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Archives for February 2007

February 6, 2007 Leave a Comment

The Rule of Three in Presentations

Later this week I will be leading a training session on improving your presentation skills called,”Make Your Presentations Sing!”  As part of my research I have come across several references to “The Rule of Three.” 

According to the “Presentation Helper” website, this “is based on the technique that people tend to remember three things.  On oratory it comes up all the time.”  Some examples:

1) “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” – William Shakespeare in “Julius Caesar”

2) “Blood, sweat and tears” – General Patton

3) The good, the bad and the ugly” – Film title

And, of course, we all know that the guiding principle for success in real estate is, “Location, Location, Location.”  So the Rule of Three is not to be taken lightly.  It does appear that there is a natural rhythm or cadence that helps the ear to naturally accept 3 points.  As Granville Toogood writes in “The Articulate Executive,”

“Summarize your key point or key points.  One or three, but not two or four, because the ear likes the odd number (two anticipates three, and four is too many to remember”).

So if you want the audience to remember your message, put it into a list of three – that is if you simply can not reduce your message to one point!  In this case make it one point with three subpoints to reinforce your message.  Some additional examples:

1) “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” – from the American Declaration of Independence

2) “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.” – Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

3) “Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many, to so few.” – Sir Winston Churchill

I would never bet against Churchill or Lincoln when it comes to delivering a memorable message.  If three points work so elegantly for President Lincoln and Sir Winston… well, that will work for me – and for you, whether you are the audience or the speaker.  Use the Rule of Three to your advantage and your audience will remember you and your message.  Ignore it at your peril.  So start pruning the points on your PowerPoint slides immediately!

If you are still not convinced of the power of The Rule of Three, then tune into Comedy Central or listen to almost any comedian.  Here's a quotation from Alison Davis' Insights blog:

As John Kinde writes on his website, humorpower.com, the rule of three is particularly useful in comedy writing because “a funny line . . . is like a train wreck. You know where the train has been, you think you know where it’s going, but then you’re surprised when it goes off track.” So the rule of three sets up the joke and makes it memorable. Like the tee-shirt that reads, “World Class Cities: Paris. Rome. Fargo” The third thing is the kicker that creates the joke.

So, to sum up, here are three things to remember about the rule of three: It creates simplicity, aids recall and makes your job easier. What could be better?

I never try to “top” a good joke, so let me end my post right here.

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Main Page, Marketing, Public Speaking
February 5, 2007 Leave a Comment

Good Role Models

“People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy.”

– Oliver Goldsmith

Many years ago, I heard one of my mentors say something similar:  “Teachers teach as they were taught.”  We are all the result of the sum of our experience.  If our life / business experiences have been narrow or limited in scope, then, predictably, that is how we will lead, sell, conduct meetings, communicate, etc.  If you – as the employer or manager – are not getting the desired results from your staff despite your best efforts, then I have a suggestion for you:

Invest in your employees.  Broaden their experiences.  Expose them to good role models.  Bring in some qualified outside training programs.  Send your employees to professional association meetings – you'd be surprised how many are close to home.  Set up a book club / discussion group.  In short, try different approaches until you find something that starts to work.  Just do not continue with the “same old, same old” systems and expect different results – that is the definition of “insanity!”

At many of the association meetings that I attend, we often hear, “If you bring back just one idea from this conference and implement it in your store, you have more than covered the costs of this trip.”  How true.  Of course, getting the one idea is the easy part.  Actually implementing it in your store requires real work – dedication and leadership.

One tip that I have been using with success this year:   I delay my first day back to office work.  That means that if I fly home from a conference on Sunday, I act as though I am still at the conference on Monday.  I use that day to “wrap up” the ideas that I gained at the conference.  I enter new contacts into my database, I write notes and send emails to the people that I met at the conference.  I set up my action plan for actually implementing the ideas that I want to put to work.

On my first day (physically) back from the conference, I completely resist the temptation to:

1) Open the mail that accumulated during my time away at the conference.

2) Respond to any message or email that is not time-sensitive.

3) Get back into “office mode.”

This small change has helped me to start to achieve much more – the real reason that I wanted to go to the conference in the first place.  I recommend that you take some small amount of time (maybe it is only a few hours) to finish up what you started at the conference before throwing yourself back into the “day-to-day” routines.  An added benefit – it gives your staff some extra time to actually make decisions on their own.

Make your return to work special – set up a time to share the ideas and information that you gathered at the conference with your staff.  Try, as much as possible, to have them “feel what it was like” at the conference – share pictures, autographs, etc.  Make it special.  This is especially important if you sent some of your employees to a conference or training session – have them share what the y learned or experienced with you and the rest of the staff. 

Turn your business into a seat of continuous learning.  Set up the models that you want your staff to emulate or be inspired by.  And don't forget to include yourself – everyone can benefit from a “kick in the pants” now and then!

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Filed Under: Associations, Business Communications, Business Practices, Main Page
February 3, 2007 Leave a Comment

The Need for a Mentor

During the NAMM Show last month, one of the most requested topics for future seminars was “How Do I Fnd a Mentor?”  Indeed, this is a topic that many businesses and industries are requesting.

The January 28,2007 issue of Business Week Magazine has an article, “Mentoring Can Be Messy,” which states that more than 50% of the 500 largest businesses now offering mentoring programs.  This is up from merely 10% of large firms who offered this 5 years ago according to Mentium – a company who helps to establish these mentoring programs for business.

