GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS TO DIFFERENT PERSONALITY TYPES
Suppose a member of your business leaders group had a great new proposition that they were planning parade in the BBC's Dragons Den.
Let's leave aside whether or not you think this is a good way to get investment - and free publicity.
What will be crucial to your member's success is how he or she stands up to cross examination by the different Dragons.
Because the Dragons - like everyone else you meet in business - are not all the same.
And while all the Dragons are universally portrayed as being pretty tough, there are of course contrasting aspects to their personalities and they have different preferred ways of absorbing information.
So the ideal way to communicate with each of them - and get them to invest - differs from Dragon to Dragon.
To achieve the right outcome your member needs to take into account that, on the surface at least, the straight-talking Scotsman, Duncan Bannatyne, seems as hard as industrial diamonds.
Mr Bannatyne can be classified as what's known as a "Director Type".
He's a driven, task-orientated achiever who wants you to be succinct, straight to the point with no flim-flam.
If you're not clear enough when it comes to getting to the "bottom line" he'll chew you up.
And then, in the jargon of the Dragon's Den format, Duncan Bannatyne, will declare himself "Out!".
But give him what he needs up front and he may eventually warm to you and possibly smile.
And maybe even put his hand in his pocket!
On the other hand Peter Jones - while not exactly a softie - comes across as being more immediately affable and chatty.
He's predominantly a "Socialiser Type" - a people-orientated extrovert who enjoys engaging with those around him.
So Mr Jones will be happier to listen to a bit more of your member's story if he or she makes it engrossing and entertaining as they illustrate their point.
When it comes to persuading people on a one-to-one basis to go for your ideas, your products or your services, it makes sense to use a different communication approach for different personality types.
This is why I have launched my new communications-boosting session for business leaders groups: "Get Your Message Across To All Personality Types".
It's designed to enable your members to connect better with all those they need to interact with, inside and outside their companies.
Email enquiries@michaeldoddcommunications.com if you'd like more information about this programme.
And if your members do go on Dragon's Den, and they calibrate their answers to suit different personality types they'll have a better chance of securing that investment - or at least getting some civility from the Dragons.
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COMMUNICATIONS-BOOSTING OPTIONS FOR YOUR MEMBERS
Every time you meet with your members they have - amidst their business problems - new thoughts, plans and ideas.
But how well do they communicate these inside and outside their companies?
My research amongst the chairs of business leaders groups about the communications skills of your members shows there's considerable scope for them to do it better.
Often hugely better.
Here are six master classes designed to help your members to communicate more effectively, more powerfully and more confidently.
1. GIVING GREAT ANSWERS TO TOUGH QUESTIONS: Showing your members how to stand up to "blowtorch-on-the-belly" questioning - whether it's from their customers, prospects, staff, shareholders, financiers and the public.
2. POSITION YOUR BUSINESS FOR MAXIMUM FREE PUBLICITY: Giving your members a deeper understanding what makes news, and improving their ability to spot what's of interest to the media within their companies and grab and hold public attention.
3. PERFECTING YOUR 60-SECOND PITCH: Supercharging your members'
4. PRESENTING WITH CONFIDENCE, IMPACT AND PIZZAZZ: Overhauls or polishes your members' ability to wow their audiences - and where necessary how to utilise slides to keep their audiences engrossed rather than send them to sleep.
5. CREATE YOUR OWN WEBCASTS: Enhance your people's ability to talk to the camera while looking and sounding natural, authoritative and persuasive. Sessions can include producing clips and mini-corporate documentaries for showcasing on their websites.
6. BOOSTING YOUR MEDIA STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE: Equipping your members to determine the best approach to dealing with the media in good times and difficult times. This session shows how to respond effectively to tough and tricky interviews from journalists - and to deliver impressive answers every time.
All these sessions involve measuring the "before" and "after" performance of participants so everyone taking part can see how far they've come.
"It was truly amazing to observe how people could improve their performance, after just a short session with Michael." Luiz Paulo Ferrao, Owner, Vistage Brazil
"As well as being highly constructive, Michael's presentation at our recent executives' workshop enabled members to deal with difficult questions in a session which was lively, entertaining and fun. The fact that we keep inviting him back to work with several of our groups says it all." Graham Speechley and Chris Chater, Joint Chairmen, Business Leaders Group
"Michael achieved the rare outcome of delivering a nugget of practical learning for each member of three consecutive executive groups. The secret of his success lay in the combination of his detailed preparation and genuine personal interest in the wellbeing of each and every member. This earned Michael the distinction of being one of the most memorable and highest rated speakers in a decade of executive learning and development". Drew Pryde, Chairman, Scottish Institute for Business Leaders
"Michael is one of the best speakers we have ever had in the Academy. He puts an enormous amount of effort into the preparation and the final delivery is nothing short of brilliant." Simon Lester, Co-owner, Academy for Chief Executives
For more about sessions to boost the communications skills of your business leaders group visit:
And send an email if you'd like the programme for any of the sessions mentioned here.
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A FINAL WORD ON THOSE DRAGONS
Most of your members are no doubt too established to need to go and face the Dragons to raise cash.
But if any of your members in a rash moment say they want to go on the show, get them to give me a call first!
A bit of media and presentation training goes a long way when you're under the studio lights.
Duncan Bannatyne may be hanging up his dragon horns at the end of the forthcoming programme series.
But there are other fire-breathers who will take his place.
Your members need to be ready for his type and others - on and off TV. |
GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS FAST.
Earlier I was writing about your 60-second pitch. But you can get a message across in less time than this of course. I have been training a German executive recently - in part about being more succinct. He has just sent me this brief but powerful message following the 7-1 World Cup result between Germany and Brazil. I think my wunderbar German trainee has now got the idea of the short sharp message - even if the German sense of humour can be slightly less subtle than in the English speaking world.
Keep smiling,
Michael
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