Topic: Let’s Consider…

So, Let's consider: Is there an alternative to banks that charge those high ATM fee$ 0

Posted by on in About As Dumb As It Gets, Banking, Credit Cards, Credit Union, Customer Service, Let's Consider..., Money, Point(s) To Ponder





So, Let’s consider: Is there an alternative to banks that charge those high ATM fee$

OK, so I’m scanning through last Friday’s (October 4, ’19) USA Today’s Money section and there on page one is an article by Paul Davidson lamenting how much more people are going to get hit with bank higher ATM fees and increased fees. And, he’s right!
Face it, a bank already HAS your money so they can keep as much of it via new and improved, at least for them, fees that syphon money from your pocket to theirs as fast as their computers will let them! Monthly “maintenance fees”, “imaging fees”, ATM fees, statement fees…hell, I’m waiting for them to have a fee for charging you all those fees!
It amazes me just how many people will WILLINGLY pay a bank a fee to get their money out of the bank! Think about that for a moment! Is that a racket or what?
But, there is an alternative. Frankly one that I was really annoyed and surprised that Davidson’s ignorance totally missed in his article. But, then, considering how many ads for banks his paper runs it would probably get censored by the sales department.
I’m talking about good old Credit Unions. With my Credit Union I don’t have those ripoff ATM fees (provided I use one of their ATM’s). I don’t have minimum balance ripoff fees that continue to drain my balance until there’s nothing left to drain. I don’t have those “maintenance fees”. In fact, I don’t have any fees at all, and I don’t have a minimum balance issue either! TAKE THAT BANK DuJour!
So, if you’re tired of being ripped off by all those banking fees, CLOSE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, and open an account at a credit union! There’s plenty to be found! And, there’s no reason not to!
But then, if you’re as dumb as Davidson seems to be, you can just go right on with your bank…and pay all those fee$ and make your bank really happy to take your money as fast as you’ll let them.
After all, it’s only money…YOUR MONEY!

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.

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So, Let’s consider: What makes water "Smart" ?? 0

Posted by on in About As Dumb As It Gets, Food, Let's Consider..., Point(s) To Ponder, Water





So, Let’s consider: What makes water “Smart” ??

OK, since the beginning of time, water has been just that – good ole H2O! It was wet, cold, hot, cool, refreshing, running down the creek, but it’s always been water…just WATER.

But all that was before the age of marketing where some advertising agency is paid big bucko$ to blast us with all kinds of misinformation about what they think we should be eating, doing, being and yes even drinking.

So, let’s think about this a bit. I’m sure you’ve seen the bottles. They’re almost everywhere, in ads, people drinking them on TV, highly visible presence in stores, bars, etc., but just what makes “Smart Water” any more beneficial than the much cheaper stuff you find right next to it on the shelf or in your store’s coolers? The short answer in all likelihood is NOTHING!. In fact, I would suggest that the only “smart” ones are the marketing guys that are actually able to get all the gullible people out there to pay so much more for the same stuff in the cheaper bottles right next to it.

If about now you’re feeling really stupid about all that extra money you spent thinking that what was in your bottle was smarter than the regular stuff on the shelf and how you’ve just made the smarter people richer through your stupidity and at your expense, then congratulations, you’re gullible and you need to start thinking. Frankly, you’ve been snookered by someone’s marketing department that’s much smarter than you.

Once again it comes down to actually THINKING (which is a smart thing to do!) and reading the labels on products that you buy.

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.



So, Let's Consider: Walmart's latest bout with mental disorders 0

Posted by on in About As Dumb As It Gets, Family, guns, Let's Consider..., Life, Walmart





So, Let’s Consider: Walmart’s latest bout with mental disorders

In case you’ve been under a rock today, the great minds of yogurt at Walmart have once again capitulated and kowtowed to the liberal sychophantic and psyhopathic minds of the liberal media and every other political cause by deciding to not sell any firearms ammo any more. According to them, for some deranged reason, they think this will in some way reduce gun violence in America. Let’s take a look at a few things.
In 2018, according to the Gun Violence Archives, 340 deaths were due to mass shooting. Oh, by the way, ALSO during 2018, according to MADD, 10,874 people were killed by drunk drivers.
So, in support of the liberal anti-gun movement, they think that removing all ammo will reduce shooting deaths. I really have to wonder how that’s going to sell in Chicago…
What’s interesting and totally counter to their new corporate policy is that they’re still insisting on selling as much beer and wine as they can in clear SUPPORT of the 10,874 drunk driving deaths. So, just what and where are their real priorities? Reality or kowtowing to political correctness in the media? Is anyone at Walmart REALLY THINKING???
Does anyone at Walmart have a spine?
The next thing I expect them to do is stop selling auto parts to help reduce highway deaths….
Let’s think further: in a drunk driving event: the drunk driver is blamed – NOT THE BEER; in a boating accident the boat captain is blamed – NOT THE BOAT; etc…. The only exception to this is firearms… MAYBE society needs to wake up and put blame where it REALLY belongs…on the heads of the criminals!

