YOU TOO CAN BE AN IMPRESSIVE AND MEMORABLE PRESENTER

You will , in your career, be required to make two types of  presentations : either to “tell” the audience what they expect to know or to “sell” an idea which the audience does not know. Each situation requires a very different style.

• “TELL” :  When you are sure WHO the audience is and are clear about WHAT they are expecting too know. This is where you MAY structure your presentation in terms of bullets. If you do not know the audience or if you are not sure if they are eager oto know what you are planning to say, the bullet style does not work.
• “SELL” : Generally you are safer in using STORY style. If you are trying to sell an idea or a product and if you are not aware of how prepared your audience will be to know what you have to say, use storytelling. A storyteller always sounds brilliant and memorable because every story has an emotion, a plot and an outcome. A bullet presentation is flat.  

SOFTWARE CASE

Recently someone made a PowerPoint presentation to me about a software that helps HR departments keep track of the performance of the employees. Those 25 slides consisted of a list of “important” concepts and concerns to “think about” and so on. It was full of charts and data. Most of it I forgot the next day!

As it happened, days later, I met a user of the software for a few minutes and told me, in simple English, how the company had a very crude manual system and how the software , which costs very little, saved the work of 3 people in the department . And how the management was impressed with him because he suggested it. I remember most of it even now and what is more I feel I  have a favorable opinion about the software. . The first presenter came off as earnest but tedious. The second presenter came off as brilliant and focused.

TELLING FORMAT

Outline based bullet presentations are like manuals or textbooks. They have a lot of content structured as preface, contents, chapters, sections, charts and periodic reviews. But they do not appeal to the audience unless there is an overarching motivation like an impending examination etc.  

 During such presentations, the presenter verbally provides details of each bullet item and says, at many points in the presentation, with forced lines like “this is important, so I’m going to talk very fast to get it all in” enthusiasm. Such presentations are so unmemorable that presenters must resort to tricks in order to ensure that the audience retains anything at all. Because their formula is “tell them what you’re going to say, say it, then tell them what you said.” But they do not know that this works only when the audience is eager to know what you have to say. Many times it is not. And in such cases the “telling” style falls flat.

To make matters worse they use acronyms like “SWOT” and “KISS” or use jargon like “Leverage on our strengths” or “Optimize resources” or “use appropriate tools”.

STORY / SELLING FORMAT  

While most people like, remember and repeat a story they have heard, they cannot come up with a story themselves woven around what they want to say. That’s why they fall back on the bullet list. 

To help you come up with a story, remember that …

1. A story is a narrative with a plot
   (sequence of situations faced, options, decisions and actions) …
2. undertaken by a hero
   (protagonist, the good chap, the one who acts )……
3. who faces choices and dilemmas in achieving a worthy and difficult goal…
   (It is always better if the goals are stated not only in operational terms but also in terms of the larger payoff ... like what the hero was trying to accomplish, or fix, or avoid in his own life or someone else's life )
4. In spite of challenges posed by a villain / external / uncontrollable circumstances

This may seem obvious but there’s more to see than what meets the eye at first glance : If you receive two circulars for attending meetings ; one stating that the meeting is to

• “The western regional manager will review the sales performance of his region.using the normal templates and formats”
• “Satish Pradhan - our new regional manager of west - will present how he made an unusual decision to set a target of achieving 25% growth in the region where the market was declining, and where his own sales team was against it. In spite of this he achieved it through the same sales team through using a new performance planning system which he introduced in 3 phases.”

Which meeting will you be keen to go to ? 

In which meeting you feel the presenters will make better presentations ? 

Which presentation you are more likely to remember ?

I think you got my point. However please remember that  EVERY story may not be worth telling. And also that the bullet presentations are not always dull.

Kejriwal's speech in Delhi assembly on Jan 2, 2014

SPEECH IN DELHI ASSEMBLY ON DEC 2, 2014

I listened to the whole speech and found different parts of it absorbing, instructive and scary.

ABSORBINGI found it absorbing because of the way it generates emotional connect. The way he defined who is a common man and the earthy experiences of everyday he used to connect were extraordinary. Even the language he used is not an intellectual one but an emotional one.

