10 Tips for Radical Panel Presentations

Not another boring panel!! If that thought goes through your mind at every meeting or conference it's time to get radical. As the moderator or meeting planner, you can dust off the cobwebs of complacency and create extreme meetings that will have everybody talking.

Joel Osteen's Hands Betrayed Him

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What do gestures tell us about a public speaker? We learned a lot about Joel Osteen's gestures during his interview about his response to the hurricane. Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on the city of Houston which is the 4th largest city in the country. There was extensive flooding requiring people to be evacuated by rescue workers and helicopters. Thousands of people were in search of shelter and could not return to their homes.

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The question people wanted to know was Why didn't Pastor Joel Osteen open Lakewood Church to the people of Houston? The Compaq Center has the capacity to hold 16,285 people. After much criticism on social media, the center accepted hurricane victims on Tuesday.

When Joel was interviewed by CBS TV he explained that he didn't open his center as a shelter because he was not asked by the city. He further explained that the best places for shelter were where there were already resources, supplies, and personnel on the ground. It didn't sound convincing on the surface. But he still could have salvaged his reputation by admitting the mistake and being remorseful. Instead, he pivoted to his message points and gave what seemed to be a presentation. His hands were the giveaway. He used the same wide-sweeping gestures that are part of his signature style when he is on the main stage in front of thousands of people. The CBS interview was directed to three journalists (although it was broadcast to millions of viewers). In media interviews and conversations, people gesture more naturally with their hands closer to their body.

While using wider gestures may be part of the pastor's style, it gave the impression of formality rather than intimacy and sincerity. That is not to say he was dishonest. I'll leave that to the top body language experts. The point is this. To appear sincere, your body language needs to be relaxed and appropriate to the situation. Wide gestures work well in a stadium but seem exaggerated when communicating on a television show or satellite interview. For crisis communication to be effective, it's imperative to plan your delivery as well as your message points.

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Guest Blog Post: 5 Ways to Create an Exciting Learning Experience to Keep Your learners Engaged

Eager to keep your students engaged? Rest assured that with the utilization of the latest learning tools, you are going to be able to achieve this target. Guest Blogger, Kamy Anderson is an ed-tech enthusiast with a passion for writing on emerging technologies in the areas of corporate training and education.

Creating Fireworks on Stage

Why can't presentations be like fireworks? Why is it that some public speakers create energy explosions while others fizzle out? What if you could create your own fireworks on stage?

Losing Your Train-of-Thought

What is brain freeze? It's the moment you go blank, feeling like a virus wiped out your memory bank. It can be a scary moment when you realize it's happening...

PRESS RELEASE: DiResta book signing at upcoming C-Suite Network Conference in Dallas on May 22nd-23rd, 2017

 

NEW YORK, NY -- (May 17, 2017) -- Diane DiResta has been selected to be a sponsor at the upcoming C-Suite Network Conference in Dallas, TX on May 22-23, 2017. C-Suite Advisors™, is an elite group of experts chosen to advise the executives who are part of the C-Suite Network. As a C-Suite Advisor and member of the C-Suite Best Seller Book Club, Diane DiResta will be holding a book signing and be at Table Captain for other C-Suite Advisors.

The C-Suite Network strives to provide added value to their community of C-level executives through the C-Suite Advisors™ program. Each advisor is an expert in their industry and has been carefully vetted to ensure they meet the brand standards and provide a service of value to members. Currently, the C-Suite Advisors™ program has experts in corporate recruiting, sales, coaching, marketing, social media services, and more.

The program also provides value to its Advisors through networking and sales opportunities with C-Suite Network members, distribution of select content throughout C-Suite Network properties, expert council opportunities, and more. The C-Suite Network will also provide social media and marketing guidance to advisors when applicable.

“It's an honor to be part of this impressive network of executives and advisors,” said Diane DiResta.

