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Archive for September, 2011

Do you “feel the fear” when asked to do some Public
Speaking?

Public Speaking is still one of our greatest fears and it
turns grown men and women into nervous wrecks. The mere
thought of it turns our tongue to cotton wool, causes our
internal plumbing to act up and turns our knees to jelly.

Well, there’s no need for all of this because help is at
hand. All you need to remember are your P’s and Q’s. Let’s
start with the P’s

Preparation -

When you sit down to write what you’re going to say, bear in
mind who you’ll be speaking to. Will they understand what
you’re talking about; will they understand the technical
stuff and the jargon? If in doubt remember the old saying -
“Keep It Simple Stupid”.

Make sure that what you say has a beginning, middle and an
end. Think of some anecdotes that help reinforce your story.
People think visually so paint verbal pictures for your
audience. And always remember, people want to know what’s in
it for them – so make sure you tell them!

Place -

Have a look at the venue before the event if you can. It’s
not always possible, however, even if you get there half an
hour before, you can check out where you’ll be speaking.

Stand at the point where you will deliver from, imagine
where the audience will be and check that they can see and
hear you. You may even wish to place a glass of water where
you’ll be able to find it.

Personal Preparation -

Before any Public Speaking event, think about what you are
going to wear; when in doubt dress up rather than down. You
can always take things off for a more casual look. Men could
remove their jacket and their tie. Women could remove items
of jewellery.

Part of your personal preparation should include some mouth
and breathing exercises. Practise saying some tongue
twisters to give your speaking muscles a good work out. Take
a deep breath and expand your diaphragm. Then breathe out,
counting at the same time; try and get up to fifty and not
pass out.

As part of your personal preparation, write your own
introduction. Write out exactly what you want someone to say
about you, large font, double-spaced and ask the person
introducing you to read it. Believe me they won’t object and
will probably be pleased and impressed.

Poise and Posture -

Whenever you’re called to speak, stand up or walk to the
front quickly and purposefully. Pull yourself up to your
full height, stand tall and look like you own the place.
Before you start to speak, pause, look round your audience
and smile. You may even have to wait until the applause dies
down. Remember, you want the audience to like you, so look
likeable.

Pretend -

I’m suggesting you pretend you’re not nervous because no
doubt you will be. Nervousness is vital for speaking in
public, it boosts your adrenaline, which makes your mind
sharper and gives you energy.

The trick is to keep your nerves to yourself. On no account
tell your audience your nervous; you’ll only scare the
living daylights out of them if they think you’re going to
faint.
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Though there are a number of actors who enter Hollywood with the aim of leaving their mark in the industry, only a few are successful in doing so. Charlton Heston was one of the few people in Hollywood who made a mark not just in films, but also theater and television.
Blessed with well chiseled features, his looks got him some prime roles that most other actors would have loved to perform. Through his extensive career in the film industry, he has worked in a number of movies with almost all of them becoming huge box office hits.
The movie ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ was the one in which he debuted as an actor. His moving performance in the movie made his a favorite among the movie producers and directors in that era. He went on to bag some of the best roles in movies such as Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, The Naked Jungle, The Big Country, Planet of the Apes and many more.
Though his performance in every movie was excellent, his rendition of the role in Julius Caesar garnered a lot of worldwide appreciation. The unparalleled performance in the movie Ben Hur also earned him laurels that catapulted him to fame. The Charlton Heston movies list is a lengthy one since he was a director’s favorite and was offered varied roles in a number of movies.
The other movies where Charlton Heston played a part are “The Agony and The Ecstasy”, “Touch of Evil”, ‘Soylent Green’, ‘Beneath the Planet of the Apes” and “The Omega Man”. Airport 1975 and Earthquake are also movies in which he played a role. As an evil cardinal in “The Four Musketeers”, a naval officer in “Midway”, a naval officer and sniper in “Gray Lady Down” and “Two Minute Warning” are the movies that added feathers to his cap.
He forayed into the television industry and made a mark there as well. He appeared in a number of episodes of The Colbys and Dynasty. The other TV series he can be seen in are A Man For All Seasons, Treasure Island and as a host in Saturday Night Live.

The very foundation of outsourcing means getting someone to handle your work, a partner in business. Ideally the outsourcing consultant or company should have a similar vision as yours and solid work ethics.

Success in business would depend greatly on finding the right outsourcing company and for this you must:

• Determine clearly what your core business competencies are. Know your strengths and weaknesses.

• Clearly define your goals, future business plans.

• Create an outsourcing proposal that outlines your objectives as well as needs. State clearly the details of the project, expectations, timelines, as well as budgets.

• Do in depth research on outsourcing companies to find out which ones will satisfy your needs. Alternately one can hire a consultant to carry out the search.

• Search for an organization that can source many talents. Flexibility in operations is crucial.

• Interview at least 3-4 organizations. Check out their referrals and projects completed. Be sure to meet key personnel to gauge their competencies. And check out their technological expertise.

• Do a cost effectiveness study as also how the selected company will fulfill your needs. Whether their infrastructure and training will be in synchrony with yours. Systems must be compatible. The costing should address impact of increased flexibility, difference in productive and time management, which is the time taken to reach the market and its effect on competition.
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You have graduated high school or college and now you’re ready for your first ‘real’ job. You’ve mailed out résumés and have been called in for your first interview. How can you do well at the interview so you wind up being offered the job?

1. Dress professionally. No midriff shirts, low-cut blouses or flip-flops because you’re going to work and not the beach. While it’s not necessary to buy a suit, it is particularly important to look professional. If you’re trying to get a job in a conservative office such as an accounting firm, don’t dress as if you were going to a concert. If you are applying for a retail position, you have a little more freedom. Rather than list what clothing is and is not acceptable, I would tell you to dress as if you were going to meet one of the most important people in your life- because you are!

2. Make sure you are well-groomed. Don’t look as though you just rolled out of bed and couldn’t bother to take care of basic personal hygiene. Nothing will make the HR Manager bring the interview to a close faster than unwashed hair, dirty fingernails or body odor. As an employee, you will be a reflection of the company and no customer wants to do business with an unkempt person.

3. Be aware of your body language. A firm handshake at the start of the interview shows you are self-confident. Maintain eye contact, stay relaxed and be attentive to the interviewer. Ask questions and listen thoughtfully to the answers. Think before you answer questions from the interviewer- don’t ramble and keep the conversation on the topic. Read the rest of this entry »