PRAGUE-EU-POLITICS-PIRATE-PARTIES

Very simple answer: the attraction of simplicity. “Reduce to the max” could be the code-word for all the three examples. The memorability lies in the absolute purposefulness of delivery.

The equation of effective communication (= communication that attracts attention) goes like this:

SIMPLICITY + PURPOSEFULNESS = ATTRACTION & MEMORABILITY

The mentioned examples could not be more diverse – and still, they follow the same script. (Note: the mentioned examples serve as methodological examples only – not as ideological examples. They show the power of simplicity, hoping that this power will be used by the people who want to drive positive change – and who have solutions beyond their simple messages).

Here is no time and space to go into detailed analysis, but just a few thoughts to explain what I mean:

Example Pirates Party: they are gaining votes everywhere with just one core-message: FREEDOM. There are no solutions regarding how that freedom should be financed. The program is free from absolutely everything which destracts from the core-message. The message itself and the “barrier-free” way it is delivered is enough to attract all those who are sick of the inaccessibility of the ruling political and economical systems.

Example James Bond in “Quantum of Solace”: more than in any earlier James Bond the whole story is presented along very clear “codes” (action is just action – not interrupted by discussion and similar, when people are speaking they are set in a clean environment not distracting from the interaction, Good and Bad are characterized by distinctive colour schemes,…) in order to reinforce the character of the hero. The hero himself acts in a very clean environment – lots of white, cold colouring – his clothes are black and white always, his statements reduced to the absolute necessary, his mimics quite motionless - there is absolutely nothing superfluous in his words nor in his actions. Everything has a purpose and everybody interacting with him feels that there is no other path to follow than his.

Example “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Walk off the Earth: a video which has been watched more than 90 million times. Watch it yourself and try to forget it…

Learn to use the POWER OF SIMPLICITY in my workshops: check out the EVENT CALENDAR.

I chose Benjamin Zanders article as he is one of the most inspiring speakers I have ever seen – very similar, I dare to say, to one of our new speakers who will be presented to you after Easter. This is my last Blog-post for the next two weeks. I will be indulging in the luxury of living without my computer. The next blog will be online on 16th of April. Have a great time and speaking with Benjamin Zander: Practice the language of possiblity!

BENJAMIN ZANDER: The Art of Possibility (from: World Business Forum, Executive Summary, page 14)

“…The new world is the most exciting in human history. To take advantage of it you have to get away from the language of the downward spiral and the habit of constant comparing and measuring. A voice in the mind drowns out the “music” of possibilities and prevents organizations and people from taking the risks necssary to radically expand their opportunities.

The secrets to success:

1. Visualize your role as a leader, not as the central figure of control, but getting players to explore the possibilities. When you make a mistake, or others do, respond with “How fascinating!” and don’t place blame.”

Read the whole article:Ben Zander Executive_Summary_WBF2011

X-EVENTS: The Collapse of Everything. How to deal with the unforeseeable? Complexity overload and mass psychology create “X-Events”, the game changers of modern life. When the X-Event hits, finance, communication, and travel will halt. The flow of food, electricity, medicine, and clean water will cease. WHAT WILL YOU DO? How can we anticipate and manage these events, and even benefit from them (sometimes)?

Professor John L. Casti is one of the most outstanding thinkers and researchers of our times – and he is right in time.

His primary research interests are currently focussed on the exploration of questions in the social and behavioral realm and the relationship between social “moods” and their consequent social actions and behaviors. In this direction, his 2010 book, Mood Matters: From Rising Skirt Lengths to the Collapse of World Powers, addresses the directions and patterns of social causation and their implications for future trends and collective social events, such as styles in popular culture, the outcome of political processes, and even the rise and fall of civilizations.

Read here two recent articles on HOW MOOD MATTERS:

How Social Mood Moves The World: Why do share prices, skirt lenghts, even the state of the European Union, fluctuate so wildly? It’s down to social mood, says John L.Casti , and we must heed its messages

The Fear That the Future Will be Worse Than The Present: An interview by Thomas Seifert, DIE PRESSE, on a very burning question, one year after the Arab Spring movement started: the interrelation of social unrest and the collective mood.  

Castis’ most recent book X-EVENTS: The Collapse of Everything addresses the underlying cause of extreme events generated by human inattention, misunderstanding, error, stupidity and/or malevolent intent. It will be published in June 2012 by HarperCollins/Morrow, New York.

With his speeches Professor Casti enhances public awareness for the counter-intuitive ways of complex systems and builds knowledge on how to manage such systems under conditions of great uncertainty. Professor Casti teaches his audiences how to anticipate and manage Extreme Events, the game changers of life, and how to even benefit from them.

Read here John L. Castis’ full profile and get an overview about his speech topics: JOHN L. CASTI.

“I would like to shoot a business-video for my web-page. How should I 1. prepare the content and 2. what should I wear and 3. do you have more tips to share?”

The purpose of a business video is to support your brand and to push sales, right? So it’s your target group who must be in the focus of your questions. The questions need to be rephrased into:

1. which are the main needs of my target group?
2. does my target group cherish specific styling schemes?
3. what else helps my target group to feel addressed?

