The Truth About Public Speaking (and the Media) Blog

Not to Get Totally Paranoid, But . . .

The bright lights may dim in the hearing room, but the fact remains that everything you say is on the record when you appear to testify before Congress. While the room may darken, the microphones may still be live.

General Services Administration head Lurita Doan forgot that golden rule when she appeared before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee yesterday. View the disastrous video here courtesy of washingtonpost.com.

Beyond a  potential open mic, you never know who may be right behind you appearing innocuous but in reality listening carefully in hopes you will spill the beans. A Congressional hearing is no place for the faint of heart or loose of lip. Witnesses and advisors must remain vigilant at all times. The hearing is not over until you are back at your office or hotel suite, ensured of privacy.

Free White Paper Outlines Best Practice Standards for Media Training

Preparing for a media training workshop is no easy endeavor. It involves more than making a quick call to a media trainer or tossing together a sparse bit of background material.

That's why I wrote a new white paper. It's called, “Maximize Your Next Media Training: Best Practice Standards,” and is meant to serve as an expert resource for corporations, associations, public relations and public affairs agencies, and non-profit groups planning to offer media training to their top executives, elected officers, directors, and managers. The publication provides a set of best practice standards and outlines the basic steps organizations should follow if they want to achieve a positive learning experience. You can download it here.

The white paper’s purpose is to make life easier for organizations that call on expert media trainers to coach their spokespeople. The intent is to provide a set of easy-to-follow best practice standards, offering organizations that pursue media training a peek behind the curtain and a clearer picture of what needs to happen and why.

There are five main categories organizations should heed in order to achieve a media training experience that is as smooth and headache-free as possible:

1. Preparing the trainees
2. Preparing your trainer
3. Preparing other internal staff
4. Preparing the training facility
5. Preparing the training agenda

So much of an organization’s success depends upon the well-being of its media outreach efforts and the skills of its spokespeople. A strong media relations presence revolves around the success of the media training workshop. And the success of the workshop, in turn, depends upon careful and diligent preparation. Following each of the five steps listed above will help ensure that an organization’s preparation efforts follow an organized set of best practice standards, resulting in a superior learning experience.

“Maximize Your Next Media Training: Best Practice Standards” serves as a companion to an earlier white paper, “A Buyer’s Guide to Communications Trainers,” also available as a free download.

Dressing for Success on TV

The recent edition of The Hill newspaper (which covers DC doings on Capitol Hill) takes a look at what to wear on TV. The article is basically a profile of a number of Fox News talking heads who make use of that network's style department (Edward R. Murrow must be spinning in his grave).

At any rate, some interesting takes on high fashion, though I don't recommend stuffing your ties into a drawer or wearing blaze orange.

Important note for men being interviewed: Wear a tie. You're a grown up. You can handle it.

Does Your Elevator Go to the Top?

There is real value in maintaining a good elevator speech -- you know, that 30-second or so self-introduction you can use at networking events. It does require careful consideration in order for you to place yourself and your capabilities in the best possible light.

But sometimes it goes too far. A legion of "networking experts" has cropped up who claim to specialize in helping people like you and me craft our elevator pitches. Many of them offer some good ideas. Then again, some of the notions are downright goofy.

I am on the receiving end of too many overly eager handshakes and staring gazes from people reciting such pablum as, "My life goal is to dazzle monkeys who believe in living life to the fullest." Just tell me you are a veterinarian. I will not be offended or disappointed. In fact, you will lead me to a fuller understanding of who you are and what you do almost immediately. Add on details about your specific areas of expertise as time and your conversation partner's level of interest allow. For instance, do you treat horses or cats? If it's horses, do you cater to draft animals or thoroughbreds? Do you work only locally or worldwide? But please cut to the chase first.

At the same time, dry, meaningless phrases are useless. If I hear, "I'm a consultant," one more time, I swear I will turn heel and walk away for that tells me nothing. Are you a medical consultant? IT consultant? Media consultant? What types of businesses do you work with and how do you help them? (hint: Lifting from your already existing mission and vision statements can help you short circuit this whole elevator speech process).

It is also imperative that you consider the networking environment. If you are in a roomful of socially conscious entrepreneurs, you might draw fewer strange looks if you say you inspire left-handed tuba players who want to unlock their inner Mozart (read: I am a music teacher). But if your gathering consists of more staid individuals, you will, to put it bluntly, come across as a nut.