When there is a good fit between mentor and mentee (or protege) there are multiple benefits that can result.  But remember – this is a relationship.  And, like any relationship, it takes a certain amount of chemistry for it to click. To quote from the Business Week Article:

Ideally, both people know what they want out of the arrangement. “I haven't seen a real powerful relationship that didn't have specific goals,” says Kim Wise, the head of Mentor Resources. These might include learning how to manage a big project or several employees or a budget, or developing an expertise that makes a transfer more likely. And once any of that happens, it's usually time to move on, maybe to another mentor. The most successful of these relationships last no more than a year. 

Speaking from my own experience, the need for a mentor is crucial to your career development.  I have been fortunate to have found several mentors who helped me to move my career to the next level.  In each case, the mentor found me.  I did not seek them out specifically.  Each was caring, giving and confident.  They saw some potential in me once I entered their orbit and they pushed me to another level – a level that I did not even know existed.  They had confidence in my abilities and they pushed me forward – not telling me what to expect, but being behind me for support should I stumble.

For some good advice on finding a mentor, I searched the Business Week on line Archives and found an article from April 17, 2001:

Q: What advice would you give to a person who wants to find a mentor?
A: Go into the relationship with realistic expectations and understand that a mentor is not going to solve all of your career problems, but should provide guidance and be available to be leaned on. Try to ask around the organization: Who has had a good track record of being a mentor? One thing we know is that people mentor for different reasons. Some do it for recognition and other incentives from the organization. Others just because they're altruistic. It follows that if you can identify people who want to help others, their motives may be more aligned with the protégés'.

And from the May 23, 2003 issue:

THE RIGHT FIT.  So our mentoring relationship has gelled, which is interesting, because at the beginning, I didn't know exactly what I wanted from it. Two years ago, when I met Rick, I only knew that the issues for Indigo Wild were becoming more complex, taxing my ability to make the best decisions.

Back then, however, I did sense there was a fit between Rick and me. While our companies would appear to have little in common — his is a laser-cartridge manufacturer, mine a maker of soaps and candles — we do, in fact, both take individual components, create products from those parts, and sell the products. In short, our procedures are similar — and Rick understood that.

Rick also took my business seriously, which hasn't always been the case with others. What, after all, could be more frou-frou than a maker of soaps and candles? Add a female founder and the perception takes hold of an entrepreneurial wannabe stirring soap over a stove with children underfoot. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indigo Wild is all about six full-time employees, 15 part-timers, and sales soaring into the seven digits. And Rick understood that, too.

SUMMING UP.  Whenever I think about what's in it for Rick to help me, I need to acknowledge that he isn't getting paid and isn't an investor in Indigo Wild. Thus, I conclude that he is simply one of those people with a heart of gold — and one of those entrepreneurs who truly enjoys helping others launch and expand their businesses.

Companies and industry associations can help to establish mentoring networks.  There are many individuals who “truly enjoy helping other to launch and expand their businesses,” and they live to serve.  Reach out to them and offer them the opportunity to help other people whom they have not yet met.  Understand that a mentoring relationship can not guarantee success.  Chemistry in a relationship can not be mandated.  But it can be “encouraged.”

Please share some of your mentoring stores with our readers – were you the mentor or the mentee?  How did it turn out?

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Filed Under: Associations, Business Communications, Business Practices, Career, Main Page, Small Business
February 1, 2007 Leave a Comment

Think – But to a Purpose

I maintain an active database of quotations – 3,000 plus.  Each is categorized by topic.  I weave quotations into my presentations and my articles.  Sometimes, they serve as the inspiration for an article or a talk.  At other times, they are just inspiration – for me!  They help to get me moving or focused in the morning or whenever I need a lift.

Sometimes I just “pick a number” and find that numbered quote – just a random selection.  I did that this morning and I would like to share that particular quote with you:

“We can accomplish almost anything within our ability if we but think that we can!  Every great accomplishment in this world was first carefully thought out.  Think – but to a purpose.  Think constructively.  Think as you read.  Think as you listen.  Think as you travel and your eyes reveal new situations.  Think as you work daily at your desk, or in the field, or while strolling.  Think to rise and improve your place in life.  There can be no advancement or success without serious thought.”

– George Adams

The reason that this quote resonates so strongly with me today is simple.  I am preparing to approach a few prospective clients for some work that will be a bit of a stretch for me.  I have great confidence in my abilities – up to a point.  Then, like any human, I need to find that extra boost of confidence – and that comes from others – or from simply thinking – but to a purpose.

As I reflected on the quote from George Adams, another quote came quickly to mind.  This from William Safire:

“Never feel guilty about reading, it's what you do to do your job.”

When I am preparing for a speech or a new project I read voraciously.  I take in a lot of information.  But I also take a lot of time to think – to process and absorb that information.  I think while I am on a plane ride.  Or early in the morning while I am sipping my first cup of coffee.  And I start to think, “Yes, that makes sense.  Of course, that makes perfect sense.  I knew that – why didn't I think of that before.”

My confidence grows, my tactics and strategy start to take shape, I start to act on my thoughts.  Now, I have everything in place to make my proposal to the new client (I already have them booked – in my mind!)

Take time to think, every day – but to a purpose.  Even abstract thinking has a purpose – I think!

 

 

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Filed Under: Business Communications, Main Page, Quotations
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