INSTRUCTIVEI found it instructive because he has used the basic principle of branding that a new brand must clarify who is it for, how is it different and what is the reason the brand should be believed. And, most importantly, he has given 17 reasons how the "touch points" will change for ordinary people. He has not dealt in generalities but in specifics.

SCARYI found it scary because he has raised very specific expectations which I am sure he will fail to deliver giving a rich fodder to his distractors before Lok Sabha elections. Most Chief Executives find it difficult to manage even one company in the service business and cannot break the old habits and create new behaviors.And here he is talking of molding the behavior of a vast government which does not have a common vision and mission to be inspired by. Poor fellow, he may not succeed in delivering his manifesto because he is going beyond resources and habits of his own organization.

But this speech is, in my mind, of no less historical significance than Churchill's "Blood, sweat, toil and tears" or Nehru's "Tryst with destiny". We are living in exciting times. This certainly is a cross-functional case that "lives", "evolves" and "unfolds"..

7 R of Brainstorming

1. Relevance (Idea should be relate to the need of key stakeholder)
2. Revolutionary  (Is the idea a Game Changer)
3. Rapid (Can it be done rapidly or fast)
4. Rough (Can it be done on a small scale/ Locally in low budget
5. Right (Is the idea focusing on the right issue)
6. Relationally (Can it make optimum use of resources)
7. Replicable (If it works, Does the ides have potential for scale up)

100+ Thoughts for managers in less than 20 words

Many of these are not my thoughts ...but some are ... 

