TOUCHING THOSE EMOTIONAL BUTTONS - THE WAY TO SUCCESS

What is it that separates good speakers from really exceptional ones? I once put that question to the very experienced chairman of a business leaders group who regularly brought in speakers to address his members. He said the answer could be summed up in one word: "Emotion". The really impressive speakers who - when scored by his members came close to ten out of ten - brought more to his group than knowledge and wisdom. They touched his members at a deeper level. I was reminded of this when an American speaking colleague, Mark Fritz, drew my attention to a currently popular US negotiation expert who puts touching emotions at the heart of his strategy. He's Professor Stuart Diamond. Professor Diamond says dealing with negotiation partners at an emotional level is vital when it comes to achieving what you want - and also in growing the "pie" rather than just dividing it up between you. Here the professor is pictured with the person he calls his favourite negotiation partner - his eight-year-old son, Alexander.   Professor Diamond lectures to Google bosses among others. But he insists his techniques also work in his dealings with Alexander - to the extent that he can get his child to willingly go to bed at an agreed time! Respect. The fundamental precept behind his approach to negotiations is that "perceptions and emotions are more important than power and logic." So when it comes to your negotiation partners, Professor Diamond says something which may sound irrational on the surface, but which - when you think about it - contains a fundamental truth. "The pictures in the heads of the other party" he says "are more important than any collections of facts, evidence and resources than you can possibly muster". This is something you may inherently know, but which the professor brings impressively - and emotionally - to life. I've taken to drawing upon Professor Diamond's approach when it comes to my workshops on "Giving Great Answers To Tough Questions". This is because when formulating great answers, you need to take into account both the factual side and the emotional side of those who you are talking to - whether it's your bank manager, your customers or your own staff. Click here for details of Giving Great Answers To Tough Questions Professor Diamond's lecture on YouTube runs 48 minutes and 42 seconds - and then there's a Q and A. It's worth investing the time - as you'll learn, among other things, how Google used his method to make millions on one deal. I've watched it three times - and utilised what the professor says more times than that. You can check out the professor's contentions on YouTube. Leading@Google: Stuart Diamond AND HERE'S SOMEONE WHO USES IT. Whatever your politics, if you're following US developments in this presidential election year you will have noticed that Barrack Obama - despite a mass of criticisms that would bring down a lesser man - now looks as though he's in a pretty good position for the first Tuesday in November. I don't know if the president has had time to read up on Professor Diamond, but he clearly knows something about touching emotions in order to get his message across.   This was evident in his response to the shocking story in Florida where an unarmed black seventeen-year-old, Trayvon Martin, has been shot dead by a neighbourhood watch captain. At the time of writing, the killer not been arrested on basis of his claim that the shooting was done in self-defence. This has sparked growing anger which has spread well beyond Florida. Speaking from the White House, President Obama went beyond insisting that Trayvon's death needed to be fully investigated. "If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon," declared the president. Spot the emotion? THE HELICOPTER VIEW Business guru and professional speaking colleague, Roger Harrop, has just brought out the kindle version of "Staying In The Helicopter". This is a great read for anyone in business - whatever its size and whatever shape it's in.   Roger Harrop's fundamental thesis is that your business will only stay in a good place - what he refers to as the "Room of Renewal" - if you take the view from above...the helicopter view. He urges business leaders to get in that helicopter often, and in fact diarise helicopter missions well ahead. And he tells you what you need to do when you're taking this regular overview of where you're heading. It's written in a compellingly simple, easy-to-follow way while focusing your mind on the areas which will determine whether your business booms or busts. For example, Roger warns that if you don't know where you are going, it's unlikely that you'll get there. How true!  Details at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Staying-in-the-Helicopter-ebook/dp/B007C9PRFK  "THE CHALLENGE" - BIGGEST VERSION YET I could have done with Roger's helicopter over the past couple of week's as it's been a bit mad - with speaking gigs in Altrincham, Tunbridge Wells, Richmond and Felixstowe among others. The most unusual of the events was in central London with 80 fast-stream civil servants - a highly impressive contingent of up-and-coming mandarins far more civic-minded and motivated than Sir Humphrey Appleby ever was. The event was the biggest version yet of a leadership and decision-making exercise involving a series of simulated TV shows hosted by yours truly. Under the scheme, participants are divided into teams - in this case six government agencies and six lobby groups. Their budgets have just been cut, and they are all under