Concise Communication Tips for the Day November 29, 2009
Posted by Gary in Dealing with People, Humour & Laughter, Networking & Small Talk, Random Observations, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections.add a comment
When East Meets West - What Do You Do?
Greetings are cultural dependent – A Chinese person would most likely ask “Have you Eaten?”, to which you should answer “Yes..” to start the conversation.
A Westerner would most likely ask, “How are you?” or “How have you been!”, to which you answer “Great, and you look great too!”.
Unfortunately, the biggest wrong answer a Westerner can give when he meets a Chinese person is to answer “No! Are you giving me a treat?”!
Similarly, it’s important to take Westernized comments such as comments such as you were great! And “you’re really charming…” with a pinch of salt!
Reciprocity of greetings in cultural contexts is the key. The problem of miscommunication often arises when one party misreads or mis-reciprocates the other party’s advances!
Leading Competently with the Language of Leadership September 26, 2009
Posted by Gary in Dealing with People, Lessons in Leadership, Personal Development, Public Speaking, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections.add a comment
The role of a leader is to lead. Sounds like a no-brainer huh? What is a leader if nobody chooses to follow him?
I was once told by my platoon commander when I was serving the Singapore Armed Forces that “the biggest fear a leader is to look over his shoulders and realise that nobody is following him”.
That day was the last day I left the camp and green uniform behind. But the words have stuck with me since.
In essence, it truly highlights the principle that “A Leader is only a Leader when there are people Following him”, and that a Leader is nothing without without his followers and supporters.
That begs the second question then: Why do people follow anyone else?
There are several reasons for this. But without going too deep into philosophy and/or sociology, I think that people generally follow somebody else’s lead because it is perceived that the everybody can get the job done in a better fashion.
Mind you, this does not naturally mean that the hearts and mind of the people are won and that they would follow somebody wholeheartedly. Seldom do we see something like that happen.
The power of leadership may come as a “natural endowment”, ie, people vest their trust and loyalty upon a leader voluntarily. Others may come as a form of “vested authority”, ie, authority is delegated and the leader is appointed. In effect, you can interpret it as empowerment through democracy and/or authoritative means. Each method has its merits and I won’t go into detail about that.
Yet, like it or not, a leader has to be able to wield an appropriate degree of the various leadership tools that are of both “democratic” and “authoritative” nature from time to time to get their work done.
Having worked with a fair deal of people of who were stepping into leadership roles without extensive experience of handling mega projects prior to their latest appointments, I had a quite a good time observing the similarities and differences that lie behind what makes a competent and experienced leader.
The way they communicate is one such difference. Here are some communication principles that separate competent leaders from inexperienced ones:
Why Struggle When You Can Share? August 15, 2009
Posted by Gary in Articles, Dealing with People, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections, Values and Beliefs.1 comment so far
Dare to Share
I got to read a really touching story in the local newspaper lately which really reminded me of the time I spent with my mother too. (See post)
Besides reminding me of my own story, I thought this article might be a worthy read for you too. Take some time to read the article below and reflect upon it and your life.
Here it is… (more…)
iImpressed @ iPresent 2009 August 8, 2009
Posted by Gary in Events & Experiences, Personal Development, Public Speaking, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections.2 comments
iPresent 2009
The bustling streets, fervor activity. I’ve long heard about their friendliness, sincerity and enthusiasm at learning. But none had really prepared me for the scenes I was to see, yet alone be part of.
I’m of course, talking about my latest training adventure at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Organised by a team of passionate and dedicated Vietnamese students, the iPresent,iLead workshop was incepted to address the mismatch of skills between young graduates and the demands of fast changing Vietnam labor market. Communication and presentation skills (hence iPresent) was identified as one of the key areas that they sought to shore up.
And boy did we have fun… training, I mean *winks*.