1. Numbers can tell you who the customers are and what they do. But it will not tell you why - the desires and motivation. To know such nuanced and complex issues you need context and conversation. 
2. It is easier to say no in the beginning if you suspect you are on a wrong path
   than in the end after having traveled on the path 
3. The expression you were on your face
   is more important than the clothes you wear on your body
4. Salespersons are not needed to quote prices or deliver spiel.
   They are the bridge between the selling price and the perception of value.
5. In absence of follow-up coaching and reinforcement,
   87% of the skills imparted in the training are lost.
6. You can't sit in an office and learn what the world is going to do next year.
   You must get out into the world and learn it.
7. Bible says "ask and it will be given". Is it that simple?
   Yes, make a commitment, and life will begin giving you the answers
8. Everything in the world we want to do or get done,
   we must do with and through people
9. Don't be someone who gets paid by the hour.
   Aim to be the one who gets paid for the value you bring to each hour.
10. Your life can grow where you are planted right now.
    Do not wait to get re-planted to more fertile soil and a better climate!
11. Losers do what is tension relieving. ,
    Winners do what is goal achieving.
12. We must suffer from the pain of discipline
    or the pain of disappointment.  
13. Successful people ask better questions,
    and as a result, they get better answers
14. It's easier to resist at the beginning
    than at the end.
15. Things go usually wrong in the beginning
    and not at the end. 
16. If you must break the law, do it to seize power:
    in all other cases observe it. 
17. Mere wanting is not enough;
    you must hunger for it.
    Then it will happen.
18. People spend half their life for someone to help them
    before discovering it is a "self-help" project
19. The best thinking is in solitude.
    The worst is during the turmoil.
20. Subordinates may pay less attention to what you say
    but they always keenly observe what you do.
21. If there is no action
    you have not truly decided.
22. Many know what to do,
    but few actually do what they know.
23. Are you influencing the circumstances
    or are the circumstances influencing you?
24. Quality of our life depends upon the way we communicate with others
    & ourselves.
25. "Your world" is the story you wrote yourself using your mind.
26. A goal is a dream with a deadline.
27. All you have to know is where you're going.
    The answers will come on their own.
28. Life is not about what you get from it.
    It is about what it helps you to become.
29. To improve is to change;
    to be perfect is to change often. 
30. Don't underestimate competition
    but do not underestimate yourself either.
31. The walls we build around us keep the sadness out.
    But they also keep out the joy
32. You are sitting in the comfort of a shade today
    because someone planted the tree long time ago.
33. Success is not a destination.
    It is the way to travel.
34. To provide direction (to an employee, group or company) set boundaries.
    Without these momentum would be lost as energies will get spent in all directions.
    Let them know what is the purpose (outcomes)
    and the rules (who does what). 
35. Don't send inexperienced people off alone
    and then punish them when they make mistakes.
    Establish direction and leave them free ...
    to make decisions, take initiative, act like owners, and stay on track.
36. Take long term actions that move you to your vision.
    In short term, start from what you have and move towards your targets.
    Do BOTH.
37. If we want customer satisfaction / trust in the company;
    why give hefty incentives and commission on sales?
38. When there is an ego, everything goes away.
    When ego dies, normalcy returns.
    The "I" inside you is abnormal; the world always was normal.
39. Reaction and response are different.
    Reaction is instinctive.
    Response is well thought out, just and right.
40. Strategy means sacrifice...
    you must be as sure about things you will never  do
    and about things you will always and unfailingly do. 
41. Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak.
    Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
42. A meaningful silence is better
    than meaningless words.
43. Every sale has five basic obstacles:
    no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.
44. What really counts cannot be counted.
    Conversely, what can be counted may not always count.
45. MBAs do too much modeling and too little analysis / diagnosis.
    No point in knowing all the answers
    but not knowing what is the problem at hand in the first place?
46. Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane
    by those who couldn't hear the music.
47. Leaders lead their teams through engagement, passion, example and culture. Managers manage their teams through policies and procedures.
48. Use 10-30-60 formula for people development :
    10% training, 20% coaching, 70% on-the-job learning
49. If your market share is more than 50%,
    REDEFINE the market so that it becomes 10%.
    This is guaranteed to open new ways of thinking.
50. A vendor is a partner ONLY if you know how to do it yourself.
    OTHERWISE, he is a supplier!
51. Market researchers are good in acquiring data
    but who will wring out practical ways to tell us how to improve the top or bottom line?
52. General Patton: "A vigorous attack today with only 80% preparation
    is better than an attack tomorrow with 100% preparation"
53. No longer it makes sense to hire people where the work is.
    Because, now you can take the work to wherever people are.
54. Drill makers spend time thinking of drills.
    Their customers spend time thinking how to make holes.
    Can they ever be on the same page?
55. "Chaos Theory" - a hurricane formed by a butterfly flapping its wings
56. Losers talk of success but don't know what to do when they succeed.
    Winners know what to do if they fail but don't talk about it.
57. Care as if it is the only thing that matters.
    Risk more than what is safe.
    Dream more than is practical.
    Expect more than what is possible.
58. Oh, the news these days!
    I am happy I will not be around a couple of decades from now.
    And sad for the children who will be!
59. After winning an award, Bob Hope said;
    "I was beginning to feel humble but I was strong enough to resist the urge."
60. Upon turning 100 Bob Hope said;
    "I don't feel old. In fact, I don't feel anything until noon."
    "Then it's time for my nap."
61. Gardeners have 2 choices : spray the visible leaves or water the invisible roots.
    The latter is indirect but has a lasting effect. 
62. On bailouts/stimuli/subsidies: You can take the horse of the economy to the water... but to take water or make water is up to the horse.
63. Is it possible to improve a patient's health through testing alone?
    Is it possible to improve the knowledge of students by repeated exams?
64. When flood comes the fish eat the ants.
    When the flood recedes the ants eat the fish.
    The circumstances often decide who will eat whom.
65. Trial & Error sounds bad.
    But in reality it means finding out what does not work. Is it really bad?
    In fact one should try many things, fail fast, and then learn from it.
