Reflections on 2014

In these last moments of 2014, I ask you this question. Can you describe in 1 word, the successes and experiences from which you have learned[Idont see them as failures], particularly at moments you communicated big ideas, important information. Many people blamed their accents for ineffectiveness in their communication. As I think about that, I could not help but think about Nikola ,who has a French accent and Jigga, of West African descent, with Nigerian accent. These 2, I know for sure, were in many circumstances that required alot of speaking/communication [mostly to important and key stakeholders in their careers] yet made SIGNIFICANT accomplishments this year, despite their accents. What made them succeed in selling those big ideas & pitching value proposition? CONFIDENCE. The key ingredient to effectiveness in expressing ourselves, ideas etc. is CONFIDENCE. As I think about Nikola and Jigga, each of them either had or displayed high self-esteem when they spoke. This is why they succeeded As you step into 2015, ensure to make necessary adjustments to your confidence level and WIN!! Happy new year!!

Self consciousness

Are you sometimes self conscious of what you are saying while communicating? Do you wish you could have done a better job in expressing yourself instead of fumbling on your words? Maybe this story will help you. Jones had an idea on how to make a ground breaking change to one of the most important metrics in the company he works in. He started to speak to his boss, who in this case had Jones' fate in his hand. Jones, while trying to be perfect, could not help but think about his choice of words, making sure his pitch was not to high so as not to be percieved as aggressive, wondered what his boss was percieving him. All these different mixed brain activities disrupted the coherence in his voice. No telling the outcome of the conversation. The lesson learned is to shut off all internal voices and be internally stable. Focus on the mission at hand. Remember if you do not express the change you want successfully, what you get is status quo.

Energy v. Vocabulary

Volka began her presentation with an audible voice and a few 'out of the Oxford dictionary' words in her phrases and sentences. The room was engaged and impressed up until about 2 mins into it. Volka's voice lost steam and volume dropped. The message was clear, when Blackberries got more attention. The audience had lost interest. Java was next in line. She too started with an audible voice. She also seemed confident and applied proportionate energy to her voice that stabilized the volume, even though her vocubulary was plain and simple. The audience seemed connected and engaged, often laughing at side jokes she made. The icing on the cake was, her presentation material was visual. What was the distinguishing factor here, you might ask. It was nothing magical but the energy in Java's voice that kept the audience engaged and connected. For those that asked. Yes! from that meeting Java's presentation stuck in people's memories. Never let your volume drop. Energy can get you thru even if you don't feel confident. So, ENERGIZE!

PP1 and PS1

To begin with, what are PP1 and PS1 in a corporate context? PP1 is Preparer 1 [This person does the work. He/She is the brains BEHIND it all] wonder why they are not on the FRONT page..... PS1 is Presenter 1 [This person adds the sexiness to the hard work already done by PP1 and become the face of it to an audience] In many organizations, you will find both. PP1 is like diamond in the dirt. Valuable but inviscible. While PS1 is like the diamond earrings you wear on gala night. Valuable and visible. PS1 is typically valued over PP1. Why is this the case, you may wonder? Its because diamond in the dirt is not very valuable until discovered and even when found, a woman couldn't present/wear it in its dirty, raw form [PP1] on gala night. It becomes wearable in its new form [PS1]. PP1 is that person that just can't express/communicate all their inventions and need a PS1 to present them to the world. In the end, the world only remembers PS1s, though PP1 will get his reward,... someday. It is critical to learn and possess the ability to express ourselves. This can be done, not just by big vocabulary but even simple words, that are clear enough, with the right amount of energy added to their voice and connection with audience. Watch any speech by Malaya Yousafazi on youtube and be inspired. As you build the brain power, remember PS1s. Build upon your ability to express your ideas, opinions to the world and get the reward you rightfully deserve.

He's not a Manager tho.....

Gizelle: I like the last candidate I interviewed very much. Gazelle: Really? Gizelle: Yes. He has over 20 years experience in Finance, international and in the US. He's even worked with our biggest competitor, as key player in their regimented department. He's smart and only shy of a genius. Gazelle: Sounds like a great catch from this conference. Gizelle: Yes, cant wait to share the news with the Finance folks. Gazelle: Chuckles.... Gizelle: I don't see him as a Manager tho.... Gazelle: Why not? He has over 20 years experience and the requirement for a Manager position is 7 years. Help me reconcile... Gizelle: He wasn't articulate. He could not clearly express himself while communicating his experience, he'd not be able to lead a team. We need him but nobody is going to make him a Manager in Regimented department and you know that. He'll be buried by the sharks. Gazelle: Sad...It is a crucial year for us in Finance. The Executive Committee are demanding more timely reporting and you better be prepared to speak clearly when you walk them thru the numbers. Its crunch time! Gizelle: I know. So we will not offer him the Manager position. We have a flight to catch. Folks, this is based on a true story. As unfortunate as this may seem to some readers, this is reality in the corporate world. Everyday, smart, well educated people are hired by companies and what sets selected candidates apart are 2 things, skills and how well they sell their experience. A little further from that, the ability of a candidate to express his/herself weighs more in the decision on the starting point of their career. We all can use a good head start sometimes. Its time guys.... Empower yourself, improve your ability to express yourself not by big vocabulary but by simple but accurate choice of words mixed with the right amount of energy.

Months of Project work, DOWN THE DRAIN?

KT was elated with the 50% completion of Project Infilterate, which he spent months working on. The analysis was well thought out and very comprehensive. Now KT had to face what he considered a big challenge, communicate his ideas to management. He was not exactly shy or nervous about speaking in public but he sometimes had difficulty expressing himself or being understood. On D day, he did his best but the project ideas could not be easily understood. Therefore, the decision was made. TJ became the project lead and KT, his helper. The project was re-started and tasked to be 70% complete in 1 month. Since KT already did pretty good but unknown work, this was not a long shot. The work was done in 2weeks and it became a Project Infilterate derivative. Most of the ideas incorporated came from the work KT had done, which no one remembered as much as KT himself. TJ on the other hand became the new face of Project Infilterate. Many times, business professionals underestimate the power of expression, the ability to effectively acquaint other potential investors with their work, project or ideas. As a result, game changing ideas die. I have come to realize that expression is not all about enunciation and vocabulary. It is simply how well you connect with your audience. It is being in command of the message you are trying to convey. Some notable speakers among 2013 10 best speakers in the world are Nelson Mandela and Malaya Yousafazi. Both from non-English speaking countries, yet able to connect with their audiences worldwide. Also, named amongst the best are Dick Costolo [Twitter CEO],Blake Mycoskie [TOMS Founder]and Alan Mullay who have been successful in communicating business ideas and strategies. P.S. This blog is not another "Effective Communication" blog. It is simply a way to bring real life experiences to shed light on "The Power of Expression".