Effective communication goes beyond words.
Business success goes beyond numbers. It involves compelling communication. Find out how one Bootcamp transformed a company.
It’s about the confidence you radiate. It’s about the way you interact with your audience.
The Speakers Institute knows all about the power of presentation. After all, they built a reputation as one of the best trainers for business communication. They specialise in using storytelling to get the point across.
Their legendary boot camps help business leaders unlock the power of communication. This power exists in everyone, but only one in ten people seek help to unleash it. The Speakers Institute have partnered with many exceptional organisations and guided them to success using their techniques.
Corporate giant IBM is one of them. They understood the exceptional level of expertise the Speakers Institute had to offer.
And they wanted to learn more.
That’s why they chose to book a three-day Bootcamp mere months after concluding a two-day one.
Find out what the Bootcamp offers. And why a company like IBM felt it necessary for their leadership to learn from the Speakers Institute.
The Bootcamp’s Purpose
Many companies offer business Bootcamps, but they don’t provide what the Speakers Institute does. This Bootcamp taught the number-one skill needed to succeed in business – the art of effective communication and storytelling.
IBM recognised this. They wanted their leaders to keep the engagement level high when giving a presentation to stakeholders or team members.
They wanted to learn how to be more influential – the type of leaders teams will follow. Leadership ratings rise as much as 60% when executives train in non-verbal tactics.
But first, they needed the necessary skills.
IBM leaders flew in from all around the world to attend this important event in Bangalore. The company wanted them to master written and verbal communication. Being able to create and send constructive, well-versed messages is a coveted accomplishment. They also learned how to conduct presentations and tell a story.
In the end, they walked away with all of these skills and more. Not only did they quickly enhance their communication abilities, they learned when and how to use them.
It was an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Each day built on the previous day’s experience. Learning this way helped participants adopt, practise, and reinforce their new skills.
First and foremost, the Bootcamp addressed the group dynamics. These were all top-tier executives. Although some of them knew each other, most did not. To maximise learning potential, the participants needed to feel that they were in a safe environment. They needed to feel comfortable sharing their stories.
So, the first challenge was to pull them together as a group. Each person told their story and saw the personal and practical transformations that communication can create.
Contrary to the boot camp leader’s expectation, this worked better than expected. Where he thought that it would take at least a day or two to break the ice, it only took a few hours!
By lunchtime, the executives were open and ready for the next step.
They received instructions to deliver a one-minute pitch about a limiting belief they held. At the end of their presentation, they received constructive feedback.
This feedback was not personal. It was designed to improve their skills if they put it into practice.
And that’s precisely what they did.
The second day, they took what they already learned and extended it. They covered skills like:
- Grabbing attention
- Being interactive
- Infusing humour into a presentation
The group dynamic was still present from the previous day, so they were ready to uncover their communication superpower. Each participant practised their delivery. They also practised giving and receiving feedback.
By the third day, they surprised themselves with their skill level. They couldn’t believe they had learned so much in only three days!
The participants didn’t simply walk away with new skills. They understood the power of communication through a variety of modalities.
And they gained a new understanding of themselves on a personal level.
The Techniques They Learned
Why does Speakers Institute structure their techniques this way?
Any skill worth learning requires a solid foundation. The same goes for communication and storytelling.
You need to master the basic skills before you jump into advanced ones. The Speakers Institute Bootcamp maximises your learning potential. They make sure you always have a solid foundation before jumping into a new skill.
In addition to instructional scaffolding, they used kinaesthetic techniques for reinforcement. Some people learn by seeing – but speaking is a “doing” skill.
So, what better way to learn how to give a presentation than by doing it?
Take a look at some of the techniques they learned from only three days of concentrated learning:
#1 – Get Comfortable on Stage
Many people have a fear of public speaking. But only one out of ten people works to overcome this fear.
For the IBM executives, the first order of business was to get comfortable on stage.
A stage is just another platform for speaking. But too many people shy away from it.
The boot camp participants started small at first. That one-minute presentation gave them time to get comfortable in front of an audience.
And they were able to do it in a safe, pleasant environment.
#2 – The Importance of Structure
Public speaking takes finesse. To deliver a message with purpose, you need to understand the framework of your story and how it will impact your audience. Every time you speak with someone, you have a goal. There’s a story you want to share and a message you wish to impart.
This structure helps you build a story effectively. Without it, speakers may ramble on and eventually lose an audience’s interest.
The Bootcamp addressed this on the very first day.
Their one-minute presentations introduced the participants to the importance of structure. They build upon those skills, culminating in their six-minute presentations at the end.
#3 – Accepting Constructive Feedback and How to Use It
Accepting constructive feedback takes skill. And not everyone can do it.
Sure, you may hear constructive feedback all the time. But there’s a tendency to take it personally. Once that happens, it isn’t constructive anymore.
Participants in the Bootcamp not only learned how to receive feedback but also how to utilise it.
#4 – Audience Interaction
Do you remember the last time you went to hear someone speak?
How often did they reach out to the audience?
All top performers know that interaction with the audience is key to active engagement. The executives at the Bootcamp learned this vital skill well. They also learned how to infuse their presentations with the right amount of humour.
#5 – How to Structure and Present a 6-Minute Presentation
Next, the participants took the “structure” of their presentation skills one step further. They started with a one-minute presentation. By the second day, they were ready for a longer one.
They learned how to structure a six-minute presentation on the topic of their choice. Some wanted to work on one-on-one client presentations, while others went for regular presentations to their teams.
The participants could practise exactly what they needed. And they received feedback on how to improve.
#6 – The 5 Principles of the Authority Communication Framework
The five principles of the authority communication framework are:
- The Problem
- The Idea
- The Evidence
- The Metaphor
- The Call to Action
Each person used these key elements to structure their presentations.
#7 – Stage Craft and Presentation Skills
Additionally, participants fine-tuned their presentation skills and explored the nuances of stagecraft. They learned the importance of increasing vocal range and tone to impact the audience’s attention. An interesting delivery also helps in retaining the message.
Of course, clarity is important when speaking in front of an audience. And not just to help the audience understand what is said. Clarity helps increase a speaker’s likeability, too.
#8 – Effective Use of Non-Verbal Signals
Lastly, Bootcamp participants learned how to deploy effective non-verbal signals. These are especially important when delivering presentations through a video link or WebEx seminar. Facial expressions and hand gestures tell a story, too. And participants learned how to use them effectively to support their message.
The Bootcamp facilitator started by creating a safe environment, which helped participants learn how to hear and use constructive feedback.
By the third day, they were fine-tuning their long presentations with incorporated feedback. They also learned how to use non-verbal communication to engage their audience further.
Each component built upon the previous one and culminated in a presentation masterpiece.
Transform Your Organisation in Three Days
The IBM executives experienced personal and professional transformation in only three days.
Effective communication is valuable. Imagine a world where you can express exactly what you want – and the audience receives the message precisely the way you intended.
That’s the power of presentation through storytelling.
Everyone has a speaking superpower. But it takes the right techniques to unlock it.
If you’re ready to transform your organisation the way IBM did, we can help. Contact us at the Speakers Institute for more information.
