Passive job seekers constitute a large percentage of the best talent in the industry. Sudipta Dev highlights what it takes to lure them to change their jobs
It is generally believed that the best candidates are those who are not actively searching for a job. They are happy in their present position and organisation, and are not looking out for a change anytime soon. However, they are proactively thinking about their career and are not averse to a change if opportunities do arise. In the IT industry with its high employee turnover (25-30 percent), where long-term loyalty is almost unheard of, what actually comprises this workforce? Experts believe that almost 40-45 percent of the workforce in the industry comprises passive job seekers. These are people between mid to senior levels, many with a high level of expertise in their field. The brand value of the company, a challenging job role, better perks and positions, might be suitable attractions to make them change their jobs, but there is a category that is the toughest to lure—those with good boss.
The general belief is that it is the passive job seekers who constitute the cream in the industry—the alumni of IITs and IIMs, possessing coveted branded education as well as a high level of expertise. Gautam Sinha, CEO of TVA Infotech, however disagrees, “It is not true that they are the best talent, it just happens that either they have a good boss or the company that they work in is growing fast at that point in time. Long-term loyalty in the IT business is difficult to build and can only be created if the company is willing to share its wealth creation.”
Why does somebody opt for a job change, particularly at the mid-management level? The “boss problem” factor is one of the essential reasons why people are unhappy in their organisation. There are many other trigger factors. Sunil Gandhi, Centre Head (Mumbai) Mafoi Management Consultants, lists them:
If an IT professional is not able to upgrade his skills on the technology which is fast changing, and is keen to work in a company which offers an opportunity to work on the latest technology.
The opportunities and growth in terms of kind of projects, role in the project and monetary aspects.
Who are they?
In most IT organisations, job-hopping starts reducing with seniority and age. In fact, it is not uncommon to find about 25 percent attrition rate in some companies for those with 3-4 years of experience, and less than 1 percent attrition for project managers and above. S C Bhatia, Chief Executive, Datamatics Staffing Services, points out that while passive job seekers are spread across all levels, the majority are in the age group of 30-40 years. It is also true that with age and experience, people are less averse to risk-taking and change jobs less often. However, is this related to skill sets or domain knowledge? “Yes, to a large extent it is applicable to IT people with contemporary skills or domain knowledge where there is a big demand-supply gap. For example,
candidates working on ERP modules, embedded systems, open source technologies and product companies. They also get good opportunities outside India,” answers Bhatia.
The best strategy for a headhunter
Reaching out to passive job seekers and convincing them to take up a job is not an easy task. Most headhunters consider proactive networking as the best strategy. Bhatia informs that approaching them through a reference or mutual contact generally results in a positive response. Gaining the confidence of passive job seekers is important. It is also imperative not to push them into taking up a job. Bhatia points out that one of the toughest problems faced by headhunters in this case is that most clients do not share comprehensive job descriptions which could pose a challenge, especially while speaking to passive job seekers.
The headhunter often has to play the role of a career guide or consultant to convince a passive job seeker. Gandhi agrees that the consultative approach works the best. “Find out what the candidate is doing and what are the job satisfaction levels. If the option available offers all this plus more then put that perspective across. I think the role of a headhunter is to understand the career plan and help the candidate achieve that.”
Sinha acknowledges that selling is tough and one needs to have all the information before calling. The best option, according to him, is soft selling with benefits clearly spelt out. The benefits have to be a combination of the short term (next 3 months) and the long term (next 18 months).
The success rate
The strike rate greatly varies according to the deadlines present before the headhunter. If given more lead-time (which is difficult in keeping with the just-in-time manpower requirements), the success rate naturally goes up. Bhatia agrees that the hit rate is sometimes as low as 25 to 30 percent. Cultivating candidates over time guarantees success.
The company where you are placing the candidate and its perceived “employment value” in the market is the most important factor. If the company is unknown, then the salary and future growth are important, says Sinha. He adds that headhunting for a CEO is purely reference based, “Cold calling is a difficult proposition here. The brand of the recruiting company is a important factor here as potential CEOs will only talk to recruiters from companies that they have heard of.”
Bhatia lists the essentials of headhunting for a CEO:
Proactive networking with senior IT professionals in seminars and IT forums.
Seeking references of senior executives from other senior IT professionals.
Scanning periodicals, the Web, etc, to track the career progress of senior IT professionals.
Maturity in handling
relationships with senior candidates and gaining their trust. In the US, Eliyon Technologies has a tool that continually scans millions of corporate websites, press releases, electronic news services, and other online sources, for probable senior level hires. Biographical “profiles” are created from this information, which includes details of their experience, education, the organisations they have worked for, etc. Eliyon’s database contains information on millions of professionals, with new records added monthly. Till Indian companies have an access to such a gigantic database of top manpower resources in the country, a significant pool of passive candidates will remain untapped.
It pays to be a passive job seeker
It is wiser to be on the lookout for another job when the going is good, than wait for things to go wrong.
Passive job search makes you aware of your “market value” in the industry.
It develops a network of mentors and other people who can be useful in the future.
Makes you aware of the skills needed to enhance your potential in the job market.
Enables you to be available when the best opportunities show up.
Headhunting for freshers
PEOPLE - the most valuable resource in today's fast-paced corporate world. The present recruitment scenario is witness to the expertise of executive research firms, better known as headhunters. However even the top companies started off small and there's room for the lone entrepreneur too!
Headhunters have established themselves as a valuable link in the employment chain. Various companies and firms have chosen to enhance their human resource by using the expertise that headhunters bring to recruitment. The boom in the headhunting industry can be attributed to the headhunter's superior understanding of the industry and market norms, job profiles, people skills etc. By virtue of their aggressive networking and people skills, headhunters today have created a niche for themselves. Increasing staff turnover rates have served to propel the headhunting industry to a high demand, high delivery industry. So to join or start a much-needed service like this what does one need to be successful? The pointers below will help in better understanding of the do's and don'ts of the business.
It is imperative to have an in-depth specialised knowledge of the industry, the job requirements, work culture, HR policies etc. This is the reason most headhunters work within well-defined niches and offer their services in specialised industries. A good grasp of the various problems and issues that plague the market, is essential
Every new search assignment that a headhunter takes up involves sifting the grain from the chaff. In other words, it calls for pre-screening numerous candidates for a job. This is where the headhunter's ability to probe beyond the superficial, comes to the fore. Piloting the right person to the right job calls for a specialised screening of the aptitude and skills of the candidates to ensure the selection of high-value performers.
Several factors need to be considered. The headhunter takes into consideration the candidate's values, job preferences, skills, background, family commitments etc. These are the guiding parameters by which the headhunter analyses the candidate's suitability to the requirements of the recruiter. The main objective should not be to generate short-term employment but to bridge the demand-supply gap. Ethical headhunting calls for a sense of integrity.
The headhunter should guide the candidates in interview handling skills.
The headhunter plays an important role in negotiations regarding salary and other benefits.