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.



So, Let's consider: are you a generous person? 0

Posted by on in Let's Consider...





So, Let’s consider: are you a generous person?

It’s time to do another self check. Are you a good person? Am I a good person? Are you a generous person? Am I a generous person?
I ask these questions twice intentionally as I feel they’re ones we need to ask of ourselves as much as of others. And, we need to make whatever changes and corrections that we may think to be warranted and appropriate. Let’s continue checking by asking ourselves a few questions:
– When was the last time I/you gave of my/your time, attention, work, resources without any expectation in return? True altruism in practice is what we’re talking about here.
– When was the last time I/you gave anonymously? Yes, I’m also including here the times when you know you’re get a receipt for IRS purposes but that you did so without any comments, etc. This would include donations to the local food bank or “Goodwill” type of establishment that would resell your unneeded items and put the proceeds towards the good of the community.
– What is my/your emotional tone when I think of others? I’m going to leave this one open ended intentionally and just leave it out there for you to think about.
– Am I/Are you living in a way that if everyone lived in the same way as we did, the world would be a better place for all of us?
I leave this out there as a few rhetorical questions going into the weekend for all of us to ponder.
I hope you have a good weekend.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.


So, Let's consider: Do you REALLY understand DACA? 0

Posted by on in DACA, Immigratoin, Law, Law Enforcement, Let's Consider...





So, Let’s consider: Do you REALLY understand DACA?

OK, so DACA’s become the latest political football being tossed around between the political forces when one of them’s not making plans for all their family and friends to fly on lengthy excursions to Europe and Asia on the taxpayer’s expense.
Just WHAT does DACA mean to you and me?
Well, let’s presume that my house was broken into this past Saturday. It’s all ok, my mutt’s safe and nobody else was home.
Luckily, the alarm told the local cops and they caught the perp and his 10 year old kid that were helping themselves to my home and everything in it.
The bad news is, all the locals took a vote and decided that the kid was innocent since they were only there because the parent brought them. Now, I have to feed, house, room, educate, and otherwise totally care for this criminal’s kid! It gets worse, since the kid would be abandoned if the parent goes to jail. However, if the parent is found innocent, then I have to let them stay with the kid also and totally take care of all their needs, free to them of course, as well!
If this sounds totally unfair to you, then you understand DACA.
If you’re asking yourself as to why the US is the only country stupid enough to allow this, well, keep in mind that Obama did it all, WITHOUT ANY CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL, by executive order. There’s many that think it was an is illegal, but since we have a liberal Supreme Court at the current time, there’s basically no reason to legally challenge it.
Now, there is a bright side to some of this. There is a small percentage of the DACA population that actually settle in and start businesses. Frankly, small business is the backbone of what makes America great. Even others buy a home here. but that’s accounting for maybe 10% of the entire DACA populate(depending on who’s numbers you want to believe).
We’re a country of immigrants. But we’re also a country of laws, and not just suggestions. We welcome people who come here, legally, and want to become part of our great nation. We don’t build walls to keep people out, we just want them to use the door and not climb in through the windows.
Unfortunately, our politicians are more intent on getting votes than protecting America’s future. They’re more intent on “tolerance” for those that chant things like “Death to America” and those that are criminals and smugglers. These policies and politicians can not be tolerated and need to be removed.
We need to Keep America Great.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.


So, Let's consider: Guarding Against Identity Theft 0

Posted by on in Credit Cards, Family, Identity Theft, Let's Consider..., Making Life Better, Security, Technology Trends And Directions





So, Let’s consider: Guarding Against Identity Theft

Identity Theft. We’ve all heard it. Some of us have be the victims of it. It’s a royal pain in the ass when it happens to you. It’s not going away any time soon.
So, let’s consider a few things we can do to help protect ourselves in this war against identity thieves.

Memorize your Social Security Number (SSN) and leave the card at home!

