More about my writing and public speaking style...
I occasionally enervate a few impatient individuals who demand and expect "instant gratification". You know: "skip the blah, blah and get to the point" types who want only to give piano concerts at Carnegie Hall, yet are too impatient, lazy, undisciplined or immature to acknowledge the fundamental necessity for extensive music lessons, training, rehearsals, preparation, laying the ground work, plowing the soil... I simply urge them to bear with me, as they will soon enjoy "smoothly rolling along" while deriving Many Rewarding Benefits!
During live presentations, these are the individuals who frequently clear their throats, cough, shift around in their seats like hyper little kids who need to "go potty", choose to allow themselves to become distracted by unrelated thoughts flashing through their restless conscious minds (a common occurrence I like to compare to "a drunken monkey stung by a scorpion").:o)
Those truly dedicated and intent on accomplishing the ultimate purposes for which they agreed to enroll in my trainings and attend them, fully appreciated, actually enjoyed and patiently "followed" my discourses with great ease and reported amazing results.
Rather than skim through my sessions using speedier methods, skipping essential details in order to get to the "bottom line" as quickly as possible, I choose to approach each and every topic (especially the "new" and potentially complex or controversial ones) with a gradual "peeling one thin layer at a time" carefully, systematically, gently exposing each, assuring complete understanding, then smoothly moving on to the next, then the next, and so on.
I achieve this by periodically "getting off track", as explained above, then return and close the circle of Clarity. This stratagem has been compared to an artist stepping away from the canvas to gain a better perspective. And, by inserting details into blank or undefined areas.
After years of perfecting this technique(*), it was conclusively shown that the detailed illustrations, clarifying methods, explanations, two-way discussions during each session left no doubts, questions or confusions behind when I'd move on to the next topic, level or issue.
(*) It is a rwo-step process: 1- didactic/ inter-active; 2- experiential, greatly aided by a Modulation related to the topic at hand.
This is also why, at the beginning of my Seminars or Trainings (and, in this case: Writings) I urge my audiences to please refrain from interrupting. Rather, to write down all questions, and I promise that every one will be answered satisfactorily after I am done. Notwithstanding that "impatient heckling" is rather inconsiderate, a bit rude, self-centered, and may become irritating and distracting to the other participants, it will, in the end, prove to have been unnecessary as, using the techniques I share with you herein, chances are that I will have "covered" and answered all questions before they arise anyway.
I had the privilege of seving as Chapter President of the coveted N.S.A. (National Speakers’ Association) whose roster of members ranks amongst the most elite, internationally renowned personalities : former American Presidents, high-ranking Government, Military and Corporate Executives as well as highly paid top seminar leaders.
As a noted Public Speaker much in demand myself, I daresay (quite humbly, rest assured!) that my methodology became compared by a successful, known comedian friend of mine, to the most effective way to get your laughs when you reach the punch line : using three key elements in story telling: 1- the introduction ("setting the stage"), 2- the "body" (the "meat") and 3- the conclusion ("punch line").
And, when the raconteur also has a good sense of timing (knowing or sensing when to take a brief "breath" [a musical measure])...break up sentences "for effect", or to create anticipation, break the monotony with voice modulations, keep up the momentum and making sure that (s)he does not leave out any explanatory details on the way to the punch-line...the desired climactic outburst of laughter may invariably be expected!
Whereas if the story teller were to succinctly or incompletely introduce the premise, skip some of the details within the body in order to rush to the finishing line in record time...it is most likely that the audience of one or many will fail to find the humor at the end, as those "holes" in the story, the missing pieces of the puzzle will have created some degree of confusion. Instead of automatically bursting into the amused, appreciative, hearty guffaws at the story’s conclusion, they often "miss the point" and find themselves uncomfortably struggling to figure it all out, thus find their way out of the resulting fog searching for the "hah, hah" portion,(or fake a chuckle in order to avoid appearing stupid to those who are laughing).
