1 Apr Dr. Dennis Becker at World Speech Day

Dr. Dennis Becker, founder of The Speech Improvement Company, spoke on March 16 at World Speech Day. The honor of representing North America was given to him in recognition of his stature as a worldwide expert in human communication.

World Speech Day is a day to celebrate speeches and speechmaking that change the world – socially, politically, in the arts, business, and religion. This is their fifth year and featured a Master Class of speakers from 120+ countries delivering speeches and taking questions from viewers and listeners. This year’s theme was Classical Rhetoric and its Effect on Contemporary Communication.

Dennis’ 15-minute live-streamed speech was entitled “Aristotle’s Patterns of Reasoning.” He took this 3,000-year-old content and showed its use and value in today’s world. Of course, his comfortable and “shirtsleeve” English style benefitted viewers and listeners across the globe.

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24 Mar Communicating During Crisis (Recorded Webinar)

30-minute recorded webinar

Communicating During Crisis

Navigating Essential Conversations

Watch Now

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How Can Disaster Psychology Help Business Through the Coronavirus Crisis?

In recent years, the world has seen a number of significant large-scale disasters; some caused by nature and some caused by humans. For many, the words “disaster” or “crisis” evoke images of buildings in shambles, decimated communities, and families who are homeless and uncertain where their next meal will come from. Until recently, these disasters included only such events as tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and terrorist attacks. These days it is the coronavirus that is bringing us pictures of people wearing masks, being quarantined, schools closing, and so on. This current crisis has wreaked havoc with the stock market and the investments of millions of people. That alone is creating an economic crisis.

Indeed, the current financial crisis has been referred to as an “economic tsunami”. Undeniably, the current conditions have caused communities to come to a complete standstill. The trauma has been severe for many companies, and leaders worldwide have spoken in terms usually reserved for those occasions when a hurricane or earthquake has occurred. Rallying cries of hope and promises for “a full recovery” can be heard from leaders across the globe.

In the United States, since the disaster of 9/11, there has been significant research in the areas of Disaster Psychology and Human Communication which offer important insights into how people operate and what motivates them during times of crisis. For political leaders and business professionals, understanding some important disaster principles and practices can mean the difference between success and failure as the crisis and subsequent economic troubles unfold. (more…)

16 Mar Managing Employees Remotely (Recorded Webinar)

Managing Employees Remotely

Overcoming challenges in communication,
motivation, and employee engagement

10 Mar Running Effective Remote Team Meetings

To curb the spread of coronavirus, organizations are encouraging employees around the globe to work remotely. Setting clear guidelines for how, when, and why teams operate remotely helps form cohesion. How do you create a collaborative agenda with remote meeting attendees, allowing all remote team members to remain engaged during team conference calls? This blog post offers tips based on our experience training companies on how to communicate effectively when using digital platforms and how to collaborate and manage remotely.

Admit it, when there is no video aspect to a conference call, it’s not unusual for employees to hit mute, (or not), and do a variety of tasks during phone conferences and remote team meetings, such as checking and composing email, scrolling Twitter, eating a sandwich, and (gasp) going to the bathroom?! (more…)

8 Mar Speaking Tips

The PPI consists of 10 questions to ask prior to the business presentation process.  These 10 questions relate to listener analysis, and therefore your needs:

1. Why am I speaking to these listeners?
2. Why are they listening?
3. What relationship do we have?
4. What relationship do listener members have to each other?
5. What do they know about this topic?
6. What would they like to know?
7. How will they use this information?
8. What are they doing the day before I speak?
9. What will they be doing the day after?
10. What are the logistics of the event:time, location, room

description, temperature, seating, lighting, and sound?

The information you gather from these 10 questions will make the job of preparing a speech much easier.  In addition, your listeners will be more likely to respond positively if they feel that your research has helped you prepare specifically for them.

