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In a Nutshell

Posted by Rob Leonituk on March 27, 2012

In a NutshellPicture this: while on a coffee break at work, you and a colleague are discussing a movie.  Not having seen the movie, your colleague asks, “How was it?”  You would like to encourage your colleague to see it.  Your intention is to give a quick summary and perhaps a general opinion, but you suddenly find yourself describing the entire plot.  Before long, you realize that you have given away so many details that you’ve spoiled the ending.

Summaries should be short

Most speakers comprehend, at least conceptually, that a summary should be concise.  Despite this understanding, many find it hard to select what information to include.  At Gandy Associates, we help learners deconstruct a communication tactic, such as summarizing, into components, with a template.  This equips speakers with the ability to rebuild the language with their own words.

How was the movie?

Creating a template for the movie question is a great example.  To answer this question concisely, let’s include three pieces of information: one about the character(s), another about the setting, and the last about plot.

For example, the movie, The Iron Lady is about Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the UK. The story is about how she controlled Britain in the 1980s.  That’s pretty good.  To make it better all we need to add is a lead expression to signpost our intention before our summary and a brief comment or opinion after our summary.  Lead expressions generally indicate the language that is to follow.  Good signposts that summarize include the following:

  • Essentially,
  • Basically,
  • To summarize,
  • In a nutshell

Finishing with a simple opinion indicates that the summary is over.

Here’s the final product:

In a nutshell, The Iron Lady is about Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the UK. The story is about how she controlled Britain in the 1980s.  Meryl Streep was amazing as Thatcher and she even won an Academy Award.

Transition

Communication strategies like the one above are often explored during Gandy’s lunchtime conversation classes.  In each session, language patterns and communication tactics are examined and practised.  What makes the program successful?  Learners are encouraged to find ways to use what they have learned and practised in real workplace settings.  How amazing is this:

Basically, the project I’m working involves upgrading our office’s operating system from XP to Windows 7.  It should take about two weeks to ensure everything is working.  I don’t anticipate any major problems.

The components are all there: the signpost, the characters, the setting, the plot, and a comment.

Now…I haven’t been to the movies in a long time.  Do you  have a good one to recommend?  No spoiler please, just a summary!

Rob Leonituk facilitates business communication training in the greater Toronto area for Gandy Associates

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Honing Virtual Facilitation Skills

Posted by Rob Leonituk on November 30, 2011

Centra - Smille and ClapFacilitating a virtual meeting or leading a training session online can be intimidating.  I certainly felt that way in the weeks preceding Gandy’s collaborative efforts with ACCES and RBC Royal Bank to design and implement an online corporate English language training course.  As designated trainer for this project, my primary task was to deliver the curriculum to a group of 12 participants virtually – something I had never tried before.  Below are some of the strategies I used to build my confidence and adapt my facilitation skills.  As you read the tactics, consider how you might apply the suggestions to your company’s online training.

Gain confidence by playing

If your company has, or is planning to use, a particular online meeting software platform, investigate the application.  Find out if you can download a trial version.  After downloading the software, start experimenting with all of the functionalities available.  By setting up mock meetings with colleagues, friends, and even family members, you can learn a lot about the limitations of the platform and hone your skills.  As these mock sessions are stress free, treat them as fun learning experiences.  Feedback from your volunteers is invaluable, so solicit suggestions and tips from your volunteers as you turn on/off webcams, open whiteboards, share documents etc.

Telegraph your intentions to avoid dead air

All business English training facilitators are multitasking in the classroom.  In addition to attempting to deliver the curriculum in a variety of stimulating ways, language trainers are modelling the language, listening for accuracy, providing feedback, answering questions, presenting new language, encouraging participation and adapting the lesson to suit the participants’ particular needs.  All of this can be done virtually too…with one adaptation: facilitators might find it beneficial to telegraph their intentions.

Telegraphing, or announcing, what is happening or what is about to happen will eliminate the eerie silence that often accompanies shifts from looking at a PowerPoint slide to creating break out rooms for participants to practise the communication tactic of the session.

