Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9 pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Robyn Hatcher, @SpeakETC. Robyn Hatcher has over 17 years of experience helping individuals and organizations elevate the way they communicate. 50% of her business is working with corporations doing group training in presentation skills and interpersonal communication skills and/or providing individual executive coaching on communication skills for their employees. The other 50% of her work is with individual entrepreneurs or business professionals who may be struggling with creating a stand-alone presentation or who may want to be more powerful and engaging communicators on there job. For more information, visit www.speaketc.com
SmallBizLady: Why are presentation skills important for small business owners?
Robyn Hatcher: In a media saturated world, personal branding is more important than ever. We never know when we might be called into the spotlight, to step up and stand out. Presentation skills are important for everyone who ever has to get up and speak, deliver presentations, sell an idea or product, or make a case for something. This can include CEOs and business professionals at all levels, as well as politicians, media people, celebrities, community volunteers, academics, students, coaches, entrepreneurs and sales people, among others.
Specifically for business professionals, presentation skills are important to “brand” yourself within your career and organization, from entry level positions to the top leadership roles. Once you learn your communication style, you are then able to use that style to effectively brand and market yourself, as well as optimize your strengths and skills.
SmallBizLady: What are ActorTypes and how did you develop them?
Robyn Hatcher: Having spent 30 plus years as an actress, and 10 plus years writing for film and soap operas, I was knew how important TYPE is. Every character I wrote, every audition I was submitted for focused on a specific type. As a corporate trainer, I then was exposed to many different assessments and personality profiles, like the DiSC profile and Myers Briggs assessments, as well as the Enneagram and archetype forms of typing. I wanted to create a guide that was fresh and more fun, a methodology that was tailored more closely to making sure that people created presentations and got up to speak using a communication style consistent with who they are. Combining this all together, I created my 9 ActorTypes, including their unique and universal fatal flaws and strengths.
SmallBizLady: What are the most popular ActorTypes?
Robyn Hatcher: Most people are a combination of more than one type. My primary ActorType is Hero with a two-way Buddy/ Supermodel tie for my secondary type. I consider a person’s primary type to be their default type, which is the type that they draw from most often and in new circumstances. Your secondary types are your back-ups when you know that your primary type will not be effective. In my book, I go into detail about how you can optimize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses or “fatal flaws” of your type.
SmallBizLady: Can people’s ActorTypes change?
Robyn Hatcher: By consistently adopting the styles and mannerisms of a particular type, a person can learn how to lead with a type that may not be their default type. This occurs when people are thrust into different leadership roles or are plunged into sink-or-swim situations…OR undergo intensive coaching or leadership training. A previously “quiet” type might start to adopt qualities of the type they need in a given situation and eventually that type becomes more dominant. I’m living proof of that. The shy Ingénue’ Type I was as a child has morphed into the Hero type I display today.
SmallBizLady: What ActorType do you encounter most and where? Is any one ActorType more effective than another at making presentations?
Robyn Hatcher: A lot depends on the culture and/or the environment where you encounter people. In my entrepreneur community, the Buddy/Hero is the most prevalent. But when I work with finance professionals, I meet a lot of Whiz Kids. The most common types are Buddies, Heroes, Whiz Kids and Superheroes, in that order. As far as who’s more effective, having worked extensively with ALL types, I can teach any ActorType the skills to speak well in public. Generally speaking, the most effective type of presenter for informative presentations would probably be the Heroes and Buddies. For persuasive presentations, Superheroes and Villains are very compelling.
SmallBizLady: Why is it important to know your ActorType? How does the book help readers to do better knowing their ActorType?
Robyn Hatcher: Knowing your ActorType is like getting the right diagnosis at the doctor’s office or getting your measurements taken by a tailor. When you know exactly what you’ve got to work with, it’s much easier to make the most of what you have.
Knowing your ActorType helps you use the art of communication instead of the art of talking. Knowing your ActorType does not give you an excuse to hide behind that type and say, “well that’s just the way I am” or “I can’t help it.” That’s why I use the term “default” type. You have the power and responsibility to override a default type if it is no longer working for you or if it is ineffective for the type of communication you need to share. I for one have spent many years overriding my Ingénue type to become a Hero.
SmallBizLady: Can all ActorTypes be successful presenters staying true to their ActorType?
Robyn Hatcher: It is important to note though that presenting 100% as one ActorType may not always produce the most successful or effective presentation. Some ActorType s do not lend themselves to certain types of presentations or certain topics. For instance, one of the more difficult types to stay true to is the Ingénue’. The natural tendencies of the Ingénue, a softer voice, weaker body language does not lend itself to the type of strong, engaging presentations that most audiences come to expect.
SmallBizLady: Can you attempt to be a different ActorType?
Robyn Hatcher: Once you know your default type, you may need to borrow qualities from another type which is why it’s important for readers to read about the strengths of the other types in addition to the strengths of their own. So for instance, highlighting the Ingénue’s qualities of being optimistic, earnest and open-minded and then having that Ingénue ‘borrow” a stronger vocal tone and body language will allow him or her to be true to their core values and, at the same time, engage and convince an audience.
SmallBizLady: What if someone is a strong blend of two ActorTypes? How does the book address those scenarios?
Robyn Hatcher: Most people are a blend of two ActorType s and when you are a blend, you need to learn to understand the strengths and weaknesses of both types and learn to know which type is going to be more effective in a given situation. For instance, as a Buddy/Hero blend, I know that when it comes to say dealing with a disruptive audience member, I have to push the Buddy to the side and be total Hero, and maybe even borrow a little from the Super Hero or Villain playbook.
SmallBizLady: What is your favorite ActorType presenter?
Robyn Hatcher: I really enjoy all of the ActorTypes, as each has their own special qualities and strengths. When you are present and witness a person who is very self-aware speak, a person who has learned to maximize their type to best effect, it is an amazing experience. By self-aware, I’m talking about being aware of and knowing how to mitigate the fatal flaws for your type, all of which I outline in the book.
SmallBizLady: Can anyone deliver a standing ovation presentation?
Robyn Hatcher: I honestly think anyone can. However, there are definitely some individuals who may feel that doing business presentations is a “serious” (read: boring) endeavor and that there is just one way to do a presentation. I’m on a mission to rid the world of boring presentations. It makes no sense to me. Nobody wants to listen to them and one of the most important things is that no one enjoys delivering a boring presentation.
SmallBizLady: What are the top things you need to know in order to deliver a standing ovation presentation?
Robyn Hatcher: You need to know how to analyze their communication style, how to polish their body language, their voice and vocal tone, and how to discover their own value. You need to know how to engage their listeners, how to get at the bottom line of their message, how to use examples and stories, and how to organize and deliver a presentation.
If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9 pm ET; follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.
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