3 Mar Four Practice Strategies for Your Next Investor Presentation 

Raising capital for your biotech company requires more than a great product and a fancy slide deck. You need a combination of substantial scientific evidence, a great story, and a solid pitch. The road to funding is a long and winding journey, from extensive costs to regulatory requirements to navigate. What is often lost during this presentation brainstorm process is a rigorous practice schedule to hone and perfect your investor pitch. This article outlines the four imperative practice strategies biotech companies need to succeed. 

For some biotech executives, practice means memorization. While being very comfortable with your presentation material is a crucial factor, there is so much more to be done than rote memorization. The quality of your practice has a direct impact on the success of your presentation. Don’t worry about memorization; what is most important is HOW you say it.  

Once your investor pitch and the slide deck are created, your goal is to increase your market valuation by crystallizing your message using storytelling, evidence, and in-depth financial analysis. The four practice tools below will captivate investors and emphasize your value proposition. 

1. Structural Practice 

The structural practice covers the logistics of a group presentation. Questions to discuss with the presentation team include: 

• How will we talk into the room, and in what order? 
• Where will we stand? 
• Will the projector/ screen be blocked if we stand in a specific spot? 
• Who speaks first, second, third? How is the speaker role passed along, e.g., “Now Frank will talk about…”?
• Will the PowerPoint clicker be passed along, and when? 
• Do we all need microphones, or will one microphone be passed from person to person? 
• If we had to present the same pitch in 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes, how will we achieve this? Who will speak? What will we share? What slides would we use? 
• If the PowerPoint fails, do we know the order of the presentation? 
• How will be exit the room? 

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18 Feb Three  Ways to Handle Investor Questions Confidently 

Questions are an essential part of meetings. When questions are asked, there is interest.  Questions can be a test not only for your knowledge of the content but your confidence in what you are representing.

The three techniques below will help you prepare for inevitable questions.

1. Restate– In restating the question, you are NOT adding any new information or changing the meaning.   Changing the meaning does not always mean words, many times it’s done with tone and inflection.  Also restating DOES NOT mean using the same words and ‘parroting’ the information.  When this technique is done well, the listener repeats the essence of the message with no judgment, emotion, or opinion implied. In other words – a neutral tone.  It’s much easier said than done.  It can be most challenging in an emotionally loaded conversation, which is also where it is the most powerful and effective.  The main resistance people have to restate a question comes from the fear that they appear to be agreeing when they do not.  Do not let this stop you from using this effective technique, as it is even more powerful when you do not agree with the other person’s statement. 
2. Disclaiming–  Many times, people are fearful of answering because they want to have the right answer.  “I don’t know, but I will find out” won’t get you very far in business communication, especially when it’s used more than once. Learning how to frame your answer can help.  Some phrases act as a disclaimer so you can offer insight or at least the limited information you do have. 

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12 Feb How to Be a Good Listener In Groups

Intuitively, we all know that many speakers are nervous when presenting. Yet, when attending a meeting or conference, we rarely think about how we, as  listeners, can help the  speaker  be more comfortable. Though most of my team’s time is spent focusing on coaching speakers to be more confident and effective, as a listener,  you  can help as well. 

Here are five practical tips for being a great listener in a group setting:

1. Provide non-verbal feedback. Speakers are sensitive to listeners’ facial expressions and posture. It helps to grin, show facial interest, smile if appropriate, and use a slight forward lean. 
2. Get cozier.  Have you noticed that the front row at a meeting or conference is often empty or sparsely populated? Speakers benefit from feeling connected to their listeners, so, in a large group, be brave and sit as near to the speaker as possible.  
3. Ask questions.  It is uncomfortable when the presenter asks if there are any questions and then…crickets!  Yes, it can take courage on your part to speak up. But, knowing that you are helping the speaker feel better may get you going.  
4. Avoid distracting behaviors.  Presenters notice everything because they can SEE everything from their vantage point.  Know that you are not invisible and avoid talking to colleagues, fiddling with papers, or your handbag. If you need to cough more than several times, best to move into the hallway. 
5. Approach the speaker afterward. Whether it’s a small group meeting or a large conference, presenters feel uplifted when they know their information or style is appreciated. Offer a sincere compliment if you can. Conversation with the presenter is a boost to networking too!