Christopher Witt - Communication Matters

Uncover the Story before You Define the Problem to be Solved

Chris Witt — June 17, 2013 — 1 Comment

When you’re creating a solution – whether it’s a product, service, program, or process – your first step is always discovery.

Before you can even define the problem you’re addressing or the goal you want to achieve, you have to discover both the beginning state (where you are now or how things are now) and the end state (where you want to be or how you want things to be).

And the best way to discover what is happening is to ask questions.

But you have to ask good questions, the right questions.

At first, you’ll want to ask open-ended questions, the kind of questions that allow people to respond in their own words, with their own thoughts. Reporters are taught to ask this type of question when investigating a story, questions that begin with who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Thinking about reporters and stories reminds me of one of my earliest mentors. He taught me not to ask, “What’s the problem?”

Don’t ask,“What’s the problem?”

Asking people to define the problem, he said, shifts their mood or mindset. They become negative, nit-picky, and fault finding. You can almost hear their tone of voice change as they answer you, and not in a positive way.

He suggested that I ask, both of myself and of others, a different question.

Ask, instead, “What’s the story?”

Approach the situation you’re investigating as if there’s a story to be told and it’s your responsibility to uncover it. You’ll find yourself asking different types of questions with more freedom and a lighter spirit. You’ll be more curious, less likely to jump to conclusions or to affix blame. And people will become less defensive, more curious themselves.

Investigating a story, instead of defining a problem, prompts you to ask different kinds of questions.

You’ll ask: What’s going on? How long has it been happening. When did it start? Where did it first begin? How did you notice it? What else happened at the same time or in the same place? What is its extent or impact? Who is involved? Who is affected and how are they affected? What events or series of events have led to this present situation? What do you expect to happen next, if nothing changes? Why have things happened the way they have?

Before defining the problem to be solved or the goal to be achieved, give yourself permission to act like an investigative reporter.

Uncover the story and you’ll understand what you need to do next.

In Lead

Explain Your Idea in Everyday Language

Chris Witt — June 14, 2013 — 2 Comments

I work with a lot of very bright engineers and scientists. Some of them have doctorates in subjects that I’ve never heard of. It’s my job to help them explain what they know — complex and sophisticated concepts — to people in different fields.

I recently came upon an admonition in 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School by Matthew Frederick that sums up what I try to teach my clients. I want to copy and pass it out to them. Here it is:

“If you can’t explain your ideas to your grandmother in terms that she understands, you don’t know your subject well enough. Some architects, instructors, and students use overly complex (and often meaningless!) language in an attempt to gain recognition and respect. You might have to let some of them get away with it, but don’t imitate them. Professionals who know their subject area well know how to communicate their knowledge to others in everyday language.”

I agree. What do you think?

In Technical Presentations

Writing Your Own Speech Introduction

Chris Witt — June 13, 2013 — Leave a comment

I’ve written elsewhere about the importance of introducing a speaker at a formal gathering or a large meeting. If you’re the emcee or the host of the event, it’s your job — and a kindness to the speaker — to gain the audience’s attention and to prepare them for what the speaker has to say.

When you are the speaker, I suggest that you prepare your own introduction. (You can’t always count on the emcee or host to do so.)

Here’s how to write your own introduction as a speaker:

Keep it short.
Begin by summarizing — briefly — the issue you’ll be addressing and why or how it affects the audience.
Name three to five reasons (your experience, education, accomplishments, etc.) that demonstrate why you have the authority to address that issue.
Give the name of your speech.
Conclude by saying, “Please help me welcome [your name].”
Use 16 font pitch.
Write one sentence or phrase per line.
Send it to the person who will be introducing you a few days in advance.
Bring a copy with you to the event.

Keep your ego in check. Your introduction is meant to establish your credibility and likability, not to prepare for your canonization.

Do you write out your own speech introduction? If so, how do you do it?

In Speak

Pitching Ideas – Presentation Lessons Learned from Shark Tank

Chris Witt — June 5, 2013 — Leave a comment

Guest Blogger: Roger Kethcart

Entrepreneurs get few opportunities to pitch their ideas to investors. That is why nailing the presentation is so critical. Fortunately, there is a good resource that teaches what works and what doesn’t when it comes to selling an idea.

The hit ABC TV show Shark Tank has entrepreneurs pitch their products and business ideas to a panel of potential investors. Some are successful; some not so much. Fortunately for those watching, their successes and failures provide important presentation lessons for anyone looking to sell an idea.

Five Shark Tank Lessons for Pitching Ideas

1. Establish your credibility

Credibility is crucial to any pitch. The more credibility you have, the more likely the audience will listen to what you have to say. While the way you look kicks off credibility-building, what you say about yourself can greatly enhance it.

Whether you say it verbally or it’s presented on paper, it is important to identify what it is about you that makes you an expert on the topic at hand. It could be your experience, training, academic accomplishments, anything.

