Carve Every Word Before You Serve it by Marc LeVine

You must feel what you're singing, not just have a good presentation of the language. - Cecilia Bartoli

I was an elected municipal official for ten-years having won three election campaigns. In two of the three, I was the top vote getter. Fact is, when I was drafted into running, I was a virtual political unknown and my first campaign was a huge upset, running against an entrenched incumbent, who once ran for the NJ State Assembly.?How did I do it?

Much had to do with personal presentation and conviction. Going door to door campaigning I was able to connect with residents, show interest in them, listen to their thoughts, offer ideas, and speak to them with conviction; believing every word I said, which convinced them to support me – my running mates, too.

In the business world, good presenters follow the same formula. They are compelling to listen to because they create interest and excitement surrounding their topic. Everyone listens and few zone out or fall asleep.

To become a successful presenter, you must become proficient at grabbing your audience’s attention—and holding on to it until they accept and internalize whatever it is you are presenting them with. It could be a sale, an ask or something you want them to learn and apply.?Makes no difference what it is if they take the desired action.

Here are three techniques you can use to engage any audience like a master:

?????????????Physical Presence. Regardless of whether you’re giving an in-person presentation or conducting a virtual meeting, think about how you can get your audience really into your topic. ?Perhaps, a simple command to “Turn to the person on your left, say hello and briefly introduce yourself” or “ask them why they are taking part in the meeting and what they hope to get from it.” This will help get them involved. The presenter’s goal is to turn the audience into active participants, not just casual observers. Help them answer the question, “do I really want to be here… with a resounding YES!”

?????????????Mental Coaxing. ?Confront your audience’s tendency to zone out or multitask by engaging their minds to stimulate their thought mechanisms. Try asking them direct questions, building in provocative statements or information, and using sharp and effective analogies to illustrate your own thoughts. Make it easier for them to hear your thoughts and embrace them.

?????????????Effective Rhetoric. Use compelling words and phrases to draw your audience in. Call out your participants’ names and use phrases such as “As you know…” or “Today, you will learn…” to directly address the audience. Awaken your listeners’ imaginations using expressions like “What if you could…” and “Picture this…” to help them visualize their futures, or “Remember when…” or “Think back to when…” to bring them back to the past.?The future can offer them promise and the past often brings them back to a place of safety and comfort. ?

Confident and effective speakers know how to draw their audiences out of their shells and convince them that the messages being sent are responsible, reliable and in their very best interests.?That’s what earning buy-in and eliciting positive action is all about. And that is what makes some presenters truly great.?

Are you a?CONTROLS ENGINEER?or?PROJECT MANAGER?looking for a new job???Visit:?www.thermosystems.com/careers

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The Author

My Recent Interview on “Engineering Success”

Marc LeVine is a graduate of Syracuse (NY) University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, Marc is currently Talent Acquisitions Manager at Thermo Systems. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021.

Marc's prior employment includes senior Human Resources and Staffing Industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, NJ, Brickforce Staffing in Edison, NJ, InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge NJ and Plainsboro, NJ and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ, a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a New Jersey based Human Resources and Social Media Marketing firm for 11 years. Marc also served as Council President in his hometown of Freehold Borough, NJ