From Expert Nurse to Fearless Manager

Penny had every degree a professional nurse could have. When the pressure was on in the emergency room, she was the most poised player in the game. As good as she was the hospital administration passed over her year after year when management positions came open. She told me that in order to break into management a nurse must be able to make training presentations to other nurses. The fear of public speaking held her back.
Penny came to us to sign up for a 12 week Dale Carnegie Course because she saw the increased self-confidence gained by a friend of hers after experiencing the course. She wanted the same thing. Her hand trembled as she signed her registration form in anticipation of being on her feet in front of a group of strangers.
I watched Penny during the first session of the course, her body language communicated paralyzing fear as she watch classmates come to the front of the room in groups of five to be interviewed by the instructor. Her fear was so intense that I resolved to refund her tuition because it was clearly too much for her to endure. I was wrong. Penny did go to the front of the room when her turn came and she got through it. What happened next blew me away. Penny came up to me after class with tears in her eyes thanking me for not telling her that she would have to be in front of the room. “If you had told me that I would have to do what I’ve just done I would have not come to class!” The tears were tears of joy at having broken through a fear that had held her captive for many years!
By the end of the course Penny had even more breakthroughs. She worked hard, as all participants do, to apply leadership and human relations principles on the job and then reporting in class about the business and professional results of Winning Friends and Influencing People. Penny came alive. So much so that her classmates awarded her the highly regarded Highest Award for Achievement at the end of the course. Penny conquered the fear that held her back and gained the management position that eluded her for so many years. Penny proved what Ralph Waldo Emerson said is true, “Do the thing we fear, and death of fear is certain.”
Who do you know that needs a breakthrough? www.dalecarnegi.com

By Doug Harbaugh

Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view | Dale Carnegie Blog - Corporate Training, Leadership Training, and Sales Training from Dale Carnegie Training®

Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view Dale Carnegie Blog - Corporate Training, Leadership Training, and Sales Training from Dale Carnegie Training®

5 Minute Presentation

How best to approach making a five minute presentation, is first you must prepare. Every audience is different and needs a varied approach. To anticipate what your audience needs, write down what your audience might already know, what you want them to know, and what you would like them to get out of your presentation. For example, say your presentation is about your business; you’ll want to highlight what it is your business is offering and what sets it apart from other businesses, like competitive pricing, flexibility or the quality of your work. In five minutes, you won’t have time to use a PowerPoint presentation, but you will be able to bring in examples of your work or materials such as brochures and business cards. Finally, jot down your main points on color coded index cards. These will help you keep on track and stay concise. Write big enough so you can easily see what you wrote.

Next, rehearse. Don’t be afraid to rehearse in front of a mirror or a trusted friend. Time yourself and become familiar with how much information you’ll be able to communicate within the five minutes. While rehearsing, make sure to use any props or examples that demonstrate your presentation.

Your appearance is just as important as your presentation, remember, you’re also presenting yourself not just your subject. Shoes need to be comfortable, and will play a part in how you walk and stand. Pick shoes that will give you confidence and stability. Same goes for clothes. You can never go wrong with a suit — unless you’re presenting on a beach.

When it’s time to make your presentation, after you have rehearsed and make sure your presentation is within the five minutes, take a deep breath to steady your nerves, stand tall and balanced, keep your head up, say your name and then announce your presentation title clearly and with confidence. Hold your cards in one hand, do not place the cards on the dais or table, you’ll only end up talking to the dais or table instead of your audience. Embrace, with your eyes, the audience; turn your head and body to all sides of the group. Spot the ‘nodders’ in the group but don’t exclusively talk to them, talk to every single person in the audience. Speak clearly, slowly, and pause slightly in between your two to three main points. Only refer to your printed promotional material, but do not hand them out during your presentation. Decide if you’ll distribute the material before your presentation or afterwards. Finally, finish with a positive note, you might even consider using a tag-line to end the presentation.

Before making your presentation, you might consider signing up for presentation training, there are many organizations located in most communities that are geared to help with public speaking. Visit www.blog.dalecarnegie.com

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New app for your phone

The folks at Dale Carnegie Training have made available an App for all of you who wish to be more successful as speakers and leaders in your business and community. When you think of the best public speakers, managers and leaders you will notice, they are persons who people trust, like, and respect. The new App from Dale Carnegie coaches the user using proven principles of human relations. Get it, try it! See more at MSNBC's web site. An app that wins friends, influences people - Careers- msnbc.com

Warren Buffett on Dale Carnegie | Dale Carnegie Blog - Corporate Training, Leadership Training, and Sales Training from Dale Carnegie Training®

Warren Buffett on Dale Carnegie Dale Carnegie Blog - Corporate Training, Leadership Training, and Sales Training from Dale Carnegie Training®