These two guys further establish credibility during their presentation by giving background information, making them appear as experts. The sharks take notice, and the two entrepreneurs get a great deal.

2. Demonstrate compellingly

Demonstration is one of the most effective means of communication because it puts your idea in the spotlight, creating a memorable experience for your audience. But it has to be done right. An interesting, compelling demonstration should be quick and simple. You want to raise eyebrows, not put people to sleep.

Also, a comparison between your idea and an old or existing idea makes for interesting demonstration. If you can exemplify quickly and simply why your idea is better than something pre-established, you’re able to ground your evidence and make your argument more compelling. It’s the very reason advertisements for household products have comparative demonstrations.

A good example of a successful demonstration is the Grease Monkey Wipes pitch. The team of presenters is able to show their product’s ease of use quickly, without any major setup required. Furthermore, they contrast their product with the cleaning ability of the competition, making their product stand out as superior.

3. Dress appropriately

Source: http://sharktanksuccess.blogspot.com/2012/10/surf-set-fitness-boards.html

Credibility-building begins the moment you step into the room to do your pitch. If you have the wrong look, it can be an uphill battle to establish authority and gain the trust of your audience. Have it right, and they’ll be much more receptive to what you have to say.

The couple that pitched the SurfSet Fitness program exemplified how having the right look can have an impact on successful presentation. Each came into the room wearing clothing that represented a different part of the service they were offering. The woman wore fitness attire. The man wore surfer attire. They literally embodied the surfer-fitness crossover their service was based upon.

Had they come into the room in suits, they would have had to spend much more time—of which they had little—persuading the investors of their expertise.

4. Too many jokes can hurt you

Most would agree that a joke is a good way to make yourself relatable and lower the defenses of your audience when giving a pitch. However, joking too much can make you look silly and lead your audience to not take you seriously.

In this Shark Tank clip, the presenter starts out earning smiles. But as he continues to throw in puns, cringing and head-shakes ensue. Ultimately, the inability of the sharks to take him seriously leads to them not being able to take the product seriously either.

Joking is a fine line that should be treaded lightly when selling your idea.

5. Save the best for last

Many speech and presentation practitioners recommend starting with the weakest point and ending with your best. This enables you to slowly build up an argument and then knock it out of the park, leaving a lasting impression (people tend to remember the last thing they hear).

HyConn inventor Jeff Stroope does just that when he presents an additional product to the investors after they fail to be persuaded by his initial product.

When short on time this can be risky, as you may never get the opportunity to get to the best part. In such cases, you should always get to your “kicker” quicker.

Selling an idea to an audience is not just the goal of entrepreneurs. Ultimately, it’s the goal for any speech or presentation. Shark Tank provides some great lessons that can be taken to the board room, classroom, stage, or anywhere your expertise may be required. Follow these lessons, and you’ll sell your idea to any audience you face.

Roger Kethcart has had a lifelong interest in public speaking and the communication of ideas. He now writes for Cable.tv (http://www.cable.tv/blog/author/roger) where he gets to interact with his other lifelong obsession – the stories that entertain us night after night. Intellectually ravenous, he is always looking for a new connection he’s never seen before. Reach out and share something interesting with him on Twitter and Google+.

In Sell Ideas

What Eulogies Can Teach Us about Speeches

Chris Witt — May 22, 2013 — Leave a comment

Last week I attended a funeral for my nephew, a sweet kid who died tragically and way before his time. Contrary to my expectations, I found the funeral and the rites surrounding it a moving and powerful source of comfort.

Two friends of my nephew shared reminiscences and a priest gave the eulogy. They did a fine job, which got me to thinking about eulogies and what they can teach us about speaking in general.

Here are five elements or characteristics of a eulogy that apply to speeches in general.

