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Presentations: Impromptu and Prepared

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In June of this year,   I became president of a local membership organization that is primarily social.  I’ve been a member for 12 years and a board member for 8 or 9 years.  I find the experience to be very gratifying.  I’ve made friends.  I’ve continued to develop and refine leadership skills.  I am fortunate to preside over a board that is comprised of top drawer members who are committed to the organization and who work diligently to develop strategies and plans that will sustain the organization over the short- and long-term.  I do whatever I can to create conditions that enable board and committee members to do their best work and then get out of the way and let them do it.

To become an organization leader is to become its public face and unifying symbol to its members.  Public speaking is part of the job.  It is often necessary to offer words of inspiration and encouragement and verbally demonstrate that you embody the vision,  mission and values of the organization.  There are impromptu speaking  “opportunities”  that arise when you are half way through a second glass of wine and surprise! someone asks you to say a few words.  How do you successfully make an unrehearsed speech and manage to sound reasonably eloquent (and sober)?

There are also impromptu speaking opportunities that are professional in nature,  where one must speak ex tempore about business.  These speaking obligations are unscheduled but they are not completely unexpected,  since one attends certain events with the desire to meet and greet peers and prospects and talk business.  Finally,  there are scheduled speaking opportunities,  when one presents information to prospective clients.  Three types of speaking opportunities:  how can you stand and successfully deliver?

I.  Let’s start with the easiest,  the business meet and greet.  This is where your elevator speech is delivered.   You must decide which version you will roll out.   Are you being introduced to someone and asked what you do?  Keep your elevator speech conversational and limited to what the business provides,  your role or title and the name of the organization.  If someone asks what you do while in conversation,  give a vague but accurate description of the outcomes or benefits of the service you provide or products you sell.  Formulate a sentence that describes the business function and your role,  with a focus on benefits and outcomes.  In either scenario,  provide more information only if the person seeks more information.  Make the encounter a dialogue by asking questions of your own,  to establish whether this individual has a need for your products and services,  or is just making conversation.

2.  Twice,  I have been unexpectedly asked to address members of the organization for which I serve as president and twice I did a good job.  How did I do it?  Primarily,  I was fortunate to have a very good set-up introduction and I was smart enough to listen and pick out a phrase on which I could launch a quick little speech.  In the first,  I found a good tag line that I still occasionally use.  In the second,  I was able to find a theme and spin it into a good three-minute talk.  The moral of the story is,  a leader must anticipate public speaking obligations.  Keep your antennae tuned for anecdotes or observations made by organization members or others that can be used to develop an inspirational mini-speech.

3.  I pass along to you my interpretation of a Power Point presentation template developed by Bahar Martonosi of Princeton University.  You may find this template useful when auditioning for a prospective client or delivering a report of findings during a consulting assignment:

Your name and business name   (1 slide)

Project outline: work that the prospect would like performed   (1 slide)

Rationale: why is the project or problem important to the organization    ( 1 – 2 slides)

History: what has been done before   (0- 2 slides)

Method: your firm’s approach to the project or problem   (1 – 3 slides)

Results: this is the body of the talk.  Present the key results and findings. Do not present all results or findings.  (2 – 6 slides)

Summary:   (1 – 2 slides)

Back-up:  prepare slides that answer expected questions   (1 – 3 slides)

Keep things simple and focus on a few key points.

Repeat the key insights.

Know your audience and adjust the presentation as needed.

The post-presentation informal Q & A is very important.

Make eye contact,  be approachable and it’s OK to smile  (but this is business, not social, so know your role).

Make your audience want to learn more.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Authenticity is the Only Personal Brand

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The successful Freelance consultant is acknowledged as an expert and leader in his/her chosen field  by clients,  colleagues and competitors.  This Freelancer has superior skills that are accompanied by integrity;  s/he can be trusted to meet or even exceed expectations.  This individual commands respect because s/he is highly competent,  reliable and credible,  that is to say,  authentic.

Authentic is an adjective that’s thrown around a lot these days and perhaps suffers from overuse,  but I agree with leadership development specialists who assert that a truly effective leader is highly skilled,  trustworthy,  respectful,  communicates well and is unafraid to be him/herself.  A leader embraces the genuine self,  strives to develop and present  the best self and does not waste time trying to be someone else.  For those reasons,  leaders are often considered charismatic and they inspire great loyalty.

Les McKeown,  CEO of Predictable Success,   an adviser on organizational growth and author of  “Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization on the Growth Track and Keeping It There” (2010),  has shared three phrases that will telegraph your authenticity and leadership ability to others.   At some future meeting,  it will make sense for a leader to make at least one of these statements:

“I have nothing to add.”  The confident leader is not in love with the sound of his/her own voice and does not feel compelled to weigh in on every matter.  A leader intuits when everything that is relevant has been expressed,  respects the well-reasoned opinions of others and allows others to take center stage and shine every now and again.