Let’s say you are a coach for business-mamas, so your main target group are mums who also want to build a successful business.

1. question (preparation of the content) would be: “Which are the main needs of the Business-Mums which I will satisfy with my offer?” (i.e.)

• the need to get the priorities right and learn effective self-management
• the need to satisfy the wish for autonomy on the one hand and the desire to feel strong emotional connection with the family on the other hand
• the need to find ones own, individual way as a business person, not running along the beaten tracks
• the need to find time for oneself besides all duties and business goals
• …

For the content preparation you will select the THREE main needs, define them as needs which are very well known to you (= competence!) and answer them by presenting your offer according to the “THIS is your need – THAT is my respective offer/ remedy” – scheme.

The goal of this content preparation is to position yourself as the expert for the fulfilment of your client’s needs (or at least the expert for the way to go) = rational level.

The emotional decision for or against you is situated at the non- or para-verbal level. Not what you say but how you say it and how you come across makes people feel that you are trustworthy or not.

The 2. question is therefore: How does your target group dress – can you define any specific dress- and styling codes that you see them wearing or that you know that they would love to wear as expression of their success?

To stick with our example: For Business-Mums the same dress-codes apply as for all other business people (unless one works in truly social fields): clear shapes and colours are the maxims in style for competence. But at the same time it is also must for all mums without nanny to dress in a practicable, somewhat “soft” way.

In the video these three conditions must be combined in ones own individual style at an highly qualitative level – quality is the expression of success and this is what you want to symbolise for your prospect customers: success.

The question of colour is also to be answered in that context: at the one side Grey and Blue are still the colours of competence, on the other hand they are too tough in order to symbolise soft skills and flexibility – competences which are the conditio sine qua non for business-mums and their highly demanding everyday life. Soft accessories like blouses with shawl collars, knit wear instead of straight jackets, scarves, etc. in fresh colours and open, well-styled hair are perfect to create a look that completes the straight business-values with a feminine side. Regarding colours: your CI-colours should be represented somewhere in your styling, even if just in a small accessory.

And to conclude – as we are dealing with the wonderful example of business-mums: why not asking your children to join you in front of the camera while telling your prospect customers: “Call today for an initial meeting, so that you, too, will be able to match both successfully: your family and your business.”

Coming to question No. 3: “other tips” or “what else helps my target group to feel addressed?” I would like to mention most of all one more thing:

Don’t forget WHERE you will be seated or standing! Which ambience will support you authentically and competently? Which painting, which colours, which furniture? Will you sit at your desk or rather in an amply sofa? If you don’t shoot in your office, pay attention that there is enough “material” in the studio to create a personal atmosphere!

Here comes an example which demonstrates the above mentioned very well:

And this is a rather unsuccessful example:

Without knowing English, would you understand that the lady is talking about jewels or something else really precious? I guess not.

You have more questions or comments? Fine! Leave your comment here or send me an email! 

Subscribers to this blog will find more usefull tips in the free e-Book “Presenting for Change”.

It’s directly connected with this weeks’ Monday blog on how to become a change-leader. Whether you want to drive change in your business or community or whether you “just” want to set yourself apart in your business world – it’s all about knowing what makes you unique and outstanding. 

Jody presents her selection of 5 ways to discover your strongest qualities and how to put them to work in business and life.

To start reading, click here: Fast Company Magazine: 5 Ways to Discover Your Unique Strengths

Thatcher by Newton (from the Margaret Thatcher Foundation)

Being a ”change maker” means “sticking out” – or in other words: “PURPOSEFULLY NOT FITTING IN”.

So when Mrs. Thatcher lamented “I will never fit in”, her advisors answered: “And exactly that is your trump card. We simply have to maximize your appeal. Bring out all your qualities.”

This scene in “THE IRON LADY” was written just for me and my branding lessons, I guess. And what follows, too:

* The speaking lessons to bring body to the ambitious woman’s voice in order to sound like a person in power

* The styling sessions to abandon the small hats and add volume to the hair in order to look like a person in power 

And even if the movie doesn’t teach us many more lessons of that kind – it teaches enough:

1. if you can’t fit in, then truly stick out
2. “power” means “volume”, “substance”

Branding is all about those things that make you unique, that you can’t get rid of – no matter how much you try and how much energy you spend on trying to “fit in”. And if you want to be recognised like a person in power, it’s easier if you look and sound powerful.

I. IDENTITY: Now get going and start your own 360° survey:

• ask your parents what they see as the traits that truly distinguished you in your early childhood
• ask your best friends what they saw in you when they met you the very first time and which traits are the ones that make you special (this can be something positive and also something kind of awkward) for them
• ask your partner and your children
• ask your Coach

And then reflect for yourself:

• what were the things people always told you you should finally stop doing (because they were annoyed by the fact that you interrupted the balance and harmony of their world)?
• when and which were the occasions that you were told that you’d never be part of that group?
• and finally: what were and are your core drivers? What does really motivate you to move forward?

