Idea generation strategies for your product!

Have you ever sat in a successful brain-storming or other product development meeting, where all the participants were involved and ideas were pouring forth? It's rare, isn't it?

Brainstorming was developed in the 1941's, yet many companies still use the 73 year-old method developed by Alex Osborne. How many other ideas this old does a company today use?

In Business Speech Improvement's seminar on Executive Communication Strategies, we discuss why traditional brainstorming is ineffective, cover the modern day research on a much better method, and then practice it. A group of 4 strangers working on a properly phrased question often generates 40 or more responses to it. Although some are duplicates and some may not be exactly what is needed, there are wonderful answers there as well.

For example, instead of "thinking outside of the box", let's wonder if the box needs to be there in the first place!

Another strategy that Alex Osborne developed is called SCAMPER. The acronym stands for substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, reverse.

For example, imagine that you are improving a blender, a common household small appliance. What type of user are you targeting here? Let's say you are going for the person who exercises at lunch-time and needs a very light blender with a tiny motor he can take to work, to whip up a "power shake" he can quickly drink after his work-out. 

What kind of tiny motor can he substitute for the heavier ones, given the small quantity of material to be blended? Can two functions of the current blender be combined, possibly allowing only 3 speeds? Can part of the blender be adapted

so that it is lighter? Can the top be modified so that it screws on, in case it needs to be carried home with some liquid still in it, if washing is not an option at work? Can the jar be put to another use as a cup for the processed power shake? Could something on the device be eliminated to make it lighter? Instead of making a part bigger, could you reverse it and make it smaller?

This is but one of many "idea generation" strategies covered as a communication skill in the Business Speech Improvement workshop on Executive Communication.  Contact us to schedule the Executive Communication workshop for your group!

Easily confused words in English

English has many words that are similar, and this can be confusing for both native and non-native speakers.  Examples are accept vs except,  advise vs advice, insure vs ensure, corps vs corpse and many more. The problem comes when a writer sends a document or e-mail to a person who knows the difference between the right and the wrong word.

To improve your knowledge of easily confused words, start with a list of them. There are many such lists of easily confused words online. One to start with is http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/confused_words_english.html  .

Choose 5 word pairs that you yourself often use and confuse, write them down where you can see them, and study them briefly twice a day. When you have learned them, choose 5 more pairs. It's important to choose words that you are likely to say or write, so you will learn them faster and get more benefit out of this effort.

Great communication requires the choice of the proper words to convey your meanings. Make up your list of easily confused words today!

American English pronunciation and why you shouldn't say "furnitures"

American English is a complicated language. As a speech coach, I frequently hear complaints about all the exceptions to the rules and other irregularities that don't occur in more regulated languages such as Spanish.

Recently I saw an ad from someone who wanted to sell "furnitures". English has a concept known as mass or uncountable nouns. These are categories in which it is difficult to count each individual item, such as air, water, grass, information, sugar or peace. It also includes collections of items, such as mail, garbage, furniture or clothing.  All of these do not have plurals, so we do not put an "s" after them.

This concept and many more are included in the intensive seminar on American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals, to be offered October 6 -8, 2014, in Durham, NC (USA). This is a customized seminar, with only 6 learners. Each will get an individual speech assessment and a speech improvement plan designed specifically for him or her.

Feel the relief of knowing you are practicing with your speech coach's help - and knowing you are saying the words correctly! As one surprised professional commented recently, "You mean I have been saying this wrong all these years?"

 Get more information on this unique program, and enroll today!

Accent modification: they missed the point!

In the news today, there have been many stories about Oak Ridge National Labs canceling a class on modifying a Southern accent. The class was requested by an employee, but the response from other employees was that they were proud of their accents. ORNL canceled the class.

The point they, and the hundreds of others who have commented on this in various blogs, missed was vital. All business requires communication, and easily understood speech is essential. Now that clients can be across the country or the world, when speaking to them, both parties need to be easily understood, and that requires a neutral-sounding speech pattern.  The message is what matters, so a common speech pattern is needed.

At least two studies show this to be true. One study done in Illinois showed that speakers with strong Illinois accents who were supposedly supervisors were rated as "impatient" by women managers, while those who were supposedly employees were considered "immature".

Another study by Patricia Cukor-Avila and Dianne Markely found that hiring managers  rated prospective employees more highly when they had a less identifiable accent. The accented participants were from all over the country.