66. Marketing Plans for today's fast changing world need 3 components :
    market research, alpha tests and beta tests!
67. You may not always know what business you are in.
    But your customers do. Ask them once in a while.
68. I would have learned but they insisted on teaching me.
69. Any fool can give you the answer.
    It takes wisdom to ask the right question in the first place. 
70. I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.
    The same goes for PPTs and e mails too.
71. A tomato is a fruit is "data".
    Not to use it in a fruit salad is "knowledge".
72. How net is experienced is shifting from desktop to laptop to mobile.
    Ad agencies cannot monetize even the 1st step well. They are trailing
73. We don't really like change.
    We like the change we like
74. Stan Laurel said:
    "Don't cry at my funeral; otherwise I'll never speak to you again"
75. Either you find the way or you find an excuse.
    The choice is yours.
76. Opportunity is missed by most people
    because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. 
77. Dettol, your soap's saying "turn up energy of your day"?
    But for all of us you are STILL a germ killer in a bottle!
    Not an energy soap bar.
78. Be a gift those entering your life.
    Don't enter others' life if you cannot be a gift. 
79. The truth is those vital few things you experienced as being true
    and stored them deep within you.
    Rest may seem true but a mere hearsay.
80. No amount of testing, interviews and reference checks
    will ever substitute actually working with a candidate on a real project.
81. Anthropologists say our brain is hard wired for survival.
    If things are right, we forget but if they wrong we always remember.
82. Tell me what action you propose
    and not how intelligent you are.
83. A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart so well
    that he can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.
84. If you don’t give a damn about anything,
    no one will give a damn about you.
85. In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless
    but planning is indispensable.
86. Strategy means what you choose not to change over the next 5 years.
87. "Here's my secret", said the fox,
    "it is only with the heart that one can see rightly for what is essential is invisible" 
88. Treasure of common memories 10 years at Eureka Forbes.
    Of struggle, trials, quarrels. Of friendship, bonhomie and bonding. Great Place!
89. Google for Boundless Learning.
    End of textbooks !
90. All of us parents were once children but only few of us remember it.
    This must be very exasperating for our own children. Don't you think?
91. Strategists are not as critical to your business;
    as a good organization of good people working with a common understanding.
92. Don't aim for only a brand impact when planning a campaign!
    Facilitate sales & create behavioral impact on stakeholders too
93. Which of these 3 you want to create for your customers
    (1) Physical Function (2) Symbols & Meaning (3) Experience / Emotions
94. Use all 3 in business definition
    1) which customers you serve
    2) what & whom you invoice
    3) competence that enables you
95. Don't try to influence whole market at once.
    First influence opinion leaders. They will tell and show others.
96. Why waste time in vain pursuit?
    Of constant endeavors & disputes?
    Be merry with the fruit you have;
    than to discover none or bitter fruit!
97. When will we realize that our obsession for growth dilutes
    our strategy / focus / profitability?
    And is bad for planet and people too!
98. Are you a "King Material"?
    Have you ruled yourself well so far ?
99. Everybody saying that the "cloud" is the answer.
    But will someone tell what was the question in the first place.
100. After 2010 edition of 32 volumes weighing 50 kg
     Encyclopedia Britannica shuts shop.
     Kodak too died the same way.
     Both ran out their time.
101. Einstein's definition of insanity
     "doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results" !
102. A bird is happy on a branch.
     Not because the branch will not break.
     But he trusts in the ability of his wings.
     Why fear? Trust in the god and your abilities. 
103. Perfection is not saying so much so well that that no one can add anything.
     It is to say so little so well that no one take even a word away!
104. For 2 years MBAs learn to act as Vice Presidents.
     Then they join the "other end" of industry. 
105. Who you are is your biggest resource.
     Other resources are secondary :
     what you studied, who your family is, and how much money you have.
106. A strange infant smiles & I feel I deserve his smile.
     A strange adult smiles at me and I feel uncomfortable. Who's he?
107. Fading Mass Media ?
     By 2015 Unilever estimates that
     40% of "customer impressions" coming from non-paid media !
     Social media, Jay Ho !!!
108. Recd text message " ...
     helped my uncle Jack off a a horse..."
     Does it really mean what it says?
     Punctuation & capitalization dying in SMS
109. Never knew PDF means Portable Document Format.
110. Touched by the new song that launches the new name "Hero Motocorp".
     What a song. What an idea.
111. Word “Manage" is based on Latin "manus agere" (leading by hand)
     means guiding & pushing others move towards common goals. What insight !!
112. See beyond sales, profits, share.
     See the value.
     All that counts cannot be counted.
     All that can be counted does not count.
113.  (Foreign Affairs Report 2011) Power is hard to measure
     but what really matters is Military & Economic capability.
     Snatch or Buy.
     How true!!
114. Kodak - a giant 50 years ago - went belly up yesterday.
     They saw the competition - but forgot what they were competing for. 
115. Great leaders don't ask people to collect wood when they want to build a ship.
     They creates a longing in them for the sea. The rest happens!
116. Perfect Design is not when nothing can be added to it
     but nothing can be taken away from it
     because it contains only what is essential.
117. Net connectivity is expanding but our own connectivity
     with ourselves, our family, friends and community is shrinking. 
118. Bajaj launched 4-seater 4-wheeler mini car
     as an upgrade replacement for autorikshaw market.
     Nano (similar car) still groping for the market
119. Marketing is not really about transforming the behavior of the customers.
     It is first about transforming ourselves.
120. Wireless reaches more people today
     than the electricity does. 
121. Academic world steeped with "strategy" and "knowing"?
     Practitioners with "people" and "doing".
     When will they discover each other?
122. Enemy #1 of professors.
     Span of attention is less than 10 mts in class! How should they teach?
123. Steve Jobs changed how movies are made, how music is sold, how stories got told.
     He fused design, form & function into one. 
124. A life is not a race, take it slower.
     Enjoy the music, before the album is over.
125. That there is a Tomato is DATA.
     That it is fruit is KNOWLEDGE.
     Not to use it to make a fruit salad is WISDOM.
126. A lion will not cheat on his wife,
     but a Tiger Wood!
127. Think of training as a business input.
     Not recreation of a subject classroom.
     Believe me - it makes a world of difference to the outcome.

