Don't let a Microphone Distract From Your Presentation

I have been asked to moderate a panel, and there's a chance I'll be holding a microphone. I'm a little nervous that my hand will shake. Do you have any suggestions?

A woman I had coached on presentation skills recently emailed this question to me.

She raised an important issue. How do you use a microphone so that it amplifies your voice but doesn’t become a distraction? You don’t want your listeners to pay more attention to the microphone than to what you are saying.

Here are some suggestions for handling a microphone successfully:

1. Arrive early at the meeting room and practice using the microphone. Make sure the volume is set at an appropriate level.

2. Consider your alternatives:
--If you are using a hand-held mike, do not gesture with that hand. When you are listening to a question, or to other speakers, lower the hand in which you are holding the microphone.

--If you are part of a panel and seated at a table with other panelists, your microphone probably will be placed on a stand. Since you don't have to hold it, you will be less likely to play with it.

--If you are given a lavalier mike, it will be clipped to your clothing so you don't have to hold anything. Remember to turn off this lapel mike when you are not presenting. I will never forget the time I forgot to do so, and went to the bathroom with my mike on!

--If you are standing behind a podium that has a microphone mounted on it, you won't have to hold the mike. However, this is not an ideal place for a speaker to stand. You want to be able to walk around. If you can, use a lavalier mike.

3. Remember that the more you worry about something, such as the possibility that your hand might shake while you are holding the microphone, the more you are likely to pay unnecessary attention to it. Chances are people won't even notice the microphone unless you draw attention to it. Your audience wants to hear what you have to say. If you speak clearly and with confidence, you will have their attention.

More presentation tips can be found in my new book, The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat and Tweet Your Way to Success (McGraw Hill). Reserve your copy now at Amazon.

To connect with Barbara Pachter on Facebook, LIKE us at: www.facebook.com/pachtertraining

Pachter & Associates provides presentation-skills training and coaching. For additional information, contact Joyce Hoff at 856.751.6141 or joyce@pachter.com

The Etiquette Of The Handshake – It’s Not For Men Only

“When did women start shaking hands? It feels awkward.”

Recently, a very bright, talented, professional woman asked me that question. Initially, I was startled. Yet, as I thought about the question, I realized that many women in my seminars are reluctant to shake hands, and others do so incorrectly.

In today’s workplace, shaking hands is not for men only. The handshake is the business greeting, and both men and women need to shake hands, and to do so correctly.

One woman said she got her job because she shook hands at the beginning of the interview and at the end. The manager told the woman that he chose her because she handled herself so professionally.

Why do women sometimes feel uncomfortable about shaking hands? The reasons vary:

1. Some women were never taught to shake hands. It is not that these women were told not to do so, it is that they were not taught to do so. One woman in an etiquette class was shocked when she realized that she was not teaching her four-year-old daughter to shake hands, but she had already started teaching her two-year-old son to shake hands.

2. Women bring the personal greeting of kissing friends on the cheek into the workplace. This can be awkward, since you will not want to kiss or hug everyone you meet at work, nor will everyone be comfortable with that greeting.

3. Many women were taught that they did not need to stand when shaking hands. Before each of my seminars, I walk around the room to introduce myself to my participants and extend my hand in a greeting. Approximately 70 to 75 percent of men, but only 30 to 35 percent of women, stand to shake my hand. You establish your presence when you stand. Both men and women need to stand when shaking hands.

You will be judged by your handshake. Be honest: What do you think if someone gives you a limp handshake? Yes, you tend to think of that person as weak and unimpressive.

To shake hands properly, you should extend your hand with the thumb up. Touch thumb joint to thumb joint. Put your thumb down, and wrap your fingers around the palm of the other person. Your grip should be firm, but don’t break any bones – it’s not a competition. Two to three pumps is enough. Face the person, and make eye contact.

And one more thing: It used to be that men needed to wait for the woman to extend her hand. Not anymore. The new guideline is to give the higher-ranking person a split second to extend his or her hand, and if he or she does not, you extend yours. The key is that the handshake needs to take place.

Additional information on the handshake and greetings can be found in my new book, The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat and Tweet Your Way to Success (McGraw Hill). Reserve your copy now at Amazon.

To receive The Business Etiquette Tip of the Day, LIKE us on www.facebook.com/pachtertraining

Did You Dress To Impress or To Fool Your Future Employer?

A woman wore a conservative suit to her interview but showed up for her first day of work wearing a short leather skirt, high boots, and a number of long chains around her neck. She was sent home to change.

Another new employee wore a long-sleeve shirt and pants to his interview, but on his first day at work he wore short sleeves and shorts that revealed numerous tattoos on his arms and legs. This casual clothing was acceptable for his job, but the employee manual that he had been given clearly stated that tattoos were not to be displayed. He was sent home to change.

Both bosses told me that they felt deceived.

