SpeakerCoach

15 Top Tips for Public Speaking

2011-04-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that the main reason why people get anxious about speaking in public is that they are not sure what is expected of them. If you have a speech or presentation to deliver, here are 15 tips to help dispel that anxiety by making sure you are well prepared.

These tips will help you feel confident that you know your stuff, and also that you know why and how it will be relevant to your audience.

Tip 1: Imagine you are speaking just to me and answer this question: What do you want me to know?

Tip 2: Tell me why should I care about what you want me to know.

Tip 3: Why do I need to hear it from YOU? What's your special connection with the message?

Tip 4: Would you pay to hear YOU speak? If not, why not?

Tip 5: Record your voice and ask yourself and some close friends if your voice is attractive. If not, make changes.

Tip 6: What's your reason for speaking? Money? Influence? Ego? Passion? When you are clear about it you'll be more focused.

Tip 7: When you have credible answers to tips 1-6, write your Core Message (the 'carry away') in a single sentence. That's the message you should drive home when you speak.

Tip 8: Develop your message in 3 streams of argument or thought, e.g. Problem / Consequence / Solution.

Tip 9: Decide on your call to action. What do you want people to do when you have finished speaking?

Tip 10: Create an opening 'Hook' -- something unexpected or dramatic that grabs attention right at the start.

Tip 11: Write out and learn your opening and closing paragraphs. Just use prompts for the rest, to sound more natural.

Tip 12: Decide on the 'point of arrival' or climax of your speech or presentation and build up the energy to that point. Your second 'climax' should be at the end.

Tip 13: Practise in front of a mirror or camcorder. Watch your gestures and body language.

Tip 14: When you are confident of your text, answer (aloud) the questions in Tips 1-3.

Tip 15: Unless you are in a speech contest, don't try to give a world class performance. Just be sincere and passionate.

For more detailed help, go to www.pkpcommunicators.com or call 0845 165 9240 (local rates).

Phillip

Got a Best Man speech to deliver?

2011-04-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

You stand up and call for silence. Someone taps a knife against a wine glass, and you realise it's you. Gradually the room falls silent.

Your throat is dry but the sweat drips off your forehead and your shirt is clinging to your back. There's a slow pounding in your head and your stomach is lurching around. The brilliant opening line that you crafted so carefully has fled from your memory and you yearn for someone to call you away to take an urgent telephone call.

In your hand is a bundle of papers which you are crushing with the tension that is gripping you and blurring your vision. You look down at them and realise they are the cards that everyone is expecting you to read out.

You start to speak, but all you can do is squeak. You open the first card and the rest slip from your hand, cascading to the floor. The room erupts in laughter and you twist around, looking for a bin into which you can throw up. And as you do so, you fall out of bed.

It has all been a terrible dream, a nightmare, and possibly a recurrent one.

It is actually a fairly common nightmare, and its cause is simple: the fear of public speaking. It is well documented that one of the greatest fears of modern man is public speaking.

For some reason, people who may be fluent and confident in conversation will freeze in fear when they have to stand in the spotlight and deliver a speech, even if the audience consists of friends and family.

It can happen to anyone, even experienced speakers. To help you cope (and, by the way, this could apply to almost any speech), here’s a simple 8-step guide that will allow you to shine.

Step 1: 10 Key Points
Keep it simple. Just decide on 10 points to make. Any 10 that seem important. If you’re not sure how to do that, just list all the points you want to make and select the 10 most important. Decide which is the MOST important and call it No. 1. Then the next, and call it No. 2, and so on.

Step 2: Brainstorm
Take 10 sheets of paper and at the top of each write one of the 10 key points. Then write all you can think of about that topic. Use bullet points rather than full sentences, and do as fast as you can, so that you build up a momentum. Do;t edit at this stage. Just put down whatever you think of.

Step 3: Planning the Sequence
Here’s the interesting bit. Lay the 10 sheets of paper on the floor and decide which point you want to talk about first. Pick it up and place it at the top left hand corner of your space. Then decide on the next point you want to make and place it alongside the first. Keep going until all 10 are in position. Go to No.1 (top left hand spot) and talk it through quickly, then step to each point in turn, talking it through (“Next, I’ll say …”) and decide if the sequence feels right. If not, just change it. Once you are happy with the sequence, mark the 10 numbers at the top of the sheets, and gather them up in the order you have chosen.

Step 4: Editing
Now you can edit. Go through each page in turn, and delete anything that does not fit.

Step 5: First Draft
Following the editing process, you should write out the speech, to see how the ideas fit together. The read it out aloud, recording it if you can.

Step 6: Rewrite
A re-write is essential. Don’t fall in love with your brilliance. Any script can be improved. Any phrase that seems too long or hard to say when you read it aloud has to be changed.

Step 7: Write a Hook
What will you say or do at the start of your speech, to grab the attention of everyone there? It could be a joke (not advisable unless you are good at telling jokes) or something startling. Spend time on this. It will get you properly launched.

Step 8: Speaker's Notes
Finally, write your notes on 5 x 3 cards. Headlines and bullet points. Don’t write a full script that you then read out word for word. That’s boring, and will also make you lose eye contact with your audience.

One last bit of advice: PRACTISE!

Best of luck.

Phillip

Bad advertising will waste your money

2011-04-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

There’s a lot of bad advertising about. If you copy it you will waste your money. Advertising is (or should be) salesmanship, pure and simple. Its function is to sell – to persuade its audience to accept the proposition and, eventually, to buy.

It is quite amazing that expensive ad agencies are turning out advertising that fails to follow the basic rules of selling, even ignoring that well-known maxim, WIIFM – what’s in it for me? Amazingly, it gets past a succession of people who should know better: from the copywriter to the creative head, to the account team and finally the advertising manager at the client end.

To see how it should be done, look at ‘direct response advertising’. It is designed to get immediate action, and its effectiveness can be readily measured. It has to answer three questions quickly: what is it, is it for me, how do I get it?

In other words, first tell me the proposition. What are you selling? Then make it relevant to me. Finally, tell me where, how and from whom I can get it. The supplier or retailer fits into the last part.

Yet, the current crop of TV commercials contains at least three that begin with the very same error. They all start with “At XYZ company we ...” And they are all big names, with big advertising budgets and a long history of advertising that should have guided their judgement. Here are their opening lines:

At Sainsbury’s all these ...
At HSBC we can help ...
At Wickes we know ...
This last is made worse by the closing slogan, “It’s got our name on it.”

The focus of all these ads is on themselves. It presumes that each of those companies has such a presence in the market that the mere mention of their names will produce a Pavlovian response from well-conditioned customers. That amounts to self-congratulation – not a good basis for selling, especially in these tough times when traditional loyalties are already being tested.

Good copywriting follows the process of persuasion. And a good copywriter knows how to sell. If you’re looking for one, let’s meet for copy.
Phillip@pkpcommunicators.com

It's the upsell that I mind

2011-04-05T01:47:00.000-07:00

My local post office is managed by an enterprising Indian family. One of their number is a very pretty young lady who attracted a lot of attention when she first appeared behind the counter. These days, the locals try to avoid being served by her.

One day recently, I heard the reason why. She was serving a pensioner, a man in his late 70s, and I heard him say, in a rather exasperated tone, “No, please, no selling. I don’t want any of that.”

If you buy a stamp from her, she asks if you’d like a mobile phone top-up. If you want to post a packet she tries to get you to take the most expensive option. It’s always upsell, upsell, upsell.

It’s the same when I order stationery on the phone. “We have a special offer this week for paper. We are offering 75 million reams for only 20p!” or some such pitch. It’s relentless.

Macdonalds are famous for their upsell: “Would like fries with that?” Starbucks ask “Medium or large?” when you order a coffee. Waitrose may price something at £3.55, but offer 2 for £5.

What really causes the offence is the self-centred focus. It comes across as pressure to spend more than you intended. And it’s so unnecessary.

Upselling is good. It helps the vendor and it could help the customer too. All it takes is a little thought and training in customer care.

The key question to address is, how does it benefit the customer? The girl in the post office could ask if there is anything else she could help with, or if it is important to guarantee delivery by the next morning. The stationery supplier could ask if I would like to save money on any of my regular purchases such as paper, Starbucks could say, “If you are planning to stay for a while, would you prefer a large cup?”

Some of their scripts are close to the right wording, but the staff haven’t been properly trained to understand how to put it across. Result? Strained relations instead of a developing relationship.

If you have a specific problem in customer care, I’d be happy to offer you my take on it, without fee. Just drop a line to admin@pkpcommunicators.com.

A printer's approch to customer service

2011-04-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

Last September I came across a printer in LinkedIn and decided to give him a go, assuming him to be OK, as a fellow member of LinkedIn. As you do.

So although I did not yet need new business cards, I asked him to print some new ones for me, and sent his PA the artwork, for printing on front and back. The proofs were OK, and the cards were duly printed, and I paid through PayPal (for two sided printing)
.
I was still using up the old cards, so it was some time before I got around to opening the boxes and using the new cards, sending out quite a few in mailings.

One day I suddenly realised that the backs were blank.

I wrote on 21st January and 2nd February, but received no reply, and wrote again on 22nd February. On 1st March I received an email saying they would reprint the cards if I would return all the faulty cards.

If you have been following the narrative so far you will know that that was not possible, because (as I told them) I had already sent out quite a few.

At their request I returned all the cards I still had, leaving myself with no business cards at all.
They refused to reprint the cards unless I returned all the 'faulty' ones (their inverted commas).

The Managing Director wrote to say, "We have attempted to speak to you on several occasions to discuss the situation." They did nothing of the sort.

Now, folks, we are talking about a total of £86.25 (including the cost of returning the faulty cards). Not big money, is it?

The correspondence has become increasingly heated, and on 28th March the man again wrote "I have clearly stated that we will replace them when we have received them ALL back from you. You have failed to do this."

He is right when he adds that I had plenty of time to inspect the cards when they were first delivered, but he has not produced the printing for which he was paid, and has placed an impossible condition on rectifying the error.

It's not an experience I would wish to repeat, and I'm sharing it with you in case you should ever place printing with this printer. Because you will have to check it very carefully as I clearly failed to do. I paid, didn't get what I paid for, and don't even have the faulty cards because I was asked to return them.

As an example of customer service, this takes the cake.

Phillip

What makes a leader?

2011-03-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

It is commonly accepted that there are three main types of leader:

1. There is the Great Man theory, sometimes called the Trait theory. It is based on the belief that some people are born leaders. It’s in them. Wherever they are, whatever they do, they will be recognized as natural leaders.

2. Then there is the Great Event theory. Cometh the time, cometh the man. This is about major events bringing out the leader for that event. Winston Churchill was an example of Great Event leadership. He had been prominent in politics for a long time, but was not very popular. However, when things were going badly for Britain in the Second World War, although he was aged 65 at the time, he was asked to become Prime Minister. The Romans believed in Great Event leadership. In times of crisis they would appoint someone dictator with total power to sort out the problem. Julius Caesar was one example of that.

3. Finally, there is Transformational Leadership theory. This is based on the belief that leaders are made, not born. It is the most widely held theory, and it forms the basis for training in leadership skills.

Of course, there are leaders in our day to day lives, when there is no crisis or great event. Politicians and company directors, for example. Such leaders make decisions, provide guidance on procedures, on the law, on social behaviour, and formulate policies. I would call them Transactional leaders, because they deal in the everyday transactions of a society.

I have lilttle interest in them. I prefer Transformational leaders, because they are the people concerned with bringing about change. How they go about it, and how they connect with their followers, is the essence of The Voice of Leadership, which is one of the key training programmes in my portfolio.

Leadership can be developed, but it is not simply a technique that you can acquire, like learning to play the piano. It’s about who you are, what you know and what you do. Who you are means your beliefs and character. It’s about the essential you. Can you inspire trust and respect? I don’t think you can fake it. Anyone can bluff their way to admiration, but integrity has to be real.

You need to understand what leadership is, and how it affects those who are led. You need to recognise that the most important tool in a leader’s armoury is the right communication skill. As Churchill once said, "The difference between leadership and mere management is communication." And that can be taught.

11Leadership Guidelines

2011-03-06T07:21:00.000-08:00

Leadership is about what you be, know, and do. Here are 11 guidelines that will help to establish or enhance your leadership abilities and communication:

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement. In order to know yourself, you have to understand your "be, know, and do" attributes. Seeking self-improvement means continually strengthening your attributes. This can be accomplished through reading, self-study, classes, etc.
2. Be technically proficient. As a leader, you must know your job thoroughly and have a solid familiarity with your employees' jobs as well.
3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions. Search for ways to guide your organisation to new heights. And when things go wrong, as they will sooner or later, do not blame others. Analyse the situation, take corrective action, and move on to the next challenge. That's the mark of a good leader.
4. Make sound and timely decisions. Use good problem solving, decision making, and planning tools. If necessary, get training.
5. Set the example. Be a good role model for your employees. They must not only hear what they are expected to do, but also see. You know the saying, Monkey see, monkey do.
6. Know your people and look out for their well-being. Know human nature and the importance of sincerely caring for your workers.
7. Keep your people informed. Know how to communicate with your people, seniors, and other key people within the organization. Work on your presentation skills.
8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your people. Develop good character traits within your people that will help them carry out their professional responsibilities and encourage them to take charge of what they do, and not wait to be told.
9. Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished. Communication is the key to this responsibility.
10. Train your people as a team. Although many so called leaders call their organization, department, section, etc. a team; they are not really teams...they are just a group of people doing their jobs. Everyone needs training.
11. Use the full capabilities of your organization. By developing a team spirit, you will be able to employ your organization, department, section, etc. to its fullest capabilities.