A headhunter stakes his reputation on the competencies of his candidate. A headhunter's responsibility does not merely end once the candidate is hired. Good follow up with the company is a value-added service that can give a headhunter an edge and help in striking a long-term relationship with the company.
With a clear understanding of the above, a headhunter can be tuned to success in the corporate scenario. The headhunter charges a commission from the company per hire but also owes loyalty to the candidate. Hence, it is vital for him to help the candidate find a fulfilling and rewarding job.
The intense competition in the recruitment procedures has led to several headhunters working round the clock. To sum up, it is not only about skills, but also about being in the right place at the right time. In other words, a true headhunter is one who finds the right peg for the right hole.
Headhunting-what’s it all about?
Just what is the point of headhunters? Are they the human equivalent of the childproof medicine bottle, an over elaborate gadget to prevent one getting at what one needs or are they more comparable to the practical weekly pill dispenser? Well, speaking as a headhunter, I prefer to think the latter-the human form of a useful device that sorts out your medication, allowing you to take the pill you need when you need it. Why? Let me explain.
Medication comes in all shapes, colours, form and size. It needs to be taken in various ways, at different times. Some drugs have side effects. Some are lethal if given to the wrong person. The same situation applies to people. The variety is likewise infinite. The wrong person in the wrong organization can be equally damaging. Headhunters are your HR physicians-your personnel dispenser. We minister to the body corporate.
To return to the less fanciful, executive search recruitment or, as it is more commonly known, headhunting, has long been recognised as an effective way of introducing those with skills to those needing those skills. Headhunting is a direct conduit between the two. It facilitates the movement of talent to where that talent, and those touched by that talent, can flourish. Yet its purpose is often misunderstood, its true worth unrecognised. In many ways it operates much as any other specialist service provider as an adjunct to its clients needs, a resource on which a client can draw as and when required. Thus, drawing parallels with other service providers, headhunting can:
Provide a skill or knowledge not present in your organization eg as with the use of a patents attorney
Provide a function not present in your organization eg akin to contract manufacturing,
Relieve your staff to perform functions for which they are better-suited eg similar to the use of an external trainer
Provide short-term project related solutions eg as per contract data management
Provide a scapegoat when things go wrong, like all financial advisors and business consultants!
In doing so, headhunting can mimic all the above scenarios in assisting your company or HR department achieve value added personnel solutions. In addition it can also provide some rather unexpected benefits such as being a window on the outside world, illuminating your company culture with shafts of market intelligence, employment law, sector sensitive remuneration details etc.
But am I presenting a cosy insider’s view of something that could be equally well achieved through placing an advert in the BMJ? To answer that I need to take you step by step through the process and art of headhunting illustrating along the way where we truly add value to the recruitment of key personnel.
The Process
The Client Briefing
The first meeting with the client is mainly devoted to listening and information gathering. We need to know everything we can about the company, department, functions of the role and proposed profile of the candidate. We need to feel a part of the company. The more we know, the better we can represent your case to the market. Headhunters listen-but they do so actively.
The Search
Headhunters actively look for people rather than passively wait for people to come to them, as occurs in advertising. Not only is executive search researcher intensive but its consultants, through years in the industry, have their own extensive network of contacts on which they can draw. Some assignments involve hundreds of contacts, some barely a handful. Certainly by the end of any assignment, the process should have trawled through all the areas where that specialist skill mix might be found. Headhunters are pro-active and tenacious.
The Candidate Interview
Having gleaned your requirements the headhunter sets out to identify, interest, engage and bring to you individuals whose talents match those qualities you are seeking. Moreover, using his/her experience, the headhunter will be looking beyond that role for individuals who can bring that little extra to the table. Will this candidate progress in your company? Can he/she bring an added dimension to the role?
Headhunters are focused-but imaginative.
Interviews are lengthy and exhaustive but, as many candidates will testify, highly enjoyable. For a brief moment in your life you have a captive audience that avidly encourages you to talk about yourself. It can be a truly cathartic experience. However the consultant is not totally passive. These conversations can have far reaching consequences for career and life and it is vital that the candidate is guided into seeing what is right for him/her rather than be flattered by being considered for a golden opportunity. Headhunters are not, despite common belief, trying to shoehorn any person into any job at any price. To complete the jigsaw all the pieces; character, skills, experience and aspiration, have to fit.
Headhunters have insight and understand people.
The Negotiations
All contact between client and candidate can be seamlessly managed to avoid pitfalls and address contentious issues in a productive manner. Once company interviews are underway the headhunter remains available to assist both parties in any way. A third party, independent opinion can be invaluable in providing an outside perspective and arbitrating on matters that hinder progress.
Headhunters facilitate and mentor.
Thus one can see that the headhunter’s role is intense and diverse. Above all it requires a close understanding and trust with all the other parties involved. Headhunters are professionals, there to assist you and work with you in achieving your goal. They should be treated as a valued resource.
So when should you use a headhunter? All the time! Oh I wish. Traditionally headhunting has been used to recruit senior management or board level positions. High profile, talented people are rare. They have to be approached discretely and sensitively. However these criteria increasingly apply to other areas where the talent pool is limited. Special skills need to be brought in through special means.
So how does all this affect you, the physician, working in the healthcare industry?
Primarily through the following:
As a client
You may be the line manager initiating a recruitment assignment. Work with your headhunter as a colleague collaborating in a common task to achieve the optimum result. Utilise him/her as an extra resource to provide impartial advice.
As a source
Most of you will have been phoned or emailed at some time requesting your assistance in identifying a suitable individual for a particular role. Do not be irritated by this. No one expects you to give away the family jewels. However if you do know a colleague who would definitely benefit from such a move-tell him/her. Let them decide for themselves.
As a candidate
Never be complacent. There is no harm in seeing what is out there. Have a look at the assignment brief. Not for you? Say no. We are not talking double-glazing sales techniques here. Say no and no one will bother you further. Say yes and we will endeavour to represent your interests as assiduously as we represent our client’s.
As a headhunter
Why not? Headhunting requires a broad and sound knowledge of the industry, an inquisitive mind and a desire to help one’s fellow man. All these qualities are abundant in physicians, even those working in the industry! Feeling jaded? Looking for a change in career? Headhunting may well be the viable alternative you seek.
In summary, headhunters are experts in managing the healthcare industry’s most valuable asset- its people. Our role is to facilitate the movement of that asset. Our joy like all other professional is in doing the job well and getting it right. Thankfully we usually do.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
10 Recruiting Initiatives
The following ten initiatives will help solve the
Problem. They're not new. You probably know them already.
Implementing them, though, is the hard part. So rank yourself on a scale of 0-10 on each of these ten programs. In this case, a 10 means you're doing it and it works flawlessly; a 5 means you've started; and give yourself a zero if you make some excuse as to why you don't need to do it or you don't know what it means.
