Claudia Raab's Blog

If you want to become a better speaker you certainly need to concentrate on improving your communication skill. However, increasing your general knowledge will help you to achieve your goal too.

A great way to do that is to find out more about the history and origin of words you use. Not only could that become an interesting anchor point for one of your speeches, it certainly gives you a cutting edge in any private or professional conversation when you can occassionally let your knowledge sparkle through and earn respect from who ever you talk to.

Today, let's find more about SUDOKU - one of the most popular number games, not only in Australia but the rest of the world. Invented in the United States in 1979, it was originally called "Number Place". Its popular name SUDOKU dates back to 1984 and derives from its Japanese version called "suuji wa dokushin ni kagiru" meaning "a number can occur only one time." As you can imagine the name was too long for a game that can quickly be played and therefore was shortened to SUDOKU.

With so many financial reports to be given these days how about making a splendid entry refering to SUDOKU and a number that can occur only one time? Try something different, dare to be better! Good luck!

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"You can have brillant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere."

Lee Iacocca

As the former CEO of Chrysler, Lee Iacocca knows exactly what he is talking about. Having to lead and manage an entire emporium you not only carry the responsibility for thousands of people and their families, you need to motivate and activate them to persue and achieve a common goal while being permanently pressured by time and money. That's when you need excellent communication skills and not only your technical expertise.

The secret? Your message has to be clear and precise. You need to have  a plan for your company and your people in place and you need your team to know this plan. Successfull execution of this plan depends on your ability to clearly communicate your ideas. Only then will you and your team be successful.

What is true for people and organisations like Lee Iacocca and Chrysler is equally true for you and your team in a small business or practise: If you have an idea of how to become even more successful, you need to be able to pass this message on to your team so they understand. You need to chose the right words, the right tone and send the right message using perfect body language.

As much as you have to be up to date when it comes to your technical expertise you need to be up to date when it comes to your communication skills.

It's easy, doesn't cost much time, doesn't cost much money! Invest in yourself! Get in touch with Claudia by calling 0425 785 413 or get in touch with Celine via email celine.dubois@raabconsulting.com. We'll help you to get ideas across and be successful.

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Alfa Romeo - isn't that the incarnation of speed, elegance, power and perfection?

We all know that a great name can make all the difference. Alfa Romeo is a perfect example for it. Although 'alpha' is the first letter of the alphabet in Italian, the famous Italian carmaker didn't name his company after it. The name is actually the acronym for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, meaning "an unnamed automobile factory in Lombardy". Can there be anyting more boring? Hardly!

In 1915, Nicola Romeo bought the ALFA plant and added his name. The result? A name even more exciting. Just like the cars!

So, get your wording right, eliminate any "unnamed automobile factory in Lombardy, and your speech will end up being an Alfa Romeo every one is talking about. Go for speed, elegance, power and perfection and you'll get it!

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Each year the "Harvard Business Review" publishes a list of Breakthrough Ideas, ideas - or "cool new thinking" as HBR calls it, that are most useful for business, companies or individuals for achieve new succes in the year to come.

This year's list, that has just been made available in the magazine's February edition, features a couple of ideas that are of strong interest and benefit for you if you thought about acquiring new communication and public speaking skills.

They'll prove to you how important communication and public speaking skills are for you if you want to move on in your career and achieve new and better results. Let's take Amy J.C. Cuddy's contribution with the catchy title "Just because I'm nice, don't assume I'm dumb, for example.

Recent psychological research involving thousands of people from 24 nations show that when we meet some one for the first time within seconds we run two questions about these people through our brain: "What are this person's intention towards me?" and "Is this person capable of acting on those intentions?"

The criteria we apply are totally intuitive, so the our first impression of a new person may be right or wrong, but our snap judgement about the person warmth and competence are burned into our mind.

The interesting thing about the research results are, so Amy J.C. Cuddy, who has undertaken studies in that area herself: "People tend to see warmth and competence as inversely related. If there's an apparent surplus of one trait, they infer a deficit of the other. ("She's so sweet ... She'd probably be inept in the boardroom.")"

Of course, we all know that warmth and competence aren't mutually exvlusive. However, we also know how hard it is to fight stereotypes. Don't we?

 One succesful way to do show that you can be warm (which basically means you are sociably very competent) and competent (technically wise) at the same time, is to be utterly clear and precise in your language. Ask yourself whether the way you speak, talk and present reflects your professional expertise and a certain and imparative degree of authority. Are you as eloquent as you should be for the job level you are aiming at. Are you able to communicate to your peers, people you supervise and your superior clearly and competently so they recognize your potential.

 If there's any doubt, get help. We are happy to give you more information about to speak and present wit authority and competence. Simply call Claudia on 0425 785 143 or email celine.dubois@raabconsulting.com.

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I'm an avid advocator for increasing your General Knowledge. Keep up with the news - whether you listen to the radio while driving in the car, watch television  or read the newspapers.

