Isn’t it fascinating that while so much goes right, our minds will still focus on the one thing that doesn’t? If you are anything like me, you chastise yourself endlessly when things don’t go perfectly.
That’s what happened to me recently, when a guest I had booked left the CNN set just just before his second interview. It turned out his phone was off, and he hadn’t seen my texts giving him his updated schedule.
Talking about first impressions. Have you ever watched two young children meet each other for the first time? They are usually introduced, look each other warily up and down for a few seconds and then one says something like, “Do you want to go and play on the trampoline?” Sometimes, prompted or not, it is off they go. Give them exactly three minutes and they are chatting and playing away,
When giving a presentation, one of the most important factors of success is the ability to make your audience feel like you’re genuinely connecting with them and interested in their needs. If they don’t feel like the information you’re giving them has been personalized – if it feels like a memorized speech – you’re likely to lose their interest. Instead, try to make them feel like you genuinely want your presentation to connect with them.
For the next 24 hours I am going to ask you to become very aware of your voice.
What is the tone of your voice when you answer the phone?
How do you sound when you are frustrated or upset?
What does your voice sound like when you are in a meeting and offer your opinion?
When you are giving a presentation, do you sound confident and comfortable or does your voice sound shaky and uncertain?
