As a trainer or presenter, enthusiasm goes a long way in making you the best you can be. As your joy excites your participants, their energy rises to meet yours. People feel good. Work gets done. But what if your enthusiasm has taken a hit? How can you regain a sense of joy while giving …
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Articles Tagged ‘Kite’
Enthusiasm in Training
Focus on the Uncommitted in Your Audience
Presenters, do you fear waves of animosity coming from your audience? Or have you ever believed your audience to be friendly and accepting, only to receive a terrible shock? One of the best “Presenter Tricks” I know is to present as if everyone in your audience is “uncommitted”. Doing so allows you to effectively deal …
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The Myth of the Facilitator
Here’s a pet peeve of mine: Adult educators who call themselves “Facilitators”…and then go on to give a traditional, one-sided, PowerPoint-heavy training session. I estimate that 87.5% of trainers who call themselves “facilitators” are lying. Why? Because they model few skills of facilitation. Well Then, What is a Facilitator? A facilitator is content-neutral. Because of …
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Fake It ‘Til You Make It – Annoying Cliche or Truth?
I occasionally surprise myself by uttering the cliché above while encouraging a shy person to improve their presentation skills and confidence. I used to secretly kick myself for using such a hackneyed phrase—until I read Richard Wiseman’s great book, “As If.” In it, he cites dozens of studies showing that if we act a certain …
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How To Build “Home-Grown” Trainers
Have you ever wished you could reduce your organization’s dependence on outside trainers? How about developing your own workshops? Join the ranks of organizations that have benefited from developing their internal resources, saved money, and improved the relevance and quality of their training! What’s Not Working Over the last few years, I’ve worked with dozens …
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Dive In!
Presenting and Open Water Swimming
I am an “adult onset” swimmer. Learning to swim at age 46, I trembled with the same anxieties as many of my Presentation Skills clients. I even heard myself describe my experience using the same words. Swimming was unnatural, awkward, unnerving, and out of my comfort zone. Twelve years after my first lesson, I continue …
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The Curse of Knowledge
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com Think of a skill you have, (such as driving, swimming, writing, reading…) Would you say you are unconsciously competent with this skill? That is, Can you do it without thinking about it? Is it part of you, like an instinct? Would you have a hard time explaining the steps of this …
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Presenting from the Seat of Your Pants
Here’s how to present with confidence and authority while sitting:
Place your feet parallel to each other, flat on the floor, facing forward. Your knees should be bent at a 90 degree angle. No crossing your legs!
Feel your sitz bones, (the bones at the very bottom ends of each side of your pelvis) sitting squarely on the chair. These form your anchor.
Roll your shoulders down your back, opening your chest.
Practice gesturing in the camera. Make sure your hands are visible, but don’t move them TOO close to your face. Gesturing makes you appear much more dynamic, and helps bring your own energy up.
Your Biggest Gift as a Speaker
Why is it easier for many of us to present in front of a few people than to a larger audience? Why do many of us believe that some people just “have what it takes” to present effectively, and the rest of us don’t? The truth is that everyone has the innate gifts to speak in public.
How a Hook Can Save Your Presentation
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com I have discovered that my clients all love a good hook, and are always looking for new ones. Let’s review what a Hook is and isn’t. Then I’ll provide two dynamic Hooks for you to use in your next presentation or training session. What a Hook ISN’T: Fluff. Never make the …
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5 Ways to Energize Your Presentations
What’s the difference between presenting and training? Presentations are typically delivered one way, from speaker to audience. Great training sessions, on the other hand, are interactive. To spruce up your presentations, try injecting these five techniques borrowed from active training: 5 Ways to Enliven Your Presentations Preface your presentation by briefly stating a relevant problem. …
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Are You a Super-Trainer?
Assess Yourself and See! What attributes do all super trainers share, no matter how different their styles? Rate yourself from 1 (I’m not so great at this) to 3 (I do this every time!) on the guidelines below. Then read the strategies, which will transform YOU into a Super Trainer. Three Essential Attributes of Super …
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Four Gender-Specific Presentation Blunders
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com Is it true that men tend to make certain types of blunders while presenting, and women others? In my experience, yes. I have worked with hundreds of individuals and single-sex groups, and notice recurring, gender-specific behaviors that sabotage presentations. In the interest of advancing further research, I submit these very common …
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Does Smiling Help or Hurt Presenters?
by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com The actual answer to this question, based upon many studies and years of research, is “it depends.” How Smiling Helps The act of smiling changes our brain chemistry for the better. An authentic smile can: Boost mood and confidence by increasing serotonin, norepinephrine and endorphins. Lower heart rate, and Reduce anxiety. …
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Stand and Deliver!
Are you serious about wanting to increase your dynamism, power and energy as a speaker? Then you must stand up when you present. Andy Eklund, a presentation skills expert, tells us: “The vast majority of people are at least 50% less dynamic when sitting down, because their body movements are halved … and perhaps as …
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