[MUSIC] Hello, I'm Kara Kardon. And I work with leaders across PWC to specify, develop and deploy analytical tools. The tools used data both big and small analytical techniques and enhanced visualization to bring value to our clients and to differentiate the firm. I'm here today to discuss communication styles for business presentations and I will be covering four main topics. Professional presence, verbal communications, non-verbal communications and finally questions and listening skills. I hope that by the conclusion of these sessions you would each have an appreciation for the importance of communication styles and some good ideas on how to maximize your own. In this video, we'll discuss how to maximize your professional presents for your presentations. Your professional presence broadcasts who you are and determines how you are seen, heard and respected by others. First impressions can carry a lot of weight., so it's important to be mindful of how you come across in each interaction. Take charge of the verbal and non verbal signals that you sent, so that you're consistently creating an authentic impression that is true to who you are. Taking charge suggests awareness, being mindful and being purposeful. I'm not suggesting creating a persona different from your own. We're going to look now at what goes into creating a positive first impression. The following sections will review the verbal and nonverbal components of professional presence. In some, your communication style affects the impact of your message. Towards the end of this course, we'll also be engaging in an activity where you can assess the professional presence and communication skills of others. And others will do the same for you, including giving you some feedback. The goal is to help you to understand the impressions and impact that you have on others. So that you will be able to build your presence and stand out for all the right reasons. Let's begin by talking about the ABCs of first impressions. A is for attire. What you wear is often seen as a reflection of who you are. Dress for your audience. What is appropriate for the message that you wish to convey. Is it business or business casual? Remember that this will be the first visual impression will have of you. Next, B. B is for body language, how you express yourself is as important as what you say. Did your demeanor add to or detract from you message. And C is for communications, the stories you choose to share are what enable you to form a relationship and build authentic human connections. Are you engaged and engaging with your audience?. The fact is that within the first 90 seconds of meeting someone for the first time. People can make over a dozen impressions. So every detail counts. This is the most important time to begin to develop confidence and trust with your audience. It's clear that non-verbal signals carry a lot of weight. This applies to any interaction or presentation where you need to establish trust with your audience. That is when you want them to trust you and your recommendations. So what are the most important things you can do in those first few moments? Start with a quick check of these key areas right before you walk into a room. First personal appearance. Take a peek in the mirror and do a quick touch up if needed. Hands. Are you prepared for the all important handshake? Make sure your hands are clean as well. Breath. Can someone tell what you had for lunch? Or is there any of it left on near you anywhere? A small bottle of mouthwash can also work wonders there. Clothing. Is everything in place? Smooth out any wrinkles and tuck in what's supposed to be tucked in. And finally, accessories. Are the distracting? Keep your belongings contained and make sure your hands are free and not adjusting your clothes or accessories. With regard to personal appearance, the less complicated your clothing, the less likely you'll have to make adjustments and the more time, you'll have for content development or sleep. Whatever you do the basics will get you started in the right direction. A warm smile, a firm handshake, and direct eye contact convey confidence and authenticity. Let's take a deeper look at the primary components of presence. When you think of presence remember the three A's. Your attire or what you wear. You're attitude, what you share through your demeanor. And your acumen. How aware you are of expectations in social and business settings to help you present your self and to respond appropriately. Let's start with attire. One of the biggest non-verbal messages can come from what we wear. What do your clothes say about you? Do you think that a suit is always appropriate professional attire? Remember what we covered last week with regard to knowing your audience. Make sure that you dress for the occasion based on that information. If you're working with a finance group, it's likely that a suit is a safe but anti accepted. But what if you're working with a laid back west coast tech company?What type of message would a three-piece suit send? Might it alienate your audience? If a company is looking for a consultant who is outgoing, risk taking, free-wheeling, and laid back, the message that a suit conveys may make them subconsciously question your ability or fit within the team. Different organizations and industries have different expectations. Not only about your skills and your work but also about your professional presence and your demeanor. Like it or not, people are making judgements about wether or not you are a fit for their organization, from the very first contact and the very first time they see you. It's important to fit your clothing to your audience, and also important to fit to your body. Too tight clothing can be very distracting. And too large clothing can undermine confidence, by looking as though you've borrowed your father's sport coat. So keep in mind your target audience and the message you're attire will convey to them. A good rule if you're unsure of the appropriate attire is to err on the side of conservative. You can envision this as being on the business side of business casual. Attitude is another key component of your non-verbal message and professional presence. So it's It's important to have attitude aptitude. There are both attitude attractors and detractors when meeting someone in a professional context. For an example, an attractor could be positive energy and a detractor could be a close talker, or someone who stands unusually close to others when they're speaking. Some listeners will feel uncomfortable with this proximity. And it can disrupt your verbal communications. A good attitude can be a magnate. People typically drawn to others who exude a positive aura and who convey that they are open, approachable and honest. People are typically not drawn to negative, catty, or spiteful attitudes. They are turned off by someone who comes across as aloof or disinterested. Arms crossed, looking around for someone better to talk to, or being glued to your cell phone are all signs of negativism. Be expressive and understand exactly why you are enthusiastic about your subject. People typically liked being around others who are engage and passionate, because we feed off of one another's energy. Be careful of over inflation though, you don't want to come across this over the top. And you don't want to be a wildflower either. You should judge each context and modulate your enthusiasm accordingly. Looking at someone's eyes, transmits feeling and conveys interest, sincerity and openness. Whereas the lack of eye contact can be perceived as disinterest or having something to hide. A simple way to practice eye contact is to try and find out the color of each person's eyes that you speak with. If you're presenting in front of a larger audience, periodically look at each section of the room to convey that you are aware of their presence. And let's not forget to start off with a handshake. It's a quick and effective way to establish rapport. Research shows that it takes an average of three hours of continuous interaction to develop the same level of rapport that you could get with a handshake. Don't try to shake the other person's arm off with a powerful bone crushing hand shake. Don't go the other way by offering the dead fish hand. And last but not least, don't forget to smile. A smile is an invitation, a sign of welcome. It says I'm friendly and approachable. If you don't smile and appear friendly it can affect the other party and can impair your ability to make a connection. All in all if you can be real during your interactions you'll be well positioned for success. One way to remember to do so is by using a mnemonic REAL, R-E-A-L. R, because you need to be relevant. Think about the prospective of the people with whom you're speaking. What would make them interested in learning more about you. How can what you have to say make the individuals in the room more successful? E for being expressive. People want to see and feel who you are. Again consider your audience when expressing yourself. Some forms of personal expressions can be culturally inappropriate. For instance, this year on a trip to Bangalore I leaned in to give a grateful hug to a colleague who'd been critical to the success of a project we'd been working on together for months. It became immediately apparent to me that this gesture made him uncomfortable which was the opposite of what I wanted to achieve. A. Because you need to be authentic. It's important for you to be true to who you are. You need to established a genuine connection with your audience, base on your authentic self. And L is for likeable. Express your own humanity, with relatable shared experiences. Be it sports or new babies. Any topic to establish rapport with your audience. You'll be surprised how far likability and the notion of looking for a personality fit can go. Studies have shown that managers give even more weight to likability than to qualifications. And they price cultural fit in determining whom to hire. In sum, keep your professional presence REAL by being Relevant, Expressive, Authentic and Likeable. In the next video, we'll discuss how you verbal communication, the way that you speak affects your presence and the impact of your presentation. [MUSIC]
