Communication Skills: What is your 'signature'?

On The USS Midway Aircraft Carrier

I was in San Diego this week for a Client Conference.

Incidentally, I was most inspired when I had the opportunity to meet with the U.S. Military SEAL team there. 

In any case, the occasion was a panel discussion that I was invited to participate in.  In the audience were senior leaders major client companies.

And also many of my colleagues and leaders from my organization were in attendance as well.  On the panel were HR executives of Fortune 500 companies, the moderator (my boss) and myself.  I was the last to get on stage (out of courtesy to our clients) and was horrified to find that they left me the middle seat on stage.  These were senior people who knew much more about the topic at hand than I ever would.

The stage was brightly lit and thus the hundreds of participants were a sea of darkened faces in front of me.  More over there were two gigantic screens on either side of us that exposed every wart on the panelists' faces.

It was a bit of a high risk situation where I could come across as the most inexperienced person on stage or worse stumble on my words (whatever they might be) - and perhaps disappoint my own colleagues.  Moreover the previous speakers who had held the stage were tremendously seasoned and/or charismatic speakers (a U.S. Senator, a Fortune 500 Company CEO, an MIT Professor and my own Division President who has great stage presence).

In this situation, I needed a zone of mental comfort.  I was certainly prepared with my remarks.  But unlike a regular presentation, a panel discussion means you need to be ready for back and forth and on the spur comments.  So the only way to be successful was to be comfortable mentally.  How to get there, was the urgent question.

This was the thought that was occupying me as I stood in front of the bathroom mirror that morning as I was shaving and thinking about the upcoming session.

Then I thought of the word 'signature'.  What was my signature move in terms of presentation.  When the chips were down, what was my move?  What was my natural persona?

Some people are funny.  Others have operational expertise.  Some others are smart.  I have seen others were an 'aw shucks' persona.  What was mine?  What was the 7-iron club in golfing terms, that allows you to play a good shot no matter what the circumstances are on the golf course.

I decided my signature had two aspects to it.  One was that I loved being with clients.  And the other was that I was a reasonably good strategist.  So I thought of the more than 15 years I spent as a management consultant with clients; and all the good times I had with them and what I learned from them.  The other was the various strategies I had developed for them and the ones that they really liked.

I then carried that feeling onto the stage.

I will tell you that having just experienced it, this was not easy.  Throughout the panel that lasted over an hour, as the conversation ebbed and flowed (with me sitting in the center...!),  I had to maintain my poise and watch my answers so that they fit in the context of the conversation. 

In a regular presentation, when you are presenting alone, after the first jitters, you can get into the flow.  But in a panel discussion that is not straightforward.  Throughout the discussion, I had to remind myself, as the conversation went away from me and came towards me - 'hey, you like these folks - they are clients' and 'what is the strategic thrust here?'

I am relieved to report that this worked.  I got lots of smiles from the fellow panelists and from the executives who were sitting in the front row as we concluded the discussion and got off stage.

It was a good experience; but more importantly - a good technique discovered!

So I ask you ..... what is your signature?

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Here is my older write-up on the same topic:

http://agingonthevine.blogspot.com/2010/03/presentation-skills-you-talkin-to-me.html