Prospective employees often will dress up for interviews, and then dress more casually for their daily jobs. This change is anticipated by employers, assuming professional dress is not required for a position. However, when new employees significantly alter their professional images by changing their clothing choices, how they wear their clothes, or their grooming, they are being unfair to their employers.

Such behavior also may damage a new employee’s reputation. The boss could question the decision to hire that person, and doubt his or her professionalism. Clearly, that is not the way to start a new job.

Consider whether you are playing bait-and-switch.? How would you answer the following questions? Do you think your answers would make your employer feel misled?

• Were your clothes clean and pressed for the interview, but now look like they need a visit to the cleaners?

• Are you dressing provocatively? Is your skirt significantly shorter or tighter than when you interviewed? Are you revealing cleavage?

• Were you clean-shaven at the interview, but started to grow a beard as soon as you were hired? (One man told me he had done this, but he said it had set him apart from other employees, so he planned to shave.)

• Are you dressing flamboyantly? Did you interview in a nondescript shirt and tie, yet show up for work in very bright-colored shirts or ties with slogans?

You want to dress appropriately for your position. If you are unsure about what to wear, ask the hiring manager for advice, or read the dress code, if there is one. You can also look at what other employees are wearing and model your choices after theirs.

Additional information can be found in my new book, The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat and Tweet Your Way to Success (McGraw Hill). Reserve your copy now at Amazon.

To receive more workplace attire tips, LIKE us on www.facebook.com/pachtertraining

He’s Still Talking! The Secrets To Managing Time When Presenting

My speech went over time. They hated me!

I panicked when I was told to add 20 minutes to my talk!

Lately I have been getting questions about how to judge the timing of a presentation. There seem to be two main concerns:

• How do you calculate correctly how long your talk will take? Many people misjudge their timing, and either go over their allotted time or run out of things to say.

• How do you quickly adjust the length of your talk? What do you do if you are told, shortly before you are to begin, that you have either more or less time than you had anticipated?

Here are four suggestions that can help you master timing:

1. Prepare properly. If you have prepared what you want to say, you are less likely to ramble, which adds additional time to your talk, and less likely to forget material, which would shorten your presentation. In my training classes, the participants use my Speech Organizer, which provides a visual representation of the parts of a speech, to structure their presentations and plan what they want to say.

2. Time yourself. Practice giving your presentation so you will know how much time your talk will take. This needs to be done a couple of times so you become comfortable with your material and your pacing. Timing your talk won’t be helpful if you are racing through it or stumbling over sections.

3. Know what to add or delete. Part of your preparation is anticipating time concerns, and knowing what material you can easily add or eliminate from your talk. To add extra material, have at the ready additional research, statistics or stories that highlight your key points. The opposite approach is effective when you need to shorten your remarks. Know ahead of time what material is not crucial for your key points, and don't discuss those items. Speaking faster is not a substitute for the elimination of material.

4. Get a signal. Have someone in your audience give you an unobtrusive signal to designate when you have only a certain amount of time left.

More tips can be found in my new book, The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat and Tweet Your Way to Success (McGraw Hill). Reserve your copy now at Amazon.

To connect with Pachter on Facebook: LIKE us at: www.facebook.com/pachtertraining

Pachter & Associates provides presentation skills training to companies or coaching for individuals. For additional information, contact Joyce Hoff at 856.751.6141 or joyce@pachter.com

Still Working? 7 Ways To Stay Vibrant When Over 50 or 60

You must have been a real looker when you were younger.

The graying of the American workforce has begun. Many people have delayed retirement because of the economy and some older workers still want to work and don’t plan to stop. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of workers age 55-64 in the workplace is expected to increase by 36.5 percent between 2006-2016.

I have been getting a number of questions lately about being a successful older worker, and offer these suggestions to help people stay vibrant in today’s changing business world:

1. Don’t get defensive. The above quote said to a businesswoman in her 60s illustrates that people give back-handed compliments about age. A man was told that “He looked great for his age.” Don’t dwell on the comment or its intent. Simply reply, “Thank you” and move to another topic.

2. Overcome negative self-talk. Don’t keep asking yourself, “Am I too old for this?” View yourself as a professional with lots of good experience and look forward to more career accomplishments. You can also look to role models of successful older workers for inspiration. Diane Sawyer turned 67 a few months ago.

3. Learn social media. Have a Facebook page. Get on LinkedIn. Know about Twitter. You need some familiarity with social media. If you don’t know where to start, ask your children or grandchildren for help.

4. Toot your own horn. Regardless of your age, you need to speak well of yourself. But you will be dating yourself if you continually mention the past. Saying, “At Gimbels we did…” may make you seem like a dinosaur as some people you work with may not have been born in 1987 when this national department store closed. Also, don’t joke about how long you have been in the workplace. One 54-year old manager often says, “When I worked at Ford 100 years ago….”

5. Stay in shape. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help keep you vital and well.

6. Learn how to work for a younger boss. You may need to adjust your communication style. Know how your boss likes to communicate. If he or she prefers texting, learn to text. Remember to act like an employee, not a parent.

