Category Archives: International

Especially Powerful Business in China

China - B schoolI not only travel a great many miles to special places, but also work with some of the brightest business leaders of tomorrow, endowed with the talent to deliver especially powerful international presentations.

In China, for instance.

China has already overtaken Japan as the world’s second largest economy, and its engine of domestic and international commerce is only just starting.

Especially Powerful Drive

With incredible knowledge resource capability and government that increasingly recognizes the power of individual initiative and the economic benefits that accrue from relaxing regulation, China is set for an economic renaissance to stagger the world when its gears fully engage.

MBA students at the Sun Yat Sen Business School in Guangzhou, who appear on this page, show a determination, drive, optimism, and coachability that should be the envy of the world.

These young people a2016-06-23 08.59.16re cosmopolitan to an extraordinary degree.  They are proficient in multiple languages, and they are eager to absorb the lessons of Western-style management.

Poised to enter middle-management as a sage class of entrepreneurial knowledge workers who embrace the proven techniques of modern industrial wealth production.

These techniques of course include especially powerful presenting, which can confer unmatched personal competitive advantage.

I’d go so far as to say that they constitute a new cadre of global executives, a new breed of 21st Century Managers, unencumbered with outdated notions held over from the industrial revolution.

A cadre imbued with the qualities of . . .

Cultural Competence

Technical Proficiency

Flexibility and Adaptability

Cosmopolitan Outlook

Team-work orientation

Personal and Professional Aligned Strategic Focus

International Presentation Advantage

A cadre who can deliver especially powerful presentations in a second or third language.  International Presentations.  Now that’s advantage to garner rarefied personal competitive advantage.

They exhibit an incredible hunger to become the best business presenters possible.  Folks who embrace the range of instruction found in The Guide to Business School Presenting . . . quite revolutionary to the Chinese education system.

The rest of the business world should take note.

China is an economic dragon on the cusp of a genuine and especially powerful Leap Forward.

Global Presentation Advantage – China Redux

Global Presentation
Global Presentation Skills can add Personal Competitive Advantage

For many, Globalization is the nefarious catchall word for many of the world’s discontents.

But in China it means progress and prosperity.

In Guangzhou, previously known as Canton, the dynamism of a global economy is on display.  Not only in the towering skyscrapers that line the Pearl River, but in the latest generation of business-savvy 20-somethings.

The MBAs in China with whom I work – to a student – display a cosmopolitan outlook and entrepreneurial spirit that was largely absent a generation ago.

This outlook is leavened with ambition.  It carries a healthy Confucian ethos, and a killer capitalist skill set . . . including business presenting designed for multi-national audiences.

Especially Powerful Global Presentations

I’m back in Guangzhou in a week to inculcate global presentation skills to an international clientele proficient in multiple languages.  They’re eager to absorb the lessons of Western-style management and embrace the proven techniques of modern industrial and technological wealth production.

These techniques of course include especially powerful presenting, which can confer unmatched personal competitive advantage – a global presentation advantage.

As I’ve contended elsewhere, these students comprise a new cadre of global executives.  They’re a special breed of 21st Century Managers, unencumbered with outdated notions held over from the industrial revolution.

A cadre imbued with the qualities of . . .

Cultural Competence

Technical Proficiency

Flexibility and Adaptability

Cosmopolitan Outlook

Team orientation

Personal and Professional Aligned Strategic Focus

A Global Presentation Advantage

Young managers who can deliver especially powerful presentations in a second or third language for a Global Presentation Advantage.

Now that’s advantage.

And with an incredible hunger to become the best business presenters possible, who embrace the range of instruction found in The Guide to Business School Presenting . . . quite revolutionary to the Chinese education system.

China is an economic dragon on the cusp of a genuine Great Economic Leap Forward.

In the coming three weeks, I’ll be posting from Guangzhou and Beijing and, one hopes, revealing presentation secrets from the Middle Kingdom.

International Presentations – China

China - B schoolI not only travel a great many miles to special places, but also work with some of the brightest business leaders of tomorrow, endowed with the talent to deliver especially powerful international presentations.