Bottom line: Don't ignore your elevator speech. But do make it down to earth so you are not the subject of ridicule.

Never Undermine Your Strengths

Every speaker has strong points and challenges. You should be alert to never undermine your strengths by calling attention to your weaknesses.

What brings this to mind is a presentation I witnessed last week. The speaker brought strong emotions to the table. It was clear that she cared and wanted others to care, too. No over-the-top hand wringing, just a sincere passion for her area of expertise.

Unfortunately, she herself submarined an otherwise professional presentation. Number one, she used PowerPoint. I don't care who you are or what you have to say, a series of dull slides with 7-10 bullet points each spells B-O-R-I-N-G.

Number two, laser pointers must be used with laser-like precision. It was sometimes difficult to tell where she was trying to direct her audience's attention on her slides. Worse yet, every time she used it, she was late turning it off. As a result, she habitually came close to blinding audience members sitting to her right.

Number three, she lost track of time. Slides can do that to even experienced speakers. To compound that problem, she brought along an assistant who called out loudly when she had 15 minutes and five minutes left. Bad move, particularly since there was a clock on the wall. Even if she were visually impaired, I would suggest a more subtle signal. The capper came when her time was ending and her assistant horned in to say the time was right for Q&A. Our presenter begged to differ, said she had one more point to make (zipping through three slides to do so), and continued. Which made me wonder -- why did she bring this guy along if she didn't plan to use him? Or did he just try to insert himself ham-handedly to her surprise?

I did not get to connect with her one-on-one since I had to leave shortly after she finished and she was engaged in conversation with other attendees. If I had had the opportunity to talk to her afterward, the first thing I would have done was compliment her on her passion for the subject. To avoid diluting that obvious strength in the future, I would have then recommended losing the PowerPoint and losing the guy who hindered rather than helped. Let those strengths shine.

Watch Your Background

Ouch! It was visually painful to watch Friday's House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing into the outing of former CIA covert agent Valerie Plame. Oh, it had nothing to do with Plame herself or with the substance of what was said.

It was all about the look of the hearing room. The curtains providing a backdrop were bad enough in and of themselves, consisting of a busy flowery pattern on a black background. But when the C-SPAN shot zeroed in on Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), the camera optics must have rebelled. When contrasted with Davis' jacket, wow! His wardrobe exhibited a tight pattern that shimmered before the camera (see the video on YouTube here).

Davis, a well-recognized media hound, should have known better than to wear such a jacket no matter the circumstances. Moreover, he should be well familiar with the committee's decor and recognized that his sartorial splendor would distract from the proceedings (perhaps this was intentional?).

Clothes do not make the message. Nonetheless, there remains a lesson for anyone engaged in public speaking: First, wear neutral clothing that will not draw your listeners' attention away from your message. Second, assess the backdrop against which you will speak; if your light blue blazer melts into a light blue background or if your wardrobe clashes with the decor, either shed that jacket or pull out a change of clothing.

Always Get It on Tape

Clients sometimes try to insist they don't need their media training interviews videotaped if they are only seeking out print coverage. Big mistake.

Even print reporters are watching you for nonverbal clues. That means you should be watching yourself for those same clues. And videotape is the only way to get there. During critique periods, I can tell a student until I am blue in the face about tendencies she is exhibiting. But it becomes much easier for her to understand, internalize, and then act upon that bit of business if she sees it with her own eyes.

I hear three reasons from organizations that want to weasel out of the videotape learning experience. One is a potential discomfort watching oneself on video. Remember that people watch you everyday in everything you do -- media interviews, business meetings, airports, even ordering a sandwich for take out. Give yourself the advantage of seeing how you look to others while gaining the perspective of an expert communications trainer.

Two is that some mid-level functionaries fear making the boss squirm. I would much rather have her feel uncomfortable in the security of a training environment than in a real world interview. As an advisor, you are duty bound to present the unvarnished truth to your higher-ups. This is often the hardest of these objections to smoke out since many do not like to admit they fear for their own skin.

Three revolves around budget. Some clients shy away from the modest expense of a videographer. All I can say about this is if you want an inferior product, that is your prerogative. If you want cheap, cheap you will get, in quality of learning experience as well as budget. Roll that videotape and let the learning flow.