Over two days, two hundred students walked through the gates of the Ho Chi Minh University of Economics to gather skills on How to Overcome their Fears of Public Speaking, How to Craft an Impactful Speech, and How to Make Body Language Work For You. (more…)
5 Essential Principles You Must Know For Success on Stage July 3, 2009
Posted by Gary in Coaching, Events & Experiences, Personal Development, PowerPoint & Presentation, Public Speaking, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections, Values and Beliefs.Tags: Coaching
1 comment so far
Courtesy of Flikr and "the monk"
I was coaching a friend on public speaking a couple of weeks back when we were addressing about her public speaking anxiety. In her own words, her mind would go blank, she’d freeze and get paralyzed, and she’d suffer from panic attacks thinking about her impending doom… erm… I mean presentation *winks* for weeks to come.
Sounds familiar?
Anyway, we were talking and analyzing her anxiety attacks when it dawned upon me that she held several misconceptions and “displaced faith” towards public speaking.
Now let me clarify, she’s an educated, insightful intelligent and hardworking individual who knows what she wants and what she’s doing. The only problem is that she’s been so active at avoiding speaking up for so long now that she’s forgotten how speak!
In fact, I even remarked (to her) that she has been doing a great job at whatever she’s been doing for the past couple of years! Just think about it – She’s been so successful hiding, she’s successfully taught herself to run away from speaking!
Still, more importantly, the insights and concerns she shared with me about her fear, however, helped me crystallize some of the major lessons I’ve learned about public speaking and the concept of fear! And I thought it would be great to share them with you too!
So here it goes: (more…)
Six Speaking Skills You Need For Managing a Crisis June 1, 2009
Posted by Gary in Dealing with People, Events & Experiences, Lessons in Leadership, Public Speaking, Sales & Persuasion, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections, Toastmasters.add a comment
I got the privilege of evaluating an advanced project during a meeting at Tampines Changkat Toastmasters Club this evening. The project was on “Crisis Management”. The speaker was expected chair a media conference and deliver an official statement addressing a crisis that had struck the organization that he was working for. Thereafter, he would be required to chair a question and answer session from members of the media – tough interrogators who are hungry for sound bites and hawkish for answers.
The speaker had to be on his toes and watch what he said – for any slip could further stoke the flames and potentially devastate the company further.
The speaker who attempted this project for the night, Gregory Ernoult, ACB, managed this challenge admirably. In fact, it was such an admirable attempt that it helped to surface a few pertinent points in crisis/media management and prompted me to blog about it (for you) too!
Since it’s close to 4am, and I’m too tired and lazy to think of an alternative structure to share those ideas, I shall proceed simply by sharing the three main areas Greg did particularly well in followed by the three suggestions I thought he could use to enhance his presentation and Q&A. But before we begin, we’ll have to understand the setting for his “crisis” first. (more…)
The AWARE Saga – Prelude to Leadership Fatalities May 8, 2009
Posted by Gary in Dealing with People, Events & Experiences, Lessons in Leadership, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections, Videos & Podcast.add a comment
Courtesy of Lucious Young
Those of you who’re in Singapore would be no stranger to the AWARE saga – an event (or some say coup) involving a Civil Society in Singapore that caught the young nation’s attention.
For those of you who are (*ahem*) unAWARE (pardon the pun), of what this is about, you may read on to find out more. Otherwise, you may skip this prelude to proceed straight to the lessons on Leadership Fatalities
Leadership Fatalities – 5 Mistakes a Leader Must Never Make! May 8, 2009
Posted by Gary in Dealing with People, Events & Experiences, Lessons in Leadership, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections, Videos & Podcast.3 comments
Image Courtesy of Channel NewsAsia
“The feeling in the room was electrifying. I still can’t get over the fact that we got Aware back. It is a great moral victory.”
- Constance Singam, past president of Aware
You would probably know the story by know. But I’d like to take the analysis of the Old Guard’s victory one step further and examine it under the microscope of communication and the fatal mistakes the New Guard made as leaders – for your benefit of course. (*winks*)
The following are 5 Leadership Fatalities that a leader must NEVER make: (more…)
Susan Boyle: A Story of Talent, Persistance and Belief April 21, 2009
Posted by Gary in General, Hope & Inspiration, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections, Values and Beliefs, Videos & Podcast.1 comment so far
Who is Susan Boyle?
