“Well that’s how I was trained, and I turned out fine!”  This is a destructive and short sighted attitude for employers to take when it comes to employee training. 

It costs a lot of money to recruit, interview and hire an employee.  The time between an employee’s first day on the job and actual productive work output is directly related to the quality of training provided.  Just because the “learn by immersion” theory worked in some cases doesn’t mean it’s the best use of resources.  It will generally end up costing the business more in the form of mistakes and reduced efficiency.

Developing a good employee on-boarding program that gives new employees a solid understanding of the goals and vision of your business, and then giving them concrete expectations and procedures for doing their job, not only benefits the new employee but the business and its customers as well!

Don’t expect your new employees to “sink or swim”.  Ensure that they get their feet wet the right way and reap the benefits of a strong employee training program! 

You’ve been there.  Prisoner to a painfully poor presenter who drones on and on without any apparent consideration for you…the “captive” audience.  Public speaking certainly isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, but if you are called upon to speak, there are some simple things you can do to make your presentation more meaningful, memorable and motivating!

Breathe deeply before speaking as this will help calm your nerves and steady your voice.

• Outline your key points on a note card, but don’t read from a script. Be conversational and natural in your delivery.
• Never begin with an apology or a downer statement such as, “I’m not really good at this, and I hope you don’t fall asleep … just bear with me.”  -Be confident and just get started … with a good opening!
• Prepare a strong opening such as a story, an analogy, an intriguing question, or a meaningful statistic.  Give the audience a reason to engage and keep listening.  This is called the “opening hook”.
• Answer the listener’s unspoken question, “Why do I care about this?” before he or she even thinks it!  That’s called giving them the WIIFM – What’s In It For Me
• Stick to the main points and don’t try to cover too much information.  Make your presentation as short as possible, and leave some “change in your pocket”.  That means having a little extra information to add if people seem to want more. 
• Close with power!  Refer back to your opening, share a concluding story to summarize or deliver a poignant quote.  Don’t end with the cliche’, “Are there any questions?” That just leaves your close hanging.   Deliver your power close, say thank you, take the applause and then say, “I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have at this time.”

The great John Wayne summarized it best when he said, “Talk low, talk slow, and don’t talk too much.”

Presenting doesn’t have to be painful…for the presenter or the audience!  Next time you’re called upon to present, give your audience the gift of a great presentation!