7. Get a makeover. You can choose to look younger. Dying your hair, updating your glasses or getting contacts, whitening your teeth, getting a new hairstyle and a contemporary wardrobe can often deduct ten years or more from your look. Some people also choose more extensive measures like Botox or plastic surgery. If you don’t know where to begin, professional coaches can help.

To receive more business etiquette tips, LIKE us on www.facebook.com/pachtertraining

Reserve your copy now for my new book The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat and Tweet Your Way to Success (McGraw Hill) at Amazon. It’s coming soon!

Pachter & Associates provides seminars and coaching on business etiquette and communication for organizations worldwide. Contact Joyce Hoff at 856.751.6141 or joyce@pachter.com for more information.

 **This blog originally ran in February 2011.

Exit Etiquette: When To Let Your Employer Know You’re Leaving

Consider these questions that I was recently asked:

I may be relocating within the next year for another job. But it might not happen. Am I being rude, for lack of a better word, by not telling my current employer? Please, let me know what you think. I need an outside opinion, not a friend’s.

I am going to leave my company, as I have been accepted into graduate school overseas. Classes don’t start for seven months. Should I tell my boss now?

Should you let your employer know that you are planning to leave the company in the distant future? As the job market is improving, many people are exploring their options and may face this career quandary.

I believe very strongly in being fair to your employer. I also believe that once you give your notice, you most likely will be marginalizing yourself within your company. You will be looked upon as the person who is “on the way out.”

The general guideline is to give your employer two weeks’ notice, and in many situations this is the appropriate time frame. But before you give your notice, consider the following:

1. Adapt the standard “two-week notice” option for your position. If replacing you will take your company more than two weeks, or if you need more than two weeks to train your replacement, you should provide your company sufficient time to accomplish those objectives.

2. No one knows what the future will hold. By giving your notice months in advance of your departure date, you could be missing out on a promotion, a raise or an exciting new project. These potential opportunities could change your plans.

The young man who was accepted to graduate school listened to my suggestions and decided not to tell his boss months ahead of time. A few weeks after making that decision, he unexpectedly received a very nice promotion and a raise. Consequently, he changed his plans. He decided to stay at his company and attend graduate school at night.

To receive more etiquette tips, LIKE us at: www.facebook.com/pachtertraining

Look for my new etiquette book coming this summer, The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat and Tweet Your Way to Success (McGraw Hill). Reserve your copy now at Amazon.

Pachter & Associates provides seminars and coaching on business etiquette and communication for organizations worldwide. Contact Joyce Hoff at 856.751.6141 or joyce@pachter.com for more information.

How To Avoid Mistakes In Your Writings

A woman in one of my classes wrote: If you want to be proffessional, you shouldn’t let your tattoos show in the office. I politely responded that “if you want to be professional, you need to spell professional correctly!”

Having mistakes in your emails can diminish your credibility and affect your professional standing in the workplace. I am amazed that I receive so many documents that have spelling and/or grammar errors.

Consider these recent examples:

· My boss has taken my project from me bc of some typos on my post. I don't feel this is right... I would any advice you may have...I have only been a professional for 3years and I don't always knw HOW to handle situations like this. (This young person should be grateful that he is learning the consequences of poor writing early in his career.)

· People don’t know how to spell anymore, or know proper grammar skills, it won’t help thim in life. (This writer needs to learn that his own writings should be free of errors before he criticizes others!)

No one is perfect, and just about everyone may make a mistake now and then. Still, if your emails routinely have mistakes, or if they contain significant errors like the examples above, your reputation will suffer.

The following suggestions will help you to avoid making mistakes:

· Read your message out loud syll-a-ble by syll-a-ble. If you read the words slowly, you will often hear any mistakes. And if you can, proof your writings on hard copy. It’s easier to spot your errors that way.

· Have someone else proof your writings. It is easier for other people to catch your mistakes, as they read what you have written with fresh eyes.

· Double-check any numbers. Make sure you have the commas and periods in the right places. It can be very costly – literally – if you make a mistake. A man wrote that he paid $20000 for his software program. Did he mean to say $20,000 or $200.00?

· Type the email address last. This way, you cannot send your email until you are sure it is error-free.

· Follow the “always look for one” concept. This means that when you are proofing your writings, you should keep looking until you find an error. And if you don’t find one on the first round of proofing, keep looking until you do (or until you are absolutely sure your work is error-free). It is easy to miss errors unless you have a strategy for finding them.

To receive more communication tips, LIKE us at: www.facebook.com/pachtertraining

Look for my new etiquette book coming this summer, The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat and Tweet Your Way to Success (McGraw Hill). Reserve your copy now at Amazon.

Pachter & Associates provides seminars and coaching on business etiquette and communication for organizations worldwide. Contact Joyce Hoff at 856.751.6141 or joyce@pachter.com for more information.