pressure to do more with less (sound familiar?). So each team has to set their priorities and negotiate with each other. The idea is that despite their cut in funds, if they collaborate successfully they can all come out achieving their aims. This latest crop of civil servants did spectacularly well - which gives cause for hope. They also had to choose chief executives to represent their team on TV shows hosted variously by someone called Mike Boulton from Sky, Mike Paxman from Newsnight and Mike Dimbleby from Question Time. In action: Mike Boulton, Mike Paxman or is it Mike Dimbleby? Rest assured all the young CEO's took no nonsense from the TV presenter and managed to rise above the negativity of his questions with well argued and overwhelmingly positive answers. Having a series of mock TV shows is a great way to help teams come to grips with problems and opportunities facing your organisation - and to road test and enhance their communications skills under pressure. Michael Dodd Media runs them under the banner of "The Challenge" and they provide a fun way to get issues out in the open - and overhaul or polish the way your people make and defend their decisions. It works in the public and private sectors alike. Actors such as Julian Hirst from the amazing team at CentreStage Roleplay can participate where required to add to the realism and drama. Julian Hirst, Roleplay genius On away days or at conferences, we can also provide a business, leadership or change management expert who watches the action as it unfolds. After the shows the expert then rakes over the coals with the participants - selecting highlights from the TV footage to examine crucial moments. Together they examine what works, what doesn't and what needs to be done differently in the future. Graham Vale - who commissions these simulated TV shows for his work in developing leaders and managers at Civil Service Learning - likes "The Challenge" because it puts people on the spot. "There is no hiding in The Challenge and learners need to be able to work in partnership with others and to defend their work area against attack from others," Graham says. "It hones leadership and management skills in a fast track and exciting pragmatic environment." Details of The Challenge can be found here: http://www.michaeldoddmedia.com/media_challenge.php  BOOST YOUR SPEAKING PERFORMANCE - IN LONDON Most Michael Dodd Media sessions are commissioned by companies or organisations. But inquiries have built up for open sessions - especially for presentation skills. "Presenting with Confidence, Impact and Pizzazz" will be running as an open session in Central London on Monday 30 July 2012. Details - including the early bird booking offer - are at: http://michaeldoddmedia.com/presentation_training.php Of course it's no good me telling you how fabulous workshops like this are - or how much they'll boost your confidence and performance levels. What one needs of course is third party endorsement. So the business leaders from the international CEO leadership company, Vistage - who I've been working with in the past fortnight - have given their testimonials. My advisors say I should only share these particular endorsements with people who have a sense of humour. But as you're on the Michael Dodd Media mailing list, it means you automatically qualify on this count. "Michael ticked all the boxes...he was involved, he was interactive, he told stories, he was amusing, personable...and above all he delivered great learning and take home value. Apart from that he was rubbish!" Chris Hughes, Chair, Vistage Group 102 "Michael delivered a high energy performance to my Vistage group, focusing on how to answer tough questions. Some of the group thought they were already quite good, but had to rapidly admit that they had gained several substantial benefits from the exercises. This session certainly took them well outside of their comfort zone, but they agreed that it was one of the most significant that they had yet endured.  Michael's style is a bit different to normal and very typical of the rumbustious antipodean refugee that he is. Try him out!!!" Stuart Smith, Chair, Vistage Group 63 I now have to go and look up what "rumbustious" means. Keep smiling, Michael

MAKE SURE YOUR NEXT SPEECH IS BETTER THAN HUGH GRANT'S

Speaking in public has the remarkable power of unsettling some of the toughest people - even high-flying men and women in the business world. I continue to be surprised that so many of those I work with who are responsible for making courageous big money decisions still complain about butterflies in the stomach and sweaty palms at the idea of talking to an audience. Even those used to macho endeavours like bungy-jumping, parachuting and hang-gliding can find these activities less fear-inducing that putting their company's case to a gathering of prospects or potential investors. It doesn't have to be like this. There's much you can do to get these adverse physical side effects of public speaking nerves under control. Being physically warmed up before you start, taking a few deep slow breaths to fill you with confidence, standing more upright and getting your hands and legs in the right places are amongst the things which can make you - and your audience - feel so much better about your next speech. But the performance side is just one of three elements to supercharging your presentational efforts. The other two are choosing the best possible material - and saying things in the most appropriate order. When you get the content right and the structure right then magically you feel much, much better about the actual performance - and those palms remain dryer. My sessions on "Presenting with Confidence, Impact and Pizzazz" work by getting participants to come along with a short presentation on the big day. It could be a sales pitch to enticing new prospects, or a (hopefully) motivational talk to your employees. Or it could even be that nerve-wracking best man's speech you have to give. If you have any doubt about the importance of getting the content of this right, check out Hugh Grant's car crash of a best man's speech in Four Weddings And A Funeral.  