Chapter 9

THE DIRECTOR

MEET THE DIRECTOR

When Directors walk onstage, people sit up straight in their chairs. Directors command respect, which lends credibility to their presentations, regardless of their public speaking experience.

Directors’ presentations are filled with actionable items that extend far beyond the conference room. They want to see long-term change in their audience, but they will often settle for a meaningful takeaway. The word “change” is key because Directors use presentations as a means to trigger important shifts in others.

How do you recognize this breed of presenter in the wild? If the speaker is asking you to go out into the world and get something done, you’re probably in the presence of a Director.

If you received this profile, there are some positive traits we can conclude about your personality type outside of the conference room. If there’s a fire to be extinguished, you’re there with a hose. If a friend needs support, you’re there with a hug and some cake. In a leadership role, you stay calm under pressure, and most important, you are able to deliver assertive yet empathetic messages.

Because of your level-headedness, audiences tend to trust your decisive authority, and they will continue to respect it even if you have bad news to share. People want to be led, and you’re the leader of the pack. However, Directors also need to be wary of asking too much of their audiences or setting their expectations of themselves and others too high.

HOW YOU SCORED

So how did you score the Director? These results were calculated using our four-quadrant algorithm in which anything on the outside corner of the specific quadrant is considered high and anything near the main intersection is considered mid-low (Figure 9.1). Here is a simple rundown of your placement in each quadrant and how we arrived at your profile:

Figure 9.1 The Director

EXPLORATION

Directors tend to spend a moderate amount of time working in this area, relying instead on their own experience and the research they put into the task. You probably scored in the mid- to low range of the quadrant because you may not believe that learning a new design skill or writing, and rewriting, scripts is necessary. You may want a presentation to look good, but you won’t obsess over something with a short shelf life. Perhaps you feel uncomfortable and unsure of where to start when it comes to preparation. Either way, this is definitely an area to work on.

SHARING

Directors are a moderate, middle-of-the-road kind of personality, so they tend to score in the mid- to low range of the quadrant. You come across as clear and knowledgeable, but you may lack a vibrant energy that comes with more experienced (and perhaps extroverted) presenters. You’ll want to work on adding that energy to your performance through multiple rehearsals or other techniques to get you more engaged with delivery. Refer to Chapter 20 for helpful tips on delivery.

RESPONSE

Directors put the right amount of energy into the after-presentation work. You are comfortable answering any questions, but you respect that people may be busy or have other worries. Again, you scored in the middle area of this quadrant. If you feel like you’re seeing a pattern here, you are. Directors are so well rounded that they look like a doughnut if you squint.

DURABILITY

Directors can deliver talks that have long-lasting impact, but most deal with immediate concerns that need to be addressed. Your score placed you in the mid- to low range (surprise!) of Durability. Improving your score in this area requires you to ask a little more of your content. What are the long-term benefits for your audience? How can you spread the word even further? Those are the kinds of changes that Durability requires.

SPOTTING A DIRECTOR IN THE WILD

Meet Mark, a go-getter with limited presentation skills, part of a startup team that has created an app that provides users with a smarter, shareable to-do list called ZipeeSpread. They will be presenting ZipeeSpread to their first round of investors. Mark has a background in business development, so he was picked to deliver the first few presentations. He feels passionately about this project, and he knows the app will have broad appeal. His friends and family have been generous with pats on the back and encouragement.

But here is the problem: Mark feels like he has enough enthusiasm to stand in front of investors and deliver a successful pitch. Even though he’s inexperienced, he feels that the product and his bright smile will make him successful. When asked if he is prepared, if he is capable of delivery, and if he has a strong long-term message, his answers would be yes, yes, and a big fat YES! It’s great for Mark to feel good about what he has to offer, but none of that will help him stand out from other pitches.

Now let’s examine why he’s probably about to waste 15 minutes of an investor’s time. The first aspect is Mark’s level of preparation. His PowerPoint looks dated, and he hasn’t done a ton of research about competitive apps in the market. A quick Google search should suffice, right? Probably not. Technology is changing; audiences are smarter. He is going to have to put in the hard work and learn some new skills in order to impress. Hiring a professional designer for his materials, subscribing to industry publications and magazines, and refining his content are all ways he can improve.

What about his delivery? While he benefits from a winning smile, Mark puts a lot of faith in his social ability. A great pitch results from practicing in front of the mirror over and over again. A strong delivery is one that has been tweaked, rehearsed, cried over, and rehearsed again. He’s going to have to move far past the idea of being naturally gifted and realize that all naturals still have to put in some time.

Classic Directors do the amount of work that they assume is necessary. They trust the level of knowledge they have going into a project, and the same is true for design and delivery. But this puts them squarely in the range of just-OK work. If they were being graded for each aspect of their presentation, they would get a lot of C+ and B- grades.

It’s not about using what you already know. It’s about putting in the extra work because your audience can tell the difference in quality. Mark is going to have to spend more time than he’s used to on this project, and he needs to not listen to all his well-meaning friends who say that he’s ready to make millions.

Directors need to realize two things: that their existing skill set isn’t enough to impress and that they have it within themselves to strengthen their style considerably. Give Mark a handful more days of prep time, a peek at the intensity of his competition, and fewer friends telling him that he’s the best. The end result? A totally new, much more prepared, much more down-to-business Mark.