Frankly, unless you’re applying for a job or have to show proof of citizenship, etc., there’s no real reason to be carrying your SSN card around with you at all. Leave it at home in a secure place. Perhaps the same place you leave your passport, birth certificate, etc.
Your SSN is THE biggest piece of identity information that a thief would want. Once they have it, there’s very little about you that they can get, find and use against you. It IS the key to your identity.

PROTECT YOUR SSN

We’ve already said that it’s the single most useful key to you that anyone would want. So, don’t give it out to anyone that doesn’t have a REAL need for it.
Real needs to NOT include: Credit card application, “we need it for ID”, or my favorite: “we need it for our computer…” Trust me, their computer won’t die of malnutrition if it doesn’t have your SSN and if they want your business they’ll find another way.
One of the biggest issues I run into with SSN’s is things like doctor’s offices that think they need it to “verify your insurance.” Uh, that’s what your insurance card is for. Period, end of story. Ask them how they treat patients that aren’t US citizens and you’ll find that they generally assign them some arbitrary number – tell them to do the same for you. Having been in IT for over 35 years I’ve seen how your SSN can be used and abused against you and trust me you don’t want it out in some medical history database for any other insurance companies or vendors to be able to paw through at will.
Further if your student ID or driver’s license is your SSN, ask that it be removed and that another number be issued to you immediately.

Get a good shredder and USE IT

In getting a shredder you want one of those models that makes total confetti out of what you feed into it. The ones that just make strips of paper out of your documents are basically useless. Here what you’re doing is making the other guy’s data easier to use than yours. Thieves are generally looking for quick access to information and if you make yours hard to get then they’ll most likely go on to someone else that’s not as smart.
If you have a fireplace or a fire pit handy, use it. In my office I have 2 trash cans by my desk. One is for non-burnables (empty coke cans, etc) and the other is a paper bag for burnables…I call it my “burn bag”. When it gets full, I take it over to the fire place and strike a match to it. Problem solved.

Shed or burn anything sensitive

My personal policy is that if it has “names or numbers” on it, it gets shredded or burned. This includes credit card statements, bank statements, anything from any government agency, tax office, business associates, etc. If it’s not something I wouldn’t mind reading on the front page of the Washington Post, it gets shredded.

Use public Wi-Fi hot spots with care

Connecting to Wi-Fi in the coffee shop can be really convenient, but don’t use it to pay your phone bill. Same thing with any other public Wi-Fi connection be it at the airport, school, shopping center, etc. Presume that someone is monitoring what you’re sending across the internet, and trust me it’s not hard to do.
Further, if you don’t see “HTTPS” at the start of your web url line, DO NOT EVER trust the connection for any financial transaction security or any other connection security that you’re going to be sending someone private data to. Connections without the httpS at the front of them are presumed to be unsecure by definition.

Use common sense with your mail

OK, this may sound redundant, but don’t leave your outgoing mail in a pile somewhere. Put it IN the US Mailbox. Also give serious consideration to getting a post office box for your mail. They’re not cheap but they’re not that expensive either and they can buy you a lot of peace of mind when it comes to reducing the risk of someone pilfering through your stuff.

Treat your personal information as “need to know”

To many this is obvious but you’d really be surprised how stupid some people can be. If it’s your private information and someone doesn’t have a need to know it, don’t tell them! When filling out forms that want your whole life history and all the information they can get about you, THINK! If they don’t need it to provide the services that you’re negotiating for, then don’t give it to them! You can’t control what other people do with your information but you can damn sure prevent them from getting it in the first place!
This also extends to what you share on social media. Presume that if you post it to your page that the whole world can find out about it. It never ceases to amaze me how stupid people can be when I read “we’re going to Aruba next Sunday for 2 weeks!”….if I’m looking for a house to hit I now know I have 2 weeks to hit theirs! Wait until AFTER you come back to post your pictures from your vacation and share your good times with others. And avoid the “check in” options on social media where restaurants and other sites use the “check in at Charley’s bar and grill” feature while you’re there. You’re just telling the world where you are and making yourself a target. THINK!

Don’t share PIN’s or passwords – and don’t write them down!

