Face-to-Face or Virtual? Which is Better?

Communication is 55% visual. Most speakers would agree that face-to-face contact is the most beneficial form of communication. Even on the phone, you're losing the important non-verbals that add richness and meaning to the message. Yet, when it comes to workplace productivity, virtual may be more effective than on-site. Compared to office employees, tele-workers experience higher job satisfaction, less work-life conflict, fewer interruptions, and less stress from meetings and office politics, according to researchers from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Northwestern University.

The main benefit from the study was work-life balance. Virtual workers had more flexibility and as a result were more productive. Although there were concerns about getting accurate information in the absence of face-to-face communication, this was not the case.

It appears that constant communication is unnecessary. Working virtually enabled employees to focus and get their work completed.

So what are the implications for speakers? Are webinars or online learning methods more effective than face-to-face events? If the purpose is to convey data and facts, online learning can be very effective. But in many cases, it can never replace the relationship, connection, and learning that comes with face-to-face communication.

The role of the speaker is to model, inspire, make meaningful connections to the workplace, stimulate thinking, and facilitate community. High tech does not trump high touch; rather, they are a partnership. Technology is the servant of the speaker. What have you found to be most effective?

One Minute Listening Tip: Listen To Understand

Listening is the foundation of communication. Yet, many people think they are listening when all they're doing is waiting for their turn to speak. True listening starts with an intention. What is your intention when you communicate? Watch this video to learn how to deepen your listening skills and take them to the next level.

One Minute Listening Tip: When Not To Listen

We're told to listen. We get trained in listening skills. Listening is essential to good communication. We should always listen, shouldn't we? Is there ever a time when we shouldn't listen? Watch this video to learn the answer.

One Minute Listening Tip: Listening Signals

You may be a good speaker but are you a good listener? How does the speaker know that you're listening? What kind of behavior signals listening? Do you know what your body language is saying about you? Watch this video and find out.

One Minute Listening Tip: Body Language

What words conceal, the body reveals. Body language accounts for 55% of the message. If you turn off the sound on your video or TV screen you'll be able to read the mood of the speaker. We can hide our true thoughts by choosing words carefully. Politicians are adept at dodging questions and issues by using language skillfully.So listen to  the body  language. The body doesn't lie.  This video will show you the importance of body signals. The most effective listeners tune into non-verbal communication.

One Minute Listening Tip: Vocal Tone

Vocal tone is 38% of the message. Too often people listen to the words in favor of the tone. When this happens miscommunication almost always results. The meta message is in the vocal tone. The voice is the barometer of the emotions. If you listened to a foreign language you would be able to determine the mood of the speaker without understanding a word. Effective listening skills require that you detect  nuances of  vocal tone. Listen to this video and learn how to tune into tone.

One Minute Listening Tip: Controlling Emotions

What does listening have to do with controlling emotions? By the time we get into an emotional state, we've stopped listening. When emotions are high, either walk away or ramp up your listening. The ideal situation is to head off emotional situations before they blow up. That requires good listening skills. How do you prepare yourself to listen in volatile situations? Watch this video and find out.

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One Minute Listening Tip: Listening CPR

Communication is about a sender and a receiver. Sometimes the message we send gets filtered by the receiver and conflict results.  This can happen to the best of speakers. When people start attacking, the natural reaction is to defend or retaliate. A better approach is to use listening CPR.  Listening is a powerful communication elixir. You don't need to be an eloquent speaker to listen effectively. But there are some tools you can practice. This video will show you how to use listening CPR to manage any conflict.

One Minute Listening Tip: Interrupting

One of the most annoying listening behaviors is interrupting.  People interrupt because they listen to respond.  They're simply rehearsing their answers and waiting until they have their say.  Frequently, they interrupt because they're really more concerned with being understood than being understanding.  This is not listening.  True listening is suspending the ego and focusing on the other person. As St. Francis of Assisi said, "Grant that I may not seek to be understood, but to understand."

You can change your listening behavior.  Watch this video to learn how to stop interrupting and use effective listening skills.

Speak Your Way to More Business

What if there were a way to market up close and personal and it was free? The answer is right under your nose - It's your mouth. Public speaking is a powerful and cost effective way to market your business. Small businesses can’t compete with glitzy advertising campaigns but public speaking as a marketing strategy levels the playing field.