Say It in Your Own Words

While conducting a practice interview as part of a recent media training workshop, the scientist I interviewed proved not only unable, but unwilling, to explain his key concepts.

This is an interesting distinction. Many technicians -- from doctors to IT workers to lawyers -- face a talent barrier when it comes to speaking plain English. But I have no idea whether the interview subject above had the ability to get his message across. Thanks to a healthy dose of obtuseness or ego, he never tried.

Rather than translating the research, he said countless times that the proof is in the publicly released research and data. Thanks a lot. Playing the reporter role, I already knew that. I could cite the report's dry statistics and thick language if I wanted to. What I needed was someone who could sift that data into a lower common denominator that could be understood by everyday readers.

I have worked with enough researchers to know that a minority of them look down their noses at those without scientific credentials. Bad idea when that someone else is a reporter. Those who shun cooperation may want to keep in mind: The reporter's take could impact the fate of that next research grant.

National Press Club Event April 3

On Tuesday, April 3, the National Press Club will sponsor a half-day workshop, “Connecting Reporters and Sources: The Electronic Beat.”

The program consists of three first-class learning modules. It is designed to give public relations and public affairs professionals an insider’s view into connecting with electronic media reporters and editors, the lay of the land relative to new media, and what to do when they land a broadcast interview.

     What:    The National Press Club’s workshop, “Connecting Reporters and Sources: The Electronic Beat.”
     Date:     Tuesday, April 3, 2007
     Time:     8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
     Place:    National Press Club
                  Zenger Room
                  529 14th Street, NW, 13th floor, Washington, D.C.
     Register at:     (202) 662-7501 or www.press.org

Program details include:

• 8:30 a.m. — Registration and networking.
• 9 a.m. — “New Trends in Electronic Media.” Panelists include David Johnson, Chief Technology Officer of Scripps Howard News Service, and other experts on the cutting edge of such new media as podcasting, webcasting, and streaming video. The panel will explain how communicators can leverage these media to their advantage.
• 10 a.m. — “Getting Your Broadcast Media Pitch in the Strike Zone.” Panelists include Betsy Fischer, Executive Producer of NBC’s Meet the Press, and Mark Hamrick, Business Editor of Associated Press Broadcast. They will offer insider insights into what it takes for communicators to successfully pitch broadcast media producers.
• 11 a.m. — “You Booked Your Client on TV. Now What?” This segment will take place in the National Press Club’s all-new, all-digital Broadcast Operations Center. Communications trainer Ed Barks, President of Barks Communications, will offer advice and strategy, as well as a brief interview/critique session with select attendees.
• Noon — Networking lunch in the National Press Club’s Winners Room.

Cost is only $16 for members, $35 for guests and non-members, which includes lunch. Register at (202) 662-7501 or www.press.org.

Full disclosure note: I helped organize this program and, as noted above, am one of the workshop leaders.

Don't Freak Out

I had the opportunity to catch a presentation by Marcus Buckingham yesterday. The former Gallup organization researcher has positioned himself as one of the leading advocates of playing to one's strengths rather than weaknesses, using copious data to back up his contentions. In fact, the strengths approach is one I emphasize when leading media training and presentation skills training sessions.

There is a reason Buckingham is one of the premier speakers on the circuit today. Sure, his speaking skills are sharp and his content is well thought out. This is clearly a man who believes in dedicating ample time to preparation and rehearsal. But there is more to it than that.

When his people arrived at the venue an hour before show time, there were no facilities people to be found. Even the seemingly simple task of turning on the lights in the theater proved difficult. At this point, the wheels could have fallen off. But they remained cool and calm, trying to reach someone who could help while implementing portions of what became Plan B. The beginning of the program was delayed only briefly, quite a feat considering what lesser lights might have experienced.

Then there was Buckingham himself. While his aides were tending to the logistics, he walked about with a smile on his face, saying hello to audience members. In another classy touch, he made a special effort to greet and thank the volunteers staffing the registration table. Do you think that helped him buy a few extra friends in the audience who could help spread word of his new book? You bet.

The big lesson for those of us who speak in public: Always display grace under pressure. Rare is the time when all details will flow smoothly during your presentations. Remember that you are far from the most important person in the room. Every audience member comes first. Put on a good show for them no matter the circumstances.