In China, for instance.

China has already overtaken Japan as the world’s second largest economy, and its engine of domestic and international commerce is only just starting.

Especially Powerful Drive

With incredible knowledge resource capability and government that increasingly recognizes the power of individual initiative and the economic benefits that accrue from relaxing regulation, China is set for an economic renaissance to stagger the world when its gears fully engage.

MBA students at the Sun Yat Sen Business School in Guangzhou, who appear on this page, show a determination, drive, optimism, and coachability that should be the envy of the world.

These young people a2016-06-23 08.59.16re cosmopolitan to an extraordinary degree, proficient in multiple languages, and eager to absorb the lessons of Western-style management.

Poised to enter middle-management as a sage class of entrepreneurial knowledge workers who embrace the proven techniques of modern industrial wealth production.

These techniques of course include especially powerful presenting, which can confer unmatched personal competitive advantage.

I’d go so far as to say that they constitute a new cadre of global executives, a new breed of 21st Century Managers, unencumbered with outdated notions held over from the industrial revolution.

A cadre imbued with the qualities of . . .

Cultural Competence

Technical Proficiency

Flexibility and Adaptability

Cosmopolitan Outlook

Team-work orientation

Personal and Professional Aligned Strategic Focus

International Presentation Advantage

A cadre who can deliver especially powerful presentations in a second or third language.  International Presentations.  Now that’s advantage.

And with an incredible hunger to become the best business presenters possible, who embrace the range of instruction found in The Guide to Business School Presenting . . . quite revolutionary to the Chinese education system.

The rest of the business world should take note.

China is an economic dragon on the cusp of a genuine Great Leap Forward.

Cosmopolitan MBA Business Presenting – India

It’s my privilege to not only travel a great many miles to special places, but also to work with some of the brightest young people of the latest generation who constitute the finest business leaders of tomorrow.

And the new cadres of great MBA business presenting.

MBA business presenting
Powerful MBA business presenting is the key to competitive advantage

Take India, for instance.

Today, I fly to Mumbai for two weeks of working with MBA students at the Welingkar Institute of Management.

India is a potential economic powerhouse, whose engine of domestic and international commerce is only just starting.

With incredible knowledge resource capability and government that finally recognizes the power of individual initiative and the economic benefits that accrue from relaxing regulation, India is set for an economic renaissance that will stagger the world when its gears finally engage.

MBA students at Welingkar, many of whom appear on this page, show a drive, determination, optimism, and coachability that should be the envy of the world.  My lecturing has also taken me to Lonavala, to the iFEEL institute, where equally motivated young people pursue their graduate degrees.

Powerful MBA Business Presenting

Inquisitive and cosmopolitan to a startling degree, these young people are poised to enter middle-management as a sage class of entrepreneurial knowledge workers.

They are steeped in the latest management techniques.

Lonavala, home of iFEEL Institute
Lonavala, home of iFEEL Institute

They are armed with the techniques of especially powerful MBA business presenting that confer unmatched competitive advantage.

I’d go so far as to say that they constitute a new cadre of global executives, a new breed of 21st Century Managers.  Unencumbered with notions held over from the industrial revolution.

And, of course, they see the power inherent in superb MBA business presenting, which translates into especially powerful personal competitive advantage.

They constitute a cadre imbued with the qualities of:

        • Technical Proficiency
        • Flexibility and Adaptability
        • Cosmopolitan Outlook
        • Cultural Competence
        • Team-work orientation
        • Personal and Professional Aligned Strategic Focus

The rest of the business world should take note.

India is an economic giant that no longer sleeps.

For more on MBA business presenting and the great big world, consult The Complete Guide to Business School Presenting.

MBA business presenting is the key to competitive advantagePowerful MBA business presenting is the key to competitive advantage

MBA business presenting is key

Next Generation Leadership . . . India

The next generation of Indian business leaders

It is my privilege to not only travel a great many miles to special places, but also to work with some of the brightest young people of the latest generation who constitute the business leaders of tomorrow.

Take India, for instance.

