The best part of my job is all of the inspiring people I have the privilege of working with. I recently had the honor of working with Barron Segar, CEO of the World Food Programme USA. I was thrilled when I heard the WFP was given the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace. This is a global honor truly deserved by a wonderful organization.

The World Food Programme does so much more than deliver food to those in need. They also transport medical supplies and protective equipment for workers fighting COVID-19 in places already overwhelmed by war and food shortages.

For millions, WFP workers are their only lifeline between life and death. The challenges WFP front line workers bravely face are nothing short of heroic. They boldly go into places where people face starvation due to diseases and climate-related disasters. They also risk their lives daily, transporting food and other life-saving necessities to people living in areas where warring parties use starvation as a weapon of war.

The World Food Programme does all of this entirely through voluntary donations. Funding is dependent on gifts from governments, businesses, and individual donations.

But, the need this year for greater funding has grown. Conflicts in more countries increased climate-related disasters, and the coronavirus pandemic has increased the need for financial support more than ever. At least $870 million is needed to continue giving life-saving assistance to millions of vulnerable people over the next several months. Without additional funding, many vital support WFP services will be unable to operate.

The World Food Programme USA works tirelessly to build American support to help end global hunger. Donations are desperately needed so they can continue doing their work. Please visit https://www.wfpusa.org to learn more about The World Food Programme, and please donate.

Law firms are realizing that learning outstanding presentation skills are as essential to building their business and their brand, as the ability to expertly analyze legal issues.

This weekend I had the honor of speaking at Hogan Lovells’ annual conference in Baltimore to their team of attorneys from around the world practicing in the field of life sciences. In my talk, Presenting Like a Pro, I shared key insights and tips guaranteed to make their content more compelling and their delivery more dynamic.

There are hundreds of techniques that must be used to take public speaking skills to a higher level, but here are three big “dos” and three big “don’ts” that I addressed at the conference:

• Don’t use a data dump approach and address every aspect of a topic. Information overload buries your key message points, and the audience recalls little to nothing.
• Don’t use slides filled with rows of text unless your goal is to bore your audience to death.
• Don’t “wing it.” Great presentations require taking the “3 Ps” seriously: Prepare, Practice, Perform.
• Do speak a bit slower and louder than you typically do. Give the audience time to hear and “digest” every sentence.
• Do tailor every presentation to each audience. “One-size-fits-all” never fits anyone well.
• Do practice several times and video record yourself. We never see ourselves the way others see us. The video camera is a great teacher!

Today, competition is fierce, not only in the legal world but every field. So, how do you set your self apart from everyone else? Globally respected business magnates from Sir Richard Branson to Warren Buffet have said the same thing: The art of communication is the most important skill any business leader can possess.

I couldn’t agree more!

Today’s business world knows no boundaries. From Beijing to Boston, Seattle to Seoul thousands of people make business presentations every day to audiences in countries who not only speak different languages, but also have different business cultures from their own. What may work beautifully in your home country could be a failure or, worse, an insult, in another.

Every country has its own unique business culture. While some differences from country to country are striking, many others are subtle. In both cases, anything that becomes a distraction to your host audience will diminish the success of your presentation.

This is enormously evident in my business. As a business-to-business communications trainer and coach based in Washington, DC, I have many international clients requesting help for an upcoming presentation to U.S. companies or government agencies.

Over the years I have observed hundreds of business characteristics unique to different countries. And, while cultural differences are delightful, in international B2B business meetings, some can put foreign business professionals at a disadvantage when making presentations to American business leaders. So, a large part of my job with my non-American clients is helping them utilize both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques that will ensure they better engage their American hosts and result in more positive outcomes. This is the first of two articles with verbal and non-verbal communications advice that has helped hundreds of clients have more productive meetings with American business leaders.

