Have you ever had this happen?
You work really hard, did some research and consulted with others. You have the perfect script. Or the best pitch. Or the best speech or presentation. You practice. You prepare. You are so ready.
Then you go to deliver it. It falls flat on its face. You leave the situation and wonder… “What else could I have said? What did I say that was wrong?” or something of that ilk.
If you have, you are not alone. We hear it all the time. And we know why. It is not the script. It is not the pitch. It is not the presentation. All the work you did was great. It is not what you said, but what was in the background of what you said that had it fall flat on its face.
Let me explain this a bit more. In every communication there is a foreground conversation and a background conversation. Most people don’t think or even know about that. The background has way more influence on the outcome of the communication/conversation/presentation or pitch than you realize.
What is the difference? The foreground communication includes the words you say, your body language, your tone of voice, the volume and all things one can observe. The background includes what others cannot observe but influences everything. It is where you are coming from. Your intention in saying what you are saying. Your concerns about what you are saying or the outcome of what you are saying or intending. Your worries. Your why. So, if you are concerned about money and you are doing a sales presentation and are not aware that this background concern bleeds through, you will seem desperate or needy to your prospect. Contrast that to if you are concerned about serving your prospect, that background concern bleeds through and they are more open to what you are saying. Whatever is in the background shapes the experience for the receiver of the communication.
To illustrate this more clearly, look at these pictures.
What is your experience, what emotion does this picture evoke?
What is your experience, what emotion does this picture evoke?
They are exactly the same images in the FOREGROUND. Same couple, same position, same clothing, same body language. However, the BACKGROUNDS are very different. Your experience and emotions are influenced by that background. What most people report when viewing these pictures is a light fun mood when looking at the top one and a dark foreboding mood when looking at the bottom one.
So, if you can clearly see this and then we go back to your presentation, your pitch, your talk, this shows you how what is in the background directly influences how what you say is experienced by the listener.
Whenever you are not getting what you expect and desire out of your pitch, your presentation, your talk, begin to look at what is in the background for you. Ask yourself what you are concerned about? What is your attention on? This will begin to point to what there is to deal with and alter so you can be wildly effective in the future.
One last note- the pitch, presentation or talk- the foreground- may also be at fault for the result when you write it or design it when you are not conscious and dealing powerfully with those background concerns.
Watch out for another blog on what you are saying/the foreground and how to powerfully construct it.
If you want more information on this, contact us.