In the Den businesses are seeking investment in their product or service.  So what were the key presentation lessons from the first week of the 2009 series?

1. Make sure that you demonstrate your track record when presenting
2. Don’t take big risks when making a pitch.  Focus on presenting professionally and in a business like way
3. Be willing to respond openly and transparently to questions
4. Focus on building rapport and avoid conflict
5. Be clear about the difference between a concept and a business

If you are a manager you are likely to have to produce reports from time to time.  This might be a report on performance of your function, division, team or project.  Alternatively it might be a case for resources.  So what questions do you need to ask when it comes to preparing a report?

Question 1: Why am I writing the report? 

Seems like an obvious question but one that is often overlooked.  Is you report to inform, provide evidence, get a decision, influence others or something else?  Always start by being clear on the purpose of the report.

Question 2:  What does the recipient want to know?

Step into the shoes of those who are receiving the report.  Ask yourself, if I was sitting in their seat, what would I want to know?  Write down all of the possibilities until you cannot think of any more and then make sure your report answers them.

Question 3: What’s the best way of presenting the report?

Is it best to have a written report, several pages long with an Executive Summary at the start or is it better to have a simple dashboard?  It will depend on the circumstances and the easiest way of finding out is to simply ask those receiving the report what they would prefer and then provide it.

Bottom Line – Reports are often produced with little thought about the purpose or the audience.  You can easily avoid this trap by asking and answering these 3 simple questions.

Listening is one of the most highly prized skills in the work place.  Yet unlike reading and writing, we are never taught how to listen.  Improving your listening skills can make a huge difference both at work and more generally in relationships.  Given that you are not trained in listening, what simple steps can you take straight away to develop these skills?

Start Noticing

Chances are that in business you attend a lot of meetings.  It is likely that in those meetings there is a lot of talking but not a lot of listening.  People believe that if they are talking they are contributing.  They therefore make remarks just to feel like they are contributing.

Start noticing how much time you and your team put into listening in the work place.

Avoid Interrupting

How often do you see someone in full flow explaining something important when another person interrupts them?  Chances are that you (and indeed all of us) interrupt from time from time to time.  The problem is:

• The other person is less likely to listen to you

• If you interrupt when another person is in mid flow they lose their train of thought

Set yourself a challenge of not interrupting and see what difference it makes to your contributions and quality of decisions.

Stop Finishing Other Peoples Sentences

Sometimes it can be helpful to fill in gaps for someone if they are stuck.  Do it too often and it becomes a real irritation.  Even worse, you could end up putting your foot in it and reminding the other party of something that they may have forgotten about (like a time the service was not as good as they would not have liked).

Stop Trying To Points Score

How often you have been asked a question and then as you give your answer, the other person starts to tell you what they believe is an even better story related to them?  If you ask someone a question, by all means share your experiences to build rapport, but not to appear superior.

Don’t Jump In Too Quickly

On many occasions people just want to be heard.  They are not looking for your advice or suggestions.  A common mistake that many people make when it comes to listening is to jump in too quickly offering their view.  Make sure that you have given the other person the opportunity to be heard and only then offer your suggestions.

Reflect Back

When listening, it is often useful to reflect back in your own words what you understand from what has been said.  The key benefits of reflecting back include:

• The other party recognises that the listener is trying to understand

• It allows the opportunity to clarify

Listening is a highly sought after attribute in managers and leaders.  By making some simple changes, you can start to excel in this area.   What tips would you add?

It is claimed that some people fear giving a presentation more than death.  So what are my top tips for delivering a great presentation?

1. Check the equipment in advance
2. Make sure you know how to load the presentation
3. Take a few minutes to relax before giving a presentation
4. Don’t try to memorise words, just remember your headline and key messages
5. Pace yourself
6. Try not to be too serious- remember it is not life or death
7. Have fun

What tips do you offer when it comes to delivering a great presentation?