Thursday, January 31, 2013

Communication 103: Speaking to a Group

I studied public speaking in college. I learned that all but 5% of the population would rather die than give a public speech.

It's a fair fact that not everyone likes to speak in the public whether it is in front of 5 people or 5,000. I don't like performing sports; to dance across the stage for a ballet would be shaming; and to present a whiz-bang business plan for a Fortune 500 company would have me dripping sweat. For me, public speaking is a piece of cake and a thrill ride! So, perhaps we can help one another out. I need people who will help me with financial details so perhaps in turn I can share a little of what I've learned over the 20 years I've been speaking on the actual and proverbial stage.

Communication is something everyone does with or without words. But if you have been given a message that others need to hear, to not speak in public is a dis-service to yourself as well as those who need your information.

  • Start with an Outline: Have a message clearly outlined in bullet or outline form. The outline should include an Introduction which will address what your presentation is about and something that will win the interest and attention of the audience at the very beginning. The Body will be where your main substance is; identify the top two to three points you want to convey to your audience with a couple points each; the Conclusion is where you should restate your initial point and end on a thought for them to chew on, after your presentation is over.
  • Prepare by Studying Your Audience ahead of time (see examples in parenthesis): 
    • Learn about your audience ahead of your presentation. What is the age composition? (are you speaking to high school students or senior citizens.) 
    • How familiar are they with your subject? (If you are speaking on coal industry to a music class in downtown Chicago, it's most likely they are clueless on the subject; miners in mining country will understand it extensively so make sure you present information that is new to them which will also demonstrate your credibility.) 
    • What is the hoped for outcome or goal for the presentation? (Were  you asked to convince college students to visit a third world country, or convince them not to? Frame your speech to that end.) 
    • How long is their attention span and learning threshold? (Congrats on achieving your doctorate but grade school children are not going to know the use of your big, convoluted words. Try something a lot simpler in your presentation.)
  • Know Your Atmosphere: What is the atmosphere of where you are speaking? Is it a solemn moment then do not attempt to garner laughter. Are you asked to speak to 5 people in an auditorium with room for 10,000? Will it be outside in the bustle of the city with lots of distractions? Do your best to understand things ahead of time and then adjust your speaking "venue" or space to the desired goal. (If you have been asked to speak to a group outdoors, ask if you could speak in a private part of the public park. If you are asked to speak to a huge audience in a small space, ask if you can transition to the hallway and make things comfortable and relaxed yet with room to breathe.)
  • Use stories and personal experiences. Stories have this uncanny ability to capture people's attention, convey a point in an engaging way and allow your audience to visit a personal and vulnerable side of you. Choose your stories carefully. If you are missing stories from your own history, then find one from someone else that applies to your point. Adjust the story so that it is engaging, not too detailed which causes it to drag out too long, and always make sure it is presented with integrity, honestly reflecting the actual story. Personal stories define truth. And to mis-use that story can cause great distrust and lack of credibility once the audience discovers the narrative was skewed to accomplish a certain point. Be wise and careful yet have fun with it as well! These can be the best parts of a speech. 
Goodness! Way too many words for this post. I'll leave you with the above points and come back for more tips later. 

Don't be afraid of public speaking anymore. But instead, embrace it! 

You can email me with questions at amyjaynehawkins@gmail.com. 


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Communication 102: Tips for One-on-One Communication

(To see my previous post on this subject, click here - Communication 101)

The term communicate is defined different ways one of which is: "to express thoughts, feelings, or information easily or effectively." This makes my point on the importance of communication. So you want to convey your message for your cause, campaign or crusade? If your answer is "yes", you have to figure out how to express yourself in a way that your listeners can understand.

When telling yourself "I'd like to be a better communicator" there are three different aspects you should consider: one on one, to a group, or via the written word which can be a hand written note, a social media post or an editorial piece.