If you don't score at least 50 points, get to work. Stop looking for the silver bullet. Combine three traits — hard work, great management, and thorough execution — with the following ten programs and your hiring problems will be solved by this time next year. (Hint: Start looking for these same three traits in all of the new people you hire, too.)
The Ten Most Important Recruiting Initiatives
Make your hiring processes potential employee friendly. If you make it too difficult for good people to find and apply for your jobs, they won't. So if candidate supply is less than demand or you're not an employer of choice, make sure your "find and apply" process is designed with a top person who might be looking in mind. Start Googling or HotJobing with keywords, job titles, and locations. Be generic with your keywords. If your position doesn't show up in the first dozen, copy the same techniques of those that do show up. Then evaluate your ad titles and job descriptions. If they're not enticing and compelling, few candidates will consider them. Describe opportunities; don't list requirements. Then make sure potential candidates do not have to complete an application.
Break the wall between recruiters and hiring managers. Start by getting recruiters, hiring managers, and other interviewers to clarify job expectations before you begin looking for candidates. These are the four or five critical performance objectives a top person in the job would need to accomplish to be considered a top person. Now make these projects and tasks so compelling that a top person would be excited to evaluate your opportunity. If your online job descriptions are not compelling, rewrite them. If you're sending in too many candidates or suffer from "moving job spec" syndrome, the likely cause is generic job descriptions that lack excitement.
Use technology to increase recruiter productivity. Has your investment in technology either improved the quality of candidates hired or enabled your recruiters to handle more assignments? Most companies are questioning the ROI of their technology efforts on these two measures. Where do you stand now compared to five years ago? Start by making sure your search engine can separate the best candidates from the worst. Then make sure every single recruiter knows how to do this. This change alone will increase team productivity 20-30%. You'll probably find some great candidates, too.
Implement workforce planning. If you're not now starting to look for candidates for Q1 2006, you're already behind. If you're not now aggressively looking for candidates for Q4 2005 you'll never make it with your existing team and budget. If you're now looking for candidates for Q3 2005 or are still looking for candidates for requisitions opened in Q2 2005, you're in deep trouble. A rolling workforce plan is the primary tool that all recruiting departments need to have. It's equivalent to the production plan, the sales forecast, and the budget all rolled into one. It needs to be updated every quarter to give you a rolling estimate of your company's hiring needs over the next 12 months. Unless your hiring needs never change, you can't plan ahead effectively without one.
Get more recruiters. Every company wants to convert its corporate recruiting department into the equivalent of a hot outside search firm. They believe this will allow them to hire those elusive passive candidates. But outside recruiters don't handle nearly as many reqs as corporate recruiters, so unless you alleviate this problem you'll never get there. On the other hand, I wouldn't add recruiters until you've implemented initiatives #1-4 above.
Get your recruiters off the PC and onto the phone. If candidate supply is less than demand and you're not an employer of choice, do not hire another recruiter who isn't comfortable calling strangers on the phone. The best people need to be called and convinced. So if you or your recruiting team think they can find enough good people using technology (job boards, tracking systems, Internet tools), you're pushing on a rope. If you're now making excuses, read #5 again, and then implement #1-4.
Focus on referrals, referrals, and more referrals. Your current employees know all the great people you'll ever need to hire; the problem is they won't give you their names without a fight. You need to personally ask them (take a fellow employee to lunch every day) to tell you the names of every great person they've ever worked with or heard of at their prior company. Then recruiters need to cold call these great people and recruit them — and get at least three more names of other great people. With this type of self-generating, proactive employee referral program, you'll have more than enough candidates in a few days for any assignment. With a workforce plan in place, you'll know where to target your recruiting team's efforts so you don't have to do this all at once.
Focus your technology efforts to build and nurture your pipelines. You're going to get lots of great leads from the proactive referral program suggested above. Nurture this asset. In marketing parlance, it's called "drip marketing." Send out regular emails, invite members of your talent pool to private webinars, and provide them with their own private website. Think of ten other ideas and implement five of them. Design your technology to do the heavy lifting, automating all of these activities. Then, two to three months before you need some candidates identified in your workforce plan, turn on the heat. Start calling, create a buzz, make the jobs compelling, and then get more referrals. Before you know it, hiring top talent will be a systematic business process.
Train your hiring managers to be better interviewers. Most managers are really pretty bad at this, so what's the point of improving your recruiting processes if you're hiring team isn't going to notice? To eliminate this problem, have each one read my one-question interview article in combination with the performance profile created in #2 above, and before you know it you won't be losing good candidates due to bad interviewing. (Why don't you try it before making excuses about why it won't work?)
Don't take no for answer. This is probably not an initiative, but it is a fundamental principle you and your recruiting team need to adopt. Very few great candidates sail through the hiring process without some type of direct recruiter involvement. Overcoming concerns, handling negotiations, and explaining the job and growth opportunities are all part the process of recruiting top talent. Great candidates and hiring managers alike often say "no" somewhere along the way. Great recruiters recognize this as a request for more information, especially when the person doesn't have enough information to make a valid decision or has the wrong information. Not taking no for an answer is the first step recruiters need to learn to get to yes.
Problem. They're not new. You probably know them already.
Implementing them, though, is the hard part. So rank yourself on a scale of 0-10 on each of these ten programs. In this case, a 10 means you're doing it and it works flawlessly; a 5 means you've started; and give yourself a zero if you make some excuse as to why you don't need to do it or you don't know what it means.
If you don't score at least 50 points, get to work. Stop looking for the silver bullet. Combine three traits — hard work, great management, and thorough execution — with the following ten programs and your hiring problems will be solved by this time next year. (Hint: Start looking for these same three traits in all of the new people you hire, too.)
The Ten Most Important Recruiting Initiatives
Make your hiring processes potential employee friendly. If you make it too difficult for good people to find and apply for your jobs, they won't. So if candidate supply is less than demand or you're not an employer of choice, make sure your "find and apply" process is designed with a top person who might be looking in mind. Start Googling or HotJobing with keywords, job titles, and locations. Be generic with your keywords. If your position doesn't show up in the first dozen, copy the same techniques of those that do show up. Then evaluate your ad titles and job descriptions. If they're not enticing and compelling, few candidates will consider them. Describe opportunities; don't list requirements. Then make sure potential candidates do not have to complete an application.
Break the wall between recruiters and hiring managers. Start by getting recruiters, hiring managers, and other interviewers to clarify job expectations before you begin looking for candidates. These are the four or five critical performance objectives a top person in the job would need to accomplish to be considered a top person. Now make these projects and tasks so compelling that a top person would be excited to evaluate your opportunity. If your online job descriptions are not compelling, rewrite them. If you're sending in too many candidates or suffer from "moving job spec" syndrome, the likely cause is generic job descriptions that lack excitement.
Use technology to increase recruiter productivity. Has your investment in technology either improved the quality of candidates hired or enabled your recruiters to handle more assignments? Most companies are questioning the ROI of their technology efforts on these two measures. Where do you stand now compared to five years ago? Start by making sure your search engine can separate the best candidates from the worst. Then make sure every single recruiter knows how to do this. This change alone will increase team productivity 20-30%. You'll probably find some great candidates, too.