Here he unwisely talks about the previous time he gave a best man's speech for a couple whose marriage went on to last just two days (two violent days). Even a less-than-sensitive Australian could probably tell that choosing to talk about the previous groom's sexual adventures with the bride's younger sister and mother may not have been his best content choice. So I'm hoping that the content for our participants in our next sessions will be more carefully selected than Hugh's character managed. But if it isn't, we'll look at a method for quickly sorting out what should stay in and what should be thrown out. We'll be working on picking out of your potential material what is exactly right for your specific audience at that particular moment. This is because the most promising speech in the world is not enticing if delivered to the wrong audience...as Hugh Grant will attest! And we'll also show you the magic formula for getting your structure right. Those who've been on my "Giving Great Answers To Tough Questions" workshop, will know that there are a couple of magic formulae which - when you deploy them - make it very logical to determine the order in which you should say things to your questioners. Similarly there's a magic formula for putting your material in the right order in your next presentation. So when you get the content right and structure right, you'll be a far better place to get your performance right - and reduce the sweat on your palms. And if you still get a few butterflies in your belly, at least you'll have them flying in formation!

BOOST YOUR SPEAKING PERFORMANCE - IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Most sessions of "Presenting with Confidence, Impact and Pizzazz" are run for specific companies, chief executives groups or individuals. But there's an open opportunity for all to participate in the East Midlands on Friday 27 April in the luxury setting of Highgate House just outside Northampton. This session is being hosted by the Business Leaders Group which helps those running companies to constantly upgrade their skillsets. The session is limited to just six participants - so everyone will get plenty of practice time to overhaul or polish their performance. Joint Chairman of the BLG - the multi-skilled Graham Speechley - will be filming our participants throughout the day. This means you will get the chance to see yourself back as others see you, and adjust your approach accordingly. Graham has been the film-maker in all my recent sessions in Northamptonshire, so he knows how to capture and highlight whatever it is that needs improving. Graham Speechley And after the session over a glass of wine at Highgate House, you can entice Graham to apply his business brain to helping tackling your company's biggest challenges. The Business Leaders Group is offering an extra discount to readers of the Michael Dodd Media Newsletter who book before 17 March. You get a £100 discount beyond what Graham calls their "early investor" rate - which means you boost your presenting performance and confidence for £595. Bookings can be made at: http://www.businessleaderslearning.com/events/michael-dodd-workshop/ To take advantage of the readers discount offer please write the code "MDM05" in the "additional information" box. And while you're in the region you can take in a bit of Northampton's fascinating history. It has a magnificent Guild Hall - where the cells of prisoners previously condemned to death can be visited by prior arrangement (yes really). Northampton Guildhall Sadly, Northampton has lost its castle which was torn down on the orders of King Charles II. This was punishment for the good local folk who supported the parliamentarians during the English Civil War - enough to make anyone a republican. Fortunately Northampton's giant market square remains. It's one of the largest in the UK. Beware, it can become overpopulated with pigeons, Australian tourists and other pests...  Picture Credit - Cedric Pulford   AND HERE'S A BOOK THAT CAN HELP People have been asking why I haven't written a book on "Presenting with Confidence, Impact and Pizzazz."...and maybe one day I will. Until then, if you want to uplift your speeches, go for "The Presentation Coach - Bare Knuckle Brilliance For Every Presenter" by my Professional Speaking Association colleague, Graham Davies.  Graham's book will help you make your speech stand out from the crowd - much the way he does himself by nearly always wearing bright lolly pink shirts. You can spot Graham in his dazzling signature shirt in the opening shots of this famous youtube clip:  Graham is a particular master of getting the content and structure of your speech exactly right for a particular audience. And he warns against over-packing your speech, with the eloquent words: "Remember the mind cannot accept what the bottom cannot endure." Graham has kindly inscribed my copy of his book: "Michael, here is a book you do NOT need." I ignored his advice. You should too. Keep smiling, Michael