You’d be surprised how obvious this is and how frequently it’s what compromises a persons security. Never tell anyone security access information unless you not only trust them BUT that they also have need to know. And, NEVER WRITE THEM DOWN in a public place – like posting them to your fridge door, under your keyboard, post it pads on your computer screen, etc. This is just asking for problems and they will find you.
These tips are not intended to be totally foolproof or to provide 100% security. Nothing can do that, but they’ll go a long way to making someone else a much easier target for someone that wants to do harm. Don’t make life easy for criminals. They’re unforgiving once they find a way to get what they want and that can be really expensive and painful for you to recover from
Finally, some companies offer what they call “identity theft insurance”. If you look at this kind of a policy, use a strong reputable firm and make sure you read all the details before you sign up. Caveat emptor.
If you feel that your privacy has been compromised, contact the appropriate agency, vendor, credit card company, law enforcement agency, etc., and get things resolved quickly. The sooner you’re aware and act the sooner things can get fixed. Be proactive at all times. Read and review all your financial statements watching for any anomalies and transactions that you didn’t incur.
Here’s hoping that you’ve gained a few items you can use from this list and that the crooks find someone else more interesting than you.

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.



So, Let's consider: When to Delegate 0

Posted by on in Let's Consider..., Life, Management





So, Let’s consider: When to Delegate

For the purposes of our little discussion here, we’re going to presume that a “manager” is a person that is in charge of multiple functions, people, deadlines, resources, projects, and basically everything else that has to get done, from a higher level, to make an entity work efficiently and profitably.
When you’re managing your company, group, department, whatever, you’re doing lots of things. Many times, you’re doing the same tasks, repetitively. Other times, they’re tasks that you could do, but your time is more valuable in another direction. A good manager knows when it’s time to hand off these tasks to a subordinate to perform. This allows the manager to stay fresh, work on managing and let other do the “doing” part of the jobs. This also helps you as a manager to be more productive, creative, develop new ideas and functions and in short be more successful and have a more successful company, department, etc.
This is called delegating and we’re going to look at a few reasons you should seriously give to using delegation strategies.

Not enough time

The fact remains, there’s only so many hours in a day and when your to-do list regularly still has important items on it at the end of your day, then it’s time to offload some of these things to someone else that can do them for you. Save your to-do lists for a week or appropriate period of time, then review them for tasks that someone else in your department could do well and let them have them. This will free your time up for higher priority items, strategic planning and big picture development.

You don’t know enough about the task to do it well

This comes under the “lack of expertise” area. None of us knows everything about everything. And few managers are skilled at all the tasks they’re going to have to perform. Things like dealing with IT, personnel, sales, accounting, marketing, manufacturing, purchasing, etc., requires that you juggle a lot of hats. There’s going to be times when you’re just not going to have the experience that you want to get the job done the way you want it to be done. Frankly there may also be times when you have to do things that you just don’t like and would prefer not to do. Then, find someone that does know what needs to be done and likes doing it. Don’t feel you have to learn and know everything. You’ll be happier knowing it’s getting done, done correctly and you can be working on other things you need to be doing.

A staff member wants to learn and grow

So, let them! By giving staff members additional training and responsibilities you not only help develop your in house resources, you give them new skills and added experience beyond the redundant tasks that they are doing already. Nobody likes to get bored and nobody will stay at your company if they stay bored. Giving them new challenges and opportunities to learn, grow and do will make for not only happier, more satisfied, employees but also ones that are smarter and know how to help you and your company as well. If you invest in them, they’ll probably invest in you!

You’re bored

OK, at one time what you’re doing was your life’s goal and dream. You’re there, been there and now you’re not sure you want 1to stay there. You’re finding that your former goal is your current bane. OK, so, you’re normal. Admit it. But that doesn’t mean you have to throw the baby out with the bath water! Find someone else that shares the dream you probably still have or had and make a deal with them to continue your dream with you. Let them run point on the old dream and put your newest dream into action. You’ll feel better, your employees will appreciate you and your old dream will still grow!

When it costs more to do it yourself than have someone else do it

Time is money. Your time has value. Not only to yourself but to your company. Should they continue to may you some expensive rate to do what you’re doing or can you have someone else to the same thing at a substantial cost savings? If you can farm it out, or hire someone else cheaper with the same quality and productivity, then do it! Yes, when it’s your baby it’s sometimes hard to want to give up control, but it’s better for you sometimes to do just that. This will free you up to spend your time and money in another area where the return on your investment will be even greater.
Delegating may not be easy. Especially if it’s your baby that you’re giving away, it may be hard to give up some of the hands on control that you built and still feel. But, you many need to wisely let someone else help work with what you have built so that you can continue to build and grow. And, that’s goodness all around.

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.



So, Let's consider: Being Average vs Being Great! 0

Posted by on in Family, Health, Let's Consider..., Life, So





So, Let’s consider: Being Average vs Being Great!