India is a potential economic powerhouse, whose engine of domestic and international commerce is only just starting.

With incredible knowledge resource capability and government that finally recognizes the power of individual initiative and the economic benefits that accrue from relaxing regulation, India is set for an economic renaissance to stagger the world when its gears finally engage.

Drive and Initiative

The MBA students at the Welingkar Institute of Management in Mumbai, who appear on this page, show a drive, determination, optimism, and coachability that should be the envy of the world.

Inquisitive and cosmopolitan to a startling degree, these young people are poised to enter middle-management as a sage class of entrepreneurial knowledge workers, steeped in the latest management techniques and armed with the techniques of especially powerful presenting that confer unmatched competitive advantage.

I’d go so far as to say that they constitute a new cadre of global executives, a new breed of 21st Century Managers, unencumbered with outdated notions held over from the industrial revolution.  A cadre imbued with the qualities of . . .

Cultural Competence

Technical Proficiency

Flexibility and Adaptability

Cosmopolitan Outlook

Team-work orientation

Personal and Professional Aligned Strategic Focus

And with an incredible hunger to become the best business presenters possible, embracing the range of instruction found in The Guide to Business School Presenting . . . quite revolutionary to the Indian education system.

The rest of the business world does need to take note.  India is an economic giant that no longer sleeps.

Presenting Across Cultures . . . Russia

Business presenting offers challenges across cultures
Despite superficial similarities, great differences can exist across cultures with regard to business presenting

The universalities of presenting to business audiences are actually large in number.

But . . . and it’s a big but . . . differences can be great across cultures, and these differences mainly are manifested in the speaker-audience dynamic.

My last week lecturing in Russia was punctuated with many talks in front of college student and business audiences, both at Udmurt State University and at the Izhevsk Business Incubator.

My prior experience told me to hold a bit of circumspection in the corner of my eye as a kind of third-eye view; to perceive the situation as an observer might, so that I might be aware of disjuncture between my message, delivery, and its receipt by my Russian guests.

Complications Galore

Complicating the affair was the presence of a superb interpreter, with whom I’ve worked many times in past years.  She participated half the time as my talks were mixed Russian and English, which the audience seemed to appreciate for extra clarity.

Moreover, much of my presentation material had been translated into Russian on the screen behind me, with no concurrent English writing to offer me cues.  Consequently, I was compelled to internalize my Russian bullet points and pass them back into English.

This made for, occasionally, a less-fluid talk than what I like.

Different Nonverbal Cues

The biggest difference for me as a speaker to this particular foreign audience was the lack of nonverbal audience cues.  Or, should I say, the presence of perhaps a different set of cues.

The general nonverbal cues that we all search for in an audience seemed largely absent.  The signs that we are connecting with an audience simply are not there.

By this, I don’t mean that my listeners were unreceptive, uninterested, or rude.  I mean that their demeanor was what we might call . . . stolid.  My third-eye view told me to overlook this lack of nonverbal communication and to seek other cues to responsiveness.

I found them in a more aggressive interaction pattern.

I turned up the “cold call” technique and began to call on particular listeners for feedback on certain points.  An exercise in competitive intelligence was helpful in one talk as I turned the tables and asked for generation of hypotheses from what seemed a tough audience at first.

In the end, familiarity with one of my audiences over several days and several hours of presenting eroded the barriers that had inhibited audience feedback.

The lessons for me are plain – cultivation of a keener analysis of expected audience behavior in my preparation and the inclusion of short exercises designed to remove cultural barriers early-on.

As well, a healthy humility and a searching, open mind provide the most useful tools for presenting to a foreign audience.

Many verities of business presenting carry over from culture to culture, so have a look at The Complete Guide to Business School Presenting to catalog a few of them.

. . . from Hong Kong

Many folks do not realize that the skill set of business presenting can serve them well in many situations outside the formal business presentation.

I am compelled to write about this now, as I sit in the Hong Kong International Airport, because of a recent and amazing online exchange.