But there are also some general aspects to consider regardless of the above scenarios.
  • Consider your goal for the specific conservation: Do you want to get them to think? Ask questions. Do not preach to them. Let them find the answer on their own in your dialog. If they realize the answer (that you wanted to convey) personally, they will more seriously consider and embrace it. 
  • Have you put yourself in their shoes? Try to determine where they are coming from before you demonize them for a position on an issue they have embraced. It is wise and generous and humane to try to understand their take and why. It is what you would expect and hope for from others, correct? 
For this blog-post, here are some tips when you are interacting one on one:
  • Eye: Do you look people in the eye, providing confidence and trust of the person you're speaking to? Shifting eyes can display embarrassment, shame, or potentially indicate faulty information.
  • Handshake: When you shake someone's hand is it with a loose grip? Many of us would refer to that as the limp fish grip. If you want to convey confidence I recommend a different introductory shake of firmness yet gentleness. Don't grip the fingers but fit your handle comfortably in their hand. The last thing you want is for people to cringe at their aching hand after you have just greeted one another. Their mind will be on their smarting limb, not your important message
  • Proximity: How close you stand to someone influences the conversation. Everyone has their social spaces. If you stand close, it indicates familiarity, with the person. But if you attempted too close of contact with a stranger, especially of the opposite sex, it will cause them to back away and possibly turn their back and walk away.
  • Non-Verbals: Are you reading their non-verbals? If the person you are speaking with is consistently checking their watch for the time, or looking over their shoulder, it's possible they need to slip away, they don't want to get involved in the conversation right now or that you're being too pushy and attempting to go "somewhere" they do not wish to go.
  • Surroundings: Are you aware of what is happening around you? Is the atmosphere quiet and you should move into the hallway? Is it loud and no matter how loud you shout, the person you're attempting to speak to is just not going to be able to understand you? Is it an appropriate venue to discuss such a subject? 
Some of these seem basic tips so perhaps they are just good reminders It's all about being self aware but being bold enough to engage other people. Be aware of who you are and always remember that perception is reality. To the person listening, at times the "truth" in their mind is not just what you say but whether they perceive you well.

More tips later!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Social Conservative Policy Review: Family Research Council

This is one of my favorite groups! They have a backbone when it comes to standing for our values!

Join their email to receive your own review as the following; you can also click here to see the update in its own browser window.


Social Conservative Review 

Dear Friends,
"Human trafficking" is a term that sounds almost clinical.  In this sense, it is a misnomer, as human trafficking describes something that is evil in every way.
Thousands of American girls, boys, and young women are forced into sexual bondage each year, compelled under severe duress - sometimes, even the threat of death - to commodify themselves in prostitution, pornography, and other vices.
Thankfully, the Christian community is responding.  On Wednesday at FRC, former Congresswoman Linda Smith, founder of Shared Hope International, and Mark Blackwell, founder of Justice Ministries, gave an inside look at this brutal trade and how believers can help the people victimized by it in real, practical ways.  You can view the webcast here. 
There is no charge to watch the webcast, but you might find the cost high: Your prayer life, your time, and your understanding of our culture could be changed forever.
Sincerely,
Rob Schwarzwalder
Senior Vice-President
Family Research Council
P.S. Be sure to tune into FRC President Tony Perkins' new daily radio program, featuring some of America's top political, religious, and cultural leaders and a call-in session where you can voice your views and ask questions.  Learn more by clicking here.
Educational Freedom and Reform
Homeschooling
Legislation and Policy Proposals
College Debt
Government Reform
Regulation
Waste/Fraud/Abuse
Health Care
Abstinence
Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts
Homosexuality
Human Life and Bioethics
Abortion
Bioethics and Biotechnology
Euthanasia and End of Life Issues
Stem Cell Research To read about the latest advances in ethical adult stem cell research, keep up with leading-edge reports from FRC's Dr. David Prentice, click here.
Human Trafficking
Marriage and Family
Adoption
Family Economics
Family Structure
Media
Pornography
Internet
Religion and Public Policy
Religious Liberty
Religion in America
Check out Dr. Kenyn Cureton's feature on Watchmen Pastors called "The Lost Episodes," featuring how religion has had an impact on our Founding Fathers.
Secularism
International
Israel
International Economy and Family
Religious Persecution
Sharia law -- U.S., foreign
The Courts
Constitutional Issues
Judicial Activism
Other News of Note
Book reviews

Thank you Family Research Council for this spectacular resource! 

Tips on Promoting Your Message

Some very creative ideas are following.

Thanks to whoever put it together and - follow me on pinterest.com/amyjaynehawkins/technology for more incredibly fascinating infographics on the subject.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Drawing on Videos: Attention Grabbing? Yes.

And yet, here is one more amazing tool for communicating a message.

Do an experiment: ask your young person to spend 4 min and 5 seconds watching this short video. After it's done ask them two questions: 1 - do you like that form of communication? and 2 - Did you learn anything?

Don't fret about what lesson they learned from it, at the moment. If you can find reassurance that this holds their attention, and it teaches them something that's a start. The next step is to find videos such as these that convey messages you want conveyed to your young people. But for now - well, you tell me what you think of this genius educational tool.

By the way: this resource works for me. So if you ever want to teach me something - you can use this format. Just sayin'.

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Monday, January 7, 2013

Social Media & Local Politics

Article on Mashable.com about social media & local politics
Remember when you were a teenager, and you were confronted with a decision or change you had to face? You did not want to do it. But your parents would say "Son, you are old enough to ..." or "Daughter, you have procrastinated this long enough so get it over with now..." Ring a bell?

Call me a technology parent or whatever you will, but my patience is about to grow very low for adults - of any age - who say "I want to influence things! I am frustrated that things won't change! I need to get their attention, etc, etc" but will say in the next breath "but I don't 'get' that technology thing. I don't have time to learn. You can't teach an old dog new tricks..." Patience? Gone. It's time for you to deal with it and master technology - or else quit complaining that the Millennials don't get the conservative message.

I've just gone through this fascinating article on social media and local politics. I've been engaged in technology for awhile - and there are some delightful morsels it exposed to me! There are new tools leaders are trying; new horizons they are pursuing; and new formats they are embracing.

I'm not a JFK baby so I did not remember this but wow! It's a good historical moment to take note of!

"And just as a youthful John F. Kennedy benefited from his grasp of television in the 1960 elections, a new generation of local politicians is using its tactical advantage as digital natives to woo the electorate and launch open government initiatives."

A 25 year old mayor out of NJ, Alex Torpey is utilizing technology for the good of the local constituents.

"...Torpey also deploys Instagram to promote local events and Foursquare to announce his whereabouts to constituents. He's exploring crisis mapping platforms to initiate SeeClickFix for municipal services, and he's interested in trying Localocracy.com, a means to promote voter registration and engagement among the young."

My plea to learn technology is not just based on a 5th grade "Join the cool kids club" popularity contest. But it is becoming the apparatus in our war of ideas, and battle for control of the market places. The article continues:

"University of Washington professor Philip Howard (currently a fellow at Princeton) notes some new research on how different politicians approach digital media. "Republicans tend to use digital media for coordinating their message, broadcasting out content that has been drafted from senior campaign officials, and policing each other's political values," he observes. "Democrats tend to use digital media for engagement, conversations, and sometimes slip up because they debate and don't stay on message as well. Professional campaign managers at all levels dislike social media because using it results in some loss of message control.""

You see, it's not just a 'cool resource' but it's a resource that can be used for bringing change. But the change comes through us the users who then utilize the medium. The medium cannot speak for itself. Even if you are not pumping forth messages of truth through these technology mediums, the opposition is. The younger generation has already "gone there" to the tech world. And if you won't follow, please don't complain as to why the Millennials (and younger!) have not stayed behind to listen to your message.

And this statement rests my case:

"...it's useful to recall that it's still the early days of this movement. None of the most influential social networks in question –- Facebook, Twitter or YouTube — have reached their tenth birthdays, while Pinterest and Foursquare are still in their infancies. As digital natives make their way in the world, social media will continue to overhaul American democracy in new and unexpected ways..."

It is possible that the future of our nation rests not just on whether the next generation of leaders understands and embraces conservatism and traditional family value philosophy but instead, whether you are ready with a narrative that is in their lingo, using a medium that they understand.

ajh
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Saturday, January 5, 2013

New Favorite Resource: Infographics!



Infographics. Where have these been all my life! They are visual, and educational! They are fun and fast to review and exciting to share. Hello creative people! THANK YOU!!

Here are a couple examples. Now THIS is appealing. Find a way to tell your story, narrative or project in this framework. Maybe Millennials and regularly non-interested individuals (of any age) will take notice.

Here is my technology page on pinterest

Thoughts?

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