When you engage in “speakmarketing

How To Handle Difficult Audiences

When dealing with difficult audiences, your best strategy is a sense of humor and an understanding of what's driving the behavior.  Watch this video to learn my 3D strategy so the next time you encounter a difficult audience, you can keep your cool and take back control.

How to Be a Presentation God

Scott Schwertly's new book How to Be a Presentation God: Build, Design, and Deliver Presentations that Dominate! is a  quick read written in a delightful entertaining style. The author introduces credibility killing characters such as Bulletron, Cookie Cutter, and Mediogre. The book is divided into sections including The New Era of  Presentations, Content, Design, Delivery, and Engage. Schwertly makes a case that the bar has been raised on presentations  and for  the importance  of shaping  and molding perception. He says that controlling your presentation is a vital aspect  of controlling your message.  He peppers the book with interesting principles such as "The Lesson to be Learned from Lincoln isn't Be Tall; it is Accentuate your Strengths," or " Strategy is a Cognitive Effort; Innovation is a Movement of the Heart." He also compares some of the great speeches -Steve Jobs, Winston Churchill, FDR, and encourages the reader to watch the videos. And while he's not anti- PowerPoint he reminds the reader that  "We're Giving Presentations Here, Not PowerPoints or Keynotes." The chapter on Design references online tools such as sliderocket and Prezi. He challenges the reader with JFK's remark, "The only reason to give a speech is to change the world." http://www.amazon.com/How-Presentation-God-Presentations-Dominate/dp/0470915846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299518779&sr=8-1

Listening: The Foundation of Communication

Good speaking means good listening. Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer service, and even romance! The problem is, most of us don’t listen very well. We’re not trained to listen and we don’t even realize that listening is a skill. People have lost jobs, customers, employees, and relationships because of an inability to listen.  How do you  become a better listener?

Listening Means Peace Sheng jen is the Chinese word for wise person. It literally means “one who listens.

What's Your Listening Style?

Most people are poor listeners. Even though you may pay attention and not interrupt, if you are using the wrong listening style your message may not get through. Or, you could create conflict because of an inflexible mode of listening. Do you know that there are five different listening styles? Being an empathic listener may not always be effective if it's the wrong situation. In this brief video, you'll learn about the five listening styles. Remember, there is no such thing as a  bad listener. There are only people with  inflexible listening habits.

Difficult Audiences: The Resister

Every public speaker dreads the resistant participant. This negative person can derail your presentation fairly quickly.  When handling  any difficult audience member, the key is to use the right strategy. In this brief video on handling difficult audiences, you'll learn how to keep control and minimize resistance so that you can give a knockout presentation.

Difficult Audiences: The Poor Loser

What do you do when you encounter a poor loser? If you're giving a keynote speech to a large audience this won't be an issue. But if you facilitate groups, or give seminars you will be interacting with the audience. Although a poor loser may rarely surface, he or she can disrupt the group if you don't know how to handle this difficult audience personality. Watch this brief video to lean how to handle difficult audience members.

Difficult Audiences: The Complainer

One of the most annoying difficult audience members is the complainer, a.k.a., the whiner. Nothing you do pleases them. They complain about everything. Yet, many public speakers make this one mistake when trying to deal with them.  Find out what it is by watching the brief video on handling difficult audiences.

Difficult Audiences: The Sidetalker

Public speakers, facilitators, and trainers are often challenged by disruptive audience members. One of the most irritating disruptions is side-talking.

You have an important message you prepared and while you're delivering your presentation, you're competing with the chattering in the room. It may be a couple of people having a side conversation or there may be a buzz in the audience because the group discussion went off track. What do you do? How do you handle a difficult audience when the issue is side-talking? When should you ignore it and how should you intervene? Watch this brief video to find out.

Difficult Audiences: The Expert

What do you do when you encounter an expert or know-it-all in your seminar? Public speakers must be able to handle difficult audiences, yet each personality is different. It's important to know what is driving the disruptive behavior in order to keep control of the audience.  In this brief video you'll learn how to manage the expert.

Difficult Audiences: The Dominator

Public speakers, facilitators, and trainers must be able to manage difficult audience behavior. One of the more challenging personalities is the dominator. This person can be disruptive because of a need to control. The risk is that the speaker or facilitator may get into a power struggle. And this is a losing strategy. Watch this brief video to learn how to handle the dominator.