“I don’t understand what you mean by…..”  Authentic leaders admit knowledge gaps and ask for information that will clarify,  so that they can grasp the subject under discussion and promote good decision-making.  They are not driven by a need to appear  expert in all things.

“I recommend that we…..”  A leader recognizes when it is time to make a decision,  whether or not all the facts are in hand.  Usually,  all the facts can never be in hand,  but a leader knows when we must move forward and either take advantage of an opportunity,   head off a crisis,  or cut losses.  An authentic leader takes responsibility to put resources and reputation on the line and make,  or advocate for,  a decision or action.

Role models can be inspiring and show us the way,  but at the end of the day we must be ourselves.  We must be willing to embrace what we believe in,  acknowledge our priorities and articulate our values and vision.  To do so takes confidence,  which is yet another attribute of a leader.   An authentic leader has no desire to present a false  “personal brand”  that may seem trendy at a given moment.  A real leader knows that authenticity is the only worthwhile personal brand and that its value is timeless.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Find the Leader Within

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This is the last post in the leadership series and I hope you’ve found it beneficial.   I hope that you were moved to recall key moments in your professional and personal life where you’ve stepped up and revealed yourself as a capable leader and also moments where you could have handled things a little better.   Some are born leaders,  but for most of us,   honing leadership skills is an ongoing process.   According to Katherine Tyler Scott,   Managing Principal of Ki ThoughtBridge leadership development specialists in Indianapolis, IN,   “All things being equal,   the best of the best leaders will have emotional intelligence,   self-awareness,   self-management,   social skills and motivation”.

They Are Change Agents

A Senior Program Officer at the Ford Foundation for 10 years,   Linetta Gilbert has doled out millions of dollars to worthy causes world-wide.   Primarily responsible for grantmaking in Gulf Coast states,   the 62-year-old New Orleans resident helped fund the reconstruction efforts after Hurricane Katrina and spent significant time listening to what grantees thought about change,   at times provoking them to higher ideals.

“Sometimes people are in positions of influence because they hold certain credentials or know the right person,   but they are not necessarily committed to the mission”,   Gilbert notes.  “I try to get inside their heads about their own leadership.   I expose them to opportunities to refine their skills,   recommending books,   conferences and training sessions.   I urge them to think about who they are,   what’s next and who in their organization is being groomed to keep the agenda going”.

As a grantmaker,   Gilbert understands that judgment is a quality of leadership that must be honed.   “You have to learn how to read reality truthfully”,   she says.  “It is not something people are born with.   You have to have opportunities to develop and ask yourself,  Is this real? Or is it only real from my perspective’?

In 2010,   Gilbert was invited to co-lead the newly formed Declaration Initiative at  The Ford Foundation,  which aims to eradicate deep  poverty in the United States within the next 15 years.   “I believe that leaders must have a higher power call upon,   some larger connection outside of work,”.   That source,   Gilbert says,   is her power.

They Begin With the End in Mind

Six months into her job as Executive Director at Safe Shores–The DC Children’s Advocacy Center,  a not-for-profit agency that works with abused children,  Michele Booth Cole was tasked with negotiating with the District of Columbia to acquire a new building for the agency.  “We wanted a space that would serve families and be more child-friendly”,  says the 46-year-old.  “The idea was to own the building”.

But when DC officials told her that owning a building was out of the question,  Cole had to reassess.    As she weighed her options,   she realized that her ultimate goal was to secure a larger space and decided to make a counter-offer.  Her organization would lease the new space from DC,  but Safe Shores would have to play a central role in its design.

Cole’s proposal was the turning point in the negotiations.  “Taking a flexible approach allowed the project to move forward and demonstrated a willingness to cooperate on our part”,   commented Cole.   “We had our eyes on the higher goal of serving children in a facility that was worthy of them”.   In 2011,   Safe Shores moved into a newly renovated 37,000 square foot building.

According to Katherine Tyler Scott,  Cole’s ability to focus on the agency’s mission was a key factor in using her power.   “A leader who is self-aware and knowledgeable of the organization’s core values can successfully guide key decisions and enable that organization to be prudent under pressure”.   Cole adds  “Power is about sharing leadership and cultivating others to get things done with a real sense of excellence”.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Leadership In Action

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What does it take to be an effective and respected leader?  You must be willing to embrace your strengths,   account for your weaknesses,   believe in yourself and your ideas,  be resourceful and be humble.  This leadership series showcases women,  but the lessons revealed are gender neutral.