Intention
When giving a eulogy, what matters most is your intention. Your aim is, or should be, to offer comfort. How you comfort those who grieve will differ, of course, depending on the person who has died, the circumstances, the people left behind, and your own gifts, relationship, abilities. But as long as you sincerely intend to provide comfort, you’re on the right track. Your intention also matters in every other speech you give. Your aim will differ from speech to speech, but you always need to be clear about what it is. And you audience needs to know what it is. Why are you speaking to them? Why do you care? Why should they care?
Stories
You can’t give a eulogy without telling stories. You just can’t. You are, in essence, telling the story of the person’s life or, at least, telling a story of the person’ life and imbuing it with meaning. Likewise, I don’t see how you can give any kind of speech without telling a story, at least one. (See How to Tell a Story.)
Emotions
At a funeral people’s emotions, which may span the whole gamut, are right up front and central. And it’s easy for the eulogist to connect in a powerful way with the audience. It’s not so easy to do that in other speeches, especially in the corporate arena where people are more guarded. But you still have to engage people’s emotions if you want to affect them. (As a verb, affect means, “have an effect on; make a difference to.” As a noun, affect means, “emotion or desire, esp. as influencing behavior or action.”)
Community
At a funeral, you’re not just speaking to individuals. You’re speaking to a community, to people who share a common bond, to family, friends, colleagues. In other speeches, you will have a greater impact if you think of gathering the individuals who are assembled into an assembly, a community of people who have something in common — a shared concern, a joint venture, similar values. A good speaker addresses each person as a unique individual and, at the same time, forges a sense of commonality among the audience as a whole.
Humility
If you’ve ever spoken at a funeral, you know how daunting of a task it can be. How can you possibly do justice to the person, those who mourn, and the occasion? You can’t. And that’s okay. You do what you can, as best you can. And you do your best to keep your ego out of the way. You’re there to comfort others — that’s your intention, right? — not to call attention to yourself. The same is true of giving a speech. When you let your ego get in the way, you’ll trip yourself up. But if you humbly do the best you can, you’ll do better than you expect.

What do you think? What lessons from eulogies can you apply to speeches in general?

In Miscellaneous, Speak

What to Say in Time of Grief

Chris Witt — May 14, 2013 — 3 Comments

A death in the family this week makes me wonder, again, what to say to those who are sick with grief when we are ourselves grieving.

Words fail us. Either we are struck mute, silenced by our own heartache, or we hesitate to speak, afraid of sounding banal and insensitive.

But we have to say something, because silence can be cruel.

There is not one right way to grieve, nor one right way to comfort those in grief. So we do the best we can. We gather with those who grieve and let them know — with kind words softly spoken and with hugs and arms on shoulders and also with silence and a willingness to listen — that we love them. We are with them and we love them.

In Miscellaneous

Make Them Hurt: Why Solutions Aren’t Enough

Chris Witt — May 13, 2013 — Leave a comment

I used to think that providing a solution to people’s problem was enough to convince them to adopt and implement it.

But I’ve come to realize that the promise or even the assurance that an idea (a proposal, service, product, procedure, etc.) will solve people’s problem isn’t enough to win them over.

You have to make them hurt.

Here’s why:

Even when people accept the fact that they have a problem, they underestimate how much trouble, bother, harm, loss, risk, hidden cost, and futile effort the problem entails. Then they compare the cost of living with the problem (which they underestimate) to the cost of implementing your solution (which they may accurately appraise or, more likely, overestimate). And they decide that your solution costs more than their problem, so they reject it.

It’s your job (my job, too) to make people realize the true cost of the problem before proposing the solution.

“Make them hurt” doesn’t mean “Cause them pain.” It means, make them understand – know and feel – the full scope and negative impact of the problem.

For example, people in sales or in business development often tell me, “Our technical people can’t communicate what they know in a way that the rest of us can understand.” Then they ask if I can solve their problem and, if so, how much it will cost.

In the past, I described my process (which I’m really, really proud of) and gave references and testimonials and case studies. Sometimes they’d buy my solution. Often they wouldn’t.

Now I go about it differently. I probe for the pain.

I ask, “What does the inability of technical experts to communicate what they know cost the company?” With a little prompting, they tell me about lost sales, missed opportunities, frustrated customers, duplicated efforts, unproductive meetings, project delays, and cost overruns. I ask them to figure out how much those issues cost. When they know the real cost of the problem, I’m willing to talk about my solution and how much it will cost.

Make them hurt. Let them know exactly what their problem costs in time, effort, money, and risk. Then, and only then, propose your solution.

In Sell Ideas

Proposing Solutions Too Soon

Chris Witt — May 10, 2013 — 2 Comments

Paul Tillich, an existentialist philosopher, theologian, and teacher said:

The fatal pedagogical error is to throw answers, like stones, at the heads of those who have not yet asked the questions.

Most presentations use some variation of a problem/solution format, which is a solid way to organize our material: “Here’s the problem. Here’s how my idea solves that problem.”

But…

…we too often assume that the people we’re talking to are aware of the problem in the first place. Or that they understand its scope. Or that they appreciate its repercussions. So we skip right over the problem in order to talk about our solution. To paraphrase Tillich, we throw solutions, like stones, at the heads of those who have not yet grasped the problem.

One of my rules, when making a problem/solution presentation, is make them hurt.

Begin your presentation by describing the problem and assessing its scope and impact. Show how much damage — in wasted time, effort, money, morale — is caused by the problem. When people see the issue for what it is — a problem that causes them pain — then, and only then, should you start talking about the solution.

In Sell Ideas, Speak

Credibility: Men v. Women Speakers

Chris Witt — May 4, 2013 — Leave a comment

I came upon notes of a study I read a few years back, which I found interesting / disturbing. Unfortunately, because I didn’t write down the source of the study, I can’t attest to its accuracy.

