First Impression for Business Presenters

Three-Minute First Impression for Business Presenters

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 Thank you, Tri-County Suburban REALTORS, for inviting me to facilitate the last session of your LDP (Leadership Development Program). I hope everyone leveraged the presenter’s three-minute first impression during your presentations to the board.

 

This enthusiastic group of leaders in their industry discussed these DON’Ts for the openings of business presentations:

 

DON’T begin by simply repeating the title of the presentation.

 

DON’T open with wasted words and the standard “it’s great to be here” small talk.

 

DON’T open with an unrelated and poorly delivered joke.

 

DON’T go negative and complain about anything pertaining to the meeting or equipment.

 

DON’T drag on and on before getting to the point; your audience will grow impatient.

 

DON’T say something totally off the cuff at the spur of the moment that you haven’t planned and practiced.

 

DON’T wait to the last minute to make sure your technology works.

 

What about you? What’s an obvious DON’T for business presenters to keep in mind? What would add to this list?

 

 

To customize a keynote or professional development session that will have your audience laughing and learning, contact Mandi Stanley.

Certified Speaking Professional Mandi Stanley works with business leaders who want to boost their professional image by becoming better speakers and writers through interactive high-content keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, technical writing seminars, and fun proofreading classes. 

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capitalization competency

Capitalization Competency: More Capital Ideas

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Capitalization rules are easy; it’s the exceptions that drive us crazy. 

 

Which is correct?

These reports were provided by the city of Jackson. 

OR

These reports were provided by the City of Jackson.

 

Isn’t this a great question? And, get ready for a lot of twists and turns with the answer. This question exemplifies why capitalization rules are simple—but the exceptions drive us crazy.

 

Correct: These reports were provided by the city of Jackson. 

Capitalize the word city only when it is part of the corporate name of the city as in Kansas City or Mexico City. Otherwise, it is proper to write the city of Overland Park or the city of Madison.

 

So far, so good. Now let’s address the word state. Capitalize the word state only when it follows the name of a state:

 

New York State is a popular destination for international tourists.

Washington State is the nation’s top apple producer.

The state of Mississippi is known for its burgers, blues, and barbeque.

Political candidates flock to the state of Iowa in the month’s leading up to the primary elections.

 

Now, here’s where it gets tricky: Do not capitalize state when used in place of the actual state name.

 

Lesley is an employee of the state.

She is a state employee.

 

However, people working for state government write it as State. Often with internal governmental correspondence, the names of countries, national divisions, and governmental groups, the common noun IS capitalized when replacing the full name. In other words, when the government rather than the actual place is the intended meaning, the word state is usually capitalized.

 

The motion was filed by the State yesterday.

 

Well, this is about as clear as mud. I use four primary style guides as references, and all four books list slightly different rules. Indeed, many of the capitalization rules in the Associated Press Stylebook contradict rules listed in other grammar guides. My recommendation: Refer to the rules I’ve distilled for you above, and be consistent. Be consistent not just within the document but within your entire organization. 

 

To customize a keynote or professional development session that will have your audience laughing and learning, contact Mandi Stanley.

Certified Speaking Professional Mandi Stanley works with business leaders who want to boost their professional image by becoming better speakers and writers through interactive high-content keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, technical writing seminars, and fun proofreading classes. 

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Photo by Pieter van de Sande on Unsplash

capitalization

Capitalization Competency: A Capital Idea

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Are department names supposed to be capitalized? Do we submit something to the Administration and Finance Department or the administration and finance department? Does it make a difference if it’s the Department of Administration and Finance or the department of administration and finance?

 

What about job titles? How do we know when to capitalize someone’s job title in a sentence?

 

Let’s all test our capitalization competency with a quick quiz on capital letters.

 

Jackson Lawrence, immediate past [Chief Executive Officer/chief executive officer] of the Eagle Leadership Institute, gave the keynote address.

 

Thompson Padgett, [Diversity Officer/diversity officer] for the College of Business and Industry, is leading an initiative devoted to creating a culture of belonging.

 

Shannon Pierce, [President/president] of the Rotary Club, facilitated a strategic planning session for the new year.

 

Answers:

 

Jackson Lawrence, immediate past chief executive officer of the Eagle Leadership Institute, gave the keynote address.

 

Did this one surprise you? It’s the most frequently overcapitalized tendency. The rule I hope you take away from this exercise is this:

 

The only time we capitalize the first letters of a person’s job title is when the title precedes the person’s proper name. When a job title is used as an appositive, it is not capitalized in the sentence.

 

In the pop quiz question above, the job title of chief executive officer is an appositive for Jackson Lawrence; therefore, it remains lower case.

 

Thompson Padgett, diversity officer for the College of Business and Industry, is leading an initiative devoted to creating a culture of belonging.

 

Diversity officer is an appositive for Thompson Padgett. It remains lower case.

 

Shannon Pierce, president of the Rotary Club, facilitated a strategic planning session for the new year.

 

President is an appositive for Shannon Pierce. Even the word president remains lower case in this instance.

 

We’ll discuss the capitalization of departments next week.

 

To customize a keynote or professional development session that will have your audience laughing and learning, contact Mandi Stanley.

Certified Speaking Professional Mandi Stanley works with business leaders who want to boost their professional image by becoming better speakers and writers through interactive high-content keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, technical writing seminars, and fun proofreading classes. 

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Leadership Development Program

REALTORS’ Leadership Development Program: A Quote to Remember

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I know Jim Tunney.

 

So, imagine my surprise to see him quoted on the mirror of the women’s restroom!

 

Jim and I go back 20 years to my early days of membership in the National Speakers Association. He is an esteemed leader in the speaking profession, and to this day, he is one of the most excellent professional storytellers I’ve heard.

 

The location was Malvern, Pennsylvania, where I was facilitating No-Panic Presentation Skills for Tri-County Suburban REALTORS’ Leadership Development Program. And yes, I did pull my phone out in the restroom to snap a photo of this quotation: “It’s the will, not the skill.” This is a truth I’ve been able to share with my son, who has been training for the upcoming cross-country season in this extreme heat. “It’s the will, not the skill” on days like these. Thanks, Jim Tunney.

 

And, by the way, Jim was in good company. On the other mirror was a quotation from Pablo Picasso!

 

To customize a keynote or professional development session that will have your audience laughing and learning, contact Mandi Stanley.

Certified Speaking Professional Mandi Stanley works with business leaders who want to boost their professional image by becoming better speakers and writers through interactive high-content keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, technical writing seminars, and fun proofreading classes. 

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