I just watched a great presentation put on by a safety expert on the art of falling. Well, actually, it was about preventing falling in the first place. The speaker was presenting to a group of contractors (my clients) on the topic of fall protection. The subject can be a difficult one to really get construction workers fired up about at 3:00 on a sunny Friday afternoon right after they got paid.
As a presenter, I was anxious to see how he did. I was very impressed with his ability to connect with this audience and keep their attention for over an hour. I'm not sure if he has had speaker training, so if he hasn't, I'm even more impressed. He kept his audience engaged by using stories to illustrate his points; he had a high I-You ratio (using the word you more than I) which gains buy-in from the group, and he gave them plenty of WII FM (What's in it for me) with examples of broken bodies after falls. Even more impressive was his use of dialogue. All these skills are essential in being an effective speaker.
What can you do to better deliver your message in your line of work? Stories, dialogue, and WII FM are key strategies. Remember, it's not about you; it's about your audience, whoever that might be.
The bottom line - it doesn't matter what industry you are in. Communication is critical. In this case, it might even save a life.
Dan
P.S. That's the reason I started my Panic to Power Boot Camp. You can learn how to be that dynamic speaker. The next boot camp is November 6. To learn more and to register, click here.
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