1. American businesses #1 rule: Time is Money

In general, U.S. companies are all about making the most money in the shortest amount of time. Business meetings here are focused on bottom-line results, and the quicker the ROI, the return on investment, the better. When developing your presentations to U.S. companies, keeping this American business attitude in mind will improve the chances of making those meetings more successful. This will build professional rapport with your American host quicker.

2. Keep your presentations short. How short? In general, for your first meeting, no more than 15 to 20 minutes is a good rule to follow. Keep your verbal presentation big-picture to explain the overall benefits of your products and services. Do not start explaining every detail. When you conclude your presentation there will then be plenty of time for your American hosts to ask questions about the details they care most about. This also gives you and your hosts the chance to engage in conversation and get to know each other better. Americans like to discuss issues rather than having a presenter monopolize the meeting time doing all the talking.

3. Talk about benefits first. Many cultures start presentations with a chronological overview of their company’s history and the development of their product or service. American business leaders are primarily focused on one thing: Results. What have you got that can help me either save money or make money?

My advice: Introduce the big overriding benefit your product will give your American hosts within the first three minutes of your presentation. This will grab their attention immediately and they will then be much more interested hearing some of the essential details and other information you will share in your remaining presentation time.

4. American business people are typically very direct. By this I mean that Americans will not hesitate to say things such as, “I don’t think that is a good product for us.” “That is too expensive.” or “I don’t like the design.” As said before, Americans are focused on bottom-line ROI so do not feel offended. I suggest you smile and reply, “Okay, let’s discuss the specifics of your concern and let’s work out a solution.”

5. American business leaders are less formal. Times have changed in America. It’s not uncommon to have a meeting with a CEO and her or his team and the average age is 30. Younger people are very informal in business settings and this concept has grown to include most business people of all ages and all ranks. To be polite, you may begin by addressing your American hosts as “Mr. Johnson” or “Ms. Adams.” They will usually immediately say, “Call me James” or “Christine is fine.” A word about female business professionals: The title “Ms.” is preferred to “Mrs.” or “Miss.” Still, most women will also suggest you call then by their first name.

6. Arrive on time. Business meetings in America are scheduled with a start time and an end time. Not being on time is considered disrespectful to your host and no one likes being stuck in a meeting going past the end time. Americans usually squeeze meetings in between an already over-packed schedule. They will often have to leave immediately for another meeting. If a meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM, be in the reception area five to ten minutes early. This also gives you a few minutes to relax and gather your thoughts before being called into the meeting room.

7. In the introductory phase of meeting Americans, men and women will always extend their hand to shake hands with others. I often get questions about the proper way to shake hands. Here are the simple steps I suggest:

• Hold your right hand straight, your palm facing left.
• Extend your hand so your thumb gently folds on the top of the other person’s hand, parallel to their thumb, and your fingers gently fold around the lower side of their palm. You hand will be enveloped by the other person’s hand so that your palms are touching. Do not just grasp the fingers.
• Gently squeeze the other person’s hand while looking them in the eye and smile.
• Slightly shake three quick times and release.

Avoid greetings that include hugs, kisses on the cheeks, and shaking hands then hugging. Americans are usually caught off guard when these greetings are used and many times this leads to awkward and sometimes embarrassing moments between them and their foreign guests.

Of course, there are many other big and small differences that can make or break having a smooth and productive meeting with U.S. businesses. I’ll share more in my next article. In the meantime, feel free to submit questions you have about communicating more effectively with American business leaders. The more aware you become of these differences means you have the knowledge you need to adapt your verbal and non-verbal business-to-business skills with contemporaries in other countries.

I was recently interviewed by Simon Erskine Locke, Founder & CEO of CommunicationsMatch.com, as part of CommunicationMatch’s Insights video series. Check it out for a variety of short, yet highly informative, interviews with global communication experts on hot topics of the day :

My topic: Tips for managing fake news. Click below and in 3 minutes you will get 3 great tips!

For more information, have a look at Simon’s website : 

• https://communicationsmatch.com/
• https://communicationsmatch.com/insights-blog