In the previous post, you read that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg poured $90 million of his own money into his re-election campaign but, leaving no stone unturned, he also made three significant changes in his presentation style to overcome a reputation that the New York Times described as "blunt, dismissive and even crass."
1. Body Language. New York City Councilwoman Letitia James claimed that "when the mayor spoke to her, his body language spoke volumes, she said: He would look up, down, around, anywhere but at her face...'Now he looks at you...But it's the season we're in, because I believe he's been coached over and over again.'"
2. Verbal Language. During the early months of the campaign, Bloomberg drew the wrath of the New York press by lashing out at two different reporters, one of whom he called a "disgrace" and the other of whom was handicapped. But down the homestretch, as the Times reported, Bloomberg was upbeat, "joked about his poor spelling skills and his age [and] has not displayed his trademark snarkiness, even describing the journalist he earlier this year called a 'disgrace' as 'brilliant.'"
3. Handling Questions. During the early months of the campaign, the report continued, Bloomberg's press conferences were "near marathons." But down the homestretch, he contained his trademark "snarkiness" by "minimizing the chances for a nasty mayoral moment" with shorter press conferences.
Readers of earlier blogs will recognize the advice that Mayor Bloomberg's coaches apparently gave him, and would do well to apply the same advice in their own presentations.
1. Make Eye Connect. Nonverbal communication counts. What you say is impacted by how you say it. Whenever you present, look the people in your audiences straight in the eye. American Airlines is currently running a magazine ad that reads, "Eye contact. Your most underrated skill set. Sometimes, the more business you do face-to-face, the more business actually gets done."
2. Speak Affirmatively. Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative in all your verbal formations. Take the high road. Avoid the bashing. Heed the old saying, "You get more bees with honey than with vinegar."
3. Answer Succinctly. This will be the subject of a future blog, but for now, let us turn for advice to the investment sector, an area as competitive as politics.
David Bellet, the Founder of Crown Advisors International, one of Wall Street's most successful investment firms, often made challenging questions a standard part of his due diligence of new companies. "When I ask questions," said David, "I don't really have to have the full answer because I can't know the subject as well as the presenter. What I look for is whether the presenter has thought about the question, been candid, thorough, and direct and how the presenter handles himself or herself under stress."
Three simple pieces of coaching advice; and you don't have to spend $90 million.