What MATTERS is WHAT the ‘customer’ PERCEIVES’, pt.2

Last week I shared my analysis of a three minute video clip spoken by the former Westpac CEO.

On the theme of ‘What matter is what the customer perceives’ let me share more ideas.

Top performing C-Suite executives I work with are keenly aware of what their facial expression, body language, voice, speaking cadence and words are conveying to their audiences. The default facial expression – of these top performers – often is one of, radiating warmth and acceptance and calm enthusiasm. They are ‘light’ about themselves while taking their job seriously.

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B. Hartzer – what matters is what the ‘customer’ perceives

Below is my Australian Financial Review, Letter to the Editor this past Tuesday, on a video clip on ‘How we’re responding to AUSTRAC issues’, by Brian Hartzer, Westpac Banking Corporation CEO, who lost his job yesterday.

On reflection, Hartzer might still have his job if he understood that ‘what the customer perceives is what matters’.  In this case the customer is the community.

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TONY Blair – BELIEVABILITY

“Tony Blair’s (former UK Prime Minister) effectiveness as a speaker came from the overwhelming impression he gave, that even when he contradicted himself, at the moment he spoke a given sentence he believed it in his very sinews.” This is a quote from a great book by Sam Leith, entitled You Talkin to Me? In the book Leith explains various figures of speech. He also deconstructs famous speeches and the technique of famous speakers. Here are two pieces of information from the book that made me think: 1. A simple, clear explanation of the difference between simile and metaphor. ‘Where simile says one thing is like another, metaphor behaves as if one thing is another. When someone greets his wife “Hello angel” he is using metaphor. When he says, ‘My wife is like an angel” he is using simile.’ 2. That in Martin Luther King’s famous Lincoln Memorial I have a dream speech, the ‘I have a dream’ sentence was chosen off the cuff. King had used the sentence in other speeches but he hadn’t planned to use it on the day. This is an example of trying out riffs, turns of phrase, one liners etc. –  out loud in your interactions, meetings and presentations.  A riff, turn of phrase, or one liner becomes more available in the moment, if you have heard yourself speak it in other situations. If you’re a keen student of oratory, you’ll love this book. Below is a link and clip of a 14 minute speech by Blair. LINK to clip +++++++++++++++++

Own the Conversation

  1. Watch the first 60 seconds (or more if you have time) of the clip, but before you do – and in line with last week’s post to force yourself to ask questions to get more out out of what you see and hear – ask yourself a question(s). For example, Where do I need to improve in my speaking and presenting and how can watching Blair help me make that improvement?
  2. Write down one thing that you learned from the clip.
  3. In the next seven days in your speaking and presenting – work on that thing.
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How DEEPLY do you UNDERSTAND your DOMAIN?

‘What is deep understanding? How can you realise when you don’t know something deeply . . . In everything you do, refine your skills and knowledge about fundamentals concepts and simple cases.

Once is never enough. As you revisit the fundamentals, you will find new insights.

It may appear that returning to basics is a step backward and requires additional time and effort: however, by building on firm foundations you will soon see

your true abilities soar higher and faster’

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People can SEE your COMB-OVER

The following might be tough to read for some men readers.

Let me explain.

When I ask senior leaders what behaviour or attitude has paid off for them in their careers, many say ‘Transparency, Candour, Frankness’ and similar words.

The top performers I work with don’t hide who they are. They realise that whenever someone sees them or hears them it forms an impression and a potential for loss or for gain.

With transparency and the thought that you’re always leaving an impression in mind, let me suggest this (and excuse my temerity):

That, if you have a ‘comb-over’, you consider changing your hair style so there is no comb-over. This may mean shaving a part of your head that has thinned or shaving your entire head.

I’m not suggesting this is an easy thing to do.

However, in my view, ‘hiding’/covering over the skin of your head, is not consistent with a transparent presentation of yourself to the world.

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Own the Conversation

Consider doing this
  1. Get trusted person(s) feedback on your hairstyle.
  2. If you decide to change your hairstyle, discuss styling options with your hair cutter – that convey a transparent presentation of yourself.
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Why – “If ONLY I had SAID this” – is the WRONG strategy

“Understand the greatest generals, the most creative strategists, stand out not because they have more knowledge but because they are able, when necessary, to drop their preconceived notions and

focus intensely on the present moment.

That is how creativity is sparked and opportunities are seized”. This is a quote form p.21 of Robert Greene’s great book, The 33 Strategies of War. The point of sharing the quote is this. In under-pressure situations, the person who has the most options, readily available to deploy, wields the most power. For example, in my Listen and speak under pressure programmes I provide participants with numerous options to respond to any type of pressured interaction. However, at certain times, as Greene describes above,

it’s wise to ignore those options.