According to the study–

93% of audiences think a male speaker is credible until he says or does something to lose their confidence.

83% of audiences question a female speaker’s credibility until she says or does something to earn their confidence.

Do you think that is accurate? Do you think that male speakers are given an audience’s confidence, while women have to earn it? What is your experience?

If you know where I originally read that study, please let me know. Or if you know of any similar study, I’d love to learn of it.

In Lead, Speak

Bid/No Bid Decision for Coaches, Consultants, Trainers, Speakers

Chris Witt — April 30, 2013 — 1 Comment

If you’re a self-employed coach, consultant, trainer, or speaker (I, myself, am all four), you know the frustrations of making a bid on a job. (By “job,” I mean any business opportunity that pays: a coaching relationship, a workshop, a keynote address, a consulting arrangement.)

Making a bid may be as simple as telling an interested party what you’ll do and how much you’ll charge for doing it. (It’s not that simple, of course, and ideally a lot of give and take went into it beforehand.) Or making a bid may entail submitting a lengthy and detailed written proposal after you’ve already engaged in exploratory conversations, email exchanges, and interviews.

So submitting a bid may take very little effort and time, or it may be an energy-intensive and time-consuming process. Either way, you owe it to yourself first to decide whether it even makes sense — business sense — to try. Is it worth your time and effort to prepare and submit a proposal?

As a consultant and coach, I help companies in construction, government contracting, project management, engineering and the like make proposals on large (very, very, very large) contracts. Creating those proposals is a costly endeavor that can consume several months of several people’s time. Before those companies undertake such a large effort, knowing that so much is at stake, they typically conduct a bid/no bid decision process or assessment. (Successful companies always do so.) The process can itself be quite elaborate, involving assessment tools and meetings. (See Inside the Critical Bid/No Bid Decision as an example.)

I’m not suggesting that those of us who are self-employed use the same approach as big companies when it comes to deciding whether to bid on a job. But I do recommend using a stripped-down, simplified version. Doing so will save you a lot of grief.

The Three Questions to Ask When Deciding to Bid or Not to Bid on a Job

1. How much do you want the job?

When you’re just starting out or when you’ve hit hard times — and who hasn’t hit hard times in the past three or four years? — you get desperate. If someone dangles an opportunity in front of you, you’ll leap at it even if, say, you know they’re just trolling for the lowest bid. But desperation isn’t a pretty thing, and it almost always leads nowhere.

So whether you’re lean and hungry or plump with opportunities, calculate in the coolest, most objective way you can how much you really want the job. How will it benefit you? Cash is, of course, a worthy benefit, but it’s not the only one. So ask yourself:

How much money is at play?
Will the job lead to follow-on work within the organization or will it open up doors with other companies?
Will it promote your visibility and credibility?
Will it challenge you and help you develop new skills?
Will it contribute to your pride of accomplishment and satisfaction?
Will it provide a showcase for your talents?

Rate how much you want the job on a 1 (low) to 10 (high) scale.

2. What are your chances of winning the proposal?

Again, if you’re desperate, you’ll tend to skip this question. You’ll reason that you only win jobs you bid on, so you may as well go ahead and submit a proposal. What have you got to lose? Well, a lot actually. Pursuing any and all opportunities, even ones that you have no chance of winning, wastes your time and energy, it puts a dent in your self-respect, and it keeps you from going after jobs that you can actually win.

Winning a proposal depends on three issues:

Your Relationship with the Prospect
The more you know the prospect and the more they know you, the better your chances. The briefer and the shallower the connection, the worse your chances.
Your Capabilities
Do you have the knowledge, experience, skills, resources, processes, tools, etc. to do the job and to do it well?
The Price
Do you have any idea of how to price your offer? Do you know what your competitors will propose? Are you in the same ball park? The lowest price doesn’t always win the contract (sometimes it hurts), but most people these days are very, very concerned about price.

Again, rate your chances on a 1 (low) to 10 (high) scale.

3. How much bother is involved?

In my experience, the larger the organization, the more the hassle. With some corporations — I’ve worked with several of them — you can spend more time and energy complying with their administrative requirements than you will actually doing the job. I kid you not. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s something you should take into consideration.

Rate the hassle factor on a scale of 1 to 3.

I haven’t worked it out precisely, but I think you could make a bid/no bid assessment based on a formula. Add your ranking of the first two issues (how much you want the job and your chances of winning it). The highest score you can get at this point is 20. Divide that number by the hassle factor. The maximum possible score, for those who don’t have their spread sheets open, is 20. A high score means “bid.” An abysmally low score means “no bid.”

I know it’s not that easy. But please consider doing some form of bid-no-bid assessment before making your next proposal. And good luck.

What do you think? Have I overlooked something?

In Sell Ideas bid/no bid process