Ten excellent tips in an article from Business Zone on how Twitter can be used by businesses.
Here’s the link.
http://www.businesszone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=193304&d=1095&h=1097&f=1096
It will be great to hear of any gems that you have on how social networking sites can be good for business.
Veronica
Are you on Twitter? Then say hello, please http://twitter.com/VeronicaBr
Speaking with Confidence (more than 80 useful tips in 30 pages)
Confident Communication and Professional Image Building, London -27 January 2009
Executive Solutions (Training) Ltd, London, UK
www.executive-solutions.co.uk
www.tipsbookletsinternational.com
Showing posts with label communication skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label communication skills. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Sunday, 13 April 2008
Great writers are seldom great speakers….. What do you think?
Having spent last Saturday in Bristol attending the AGM of the English Speaking Board (ESB)**, an accreditation body for a range of courses with emphasis on English as a spoken language, I dedicated the return journey to reading previous issues of the ESB newsletter -a semiannual publication.
And, it was there that I stumbled on the statement that formed the title of today’s blog. In reporting about a previous ESB conference, there it was “..writers are seldom great speakers”. Well I was gob smack. I had not thought about this previously. Then, I began thinking about writers I know who are entrepreneurs also. Two immediately came to mind, both very experienced and skilled in their craft. But then I realised that the statement was applicable to them, skilled writers they were but skilled in public speaking they were not, as I recalled their rambling speeches and ones in which the introduction was lengthy and the conclusion not readily evident.
to received feedback from introductions predid not called also that the quote was writers, but
They were unable to organise their speeches and other presentations and to engage with their audiences during delivery. One had in fact related an earlier negative experience of speaking in front of her primary school class having this debilitating effect whenever required to speak. The other although use to and comfortable speaking before various audiences had not made the mental adjustment required to move from the written form to having a conversation with the audience, condensing the content so as to gain the attention and maintain the interest of the audience.
However, even as I recalled those two, I then thought of a third writer who took time out to develop her speaking skills and had sought membership of an organisation devoted to public speaking and effective communication and who had the benefit of evaluations of her presentations and it showed in the quality of her presentations.
So, even as two of the writers I know sought peer and professional help to improve the quality of presentations and another choose ‘to wing it’ as the need for training in speech craft remains unacknowledged.
Although my ‘straw poll reflection’ suggest there is merit in the statement “… writers are seldom great speakers”, my years as a researcher did not allow me to arrive at that conclusion as a three-person sample did not form the basis of a scientific study.
Yes, I hear you say, “one or two swans don’t make a summer”. However, anecdotally, it seem there is merit in the writer’s assertion that “….great writers seldom make great speakers”. What do you think?
Best,
Veronica
** Executive Solutions (Training) Ltd is a member of the English Speaking Board, an accreditation body recognised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), now replaced by the new regulator Ofqual.
And, it was there that I stumbled on the statement that formed the title of today’s blog. In reporting about a previous ESB conference, there it was “..writers are seldom great speakers”. Well I was gob smack. I had not thought about this previously. Then, I began thinking about writers I know who are entrepreneurs also. Two immediately came to mind, both very experienced and skilled in their craft. But then I realised that the statement was applicable to them, skilled writers they were but skilled in public speaking they were not, as I recalled their rambling speeches and ones in which the introduction was lengthy and the conclusion not readily evident.
to received feedback from introductions predid not called also that the quote was writers, but
They were unable to organise their speeches and other presentations and to engage with their audiences during delivery. One had in fact related an earlier negative experience of speaking in front of her primary school class having this debilitating effect whenever required to speak. The other although use to and comfortable speaking before various audiences had not made the mental adjustment required to move from the written form to having a conversation with the audience, condensing the content so as to gain the attention and maintain the interest of the audience.
However, even as I recalled those two, I then thought of a third writer who took time out to develop her speaking skills and had sought membership of an organisation devoted to public speaking and effective communication and who had the benefit of evaluations of her presentations and it showed in the quality of her presentations.
So, even as two of the writers I know sought peer and professional help to improve the quality of presentations and another choose ‘to wing it’ as the need for training in speech craft remains unacknowledged.
Although my ‘straw poll reflection’ suggest there is merit in the statement “… writers are seldom great speakers”, my years as a researcher did not allow me to arrive at that conclusion as a three-person sample did not form the basis of a scientific study.
Yes, I hear you say, “one or two swans don’t make a summer”. However, anecdotally, it seem there is merit in the writer’s assertion that “….great writers seldom make great speakers”. What do you think?
Best,
Veronica
** Executive Solutions (Training) Ltd is a member of the English Speaking Board, an accreditation body recognised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), now replaced by the new regulator Ofqual.
Sunday, 3 February 2008
Communication BLUNDERS could cost millions£££££
Today's comment is based on listing to presentations recently that were littered with Ahms, Ahms and other inappropriate revelations.
Situation 1
A few weeks ago, I was part of an audience where one of the main Speakers used the first minute of his presentation to comment on the time limitation he faced, so he did not begin to deliver his message until after a minute of excuses.
TIP: Remember, when you have the floor, always give your audience the reason for your presentation and share the content, NOT the excuses for why you’ll be unable to ‘tell it all’.
Situation 2
Listening to a speaker who delivers a laboured speech, made up of rambling sentences, littered with Ahms and spoken in a rather quiet voice. Are these signs of nervousness or poor planning and preparation?
TIP: Be upbeat and energised in your delivery not laboured. If at a loss for words, use the pause to take a deep breath and give your audience time to catch up with you. Try to do this at the end of the sentence, rather than having a series of incomplete sentences.
Situation 3
Another Speaker I saw used power point slides that had up to 17 lines of text on slides. This was in addition to two graphic images and the header and footer. Very cluttered!
TIP: Power point slides should not be used to share your notes with your audience. They should be used to add emphasis, provide clarity and support your spoken message.
Can you recall similar communication blunders? Then share these and your suggestions for improvement.
Best,
Veronica
www.executive-solutions.co.uk
Situation 1
A few weeks ago, I was part of an audience where one of the main Speakers used the first minute of his presentation to comment on the time limitation he faced, so he did not begin to deliver his message until after a minute of excuses.
TIP: Remember, when you have the floor, always give your audience the reason for your presentation and share the content, NOT the excuses for why you’ll be unable to ‘tell it all’.
Situation 2
Listening to a speaker who delivers a laboured speech, made up of rambling sentences, littered with Ahms and spoken in a rather quiet voice. Are these signs of nervousness or poor planning and preparation?
TIP: Be upbeat and energised in your delivery not laboured. If at a loss for words, use the pause to take a deep breath and give your audience time to catch up with you. Try to do this at the end of the sentence, rather than having a series of incomplete sentences.
Situation 3
Another Speaker I saw used power point slides that had up to 17 lines of text on slides. This was in addition to two graphic images and the header and footer. Very cluttered!
TIP: Power point slides should not be used to share your notes with your audience. They should be used to add emphasis, provide clarity and support your spoken message.
Can you recall similar communication blunders? Then share these and your suggestions for improvement.
Best,
Veronica
www.executive-solutions.co.uk
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