Greene further elaborates on this topic below: “In looking back on an unpleasant disagreeable experience, the thought inevitably occurs to us: if only we had said or done x instead of y, if only we could do it over . . . The problem, though, is not that we think of the solution only when it is too late. The problem is that we imagine more knowledge is what was lacking . . . What makes us go astray in the first place is that we are un-attuned to the present moment . . . applying ideas that we digested long ago but that have nothing to do with our predicament in the present. More books, theories and thinking only make the problem worse. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Own the Conversation

This may be tough to do. In one of your next under-pressure situations – that might prompt panic – focus intensely on the present moment, and trust that an idea or solution will emerge. It could be a simple as allowing a one or two second pause that settles you – that gives you time for a fresh in-the-moment response. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ p.s. Consider this statement. People size you up quickly, and change their mind . . . slowly. How are people sizing you up? p.p.s. A reader recently asked for my analysis of Greta Thunberg’s (GT) United Nation’s presentation. Here is the LINK to the 3:30 minute clip.
Here was my first run-through analysis:
– the delivery was monotonous and somewhat robotic, partly due to GT reading the presentation. GT spoke sentences/phrases of the equal length with a predictable intonation pattern. This delivery loses audience attention.
– there was no emphasis on important points which lessens their impact.
– the speech needed better structuring. There was no spotlighted key messages to retain and/or act upon. On reflection, to me the key message which GT wanted to convey is something to the effect of, ‘We will be coming to change the world with or without you.’
– the rushed closing also lessened the impact.
– due to the above factors some may find it difficult to take GT and her message seriously.

ARE your FINishes SLOPPY?

‘For those of you who are skiiers, that’s when the slope is levelled off (ie. just before getting on the lift ride up) there’s less challenge. Most people are very sloppy then . . . they have bad form. The problem is that on the lift ride back up, unconsciously, you’re internalising bad body mechanics‘. (legendary skiier Billy Kidd, conveyed in an interview with Josh Waitzkin quoted in Tools for Titans). How well do you finish a meeting, a presentation, an interaction, an encounter?

80% of what an audience will remember will be your Open and the Close.

Most people – on balance – are better at opening than closing. As with internalising bad body mechanics when skiing (being sloppy just before getting on the lift ride up) you can be sloppy with your closing. In my One-on-One work with clients, I’m experimenting with them perfecting their speaking at the closing of our consultation, so they take that ‘perfect performance’ to their next speaking event.  Here is the piece my clients work on perfecting: Preparation: Radiate warmth, acceptance and calm enthusiasm through your face and body. Sit tall with arms uncrossed on the table. Delivery ‘Thank you for your time. (pause for a full one second) My message is this. (pause for a full one second) That you sign-off on $2.5 million dollars for the Karl software.  These are reasons why. (pause for a full one second) Number one: You’ll remember the system crash and $30 million dollar reputational damage that PQR had three months ago. This software will prevent this from happening to us. Number two: The software will push $10 million dollars to the bottom line over the next five years – and I can document that. Number three: The software can be installed with minimal operation downtime. (pause for a full one second) to recap My message is, that you sign-off on $2.5 million dollars for the Karl software. Do I have your approval?’ (silence).

Own the Conversation

Try this. At the close of your next business day,
  • Have this piece ready to access.
  • Familiarise yourself with it.
  • Picture yourself in front of a very senior, tough audience.
  • Aiming for a top calibre performance, deliver the piece exactly as written, including the pause breaks – with no ‘erms’ etc. fillers.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Another reason for doing this drill and other drills in my work with clients,  is based on the work of Aubrey Daniels. Below is a telling passage from Daniel’s book Bringing out the best in people, under the heading of ‘Train performers to fluency’.
“When you are fluent at more than one thing, you are able to recombine, these fluent repertoires in new and novel ways. Contrary to the popular notion that repetition makes one less creative; under the right circumstances fluency makes creativity possible.
Think of an expert tennis player practising for hours every day to master the standard shots of the game. During a match, however, unexpected situations always arise. It’s at these times that spectators are often amazed at the ‘creativity’ of the tennis star. “How did he do that?” is the frequent reaction of the fan.
How ‘he did that’ one of a kind shot, is a result of the fluency developed in those standard shots through years of practice. Because he doesn’t have to spend time and energy thinking about how to do the standard shots – he is free to combine two or more behavioural repertoires, into one that is novel.”
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p.s. for those of you who want to trial my work in a one day format, here are links to my trilogy of workshops conducted for the University of Sydney, Centre for Continuing Education.
The three workshops are: