Speak First Newsletter - January 2007

Happy New Year!

If you’re like many of us you’ll have started 2007 full of good intentions – "I must sign up for the gym, crack my fear of presenting once and for all or win that promotion I’ve been after". Whatever your plans, this month’s issue aims to get you off to a good start. We can’t promise to help you lose weight but we can provide you with lots of tips for improving your chances of business success.

A good place to start is reading our article on networking. If you ever feel daunted by the thought of meeting a roomful of strangers it’s a must read for you. Research shows that the better connected you are the more likely it is that you’ll win your next job through networking. If networking is a positive pleasure, and something you look forward too, take a look at the article from our own Bridget Strong. It will get you thinking about how to conquer your fear of presenting.

Enjoy this issue and remember to send in your questions and our team of experts will answer them in future newsletters.

Warm wishes

Amanda and Jackie

In this month's issue...

• Networking - 10 hot tips for working the room
• Does getting it right get in the way?
• Tell us your funny stories about presenting and win a bottle of champagne

Networking - 10 hot tips for working the room

Do you get butterflies in the stomach at the mention of networking at business functions? Do they fill you with dread? Read on… You’ve been asked to attend a networking session. It’s in the evening and you’d rather be at home doing other things. As you look round the crowded room everyone looks engaged and appears to be talking animatedly. They seem to know each other and you know no-one. Whom do you go up to? How do you break into the conversation? Are you clear why you’re at the session? How will you know it’s been a worthwhile evening?

You’re not alone in facing these questions. Many people feel uncomfortable and see networking as a waste of time. Yet, if you follow some basic principles, it can make a huge difference in generating new business as well as increasing the number of contacts you have. Click here to find out how to make the most of working a room as well as enjoy it at the same time.

Does getting it right get in the way?

Bridget Strong discusses why wanting your presentation to be perfect can lead to a lack of confidence

If you ask an estate agent what’s really vital when selling a house, they say ‘Location! Location! Location!’. If you ask people who present as part of their role, what’s really vital to a good presentation’, they say ‘Confidence! Confidence! Confidence!’. 

I’ve been working with presenters from all over the world on a one-to-one basis and in groups for over 16 years. To date, the majority have wanted to increase their level of confidence when presenting.

So what affects your level of confidence? Recent research indicates that an individual’s level of perfectionism and attitude to getting things right influences their performance. In my experience confidence is a significant factor.

Perfectionists are generally considered to be people who aim to meet high standards. These very high standards can lead them to be self-critical. If you have an inner voice that says “I could have done that better” or I’ll never be good enough”, it’s hardly surprising that over time your confidence saps.

Any expert in presenting would say that preparation is the key to feeling confident. But, if you feel you have to remember your talk word for word or are constantly concerned about missing something out you’ll find yourself becoming anxious. The desire to get it right becomes the starting point of a vicious circle.

How much of a perfectionist are you when it comes to preparing and delivering a presentation?

Rate yourself on a scale of 1 –10?

1   = The work I put in and the presentations I give are good enough

10 = No matter how much time and preparation you put in you are never really happy/satisfied with your presentations

What, if anything, do you want to do about it?

And last but by no means least…….

What would it be like if you let yourself believe you are perfect as you are already?

If this article has got you thinking and you want to know more take a look at our Confident Presenter course or call us on 020 7428 9500 to discuss your situation further.