OK, so, let’s take a few minutes to look at and consider our lives and where we want to take them.
Nobody wants an average life or to be an average person. Frankly, there’s just too many of them and they generally don’t go anywhere. We all want to be GREAT! We want to be ABOVE AVERAGE. We want to succeed and make good things for ourselves and our families. So, let’s consider a few things we can adopt in our lives that maybe can help us move in that direction.

Turn OFF the TV

Fewer things waste more of our time that just passively watching TV. There is NO such thing as “must see TV” regardless of how much we’re bombarded by that slogan from the networks, etc. Frankly, just watching the tube for the sake of watching the tube, watching “your show”, etc., is a huge waster of your time that could be spend helping to develop and better you. Instead, read something daily. It can be a book, newspaper, periodicals that help to build you. And, I’m intentionally excluding things like: romance novels, trash and gossip magazines, porn, etc. You need to be reading things that will BUILD you up…not keep you at the same level or worse yet, take you down.

Make some goals

Set some goals for your life. What do you want to do with your life? Where do you want to be? Where do you want to go? Think about these things and set some goals to work towards achieving. This doesn’t mean you may change them later, you can, and you will, but you have a direction for your life, and that’s incredibly important.

Compliment people vs criticize

Think more on the positive side of things than the negative. This doesn’t mean that you give up your standards. Nor does it mean that you allow yourself or your beliefs to be walked on. But a more positive person goes places further and faster than a negative one.

Respect Change

There are those would admonish us to “embrace” change. Frankly, change for the sake of change is totally counterproductive. Evaluate what is changing and what needs to be changed. If something needs to be changed or if change is inevitable or good for you, then go for it! Make sure that the changes are in your favor, not just being done for someone else’s benefit or for being politically correct. If you don’t see a benefit for you, then that change may not be for the good.

Be forgiving

It’s important to accept that we’re all human. We all make mistakes to one degree or another, and in one kind or another. Be willing to forgive the honest mistakes of other people. I’m not saying here that you should accept malicious attacks, but when someone makes an honest mistake or mistakes out of sincere best mutual interests, accept it and move on.

Develop ideas and people

Instead of talking about people, develop them. Instead of saying everything is wrong, develop ideas. Show that you not only care about making things better but that you have positive input into the processes involved.

Be a continuous learner

Always be learning and bettering yourself. None of us know it all, and nobody likes a “know it all”. Learning is easy. There are many web based classes, youtube lectures and presentations, community colleges, even joining a local trade or hobby association can be incredibly good resources to continue your learning as well as personal and professional development. There is no such thing as standing still. You either move ahead or you fall behind. This is very true in the use and development of knowledge. Don’t stop growing.

Take responsibility

Some people like to limit this concept to just take responsibility for your failures. To me it’s more than just that. If you make a mistake, OK, own up to it and hopefully move on. Don’t blame someone else for your failures. But also take responsibility for helping other to NOT fail. Be a coach, a mentor, as well as a teacher. Also, don’t be afraid to be the student. It’s very important to know what you don’t know. Accept that. Build on it. Don’t blame others for it, but use it to identify where you need to be looking to expand.
OK, we’ve hit on a few topics. I’m sure you could probably think of a few more. If so, add them to your own personal list and build on them as you move forward to being someone great!

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.



So, Let's consider: The art of listening 0

Posted by on in Business 101, Family, Friends, Let's Consider..., Point(s) To Ponder, Self Improvement, Self Respect






So, Let’s consider: The art of listening
“Can you hear me now?” We’ve all seen that annoying advert with the guy wondering around with a cell phone to his head, wanting to make sure that he’s being heard. Granted this video clip is pure propaganda for a cell phone vendor, but let’s think about this concept a bit further and deeper.
Everyone wants to be heard and understood. It’s not only part of good communication it’s also part of accepting and feeling accepted. And, with good mutual acceptance and communication comes trust and the development of many other good things not only in personal lives but in business as well.
So, let’s look at how we can develop our listening skills a bit.
Pay attention
Nobody likes to feel like they’re being ignored while they’re trying to say something they feel is important and relevant to someone else. So, if you find yourself in an environment filled with distractions, noises or anything else that takes your attention from someone trying to talk with you, simply move to a different room or a quieter place of the room you’re in. If it’s bad timing, simply state so and suggest a better time and place where you both can meet to give the speaker and the subject the attention it deserves.
Engage the speaker and ask questions
Many times it’s a good idea to ask a few clarifying questions just to make sure you’re both thinking along the same lines. It also helps to show interest in the speaker and topic and aids in building rapport with the person(s) you’re talking with. And, when you may need a little time to think about what’s being presented and what your responses might be, it helps to buy you that time.
Let your body show you’re listening
Face the speaker directly and establish eye contact. Facing them and looking at them helps establish that you’re not just there physically, but also mentally. If you need to take a few notes, do so. Sometimes I find that writing notes on the back of their business card helps me not only remember what I was talking about, but where I may want to take the conversation at a later time, and it’s always nice to have the person’s contact info on the other side. Also, avoid looking around while you’re talking, this is not only distracting to them but discourteouse as well.
Listening is a skill that takes time and practice to develop. Yet, it’s an important building block in communication and business. People will really know and understand that what they say matters when you listen, and listening is a very worthwhile investment in the development and maintenance of any relationship.
So, now, go forth, and listen.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.


