ENGINEER PERCEPTION

From the moment you enter a room or walk onto the stage, people pick up signals about you and your competence. No matter how uncomfortable you feel, make a conscious decision to exhibit easy confidence and enjoyment of speaking.

 

An exercise called “sense memory” is instrumental in achieving this goal. Select a particular incident from your past when you exhibited the specific quality you would like to convey, e.g., relaxed, authoritative, or excited. Recall the incident in vivid detail, using all the senses. When you retrieve that experience immediately prior to speaking, you demonstrate the trait you want the audience to perceive.

 

ENOUGH ABOUT ME

Why do we leave ourselves out of descriptions of our business or service? The prevailing theory was that one focuses on business, not the individual. To do the latter was considered soft. And culturally, many of us were taught not to be self-aggrandizing.

 

Yet we buy from people we know, like, and trust. We seldom buy from companies alone, regardless of their size or reputation. To begin, use concrete language to describe your process, service, or product. Insert what you find engaging, or challenging, or what gives you enjoyment when you’re doing your work. Be brief but enthusiastic. You will build common ground and vital links to your listeners for developing long-term relationships.