If you want to discuss this further, call me.

Phillip

Can we afford to lose our sole traders?

2011-03-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

Unemployment is officially now at nearly 2.5 million (7.9%), but that’s not the full story. Many thousands more are without work. They are not on the dole figures and they don’t as yet cost the nation any quantifiable cash, but there is a cost, a significant one, that may be hard to define, but which will be felt in the very near future. These are the self-employed, the folks who decided to ‘go it alone’ or ‘get on their bikes’ and set up rafts of micro businesses. Many are facing ruin.

A micro business is, typically, a one-man band – trainers, journalists, freelance salesmen, home helps, mobile mechanics, plumbers, electricians, management consultants, among many more. They have worked on the fringes of mainstream business, mopping up spare capacity, often providing lower cost alternatives to better-known corporates. For many of them, work has dried up and they are, in fact if not officially, currently jobless.

Any official help?
There was a summit in Glasgow on the effects of the economic downturn, designed ‘to better support individuals and business facing hardship due to the economic downturn’. It brought together the Minister of State for Welfare Reform, the Education Minister, and representatives of various trade unions and others. That was two years ago. Since then what has happened?

At about the same time, a Think Tank called Race on the Agenda concerned itself with the effects of the downturn on minorities. Racial minorities. Mervyn King has spoken of the mounting misery in households facing the biggest decline in their living standards since the 1920s. But spare a thought for two groups whose misery is even more palpable: middle class dole claimants and the self-employed who have no work.

No one is immune
Talk to a former middle manager who has had to clear his desk and surrender his gleaming company car. In the good times, he mortgaged himself to the hilt and entertained at home, living up to the image of a successful businessman. Now, aged 50 or more, he has little prospect of a job. When his savings dry up, he’ll wonder whether he should stack shelves in the supermarket or offer to do odd jobs like painting and decorating – anything to bring in some cash. Some even take up mini-cabbing. A colleague of mine called for a minicab one evening and was embarrassed when the man who turned up used to be his senior in previous years, a man he used to call Sir.

It’s pretty much the same for the sole trader whose work has dried up. Competition is fierce for whatever work there is, and price cutting is sharp. Everyone is uncertain where the point of balance lies – the point at which they are disregarded because they are too cheap and therefore cannot be any good.

The real cost is to self esteem. When you sit at your desk all day, every day, trying to market yourself and no one buys, you rapidly start to doubt yourself. One new business getter for management consultants, wondered if he had any value in the market place. He started to describe himself as a one-trick pony that no one wants. As one who has made and lost a fortune in the past, he has what it takes, and he’s a highly skilled wheeler-dealer, but he was last seen looking for a job. Back in full-time employment.

Sadly, it’s a vicious spiral. When work stops coming through the door, you have to swallow your pride and go looking for it. But you are already feeling rejected by the market and past customers, so you put off writing those prospecting letters or picking up the phone. Fear of rejection is a paralysing force. And when you are working as a sole trader, there is no one to bolster you, remind you of your strengths, encourage you to keep trying.

Huge fund of potential
The number of people in this situation is very large. In 1999, there were 3.7m firms in Britain. Two thirds of them were sole traders. By 2007, that proportion had risen to three quarters of the 4.5 million firms. It was just before the start of the economic slowdown and the drying up of credit, and those 3.3 million sole operators turned over a massive £1,440 billion.

That’s a considerable amount of wealth creation, even if it is not mainstream. It derives from a huge bank of energy, drive and creativity. The more successful ones go on to create jobs and build larger firms. They are known as entrepreneurs. Steve Jobs of Apple, Bill Gates of Microsoft and Sir Richard Branson are examples of sole traders turned entrepreneur. In the current economic wilderness, such people are a threatened breed.

Why are they important? Because their drive comes from doing the things they love, and that’s so much more important than just doing a job for a salary. Steve Jobs once said, “The only way to do great work is to do what you love.” We need people who do great work. Sole traders are, in effect, CEOs -- men and women with the drive, tenacity and creativity to solve problems and deliver successful outcomes rather than going through the motions.

Can the nation afford to lose them?

We speak the way we think

2011-02-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

Some years ago I was Senior Copywriter at The Reader's Digest. And yes, we did spend a lot of time discussing the positioning of the apostrophe in Reader's.

One of my colleagues, Donald, was an Art Director in the Creative Department. Donald had an extraordinary way with words. Some of our colleagues would stuff a hankie into their mouths, with eyes streaming with tears of mirth, and rush into another office to write down some of the things he said.

Donald ranked with Spooner, Mrs Malaprop and Sam Goldwyn in his mangling of language.

He developed MS and, to raise some funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and with his permission, we published a small book of Donald's collected sayings, under the title, "My Pear Tree Has Gone Bananas". If you ever got your hands on a copy, you'd have found it was "right up your cup of tea", as Donald himself once said.

When he struggled with powerful emotions, Don would mix his metaphors. Here are a few:

* This job is a right swine of a cow
* It's always better talking to the horse's mouth
* There was a little rat on the door
* I'm caught between the devil and the frying pan

Donald liked his food, and was heard to say:

* Can I have the Halibut Provencale without the garlic?
* I'll have fillet of sole off the bone.
* I can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday; it all goes in one ear and out the other
* He comes around here and picks up all the crumbs that make up the cream

Asked about his illness, Don said:

* It's all to do with the spine ... because the legs are connected to the body, and the arms are connected to the head
* My legs felt like solid jelly
* I feel like death rolled up
* My doctor said I'm not as young as I should be

Feeling the need for emphasis, he would say:

* I don't exaggerate, I do six million jobs at once
* Five tenths of an inch is an inch in my language

When I coach people in the best ways to get their point across, I still remember Don calling it a disastrous success and asking, How long is a carrot?

He spoke the way he thought. Right up his cup of tea.

PKP

How to handle rejection in sales

2011-02-14T15:58:00.000-08:00

A lot of people consider selling to be a confrontational conversion, lightly smeared with honey to make it seem agreeable. There are two reasons for that: first, the sales person wants to win, and second, the prospect wants to retain both his money and his pride.

Now, of course this does not happen in every sale, but it can be considered a typical model. Elements of the confrontation could quite easily enter any sale.

The second reason is that the sales person is scared of rejection. As you know, fear of loss or pain is a much more powerful motivator than the prospect of gain. Rejection brings loss of face - a concept not restricted to Orientals.

To avoid rejection, the sales person needs a protective strategy.

Some adopt a tough attitude, placing themselves in the dominant role, and the prospect in the role of supplicant. This old-fashioned macho approach is doomed to failure in the long run. Even short term gains may quickly be reversed with cancellations at the first opportunity.

Even the prospect wants to save face!

If you are selling, you need to build into your preparation a fall-back position. What is the least you will settle for if you don't get the sale?

It could be something as simple as an introduction to another prospect, or even another appointment in three months' time. It could be a referral to someone else. Viewed in the context of a new relationship, an immediate sale is not the only objective.

Work out what you will accept as an alternative to your main objective and you will be able to walk out with your tail up. Selling is hard, and no one can endure repeated rejections without being affected.

So protect yourself. Plan your fall-back position and give yourself another chance to feel good about the encounter.

Phillip

The eloquence of a celebrity handshake

2011-02-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

Before the Scotland-Wales rugby match on Saturday, when Princess Anne was introduced to the teams, her handshake technique was very different from that adopted by Ireland's President, Mary MacAleese on Sunday. It spoke eloquently in body language.

Mary MacAleese went along the line quickly, keeping her right arm extended as she briefly shook each person's hand in turn. In effect, it was one handshake, shared by each person in the line. It signalled that she was moving on.

Princess Anne did it differently. After each handshake, she returned her arm to her side, making a fresh gesture for each person. It signalled that she was greeting each person afresh, giving that person his own share of her attention and time. It was superb!

When a dignitary keeps the arm extended, simply moving it along to the next person in the line, the contact is almost meaningless. In body language terms, it is superficial, a hello-goodbye, even if though I'm certain it was not her intention, because Mary MacAleese is a gracious lady.

What Princess Anne did, the way she returned her arm to her side each time, was a mark of politeness and respect, and very good manners. It was a fine example of the right body language, and I'm sure each person felt a significant contact with her, however briefly.

Gestures, even small ones, are the unspoken language that can sometimes add so much meaning to the spoken word.

Phillip

Anorchidism: another recent affliction?

2011-02-13T01:36:00.000-08:00

Last evening, my Barbershop group, The Kentones, gave a fund-raising concert at Petts Wood, in support of a charity called the Anorchidism Support Group. What, I hear you ask, is Anorchidism?

It's a rare condition that people find hard to talk about. It's the absence of testes in boys.

It's embarrassiing for the parents and, in later life, for the boys themselves. Treatment involves injections of testerone in early life, and gels or creams in adulthood. The Support Group was set up in the UK in 1995, because parents of the affected children did not know where to get help or reassurance (other than medical). They felt isolated and even guilty.

All this suggests that the condition is relatively new. It is still not known what causes it.

I am therefore inclined to ask, is this a recent affliction caused by the environmental changes that Man has brought about? We already know about plastic migrating into our food, and oestrogen in the water supply. And remember Thalidomide?

Is Anorchidism another consequence of our misuse of chemicals or some other abuse of our environment?

Phillip

Books I no longer finish

2011-02-08T03:05:00.000-08:00

I am an avid reader and often have several books on the go at the same time. In the past I used to struggle on, to finish them all, no matter how long it took, as though I were the Mastermind quiz master (I've started so I'll finish). But a few years ago I decided not to finish reading A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, because I found it hard going, and it was far too long. I felt a little guilty, because he's from Calcutta, and so am I.

Soon after that decision, I met up with a schoolmate, who had also lived in Calcutta, and inevitably he asked me if I had read the book. When I told him of my decision, he gave a deep sigh of relief and confessed that he had also been unable to finish reading the book.

Since then I have given up on a number of books. I no longer feel an obligation to struggle to the end. Although I am still reluctant to throw out any book, I place a post-it note inside stating my decision, and replace it on the shelf upside down so that I know to avoid reading it again.

Like most people, I have some books that I bought because I thought I should read them but never got around to doing so, and probably never will. Books such as the one about motorcycle maintenance and the one about the history of time. I like biographies, and bought books about or by such luminaries as Sven Goran Eriksson and David Frost, but lost the inclination to read beyond the Introductions. And then there' s a book that gives equal weight on the spine to Arnold Bennett and Margaret Drabble, so I am uncertain who wrote about whom, and can't be bothered to find out.

I read quite fast and, when absorbed, will make the time to read the current book at every opportunity, but these days I'm prepared to be ruthless and set aside the tome that fails to grip.

What's more, I no longer feel guilty.

Common Culture Clashes

2010-12-10T01:51:00.000-08:00

We increasingly encounter the people and cultures of other nations, both in business and elsewhere, and we need to understand how and why clashes will occur. In my training programmes on cross cultural communication (www.pkpcommunicators.com) I help people to identify why and how people from other cultures behave differently. Here are 10 of the most common flashpoints.

1. When you notice a 'violation' of any rules or norms, you tend to think it's the ignorance of others, for example, when 'foreigners' jump the queue.

2. If these violations persist, you suspect people are being deliberately rude and in some cases downright dishonest. You expect them to learn and conform after being corrected once.

3. You are more likely to accept that they have a different set of rules after you have been abroad and justified your own departure from their 'norms' by saying, "Doesn't matter. I'm a foreigner/visitor."

4. The more similar two cultures are, the greater the shock when discrepancies surface, especially if you share a common language. You expect them to be 'just like us'.

5. Cultural friction is aggravated by communication breakdowns. People who do not understand what you are saying will often look blank. While their intention is to avoid the problem of language, that blank look (and avoiding eye contact) may cause you to consider them stupid.

6. When there is a cultural clash, people tend to give up easily rather than fight for principles, partly because it is difficult to explain, and it sounds weak to say, "Where I come from, we believe in ..."

7. Groups look for external referees and arbitrators when they are unable to communicate with each other. They want more than translators. They want someone to confirm that their way is right.

8. People who communicate effectively usually get their own way! Two factors matter most: one is command of the other's language, and the other is a smiling, patient approach that includes listening carefully to what the other person is saying.

9. People become embarrassed when they have to communicate in 'new' ways (remember trying to speak a foreign language at school?) They limit what they want to say to their available vocabulary, and rehearse their words before speaking.

10. When abroad, there is a common tendency to seek the company of compatriots, as a welcome relief from coping with the foreign language and customs. This not only gets in the way of understanding the local scene, it actually reinforces entrenched prejudices.

!5 Top Tips for Public Speaking

2010-11-29T06:44:00.000-08:00

It seems to me that the main reason why people get anxious about speaking in public is that they are not sure what is expected of them. Here are 15 tips to help dispel that anxiety by making sure you are well prepared.

These tips will help you feel confident that you know your stuff, and also that you know why and how it will be relevant to your audience.

Tip 1: Imagine you are speaking just to me and answer this question: What do you want me to know?

Tip 2: Why should I care about what you want me to know?

Tip 3: Why do I need to hear it from YOU? What's your special connection with the message?

Tip 4: Would you pay to hear YOU speak?