If I’ve said it once, I’ve must have said it a thousand times: our mindset is fundamental to our success and failure.
Wouldn’t you agree?
Our mindsets pave the way for us to move forward, allows us to pursue opportunities and open up new doors to progress… and overcome adversity and challenges.
Talent, skill and ability are irrelevant if one does not have the right attitude and mindset…
Never mind that one may harbor false hopes and misplaced beliefs every now and then – making mistakes is just another way of learning. But it’s my assertion and belief that you’ll never know until you do attempt it.
It takes courage, definitely. But you’ll be surprised what gems or golden opportunities you might uncover because you dared to venture into places that others fear to thread.
And there’s no simply no stopping you when your talent and abilities meet the opportunity.
This lady in the following video offers such a case in point. She’s almost half a century old, unemployed, and has never had the opportunity to pursue her dream of singing. And as compared to the divas that grace the stages in the modern entertainment industry… she is by far less endowed.
She is Susan Boyle – a singer-wannabe who made her an appearance on stage during the talent show Britain’s Got Talent. She was asked to share her dream – she replied: to be like Elaine Paige, a famous English singer and actress.
The judges were unconvinced. The audience laughed. Some smirked. Too many wannabes had come, boasted and failed.
Would she be another William Hung who had truly believed that in what he had to give? Let’s find out: (more…)
PowerPoint Revolution! January 11, 2009
Posted by Gary in PowerPoint & Presentation, Public Speaking, Videos & Podcast.Tags: Design, How to work well, PowerPoint, PowerPoint Revolutoin, Steve Jobs
6 comments
Ditch PowerPoint?
The patience of audiences around the world are thinning rapidly. The number of PPT (PowerPoint Terrorists) sympathisers in the world are declining drastically too.
No longer content to sit back and be the subject of abuse, audiences from all over the world are beginning to make their voices heard – some say PowerPoint are more a of barrier than aid to learning. Others are calling for it to be ditched completely.
But should it?
Well, I’m no fan of boring presentations (who is!?) – and I’m definitely not for PPTs (I’ll send them a virus – not anthrax – if I have to keep them from speaking). But as a Trainer and Presenter (yep, I’m one of the good guys!), I recognise the immense value and potential PowerPoint can really give. So it doesn’t really make sense to ditch it now.
But all’s not lost. Led by our “Spiritual Leader” and fellow blogger, Olivia Mitchell, a team of bloggers have banded together to come up with ideas on “What I’d like to see in PowerPoint slide design in 2009″. That’s right – we’re starting a PowerPoint Revolution for you – and we’ll be sharing our views real soon. In the meantime, here’s what I would like to see in PowerPoint Slide Design in 2009: (more…)
Are You a PowerPoint Terrorist? January 10, 2009
Posted by Gary in Humour & Laughter, Public Speaking.Tags: How to Work Well With PowerPoint, Humour, PowerPoint, Presentation Design, Tips
4 comments
We All Know the Story.
You walk in for the presentation, only to see the speaker setting up.
The projector is on and his every move is seen by everyone in the audience…
He clicks on his file. The PowerPoint loads and it does, you notice:
Horror No 1: You notice that there are 645 slides in the entire presentation
Horror No 2: They all look like this (below)
You say to yourself, “Maybe the speaker might be interesting and engaging…”
Your hopes shimmer for awhile as you sense that the speaker’s about to make eye contact.
Your hopes are dashed when you realise:
Horror No 3:
He establishes eye contact with the screen.
We all know what happens next.
You start struggling with the “Z” Monster. A brave soul from the audience decides to take things into his own hands.
He leaves the room to create his own PowerPoint presentation
We see this the next day:
Let’s face it. PowerPoint “Presentations” are a pain! And if Osama bin Laden were a less charismatic leader, he could still have used Powerpoint as his weapon of mass destruction!
Speaking of a PowerPoint Terrorist, have you ever wondered if you could be one of them too? (more…)
Marathon-Themed Table Topics Questions December 28, 2008
Posted by Gary in Toastmasters.add a comment
- Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired.
