Skills of expressing ideas and presenting at work Part 2 - 1

CHAPTER 3. INTERESTING METHODS OF EXPRESSION


After chapter 2, you can set up a valuable outline and know what you need to say. Most speakers often feel satisfied and stop preparing here. However, do you remember the image of the bottle with water inside? Valuable content is like water in a bottle, it only stays in our brain, we cannot pour it out to share with the audience if the lid is tightly closed. That lid is the interesting expression method, without the expression method, the ideas, although valuable, will sometimes become trivial and be ignored by the audience because they do not pay attention. So, let's learn the following twenty good methods to express ideas.


1. Twenty Fun Ways to Express What You Want to Say


* Method 1. Turn into a picture


Instead of saying: “In the past 10 years, Highway 1A has had nearly 20,000 deaths due to traffic accidents” . You can say: “Imagine, you are traveling on Highway 1A from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, instead of seeing milestones on the road, you will see upright coffins, each coffin contains the body of a victim who died in a traffic accident on Highway 1A. Every 10 seconds you will see a coffin lying on the side of the road containing a dead body inside, because on average every 100 meters there will be a coffin lying continuously from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi”. Perhaps after a long time, the audience will not dare to drive carelessly on this highway.


Remember: turn what you want to say into a picture.


* Method 2. Tell what life teaches you


In November 2014, when I attended the closing ceremony of the China study course by Dr. Biswarop - who holds two world records for memory and health - held in Ho Chi Minh City, an unexpected guest speaker appeared at the doctor's invitation. He was a man about 45 years old, quite thin but exuding a healthy vitality. He began to tell his story: "I work at a metal and electrical company, the reason I am standing here is because I have had diabetes for 12 years." He began to talk about his diabetes, how during those 12 years it had damaged his kidneys, caused blood clots and numbness in his limbs, damaged his retina, and made him suffer from infections even from just a cut.

hand, he even confessed that diabetes had made him impotent in his marriage during that time. Each audience sat silently as if absorbing every word of that man, although he occasionally stammered, stammered a few places, and sometimes was silent for dozens of seconds before mustering up the courage to continue speaking. Then he said that he had come across a clip on Youtube describing former US President Bill Clinton talking about his cardiovascular disease, while the US health system was helpless, the former president had healed himself in just 1 month thanks to a diet formula drawn from China-Study medical research. So he searched and applied it. A strange thing was that while telling the story, that man did not appear to be professional, he used very common words, such as: "Oh my god, every time I looked at the dining table and saw only vegetables, my stomach felt sick to death, I thought, oh my gosh, eating like this will kill you soon, how can you be cured of your illness...". And with that kind of experiential storytelling, at an interesting detail, the audience gave him a round of applause. I wondered: A professional speaker might not make the audience swallow his every word, let alone receive such applause. So why did a man who was speaking in public for the first time impress me and the audience so much? That was because he spoke the truth, and told his own experience with colorful and realistic details down to each event. He received a big round of applause from the audience, many people stood up to thank him when he ended his speech with the announcement that he had stopped taking insulin for the past 16 months. I am still impressed by that honest speech until now, so much so that I suggested that a TV station produce a program on the Secret to Longevity to introduce this diet to the audience.


You see, speakers who talk about what they have learned from life never lose the attention of the audience. From my own experience, I know many speakers do not easily accept this point of view, they avoid using personal experiences, because they think they are too ordinary or too boastful. Therefore, they easily rush into general philosophies, vague concepts that make the atmosphere gloomy.


Remember: “All theories are gray, only the tree of life is forever green.” Tell us what life has taught you.


* Method 3. Compare what you say with what the audience knows

Sometimes you find yourself at a loss for words. It seems obvious to you, but it’s hard to explain it to someone else who understands it as well. What do you do? Compare something your audience will understand, like this with that, something unfamiliar with something familiar.


For example, instead of just saying, “ A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without changing anything itself ,” you could add a metaphor: “ It's like a little boy standing in the middle of the schoolyard, walking around, punching, and teasing all the other kids there, without ever getting hit back .”


* Method 4. Compare two opposite things to emphasize one thing.


Example 1: To emphasize the method of success, we tell the story of a successful man and a failed man because they have two different ways of thinking about finances.


If you have time, collect or compose a story to compare.