Implement workforce planning. If you're not now starting to look for candidates for Q1 2006, you're already behind. If you're not now aggressively looking for candidates for Q4 2005 you'll never make it with your existing team and budget. If you're now looking for candidates for Q3 2005 or are still looking for candidates for requisitions opened in Q2 2005, you're in deep trouble. A rolling workforce plan is the primary tool that all recruiting departments need to have. It's equivalent to the production plan, the sales forecast, and the budget all rolled into one. It needs to be updated every quarter to give you a rolling estimate of your company's hiring needs over the next 12 months. Unless your hiring needs never change, you can't plan ahead effectively without one.
Get more recruiters. Every company wants to convert its corporate recruiting department into the equivalent of a hot outside search firm. They believe this will allow them to hire those elusive passive candidates. But outside recruiters don't handle nearly as many reqs as corporate recruiters, so unless you alleviate this problem you'll never get there. On the other hand, I wouldn't add recruiters until you've implemented initiatives #1-4 above.
Get your recruiters off the PC and onto the phone. If candidate supply is less than demand and you're not an employer of choice, do not hire another recruiter who isn't comfortable calling strangers on the phone. The best people need to be called and convinced. So if you or your recruiting team think they can find enough good people using technology (job boards, tracking systems, Internet tools), you're pushing on a rope. If you're now making excuses, read #5 again, and then implement #1-4.
Focus on referrals, referrals, and more referrals. Your current employees know all the great people you'll ever need to hire; the problem is they won't give you their names without a fight. You need to personally ask them (take a fellow employee to lunch every day) to tell you the names of every great person they've ever worked with or heard of at their prior company. Then recruiters need to cold call these great people and recruit them — and get at least three more names of other great people. With this type of self-generating, proactive employee referral program, you'll have more than enough candidates in a few days for any assignment. With a workforce plan in place, you'll know where to target your recruiting team's efforts so you don't have to do this all at once.
Focus your technology efforts to build and nurture your pipelines. You're going to get lots of great leads from the proactive referral program suggested above. Nurture this asset. In marketing parlance, it's called "drip marketing." Send out regular emails, invite members of your talent pool to private webinars, and provide them with their own private website. Think of ten other ideas and implement five of them. Design your technology to do the heavy lifting, automating all of these activities. Then, two to three months before you need some candidates identified in your workforce plan, turn on the heat. Start calling, create a buzz, make the jobs compelling, and then get more referrals. Before you know it, hiring top talent will be a systematic business process.
Train your hiring managers to be better interviewers. Most managers are really pretty bad at this, so what's the point of improving your recruiting processes if you're hiring team isn't going to notice? To eliminate this problem, have each one read my one-question interview article in combination with the performance profile created in #2 above, and before you know it you won't be losing good candidates due to bad interviewing. (Why don't you try it before making excuses about why it won't work?)
Don't take no for answer. This is probably not an initiative, but it is a fundamental principle you and your recruiting team need to adopt. Very few great candidates sail through the hiring process without some type of direct recruiter involvement. Overcoming concerns, handling negotiations, and explaining the job and growth opportunities are all part the process of recruiting top talent. Great candidates and hiring managers alike often say "no" somewhere along the way. Great recruiters recognize this as a request for more information, especially when the person doesn't have enough information to make a valid decision or has the wrong information. Not taking no for an answer is the first step recruiters need to learn to get to yes.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Be One of the “Best Recruiters”
Perhaps you’ve heard of them. They’re called “retronyms.” They are words that have been redefined by the advent of new technology. They range from the anachronistic “snail mail” to the quaint “black and white television.” Once familiar and well understood, these words from the past now require a descriptive label to explain their meaning in the present and the future.
We in recruiting have seen this phenomenon occur in our own profession. We use a retronym to describe what we are about in the labor market these days. It’s a war, right? But not just any war; it’s a War for the “Best Talent.” Thanks to the Internet, it’s now necessary to add an adjective to a word that should be sufficient in and of itself.
Talent is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “a special often creative or artistic aptitude.” Recruiting people of talent, therefore, is the goal of every organization. Some may do it better than others, but every employer sets out, at least, to attract and hire those who have that special aptitude in the skill areas it needs to accomplish its business operations. They know they need the competitive advantage that talent provides. And, they know that their probability of success declines dramatically with the “untalented.”
Why, then, do recruiters now believe that they have to recruit the “best talent”—the talent whose aptitude is more special than the rest? There are at least three reasons:
First, unlike other retronyms, the “best talent” is not a pejorative term. It isn’t something that technology has made obsolete, but rather something that it has made possible. By properly tapping the power of the Internet, we can reach into that very small population of the truly superior talent in the workforce and present a case for their moving to our organization.
Second, we have proof that the economic value of truly superior talent is greater—indeed, considerably greater—than that of even good talent. The McKinsey & Company study that was, ironically, called The War for Talent provided quantified confirmation that “A” level performers are 50-100% more productive than “C” level performers. We’ve always know that intuitively; now, we can demonstrate it with numbers, so even the Chief Financial Officer will understand.
Third, many corporate leaders, including some in the HR profession itself, believe that they can acquire the best talent with a minimum of fuss. All they have to do is bolt a little e-recruiting technology onto what recruiters have done in the past. There’s no need to change policy or procedures or even the capabilities of the recruiting staff (witness the number of HR Generalists being asked to recruit as an additional duty in an already overloaded day). As long as they have the Internet and a shiny, new career area on their corporate Web-site, pulling in the best talent is as easy as fishing in a barrel.
The first two of these reasons make sense to me, but third … well, the third is just way off the mark. The best talent may be a retronym, but recruiting it with the Internet is not like using other technology. Take the television, for example. The viewer’s experience is enhanced by simply flipping a switch on their color, flat screen, high definition, surround sound set. As long as they can find the on-off button, they’re good to go. e-Recruiting, on the other hand, requires considerable understanding and skill. The Internet does not enable us to recruit the best talent; that capability is achieved only with a fundamental change in the way recruiting is done—one that is carefully designed to capture the full potential of the technology.
What does that change involve? As a minimum, it must incorporate the following:
A change in recruitment advertising. It doesn’t do any good to use the Internet to connect with previously inaccessible populations of great workers if your message has all the appeal of a wet mop. Unfortunately, however, that’s the nature of most job postings today. They are uninformative, uninspiring and therefore uninviting to all but the untalented. To access the best talent with Internet, companies are going to have to change their view of the purpose and content of recruitment advertising posted on that medium. They must give it the same priority as that of their product and service advertising and develop it with the same care and creative energy. They must see their job postings not as simple notices of open positions, but as electronic advertising brochures that have the power to differentiate and sell their special value proposition as an employer.
