The Art of Looking Interested, and Being Interesting
Foreign travelers in California (shown in the photo) have a great technique for looking interested…and maybe they really are. With a slight tilt of the head and the mouth opened half-way (no smile,) it appears that they are listening and are absorbed in the here & now.
The prognosis is clear! Our social media has made us less social, and less interested. Americans, especially, have reputations for being rude and uncouth when visiting foreign lands. We’ve all seen it first-hand, especially when traveling with people who don’t put down their devices and don’t listen when some knowledgeable person tries to explain centuries-old statues, buildings, art and traditions in their broken English accent. Not listening can be more than rude. Sometimes you may miss vital instructions for catching a plane or bus–the mistakes may be costly. But what can you do to keep others interested when you’re on the delivery end of presentation?
10 Killer Tips for Conducting a Tour or Delivering a Presentation:
1. Be entertaining and informative–and have fun. People want to have fun!
2. Match eye contact with everyone in the room.
3. Breathe In Not Out – Avoid ‘um,’ ‘ah,’ or ‘you know’, replacing those with a pause and a short breath in. The pause may seem awkward, but the audience will barely notice it.
4. Don’t apologize–unless you’ve done something wrong.
5. Project your voice.
6. Don’t plan gestures — they should be spontaneous. If not, they look stupid.
7. Ask questions or interject “good observation” to create interactive
8. Speeches are about stories – explain your points through short stories, quips and anecdotes to create an emotional connection.
9. “What’s in it for me” rule – put yourself in the listener’s shoes to create meaningful content.
10. 15 Word Summary – Know your message and be able to summarize it in 15 words so you can repeat it.
