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Seminar "Back to schools"Seminar "Back to schools"

Some "communication skills" for Some "communication skills" for speakersspeakers

at action"Back to schools"at action"Back to schools"

Wolfgang StreitenbergerWolfgang Streitenberger

Conseiller, DG INFSO Conseiller, DG INFSO

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What is an Ambassador?What is an Ambassador?

Representative of the Commission Representative of the Commission as a whole, not only the DGas a whole, not only the DG

Representative of the interests of Representative of the interests of the Commission the Commission

– Personification of EC/EUPersonification of EC/EU– Source of informationSource of information– Interlocutor in dialogue Interlocutor in dialogue – Opinion shaperOpinion shaper– Image creatorImage creator

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How to be an How to be an excellentexcellent Ambassador? Ambassador?

… … andand

enjoying public relationsenjoying public relations

persuasive, enjoying advocacypersuasive, enjoying advocacy

enthusiastic, self-motivatingenthusiastic, self-motivating

good discussion partnergood discussion partner

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Planning of speaking eventPlanning of speaking event

Clarify your task with host Clarify your task with host (=teacher)(=teacher)

– Type of contribution Type of contribution (statement; kick-off statement; factual (statement; kick-off statement; factual

information; historic look back; forecast or information; historic look back; forecast or perspectives; “opinion”; quiz; role-perspectives; “opinion”; quiz; role-play;questions in advance; "voting"…)play;questions in advance; "voting"…)

– Length of contributionLength of contribution

– Elements of contentElements of content

– Expectations concerning styleExpectations concerning style

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Planning of speech/Q&APlanning of speech/Q&A

Preparation of content of speech:Preparation of content of speech:Four “pure” types of presentations:Four “pure” types of presentations:

Your speech: should be appropriate Your speech: should be appropriate “mixture”“mixture”Think ofThink of

informing entertaining motivating/inspiring persuading

SubstanceSubstance (research …) (research …)StructureStructure (follow audience interest (follow audience interest “What’s in it for me?”)“What’s in it for me?”)StyleStyle (verbal and non-verbal (verbal and non-verbal language, word choice, adaptation language, word choice, adaptation to audience)to audience)

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Planning of speech/Q&APlanning of speech/Q&A

Preparation of content of speech:Preparation of content of speech:

Structure backwards!Structure backwards!

Not Not Introduction, Introduction, Body, Body, ConclusionConclusion

BUT BUT ++++ = your objective merged with audience’s = your objective merged with audience’s

problems, problems, interests, concerns interests, concerns

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Some special kick off elements for Some special kick off elements for youngsters:youngsters:

EU-Quiz (look DG COMM Ambassadors EU-Quiz (look DG COMM Ambassadors homepage!) Compare sizes of populations, homepage!) Compare sizes of populations, countries...ask for associate countries...ask for associate members...candidate countries....Euro members...candidate countries....Euro member states...etcmember states...etc

Adapt EU-Quiz to country you are speaking in Adapt EU-Quiz to country you are speaking in (what’s the name of "our" Commissioner, (what’s the name of "our" Commissioner,

how many MEP do "we" have? How many km how many MEP do "we" have? How many km is our capital from Brussels? How many % is is our capital from Brussels? How many % is our population of EU population?our population of EU population?

Role play (e.g. Commission meeting; EP Role play (e.g. Commission meeting; EP debate; Council debate;...)debate; Council debate;...)

Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Some special kick off elements for Some special kick off elements for youngsters:youngsters:

Collect written questions (if you are afraid that Collect written questions (if you are afraid that they are too shy...)they are too shy...)

Play a short video (look DG COMM Ambassadors Play a short video (look DG COMM Ambassadors homepage; "Europe by Satellite" on PC...)homepage; "Europe by Satellite" on PC...)

Show them "latest EU news" from Intracomm-Show them "latest EU news" from Intracomm-NewsroomNewsroom

Allow, invite interruptive questionsAllow, invite interruptive questions Ask rhetoric questions (what would have Ask rhetoric questions (what would have

happened IF....we would have had no Euro in happened IF....we would have had no Euro in the crisis? No Schengen-Agreement? No the crisis? No Schengen-Agreement? No Enlargement to the east?)Enlargement to the east?)

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Your success depends on credibilityYour success depends on credibility

Consisting of Consisting of

Expertise Believability

(= no spin, no propaganda) Likeability

(= “the medium is the message”)

Authenticity

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Smile sometimes Use personal experience and anecdotes Be yourself No lying Speak at audience level

Selected tips …Selected tips …

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Some other tipsSome other tips

– Prepare well, but do not over-preparePrepare well, but do not over-prepare

– Do not try:Do not try:

to control behaviour of audience to emulate other good speakers to please everybody

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Dealing with difficult audiencesDealing with difficult audiences

Selected “extreme” types:Selected “extreme” types:

1.super pro-Europeans

2.obligatory participation (sometimes “school classes”)

3.super anti-Europeans

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Dealing with difficult audiencesDealing with difficult audiences

1. super pro-Europeans1. super pro-Europeans

wake them up fuel new ideas/thoughts/information dare some speculation, forecast thought-provoking content motivate by “we need you”

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Dealing with difficult audiencesDealing with difficult audiences

2. obligatory participation2. obligatory participation

link your subject with its main interests/issues

show advantages of EU integration in general

show personal benefits of EU integration

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Some general tips:Some general tips:

develop rapport

establish common ground

tell about what the EU meant for you in schooltime

tell your development from school to EU-official

describe a typical working day, Brussels life

tell anecdotes (work, private)

tell about your links to your homecountry

describe career opportunities for youngsters in EU

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Dealing with difficult questionsDealing with difficult questions

If you react to difficult questions by If you react to difficult questions by being being

this will be regarded as rather this will be regarded as rather negatively by the audiencenegatively by the audience

evasive

defensive

contentious

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Dealing with difficult questionsDealing with difficult questions

Some general tips for answers:Some general tips for answers:

Find a way to agree at least partly Answer briefly, simply and directl Dissolve bundle of unclear question and

pick out the main issue Treat two questions from the same person

as two questions (take notes!)

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Accept interruptive questions or not?If no Q&A round announced you have to …Otherwise, refer to Q&A part at the end

For school audiences invite interruptive questions in anyway!

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Dealing with difficult questionsDealing with difficult questions

Negative questionsNegative questions: : Turn them into positive! Turn them into positive!

(otherwise inviting further negative (otherwise inviting further negative questions)questions)

Example:Example:

Q: “Why aren’t you stopping with enlargement?”

Your A: “Why we ARE continuing with enlargement …”

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Dealing with difficult questionsDealing with difficult questions

Irrelevant questionsIrrelevant questions: : Also to be answered Also to be answered > with humour … > with humour …

Disparate multiple questionsDisparate multiple questions: : Take notes, do not sayTake notes, do not say “What was your other question?”“What was your other question?”

(signals you were not listening)(signals you were not listening)

StatementsStatements: : In any way – converting them into In any way – converting them into questionsquestions

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Presenting/public speakingPresenting/public speaking

Dealing with difficult questionsDealing with difficult questions

If you do not know the answer:If you do not know the answer:

Reply to a part at least generallyReply to a part at least generally Explain why you cannot reply fully/in Explain why you cannot reply fully/in

detaildetail Create sympathy for your positionCreate sympathy for your position Take note - promise contact to expert orTake note - promise contact to expert or

- promise direct reply- promise direct reply - possibly offer reply to all - possibly offer reply to all

audience audience members by email or members by email or - refer to after-event conversation- refer to after-event conversation