Example 2: The story of two people carrying water from the mountains to the village. The poor man wanted to earn more money, so he had to buy a bigger bucket, carry more, carry heavier loads, and work from dawn to dusk. The rich man carried a moderate load to ensure his life. The rest of the time, he worked hard in the forest, cutting bamboo and rattan to make a trough to carry water from the mountains to the village. In the end, the rich man earned money even while sleeping, while the poor man was still struggling to carry water at night. From there, it highlighted the difference in the way of thinking between the two people.


* Method 5. Project pictures, draw charts, display models


In your opinion, which of the following three materials is the easiest to remember: images - words - numbers? The champion of the three types of memory is always visual memory. To make it easier to understand, imagine it like this: There are more nerves connecting the eyes to the brain than the nerves connecting the ears to the brain. Therefore, let your audience see whenever possible. Diagrams are more convincing than words. Images are more convincing than diagrams. Models or real objects are more convincing than images. An ideal presentation is a series of memorable images, and words are only used to link those images together and make them more profound. If you use pictures, charts or models, follow these suggestions, you will definitely attract the attention of your audience:

1. Don't let the audience see it in advance so they don't lose interest. If it's a model, you can put it on the table and cover it with something. When you talk, mention it but don't say what it is so the audience is curious. When you're ready to reveal it, make sure the audience is intrigued, excited, and genuinely interested.


2. The images and illustrations must be large enough for everyone to see. If the model is small, take a picture of it and project it onto the screen. Remember, if the audience cannot see it, they will not learn anything from the illustrations.


3. Never pass those illustrations around to the audience while you are speaking because people will fight over them. An object is more attractive than any words you say.


4. A moving video clip is ten times more effective than a static illustration. Use clips with sound effects and background music if possible.


5. Don't stare at pictures or models while you are speaking. You are communicating with your audience.


6. When you no longer need the illustrations, put them away.


Visual illustrations are a powerful tool to help your audience see what you have in mind.


* Method 6. Quote from an expert


Listen and compare the following two sentences:


+ “You know, the most effective investment is investing in yourself.”


+ Warrent Buffet, the legendary investor, affirmed: "The most effective investment is investing in yourself."


+ Traditional classrooms with walls can only accommodate a limited number of people. Meanwhile, online classes can meet the needs of thousands and tens of thousands of people.


+ Dr. Nguyen Hong Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Continuing Education, Ministry of Education and Training, talked about the effectiveness of online learning: "Classrooms with traditional walls can only accommodate a limited number of people.

limited. Meanwhile, online classes meet the needs of thousands, tens of thousands of people".


Obviously, you see the name of the expert, the statement becomes weighty, impressive and especially, creates trust in the listener's mind.


* Method 7. Use metaphors


For example:


- “The most foolish thing a man can do is to knock over his own bowl of rice just for a bowl of pho, which is sold everywhere on the street. And the most foolish thing a girl can do is to turn herself into a bowl of cheap pho and then never be able to turn back into a bowl of rice.”


- “Don't lose the moon while counting the stars.”


- “Holding your villa on one side, and five shacks on the other side that can only be crossed by road, which one would you rather stay in forever?”


You see, there are a thousand metaphors to advise someone to be faithful.


Images are a hundred times more powerful than words in the brain. Therefore, use metaphors to express what you want to say, and at the same time, it will be interesting food for the brain to absorb easily.


* Method 8. Tell a metaphorical story


Two woodcutters were in a tree-chopping contest. The first one quickly grabbed a rusty axe, ran into the woods, and started chopping down every tree he saw. The second one took his time sharpening his axe until almost half the contest was over. But once he finished sharpening it, he ran into the woods and quickly cut down many times more trees than the other one.


You see, before you act, sharpen your tools. Work wisely, by investing in your intelligence, honing your skills, instead of rushing into action blindly.


=> The story of the rusty axe & the sharp axe makes the message much more memorable.

* Method 9. Put comments on dry content


In 2014, I attended a training course on Presentation Skills for branch managers of an agricultural chemical corporation held at Ninh Kieu Hotel, Can Tho City. Of course, such people are always constrained by time and do not have enough time to prepare their lessons.


That morning, a man, let's call him Mr. Lam, a branch manager, on his way to class, stopped by the newsstand to buy a copy of the Entrepreneur magazine and read an article titled "7 Qualities for Success". He read it not because it was interesting but because he needed something to say in class. That morning, it was his turn to speak convincingly and enthusiastically about the content of the article. What was the result? Imagine. He didn't even grasp the meaning of what he was trying to express. "Trying to express" - is the right phrase to describe the situation. He was trying and there was no clear message, his gestures and tone were all showing his effort. He kept trying to refer to the article, that the author said this and that. The presentation was full of journalistic colors, without any trace of Mr. Lam.


After finishing the presentation, the instructor said: “Mr. Lam, we are not interested in the writer of this article because he is not here. We are interested in you and your thoughts! Read the article again and ask yourself if you agree with the author? Why? And give evidence from your own experience. We will continue your presentation early this afternoon!”


Mr. Lam reread the article and presented his speech in the early afternoon. He admitted that there were a few things he disagreed with the author about. I still remember his words: “The author said that if you want to be successful, you have to work harder. I think that is not quite right. If you want to be more successful, you have to work smarter. There are many people who work hard from dawn to dusk but are not successful. But if you work smart, sometimes working only a few hours a day, or even a few sessions a week, you can create a thousand times more value than the first person.”


You see, instead of regurgitating the content, he showed his own personality by giving his own counter-argument, giving his own opinion. It made the presentation less dry, more lively and debateable. With presentations full of numbers, full of boring bullet points, add your own comments, maybe the audience won't remember 1000

The number you read, the 1000 terms you present, they remember your interesting commentary and yours alone.


* Method 10. Crossword


Can you help me solve this crossword puzzle?


+ Crossword puzzle with 6 letters








Maybe you are interested!

Skills of expressing ideas and presenting at work Part 2 - 1


+ Hint 1: Mention the name of a type of potato.


+ Hint 2: There is a mention of a tool used to protect the safety of the house.


+ Hint 3: The first two letters are TU, the last two letters are OA


=> Answer: “KEYWORD”


10th method of presentation: Choose the most important phrase in the idea you want to convey, turn it into a crossword puzzle, then let the audience guess, think, and reason. This is a very effective method because anything that is surprising will leave a lasting impression. If your presentation contains technical terms, turn them into a crossword puzzle, and the clues are descriptions of the technical terms. Instead of boring words, the crossword puzzle will stimulate thinking.


EXERCISE 11:


Choose 3 small ideas that you did in EXERCISE 10.


For each idea, use one of the ten methods above to express your idea.


---


* Method 11. Turn content into quizzes


For example:

- Question 1. During your period, if you drink a lot of coconut water and eat a lot of watermelon, it will cause your period to increase abnormally. True or false? 5 seconds to start!


- Question 2. The phenomenon that officially marks puberty in boys is the phenomenon of "oil lamp overflow", true or false? 5 seconds to start!


Etc.


These are two of the 20 True-False multiple choice questions in the adolescent reproductive health class that I often teach on the school playground to students. Instead of standing there talking, challenge the audience's thinking, let them participate in answering. Through quizzes, you will present the problem in a very natural way. Through analyzing the answers, you will provide knowledge in a very interesting way. I guarantee that when you turn information into quizzes, the atmosphere of the presentation will be different! Completely different!


Remember: Turn content into quizzes.


I have a riddle for you that I heard in a pharmaceutical conference that still impresses me to this day: "I have a riddle, what disease causes people to lose all their fingerprints, this disease is not contagious, often found in people who are very jealous?"


* Method 12. Interview the audience or experts


During a talk on the topic of the Art of Building a Happy Family for the staff of the Ministry of Finance - Office 2 in Ho Chi Minh City on the occasion of Vietnamese Family Day. I told the audience: Now, I wonder if any of you in the audience can share a secret to a happy family? Immediately, the audience pointed out the oldest man in the audience, he is one of the few members of the agency who just celebrated his diamond wedding anniversary, meaning he has been married to his wife for more than 40 years.


He took the microphone and enthusiastically shared: “Since we first got married, my wife and I have established a code of conduct in the house: Every time we quarrel, if one scolds the other, the other will be quiet. One day, when she was scolding me for leaving things in the house in disarray, I sat still and listened. Every now and then she turned to ask: “Have you heard what I just said?” I replied: “Yes, I am still listening. Are you done talking? If you are, it is my turn!” The whole hall burst into laughter. That day, the entire hall learned a profound and humorous lesson.

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