In an in-person training session, participants can see the instructor stand up, walk over to a flipchart, or pick up a marker.  However, the virtual environment provides no such visual cues.  To overcome this, I found it useful to vocalize my intentions.  Here are some examples:

  • I’m opening up a new whiteboard. 
  • I’m setting up the break out rooms. 
  • I’m going to open a survey and when it opens I’d like you to read the question and select your answer.

Although the above tactic will increase teacher talk time, something normally shunned, the benefits of avoiding uncomfortable moments of dead air are far greater.

Engage participants with the technology

Multi-view webcams, VOIP microphones, chat capability, shared whiteboards, check marks to indicate a “yes” and “X” marks to indicate a “no”, pointers, drawing tools…and the list goes on.  For an instructor, using the technology is good. However, encouraging your participants to use it is even better.  Although certain functions are solely in the hands of the presenter, e.g., the microphones and webcams, participants become highly motivated when they are given face time and hands-on time.

Adapt your old ways to the new medium

Just because you are using something new doesn’t mean you have to abandon your old ways.  For an in-person session, I like to arrive early so I can set up the whiteboard and/or flipcharts.  For my virtual class, I do the same thing.  As for calling upon participants to provide input, I love when participants call on each other as opposed to relying on me to do it.  In person, I indicate with a gesture; in the online world, I provide the speaker with a visual cue such as drawing an arrow or highlighting another participant’s name.  Keep in mind that the participants are the same, the material is the same, YOU are the same…only the medium is new.

As a final note, remember that all learning is continuous.  I’m still learning by playing, streamlining my telegraphing language, utilizing the technological functions, and investigating how I can adapt some of my favourite in-person techniques to the virtual world.

Are you planning to host a meeting or conduct a training online?  How will you use these strategies to hone your skills?  Share your ideas by leaving a comment.

Rob Leonituk facilitates business communication training in the greater Toronto area for Gandy Associates.

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You may be wondering…

Posted by Rob Leonituk on August 30, 2011

Jorge, a highly praised senior developer at a Markham-based software company, has just given me a full report on a recent presentation he has given.  “They loved it!”  He exclaims.  As his communication coach, I am indeed relieved but not all that surprised considering all the work he put into it.  For the two weeks leading up to the big day, the two of us had been working on his organization, pronunciation and confidence.  One component of his presentation, however, posed some serious concern: the Q&A portion.  Big stakeholders were coming in from the United States and a lot depended on Jorge’s ability to answer their questions and address any concerns they might have.

For many, the Q&A portion of a presentation can cause anxiety.  The relinquishment of control to the audience can give cause for fear to the boldest of speakers.  Preparing a few “back pocket” questions can help a speaker to prepare for challenging questions and launch a successful Q&A session.

Get the ball rolling

I encouraged Jorge to take the initiative during Q&A.  Together we brainstormed a list of questions the stakeholders might ask.  This served two purposes: first, it enabled Jorge to practise his answers and second, it provided him with a subtle way of looking prepared, professional, and welcoming.

Here are sample phrases to initiate questions:

  • A lot of you may be wondering why we have decided to use this application.
  • One question you might have is how long this process is going to take.
  • One of my colleagues asked me if the first milestone was achievable considering the upcoming long weekend.
  • A common question relates to how the data will be migrated.
  • Here’s a question: why are the figures in CAD?

Keep the ball rolling

The questions above need not be reserved for initiating the Q&A session.  When questions start to wane and a lull appears, a new line of questions can be initiated by asking another back pocket question.  As well, doing this enables the presenter to deftly change from one focus area of questioning to another.

  • Another question you might have is when we anticipate going to UAT.

Stop the ball rolling (gently)

Now that the questions are free-flowing, how do you stop them?  Simply modifying the language above can provide a presenter with the chance to gracefully end the presentation.

  • Here’s a final question (thought): will the software be compatible with the existing system?

Feel prepared

It just may happen that you do not need the back pocket tactic because your audience is not reticent; they may be eager to ask you a myriad of questions.  Wonderful!  As Jorge discovered, many of his back pocket questions were actually asked by the stakeholders.  Preparing answers for these queries bolstered Jorge’s confidence and enabled him to sound professional.

