If you deliver presentations and are looking for ways to involve your audiences, you need to know about a technique known as sculpting.

I learned about sculpting from fellow speaker and writer,  Scott Q Marcus.  Basically, sculpting involves getting volunteers from your audience to depict concepts and ideas using their bodies.   Sculpting can be hard to describe in writing, so check out this video from Scott to hear his description and see some sculpting in action:

A few weeks ago I had the good fortune to participate in a sculpting workshop with Scott at NSA-Colorado.  Scott helped me design a sculpt to depict the main roles people may play in a planned change.  My NSA peers helped me test and refine the sculpt.  As we played and experimented, we came across some terrific insights about how the harder the leader pulls, the more resistance he/she encounters and about how easy it is for lines of communication to break when one person gets too far ahead of the others.

If you give presentations or plan meetings, conferences, or events you can’t afford to neglect the growing trend of audience engagement.  To me, audience engagement goes far beyond using involvement techniques such as call and response or “turn to your neighbor and discuss. . . “  Genuine audience engagement means the audience plays just as much of a role in the program as the presenter.  It means the audience helps to design the program.  They participate during it.  They, not the speaker, are the focus of attention.

Two articles I read this week do a nice job of making the case that you can’t afford to neglect audience engagement.

In her recent article, the Future of Meetings, Kristin Arnold, author of Boring to Bravo: Proven Presentation Techniques to Engage, Involve, and Inspire Your Audiences to Action, asserts that the very nature of meetings is evolving.  Design and networking are among the trends Arnold discusses:

Any presenter today faces the challenge of getting and keeping their audience’s attention.  Thomas Airways does a brilliant job of engaging their (often cynical) audience of travelers with this adorable and effective video:

Next time you have to present, consider whether you can use something surprising to keep your audience tuned in!

On Saturday I attended an all-day workshop for educators.  Our first presenter was an attorney who did such an excellent job with his opening that I feel compelled to write about it!

In my experience, if you want to engage your audience, it is critical to begin any presentation with the Three C’s: connection, credibility, and common cause.  Here are a few thoughts on each, along with examples from our attorney.

Connection

With most audiences, I recommend starting with a personal connection.  What do you have in common with the group?  How are you similar in thinking, background, approach, etc?  Our Saturday presenter started his talk by letting us know that he had been a teacher (with Teach for America) and that he is married to a teacher.  You could see the smiles spread around the room of educators instantly!

Credibility

Imagine ethics and compliance training so compelling that your employees hack in to your computer system to see episodes before they are released!

This isn’t a fantasy.  One company actually made it happen by making it’s mandatory training funny, relevant,  and educational through the use of video.

Steve Mack, executive producer for Impact Video Production, just released this video blog showing how several companies have made training more engaging by creating video parodies of the TV series, “The Office”.

Corporate communicators have been using video to share messages for decades.  But in just the past year or two, more and more companies are recognizing that employees are more actively engaged when they create the video themselves.  Here is a great example of this approach.

Hospital Video Contest: Washing Hands

Rather than creating a corporate Wash Your Hands campaign, one hospital asked employees to create and submit their own videos.  Here’s a compilation of results:

Consider inviting your people to create your next important message themselves!

Two colleagues of mine here in Colorado Springs, Howard Stableford and Michael Gardner, specialize in helping leaders improve their presentation skills.  Their company is called Authentic Communication Training.

Authentic Communication Training uses cutting-edge learning technologies and proven presentation strategies to easily and effectively help clients become authentic and extraordinary presenters–in small and large groups, on-stage and in front of the media.

Looking for a taste of what Howard and Michael offer?  Check out their free audio book, “Six Things You Must Know before Being on TV or Video.”  I learned a lot from it.  My favorite tip:  Don’t wait in the green room for your interview – hang on on set instead and observe others.

Keep the great tips coming guys!

I’ve written about employee engagement in previous posts, but today is all about the customer. 

PeopleMetrics, Inc. recently released it’s 2009 Most Engaged Customer Report.  According to their study, the companies that have the most engaged customers include: 

Ritz-Carlton
Google 
The Four Seasons
Netflix.com
Cartier
Armani
Newegg.com
Wegman’s Food Market
Coach
Costco

Not suprisingly, a number of the companies that made the top of engaged customer list are also companies that are famous for their focus on employees, including Wegman’s, Ritz-Carlton, and Costco. 

Want to read more about engaging customers and employees? The Executive Summary is available online for free.

I was summoned to appear for Jury Duty today and was pleasantly surprised when the experience resulted in an effective example of communicating with an audience full of resisters. 

After the 30 or so of us signed in with the Court Clerk, we were shown a video.  I admit to bracing myself for something preachy and boring. However, 30 seconds into watching “The Colorado Juror” I was digging in my bag for a pen and paper to capture notes on how good the video was!  I thought it was an effective example of the order in which to cover points when dealing with a resistant, skeptical, or hesitant audience.

#1: Start with empathy for the emotions people are feeling.

The video started with clips of four past jurors talking about how anxious and annoyed they were when they received their summons.  As people chuckled and nodded along, the tension in the room started to dissapate.

A few nights ago, Bruce Springsteen was a guest on The Daily Show.  In addition to giving  a moving performance of his new song, Working on a Dream, Springsteen talked about going on tour and connecting with audiences.  I was struck by how relevant his advice is to anyone who speaks or performs.  Here is a recap:

• Celebrate the history you have with the audience.
• Share your new work (thoughts, ideas).
• Connect to what is happening in the world now.

He went on to emphasize that there are many different audiences that make up the crowd at any performance.  Some believe what you believe.  Some want to be entertained.  Some will disagree with you.  Springsteen says to recognize that fact, but stay true to who you are.

Great advice for singers and speakers!

Haven’t heard the song?  Check out the YouTube video: