Geronimo Leadership Coaching

How a Woman Can Move Mountains with Words

How To Create an Impact using the 4 "P"s?

Watch how Cat Lainé  from The Business Innovation Factory, is taking us into her story with Purpose,Presence,Passion and of course,Preparation.

 Awesome.

How does she do this?

With the four "P"s:

• Purpose
  
• Presence
• Passion
• Preparation

What is her purpose?

"As Deputy Director of Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG), Lainé has worked to bring renewable electricity and solar hot water to families and agricultural workers in Guatemalan villages, and dry composting latrines to women in the Cap-Haitien marketplace in Haiti. Simple infrastructure projects like these have a dramatic effect on quality of life."

This lady is on a Mission. This alone has the power to move mountains.

How "Present" is she?

In her introduction,she uses a metaphor, tells us the story from the Greek mythology Tantalus.

She calls upon our ancient memories, the myths we may have learned at school.

She's excited about it and even laughs just at the thought of it, before telling us her story. We can only listen, in awe and impatient to know more.

Look at her: she is relaxed, she moves on the stage, makes eye contact, smiles, let her emotions show on her face. She also uses her voice accordingly to the effect she wants to produce. Her intention is clear: she really wants us to get involved and act on it by participation,taking action.

100 % Present and "A-Live", here and now.

She creates a sense of intimacy and closeness with us. She invites us in her space.

What about Passion?

Here is what she says about passion:

"Your dedication to the cause is what gets you through those moments," she says. "What you can't learn is passion. If you have that, it will get you so much farther than a degree."

Let it show, share your inner fire with your audience, and people will listen to you!

Preparation

This natural and casual talk is not improvised.

"With AIDG, Lainé attempts to stretch the goals of a traditional NGO by throwing savvy "business acumen" into the mix. She brings her own scientific background to the table when the group spearheads a new project, but she also knows the value of a good old-fashioned sales pitch."

And she must have prepared for this video, just like Steve Jobs does relentlessly before the release of Apple latest toy.

The result is :

Simplicity and natural.

The essence of an excellent presentation

What about you?

Will you use the 4 "P"s for your next presentation?

How to Give a "Presentation ZEN"

In The Naked Speaker, I imagined how the worse scenario( = being unable to use any visual aid at the last minute) could actually be a blessing.

Here, you can relax, you have a performing high tech equipment, projector and laptop are wired and synchronized, lights are dim, temperature is cool, everything is perfect...

Your biggest enemy could be the temptation to fill your slides with information, to use special effects, to transfer all your focus and the audience 's attention to your Slides Show, at the expense of your Presence.

Imagine if, just like on this picture, you wanted to add an extra stone...

Now,thanks to people like Garr Reynolds, who brought some innovation, thinking and design into the world of business presentations, the concept of simplicity and “Zen” in visual presentations is slowly developing.

He has been one of the first to use Make Your Presentation Naked metaphor (back in 2005!)

Zen, that means following these three principles:

• Moderation
• Simplicity
• Natural
  

Moderation in preparation.

Simplicity in visuals.

Natural in presenting.

The focus is now back on the presenter, the message he or she wants to communicate, rather than on the medium, the PPT slides and its horrible beam in a dark room, sending executives to sleep or play with their iPhones or multifruit berries…

I strongly recommend you read Garr Reynolds's blog Presentation Zen , actually already in my blog roll since last year, and it was also the first post I wrote, in French, on the 14th of November, 2008.

As I advised recently to Bengt Wendel, who was looking for some help and valuable book in order to prepare his conference, "If I had only one book to recommend, that would be Presentation Zen".

He ordered it and prepared his slides thanks to the simple and brilliant tips shared by Garr Reynods. He's just back from Malmo, Sweden, where he gave his speech at the Oredev  Conference last thursday.I am sure he did an Outstanding talk.

Actually he even wrote a post about Garr Reynolds 's book, and another one about his coaching experience with me!

Please share your experiences and stories with us, like many did generously and creatively on the previous post, The Naked Speaker.