Tip 5: Record your voice and ask yourself and some close friends if your voice is attractive.

Tip 6: What's your reason for speaking? Money? Influence? Ego? Passion? Just be clear about it.

Tip 7: When you have credible answers to tips 1-6, write your Core Message (the 'carry away') in a single sentence.

Tip 8: Develop your message in 3 streams of argument or thought, e.g. Problem / Consequence / Solution.

Tip 9: Decide on your call to action. What do you want people to do when you have finished speaking?

Tip 10: Create an opening 'Hook' -- something unexpected or dramatic that grabs attention right at the start.

Tip 11: Write out and learn your opening and closing paragraphs. Just use prompts for the rest, to sound more natural.

Tip 12: Decide on the 'point of arrival' or climax of your speech or presentation and build up the energy to that point.

Tip 13: Practise in front of a mirror or camcorder. Watch your gestures and body language.

Tip 14: When you are confident of your text, answer (aloud) the questions in Tips 1-3.

Tip 15: Unless you are in a speech contest, don't try to give a world class performance. Just be sincere and passionate.

For more detailed help, go to www.pkpcommunicators.com or call 0845 165 9240 (local rates).

Phillip

When you are chasing payment

2010-11-24T02:24:00.000-08:00

In the twilight zone of credit control, there has always been some ambivalence in the attitude taken by companies towards their customers. On the one hand, they cannot afford to alienate customers, and on the other hand they cannot afford bad debts. This uncertainty is revealed in the stock phrases that commonly occur in letters chasing payment:

• We thank you for your valued custom
• Failure to settle your account could result in suspension of service
• Your account is delinquent
• If you have paid within the past 7 days please ignore this letter and we apologise for troubling you

One reason for the strangulated language is that these letters have almost never been written by a copywriter. They were drafted by someone in credit control whose focus is debt recovery not customer relations, and they cannot usually see the connection.

Copywriters have a persuasive reflex. Their task is to get you to like their clients' companies and their offerings. They want to win you over, create that warm glow, develop the relationship.

Credit control people are focused on the figures. "You owe us money, we are not your bankers, you are holding things up" is what they really want to say. Such an attitude is in conflict with the concept of customer relations.

When I was Senior Copywriter at Reader's Digest, London, I volunteered to re-write the entire portfolio of credit control letters. As my main job was to write the music mailings and prize draws, my reflex was already pro-customer. I was therefore able to make both sets of letters congruent. Payment reminders started with the same tone of voice as the sales letters, and that made all the difference.

If you want someone's business, why would you ever use terms like "delinquent"? Why would you threaten to suspend service (e.g. mobile phones) and remind them that you hold the power to affect their business? It changes the flavour of the relationship, probably forever.

So my advice to all credit control departments is to integrate their communications with the marketing efforts. And employ a copywriter.

Phillip

Get more from those networking meetings

2010-11-12T02:37:00.000-08:00

If you are reading this, you have indicated an interest in Networking. But are you getting enough from the process?

Let’s start with what you bring to the party. First, can you state your own USP in 10 words or less?

When you go networking, i.e. when you meet people in the flesh, you need a clear understanding of the value you could offer to those you meet. You don’t have to wear it on your sleeve, but you need it on the tip of your tongue, in case you are asked. And you will be asked.

Second, what’s your offer? How do you describe it? Most people describe it in a fairly literal way, as though they were listing all the parts in a car’s engine. That approach is guaranteed to lose your listener in about 10 seconds flat.

At a Networking function I met a man who told me his business was to provide a different kind of online shopping process. He described what happens when you wish to buy certain kinds of products online, and how he provides choice and an agreeable experience.

After some questioning from me we identified the real benefit, which was the ‘lifelike shopping experience’ as distinct from ‘online buying’. So when I re-worked his Elevator Speech, starting with the ‘experience’, he realized that he needed to think differently about his company’s offering.

So what’s your offer? What’s the main benefit it delivers to your customers? What’s the ‘pain’ it removes? Identify that, work out a 15-second statement about it, relating it to a typical customer’s needs, and you’ll get much more interest.

Here’s my own USP in under 10 words: I can help you get your point across convincingly. And whenever I have the opportunity to state that, I immediately ask, “Tell me what you do.” My focus is always on the person I meet.

There’s more. I have put my ideas in a brief e-book called “Getting More from Networking Meetings”. Send me an email with Networking in the subject line and I’ll email you a pdf of the book. Free of charge.

Please also write Yes please if you will allow me to send you relevant information on verbal communication from time to time.

Phillip

18 Top Tips for Copywriting

2010-11-11T04:36:00.000-08:00

Copywriting is much more than joined-up writing. It's the skill of persuasion in print.

Whether you do your own copywriting or get someone else to do it for you, here are 18 things you need to know.

1. Write headlines that offer the main benefit clearly. Don't try to be smart, clever or tricksy. Or even 'intriguing'.

2. The public is not your market. It contains your market. So allow readers to decide quickly if you are speaking to them.

3. Advertising is selling in print. If it doesn't sell, it isn't good advertising.

4. Your advertising is a salesman. A mediocre salesman affects only part of your business. Mediocre advertising affects it all.

5. Put your prospect into your headline, e.g. MEN! Can you grip spare flesh around your waist?

6. Make your headline specific, e.g. Here's a 7-step low-cost way to double sales.

7. Don't hide behind facts. They are neutral until they have been interpreted. Then they become information.

8. Follow the sequence of persuasion. AIDA usually works. That's Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.

9: Use the language of daily speech, as if you were selling face-to-face. Read your text aloud. Would you speak like that to a prospect?

10: In a sales letter, always have a PS, and put your special offer in there. Everyone reads the PS. Headline, PS, signature. That's what we read.

11: Avoid analogies. If you write, "Like a Constable painting, our resort is peaceful ...", people don't make the connection. They think you are selling Constables.

12: Use a 2-line subhead under the headline to increase readership. The subhead extends the promise of the headline.

13: Limit your opening paragraph to 12 words. You need to reel them in gently. The sight of a long opening para will turn people off.

14: For a direct response ad, you have 3.2 seconds to answer 3 questions: What is it? Is it for me? How do I get it? It has been measured.

15: Always test. Write 2 approaches to the offer, and test them against each other before rolling out. Then use the stronger one and test against that.

16: For email marketing, always use a salutation, even though the medium is less formal than letter writing. Use their names! Just don't overdo it, or it will seem patronising.

17: Long or short copy? Make it as long as it takes to tell the story without needless repetition. First write what you want to say, then edit.

18: Avoid long words. Do a character count, and take an average. You should average under 5 characters per word for plain speaking.

Above all, remember these three things about copywriting:
1. You need to persuade, so follow the disciplines of persuasion
2. Use the language of the common man
3. It's good only if it sells

Phillip

What the Chancellor could (and should) have said

2010-10-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

George Osborne's problems may have been avoided by a different approach to speech writing. His announcement that he is withdrawing child benefit from the better off was worthy but poorly expressed. This is what he could have said instead:

One of the central planks of Conservative thinking is self-reliance. It is also one of the qualities that made this nation great in the past, and it is one of the qualities we stand in danger of losing. Fortunately, it has not died as yet.

Let me tell you about Sarah Robertson. Sarah and her three children were abandoned by her husband, who left them with huge debts that he could not face. She could have carried on living as before, increasing her debt, she could have gone bankrupt, she could have relied on the State to bail her out. Instead, she decided to do none of those things.

She gave up her comfortable life style, she started a small business, she took her children out of their expensive schools, and she made arrangements to pay back the debt, a little at a time. She is still doing so. She is paying for a debt she did not create, but she doesn't feel sorry for herself, and she knows that she can resume her comfortable middle class lifestyle at some point in the future.

Sarah Robertson is a symbol of the state this country is in, and we need to follow her example.
When we came to power in May, we found the cupboard bare, except for a pile of IOUs. We saw that Britain was, and is, in serious trouble. The previous government have left us with debts so huge that it would cost every man, woman and child £XXX,000 to repay. We have to pay it back. We cannot go bust, we cannot be like Greece and expect the EU to bail us out.

Every one of us has to share in the recovery. Will you do it? Will you share in the pain? Will you join with me in a programme that not only gets us out of the debt but which will get us back among the leading economies of the world? I'm going to ask you to accept some changes, to make some contributions that will hurt.

We will have to cut State spending. We will have to reduce State benefits. But the guiding principle will be this: we will help those who need help, and we will ask those who do not need help from the State to forgo the benefits you do not need. I know it will not be pleasant, I know you will feel you are paying for a debt you did not create, but there is no other way.

We are a party and a government that believes in self reliance. Like Sarah Robertson, we will take charge of our lives, and we will pay back the debt. That's what I am asking you to help me with. Will you do it?

Phillip (0845 165 9240)

The start of the Saatchi story

2010-09-09T03:15:00.000-07:00

Forty years ago this Sunday, the Saatchi brothers announced their arrival on the advertising scene with a full page ad in The Sunday Times.

It aroused attention for three reasons:

1. Ad agencies didn't advertise themselves in those days
2. Layout: there was a headline and two solid columns of type. No pics.
3. The ad criticised the failure of a cigarette ad in colour

The headline ran: Why it's time for a new kind of advertising, and spoke of the need to follow the sequence of persuasion (AIDA). The cigarette ad in question had appeared in the Daily Express in colour (a new medium in those days) but had not done well.

Although the paper had not been named, the Directors of Beaverbrook newspapers (owner of the Daily Express) got their knickers in a twist, and were wondering how to respond. I was on The Evening Standard, and wrote a reply -- a full page ad in the same two-column layout, headed: Yes it is time for a new kind of advertising.

It appeared in The Evening Standard the following Friday under my own name.

The switchboard rang me during the day to say that someone called Saatchi had rung to ask if there really was a Phillip Khan-Panni, or was it a made-up name? I thought that was a bit rich, coming from someone called Saatchi! But I returned their call and spent an interesting half hour with the brothers at Golden Square, drinking Schloer.

In a sense, I suppose I had helped their cause by extending interest in their launch ad. I wonder if they remember.

Phillip

Sounding off?

2010-08-30T02:07:00.000-07:00

Listening to Classic FM as I work, I have become conscious of the effect of a change of sound. The music itself creates a mood that could be jolly, contemplative or simply relaxed. But there are interruptions. Three in particular.

The first occurs when the tuning slips. This creates a rising tension, despite the smooth, gentle music that may be playing, and I have to rise and give the dial a little twist. Of course this only applies to radios that do not have automatic selection.

When this happens, it forces me to switch my attention from my writing and to the radio. It also makes me consider the lesson it offers: in relationships, if the tuning is slightly off, if we are not on the same wavelength, there is tension even if all the other ingredients are fine.

The second interruption comes from the ad breaks. I have never understood why music stations do not exercise some editorial control over the sounds of the ads they broadcast. In the midst of a programme of refined music, there could be a raucous sales pitch that lowers the tone. Even as I was writing this, a typical example was broadcast!

A similar experience occurs in, for example, networking meetings. You could be enjoying a conversation with an interesting new acquaintance, when someone wanders up and cuts in, disturbing the rhythm of the moment. Are we guilty of such insensitivity ourselves, I wonder?

The third interruption occurs when the programme announcer or DJ (is that what they are called on Classic FM?) speaks at the end of a piece, and introduces the next one, or when there is a break for news. Here too, I notice the quality of the speaker's voice.

Sometimes this station's 'classical' music is served up by someone who sounds like a pub barman reading out the day's specials from the blackboard. It jars. And it gets in the way of the information being imparted.

Isn't that also the case when we hear a speech or business presentation? We may want to hear the information being presented, but the speaker's voice may get in the way. The voice is the vehicle for our spoken business messages, whether it is from the platform, across a desk or over the phone.

What I do is to make people aware of the importance of the voice, and show them how to sound better. It certainly makes the message so much more attractive.

Phillip

Is it you ... or someone else?

2010-08-18T05:08:00.001-07:00

In April 1969, Robin Knox-Johnston became the first man to circumnavigate the world non-stop and single handed. Throughout the '70s his exploits continued to raise his profile. At about the same time, his brother, Richard, was making a name for himself as a speaker.

He was booked for an event that I attended. Like many others in the room, I had heard of Robin but not of Richard, and he knew that. His opening line was, "Hands up anyone who was expecting Robin." At the time, I wondered if the event organiser raised his hand!

The American motivational speaker, Les Brown, tells of the time he was invited to speak at a venue that featured Pat Boone as the main attraction. The place was packed. And when the MC announced him, the applause rang out. Les walked on stage and the applause died! The audience was expecting Les Brown and his Band of Renown.

Les says, "I didn't say anything. I just walked around for a bit, then I said, "Surprise!"

Another time he was invited to speak to an audience of people with endless degrees in psychology. He himself has had no college education and in fact was labelled Educable Mentally Retarded at school. "But," as he put it, "they invited me. And I accepted."

The event's chairman introduced him as "Dr Les Brown", and Les interrupted him, saying, "I'm not Dr Les Brown." The chairman then suggested he introduce himself. So he told the audience, "Not only am I not Dr Les Brown, but I am Educable Mentally Retarded!" There was a thud as the chairman's head hit the table. But Les soon had his listeners humming.

I've also been mistaken for someone else. In the days when I had a high profile in the newspaper business, I was contacted by a trade delegate from a Far Eastern embassy in London. He invited me and my wife to dinner. As the dinner progressed, it became clear to me that he thought I was my elder brother, who was then a prominent financial journalist. But I enjoyed the dinner all the same.