YOUR NATURAL HABITAT

A natural habitat describes the place you feel most comfortable delivering your message, usually in relation to the size of the audience and the formality of the event. For Directors, the best habitat is one in which a decision needs to be made because they are there to deliver the deciding presentation. You are most comfortable in boardrooms, conference rooms, and other places where the stakes are high and a voice of reason is required. You also tend to perform best when you’re invested in the other participants or audience members’ lives, which makes you a strong internal company presenter.

Directors offer a balanced voice in an unbalanced room. They are like the reasonable politician who says, “See here!” in the middle of a shouting battle between two opposing sides. This gives you a solid advantage when hosting a Q&A session or any other opportunity to hold a discussion with your audience. Embrace and appreciate this skill!

BRAWN (STRENGTHS)

Decisiveness

Fairness

Integrity

You are steered evenly by a strong moral compass, which serves as the basis for all of your messaging and presentations. This gives you a reputation for trustworthiness and fairness, like an Old Faithful of good advice. You also care a great deal about your audience, and you want to make sure their needs are fully addressed. This makes you an endearing personality even if you aren’t putting in a lot of extra work to leave them fully entertained by the end of the speech.

Consistency is also your strength, as your personality both onstage and off reflects the same values and style. Make up for any presenting weaknesses by hosting an in-depth discussion at the end of the talk. Use that time to clarify questions and prove that you are an authority in your field.

TRAPS (WEAKNESSES)

Condescending

Dull

Controlling

Because doling out advice is second nature to you, you risk alienating members of your audience who feel that they are being talked down to. Your ability to step easily into new situations can bring out a tendency to control, which may be unwelcome if they weren’t looking for a new leader. And finally, all of the grandfatherly wisdom you have stored up can equate to a boring presentation if not supported by some personality.

All of these weaknesses are amplified when you don’t take time to prepare or when you’re content with your current skill level. Listen to feedback. Give yourself more aggressive goals. In short, stop being comfortable! Get off that comfy couch of past experience.

YOUR NATURAL ALLY

Want to learn how to improve your skills and become stronger in each quadrant? Take lessons from Liberators (Chapter 11) and connect in real life to see them in their natural habitat.

YOUR PREY

Fortunately for most Directors, people love to be told what to do. Indecisiveness plagues both the professional and personal arenas, which is where you provide value by sharing the advice and guidance they need. Most audience members appreciate your level-headedness and straightforward style, and they will be especially receptive to your message if they know you offstage. In short, you appeal to those who like to sit in the front row of a classroom, who are already prepped and ready to take notes.

YOUR PREDATORS

Other Directors, skeptics, rule breakers, and risk takers will be hesitant to listen to your guidance and quietly accept your leadership. You may need to add proof such as stats and facts to support your seasoned advice and boost your credibility in front of these doubters. Skeptics tend to become bored quickly. Your message should be credible, with enough fun thrown in to capture their full attention.

FIVE DOS AND DON’TS

DOS

1.   Liven up your presentation by including at least one to three personal stories. These can be used to warm up your introduction, illustrate a main point in the middle, or bring the talk to a close.

2.   If you offer a piece of advice, suggestion, or key idea, then be sure to back it up with an anecdote from your own experience or a credible data point to establish yourself as an authority.

3.   Since you are prone to giving advice, make sure that your talk has only one takeaway for the audience to act on later. Make this call to action clear by prefacing it with a statement like, “If you leave here with only one thing …”

4.   Ask a friend to watch you rehearse your presentation and rate you on one main area: how tired were they by the end of your speech? Work on keeping them energized by including interactive questions, unexpected props, or attention-grabbing slides.

5.   Make sure your call to action is something you, your friends, and even your family would want to jump up and accomplish once the talk is over.

DON’TS

1.   Don’t neglect to address your audience’s needs immediately in the presentation to establish that you care and are empathetic about the wor- ries that keep them up at night.

2.   Don’t forget to include media-rich supporting elements as part of your presentation to enhance your talk. These can include unique handouts, well-designed great slides, props, and other aids to help make your message more memorable.

3.   Don’t use a condescending tone, and cut out questions such as, “Does that make sense?” or “Do you understand?” If you’re not sure if you use these expressions, film and watch yourself during a rehearsal session or ask a friend.

4.   Don’t hesitate to include a lengthy Q&A at the end of your presentation: your strength is in guiding others, and you will establish credibility through this exchange.

5.   Work on keeping your delivery style more natural with multiple practice sessions, never memorization.

THE IDEAL DIRECTOR

There is no such thing as a bad persona. There are only areas to improve on within your range of strengths and weaknesses. With that in mind, what do ideal Directors look like?

1.   They are able to use inspiration and encouragement to lead their audience toward actionable goals that will have a positive influence.

2.   They are credible, inviting speakers who know how to establish themselves as an authority in their field.

3.   No matter the circumstance, their words make each audience member feel valued and important.

Let’s revisit Mark, member of a startup team, who until now felt confident enough to deliver a pitch about ZipeeSpread without a ton of prep work. He is now switching gears and following our tips, and here is how his revised presentation goes:

1.   He spends time researching the current market, and he throws in stats and facts, which add meaningful weight to his talk.

2.   He rehearses his presentation eight different times in front of a mirror, perfecting his performance and appearing much more credible.

3.   He provides his audience with a way to connect with him after the talk, giving him the information he needs to follow up on his pitch and close the deal.

Natural leaders often make strong, persuasive speakers. But ideal Directors have something more than just natural leadership. They also have a great deal of empathy for their audience, which means that they want to see personal change in the lives of their listeners. They are altruistic and add value for the greater good rather than being merely informative or impressive. In short, they care.