Can't resist to quote Dorothy Dalton's comment:

"I experienced this in reverse when I was working with a partner who insisted on a ppt - I felt as if I was on a beach in a ski-suit. Over dresssed and overwhelmed! I was not good and reverted after one more attempt in this mode to a more fluid interactive approach."

If you want to read More on Getting Naked, Enjoy!

 

 

How to develop discipline, when you're Curious and Eclectic...

This is the second post, after The Naked Speaker, of a new serie I have started in November. My Blog is just one year old and during this time, I have been writing on plenty of interesting topics, when I felt like it, when I could squeeze some precious time, but not really disciplined nor focused on anything special.It turned out as a very fruitful and joyful experience,teaching me a lot about myself and my wide and eclectic range of interests, but now I want to take it at the next level.

• I decided to select my "categories" strictly in relation with presentation and communication skills (for instance, I refrained from blogging today about Claude Levi-Strauss, it would have carried me away too far...)
• I decided to also limit the blogs I follow and comment on (I used to read and comment many fantastic blogs like leadership blogs, creativiy blogs, learning blogs, design, story telling , innovation, etc...)
• I commited myself to post twice a week. (Ah, I've said it, I've written it, now it's going to be the toughest point to keep!)

My objective is to use this blog as a platform for giving and sharing my reflections and tips , just like I did receive and learn from Olivia Mitchell and Garr Reynolds 's blogs (to quote only two...please visit any of them on the column on your left. They're all excelent.)

Please give me your feedback and comments, so that I can share what is the most valuable and interesting for you.

This post is "naked" too. No make up. No glossy pictures (I miss them) no cartoon, no video, no hyperlink . Plain.( Hmmm, maybe a little too minimalist.)

But it's friday, and tomorrow we celebrate my father in law's 80 th birthday, with 35 family members, the whole week end at home!

So, here we go! No time to put any make up, wanted to post my "declaration" to you. :-)

The Naked Speaker

How To Present Naked?

By naked, I mean without the whole set of classy and sleeky powerpoint slides, latest projector, remote control, laser pointer, giant screen with latest videos and dolby stereo....This post was triggered by reading the brilliant article written by Martin Shovel, "What Power Point can't show you" in Creativity Works Blog. 

What happens when technology fails?

Commenting on Twitter last week about Peter Senge 's performance, without Power Point, here are the reactions I got from Angie Chaplin, Leadership Speaker and Trainer

Recently, I had to facilitate a TeamBuilding seminar for International MBAs. I had designed a very “Zen like” short and sleek, design & Chic ppt with pictures purchased in iStock photos, few words, big fonts, very “Steve Job” styled…(without the black turtleneck, though)

I was very proud and eager to “make my show", I had rehearsed and prepared carefully.

I had not anticipated I would spill my coffee on my laptop, the day before, ruining my unsaved ppt.(The laptop, a brand new MacBook, is still alive with a mouse and keyboard transplant). Oh, lala! Désastre! Malédiction! (28 days later, it resurrected. I'm a Re born Mac Believer, now)
When I showed up the next morning, after a night trying to bring back my bonniemac to life,apart from my high stage of internal panic and lack of sleep,I had in fact all the presentation ready in my mind and was completely available for the participants.

I felt myself "naked".

Like in naked truth. Simply, naturally,..naked.

I told them many stories, I listened to them and asked them plenty of questions, I was more flexible and available than if I had sticked to my initial plan, which was ,more secretly, to make a Marion show.
Of course, I had integrated the components of the presentation and was in fact making it “Live”.
It was the best presentation ever. I felt free, natural, spontaneous, close to my audience and gave them more space too.

Why do I think Peter Senge is a naked Speaker?

Watch this very short (2.40 min) video "Closing Circle" 

He's speaking with simplicity , he's open and aware of others.  Very natural. He's standing in the middle of a circle and telling us a story.

This is called "presence".
Conclusions?

If you really have to use Power Point
Preparing with visual aids, ppt slides and even better mixing with mindmaps , can be a fantastic way to get sharp and ready . Ready to do without, too...