They Reinvent Themselves

Sheila Brooks,  56,  grew up poor in Kansas City, MO.   Her parents instilled in her and her sister a value for education.   Brooks admits,  “I’m very demanding of myself.   I set a high standard of quality and excellence”.   After starting out as a news reporter,   she became an Emmy Award-winning news producer.    She then went on to found a video surveillance company in Maryland,   where she won contracts with local police departments and high-level security agencies.   In 10 years,   her business had 73 employees and annual revenues exceeded $1 million dollars.   Then September 11, 2001 happened.

Brooks lost 60%  of her business as demand evaporated.   Clearly,  it was time for a new strategy.   In response,   she created a board of advisers for her company and drew upon her experience in broadcasting to redirect the business to web casting,   media placement and  advertising services.   “Strategically figuring out where we needed to go took courage and determination.  You have to be a risk-taker”,   Brooks says.

Today,  Brooks is once again contemplating her next move.  “My goal is to sell the business in the next seven years.  We must always know when to reinvent ourselves.   We have to be willing to re-engineer”.

They Collaborate

In 2010 Danielle Torain,  then 27,  was both law student and full-time employee.   One week before exams,   she was asked to coordinate the citywide response in her hometown of Baltimore to a national grant competition designed to provide educational services to low-income neighborhoods.   The timing was lousy,   but Torain nevertheless met the challenge and sprang into action by contacting private,  not-for-profit,   government and philanthropic institutions.  “The goal was to bring together organizations that don’t normally interact to share wisdom and resources and plan the course of action”,  Torain says.

As a result of her efforts,   49 public and private agencies collaborated on a proposal that was submitted with 58 letters of support from city and Maryland state officials.  Ginny Clarke,  President and CEO of Talent Optimization Partners of Chicago,   applauds Torain and describes her as a leader who has  “the ability to empower others,  get the best out of them and give them what they need to be successful”.

They Are Servant Leaders

Whether it originates from spirituality or a belief in the social good,  there is power in recognizing a purpose greater than oneself.   Elizabeth Horsey,  54,  is a social worker at a Philadelphia children’s hospital.   Being a social worker in a medical setting requires both resiliency and authority.  “I have to think of words of encouragement to ease the pain of the children and parents I work with.   I’ve learned to advocate in the midst of those who disagree.   I am able to point out people’s strength when others see weakness”.

Leadership development expert Katherine Tyler Scott,  Managing Principle of Ki ThoughtBridge,  the Indianapolis, IN based leadership development company,   notes that while technical skill is important,   it is not the ultimate characteristic of a good leader.  “It takes personal security to be able to stand in that place of conflict,  where people differ,   and still be able to listen respectfully,   question yourself,   and still come out whole”,   Scott notes.   She continues,  “Such leaders have done enough inner work to make their outer work effective”.

Thanks for reading.  To those in the US,  have a happy and safe July 4.

Kim

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Are You A Leader?

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Happy Summer!  It’s the time of year when Freelance contracts may wind down and we find ourselves with more free time.   At this time of year,   I like to focus on professional development.   I read business books,  attend a conference or two and do what I can to make myself a more effective Freelance consultant.   Leadership is an ongoing interest of mine,   regardless of the season.   Over the next  three weeks,   I’ll share with you the stories of 10 women who exhibit characteristics that high-functioning leaders share.

They Take the Initiative

In 2011,   real estate broker Sharon McLennon,  51,  was an incoming board member for a real estate trade organization.   At her first board meeting,   the need for an updated organization website was discussed and it appeared to McLennon that a consensus to commence work had been reached.   Yet  three months later,   work on the proposed website had not begun.  “I became frustrated by the fact that nothing had been done on a relatively simple project”,  McLennon recalled.   At board meeting number 3,   she announced  “We’ve got our current website,   the new content’s been written,   we’ve got our designer—I just need the board to approve this project and we can get this up and running now”.   Surprised fellow board members gave the green light and the new  website was unveiled two months later.

They Help Others Achieve

Ten years ago at age 45,   Kimberley Greenfield Alfonso quit her corporate job as Senior Region Director at a Fortune 100 company to care for her then 3-year-old visually impaired daughter.   She soon found herself wondering  now what?  ” I was so connected to being a corporate woman.  I had gotten to where I wanted to be.   I had arrived”.

Alfonso eventually realized that she knew many women in their 40s who were likewise at pivotal points in their lives.   Some were marrying,  becoming pregnant,  or divorcing.   Others were making decisions around starting a business or becoming stay-at-home moms.   The women needed help laying a foundation for their second acts.   Alfonso decided to lead the way.

