POLISH YOUR PRESENTATION SKILLS
An incontrovertible truth, both personally and professionally, is that you only get one chance to make a first impression. Are you confident in how you present yourself? Perhaps you haven't thought about it in a while. Presentation skills don't just involve how you sound when you get in front of a group - they also include the strength of your handshake, the directness of your gaze, the sincerity of your smile, and the enthusiasm in your voice. Presentation includes how well you and your materials are organized, how elegantly they are printed and presented, and how clearly you are able to impart the points you need to make.
When I taught oral advocacy to students at two law schools in Washington, DC, and when I give workshops on presentation skills here in New York, all of these elements came into play. You need to think about all of them if you want to really present yourself in a top-tier way.
Here is a quick checklist - it's only a start, mind you, but a good one - for you to think about and work on.
1. From the list of elements above, what do you think are your strong suits? What do you need to work on? Prioritize your list from those skills you need to work on the most to those you feel reasonably confident about.
2. Always take the time to proof-read your written materials (which means get someone else to read it, a writer should never be the only one proof-reading her work) and present it attractively. Take an extra 30 minutes to make it look really clean, polished and elegant. I hate it when brilliant ideas are presented in a way that is difficult to read or ugly to look at. Many busy professionals will not bother reading documents that are a mess.
3. Here's an easy exercise you can use every day to check on your voice - listen to your voicemails before you hang up the phone. You might think you sound professional, but perhaps you sound argumentative or whiny. Alternatively, perhaps you think you are leaving a sultry voicemail to an amour, but instead you sound shrill and squeaky. One common issue for people is that they speak too fast - you'll really get a feel for this when you hear your messages. You will be amazed how you actually sound - and then you can moderate your voice accordingly.
4. The fear of public speaking is the number one phobia, so if you get nervous in front of groups, you are in excellent company. Practice speaking in front of groups whenever and wherever you can - give toasts at family dinners, volunteer to read at church, agree to moderate and lead meetings, etc. You can also join an organization like Toastmasters International, which has improved the speaking and leadership skills of people all over the world.
5. Time yourself and always lead with your strongest points. If you know you only have ten minutes to make a splash at a meeting, practice to be sure what you have to say fits within that time period. Also, structure your presentation to make sure that the points you have to make are put right up at the front. Thus, if for whatever reason you run out of time, at least you made the points you had to and you won't kick yourself later.
6. Have fun! Try to find something about whatever you need to present that you find fun and enjoyable. And do not forget to smile - not only will this engage your audience - be it one person or 100 - but it also releases chemicals in your body that will relax you.
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10 quick Recession stressbUsterS
With the world economy in flux, and with record numbers of jobs being lost on a daily basis, it's no surprise that our stress levels are also on the rise. Now is the time to really take exquisite care of yourself so that this stress does not take a permanent toll on your face, mind and body. Here is a super-quick list of things you can start doing today to make that difference:
1. Continue developing your professional skills and talents - now is not the time to hide out in your cubicle. Take classes to increase your professional skills, join a networking group, bond with colleagues in your industry. You may have a completely secure job, but feeling like you are moving in new directions is always good - and if you want to transition into a new job, these steps are imperative.
2. Limit yourself to one cup of coffee a day - and when you think you're ready for it, drop it altogether. One cup of coffee can actually throw your body chemistry off for the entire day, causes the increase of a stress hormone called cortisol, and that leads to not only bad moods and fitful sleep, but increases in belly fat (boo!). Take yourself off the caffeine treadmill - you will be uncomfortable for a day or two, but it will truly be worth it.
3. Stretch! When you feel creaky and/or cranky, take a minute to stretch at your desk. Let your blood flow and muscles relax.
4. Get into a place of gratitude - if you are feeling particularly low or challenged, quickly switch into a place of gratitude but thinking to yourself (or writing down) at least three things you are grateful for that very second. You could be grateful for the smallest thing, like you are wearing your favorite suit or that you are seeing your best friend for dinner that evening.
5. Take 10 deep breaths - in through the nose and out through the mouth. Slowly. Let the oxygen bring fresh energy to your cells.
6. Be creative every day. Spend at least 5 minutes every day being creative - whether that is in writing, dancing, cooking, painting, whatever.
7. Connect with nature every day - get off the subway 2 stops early and take a longer walk and let the seasonal weather invigorate you (yes, even if it is cold). Your body clock needs to stay in sync with the seasons and your blood needs oxygenating.
8. Dress up: when you are feeling funky, you have to take extra time to dress yourself in things that make you feel special. Even if you are in a bad space, you will look good.
9. Do something for someone else: there are many people all around you who are suffering more than you. Do something special for them - leave them a bouquet of flowers anonymously, buy a meal for a homeless person, donate to a needy charity online (in this economy, they all need more money!).
10. Like your mama told you, take your vitamins and go to bed early.
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Spotlight on Women's History Month: Rachel Carson
This year, for National Women's History Month (celebrated every March) will honor Rachel Carson, the pioneer of the modern environmental movement.
Rachel Louise Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) was an American marine biologist and nature writer whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement.
She started her career as a biologist in the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, and became a full-time nature writer in the 1950s. Her widely praised 1951 bestseller "The Sea Around Us" won her acclaim and recognition. This book, along with her other two books, "The Edge of the Sea" and "Under the Sea Wind" comprised a sea trilogy which explored the whole of ocean life, from the shores to the surface to the deep sea.
Carson's bestseller "Silent Spring" led to the banning of the chemical DDT, the creation of the Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the birth of the organic food movement. Al Gore writes in his foreword to the thirtieth anniversary edition of "Silent Spring," "Without this book, the environmental movement may never have developed at all."
March activities celebrating Rachel Carson include 100 nationwide screenings of the newly released film, "A Sense of Wonder." The film depicts Rachel Carson in the last year of her life, as she battles cancer and the chemical industry and focuses her final energy on getting her message to Congress and the American people in the wake of publishing "Silent Spring." "This film is absolutely remarkable. You cannot walk away unmoved," stated Bill Moyers.
To learn more about Rachel Carson, the film "A Sense of Wonder," and to get screening dates, please visit here!
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