1.  It enables you to anticipate and structure your presentation, to think about the illustrations you might want to use.Then you use homeopatic dose.
2. You hand pick the best quality slides, the “wow” effect illustrations. That’s all.
3. You rehearse and rehearse, and eliminate. You “prune”
4.  It’s a great discipline and framework, from which one has to free oneself and move out of the ppt box.
5. It’s a means and should be used with only one question in mind: What added value is it bringing to my audience?

A wonderful way to do this is to embrace the Magical Story Frog Prince.

You tell stories, you ask for stories from your participants, you make an imaginary fire and warm yourself around!

As Terrence Gargiulo says “If a picture is worth a thousand words, a Story is worth a thousand pictures.”

Visit his site Making Stories, and his blog.

You want to make an impact? Tell stories!

Here you see Steve Job's Speech at Stanford, back in 2005.

He very simply starts with: "Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories."

One perfect example of presenting without Power Point. Although he's reading from a lectern,in a robe, the impact of his speech is tremendous because he makes it personal and includes the audience, us, into his life's story.

A great inspiration for "Naked Presentation", with an Orator in Toga...

He's naturally using the Rule of Three.

He's applying his own rule: "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

You can find Steve Job's transcript here. 

"You've got to find what you like in life"

#FollowFriday Interactive Mindmap

Et voilà!

I am a little of a mother-hen, you know, and I love the idea of seeing all my Tweeples around me!

If you want to know who my favorite tweeples are : Click here   be a little patient for Mindjet player to appear, it can take one minute or two max!

(bare in mind that it's a living organism and will go through many changes...some chickens may escape, I may adopt some new ones..)

Meanwhile, I wanted to share this with you.

It has only be possible thanks to @michaeldeutch 's great help!

Michael is offically Mindjet Chief Evangelist in San Francisco.

In fact , he's a Mind Mapping Whiz Artist :)

Thanks a lot, Michael!

Women & Leadership on Twitter

Download FollowFriday MapMarion

 Why do I follow @monedays?

For instance, because she posted this, 15 mn ago and I love it:

Monica's bio: "Speaker, author, coach and Organizational Consultant.  Loves life! Tweets, blogs and writes about life and organizations."

She's the author of Otheresteem "Regaining the Power to Value Others" 

She lives in Mexico and shares her support and laughters via Skype, with a warm and cheerful voice.

When I look at my categories, I tell myself they have flirting boundaries .

For instance, Monica:

1. Monica is a Wise and Passionate Woman
2. Monica is Warm-Hearted Sparkling Intelligence
3. Monica is Kindness Love and Joy
4. Monica is Creative and Artistic 

Yet, she embodies the most  "Women and Leadership"

If you download the mindmap, you will be able to click on each of the names I recommended, and make your own choice!

Et voilà! Qu'en pensez-vous?

Presentation Zen and Public Speaking Magicians

As I posted my Mind Map  (Download FollowFriday MapMarion) yesterday and noticed many could not open it so easily, I am disclosing each category, one after the other.

It's not only about twitter.

• Each person I recommend here offers a real professional expertise.
• I have been following them for months and could check their blogs and the links they sent. 
• I've connected with some in "real life" (@OliviaMitchell, whom I had the great honor to meet at home this summer in Beaujolais)
• I have also read their books (@presentationzen, Garr Reynolds)
• Or listened to their conferences, watched their videos (@MaxAtkinson, @makingstories, @ethos3)
• Or connected on Skype (@jeremystockwell)
• I 've been invited to write for their blogs (@6minutes and @dontgetcaught )...I will!

  

I am learning everyday to improve my own expertise thanks to them.

Bonus:In addition to their presentation skills, they demonstrate genuine generosity and creativity when they tweet.

Thank You.

Download FollowFriday MapMarion

Can GenY Women Have it All?

You know what? This is the third post I made out of the incredibly long comment I left on Steve Roeslier's Blog, All Things Workplace. This man must have thought I was insane...

I started to wonder about my daughters, about all the young students I worked with during their MBA studies.How many would actually live up to their dreams and understand the challenges of leading both a successful personal and professional life?

• Are all young women when they start building their family in their twenties or early thirties, able to develop this clear Vision and focus on their priorities?