This is when those brown noses, kiss-asses...you know: the "nice", "polite", "kind", "diplomatic" (you already know my own dictionary definition of these "$3.00 bills") serve as the spittoons of lousy joke or story tellers, oftentimes to bosses or superiors they feel obligated to flatter, causing forced laughter to echo through the room like an overflowing toilet. You’ll find some in every crowd...know what I mean?...(To be concluded tomorrow)...
During live presentations, these are the individuals who frequently clear their throats, cough, shift around in their seats like hyper little kids who need to "go potty", choose to allow themselves to become distracted by unrelated thoughts flashing through their restless conscious minds (a common occurrence I like to compare to "a drunken monkey stung by a scorpion").:o)
Those truly dedicated and intent on accomplishing the ultimate purposes for which they agreed to enroll in my trainings and attend them, fully appreciated, actually enjoyed and patiently "followed" my discourses with great ease and reported amazing results.
Rather than skim through my sessions using speedier methods, skipping essential details in order to get to the "bottom line" as quickly as possible, I choose to approach each and every topic (especially the "new" and potentially complex or controversial ones) with a gradual "peeling one thin layer at a time" carefully, systematically, gently exposing each, assuring complete understanding, then smoothly moving on to the next, then the next, and so on.
I achieve this by periodically "getting off track", as explained above, then return and close the circle of Clarity. This stratagem has been compared to an artist stepping away from the canvas to gain a better perspective. And, by inserting details into blank or undefined areas.
After years of perfecting this technique(*), it was conclusively shown that the detailed illustrations, clarifying methods, explanations, two-way discussions during each session left no doubts, questions or confusions behind when I'd move on to the next topic, level or issue.
(*) It is a rwo-step process: 1- didactic/ inter-active; 2- experiential, greatly aided by a Modulation related to the topic at hand.
This is also why, at the beginning of my Seminars or Trainings (and, in this case: Writings) I urge my audiences to please refrain from interrupting. Rather, to write down all questions, and I promise that every one will be answered satisfactorily after I am done. Notwithstanding that "impatient heckling" is rather inconsiderate, a bit rude, self-centered, and may become irritating and distracting to the other participants, it will, in the end, prove to have been unnecessary as, using the techniques I share with you herein, chances are that I will have "covered" and answered all questions before they arise anyway.
I had the privilege of seving as Chapter President of the coveted N.S.A. (National Speakers’ Association) whose roster of members ranks amongst the most elite, internationally renowned personalities : former American Presidents, high-ranking Government, Military and Corporate Executives as well as highly paid top seminar leaders.
As a noted Public Speaker much in demand myself, I daresay (quite humbly, rest assured!) that my methodology became compared by a successful, known comedian friend of mine, to the most effective way to get your laughs when you reach the punch line : using three key elements in story telling: 1- the introduction ("setting the stage"), 2- the "body" (the "meat") and 3- the conclusion ("punch line").
And, when the raconteur also has a good sense of timing (knowing or sensing when to take a brief "breath" [a musical measure])...break up sentences "for effect", or to create anticipation, break the monotony with voice modulations, keep up the momentum and making sure that (s)he does not leave out any explanatory details on the way to the punch-line...the desired climactic outburst of laughter may invariably be expected!
Whereas if the story teller were to succinctly or incompletely introduce the premise, skip some of the details within the body in order to rush to the finishing line in record time...it is most likely that the audience of one or many will fail to find the humor at the end, as those "holes" in the story, the missing pieces of the puzzle will have created some degree of confusion. Instead of automatically bursting into the amused, appreciative, hearty guffaws at the story’s conclusion, they often "miss the point" and find themselves uncomfortably struggling to figure it all out, thus find their way out of the resulting fog searching for the "hah, hah" portion,(or fake a chuckle in order to avoid appearing stupid to those who are laughing).
This is when those brown noses, kiss-asses...you know: the "nice", "polite", "kind", "diplomatic" (you already know my own dictionary definition of these "$3.00 bills") serve as the spittoons of lousy joke or story tellers, oftentimes to bosses or superiors they feel obligated to flatter, causing forced laughter to echo through the room like an overflowing toilet. You’ll find some in every crowd...know what I mean?...(To be concluded tomorrow)...
posted by Jacques Girard, Ph.D. at 11:34 PM
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