A change in branding. An organization’s employment brand isn’t conveyed via a slogan or a marketing campaign; it is, instead, the sum of the experiences that are provided to candidates throughout its recruitment process. And in many organizations, those experiences are off-putting to all but the most desperate of job seekers. Candidates are subjected to the “black hole” feel of online resume submission and to the generic content of corporate career sites; they have to endure being kept in the dark on their status as they move through the process and the frustrating inability to connect with a human being at almost any point during the process. To recruit the best talent, companies must re-design their processes to improve the way they touch people on the Internet. While administrative efficiency is important, the critical objective is to provide a total consumer experience that is so unique and compelling that it attracts and sells even the most reluctant (i.e., passive) of superior talent.
A change in individual communications. At one time or another, every employer attracts prospects. For that reason, virtually every candidate management system on the market these days has some functionality for communicating with them. Unlike applicants, these individuals are not yet ready to submit a resume (in fact, they probably don’t have one), but they are interested in learning more about what an employer has to offer. In most cases, they are successful and employed (somewhere else) and all but ignored by the recruiting team. Why? Because the team lacks the staff with the skills and time necessary to communicate with these individuals. Doing so, however, is the one sure way to enhance the quality of a company’s applicants and to cut the time and cost of reaching them in the future. To capture those advantages, companies must change their view of the timing and purpose of individual communications on the Internet. Their goal is not to develop a database of static resumes, but rather to build a vast web of active relationships that nurture interest and trust among the best and brightest.
Recruiting the best talent may be a retronym—a capability made possible by technology—but it cannot be accomplished by technology alone. Indeed, the War for the Best Talent will only be won by the “best recruiters”—those who most effectively adapt their organizations and operations to capture the full potential of the technology.
We in recruiting have seen this phenomenon occur in our own profession. We use a retronym to describe what we are about in the labor market these days. It’s a war, right? But not just any war; it’s a War for the “Best Talent.” Thanks to the Internet, it’s now necessary to add an adjective to a word that should be sufficient in and of itself.
Talent is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “a special often creative or artistic aptitude.” Recruiting people of talent, therefore, is the goal of every organization. Some may do it better than others, but every employer sets out, at least, to attract and hire those who have that special aptitude in the skill areas it needs to accomplish its business operations. They know they need the competitive advantage that talent provides. And, they know that their probability of success declines dramatically with the “untalented.”
Why, then, do recruiters now believe that they have to recruit the “best talent”—the talent whose aptitude is more special than the rest? There are at least three reasons:
First, unlike other retronyms, the “best talent” is not a pejorative term. It isn’t something that technology has made obsolete, but rather something that it has made possible. By properly tapping the power of the Internet, we can reach into that very small population of the truly superior talent in the workforce and present a case for their moving to our organization.
Second, we have proof that the economic value of truly superior talent is greater—indeed, considerably greater—than that of even good talent. The McKinsey & Company study that was, ironically, called The War for Talent provided quantified confirmation that “A” level performers are 50-100% more productive than “C” level performers. We’ve always know that intuitively; now, we can demonstrate it with numbers, so even the Chief Financial Officer will understand.
Third, many corporate leaders, including some in the HR profession itself, believe that they can acquire the best talent with a minimum of fuss. All they have to do is bolt a little e-recruiting technology onto what recruiters have done in the past. There’s no need to change policy or procedures or even the capabilities of the recruiting staff (witness the number of HR Generalists being asked to recruit as an additional duty in an already overloaded day). As long as they have the Internet and a shiny, new career area on their corporate Web-site, pulling in the best talent is as easy as fishing in a barrel.
The first two of these reasons make sense to me, but third … well, the third is just way off the mark. The best talent may be a retronym, but recruiting it with the Internet is not like using other technology. Take the television, for example. The viewer’s experience is enhanced by simply flipping a switch on their color, flat screen, high definition, surround sound set. As long as they can find the on-off button, they’re good to go. e-Recruiting, on the other hand, requires considerable understanding and skill. The Internet does not enable us to recruit the best talent; that capability is achieved only with a fundamental change in the way recruiting is done—one that is carefully designed to capture the full potential of the technology.
What does that change involve? As a minimum, it must incorporate the following:
A change in recruitment advertising. It doesn’t do any good to use the Internet to connect with previously inaccessible populations of great workers if your message has all the appeal of a wet mop. Unfortunately, however, that’s the nature of most job postings today. They are uninformative, uninspiring and therefore uninviting to all but the untalented. To access the best talent with Internet, companies are going to have to change their view of the purpose and content of recruitment advertising posted on that medium. They must give it the same priority as that of their product and service advertising and develop it with the same care and creative energy. They must see their job postings not as simple notices of open positions, but as electronic advertising brochures that have the power to differentiate and sell their special value proposition as an employer.
A change in branding. An organization’s employment brand isn’t conveyed via a slogan or a marketing campaign; it is, instead, the sum of the experiences that are provided to candidates throughout its recruitment process. And in many organizations, those experiences are off-putting to all but the most desperate of job seekers. Candidates are subjected to the “black hole” feel of online resume submission and to the generic content of corporate career sites; they have to endure being kept in the dark on their status as they move through the process and the frustrating inability to connect with a human being at almost any point during the process. To recruit the best talent, companies must re-design their processes to improve the way they touch people on the Internet. While administrative efficiency is important, the critical objective is to provide a total consumer experience that is so unique and compelling that it attracts and sells even the most reluctant (i.e., passive) of superior talent.
A change in individual communications. At one time or another, every employer attracts prospects. For that reason, virtually every candidate management system on the market these days has some functionality for communicating with them. Unlike applicants, these individuals are not yet ready to submit a resume (in fact, they probably don’t have one), but they are interested in learning more about what an employer has to offer. In most cases, they are successful and employed (somewhere else) and all but ignored by the recruiting team. Why? Because the team lacks the staff with the skills and time necessary to communicate with these individuals. Doing so, however, is the one sure way to enhance the quality of a company’s applicants and to cut the time and cost of reaching them in the future. To capture those advantages, companies must change their view of the timing and purpose of individual communications on the Internet. Their goal is not to develop a database of static resumes, but rather to build a vast web of active relationships that nurture interest and trust among the best and brightest.
Recruiting the best talent may be a retronym—a capability made possible by technology—but it cannot be accomplished by technology alone. Indeed, the War for the Best Talent will only be won by the “best recruiters”—those who most effectively adapt their organizations and operations to capture the full potential of the technology.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Five Effective Ways - Make Your Body Speak
Five Effective Ways toMake Your Body Speak
by Lenny Laskowski
Dr. Ralph C. Smeadly, the founder of Toastmasters International, wrote, "The speaker who stands and talks at ease is the one who can be heard without weariness. If his posture and gestures are so graceful and unobtrusive, that no one notices them, he may be counted as truly successful."
When your actions are wedded to your words, the impact of your speech will be strengthened. If your platform behavior includes mannerisms unrelated to your spoken message, those actions will call attention to themselves and away from your speech. Below I have provided five ways you can rid yourself of your distracting mannerisms.
1. Rid Yourself of Distracting Mannerisms
Eliminate vocal and visual impediments.
Some common faults of inexperienced or in-effective speakers are:
Gripping or leaning on the lectern
Finger tapping
Lip biting or licking
Toying with coins or jewelry
Frowning
Adjusting hair or clothing
Head wagging
These have two things in common:
They are physical manifestations of simple nervousness.
They are performed unconsciously.
When you make a verbal mistake, you can easily correct it, because you can hear your own words, but you can't see yourself, so most distracting mannerisms go uncorrected. You can't eliminate them unless you know they exist.
Videotape yourself. The first step in eliminating any superfluous behavior is to obtain an accurate perception of your body's image. This should include:
Posture
Gestures
Body movement
Facial expressions
Eye contact
The next step is to free yourself of physical behaviors that do not add to your speech. This can be accomplished by simply becoming aware of your problem areas. After you have videotaped yourself speaking, review the tape several times and make a list of all the distracting mannerisms you notice.
First review: Review your tape the first time without looking for mannerisms. Just listen to the presentation as if you were hearing it for the first time and evaluate the overall impact you experience from watching the tape.
Second review: Review your tape a second time (with the volume turned down) and look for visual distractions. Take notes on what you observe.
Third review: During this review, have the picture turned off and listen only to your voice. Many people have never even heard a taping of their own voice before. Become accustomed to listening to your voice. Get to know it as others hear it. Note what you like and what you don't like. Pay attention to the speed, volume, and the tone of your voice.
Fourth review. Once you have made lists both of your distracting mannerisms and your more positive points, you are ready to have one or two family members watch the tape with you. Get their initial impression. Ask them to be honest.
Once you have completed these reviews, go over the list of all the distracting mannerisms you saw and heard. The next time you are having a conversation with someone you know well, try to notice whether you use any of these distracting mannerisms even in casual circumstances. Tackle each of your negative points one at a time.
2. Build Self-confidence by Being Yourself
The most important rule for making your body communicate effectively is to be yourself. The emphasis should be on the sharing of ideas, not on the performance.
Strive to be as genuine and natural as you are when you speak to family members and friends.
Large vs. small audiences. Many people say, "I'm okay in a small group, but when I get in front of a larger group I freeze." The only difference between speaking to a small informal group and to a sizable audience is the number of listeners. To compensate for this, you need only to amplify your natural behavior. Be authentically yourself, but amplify your movements and expressions just enough so that the audience can see them.
3. Let Your Body Mirror Your Feelings
If you are interested in your subject, truly believe what you are saying, and want to share your message with others, your physical movements will come from within you and will be appropriate to what you are saying.
By involving yourself in your message, you'll be natural and spontaneous without having to consciously think about what you are doing or saying. For many of us, this isn't as easy as it sounds because it requires us to drop the mask that shields the "real self" in public.
To become an effective speaker, it is essential that you get rid of your mask and share your true feelings with your audience. Your audience wants to know how you feel about your subject. If you want to convince others, you must convey your convictions.
Speak from the heart and to the soul.
4. Build Self-confidence Through Preparation
Nothing influences a speaker's mental attitude more than the knowledge that he or she is thoroughly prepared. This knowledge leads to self-confidence, which is a vital ingredient of effective public speaking.
How many of us have ever experienced a situation in which we had not prepared well for a presentation? How did we come across? On the other hand, think of those presentations that did go well. These are the ones that we had properly prepared for.
5. Use Your Everyday Speaking Situations
Whenever you speak to people, make an extra effort to notice how you speak. Observe, too, whether the facial expressions of your listeners indicate they do or do not understand what you are saying. Before calling to request something on the phone, plan and practice what you are going to say. Even this is essentially a short presentation. Another exercise is to prepare a 90-second presentation about yourself. Describe who you are and what you do. Record your presentation and review it using the four steps described above.
Since you are talking about yourself, you don't need to research the topic; however, you do need to prepare what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. Plan everything including your gestures and walking patterns.
Facial Expressions
Leave that deadpan expression to poker players. A speaker realizes that appropriate facial
Expressions are an important part of effective communication. In fact, facial expressions are often the key determinant of the meaning behind the message. People watch a speaker's face during a presentation. When you speak, your face-more clearly than any other part of your body-communicates to others your attitudes, feelings, and emotions.
Remove expressions that don't belong on your face.
Inappropriate expressions include distracting mannerisms or unconscious expressions not rooted in your feelings, attitudes and emotions. In much the same way that some speakers perform random, distracting gestures and body movements, nervous speakers often release excess energy and tension by unconsciously moving their facial muscles (e.g., licking lips, tightening the jaw).
One type of unconscious facial movement which is less apt to be read clearly by an audience is involuntary frowning. This type of frowning occurs when a speaker attempts to deliver a memorized speech. There are no rules governing the use of specific expressions. If you relax your inhibitions and allow yourself to respond naturally to your thoughts, attitudes and emotions, your facial expressions will be appropriate and will project sincerity, conviction, and credibility.
Eye Contact
Eye contact is the cement that binds together speakers and their audiences. When you speak, your eyes involve your listeners in your presentation. There is no surer way to break a communication bond between you and the audience than by failing to look at your listeners. No matter how large your audience may be, each listener wants to feel that you are talking to him or her.
The adage, "The eyes are the mirror of the soul," underlines the need for you to convince people with your eyes, as well as your words. Only by looking at your listeners as individuals can you convince them that you are sincere and are interested in them, and that you care whether they accept your message. When you speak, your eyes also function as a control device you can use to assure your listeners' attentiveness and concentration.
Eye contact can also help you to overcome nervousness by making your audience a known quantity. Effective eye contact is an important feedback device that makes the speaking situation a two-way communication process. By looking at your audience, you can determine how they are reacting. When you develop the ability to gauge the audience's reactions and adjust your presentation accordingly, you will be a much more effective speaker.
How To Use Your Eyes Effectively
1. Know your material. Know it so well that you don't have to devote your mental energy to the task of remembering the sequence of ideas and words.
You should prepare well (remember to use the 9 P's) and rehearse enough so that you don't have to depend heavily on notes. Many speakers, no matter how well prepared, need at least a few notes to deliver their message. If you can speak effectively without notes, by all means do so. But if you must use notes, that's fine. Just don't let them be a substitute for preparation and rehearsal.
Even many experienced speakers use notes. Often, they take advantage of such natural pauses as audience laughter or the aftermath of an important point to glance briefly at their notes. To make this technique work, keep your notes brief. (See Chapter 6 for more on this topic.)
2. Establish a personal bond with listeners. How do you do this? Begin by selecting one person and talking to him or her personally. Maintain eye contact with that person long enough to establish a visual bond (about 5 to 10 seconds). This is usually the equivalent of a sentence or a thought. Then shift your gaze to another person.