• Do they have support from their young, also struggling husband?

• Support from their parents, mothers, grand mothers?

• Support from the media with the SuperWomen "Elastic Girl" Image?  

I doubt.

We wake up from the dream and find the reality of tough choices to make and patiently learn to wait for new opportunities, other times in life...learn to accept the cards we're given and deal with them...Or rebel, or quit, divorce, break up...

I 'm not saying men have it easier...Well, yes, I am saying that to be honest.

By easier I mean in fact less choices, fewer role models to identify with and a clear sense of identity through work.

There were times in my life when nothing, nothing could be more important for me than to be 100% present for each breath , each meal, each new step of my children.

I could picture myself perfectly happy and fulfilled being a "stay at home " mom.

 It's a 24hrs a day full time job which requires intrinsic motivation and multi tasking.
It requires such a strong character and such Leadership talents...that you would never even dare required from the TOP 500 Fortune Companies Leaders!

I  often find myself observing people, especially women, young women in public places. I have a very sweet tenderness for overwhelmed mothers with toddlers and crying babies. Always wonder how I ever did cope myself...seems almost impossible to me: patience, humility, generosity, creativity, LOVE...and strong self esteem and identity not to break down !

The issue is the status and representation of women as working moms at home that society has forged in our heads.

My aim is to coach Gen Y women , using my generosity, creativity and passion, to reconnect with their enthusiasm and achieve their goals, with a life long plan.
My dream would be to cooperate with women from different cultures, generations to provide on line support and encouragement!

Can we Have it All?

Do you read other people's blog and never comment?

I used to be like this.

Until I read Steve Roesler's post, on All Things Workplace.

The title was "Work-Life Balance Isn't."

It had been a very long and hot summer day at home and the house was busy like a hive.

The post was written in a very personal way, referring to Steve's couple, to a young couple they knew and choices we make at essential times in our lives.

I felt an urge to write about my own experience, and wrote quite impulsively a (much too long) very personal comment, resonating with my own story.

Here it is,in a previous post called Demeter or Artemis, you can skip to the end where I make my point!I know I should be writing shorter texts, especially in a blog, but I'm still learning!

What striked me was the distinction between comments coming from men, taking a BIG perspective, speaking concepts, language and generalities; and comments coming from women, sharing their guts, feelings and very personal stories.
Both were as valuable of course...

I'd love to be able to take a step back, reflect and make a wise and brilliant comment.

Like Wally Bock commented, life is made of plenty of "intelligent choices".

I read Wally Bock 's tweets and I am grateful for his generous insights and often challenging advices.

He was the first to tell me to cut my posts and keep them shorter.

Also advised me to "keep away from the device" Twitter , after I wrote about "Twitter Detox".You can read more on his blog Three Star leadership Blog.

My point is that these choices are tougher still for women and I see them more as challenging dilemnas.
We find ourselves raised with the belief that we can (and we should) have it all, that we can be independent, collect PhD's and be the perfect wife, mother and still get the time to have a career, write a book and design wonderful healthy meals daily...

Well, it's not that simple... We need to put it into a life's time perspective and , as a young woman, we hate to think of us when we are our mothers' age...

Two personal family stories.

My mother was a brilliant Doctor, she married my father, a Surgeon and a Professor of Anatomy.
She struggled to keep on working while raising my two sisters, eventually resigned and stayed at home to take care of her third daughter (me) and be " a better wife" (influenced greatly by her own mother and her in-laws)
She never recovered from this "quitting", became very depressed, and always repeated to us, girls, that we had first to make a life of our owns.

My aunt never had children and became an Internationally recognised Professor of French literature and writer at Cambridge. She kept on travelling and lecturing and I envied her professional life very much.

So here are the decisions I took, as a child,from these stories:                                                
                    

Never give up  on your dreams                  

Never live to please others.

Follow your own instinct, search and look for what you want, deep inside your heart.

Only conscious choices made with a clear vision of what we want, of our internal and external limitations, according to our believes and personal values, can build this integrated life.

In a next post, I shall address more specifically the issue of young women, in a post called "Can Generation Y have it all?".