II. IMAGE: When it comes to the “power of substance” there are two different ways to “look” powerful:

1. either you do it like Maggie and add up to your styling (Uniforms were invented for no other reasons ), or
2. you add up to your “presence” – that aura that makes people turn when a person enters the room, be she tall or short, heavy or light. That’s something you can only achieve by constant practicing

III. VOICE: when it comes to voice the sound of power is just one: rather low pitch and resonant. Some are given such a voice by nature but most of us can gain it by constant training.

to be continued…

And for all who are interested in Branding in social media and offline I have found a great source:  http://trending.robertpelikan.eu/topics/brand 

Beatrice Achaleke at the evening reception of EDIC 2012

Hardly ever I’ve had so much fun at a business conference. So THAT must be “Diversity” – when life is showing itself in its’ fullest range of colours in the business world. You get a feeling of that “something more” that you could reach, of those new ideas and solutions you could develop, just because you finally see and feel that there are no limits to lifes’ possibilities. The only thing you need to do is to OPEN UP in order to SEE.

The EUROPEAN DIVERSITY & BUSINESS CONGRESS, organized by our charismatic top-speaker BEATRICE ACHALEKE, is running its’ second day and I am encouraging all of you to follow the twitter feeds on: https://twitter.com/#!/EDIC2012.

In Austria “DIVERSITY” is still treated like an additional “nice to have”. Few companies recognise that the more they embrace diversity as a mind set and make it a living value of their coporate culture the more they will be able to reach out to customers in a more and more divers world. And this is not only true for multinational companies – which have learned to live at least ethnic diversity since a long time just because of their international structure – but for companies belonging to the so-called “Mittelstand”:

Recent interviews with Beatrice Achaleke on that topic (unfortuntaly only in German):

• TV: ZiB 24 - LIVE Interview with Beatrice Achaleke
• WIENER ZEITUNG (print): “The more divers the more productive”
• die wirtschaft (print): “Diversity is something you can learn”

STAY TUNED FOR MORE TO FOLLOW. This is only the start!

Call for Speakers: Leadership 007

In this months’ Newletter (an abstract from the German version):

Presenting for Change

This was a really good week – I have been given a lot and so I’d like to give back and offer to all subscribers of this blog my 22 pages eBook for free. It is an abstract of the most important things to remember when preparing for a presentation. It does not substitute further reading and most of all: lots of practical training, but it contains many usefull exercises and checklists for presenting with impact.

Always do remember:

Presenting to an audience is not just an act of conveying information – it is an act of getting somebody engaged in a topic and helping people to make decisions on a more substantial basis of knowledge. This means: PRESENTATION SKILLS – in connection with the ability to use presentation techniques – is one of the most important factors in creating a successful career path and on of the crucial leadership skills.

Subscribers will find their eBook in their mailboxes. For all readers who are interested in effective communication but are no subscribers yet, here a preview:

Content:

1. Why Presentation Matters
2. Preparation: What’s the message?
3. The Tools of Communication:
1. Power Message: improving your targeting skills
2. Power Voice: improving your vocal quality
3. Power Image: improving your non-verbal skills
4. Different Kinds of Presentations
5. Using Power Point et.al.
6. 10 Steps to Success
7. Checklists

Only yesterday I got another example for the fact that very good speakers often lack impact just because of their low voice quality. This is why I’d like to share a part of Chapter 3. B: Power Voice:

PITCH: Pitch refers to how low or high your voice sounds and is determined by how fast or slowly your vocal folds vibrate. The more tension you put on your vocal folds, the faster they vibrate and the higher the pitch becomes. This explains why your pitch tends to rise whenever you get exited. When you are relaxed, your pitch will become somewhat lower due to less tension on the vocal folds and throat muscles.

Stereotypes or prejudices often exist regarding pitch, and these tend to influence how other people perceive you.

Exercise: Relaxation techniques for your vocal folds and throat muscles:

• Lie down on your back.
• Lay your hands on your belly and close your eyes.
• Inhale and exhale now 15 – 20 times deeply – deep means your belly goes up and down.
• Press, while exhaling, all air out of your body.
• This leads to abdominal breathing.
• If you use relaxing music with this exercise, you can increase the effect of abdominal breathing.

Go on reading in the PRESENTING FOR CHANGE – eBook! Subscribe today!

"The" Woman?

This is a blog dedicated to “speakers for change” and all who want to drive change in their part of the world. One topic which should interest us all is therefore how men and women found their roles in this world – or how they have come to play them.

This time I would like to simply recommend the following documentary, unfortunately only in German or French, but as a lot of interviews are done with US experts, there is also plenty material in English:

http://videos.arte.tv/de/videos/und_hollywood_erschuf_die_frau-6393552.html (German with French option)

It shows how different types of women are represented and shaped through movie culture, how the definition of their roles developed over the last years in American film and how it shaped and still shapes female behaviors – and male looks.

“Branding” is about creating an image in the eyes and in the mind of the viewers.  A female expert is always checked twice – first as “the” woman and only second as an expert. The question is how YOU – as a man or a as woman – are dealing with that and how aware are you of that bias? Only if we are aware of who we really could be – beyond whatever role or stereotype – we (men and women) can create those individual images which are truely reflecting ourselves.

Attention! the movie is online only for a few days!