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Communication Matters Newsletter
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 The End -- End Well!
Here we are. The LAST month of the year. Every year this time, it seems I hear "Where did the year go?" and "The years just keep getting faster!" But they are the same length, and the end of this year is upon us.
In the business world, the end of the year (fiscal or calendar) means a rush to close deals, end projects, reflect and plan, and perhaps wind things up and take some time off. Everyone talks about "ending well".
The same should be true of speaking engagements, presentations, and meetings. End well.
Close - The best time to make plans for the next meeting is in this one. If you're a speaker, the best time to get a booking for another speech is right after the one you just gave. For meetings and sales engagements, we should know when and (more importantly) WHY, the next meeting should occur.
End - I see so many presentations that end poorly or long, and most often, both. Presentations and meetings usually end poorly when they digress into meaningless Q&A (I'm all for allowing questions, but not ENDING on them) or the speaker lacks a destination enough to know when to say, "We're done." There are a litany of bad endings to avoid (and many have and will show up in our What Not To Say series), but a call to action, a story ending, and "Thank you" will suffice just fine.
Reflect & plan (evaluate) - The longer you wait to watch/listen to your presentation (you ARE recording them all, aren't you?!), the less impactful and useful the recording will be to you. I like to listen to a voice recording on my way home from the event, while I can still remember what I was thinking/feeling while saying what I am hearing. And those that don't review at all are not likely to do better next time (and their attitude says even more about their ability to get better).
Take some time off - Speakers and leaders need to come up with new material and new ideas. This is rarely accomplished in the hustle and bustle of daily activity and almost never while you're on the stage (and if you did have insights, you'd forget them before you sat down). Reading, having long discussions about problems people face, and then going off and just thinking seems to be a lost art. Quiet evaluation - for introverts and extroverts alike - pays dividends in clarity and fresh ways of thinking/talking. It's a good investment of your time.
2014 is almost done. Your next speaking engagement will end quickly, too.
End well!
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What NOT to Say: It goes without saying
In this edition of What Not to Say, we look at that dreaded phrase, "It goes without saying..." Tune in to learn What Not To Say.
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Click here to take a look at our other videos on What NOT to say.
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Communications mini-Conference held at NCSU Graduate School
 On Friday, October 18, graduate students from around the university gathered at the Witherspoon Student Center for a mini-conference on communication hosted by the Preparing FutureLeaders program (PFL) and cosponsored by the Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) program, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA), Thesis and Dissertation Support Services (TDSS), and the Career Development Center (CDC). This new event was well received by the students attending, including Antonio Bush, doctoral student in Leadership, Policy, and Adult and Higher Education, who reports the "conference was very engaging" and looks forward to applying what he learned in upcoming presentations.
In two morning sessions led by public speaking coach Alan Hoffler, participants learned how they can more effectively and efficiently present their research and carry out their day-to-day communications in email, phone calls, and personal conversations. Both messages centered around making speaking memorable, regardless of subject or medium, making them relevant for all participants who ranged from civil engineers to rhetoricians..... read more about this conference.
Have Alan do a workshop for your company or organization. Contact us today!
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On the Blog
What we can learn from the Gettysburg address
It w  as 150 years ago today that President Lincoln delivered his 268-272 word (depending on what you believe he said) address to an assembly outside Gettysburg, PA to bolster the war effort. The speech is now, of course, very famous, and regularly makes the Top Ten list of history's speeches. Schoolchildren all over America memorize all or some of the speech. Virtually everyone can finish the phrase, "Four score..."
I have long been enamored with the story behind the speech, as much as the speech itself. Few people recognize or know that Lincoln's speech was, in essence, the benediction to the event. He was NOT the headlining speaker of the day. He was just the speaker that people remember. Which would you rather be, the featured speaker or the one people recall? How you answer has implications to your weekly staff meeting, the company picnic, your sales presentation, and your church service this week.
Here are a few things Lincoln did that we can learn about speaking from Lincoln......read more.
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Calling Raleigh Speakers!
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Raleigh Speakers!
Want an outlet for your amazingness? Try Pecha Kucha Raleigh on December 6th. You get six minutes to wow them! |
| Speaker Showcase! | |
You're invited!
Join the members of BORN Toastmasters of Raleigh for amazing speakers, breakfast, and networking at its annual SPEAKER SHOWCASE!
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| Upcoming Workshops | |
2014 Workshop dates
Jan 27, 28
Mar 17, 18
May 12, 13
July 28, 29
Sep 22, 23
Nov 17, 18
Two days that will change your life! This highly interactive, hands-on workshop gives you the skills to face an audience and deliver content in a clear, concise, and compelling manner. Close that deal, give that career-changing presentation, or motivate your audience to action. Speak with confidence, power, and ease.
Limited seating.
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| Upcoming Speaking Events |
Speaker Showcase
December 16 -- The Power of the Paradox
Join Alan as he presents at Born Toastmasters of Raleigh's annual Speaker Showcase. Alan will present on "The Power of the Paradox." We all face constraints and limits in our lives. The solution to living a fulfilled life within those constraints is awash in contradiction.
Register now. It's free!
The Society for Technical Communication
January 16
Alan will speak at STC Carolina on the topic "Sound Like You Feel: Public Speaking with Passion."
If you need a speaker for your next corporate meeting or professional organization, contact us at info@millswyck.com. Check out our keynotes here.
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| Visit our Website | |
Find out more about our public workshops, corporate training, private coaching, and keynote speaking at www.millswyck.com.
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