My point about mistaken identity is that we should not make the mistake about ourselves. If we accept the impression others may have of us and try to fit the mould, we'll be uncomfortable and likely to fail. I believe we should start by being clear about who and what we are, make it our business to let others know, and aim to succeed as the persons we are, not as the persons they may want us to be.

Phillip

Our doubts are traitors

2010-07-25T04:48:00.000-07:00

I think we can learn a lot about ourselves from the way we perform in sport.

A few years ago, I was given a Cricket game, after a prolonged absence from the sport. I had done well in the nets. The Club Captain, batting in an adjacent net, noticed how I moved my feet, attacked the ball, always hitting in front - no 'nurdling' for me.

I was invited to turn out for the club's Third Eleven. The team captain asked if I could bowl, and I said I could bowl medium fast. He threw me the ball and I delivered two overs in the style I had used in my prime, even though I had been bowling leg breaks in the nets.

Inevitably, my timing was off, and I couldn't find the right length. I was tempted to revert to leg breaks, but I felt obliged to stick with my offer of medium fast. Would the captain object to the switch?

Why didn't I just have a go and see what results it produced?

When it was our turn to bat, I was sent in at number 11. Last man in. From what I had seen of the previous batsmen, I knew I was better than half of them, but now it was up to me to prove it.

The first ball I faced was delivered at about 75 m.p.h., on the leg side, perfect for a 'leg glance' or for a half step forward and an 'on drive' over the head of the fielder at mid on. I did neither.

With feet firmly planted, I drove the ball along the ground, straight to mid on, and set off on a suicidal run. It was an easy run out, so I just carried on past the umpire and back to the pavilion.

Why had I thrown away my wicket? I justified it by saying that I had wanted to return the strike to the other batsman, the man whose eye was in, but the reality was something different. I think I was reluctant to stay in the firing line and be tested.

When I didn't change my bowling, it was because I was trapped by expectations. How often do we stay in our usual roles, keep doing what we've always done, simply because we feel it's what we are expected to do? Why not just take a chance on something different, use a talent we may not have shown before, break free and see what develops?

The batting suicide was about avoiding the risk of exposure. If I had stayed longer at the crease, each ball I faced would have been a challenge and, although I had the skill, my self-confidence was not at the same level.

I see the same thing happening in business, especially with enterprises that find themselves stalled because of the leader's reluctance to commit. Shakespeare got it right when he wrote:

Our doubts are traitors
And make us lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt.

PKP

Who speaks for your business?

2010-07-20T08:40:00.001-07:00

If your first response was to think of the CEO, Chairman or some other top person, please pause and think again.

I recently went for an eye test, returning to Specsavers in Bromley, where I got my previous specs. I was greeted warmly by Sanchoy, the dispensing opticians whose professionalism last year prompted my return. I told him so and, with a happy laugh, he called out my remarks to the store manager, who said something like, "That's what we like to hear" and returned to staring out of the door.

Who was speaking for Specsavers?

I contacted a car repair shop to ask about some remedial re-spray work and was told, "We only do MGs, and sometimes some other sports cars. If we want to. We have so much work."

Would you give them any business?

I rang a well-known organisation that sells things online. When eventually I managed to speak to a person, she told me, in her Sarf Lunnon voice, "If you wanna order anyfink you have to do it online."

Who was speaking for the company?

When certain organisations started painting "How am I driving?" on their vans, they were trying to integrate every public contact with their expensively created image. They were also, subtly, telling their drivers to behave as representatives of a public-friendly organisation. The message bypassed the Sainsbury driver who was competing with other traffic this afternoon in Sydenham.

Every single person who is in contact with your public is the one who speaks for your business, and is the one who determines how your business is perceived in the market place. In some ways, more than the Chairman, the MD or CEO, the PR company, or the sales team. Because it is the attitude shown in day-to-day transactions that will matter more than polished presentations or Press Releases.

Every surly shop assistant, every curt telephone manner, every unhelpful tax inspector or restaurant waiter, reveals a serious training need. In these days of harsh economics, who can afford to ignore it?

Phillip

6-point plan for the brand that's You

2010-07-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

In these competitive times, it is increasingly important for us all to distinguish ourselves from our competitors. It applies equally to those in corporate life as to those in business for themselves.

Here's a 6-point plan for getting ahead of the pack.

1. Know what you do - for others. Yes, it is important to know what you do, but don't focus inward. I say a bit more about this under Point 6, but your starting position is to consider what your market wants, and how you can be of commercial benefit to others.

2. Identify a pain that you can remove. Is there a weakness that your customers encounter, to which you have the solution. Focus your 'offering' on magnifying the pain and then showing how you can remove it. You then become the long-awaited Solution.

3. Do something right. Apart from removing a pain, there could be something positive that you could do, something that adds to the collective good, something that no one else has thought of doing.

4. Mix with the right people. We all need reinforcement, and we get that from like-minded people, whose own thinking reassures us that we are on the right track. If you network, be selective and don't commit to regular meetings that lead nowhere. If you don't feel uplifted after spending time with certain people, and if they don't understand the things you say, it may be time to move on. Remember, too, that we are judged by the company we keep.

5. Drop the toxic folk. Some people are just plain bad for you. Maybe they are chronically negative, maybe they don't respond well to your enthusiasms, maybe they drag you down in other ways. Leave them to the professional therapists and move along. Don't let them infect your mind or use up your energy.

6. Project your one defining benefit. What's the ONE thing that defines you and distinguishes you from the following pack? Spend time finding out. Get feedback from those you trust. Challenge your first thoughts about it. Then make it the core of your business offerings and everything you say about yourself.

For example, I work with words. I write and deliver speeches and presentations, and I write books about verbal communication. I help others with their speeches and presentations. The central factor is a way with words that gets results. No verbal wallpaper.

So my focus is: Words that Work.

What's yours?

What makes a speech or presentation succeed

2010-06-25T14:34:00.000-07:00

I was recently approached by a friend to evaluate a speech she had prepared. It was good, well written and full of interesting content. But it wasn't a speech. It was, in effect, a spoken essay.

I told her that the text that's written to be said is different from the text that's written to be read.

An article printed in a magazine or newspaper allows you to read at your own pace, go back and read again the bits you didn't get the first time, memorise the things you want to retain. Listening to a speech is different. You hear it all just once, at the speaker's pace, and there is no instant rewind.

The speaker needs to be aware of this, and make it easy for the listener to get the point. Another consideration is the fact that our concentrations spans are very short, perhaps as little as seven seconds. Every seven seconds our minds switch to something else, so we are not paying attention all the time. (Even as you read this, you have had extraneous thoughts swim into your mind.)

For the speech or presentation to succeed, the speaker should have a purpose: it must be to bring about some change in the thinking, attitude or behaviour of the listener(s). That change can only come about if there is 'buy in' on the part of the listener, which implies some emotional response.

For a speech to achieve its purpose, there needs to be a certain type of structure, the use of repetition, and some oratorical devices. Oratory is about pressing the emotional buttons of the audience, so that they become interested, then excited, and finally enthusiastic about your proposition.

Think of the famous speeches that you remember: JFK, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Winston Churchill. Think of the memorable phrases in those speeches, and note the devices - repetition, triads, mini climaxes and so on. These are the powerful elements that help the speaker to reach into the hearts of their hearers.

Public speaking is much more than amplified conversation. It's a craft. It takes skill. It can be taught.

Marching to the sound of a different drum

2010-06-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

There's a rash of St George's flags everywhere, even mounted on cars. But at England's (sorry, Ingerlund's) opening game, only about three of the players sang the National Anthem.

When players are chosen for the national team (in any sport), why don't they learn and sing the Anthem? They seem to be marching to the sound of a different drum.

Consider the commentary during and after the match. Experts in the studio said England played well and complimented the team's passing. I saw it differently. I saw the ball repeatedlly kicked into space, where the Americans collected it and mounted another attack. I saw the England players unable to reclaim the ball from the Americans.

I saw the England backs passing the ball aimlessly across the field to each other, especially in the final ten minutes when they should have been trying energetically for another goal. I saw reactive play, rather than planned attacks.

Could it be that the commentators were allowing their partisanship to cloud their judgement? Could it be that the England players are not fully committed to the England cause? Could it be that we need a unifying factor, like the Mandela effect at the Rugby World Cup, to inspire our players to strive valiantly for victory or die in the attempt?

There is some powerful energy floating about, but it needs proper channelling if it is to bring about success on the field of play. I think it is called Leadership.

Dealing with the fear of public speaking

2010-03-11T02:10:00.000-08:00

I’ve been reading what others have written about the fear of public speaking, and feel that they mostly miss the mark. Some still parade the preposterous claim that public speaking is feared more than death, which ranks with the misquoted Mehrabian statistics (55-38-7).

There’s a lot of reassurance about audiences wishing you well, and advice on being prepared and deep breathing techniques. Some even describe the symptoms you are likely to encounter when the spotlight falls on you. Is that helpful?

As one who has spoken to audiences ranging from half a dozen to 3,000, I can tell you that there will always be anxiety ... unless you really don’t care, and that’s when audiences will start to turn away from you. So I analysed my own experiences and realised that there is a common factor linking fear of public speaking and delivering a poor performance.

Since you are probably clear about the former (and may have experienced it yourself) let me explain the latter. Think back. Have you ever seen or heard a speech or presentation given by a celebrity or politician that may have been fluent but failed to impress you? Was there something lacking in the sound of their voice? That’s the clue.

I have just watched a ‘Motivational’ YouTube clip by a well-known former athlete. He says all the right words, but it does not inspire or ignite. Why? Because he lacks conviction. Then I watched a clip of Al Pacino in a film. Even in the quiet opening moments, he spoke like he expected to be heard, and once he was in his stride he was compelling. That same conviction and authority are evident in Barack Obama’s campaigning speeches.

Now how does that relate to fear of public speaking? Simply this: when you have something to say, something you believe in, something you really want others to hear, understand and accept, fear will disappear. It will be replaced by a certain nervous energy that will actually enhance your delivery. It’s the quality that can dispel the fear of public speaking, and help any public performance reach the hearts of the hearers.

Can it be learned? Yes it can. It’s what I develop in the people I coach. It’s an essential element in the voice of leadership, it’s what business leaders and politicians need to have. It’s what will make the difference in the General Election on May 6th, especially in the marginal constituencies. But will the political parties listen?

Valentine's Day -- Indian version

2010-03-04T00:10:00.000-08:00

Here’s the Indian version.

It is said that the Gujeratis (Patels) are notorious for treating their wives badly. One day, a certain Patel wife had had enough, and she beat up her husband with the rolling pin (called a Velan). It happened to be 14th February.

When other Patel women heard about it they copied her, and on the anniversary of her first reverse beating she (and other Patel wives) celebrated by beating up their husbands again.

The husbands decided to avoid future beatings on 14th February by giving their wives chocolates and flowers on what had become known as Velan Time Day.

When the practice spread to Britain, the name was anglicised to Valentine’s Day.

So now you know.

Make your mark -- memories are short

2010-02-21T07:44:00.001-08:00

Whatever your field of expertise, make your mark, and ensure that you are not overlooked. Too often you are like a stick in a pail of water, standing out while you are there, but once you leave, the ripples quickly subside, leaving no evidence of who you were or what you did. Unless you change the colour of the water.

Ten years ago, some half a dozen speakers, including myself, started the Professional Speakers Association (PSA). I was the Marketing Director for the first four years, promoting membership and building up the organisaton itself. Much of the work I did was behind the scenes, in helping to formulate policies and strategies and ensuring that they were carried out. As any director would.

We were too democratic. Instead of retaining ownership, we decided to let the PSA be owned by its members. Bad mistake.

In recent times I have not been involved with the PSA, except to attend the occasional meeting. About a month ago I received an invitation to join one of the groups (just like the Ecademy clubs), and automatically accepted.

To my amazement, last week I received a message from someone who may be the group's facilitator, saying that he had read my profile but could not find any information about my speaking activities or my connection with the PSA. I replied simply that I was one of the handful of people who founded the PSA.

What would you have done?

Phillip

What's in the food you eat?

2010-02-19T04:22:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I saw the film, Food Inc. and if you haven't seen it yet, I urge you to find it. It will change the way you think about the food you eat.

Very simply, it's a fine piece of investigative journalism on the misuse of power by the food industry in the US. Some of those practices almost certainly exist in Britain and the EU. They are doing you harm.

Two things, in particular, bothered me about the film's content. One, it revealed how much danger we are in from the way animals are factory-processed for our consumption. The other was the way that five or six major food corporations dominate the industry, exploiting and intimidating their suppliers (farmers) in a so-called free society.

On the first point, did you know that 'ground beef' (mince) prepared for commercial hamburgers seems to have contained every bit of the animal parts, including those you would throw away yourself? And did you know that cattle raised for beef stand all day in deep piles of their own manure, which is barely washed off when they are slaughtered, so that it affects (and even infects) the meat that goes on sale? And did you know that the millk you drink probably contains the pus from infected teats and traces of cow dung?

The film also told the story of a healthy young boy who ate a hamburger and was dead within 12 days. His mother has been campaigning for something to be done to prevent it happening again. E-coli is being bred into foodstuffs, and the food companies don't seem to care.

You don't want to know about the way chickens are reared. It's all driven by money.