By using this technique, you too can initiate a confident and professional Q&A session!

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I Hear You!

Posted by Rob Leonituk on May 27, 2011

This scenario is no doubt familiar: the speaker has been talking for about ten minutes and the audience has been politely listening – perhaps a little too politely. They are saying nothing and providing no feedback. The speaker begins to lose confidence in his message, his audience and himself. What’s missing? Active Listening Skills!

Active Listening Skills can erase doubt and build momentum, rapport and trust in your workplace communication.

I don’t understand vs. I understand

If English is your second language, you have likely long ago learned ways to indicate you are not able to understand someone. You rely on key phrases such as: Could you repeat that? I’m sorry, I didn’t understand. Could you please explain? Without a doubt, these expressions come in handy, but consider the problem in the scenario above. What can you, as a listener, do to boost the speaker’s confidence by showing you have understood his or her message?

Communicating that you DO understand is a leadership skill!

Participants in meetings need to communicate to the speaker that they understand what is being said. It is essential to “show you know!”

Doing this builds momentum. Others are able to flesh out ideas. The speaker is able to carry on confidently.

Paraphrasing

To communicate to your speaking partner, your team, or your clients that you are following them, try paraphrasing their words and clarifying their meaning. Here are some fantastic expressions:

  • So, what you are saying is the project scope may change dramatically next week.
  • Okay, are you saying the photocopier is out for repairs?
  • I see. You think we ought to set a higher price point.
  • So, in other words we should consider another supplier.
  • What I hear you saying is the client’s needs have changed.

The key

Think about occasions when someone has skilfully used active listening strategies with you. Perhaps a manager or team lead paraphrased your concerns over a project, or maybe a mechanic listened and clarified a problem you explained regarding your car. How did you feel?

The key to successful active listening is to vocalize your understanding. In other words, if you are in a meeting or conversation, tell the speaker and the other listeners that you are following the stream of thought.

So, in your meetings and conversations today, commit yourself to demonstrating to the speaker and the other participants that you understand the key points. SHOW YOU KNOW!

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A rainy day is not a sunny day!

Posted by Rob Leonituk on February 22, 2011

Many of us have heard about and have tried to apply the concept of positive language at the workplace.  For internationally trained professionals and native English speakers alike, a misconception emerges early in any discussion on the matter: one must avoid the truth.  After reading about or studying positive language, we might erroneously think we are to stand in the pouring rain and claim the skies are clear.

Let’s dispel the idea that positive language is about lying.

Positive language is the art of phrasing things with solutions in mind.  True, we often need to provide the background of a situation – grim as it may be.  In many professional situations, such as teamwork on a technical project, a clear-eyed acknowledgement of the issues is essential.  However, if we dwell on the problem with no promise of a positive outcome, the overall tone of a discussion can come across negatively.

The trick is to let the audience know positive news is coming — like the rainbow after a storm.   Here’s where we can enlist the help of a simple language device: the adverbial clause.   By starting our sentence with a clause showing contrast, we can both tell the truth and be positive.  Take a look at these examples:

  • Although we found a few major bugs in the application, we have strategies to repair all of them by the end of the week.
  • Despite the fact that we have missed our first quarter sales targets, we have secured many new contracts and are in a good position for the second quarter.
  • Even though yesterday’s unexpected downtime resulted in a production interruption, the technical support and the infrastructure teamsworked extremely well together.

The audience, upon hearing or even reading the sentences above, knows – after the first few words – that our overall message is positive.  Furthermore, team members, colleagues, clients, supervisors, direct reports etc. understand that we are completely aware and forthcoming with the unfortunate “truth” AND we have ideas of how to handle it.

This revelation of positive language undoubtedly brings to mind examples from our own workplaces, and it is wise to be prepared.  Let’s come up with our own positive sentences and put them in our back pockets so we are ready for our next meeting or conversation.  We need not pretend that it isn’t raining; we merely have to acknowledge that fact and show everyone that we’ve got our umbrellas.

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