across, reassuring them of your intentions, before offering what you can for the future. !

More firm responses include ignoring any defensiveness or personal attacks, keeping the focus on the issue at hand, and being very clear about the behaviour you are wanting to see. If you are feeling brave, you might even comment that the way they are responding is an example of the behaviour that concerns you. !

Sometimes, people need time to settle and think about what has been said to them. So, it is www.michellebowden.com.au

totally fine to suggest a break so you can both think about some possible solutions and to reconnect at a later time. !

Help them see the need for change: Here you are exploring the consequences if there is no change – follow up meetings, ongoing tensions, issues not being resolved, the situation perhaps escalating to a higher level (though let them know if this is not your preference). !

Of course, you can also explore the benefits for them (as well as for others) if there is change, such as being able to work things out and both being on the same page for the future. !

Set the example: Someone needs to be the adult here. It may as well be you. !

If you can be open to feedback or criticism they have for you, responding non-defensively, agreeing where you can, this makes it harder for them to not be open to what you have to say. !

Some very smart individuals, before giving constructive feedback, ask for feedback themselves by saying, ‘How am I going’ or ‘What can I do to be more on track for you?’ !

They know that if they can model being nondefensive themselves, this puts them in a much stronger position to then say, ‘There are also a couple of things I would find helpful from you …’ !

Remember: “Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld, Author!

Ken Warren is a Relationships Specialist who helps teams to perform at their very best.!

Check out all of his FREE resources at!www.positivepeoplesolutions.com.au

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**FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY DIGILOGUE BY ANDERS SORMAN-NILSSON How to leverage the enduring human need for analogue experiences to attract and retain more customers in a digital world.

Anything that can be digitised will be digitised. But can the digitalconnect ever really replace the personal touch? Is word-of-mouse always more effective than word-of-mouth? And what of customers’ enduring need for analogue experiences (think analogue watches, paperback books and multiplex movie theatres, for example). In your rush to embrace your customers’ digital mind are you ignoring an equally valuable asset: their analogue heart? Better yet, how can you leverage the analogue heart to provide your company or brand with an unbeatable competitive edge?

The answer, according to internationally acclaimed futurist, Anders Sormon-Nilsson is Digilogue — the ‘translational sweet-spot, the convergence of the digital and the analogue.’

A book that will revolutionise how you do business in a digital world, Digilogue provides powerful insights, strategies and tools to help you provide value to digital minds, while connecting with analogue hearts.

Be one of the first 5 people to email Michelle with the word Digilogue in the subject line to win your very own copy of this book. Good luck!

TRUST TAKES TIME

BY MICHELLE BOWDEN Do people always trust you? Trust takes time. If you want people to trust you and your ideas you need to be able to express yourself with confidence and www.michellebowden.com.au

clarity every time you speak - even when you are impromptu.

Develop a way of saying what you mean succinctly, with examples. Make sure it’s ALWAYS audience focused. Remember business communication is not about you, it’s about your stakeholder. How can you help them, entertain them and make them feel better?

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YOU

IS IT TIME IMPROVED YOUR PRESENTATION SKILLS? COME JOIN ME! Dramatically improve the way you present and influence.

Attend one of my Persuasive Presentation Skills Masterclasses in 2014 and change your life!

then practice, then learn something then practice…

Group sizes are limited to only 10 people per program.

BRISBANE DATE: 15-16 April (3 places left!)

MELBOURNE DATE: March 18-19 (one place left!)

Risk free approach to a subject most people find ‘daunting’!

SOUTH AUSTRALIA DATE: TBA

Risk free - 100% moneyback guarantee.

Plenty of time for you to get personal one-on-one time with Michelle’s during the program.

CANBERRA DATE: TBA

Endorsed by thousands of people from over a hundred corporations around Australia.

Address your specific, personal needs.

To chat about your specific needs or receive more information please email Michelle directly:

Seriously, it’s a life changing

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Facilitated by Michelle Bowden who has over 20 years experience running her programs and who has been nominated for Educator of the Year for the last 4 years.

Absorb yourself in a generative and experiential approach. Learn something

Learning with lots of laughter.

Techniques are embedded so you remember them decades later.

SYDNEY DATES: 12-13 March 7-8 April 20-21 May 24-25 June 22-23 July 12-13 August

michelle@michellebowden.com.au

There’s no need for you to fear public speaking. Please don’t miss a career opportunity ever again because you couldn’t speak up! Anyone can be an exceptional presenter in business - 100% guaranteed.

TESTIMONIAL about Michelle’s training: FROM OLLIE TAMS, DIRECTOR, O BUSINESS CONSULTING "Having worked with Michelle several times, it never ceases to amaze me how many ways she can win over an audience. It was always a delight to see her smiling face looking at the audience and their engagement in all aspects of her presentations and skill building exercises.

In addition, if you are looking to train your people you need to know that Michelle’s work ethic is second to none and her drive to accomplish the objectives we set was astounding. She would always be my first choice for presentation and influencing skills."

For more information on Michelle’s coaching or training go to www.michellebowden.com.au

www.michellebowden.com.au

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BOOK OF THE MONTH OK, I know it’s MY book! If you are serious about really improving your business presentation skills then you need this book. Go to my website

CD OF THE MONTH

AUSTRALIA FOR ALL

Thinking of improving your presentation skills but don’t want to go on a training program? You need to grab a copy of How to Present - Tips from the Master. Tips from 14 of Australia’s top public speakers. Go to my website

Check out this excellent international web site: www.australiaforall.com which is devoted entirely to accommodation and leisure venues around the world which are accessible to people with disabilities. There is no charge for inclusion of tourism providers who cater for people with disabilities. A cool community service!

AMBIENCE

FITNESS

Like driving on a windy Italian road overlooking the stunning ocean, Glasshouse Amalfi Coast will excite and relax in unison. With Freesia, Lavender and Lime, it’s as invigorating as an afternoon siesta.

Spin (also variously known as cycle classes or RPM) has taken the world of gyms by storm, combining low levels of embarrassment — it's conducted in low-lighting studios — with music and one of the biggest fat-burning workouts you can get.

MICHELLE LOVES...

Here are some of my favourite things for you

BEAUTY

CULT PENS!

DESIGN

La Source 60 Second Fix for Hands. Restore dry, parched hands to silky smoothness in just two easy steps.

Permanent marker with extra-broad chisel nib. Light-fast quick-drying ink is weather-resistant and waterproof on most surfaces.

Refillable with edding bottled permanent ink. These are the best pens you can use as a trainer beautiful with china-coated paper! .

How fabulous is this? My gorgeous friend Emma can help you create your personalised chair. Why not redesign your home office? website.

www.michellebowden.com.au

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Photo Gallery

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