You think it doesn't happen here? Well, I feed my local foxes on well-known brands of dog food which I buy in major supermarkets. Quite often they walk right past the food and refuse to eat it. A friend has a cat that similarly ignores the tinned food she puts out. Why do you suppose that is?

Could it be that the carcasses of diseased farm animals are used for pet food? What else is in the processed food we buy? Start reading labels and see how much 'real' food you are getting, and how much is some form of corn derivative. And start taking notice of the conditions in which farm animals are kept before slaughter. You may never eat meat again.

So what can we do about it? Well, consider what happened to the tobacco industry. Laws were introduced to protect us from the effects of tobacco smoke because of people power. Buy organic food. Raise this as an issue at the General Election. Vote for those who promise to expose bad practices in food preparation.

You have the power. Time to use it.

Phillip

What is happening to Whom in Britain?

2010-02-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

I was having dinner in San Diego with a retired English teacher, when he rather cleverly asked me, "What is happening to whom in England?" I knew he meant "What is happening to the use of the word 'whom'?" so I replied that it was hardly used at all, except incorrectly.

Here's an example: I contacted John Smith whom I believe is the man in charge. It's a common error, caused by the parenthetical phrase 'I believe'. Take out that phrase and you'll know it's right to say "who is the man in charge".

We continued talking about common mistakes in English, and exchanged notes on the following:

As a valued customer we can offer you ... Is the valued customer making the offer? Should have been "As you are a valued customer, we can offer you ..." or (better) "Because you are a valued customer ..."

Your alright. Should be You're all right. You're sounds like Your, but here it stands for You are. And 'all right' is the correct form, as two words. 'Alright' is one of those abuses that are gaining acceptance just because so many people use it.

Celebrating it's anniversary. The possessive form is 'its'. 'It's', with the apostrophe, means 'it is.'

Between 12pm and 1pm. There is no such time as 12p.m. Or 12 a.m. either. It is 12 noon or 12 midnight.

This mitigates against them recommending you. Some words are used in error instead of another word that sound similar. Mitigates means 'making less bad', so perhaps the speaker means 'militates', which means 'being a powerful factor in preventing something'.

XYZ ups the anti on driving skills. This is another example of the previous error. It should have been "ups the ante." The word means the bet a player makes when gambling (Latin for 'before').

He span around. The past tense of 'to spin' is 'spun'.

It was given to my friend and I. This is another version of 'between you and I'. Should be 'given to my friend and me'.

These common mistakes in English can result in the user being considered ill-educated, and create an unfavourable impression. Two excellent reference books on this topic are Usage and Abusage by Eric Partridge (Penguin) and The Right Word at the Right Time from Reader's Digest.

Phillip Khan-Panni
www.pkpcommunicators.com

Could this be why Murray lost?

2010-02-01T05:05:00.000-08:00

The Times this morning is full of reports and analysis of the Australia Open and Andy Murray's failure to end a 74 drought of Grand Slam victories by a British male. One of the journalists wrote that Murray brought his A game but lost because he did not also bring his A service.

I think he was watching a different match from the one I saw.

In my view, Murray played reactive tennis -- a feature of his natural style. He seemed to be waiting for Federer to make an error, and when Federer played a soft slice, he responded with his own soft slice. Only in the third set, which he needed to win, did he come out and play with the kind of intensity that wins matches. He nearly won that set, and he played some of his best tennis in the tie break, when his motivation was finally at the right level.

So what can we learn from that?

Federer was in charge. He deployed his own resources, he dictated the plays, he made his opponent respond to what he was doing. Murray seldom took the initiative. He has the talent (the means), he has the technique (the method), but he fell short on motivation or mindset.

Means, method, mindset -- the 3Ms that provide the chance of success at the top.

Some unfortunate names

2009-12-19T16:03:00.000-08:00

Some people have names they regret. Some business names convey the wrong impression. Here are a few I have collected. Do you have any you could add?

RESTAURANTS

FU KING Chinese Restaurant in Lake City, Florida.
Kum Den Restaurant in Melbourne, Australia.
My Dung Restaurant in Rosemead, California.
Chinese Food Takeaway - Fu Do, in Bromley, Kent
Gassey Jack's near Orange City, Florida.
Hitler's Cross in Mumbai, changed its name after residents objected
Sar's Oriental Cuisine, Tacoma, Washington
McWanks's in Watson Lake, Yukon, Canada
Colon Restaurant, Barcelona, Spain
Bang a Dong in Metro, Atlanta
Cabbages and Condoms in Thailand

PEOPLE

Kim Yoo Suk is a pole vaulter
Chew Kok is a tourist guide
Sue Yoo is a lawyer in New York
Dr Ted Kadivar is a Florida surgeon
Dr Melvin Boner is an Endodentist in Florida
Dr Alden Cockburn is a urologist in New Mexico
Brad Slaughter is a Meat Manager
Karl Thojntxhebvwg is a Mortgage Consultant
Oliver Loser stood for election in Denmark
Willie Stroker was a judge at an outdoor event
Mike Litoris is an American
Rusty Kuntz plays baseball for the Detroit Tigers
Robert G. Aycock does plastic surgery
Dr Will Tickle is a chiropractor

CARS

Mazda LaPuta = The whore
Mitsubishi Pajero = Wanker
Nissan Moco = booger (nose picking)
Buick LaCrosse = masturbating teenagers (in Quebec)
Opel Ascona = vagina
Honda Fitta = vagina
Daihatsu Charade = just pretending
Dodge Swinger = so '70s!
Lamborghini Reventon = wheel puncture
Mazda Furai = stealing (in Romanian)

Sources: 2leep.com and oddee.com

I deal in words that work. If you want to be sure of getting it right, contact me.

PKP
www.pkpcommunicators.com

Think 'local' when doing business abroad

2009-12-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Many a contract has been lost by not knowing how things are done locally. If you do business abroad, you need to have an understanding of how meetings are run out there ... and why.

The Western way is to start with a sliver of small talk, and then to get on with the agenda. It's well documented how Americans have flown abroad to do the business, sign the contracts, and get off home before the day is done, only to find that the locals cannot (will not) move so fast ... unless the Americans make big concessions!

It is equally well known that Arabs and other Easterners take offence when they are expected to get down to brass tacks before they have had the chance to develop a relationship of trust. So what's the best way to approach business meetings with cultures that differ from your own?

In some countries in Africa and Asia, formal meetings take a long time and frequently seem to achieve nothing - nothing that is obvious to the Western eye. It is their custom to allow and even encourage everyone present to say something on every topic that arises, even if what is said is hardly worth the breath.

It gives each person present a sense of self worth and is, in effect, a confirmation of their right to be at the meeting. It's an affirmation of status, even if the decision is eventually made by the senior person present, no matter what anyone else might say.

To get the result you want, you must be patient and fit in with the local ways. Find out what the purpose of the meeting is, and who are the really important people there. It is better to err on the side of generosity, and give a person more respect than he may deserve, rather than less.

The former may lose you nothing, while the latter may lose you everything.

PKP

What makes a speech or presentation succeed

2009-12-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

I was recently approached by a friend to evaluate a speech she had prepared. It was good, well written and full of interesting content. But it wasn't a speech. It was, in effect, a spoken essay.
I told her that the text that's written to be said is different from the text that's written to be read.

An article printed in a magazine or newspaper allows you to read at your own pace, go back and read again the bits you didn't get the first time, memorise the things you want to retain. Listening to a speech is different. You hear it all just once, at the speaker's pace, and there is no instant rewind.

The speaker needs to be aware of this, and make it easy for the listener to get the point. Another consideration is the fact that our concentrations spans are very short, perhaps as little as seven seconds. Every seven seconds our minds switch to something else, so we are not paying attention all the time. (Even as you read this, you have had extraneous thoughts swim into your mind.)

Those are the built-in obstacles that a speaker must overcome. But the speaker has (or should have) a purpose for making the speech or presentation: it must be to bring about some change in the thinking, attitude or behaviour of the listener(s). That change can only come about if there is 'buy in' on the part of the listener, which implies some emotional response.

For a speech to work, for it to achieve its purpose, there needs to be a certain type of structure, the use of repetition, and some oratorical devices. Think of the famous speeches that you remember: JFK, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Winston Churchill. Think of the memorable phrases in those speeches, and note the devices - repetition, triads, mini climaxes and so on. These are the powerful elements that help the speaker to reach into the hearts of the hearers.

Being able to write in prose is not enough ... unless your PROSE stands for Purpose, Relevance, Oratory, Structure and Energy. And that's the message in my Masterclass, How to Make a Speech Worth Hearing. Saturday at The PSA London Chapter.

Get in touch.

Don't look at me in that tone of voice

2009-11-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

Don't look at me in that tone of voice,
It smells a funny colour.

It's a popular saying from way back, and it carries a lot more meaning than at first appears. "That tone of voice" implies a critical note, and one that causes offence. Equally, you can convey much more than the words you use, through the way you speak. As Louis Armstrong sang, "It ain't what you say, it's the way that you say it."

The way you use your voice can make you persuasive and plausible, or it can lose you business. It can inspire people to follow you or it can distance people from you. Unfortunately, too many people cause upsets without realising it, just through their tone of voice.

Does it matter? Only if you want people to like you.

Can you do anything about your voice? Almost certainly. It depends on two things: your mental attitude and certain physical changes. I'll come to those in a moment, but first let's consider a couple of situations in which the tone of voice has mattered.

I was running a training session in which I introduced the idea of the Elevator Speech. It's something I do very frequently, and I usually do it the same way. I start by asking all the delegates present "What do you do?" and inevitably they give me their job titles. I then jokingly say, "That's so BORING!" and they all laugh. Not this last time, though.

There must have been something on my mind as I said it, and it upset the people there. Later they said I had been rude. Whatever had been on my mind, it changed my tone of voice. Everything else was exactly as it has always been - or so I thought. But that slight, almost imperceptible change in my tone, made it sound as though I was being rude instead of funny.

Consider how you might sound on the phone.

A customer calls and asks a question. You are a bit busy, but you want to be helpful, so you give what you consider to be an efficient answer, to the point and without wasting the caller's time. You think you've done a good job. The caller, on the other hand, may go away thinking you have been rather offhand, possibly even rude.

So what can you do to sound your best?

The most important starting place is in your own attitude. A New York hotel owner was once asked how she trained her staff to be nice to customers. She replied, "I don't hire people who know how to be nice. I hire nice people." Be friendly, and you'll sound friendly.

It's not advisable to develop different voices for different situations - haven't we all heard some people's "telephone voices"? But it is certainly worth developing a better sounding voice, one with credibility and authority as well as approachability. Here are a few simple techniques:

1. Keep a mirror on your desk to check if you are smiling when speaking - until it becomes a natural thing to do.
2. Practise speaking lower than usual, especially if your voice is high pitched.
3. Get feedback from trusted friends on the sound of your voice. Change what they don't like.
4. Sit up straight. Posture affects the voice.
5. Drink lots of water, especially if you do a lot of talking on the phone.
6. Practise proper breathing from the diaphragm.
7. Use the inner smile: think of some incident involving a child or an animal that always makes you want to smile. Your spirits will lift and your voice will change.
8. Put a note on your desk that reads: "Hello old friend!" to remind you to speak to everyone as you would to an old friend you haven't seen for ages.

Be friendly, show everyone respect and develop a mellifluous sounding voice. It's an unbeatable combination. And if you need help with it, email me: phillip@mainspeaker.com

PUBLIC SPEAKING: THE MIROWAVE METHOD

2009-11-02T09:39:00.000-08:00

There are two claims about public speaking that are both misunderstood and misapplied:
* The first is that speaking in public is feared even more than death.
* The second is the 7%-38%-55% set of statistics that came out of a study conducted by Dr Albert Mehrabian.

Let me ask you this: if someone held a gun to your head and made you believe your life was about to end, unless you agreed to make a speech, would you say, "Go ahead and shoot. I'd rather die than speak in public." If you genuinely believe you would, you need help, and I can recommend a caring counsellor.

Another question: can you really take leave of common sense and accept that only 7% of meaning is conveyed by the words? Read some poetry and tell me that. Recall the dramatic wartime radio broadcasts by Winston Churchill and tell me that his non-verbal communication mattered more than his words! Does an email convey only 7% of your meaning?

Dr Mehrabian made no such claims. His study concerned those situations in which the spoken words did not match other signals, when conveying feelings. Lazy people have applied the figures to all communication.

I train people in public speaking, and have never once met a person who preferred to die. But I have met people who have been misdirected by trainers who have given them formulas to follow, as though there is only one correct way to make a presentation. And I have met people who have considered my own record as a public speaker and wanted me to help them to speak like me.

My response to them is this: some trainers are like conventional ovens, but I use the Microwave Method. A conventional oven imparts its heat to the dish, but a microwave oven stimulates the dish to generate its own heat. My approach is to develop what is in each individual, to help them become the best version of themselves, not another version of me.

Because they are following their own style, but using the insights they get from me, and not just trying to remember some technique they were shown, the benefit sticks. And the credit for their improved performance belongs to them.

The Microwave Method. Created and practised by Phillip Khan-Panni. For speeches and presentations that are worth hearing. www.pkpcommunicators.com

Take charge of your own introduction

2009-08-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

On two recent occasions when I was the main speaker, I provided my own introduction in writing, in advance, to make it easier for the chairman, and to ensure that I was properly launched.