In a small group, this is relatively easy to do. But, if you're addressing hundreds or thousands of people, it's impossible. What you can do is pick out one or two individuals in each section of the room and establish personal bonds with them. Then each listener will get the impression you're talking directly to him or her.
3. Monitor visual feedback. While you are talking, your listeners are responding with their own non-verbal messages. Use your eyes to actively seek out this valuable feedback. If individuals aren't looking at you, they may not be listening either. Their reasons may include one or more of these factors:
They may not be able to hear you.
Solution: If you are not using a microphone, speak louder and note if that works.
They may be bored.
Solution: Use some humor, increase your vocal variety or add powerful gestures or body
movements.
They may be puzzled.
Solution: Repeat and/or rephrase what you have just said.
They seem to be fidgeting nervously.
Solution: You may be using distracting mannerisms. Maybe you have food on your clothes (or worse, maybe your blouse is unbuttoned or your fly isn't closed). Make sure you are aware of these embarrassing possibilities before and during your speech. If necessary, try to correct them without bringing more attention to them. On the other hand, if your listeners' faces indicate pleasure, interest and close attention, don't change a thing. You're doing a great job!
Your Appearance
If your listeners will have on suits and dresses, wear your best suit or dress - the outfit that brings you the most compliments. Make sure that every item of clothing is clean and well tailored.
Don't wear jewelry that might glitter or jingle when you move or gesture. This might divert attention from your speech. For the same reason, empty your pockets of bulky items and anything that makes noise when you move.
Part of the first impression you give occurs even before you are introduced to deliver your speech. As the audience arrives, your preparation should be concluded. You shouldn't have to study your speech. Instead, mingle with the audience, and project that same friendly, confident attitude that will make your speech a success.
When you speak-especially if you aren't well known to the audience-the most crucial part of your presentation is the first few minutes. During that initial segment, the audience will be making critical judgments about you. Your listeners will decide whether you are confident, sincere, friendly, eager to address them and worthy of their attention. In large measure, they will base this decision on what they see.
After your introduction, walk purposefully and confidently to the speaking position.
Walking Patterns
Why move in the first place?
Moving forces people to focus and follow you. The way you walk from your seat to the speaker's position is very important. When you are introduced, you should appear eager to speak. Too many speakers look as though they are heading toward execution.
Walk confidently from your seat to the lectern. Pause there for a few seconds, then move out from behind the lectern. As discussed before, it is wise to use the lectern as a point of departure, and not a barrier to hide behind.
Smile before you say your first words. Be careful not to stand too close to, nor move beyond, the people in the front row. Be careful not to walk too much. Doing so will work against you. Continuous pacing is distracting. Walking can be an effective way to stress an important idea. It is essential that your walk be purposeful and intentional, not just a random shift of position. Taking about three steps, moving at a shallow angle, usually works best.
When employing visual aids, use three positions. One position is your "home" position and should be front and center. The other two positions should be relatively near the "home" position. Never stand in front of any visual aid.
When you practice your speaking, make sure you also practice your walking patterns. Try walking to and from your three positions. These positions should be planned just as your hand gestures are.
When standing still, remember to maintain good posture. Stand up straight.
Remember it's not what you say- it's how you say it and your body does speak very loudly. It's only when you marry your verbal message and you nonverbal message does a speaker begin to command presence.
by Lenny Laskowski
Dr. Ralph C. Smeadly, the founder of Toastmasters International, wrote, "The speaker who stands and talks at ease is the one who can be heard without weariness. If his posture and gestures are so graceful and unobtrusive, that no one notices them, he may be counted as truly successful."
When your actions are wedded to your words, the impact of your speech will be strengthened. If your platform behavior includes mannerisms unrelated to your spoken message, those actions will call attention to themselves and away from your speech. Below I have provided five ways you can rid yourself of your distracting mannerisms.
1. Rid Yourself of Distracting Mannerisms
Eliminate vocal and visual impediments.
Some common faults of inexperienced or in-effective speakers are:
Gripping or leaning on the lectern
Finger tapping
Lip biting or licking
Toying with coins or jewelry
Frowning
Adjusting hair or clothing
Head wagging
These have two things in common:
They are physical manifestations of simple nervousness.
They are performed unconsciously.
When you make a verbal mistake, you can easily correct it, because you can hear your own words, but you can't see yourself, so most distracting mannerisms go uncorrected. You can't eliminate them unless you know they exist.
Videotape yourself. The first step in eliminating any superfluous behavior is to obtain an accurate perception of your body's image. This should include:
Posture
Gestures
Body movement
Facial expressions
Eye contact
The next step is to free yourself of physical behaviors that do not add to your speech. This can be accomplished by simply becoming aware of your problem areas. After you have videotaped yourself speaking, review the tape several times and make a list of all the distracting mannerisms you notice.
First review: Review your tape the first time without looking for mannerisms. Just listen to the presentation as if you were hearing it for the first time and evaluate the overall impact you experience from watching the tape.
Second review: Review your tape a second time (with the volume turned down) and look for visual distractions. Take notes on what you observe.
Third review: During this review, have the picture turned off and listen only to your voice. Many people have never even heard a taping of their own voice before. Become accustomed to listening to your voice. Get to know it as others hear it. Note what you like and what you don't like. Pay attention to the speed, volume, and the tone of your voice.
Fourth review. Once you have made lists both of your distracting mannerisms and your more positive points, you are ready to have one or two family members watch the tape with you. Get their initial impression. Ask them to be honest.
Once you have completed these reviews, go over the list of all the distracting mannerisms you saw and heard. The next time you are having a conversation with someone you know well, try to notice whether you use any of these distracting mannerisms even in casual circumstances. Tackle each of your negative points one at a time.
2. Build Self-confidence by Being Yourself
The most important rule for making your body communicate effectively is to be yourself. The emphasis should be on the sharing of ideas, not on the performance.
Strive to be as genuine and natural as you are when you speak to family members and friends.
Large vs. small audiences. Many people say, "I'm okay in a small group, but when I get in front of a larger group I freeze." The only difference between speaking to a small informal group and to a sizable audience is the number of listeners. To compensate for this, you need only to amplify your natural behavior. Be authentically yourself, but amplify your movements and expressions just enough so that the audience can see them.
3. Let Your Body Mirror Your Feelings
If you are interested in your subject, truly believe what you are saying, and want to share your message with others, your physical movements will come from within you and will be appropriate to what you are saying.
By involving yourself in your message, you'll be natural and spontaneous without having to consciously think about what you are doing or saying. For many of us, this isn't as easy as it sounds because it requires us to drop the mask that shields the "real self" in public.
To become an effective speaker, it is essential that you get rid of your mask and share your true feelings with your audience. Your audience wants to know how you feel about your subject. If you want to convince others, you must convey your convictions.
Speak from the heart and to the soul.
4. Build Self-confidence Through Preparation
Nothing influences a speaker's mental attitude more than the knowledge that he or she is thoroughly prepared. This knowledge leads to self-confidence, which is a vital ingredient of effective public speaking.