What makes great employees remarkable

Great employees are reliable, dependable, proactive, diligent, great leaders and great followers... they possess a wide range of easily-defined—but hard to find—qualities.

A few hit the next level. Some employees are remarkable, possessing qualities that may not appear on performance appraisals but nonetheless make a major impact on performance.

Here are eight qualities of remarkable employees:

1. They ignore job descriptions. The smaller the company, the more important it is that employees can think on their feet, adapt quickly to shifting priorities, and do whatever it takes, regardless of role or position, to get things done. When a key customer's project is in jeopardy, remarkable employees know without being told there's a problem and jump in without being asked—even if it's not their job.

2. They’re eccentric... The best employees are often a little different: quirky, sometimes irreverent, even delighted to be unusual. They seem slightly odd, but in a really good way. Unusual personalities shake things up, make work more fun, and transform a plain-vanilla group into a team with flair and flavor. People who aren't afraid to be different naturally stretch boundaries and challenge the status quo, and they often come up with the best ideas.

3. But they know when to dial it back. An unusual personality is a lot of fun... until it isn't. When a major challenge pops up or a situation gets stressful, the best employees stop expressing their  individuality and fit seamlessly into the team. Remarkable employees know when to play and when to be serious; when to be irreverent and when to conform; and when to challenge and when to back off. It’s a tough balance to strike, but a rare few can walk that fine line with ease.

4. They publicly praise... Praise from a boss feels good. Praise from a peer feels awesome, especially when you look up to that person. Remarkable employees recognize the contributions of others, especially in group settings where the impact of their words is even greater.

5. And they privately complain. We all want employees to bring issues forward, but some problems are better handled in private. Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects in a group setting because their performance allows greater freedom. Remarkable employees come to you before or after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue, knowing that bringing it up in a group setting could set off a firestorm.

6. They speak when others won’t. Some employees are hesitant to speak up in meetings. Some are even hesitant to speak up privately. An employee once asked me a question about potential layoffs. After the meeting I said to him, “Why did you ask about that? You already know what's going on.” He said, “I do, but a lot of other people don't, and they're afraid to ask. I thought it would help if they heard the answer from you.”Remarkable employees have an innate feel for the issues and concerns of those around them, and step up to ask questions or raise important issues when others hesitate.