On the first occasion, the chairman printed my introduction in the day's programme and introduced me like this: "Our next speaker is Phillip Khan-Panni. You've got his details in the programme, so I'm not going to read it out. I'll just leave it to him. Phillip." I had to warm up the audience myself. 200 professionals who had never seen or heard me before.

On the second occasion the Chairman Skyped me to say, "I think I'll shorten your introduction a bit and put it in my own words." I said Please don't. He did not do a good job of reading the introduction I sent, so I shudder to think what might have happened if I'd agreed to let him do it his own way.

The purpose of an introduction is to warm up the audience, building up expectations, and launch the speaker with the full endorsement of the Chairman (who represents the organisation running the event). Most Chair persons neither understand that nor make the effort to prepare a proper introduction, so the speaker should always write and send their own introductions, taking along a spare copy on the day in case the chair person has left it at home.

Here are some guidelines.

Some Dos

What should an introduction consist of? It should:

• Engage the attention of the audience
• Raise their expectations, but not too highly
• Launch the speaker
• Mention his/her name several times
• Establish the speaker's expertise or qualifications
• State what the speaker will be talking about (speech title)
• Be brief
• Create a good impression of the speaker

Some Don'ts

Needs no introduction …The why make one? This is just lazy talk.

Without further ado …First of all, it's old fashioned. Secondly, have you considered what it means? Do really intend to say that it has been a bit of a nuisance talking about the speaker, so let's quit now? "Ado" means "difficulty, bother or fuss". Think of "Much ado about nothing".

The speaker gave me this …This undermines the speaker. It says, in effect, "I'm not taking responsibility for the good things I'm about to tell you about the speaker" and implies that the speaker is immodest.

Good lady wife …The phrase is so cringe-making. Does he have a bad wife as well? Sometimes people say "good lady" or "better half". Don't be one of them. It's a shibboleth that demeans the lady and you as well.

Put your hands together …In prayer? It's one of those dreadful clichés that have been popularised by ill-educated game show hosts on TV.

None other than …It's all a bit unnecessary, and reminds me of the introduction song to Donald Duck cartoons, which ends, "No one (pause) but Donald Duck!"

Heard he's good …Sounds like a challenge. "Heard he's good, so let's see if it's true!" It places an unfair burden of proof on the speaker, and raises the audience's expectations to an unreasonable level.

HOW to do it right (Chair person)

Consult the speaker beforehand
Obtain only Relevant info for the occasion
Consider your Opening/maintain good Order
Present speaker's Credentials
Give the Speaker/Guest Kudos
Do it with Enthusiasm
Give Title -- speech / Speaker / Topic

Finish on speaker's name, with a rising flourish: John (pause) SMITH!

EXAMPLE of correct Speaker introduction:

Our next speaker is well known to you all. I won't say he needs no introduction, because it is always a pleasure and an honour to introduce Les King, a man of many parts. He is witty, humorous, and a fascinating raconteur. When Mike Silverman appointed him Area Governor, Les said that it was proof that Mike has a sense of humour. Among his many interests is a fascination with computers and with the Internet, which he uses to communicate with Toastmasters everywhere. This evening he is going to show us how easy it is to cope with the complexities of the Internet. The title of his speech is, "Talk is cheap, but the Net is cheaper."

Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a friendly and warm welcome to our Area Governor,
Les (pause) KING!

PKP

Beware of being boring

2009-08-13T04:08:00.000-07:00

A year ago I published this Blog, but recent events have prompted me to give it another airing. I've come across some really nice people whose good intentions and underlying talent have been sidelined by their inability to get to the point, or one of the other boring symptoms listed below.

A lot of people are boring, and don't know it. It's a bit like having BO -- no one tells you, but they quickly move away! I want to tell them, but I know I would only hurt or offend them, so I hope they will read this and take remedial action.

I used to be guilty of capping stories. I thought I was merely extending the topic by adding my own experience, but others received it as capping stories. It took a female friend with the cojones to tell me about it. So let me help you to understand why you may not be making quite the impact you expect, when you attend networking meetings.

No offence is meant. On the contrary, if you recognise any of the symptoms, I hope you will make the necessary adjustments and become a person that others will want to talk to.

A bore is someone who:

•makes pronouncements on every subject that arises

•caps stories

•goes one better than everyone else

•talks too long

•is in love with the sound of their own voice

•pins you against the wall at parties or networking gatherings

•monopolises the conversation or another person

Above all, a bore is someone who seems not to be interested in what someone else says. Typically they will either interrupt before the other person has finished, or will ignore what has just been said and proceed with their own stuff.

The way to avoid being boring is always to be interested in what the other person is saying, and to make your own point sparingly. You can always elaborate if you are asked to do so, but never impose the elaboration on your listener. And beware of getting carried away if you are talking to a good listener who encourages to go on!

Try to be a good listener. It will help others to warm to you, and then they will want to know more about you.

In business, remember that boring doesn't sell!

If necessary I can help. 0845 165 9240.

An interesting way to solicit testimonials?

2009-08-05T14:41:00.000-07:00

In a business network to which I belong, a member has asked the question, "How do others perceive me?"

He lists a string of adjectives that others have applied to him and adds, "I consider these positive attributes. So why is no one buying from me?"

Over the past two months, the forum has received a stream of comments from other members, both affirming him as a worthy person and indicating what they understand his speciality to be. So he gets three benefits:

1. feedback on his profile
2. people take time to think about what he has to offer
3. they say positive things about him. Testimonials.

This week another member published an apology for having inadvertently upset other members, reminding people of his well-known good intentions and efforts to help others. The response was, predictably, a stream of positive comments (affirmations) as well as puzzled requests for details of the offence he claims to have caused.

The net result was the same as for the first member:

1. feedback on his profile
2. people take time to think about what he has to offer
3. they say positive things about him. Testimonials.

Both in their different ways were expanding their "Open" boxes in their respective Johari Windows. As you know, box no.1 is the "Open" or "Public" area -- what is known to oneself and also to everyone else. Box no.2 is the "Blind" area: stuff that is known to others but unknown to oneself (3 is Hidden and 4 is Unknown).

We can, and should, expand the Open box by soliciting feedback, and so reduce the Blind box. Member number one achieved that by asking directly for feedback. Member number two achieved the same result by apologising for some unspecified slight. You may consider that clever marketing.

What do you think?

We speak the way we think

2009-07-30T16:23:00.001-07:00

A lifetime ago I was Senior Copywriter at The Reader's Digest. And yes, we did spend a lot of time discussing the positioning of the apostrophe in Reader's.

One of my colleagues, Donald, was an Art Director in the Creative Department. Donald had an extraordinary way with words. Some of our colleagues would stuff a hankie into their mouths, with eyes streaming with tears of mirth, and rush into another office to write down some of the things he said.

Donald ranked with Spooner, Mrs Malaprop and Sam Goldwyn in his mangling of language.

He developed MS and, to raise some funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and with his permission, we published a small book of Donald's collected sayings, under the title, "My Pear Tree Has Gone Bananas". If you ever got your hands on a copy, you'd have found it was "right up your cup of tea", as Donald himself once said.

When he struggled with powerful emotions, Don would mix his metaphors. Here are a few:

This job is a right swine of a cow
It's always better talking to the horse's mouth
There was a little rat on the door
I'm caught between the devil and the frying pan

Donald liked his food, and was heard to say:

Can I have the Halibut Provencale without the garlic?
I can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday; it all goes in one ear and out the other
He comes around here and picks up all the crumbs that make up the cream

Asked about his illness, Don said:

It's all to do with the spine ... because the legs are connected to the body, and the ams are connected to the head
My legs felt like solid jelly
I feel like death rolled up
My doctor said I'm not as young as I should be

Feeling the need for emphasis, he would say:

I don't exaggerate, I do six million jobs at once
Five tenths of an inch is an inch in my language

When I coach people in the best ways to get their point across, I still remember Don calling it a disastrous success and asking, How long is a carrot?

He spoke the way he thought. Right up his cup of tea.

PKP

An ethical dilemma

2009-07-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

My friend Jane is a freelance trainer and was approached, recently, by an agency who offered her a short term teaching course at a Midlands college for (say) 20 GBP per hour. When she got to the college, the Dean told her that he had not engaged the agency to fill the post, but had advertised it on Monster for (say) 40 GBP per hour. The agency had offered to provide a tutor for (say) 35 GBP per hour, so the Dean accepted.

The Dean went on to say that he was not keen on using agencies, and had other work for Jane to do, all at 40 GBP per hour, when the short term course was over.

So, the college had no contractual obligation to the agency, and Jane's commitment was for the short term course alone, at the reduced rate of 20 GBP per hour. Should she complete the course and then accept further work direct from the college at twice the money she was getting from the agency?

What would you advise?

PKP

This book could make you feel much better

2009-07-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

By chance, I came across a book of mine in an unexpected place on the internet.

A website that offers Inspiration and Hope in Bereavement Counselling features my least serious book, Be the best Best Man and Make a Stunning Speech.

I think it came about because somewhere along the line, early publicity for the book sought to justify the double "Best" by adding a comma to the title. In a number of locations, it reads, Be the Best, Best Man and Make a Stunning Speech. Search engines have picked up "Be the Best" and bunged it into the self-help arena.

It is, of course, a self-help book, although of a different kind.

I wrote it almost as a dare. My publisher, HowToBooks, asked if I could do such a book and, naturally, I said Yes. Wouldn't you?

It has just been reprinted for the 10th time! I received my author's complimentary copy yesterday and re-read it. To my delight, I liked it a lot. If someone else had written it, I'd have said, "I wish I'd written that."

It contains Myths and Legends about the marriage ritual, jokes, quotations, and a killer section on the Duties of the Best Man, as well as detailed directions for the preparation and delivery of that all-important Best Man's speech.

At just £8.99 it's a steal! And worth a read even if you are not about to be Best Man. If you can't get it from Waterstone's or Smith's, email me and I'll sell you a copy.

White collar piracy in broad daylight

2009-07-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

When I gave a talk about better public speaking, I used the face of a clock as a mnemonic for all the essentials. Later I was approached by a chap who told me how much he enjoyed the talk and especially the clock face idea, and he said he was going to use my idea in a speech he was planning to give soon.

I have a number of 'signature' Hooks to capture the attention of my audiences. One of them is the use of Fortune Cookies, another is the 3-rope trick. It has come to my notice that another speaker has adopted both.

Back in 1985 I created the term "microwave method" to describe my approach to training. I have seen the term in use on the internet.

My friend Paul Joslin attended a speech in the Midlands in which the speaker told a sob story that Paul had heard before in America. When he later tackled the speaker about it, the man said, "I doubt anyone in that audience had been to America, so it doesn't matter."

These are just a few examples of intellectual piracy. How would you feel about your own ideas being stolen?

Did this actually happen?

2009-07-17T03:38:00.000-07:00

I have just been sent this 'true story'. Have you seen or heard it yourself?

I wonder if it actually did take place.

It is claimed to be a true story from the Japanese Embassy in the US .

A few days back, Prime Minister Mori was given some Basic English conversation training before visiting Washington to meet President Barack Obama...

The instructor told Mori Prime Minister, when you shake hands with President Obama, please say " How r u". Then Mr. Obama should say, "I am fine, and you?" Now, you should say "Me too ". Afterwards we, translators, will do the work for you."

It looks quite simple, but the truth is...

When Mori met Obama, he mistakenly said "who r u?" (Instead of "How r u?")

Mr. Obama was a bit shocked but still managed to react with humor:
"Well, I'm Michelle's husband, ha-ha... "

Then Mori replied " me too, ha-ha.. .".

Then there was a long silence in the meeting room.

What do you think?

PKP

English as she is wrote

2009-07-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

Continuing my short series on the use of language.

Different nations use English differently. Sometimes the wrong words get in the way, just because they sound like the ones intended.

I received this essay written by a candidate for a branch of the Indian Civil Service, and thought I must share it with you:

INDIAN COW

He is the cow. The cow is a successful animal. Also he is 4 footed, and because he is female, he gives milks. He is same like God, sacred to Hindus and useful to man. But he has got four legs together. Two are forwards and two are afterwards. His whole body can be utilised for use. More so the milk. Milk comes from 4 taps attached to his basement.

What can it do? Various ghee, butter, cream, curd, why and the condensed milk and so forth. And he is also useful to cobbler, watermans and mankind generally. His motion is slow only because he is of lazy species, and also his gober is much useful to farmers, plants and trees and is used to make flat cakes, in hand and drying sun.

Cow is the only animal that extricates after eating. Then afterwards she chew with his teeth whom are situated in the inside of the mouth. He is incessantly in the meadows in the grass. His only attacking and defending organ is the horns, specially so when he is got child. This is done by knowing his head whereby he causes the weapond to be paralleled to the ground of the earth and instantly proceed with great velocity forwards. He has got tails also, situated in the backyard, but not like similar animals. It has hairs on the other end of the other side. This is done to frighten away the flies which alight on his cohesive body hereupon he gives hit with it.

The palms of his feet are soft onto the touch. So the grasses head is not crushed. At night time have poses by looking down on the ground and he shouts. His eyes and nose are like his other relatives. This is the cow.

Good old Mahesh Pandey! I don't know if he got the job, but if he wants a more traditional approach to the English language, he should contact me at: phillip@pkpcommunicators.com.

PKP

Toilets on Indian trains

2009-07-15T04:13:00.000-07:00

Passion can get results, even if it comes from the humblest of sources. In the early 20th century, Indian trains had no toilets, even though the journeys were (and are) long.