“The C-Suite Network is the premier platform where executives have access to thought leaders who are creating cutting edge content.” -Diane DiResta

C-Suite Advisors held its first membership meeting in December 2016 and will hold a series of meetings in 2017, kicking off in Dallas with the C-Suite Network Conference in May. If you’re interested in becoming a part of C-SuiteAdvisors™, please reach out via the C-Suite Advisors’ website.

ABOUT DIANE DIRESTA

DiResta is the Founder of DiResta Communications, Inc, a New York City communication skills consultancy serving business leaders who give high stakes presentations, whether one-on-one, to a large audience, or from an electronic platform. She's the author of the amazon best selling book, Knockout Presentations. .

ABOUT C-SUITE ADVISORS

C-Suite Advisors, the most trusted network of advisors to the C-Suite, is an elite group of select thought leaders, coaches, trainers, authors, speakers and content creators who service C-Suite executives and enterprise businesses.

C-Suite Network is the world’s most trusted network of C-Suite leaders, with a focus on providing growth, development and networking opportunities for business executives with titles of vice president and above from companies with revenue of $5 million and above.

Tagged: C-Suite conferenceexecutive presentationexecutive speaking

When the Audience is the Bully

I remember my first corporate consulting assignment. I landed a multi national bank who hired me to train 70 MBAs in their credit training program. After developing the curriculum, the day finally arrived when I was to deliver the writing and presentation skills seminar. I was feeling excited and a little anxious.

Make Your Audience Fall in Love With You

You step up and turn to face your audience. You feel a lump in your throat. You’re about to speak your first words. What if they don’t like you?  You silently pray, "Show me the love." Fear of rejection is one of the reasons people avoid public speaking.  But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can make yourself attractive to the audience without being a seasoned pro. Here are a few simple tips to make your audience fall in love with you.

Don't Dictate, Facilitate - Questioning Techniques

While traditionally, speaking has been more or less a monologue, delivering a seminar requires a different set of skills. One of those skills is facilitation. The public speaker needs to engage and elicit information from the audience and help them make connections to their work environments through discussion.

Presenting Yourself for the Job Interview

A job interview can be an adventure. You have the opportunity to learn about new companies, new positions, and network with new people. The first step is to equalize the power. And that involves an attitude adjustment. The power should be 50-50. The interviewer is sizing you up AND you’re sizing up the company. Don’t give all the power to the interviewer. You decide if the company meets your criteria. Once you’ve balanced the power, here are some tips for presenting a positive image:

Present to prosper: Success requires a powerful first impression

Jim (not his real name) was a small business coach. He was a member of a networking group, but he wasn’t getting any business.

He knew he was good, but nobody was asking for his card. Meeting after meeting, he would tell the group all he had to offer—business planning, marketing, systems, etc. Jim noticed their eyes glaze over as he recited a litany of all the ways he could help small business owners. He became so discouraged that he told his wife one evening that maybe he’d have to give up on his business.

Say What? Is a Hearing Loss in Your Future?

One in 10 Americans has a hearing loss. It can begin as early as age 20. Hearing declines significantly after age 40.

The baseline or threshold for normal hearing is 0 decibels. A decibel (dB) is a measure of sound pressure level. The higher the decibel, the louder the noise. The pain threshold is 130 decibels. A subway is recorded at 95-100 dB. If you live in a noisy city or work around loud machinery your hearing may be at risk.

Empowerment Comes From Learning Listening Techniques

If you want to be more productive and increase sales, try listening. It’s a fact that people just don’t listen well. In this culture we have a saying. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Think about a typical business meeting. Step into any meeting and you will see members vying for air time. Most onlookers would assign power to the speaker and identify the listener as passive. Nothing could be further from the truth. Listening is power. Listening empowers people to take responsibility, to be more productive, to influence their environment, and to increase the bottom line.

No Sweat! Get Control of Public Speaking Nerves

Three people called me this week because their public speaking fear is holding them back. It's affecting their brand, their reputation, and their career advancement. It's causing them to remain quiet in meetings and to decline speaking opportunities. It’s time to knock out the fear of public speaking! Public speaking is no different from any other fear and you can kick the habit long before you kick the bucket.