7. They like to prove others wrong. Self-motivation often springs from a desire to show that doubters are wrong. The kid without a college degree or the woman who was told she didn't have leadership potential often possess a burning desire to prove other people wrong.

Education, intelligence, talent, and skill are important, but drive is critical. Remarkable employees are driven by something deeper and more personal than just the desire to do a good job.

8. They’re always fiddling. Some people are rarely satisfied (I mean that in a good way) and are constantly tinkering with something: Reworking a timeline, adjusting a process, tweaking a workflow. Great employees follow processes. Remarkable employees find ways to make those processes even better, not only because they are expected to… but because they just can't help it.

stories behind company names

MERCEDES

This was actually the financier's daughter's name. 

  

ADOBE 

This came from name of the river Adobe Creek that ran behind the house of founder John Warnock. 

APPLE COMPUTERS

It was the favorite fruit of founder Steve Jobs. He was three months late in filing a name 

for the business, and he threatened to call

his company Apple Computers if

the other colleagues didn't suggest a

better name by 5 O'clock that evening. 

CISCO

It is not an acronym as popularly believed.

It is short for  San Francisco . 

COMPAQ 

This name was formed by using COMp, for computer, and PAQ to denote a small integral object.   

COREL  

The name was derived from the founder's 

name Dr. Michael Cowpland. It stands for  COwpland REsearchLaboratory. 

GOOGLE  

The name started as a joke boasting about the amount of information the search-engine would be able to search. It was originally named 'Googol', a word for the number represented by 1 followed by 100 zeros. After founders- Stanford graduate students Sergey Brin and Larry Page presented their project to an angel investor, they received a cheque made out to 'Google' ...

thus the name.

  

HOTMAIL  

Founder Jack Smith got the idea of accessing e-mail via the web from a computer anywhere in the world. When Sabeer Bhatia came up with the business plan for the mail service, he tried all kinds of names ending in 'mail' and finally settled for hotmail as it included the letters "html" - the programming language used to write web pages. It was initially referred to as HoTMaiL with selective upper-casing. 

  

HEWLETT PACKARD 

Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard tossed a coin to decide whether the company hey founded would be called Hewlett-Packard or Packard-Hewlett. 

INTEL 

Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore wanted to name their new company ' Moore Noyce'but that was already trademarked by a hotel chain so they had to settle for an acronym of INTegrated ELectronics. 

  

LOTUE (Notes)  

Mitch Kapor got the name for his company from 'The Lotus Position' or 'Padmasana'. Kapoor used to be a teacher of Transcendental Meditation of  Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.  

  

MICROSOFT 

Coined by Bill Gates to represent the company that was devoted to MICROcomputer SOFTware. Originally christened Micro-Soft, the 'ware ' was removed later on. 

MOTOROLA 

Founder Paul Galvin came up with this name when his company started manufacturing radios for cars. The popular radio company at the time was called  Victrola. 

  

ORACLE

Larry Ellison and Bob Oats were working on a consulting project for the CIA 

(Central Intelligence Agency). The code name for the project was called

Oracle (the CIA saw this as the system to give answers to all questions or something such). The project was designed to help use the newly written SQL code by IBM. The project eventually was terminated but Larry and Bob decided to finish what they started and bring it to the world. They kept the name Oracle and created the RDBMS engine. Later they kept the same name for the company. 

SONY 

It originated from the Latin word 'sonus' meaning sound, and 'sonny' a slang used by Americans to refer to a bright youngster. 

SUN

Founded by four  Stanford  University buddies, SUN is the acronym for  Stanford  University Network. Andreas Bechtolsheim built a microcomputer; Vinod Khosla recruited him and Scott McNealy to manufacture computers based on it, and Bill Joy to develop a UNIX-based OS for the computer. 

  

YAHOO!  

The word was invented by Jonathan Swift and used in his book 'Gulliver's Travels'. It represents a person who is repulsive in appearance and action and is barely human. Yahoo! Founders Jerry Yang and David Filo selected the name because they considered themselves yahoos.