Here is copy of a letter posted in the Indian Railway Museum in Delhi. It was sent by Okhil Chandra Sen in 1909 to the Sahib Ganj Divisional Office in West Bengal, after which train compartments came to have attached toilets.

Dear Sir,

I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for the train to go off and I am running with lotah in one hand and dhoti in the next when I am fall over and expose all my shocking to man and female woman on platform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station this too much bad if passenger go to make dung and that dam guard not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake otherwise I make big report to papers.

Yours faithfully servant

Okhil Chandra Sen

If you'd like help with getting results from your letter writing, speeches or presentations, contact: phillip@pkpcommunicators.com

PKP

The trouble with language

2009-07-14T01:51:00.000-07:00

Political leaders are supposed to be brilliant communicators, but if you consider the things said by George Bush, you might wonder which planet he is on. Except for the time when he said, “You can fool some of the people all of the time … and those are the ones you have to concentrate on.”

And as I was thinking about language complications, I remembered the difficulties that some very large companies have had with language.

It’s well known that when Coca Cola first ventured into China, the company had the name written phonetically in Chinese characters. They forgot that there are a number of quite different dialects in China, and in one dialect, Coca Cola meant Bite the Wax Tadpole.

Pepsi had a similar false start. The company decided to stick with their international slogan, Come Alive with Pepsi. Unfortunately, that translated into Chinese as "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave".

In Ireland there is a whiskey liqueur called Irish Mist. It is now available in 60 countries. But when they first entered the German market, sales were disappointingly low. What they hadn’t realised was that ‘mist’ is a German slang word for ‘dung’. There wasn’t a huge demand for Irish dung in Germany.

Exam papers are rich in twisted thinking. From the exam papers of medical students in America, we learn that Bacteria means the backdoor to a cafeteria, terminal illness is fall ill at the airport, and Dilate means to live long.

Exams for the Indian Civil Service have always provided a stream of answers that cannot be faulted for their logic, but which try the patience of the examiners. Some of the answers simply indicate that the candidate has understood the question in quite another way.

Here are some examples:

Question: If you throw a red stone into the blue sea, what will it become?
Answer: It will sink. Simple as that.

Question: How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
Answer: It is not a problem as you will never find an elephant with one hand.

Question: what happened when the wheel was invented?
Answer: It caused a revolution.

And finally,

Question: How can you drop a raw egg on a concrete floor without cracking it?
Answer: Concrete floors are very hard to crack.

Another fruitful source of mental gymnastics is broadcast quizzes. You really have to wonder if some of the contestants have their brains in sideways.

On BBC Radio Newcastle, Paul Wappat asked, How long did the Six Day War between Egypt and Israel last?

After a long pause, the contestant said, Fourteen days?

On Rock FM, the Presenter asked: Name a film starring Bob Hoskins that is also the name of a famous painting by Leonardo Da Vinci.

The contestant replied, Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

My brother sent me a story about the famous fictional cowboy, The Lone Ranger, who had a Red Indian partner or companion called Tonto. (Actually, it’s hard to put a name on their relationship without making it sound like they were both gays.)

Anyway, according to the story, the Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping in the desert, and fell asleep.

Some hours later, Tonto woke the Lone Ranger and said, “Kemo Sabe, look towards the sky and tell me what you see.”

The Lone Ranger whose nickname meant The One Who Knows, replied, “I see millions of stars.”

“What means that?” said Tonto.

The Lone Ranger thought for a moment, then he said, “Astronomically, it means there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

Astrologically, it means Saturn is in Leo.

Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning.

Theologically, the Lord is all powerful and we are small and insignificant.

Meteorologically, it seems we are in for a fine day tomorrow.

What does it mean to you, Tonto?”

Tonto said, “You are dumber than a buffalo. It means someone stole the tent.”

So you see, it all depends on your point of view. And I got a fine example of that in a sermon I heard in church the other day. This is the story.

An English lady vicar was due to visit Switzerland for the first time, and she didn’t know what to expect. She was particularly concerned about the toilet facilities, so she wrote and asked. Being English, she didn’t like to be too direct, so she asked if there would be a WC available to her.

Her Swiss host did not understand what a WC was, so he consulted a colleague, and together they decided it probably stood for Wayside Chapel. So he wrote back saying, “There is a very fine WC located in the nearby woods. It is large enough for about 200 people, and if there are more, the men will be standing.

"As a matter of fact, I met my wife in that WC when we were both attending a baptism ceremony there. The water is very special and if you are lucky enough to get some of it on your hands you won’t want to wash them for the rest of the day.

"I think you will enjoy the experience very much. Please let me know if it interests you and I shall reserve for you the very best seat where you can be seen by everybody.”

So you see, you may know what you want put across, but the other person my receive something different. That’s The Trouble with Language.

If you'd like help with the right language, contact me at: phillip@pkp.co.uk

Oz turned me upside down

2009-07-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

I was in a shop today and paid for my purchase with a handful of coins. The shop assistant picked up the small silver coin marked 5, turned it over and saw the Queen's head. Satisfied, she said, "Oh it's just a different design." I took the coin back and replaced it with a 5p coin and said, "Sorry, that's an Australian 5 cent coin."

The two are very similar in size and appearance, but if you look closely you will see the word "Australia" on the front. The English coin has D.G.Reg.F.D. and is fractionally smaller.

With the Ashes series about to start, the incident got me thinking about the similarity between the Brits and the Aussies. They may be superficially similar, but they are fundamentally different and therefore not interchangeable.

Something else that is different is my perception of Australia and Australians. The reason I had that coin in my pocket is that I have recently returned from my first ever visit to that country. I was in Sydney, Brisbane and the wine country, and was amazed at the beauty of the country and the friendliness of the people.

I found Australia breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly clean. I also encountered none of the brashness I had expected, nor any of the aggression that marks their performance on the playing field. I'll put that down to extreme competitiveness, an attribute I usually applaud.

My impressions of Oz have been turned upside down!

The Empty Train

2009-06-28T15:32:00.001-07:00

The empty train crept down the track,
It slid into the station.
Eight coaches long, from front to back,
It raised our expectations.

It paused, then rolled reluctantly
Towards the eight-coach mark.
We raised our heads expectantly
But every coach was dark.

Unlit inside, unwashed outside,
A nightmare, not a dream,
The prospect of a grisly ride,
Unlike the age of steam.

It shuddered, squealed, then suddenly
It picked up speed once more,
And scorning us quite openly,
It opened not one door.

The people stood and watched it go
In silent resignation,
Their Monday morning spirits low –
Commuters know their station.

10 Tips On Using Business Cards

2009-06-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

1. Exchanging business cards should ALWAYS be done with respect and decorum, whichever country you are in. It is so easy to make a cultural gaffe.

2. In Asia, offering and receiving cards is a very formal ceremony and, in a formal meeting, the cards are kept on display during the meeting. It is a good idea to place the cards you receive in a pattern that corresponds to where each person is seated, so that you can use the correct name.

3. In Asia, never casually offer your card with just one hand. Hold your card with both hands when you give it, and bow slightly.

4. Always pass it the right way up so the other person can read it immediately. This shows consideration for the other person.

5. Show respect when you receive a card by using both hands. Especially in the Far East. Look at it, study it, then put it away or on the table carefully. Do not put it into your back (hip) pocket. (Equally, do not offer an Oriental a card taken from your wallet in your back pocket.)

6. Don't write on other people's business cards

7. The Japanese like photographs on cards. These are beginning to become common in the US and UK. It is worth putting your photo on your own card -- using the same photograph as you might have opn your website.

8. Many US/UK companies are dispensing with job titles, as they are considered unnecessary. However, titles are very important in most other cultures, so use them when abroad. They signify seniority and status, both of which are important in many countries.

9. Have supplementary information or a translation on the reverse side of your card.

10. Your card represents you, so don't use tatty or out-of-date ones. Your card conveys an impression of who you are, and is the main impression that remains when you have left.

Why Speaking Louder and Slower Does Not Work

2009-06-11T02:45:00.000-07:00

"Every country has its way of saying things. The importance is that which lies behind peoples' words."
Freya Stark: 'The Journeys Echo'

To understand what lies behind the words of someone from another culture, you need cultural adaptability.

In some eastern cultures it is unsophisticated to show surprise. Someone raised that way will respond very coolly to dramatic news, let alone ordinary conversation. A westerner may well imagine that he is not 'getting through', or that the easterner has not understood. The westerner is used to his listeners responding with 'Really'? and 'Oh ah!' and nods of agreement throughout the exchange, and he is uncomfortable when his oriental listener merely nods at the end to indicate, 'Message received and understood'.

We all process information differently, and the way we do so is reflected in the language we use. However, it is important to remember which came first, the mental processes or the language. Clearly, language followed the mental processes. Or rather, the way a nation uses its language indicates how its people think. The English language, for example, can be used in more ways than one. Brits and Americans use the active voice, direct speech and action verbs. The people of Malawi tend to speak and write in the passive voice, third person, and indirect speech. The Arabs have a similar approach. Same language, different attitudes.

In communicating with other cultures, cultural adaptability is more important than language skills. You need a strong willingness to understand what it is that causes the people of another culture to think and behave the way they do. You need to 'tune in'. Cultural adaptability is about switching your communication style to facilitate understanding or to make it easier to work together. You may need to accept that other cultures need time to consider what you say before agreeing or accepting. It may strike you as resistance or even discourtesy, but it may only be the normal response in their culture.

Speaking louder and slower will only make things worse.

10 Top Tips in Visual Aids

2009-06-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Having recently been exposed to a number of information-rich Presentations (PowerPoint) I think it might be useful to re-state some basic guidelines. It is all too easy to fall into the trap of illustrating everything, and putting too much detail into slides. The result is a confusing presentation that causes people to switch off.

The most important thing to remember about visual aids is that they should assist the message, not become the message. A visual aid may be a flip chart, a slide, or some other prop. Its purpose is to aid understanding and recall. That's all. It is not a substitute for the Presenter.

PowerPoint has seduced many presenters into overdoing the number of slides. They might as well put on a video! Here are a few simple rules.

1. Each visual aid should have a single purpose -- one message.

2. How many words? Follow the 7x7 rule. No more than seven lines and no more than seven words per line. Even better is the 5x5 rule, because you have five fingers on each hand, and each finger can be used to correspond to the five bullet points, as you present.

3. A slide must be a legitimate summary of what you will be saying in that part of the presentation.

4. In general, each slide must be a brief and clear summary that can be instantly understood. Its design should not send the eye in several different directions.

5. Projected slides are the brightest objects in the room. So beware of becoming subsidiary to the screen. Unless you are describing a graph or reading a quotation, do not face the screen and read the words of your slide. Your audience can read it faster, and will resent being read to.

6. Use the visual aid to make the point, then switch it off. If you are using PowerPoint, press letter 'B' and the screen will go black. When you need the visual to reappear, press 'B' again. You will then retain attention.

7. If you are using a flip chart, write in letters at least 2 inches (5cm) high. Do not write on a flip chart for audiences of more than 25 -- those at the back will not be able to read what you write, unless you write HUGE with a broad nib marker.

8. Make sure the type on your slides is large enough to be read from every part of the room. Check in advance. Do not rely on the tolerance of your audience.

9. Use pictures. A presentation with text-only slides is visually boring.

10. Practise the presentation, so that the slide changes are slick and unnoticeable. It helps to have a print-out of the slides in front of you, so that you know what's the next slide and can lead up to it.

Finally, please remember that your focus should be on the message you want to impart - a message that arises within you, and one that you could, if necessary, put across without any slides at all. What people want from you is your Wisdom, not your PowerPoint slides.

For more help contact phillip@pkpcommunicators.com

The difference betwen communicating in writing and in person

2009-06-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

There are a few fundamental differences in the communication process when it is conducted in person, against written communication. They fall under three broad headings: language, attitude and feedback.

LANGUAGE:

The language that is written to be read is different from the language that is written to be said. The main differences are:
• Grammatical - spoken language is less correct
• Repetition - spoken language uses more repetition, while written texts let you go back and read again what you might have missed
• Sentence length - speech requires shorter sentences
• Directness - speech requires you to get to the point of a sentence quicker
• Vocabulary - written texts tend to have a higher level of vocabulary

ATTITUDE:

Written texts are usually read in the absence of the author, and their meaning is coloured by the reader, not the author. Spoken texts are always coloured by the author's delivery.

Spoken texts are more likely to be intended to influence the feelings as well as the thinking of the audience. They are therefore more likely to reveal the speaker's intentions. Written texts can be more subtle.

The speaker can use oratorical devices such as repetition and rhythm to stir the emotions. Sound adds much to the effect of words, especially if the words also make powerful pictures in the minds of the listeners.

FEEDBACK:

• The speaker can see how the audience is reacting, and adjust his/her delivery.
• The speaker can go back and explain in greater detail if necessary.
• The writer cannot take back what has been written. The speaker can (sometimes) take back what might have caused misunderstanding or offence.
The speaker can be influenced by the listener more readily than the writer by the reader.

Although there are rules in common (for example, in following the sequence of Persuasion), it is essential to treat these two forms of verbal communication differently, both in the preparation and in the delivery.

For guidance and/or coaching call me on 07768 696254.

Lost in translation

2009-05-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

Every time a text is translated from one language to another, something changes. If you translate back and forth between English and a a succession of different languages, you could quickly lose the sense of what you started to say.