- The marathon can humble you.
- Run like hell, and get the agony over with.
- If I were to run a marathon…
- We can’t all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap.
- Marathon & life: monotonous, heavy, exhausting.
- Laughter is as good as jogging for our heart, lungs, and brain
- It hurts to a point and then it doesn’t get any worse.
* * *
Topics courtesy of Pauline Chan from Hougang TMC
About the Toastmasters Club (Part 1) – What Is It and How to Join? November 20, 2008
Posted by Gary in Events & Experiences, Public Speaking, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Toastmasters.2 comments
Speak Up at a Toastmasters Club
Are you looking for ways to enhance your public speaking skills, yet unsure of how to go about doing so?
Do you recognize the value of learning by making mistakes, yet are too afraid of making a costly mistake at work?
Are you looking for a safe and supportive environment to grow as speaker then?
If your answer is a resounding YES to any of those questions I’ve just asked, then this post’s for you! (especially if you’re residing in Singapore!)
Well, following my presentation on national radio, I felt inclined to do my bit to spread the word for the Toastmasters Movement in Singapore. I have, after all, benefited a lot from the support and advice that Toastmasters from all walks of life have given me – and if it’s helped me, I’m sure it can help you too. But just what is the Toastmasters all about? And how do you go about joining it? Are all Toastmasters Clubs the same and what are some of points I need to take into consideration before joining it?
These are just some of the questions I aim to answer in this post. Read on! (more…)
Shy Speaker’s Interview on Radio 938Live – Q&A to Share! November 1, 2008
Posted by Gary in Events & Experiences, Public Speaking, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Thoughts and Reflections, Values and Beliefs.add a comment
Behind the scenes at 93.9Live
And so we have it! The author of this blog got to share his views on public speaking on national radio! Now how many speakers can claim to have done that! (*winks*)
Alright, just let me bask in that moment of glory for awhile I revel in that experience. Well, to say the least, it was a really eventful experience. I was told by Stanley, the presenter and producer of the talkshow: The Living Room, to standby for a few calls to come in – it’s a Live show after all – but not to keep my hopes too up high because listeners usually don’t. He went on to add that listeners usually only call when there’s a health expert on the show…
Oh well, what the heck. Not that it really mattered. Stanley had already prepared a list of questions to ask me anyway… and so we began.
If the old adage that “Public Speaking is number one fear that supersedes the fear of death” is anything to go by, this interview certainly proved it. Because we had… not one – but two listeners who called with questions for me! Imagine that!
It was an a pleasant surprise. And an honour. Celebrities have gone on the show without a single call coming in… so I consider myself privileged to address the concerns of two callers. And for your benefit, I’m going to post their questions here so that you can benefit from the interview too. Here they are: (more…)
How to Establish Connection and Engage Your Audience like Barack Obama? October 24, 2008
Posted by Gary in Hope & Inspiration, Public Speaking, The Shy Speakers' Guide, Videos & Podcast.add a comment
Photo: Courtesy of Mikie Bones
I’ve been following the American election race for awhile now – not for the politics, but really for the opportunity of studying the quality of speeches and strategies used by the Presidential Nominees in their during their delivery and debates. Fully aware that I’m running the risk of sounding prejudiced, I must say that Barak Obama’s speeches has so far been top-notch and his manner of delivery has been both exact and
In most cases, I think he has done a fantastic job in revving and inspiring the crowd before carrying them on-board the “Obama-Express”. His meteoric rise has not come by accident though – and I’m not surprised – I credit a large part of his success to his ability to relate, connect and engage his audience. Not only has he been able to inspire and project credibility – he has also been able to entertain and speak with humility and sincerity.
But here’s the best part of listening to his speeches: I’ve been doing my research, and I’ve identified several strategies that you and I can learn to enhance our delivery skills. It’ll probably take some getting used to, but it’s really simple to learn. All you have to do is focused is focused on ONE small word to create a BIG.
Interested to know what’s it? Well, check out the video below and read the analysis! (more…)