Accent modification does not have to be a long-drawn out program. It can be done intensively, in a short amount of time, in a group or individual program.

Business Speech Improvement in NC offers accent modification for foreign and regional accents, as well as other types of speech coaching. A small group open enrollment seminar on American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals is enrolling learners now!

For those who are in other parts of the USA and Australia, and want local, in-person coaching, visit the Corporate Speech Pathology Network to find a trainer closer to you!

Occupational therapists: searching for another career choice?

Are you an occupational therapist who is ready to consider another option - if only you knew about appropriate choices? Maybe you had a very difficult year last year, or are about to retire and want a part-time job later. You don't want to go back to school for extended training; you want to use your current skills in a different way.

A while back, I was unexpectedly asked by a desperate unemployed speech-language pathologist what options she had, especially since she didn't want to go back to school.

I didn't know this person, and yet her question gnawed at me. Finally, I began researching the choices.

The book, Alternative Career Options for Speech-Language Pathologists, is my answer. It covers the choices made by 18 speech-language pathologists who each sought to combine speech therapy with some other field. The other fields ranged from sales to graphic arts to a lot more. Many of these choices would  also apply to special educators, who also use products and equipment, work with others and can provide training geared to specific learning styles.

Even though who don't want any of the choices presented often comment that the information sparked further ideas for them. (One speech-language pathologist decided to become an equine massage therapist, which was definitely not covered in the book!)

As an occupational therapist commented,

Although this book is geared toward speech pathologists, this is a source of inspiration for occupational therapists too! Sometimes those of us in helping professions need a change due to burnout or unrealistic work demands, and this book shows us that there are other ways to use our skills and training to make a living and to continue to make a difference in people’s lives. Even if they aren’t feeling burnout and just have an entrepreneurial spirit, this will give any allied health professional ideas to explore or a place to start.   

Alicia Kollmar MS, OTR/L

To learn more about Alternative Career Options for Speech-Language Pathologists, go to www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com/slp . Copies are limited; get yours today!

  Why your rate of speech can matter at work

Speech rate can make a difference at work. First, of course, speaking too quickly can reduce listener comprehension. The actual rate of speech at which  someone has difficulty understanding depends on the usual rate of speech of the two people, the amount each knows about the topic being discussed, each person's hearing acuity and other factors.

Research has shown that people trust each other more when they match rates of speech. This is a process called speech convergence. This has implications for law enforcement, sales, counseling and management. One study showed that once trust started, speech rates began approximating each other.

However,  it is possible to mirror speech rates intentionally.

When trying to calm an angry person, speaking in a slightly slower rate of speech can be helpful. Another time when speaking slower (but not louder) is helpful is when speaking to someone whose English may not be fluent.  A third time to speak slowly is on the telephone, when leaving your phone number or an outgoing message.

Some people experience an unusual amount of difficulty with speaking slower. There could be several reasons for this, including cultural and physiological.

Business Speech Improvement, a corporate speech pathology practice,  provides intensive 1-2 day individual and small group coaching  on how to speak slower. For those who prefer to work on this themselves with some guidance, an e-book on How to Speak Slower in Six Simple Steps is also available.

3 Easy Tips for Giving a Polished Presentation

You're giving a business presentation, a speech to your colleagues in your field, or maybe a speech to a civic organization. What can you do to make it better?

As a speech coach, I see many people make similar errors. Here are three tips to make your next presentation better.

First, practice the key words of your presentation much more than you think is necessary. Key words are the main points, "linked" to each other in your mind. If you link them powerfully, when you think of the first word, you will be then able to think of all the other linked concepts. Do not memorize the entire speech word-for-word; if you forget a single word, you may forget the entire speech!

Second, you have only 30 seconds to get the audience to decide to pay attention to you. Make sure every word in those first 30 seconds is important! Let the audience know why it is worthwhile for them to listen to you. 

Third, if a member of the audience asks you a question, repeat it into the microphone before answering it. This allows your entire audience to hear the question and gives you time to think about the question. 

You only have one chance to make a great first impression on your audience!

Business Speech Improvement can help you with speech coaching,  in-person or, in many cases, online. An e-book, Public Speaking: You Can Do It, is also available.

Be prepared for your next presentation; get speech coaching today!