Here's one example:

Original English Text:

With the recent launch of the ONETEAM plan the ELT and I thought it would be a good idea to create a dedicated forum to keep you updated on the progress we are making and, at the same time, each engagement team will have the opportunity, on a voluntary basis, to give an update on the progress they have made on their own engagement plan.

Translated to French:

Avec le lancement récent du plan d'ONETEAM le ELT et moi avons pensé
que ce serait une bonne idée de créer un forum dédié pour vous
maintenir mis à jour sur le progrès que nous accomplissons et, en
même temps, chaque équipe d'enclenchement aura l'occasion, sur une
base volontaire, de donner une mise à jour sur le progrès ils ont
accompli sur leur propre plan d'enclenchement.

Translated back to English:

With the recent launching of the plan of ONETEAM the ELT and me
thought that it would be a good idea to create a forum dedicated to
maintain you updated on progress that we achieve and, at the same
time, each team of interlocking will have the occasion, on a voluntary
basis, to give an update on progress they achieved on their own plan
of interlocking.

Translated to German:

Mit dem neuen Starten des Planes von ONETEAM das ELT und ich, die Gedanke, dass es eine gute Idee sein würde, ein Forum herzustellen, das eingesetzt wurde, um Sie beizubehalten, auf Fortschritt, den wir erzielen und gleichzeitig jedem Team des Ineinandergreifens änderte hat die Gelegenheit auf freiwilliger Basis zum eines Aktualisierungsvorganges auf Fortschritt zu geben sie auf ihrem eigenen Plan des Ineinandergreifens erzielten.

Translated back to English:

With the new starting of the plan of ONETEAM ELT and I to manufacture a forum the thought that it would be a good idea, which was used, in order to maintain you, on progress, which we obtain and at the same time to each team of interlinking modified has the opportunity on voluntary base to a updating process on progress to give it on their own plan of interlinking obtained.

Translated to Italian:

Con nuovo cominciare del programma di ONETEAM ELT ed I produrre una
tribuna il pensiero che sarebbe una buona idea, che è stata usata,
per effettuarli, su progresso, quale otteniamo ed allo stesso tempo ad
ogni squadra di collegamento modificata ha l'occasione sulla base
volontaria ad un processo d'aggiornamento su progresso darlo sul loro
proprio programma di collegamento ottenuto.

Translated back to English:

With new beginning of the program of ONETEAM ELT and producing a
tribune the thought that would be a good idea, that has been used, in
order to carry out them, on progress, which we obtain and at the same
time to every square of modified connection it has the occasion on the
voluntary base to a refresh process on progress to give it on theirs
just program of obtained connection.

Translated to Portuguese:

Com começo novo do programa de ONETEAM ELT e produzir um tribune o
pensamento que seria uma idéia boa, isso foi usado, a fim
realizá-lo, no progresso, qual nós obtemos e ao mesmo tempo a cada
quadrado da conexão que modificada tem a ocasião na base voluntária
a um processo refrescar no progresso para lhe dar em dele o programa
justo da conexão obtida.

Translated back to English:

With new start of the program of ONETEAM ELT and to produce one
tribune the thought that would be a good idea, this was used, the end
to carry through it, in the progress, which we gets and at the same
time to each square of the connection that modified has the occasion
in the voluntary base to a process to refresh in the progress for
giving to it just in of it the program of the gotten connection.

Translated to Spanish:

Con el nuevo comienzo del programa de ONETEAM ELT y producir una tribuna el pensamiento que sería una buena idea, esto fue utilizado, el extremo para llevar con él, en el progreso, cuáles conseguimos y al mismo tiempo a cada cuadrado de la conexión que se modificó tiene la ocasión en la base voluntaria a un proceso a restaurar en el progreso para darle apenas adentro de él el programa de la conexión conseguida.

Translated back to English:

With the new beginning of the program of ONETEAM ELT and to produce a tribune the thought that would be a good idea, this was used, the end to take with him, in the progress, which we obtained and at the same time to each squaring of the connection that modified it has the occasion in the voluntary base to a process to recover in the progress to just give inside of him the program him of the secured connection.

Que?

The Right Language for Business

2009-05-11T03:29:00.000-07:00

Poor English is probably one of the most powerful and least suspected causes of lost business. If it could be measured, the scale of the losses would be frightening.

Consider your own reaction to the often hilarious signs and notices you encounter abroad in hotels, brochures and shop windows. A card in the window of a Hong Kong tailor says, “Ladies may have a fit upstairs”, while a hotel in Paris advises you to “Leave your values at the front desk”. A sign in a foreign dry cleaners reads, “Ladies, leave your clothes here and have a good time”.

Such errors are not confined to small businesses. Even multi-national corporations can make expensive mistakes with language. Pepsi Cola’s first venture into China suffered from the direct translation of their regular slogan, “Come alive with Pepsi”. In Chinese it came out as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave”. Similarly, the whiskey liqueur, Irish Mist, failed to appeal to German drinkers, because Mist is German slang for something unpleasant.

Beyond these glaring cross-cultural howlers, there are many grammatical and other errors regularly made by UK businesses in their dealings with their English speaking markets. There are also examples of language that might seem clear to the writer, but not to most of us. Have you ever read the instructions for filling out a tax return or some other official document? The individual words may be familiar, but the way they are combined may leave you gasping for air.

It does a business like yours no good at all to use language in this way. Because English is the language of business, if you use it badly you will lose out. So let me briefly illustrate some of the ways in which language gets in the way of good communication, and offer you some simple solutions.

Common errors

One of the most common errors in letters goes like this: “As a valued customer, we would like to make you an offer.” I understand the intention, but the way it is written suggests that the valued customer is the writer. Here are two alternative ways to express the same idea correctly:
1. As a valued customer, you are entitled to a special offer.
2. Because you are a valued customer, I’d like to make you an offer.

Another error from the same stable is “between you and I” or some version of that. For example, “It appeals to you and I” should be “It appeals to you and me”. When you reverse the words You and I, or when you leave out You altogether, you can hear how wrong it sounds to say “It appeals to I”.

Speaking in riddles

A newspaper astrologer whose Horoscopes appear in the newspapers of more than one country, recently wrote this: The problems you’re currently facing are aggravating. And they promise to become more complicated this week. Still, they’re no surprise. Ironically their increased severity both acts as a spur to tackle these head on and get those who’re equally involved in finding a solution.

I must confess I had to read it a few times before I properly understood what was meant.

The English have a tendency to speak and write in metaphors, which are not always understood by those from other countries. A piece in The Guardian about Jonny Wilkinson had this: “He seems perpetually to glow. It’s as though Jonny is perpetually bathed in the golden light of a late summer afternoon.” It’s attractive and poetic, and fine in some contexts, but worth avoiding in business.

Another source of confusion is the use of negatives. An American company was negotiating a textile deal with a Japanese firm. Towards the end of the negotiations, the Japanese chief negotiator brought his team to run through a check list of agreements with his American counterpart. As he raised each point, the American answered, “No problem.”

The Japanese negotiator became increasingly tense and eventually closed his notebook, stood up and left the room. Aghast, the American said, “What happened? Why did he leave?” The Japanese No. 2 said, “We are very disappointed that all the points we had agreed are now not agreed.”

The American had said “(There is) no problem”, but the Japanese had heard, “No. (There is a) problem.” That’s the danger of using a negative form of words to express a positive idea.

Globish

Jean-Paul Nerriere, a retired vice president of IBM in the United States, has come up with a simplified form of business English. He intended it for use in international dealings, but it could have value in Britain as well. He calls it Globish.

According to his research, there could be as many as 615,000 words in the English language, but he noticed that foreigners using English did so in a simple way, using very few words. A Korean and a German might converse in a form of English that you might find hard to follow, but they manage to understand each other. About one billion people (one sixth of the world’s population) is now using some non-standard or non-Anglo-American form of English. In fact, some 80% of the world’s home pages on the internet use “some kind of English”.

Nerriere formalised it as Globish, based on a vocabulary of just 1,500 words, short sentences and an absence of idiomatic expressions.

Self important language

Even while Globish and texting are simplifying language, official organisations are still using language that is both old-fashioned and self important. A job ad in The Times has this:

Over the past two years we have turned our business around and restored it to a sound financial and operational position, investing in our infrastructure and people, and greatly improving the service experience of … customers.

Service experience?

Another ad in the same paper has this:

The Council is the CC’s strategic management Board, responsible for establishing the overall strategic direction of the Commission, as well as ensuring high standards of governance and efficient discharge of the CC’s statutory functions.

With a little effort it is possible to work out what is meant, but why does it have to use language that is not immediately clear?

Here’s a simple rule of thumb for anything you are writing: let the reader understand what it’s about in 3 seconds or less.

Emails

Consider how you treat emails. How do you decide whether to read or discard the many emails that flood into your Inbox every day?

Typically, I get about 300 a day. And because I am out and about, I also receive them on my Blackberry. I cannot afford much time to go through emails and vet them, so I check and clear several times a day. Most emails get about one second of my time before they are deleted. Who sent it, and what is it about? That’s all I need to know before I read or delete it.

Now, what if one of those emails came from you?

On my Blackberry the subject line is very short, so the first TWO WORDS must be attractive. If I then open the email, I want to know immediately what it’s about. I look for three things:
1. the full subject line (is it spam?)
2. how I am addressed (got my name right?)
3. the opening sentence (what’s the offer?)

Three things in three seconds. Only then will I consider reading the email. And even then I skim read. So it is vitally important to get to the point.

Leonard Bernstein wrote the music for My Fair Lady. At the height of his fame, a young man approached him with an idea for a new musical. “Write it on the back of your business card,” said Bernstein. The young man protested, “I couldn’t possibly fit it on the back of my card!”

“Then,” said Bernstein, “it isn’t ready.” So get to the point quickly.

Jargon

The use of jargon is guaranteed to turn off and even antagonise people. Often it is used to indicate “I am on the inside track. I am in the know.” It’s an attitude that conflicts with the purpose of communication.

Jargon is not only the use of specialist terms (which sometimes cannot be avoided), but also the use of certain standard phrases that are mistaken for business English. Here’s an example I picked up from another article on clear communication:

“Moving forwards, we at Virgin Trains are looking to take ownership of the flow in question to apply our pricing structure, thus resulting in this journey search appearing in the new category-matrix format … I hope this makes the situation clear.”

Clear? Not bloomin’ likely! I don’t know if it actually came from a Virgin Trains document, but it’s a fine example of the kind of language to avoid.

Finally …

It’s always better to say or write something, than to remain silent. But remember that you will be judged by a critical audience. So write as you would speak to someone you respect. And then get a good writer to cast an eye over it and correct the most glaring errors.

Be direct, get to the point early, and don’t let anything get in the way of your enthusiasm.

What is the real meaning behind what people say?

2009-04-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few examples of the double-speak that we all engage in. But I wonder if we always hear the sub-text when someone says:

I hear what you say

I see where you are coming from

I hope you like strong tea

I'll get back to you on that

Here, let me get you a coaster

No, no, I'm not offended. I can take a joke.

The conference covered a lot of ground and there was a full and frank exchange of views

You look really young

Please don't mind me

It's not that I don't believe you …

Q. How do you like him?
A. Actually, I hardly know him
A. He's very good at his job
A. He means well
A. I've got nothing against him

Q. How do you like my house?
A. It has that lived-in look
A. It makes you feel at home
A. What an interesting colour scheme
A. I hate a home where everything is neatly put away

Q. You've heard my complaint. Will you put it right?
A. I have listened with interest and made a note of your views
A. I'll make these points clear to all concerned
A. I assure you I will keep it top-of-mind
A. I'll look into it, first chance I get

I hope I'm not interrupting

Forgive me, but …

You must come over for dinner some time

We're all in this together

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Now, how about some of your own?

Terrible Apprentices

2009-04-09T02:32:00.000-07:00

Caught the end of last night's Apprentice, just in time to see the miserable trio facing the sack.

What is it about the selection procedure that enlists the same kind of deadbeats in every series? In the current series, there's a chap called Ben who is so full of self-justification, it's painful to watch. In last night's episode, after one of them got the chop, Ben and James went back to the penthouse in the same limo. As they had spent the previous half hour trying to get each other fired, I wonder what they talked about in the limo ...

The show is remarkable, not only for the monumental incompetence displayed by people who think they are worth £100,000 a year as Sralan's protege, but for their very poor communication skills. In the boardroom they bluster and posture, but out in the field they are worse. The project leaders show little understanding of management or delegation, and frequently refuse to listen to the advice of their colleagues.

In situations when the teams have to present their propositions, their presentations skills would embarrass a class of sixth formers. Finally, on their return to the boardroom, their mutual condemnations are devoid of the personal dignity that I would expect of a reputable business person.

What do YOU think of them?

The Speaker

2009-04-07T16:22:00.000-07:00

I just watched the first episode in the new BBC2 series called The Speaker, to find the best young speaker in Britain. I thought the choice of judges was terrible. They displayed a lack of understanding of public speaking disciplines, and were critical of the young contestants in a way that could only harm their self confidence.

The programme's format was odd, to say the least, and the judging criteria bizarre. Whom did the BBC contact? The judges were a terrible stand-up performer, an acting tutor, and a former basketball player. The editing wasn't much better.

What a sad wasted opportunity! What's worse is that the winner will be coached by those judges.

SpeakerCoach

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