So, Let's consider: How can you be more confident with that presentation or in what you do? 0

Posted by on in Business 101, Let's Consider..., Self Improvement, So






So, Let’s consider: How can you be more confident with that presentation or in what you do?
OK, so you’re having to do a presentation of some sort. It could be to the client, the boss, your church, some small group, or where ever you find yourself. It could even be an informal meeting in the hall. Then, you feel yourself and your voice start to shake. You look them in the eye and your whole mind goes to yogurt. So, let’s take a look at this.
Confidence in yourself goes a long way in selling your message and getting it and you accepted by your target. The nice thing is that confidence can be learned, developed and even faked. So, let’s look at a few ways to help you believe in yourself and by extension, others will believe in you.
Slow down…
You’re generally not being timed with a stop watch and you’re not calling the race at the dog track, so you don’t have to talk fast. Slowing down gives you more credibility and your audience has more time to understand and digest what you’re saying. If you talk too fast your audience will think you’re nervous and it lowers their comfort level with you. Speaking slowly and deliberately will tell people that you’re thoughtful and what you have to say has credibility.
If you have notes, bring them…and use them…
If you think that having and using notes will compromise you and your position, it won’t. Even the most experienced speakers and presenters use notes and keep supporting information handy in case they have to refer to it. It’s part of being prepared and it shows strength in your position.
However, having said that, don’t read from them as you would a script unless you have to quote a specific passage to support your presentation or answer a question. Notes and reference material are with you to help support your presentation, not be your presentation.
The audience is your center of attention…
The people that you’re talking to and working with need to be the focus of your attention. They’re your audience. Look at them when you’re talking to them, even if it’s just one to one.
Looking at the audience gives you the chance to read them and to judge how they’re receiving your message and if you need to make any mid course corrections. Are they confused? Does something need to be clarified or expanded? Establishing and maintaining eye contact builds rapport with your audience and with that confidence in your presentation.
By focusing on what their needs are and what’s important to them, so take the attention and emphasis off of you and place it on to them and your message. If their attention is wandering to counting ceiling tiles or what’s for lunch then you need to be moving to either get more enthusiastic and involved in your topic, move on to the next line item or order lunch.
Speak to the point…
Some people call this being direct. Get on topic and stay on topic. If you meander, hem and haw, pause, stumble about or starting using what is clearly filler, then you can expect to not only lose your audience, but your credibility and confidence.
Practice delivering what you want to say without distracting verbiage that trends away from the message you want to deliver. The higher comfort factor you have on fluid delivery of your presentation, the better both you and your audience will feel.
Be what your audience looks at…
OK, sometimes presentations requires visuals or what you’re presenting needs to have large pictures for people to see. That aside, YOU need to be what people see when they look at that stage. You need to be that center of focus that the audience thinks is as large as life. Stand and walk confidently. This may take some practice but it’s time well spent. Presenting a confident image of you as authoritative in what you are presenting will make or break your presentation.
Be mentally ready and strong…
The old adage of “if you think you can, you can; if you think you can’t, you won’t,” is as strong here as it ever was. You have to be in a confident frame of mind to deliver a strong, effective and credible presentation. Believe in yourself and others will as well. Show that you believe in yourself, what you’re doing and others will believe in you as well.
I like to watch how others do their deliveries. Youtube and things like TED talks are great examples to use to study delivery styles and methods. You also get to sometimes see how people recover from a mistake. Learn from other peoples successes and failures. And, always, feel free to improve and make their methods fit your mold.
Vene Vidi Vici…
Now, it’s time to go forth and conquer. Expect to stumble a time or two, that’s all part of life and learning. It’s not stumbling that’s important, it’s getting up and continuing on that is.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.