A master networker,   she invited 65 of the most accomplished women she knew to meet at her Washington, DC-area home.  The purpose was to get the women to meet each another,   share experiences and stories and  discover resources they could offer one another.   Alfonso continued to host meetings and her group came to be known as The Butterfly Club,  which holds quarterly meetings in Greater DC where women discuss their latest business or philanthropic ventures.

They Fight for A Good Cause

Attorney Francesca Allison,  30,  learned the importance of giving service from her parents,  who were both ministers and who founded a not-for-profit arts and cultural enrichment organization.  Allison says she attended law school to change the world and she looks for opportunities to do pro bono work.   Recently,  Allison has handled an appeal case based on a provision that allows children in Georgia to receive Medicaid benefits,   regardless of their parent’s income.

She represented an appeal for two children,  a 12-year-old who has a debilitating bone disease and a 10-year-old who was born with no eyes and extreme hearing loss.   She spent nearly 200 hours  (think five, 40 hour weeks)  securing affidavits from teachers,   physicians and therapists.   She drove long distances to visit the children.   In previous decisions,   the Georgia court had denied the children Medicaid benefits,  but thanks to Allison,  they prevailed on appeal.   Allison commented,  “This case required an attorney who would not only do what was necessary,   but was willing to sacrifice”.

I’ll be back with  more  leadership qualities you’ll want to nurture next week.  Thanks for reading,

Kim

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What if…You Change Your Mindset and Seize the Moment?

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For the umpteenth time,  we all know that business conditions are less than stellar and competition is fiercer than ever.  Everything is in flux (or seems to be),  the ground is unsteady and we all have to get comfortable with ambiguity.

But honestly,  none of this is new.  When has life not been ruled by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune? When has life ever been safe and predictable? If you chose to get out of bed this morning,  then consider yourself a risk taker. 

Freelancers expect the earth to quake and shake.  We walk the road less traveled and we reach for the stars.  We  expect to be tested.  We know that the only way to become capable,  confident and successful leaders is to face down our fears and challenges.

Freelancers don’t make excuses,  we can’t afford to stay mired in a rut for years at a time and we know when to color outside of the lines.  We assess the big picture of the marketplace and recognize when it’s time to adjust how we fit:  when it’s time to rebrand,  enter a new market,  sharpen our message,  boost our skill set with a helpful seminar,  or forge a strategic partnership.  Freelancers know how to exit our comfort zone to keep what we do fresh, relevant and valuable in the eyes of our clients.

Still,  sometimes we need a little inspiration because alas,  we are mere mortals and cannot always dwell on Mount Olympus.  According to Bill Bartmann,  CEO of Bill Bartmann Enterprises in Tulsa, OK,  there are three behaviors that we must recognize and modify to keep ourselves in positive thinking mode and break the cycle of second-guessing and inaction that repels success.  Be mindful of the influence (for good or ill) that our mindset has on the fortunes of our business and our lives.  Remember that the glass is half  full.

1.  Awareness.  Catch yourself in the act of making excuses or resorting to defensive behavior (“But my situation is different…”) as you seek to justify why you haven’t achieved target goals.  Avoid becoming mired in negative thinking that sucks you into the self-sabotage vortex.  Remember that fear of the unknown is normal.  Realize that like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz,  we must step outside of our comfort zone in order to learn,  grow and move forward.  The Yellow Brick Road presented many surprises as it wound its way to the Emerald City.

2.  Acknowledge challenges.  Denial of reality prevents us from overcoming obstacles.  Just  don’t allow yourself to be handcuffed by them.  Inevitably,  some possibilities will be closed to you,  yet others will be available.  You may have to work hard (and smart) to make those possibilities a reality and you might need some help to reel them in.  A Freelancer is a leader and according to Linda Hill,  professor at the Harvard Business School and co-author (with Kent Lineback) of Being the Boss (January 2011),  “Leadership is not about getting things done yourself—it’s about accomplishing things through others.”  So if your goal is somewhat beyond your grasp,  do not become overwhelmed with despair about the impossibility of it all.  Reach out to the right person.

3.  “What if…” is the phrase that encourages us to see beyond limitation and all the way to the pot of gold.  Say  “what if”  and put yourself on a positive trajectory that allows you to see or create competitive advantages that will be of great benefit.  The  “what if”  mindset is a powerful magnet for good ideas.  The glass half empty mindset is negative.  It crushes good ideas and rebuffs those who could help us realize our goals.  Instead of thinking  “What if I fail”?,  imagine  “What if I succeed”? and let your mind take it from there.

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare,  but because we do not dare that they are difficult”.  

–Seneca 

Thanks for reading.  I hope you’ve managed to survive and thrive this year and I hope that you’ll stop by in 2011.  I value your support.  Thanks again to those of you who’ve made comments.

Kim