The PS Toolkit Blog

Just because you're talking . . . doesn't mean I'm listening!

I may look like I'm listening to you, but don't count on it. I have a lot on my mind. Bills, kids, work, car problems are all running through my mind and unless I tell you, you simply won't know. You'll think I really am listening to you. Maybe we're on the phone, maybe you're in my office, and maybe you're giving a presentation with me in the audience. I'm just on the other side of your words, but like it or not - your words are just not getting through.

Keep in mind that thinking is not necessarily the same as listening. So if the problem is that I'm thinking about something other than what you're saying, to solve that problem you need to give me some compelling reasons to listen. 

Here's how. As you get ready to talk to me, consider that I'll only give you my complete attention if you can answer these questions - and the more you answer, the longer I'll listen:

1. Why should I listen to you in the first place?
2. Why should I keep listening?
3. What do you want me to remember?
4. What do you want me to do?

Of course you don't need to use these exact words. But if you want me to listen, I need to know what's in it for me. What will I get out of giving you my undivided attention? That's it. Otherwise, I'm likely only going to listen to you selectively while I politely tune out your words and think about what's really important to me. Too bad if it's not what you have to say. 

So think about what's important to me before you start talking. If you do and I'm convinced of it, I'll keep listening. It's that simple. 

For more information about ways to keep me (and others) listening, check out "The Presentation Skills Toolkit." You can even try it out for free.  Click Here

President Obama's Inaugural - It's Understandable!

How many of our fellow U.S. citizens actually understood President Obama's inaugural address?  The answer is 83% of the U.S. population. What was it about his speech that made it easy for most people to understand?

Here's a hint . . . President Obama's Inaugural was easier to understand than President Lincoln's first inaugural address and a bit harder to understand than President Nixon's. And it was easier to understand than reading the Wall Street Journal, but harder to understand than reading TV Guide.

When you talk, how many of your listeners understand you? How long do they keep listening. Can you tell when they start tuning you out? What can you do to make sure they listen to you in the first place? What can you do to keep them listening for as long as you talk?

You can find the answers to these questions and more in The Presentation Skills Toolkit. You can even try it out for free. For more information and to sign up for our Ezine, Click here

Welcome to our Blog

Hello and Welcome to The PS Toolkit Blog!

Here you'll find our postings that correspond to our PS Toolkit - our 10-Step Learning System that teaches how to deliver compelling presentations, make small-talk and conquer your fear of speaking.

Our postings include our assessments of speakers featured in scenes from major motion pictures as well as speakers from past and current events. These assessments are based on what we call The V-Deck, our proprietary method which is the foundation for the 10-Step learning system in The Presentation Skills Toolkit - "PS Toolkit" for short.

We also include articles from our Ezine. Each article gives tips for improving your presentation and speaking skills that you can put to immediate use.

For more information about the PS Toolkit including a no-risk FREE trial, visit http://www.pstoolkit.com or Click here.

We're looking forward to your frequent visits. Until next time, thanks for visiting The PS Toolkit Blog.