How We Make Them Feel

We often say that a long time from now people will not remember what you said, they will not remember what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel. To that end here are three people from my past and what I remember about how they made me feel. What is funny is that the individual’s that hurt me, stand out the most, but that is not the direction I want to go with this entry. David Propert my magic mentor from my childhood comes to mind first. As a child with a keen interest in the art of magic, David paid attention to me. Coaching me on technique and presentation this man made me feel capable. David set an expectation of performance and made me certain that I would succeed. This laid the foundation for a lifetime Marilyn Westrom was one of my first Dale Carnegie Training advisors When I was new to the business I was anxious to find a niche. Marilyn quickly put me in front of a classroom as a coach, demonstrating the talks for assignments. She did this before I even finished taking the course myself. Marilyn made me feel like a contributor, a valued part of the team. Jeff Glazer used to run a business called GPA (Graphics Printing and Advertising) in my entrepreneurial days we worked exclusively with him for our printing services. At the time he was clearly not the most cost effective choice. The reason we worked together was that we became friends. There were times I would stop in his shop just to chat. Jeff gave me a feeling of belonging and importance and that was what kept me loyal. All of these relationships are 20 years or so in the past, but I surely do remember how they made me feel. We all need to keep in mind that we are having an effect on people around us, making them feel something. Let’s borrow from the Pike Place Fish Philosophy and do our best to “make their day” with everyone we come in contact with this week, and every week.

Charisma, What it is, How to Get It

Here are some ideas directly from my friend Rory Vaden. Rory and I exchange emails regularly, this is reprinted from a recent one on the subject of Charisma. These ideas are valid for creating a strong professional image, and communicating clearly in a presentation. I hope you find something valuable in it: Contrary to popular belief, charisma is something that we can all improve upon. Some people are born with a higher predisposition to be charismatic, sure, but it is a skill that can also be learned. Developing Charisma is one step in a 5 step system that I used - and now teach- to people who are wanting to become better presenters. Here is the basic formula for this part: C- Capture attention right away. You have 30 seconds to capture an audience so don't waste it on insignificant platitudes. In my home study course called "The Audience is Not in their Underwear" (http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=NPCn.&m=46wIiwlUZGuFDMM&b=PVwiJ.xC7jqYklwgztO6lA) I teach 7 different effective ways to open any presentation. Regardless of who you are presenting to, "be a microwave and not an oven" by opening your presentation immediately and strong rather than pre-heating. H - Half step up attire. Create a bit of a charmed appearance by being a half step nicer dressed than your audience. A - Always keep your composure. People want to follow people who have it together. So even if you are freaking out in your mind, stay cool on the outer appearance. Lose composure and you lose charisma. R - Remember the power pause. Pauses are the most underutilized tool that presenters have. Just PAUSE! It adds drama and charisma. Remember...pauses...are...powerful. I - Insist on taking control. We follow people who are in charge. Don't bark out orders necessarily but use force and diction in your voice. Rearrange a room to be the way you need it. And take responsibility for getting things done. S - Say it very concisely. Mark Twain said "brevity is the essence of wisdom." Keep it short and sweet and it comes off more powerfully. M - Make deliberate eye contact. Don't look people in the eye; look them in the pupil. A - Add the appropriate humor. Make sure your humor matches the audience. If you are interested you can learn specifics on how to do all of this and much more by checking out my home study course on mastering presentation skills here: http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=NPCn.&m=46wIiwlUZGuFDMM&b=PVwiJ.xC7jqYklwgztO6lA