Sometimes little funny facts will come in handy when you have to write a speech and are desperately trying to find a great beginning for a talk. Take this for example: Have you ever wondered why a technical defect on a computer is called a "bug in a computer"?

Here's why: The word 'bug' in a technical sense is often attributed to Grace Murray Hopper, who invented the first large-scale computer for the U.S. Navy in 1945. When the machine stopped working, she found a moth in the works and taped its body to her lab report, captioning it "a bug in the computer".

However, although a beautiful story, Thomas Edison had used "bug" almost 50 years earlier to describe the "little faults and difficulties" that drive inventors and engineers batty.

Anyway, don't forget: Stories are a great way to get your audience involved right from the start! Use them!

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A quick tip for the beginning of the week: In any conversation you might have during this week, make sure your palms are clearly visible. Since centuries this is a sign for your conversation partner that you are non-threatening and open to him or her. They'll immediately respond to you in an open, positve way too.

Body Language is a powerful tool to control not only your own nerves and appearance. It is also very powerful when positively influencing others. Give it a go today: Be aware of what you do with your hands in any conversation, don't fiddle around, don't clinch and keep your palms up! It's worth the effort! Enjoy your week!

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It's Friday and for those of you who have to give a presentation today - in particular in the afternoon - it might not be easy to get the full attention of your audience: It's the end of the week, people are tired, exhausted, mentally already in a "weekend mode" or effected by another day of extreme heat that is predicted for Melbourne.

A terrific way to get your listeners' attention right from the start or to get the attention back throughout your presentation is to get them participate. How? Easy! Ask for a show of hands! However, give them a little warning before, so they can prepare. "I'd like to ask for a show of hands! How many of you had at least one meeting to attend last week?"

Asking questions get your audience thinking about a topic you want them to think about and reduces the risk of your audience drifting away. Asking for a show of hands after your question does even more: You'd get them physically involved and let them connect not only with you as the presenter but with also their co-listeners, the person next to or in front of them since they might share the same experience. You've stimulated their interest.

How about giving this new technique a go today? It's safe and fun and makes your task as a presenter a lot easier!  In case you need more easy to use presenting idea that guarantee great results call 0425 785 143 or send an email to info@raabconsulting.com today! We're here to help!

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In yesterday's blog entry we mentioned the expression "I'm in seventh heaven". Curious why it had to be the seventh heaven we tried to trace the word's origin and found the following explanation that could well and truely be a wonderful inspiration if your looking for a creative way to start your presentation:

Some of the Middle East's ancient religion believed the afterlife consisted of seen celestial layers, each more prosperous and beautiful than the one before. The first heaven was emerald, the second silver, the third pearl, the fourth ruby, the fifth gold, the sixth jacinth, and the seventh pure white light - the best of all.

There you go - a perfect entry for any presentation. Just be creative! Enjoy!

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"I'm in seventh heaven. I did it and it feels just great!" - One of my coachees gave a huge presentation last night and I'm proud to say that she did it brilliantly: Full of confidence and passion for her topic she fascinated her audience with what she had to say and, in particular, how she said it. Great body language, great smiles, great props! The audience simply loved her!

Gone was her nervousness that had always hindered her from taking up a spot on the stage before. She had decided to take up coaching sessions with Raab & Raab Performance Consulting to finally overcome her fear of public speaking and last night, there was now doubt she had even turned her fear into an enjoyment of public speaking. When she was offered to talk at another event shortly after she had finished her speech she accepted it without hesitation. "I'm in seventh heaven", she said.

It's very rewarding for us at Raab & Raab Performance Consulting to see how just a couple of intensive coaching sessions can make such a huge difference in your life. It's wonderful to see how our coachees mentally and physically grow and shine. How all of a sudden you easily and full of grace jump over obsticales that held you back for so many years in your career and your private life. And even more: To see how much you enjoy your jump and it sets you free!

If you're in for a similar experience, we're here to help you. Simply call us on 0425 785 143 or email info@raabconsulting.com today! You're worth it and we're waiting to hear from you!

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"The most precious things in speech are pauses."

Sir Ralph Richardson

Imagine trying to have a conversation with someone who would not pause. It's not a very pleasant thought, is it? Instead of a dialogue your conversation would rather be a monolog resulting in you loosing interest in it rather quickly. Why? Normally you would expect to be included in a conversation and contribute to it.

Every form of communication needs to include pauses. Presentation, talks and speeches are no exception, since a great speech is like a conversation you have with your audience, not a monolog.

Pauses are essential since:

1. Firstly, as speakers we need to breathe, in particular when we are anxious about giving a presentation. Breathing not only relaxes us but also calms us down.
2. Secondly, we need pauses to think. This is true not only for the presenter but also for the audience. Pauses make it much easier for your listeners to take in and process the info you are giving. As a consequence your audience will be able to follow you easier and you automatically reduce the risk of loosing them.
3. Thirdly, pauses a great way of rising tension, attention or emphasing. Making a pause can create a dramatic effect you should underestimate.

If your practising your speech today, pay special attention to your pauses and check where and when to include them! Fascinate your audience! Good luck!

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