How many of us have ever experienced a situation in which we had not prepared well for a presentation? How did we come across? On the other hand, think of those presentations that did go well. These are the ones that we had properly prepared for.
5. Use Your Everyday Speaking Situations
Whenever you speak to people, make an extra effort to notice how you speak. Observe, too, whether the facial expressions of your listeners indicate they do or do not understand what you are saying. Before calling to request something on the phone, plan and practice what you are going to say. Even this is essentially a short presentation. Another exercise is to prepare a 90-second presentation about yourself. Describe who you are and what you do. Record your presentation and review it using the four steps described above.
Since you are talking about yourself, you don't need to research the topic; however, you do need to prepare what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. Plan everything including your gestures and walking patterns.
Facial Expressions
Leave that deadpan expression to poker players. A speaker realizes that appropriate facial
Expressions are an important part of effective communication. In fact, facial expressions are often the key determinant of the meaning behind the message. People watch a speaker's face during a presentation. When you speak, your face-more clearly than any other part of your body-communicates to others your attitudes, feelings, and emotions.
Remove expressions that don't belong on your face.
Inappropriate expressions include distracting mannerisms or unconscious expressions not rooted in your feelings, attitudes and emotions. In much the same way that some speakers perform random, distracting gestures and body movements, nervous speakers often release excess energy and tension by unconsciously moving their facial muscles (e.g., licking lips, tightening the jaw).
One type of unconscious facial movement which is less apt to be read clearly by an audience is involuntary frowning. This type of frowning occurs when a speaker attempts to deliver a memorized speech. There are no rules governing the use of specific expressions. If you relax your inhibitions and allow yourself to respond naturally to your thoughts, attitudes and emotions, your facial expressions will be appropriate and will project sincerity, conviction, and credibility.
Eye Contact
Eye contact is the cement that binds together speakers and their audiences. When you speak, your eyes involve your listeners in your presentation. There is no surer way to break a communication bond between you and the audience than by failing to look at your listeners. No matter how large your audience may be, each listener wants to feel that you are talking to him or her.
The adage, "The eyes are the mirror of the soul," underlines the need for you to convince people with your eyes, as well as your words. Only by looking at your listeners as individuals can you convince them that you are sincere and are interested in them, and that you care whether they accept your message. When you speak, your eyes also function as a control device you can use to assure your listeners' attentiveness and concentration.
Eye contact can also help you to overcome nervousness by making your audience a known quantity. Effective eye contact is an important feedback device that makes the speaking situation a two-way communication process. By looking at your audience, you can determine how they are reacting. When you develop the ability to gauge the audience's reactions and adjust your presentation accordingly, you will be a much more effective speaker.
How To Use Your Eyes Effectively
1. Know your material. Know it so well that you don't have to devote your mental energy to the task of remembering the sequence of ideas and words.
You should prepare well (remember to use the 9 P's) and rehearse enough so that you don't have to depend heavily on notes. Many speakers, no matter how well prepared, need at least a few notes to deliver their message. If you can speak effectively without notes, by all means do so. But if you must use notes, that's fine. Just don't let them be a substitute for preparation and rehearsal.
Even many experienced speakers use notes. Often, they take advantage of such natural pauses as audience laughter or the aftermath of an important point to glance briefly at their notes. To make this technique work, keep your notes brief. (See Chapter 6 for more on this topic.)
2. Establish a personal bond with listeners. How do you do this? Begin by selecting one person and talking to him or her personally. Maintain eye contact with that person long enough to establish a visual bond (about 5 to 10 seconds). This is usually the equivalent of a sentence or a thought. Then shift your gaze to another person.
In a small group, this is relatively easy to do. But, if you're addressing hundreds or thousands of people, it's impossible. What you can do is pick out one or two individuals in each section of the room and establish personal bonds with them. Then each listener will get the impression you're talking directly to him or her.
3. Monitor visual feedback. While you are talking, your listeners are responding with their own non-verbal messages. Use your eyes to actively seek out this valuable feedback. If individuals aren't looking at you, they may not be listening either. Their reasons may include one or more of these factors:
They may not be able to hear you.
Solution: If you are not using a microphone, speak louder and note if that works.
They may be bored.
Solution: Use some humor, increase your vocal variety or add powerful gestures or body
movements.
They may be puzzled.
Solution: Repeat and/or rephrase what you have just said.
They seem to be fidgeting nervously.
Solution: You may be using distracting mannerisms. Maybe you have food on your clothes (or worse, maybe your blouse is unbuttoned or your fly isn't closed). Make sure you are aware of these embarrassing possibilities before and during your speech. If necessary, try to correct them without bringing more attention to them. On the other hand, if your listeners' faces indicate pleasure, interest and close attention, don't change a thing. You're doing a great job!
Your Appearance
If your listeners will have on suits and dresses, wear your best suit or dress - the outfit that brings you the most compliments. Make sure that every item of clothing is clean and well tailored.
Don't wear jewelry that might glitter or jingle when you move or gesture. This might divert attention from your speech. For the same reason, empty your pockets of bulky items and anything that makes noise when you move.
Part of the first impression you give occurs even before you are introduced to deliver your speech. As the audience arrives, your preparation should be concluded. You shouldn't have to study your speech. Instead, mingle with the audience, and project that same friendly, confident attitude that will make your speech a success.
When you speak-especially if you aren't well known to the audience-the most crucial part of your presentation is the first few minutes. During that initial segment, the audience will be making critical judgments about you. Your listeners will decide whether you are confident, sincere, friendly, eager to address them and worthy of their attention. In large measure, they will base this decision on what they see.
After your introduction, walk purposefully and confidently to the speaking position.
Walking Patterns
Why move in the first place?
Moving forces people to focus and follow you. The way you walk from your seat to the speaker's position is very important. When you are introduced, you should appear eager to speak. Too many speakers look as though they are heading toward execution.
Walk confidently from your seat to the lectern. Pause there for a few seconds, then move out from behind the lectern. As discussed before, it is wise to use the lectern as a point of departure, and not a barrier to hide behind.
Smile before you say your first words. Be careful not to stand too close to, nor move beyond, the people in the front row. Be careful not to walk too much. Doing so will work against you. Continuous pacing is distracting. Walking can be an effective way to stress an important idea. It is essential that your walk be purposeful and intentional, not just a random shift of position. Taking about three steps, moving at a shallow angle, usually works best.
When employing visual aids, use three positions. One position is your "home" position and should be front and center. The other two positions should be relatively near the "home" position. Never stand in front of any visual aid.
When you practice your speaking, make sure you also practice your walking patterns. Try walking to and from your three positions. These positions should be planned just as your hand gestures are.
When standing still, remember to maintain good posture. Stand up straight.
Remember it's not what you say- it's how you say it and your body does speak very loudly. It's only when you marry your verbal message and you nonverbal message does a speaker begin to command presence.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)