Just when I think that most folks get it, something happens to explode those high hopes.  Here, I refer to how you present yourself to the outside world in professional venues – especially those venues that hold possibilities for professional advancement.  Language, dress, attitude, grammar, even-keeled composure . . . all of it make much more of a difference than you can possibly imagine.

This would seem common sense.

But no, some folks get so wrapped around the axle, get so absorbed in themselves that they forget that they are on display for the world to judge.  Now, if you don’t care what the “world” thinks, great!

But if you recognize the linkages, possibilities, unseen treasure, then you won’t alienate folks with . . .     Well, with untoward behavior that leaves folks entertained, but wondering at your grip on sanity.

More later as I flesh out the breathtaking self-absorbed and unselfaware commentary I’ve been privy to . . . now, the battery on laptop gets low, my flight to Singapore is about to board, and my greetings to you for success and prosperity go out now until I find time to post from the City of the Lion.

Salutations!

Very Smart People

It is a privilege of mine to not only travel a great many miles to special places, but also to work with some of the brightest young people of the latest generation who constitute the business leaders of tomorrow. Take India, for instance.

India is a potential economic powerhouse, whose engine of domestic and international commerce is only just starting. With incredible knowledge resource capability and government that finally recognizes the power of individual initiative and the economic benefits that accrue from relaxing regulation, India is set for an economic renaissance that will stagger the world when its gears finally engage.

The MBA students at the Welingkar Institute of Management in Mumbai, who appear on this page, show a drive, determination, optimism, and coachability that should be the envy of the world. Inquisitive and cosmopolitan to a startling degree, these young people are poised to enter middle-management as a sage class of entrepreneurial knowledge workers, steeped in the latest management techniques and armed with the techniques of especially powerful presenting that confer unmatched competitive advantage.

I’d go so far as to say that they constitute a new cadre of global executives, a new breed of 21st Century Managers, unencumbered with outdated notions held over from the industrial revolution.  A cadre imbued with the qualities of . . .

  • Cultural Competence
  • Technical Proficiency
  • Flexibility and Adaptability
  • Cosmopolitan Outlook
  • Team-work orientation
  • Personal and Professional Aligned Strategic Focus

The rest of the business world does need to take note.  India is an economic giant that no longer sleeps.

Global Presentation Skills

Global Presentation SkillsI’ve just arrived in Mumbai, a vibrant, bustling city, and part of my mandate is to teach Global Presentation Skills.

Mumbai surely bustles – I’m unsure of the meaning of “bustle,” but if there is such at thing, then it is surely happening here.  I found myself bustling across 5 lanes of traffic at Sion Circle today, in fact.  Caught in the seasonal monsoons on my way to  . . . well, at that point, to buy an umbrella.

And then back to my room to prepare my seminar:  Global Presentation Skills  

The seminar is brilliantly titled to indicate its content and purpose.  In fact, I brilliantly titled it myself.

It encompasses the notion that presenting to foreign audiences can be an infuriating process, especially for those business folks relatively inexperienced in dealing with the foreign business cultures.

As your perspicacity tells you, this is a seminar designed to aid businessmen and business students in emerging markets to craft business presentations that follow the contours of the local business culture.  I’ve delivered Global Presentation Skills to firms in Colombia and to groups of Middle Eastern businessmen to what I’ve heard called “much acclaim.”

And as an untapped area rich with potential for competitive advantage, it’s one reason for my presence in Mumbai.  To work with Indian businessmen keen on international expansion.

What’s the benefit of Global Presentation Skills?

Americans can be pesky audiences at best, especially for non-westerners.  Why not gain an advantage over competitors in selling to the American market?  Global Presentation Skills are a greatly neglected link in the chain of selling?  Lots of shrewd folks are saying “Why not, indeed?”

Cultural stereotypes may be ingrained in the American psyche through popular culture and news reports.  Global Presentation Skills helps businessmen surmount communication difficulties that can arise from American misunderstandings of foreign cultures.

Moreover, in a kind of reverse aikido, it helps turn perceived negatives into positives.  Global Presentation Skills can turn self-perceived weaknesses into strengths and transform stereotypes into launch-points for winning presentations.

So now I return to preparing for my Global Presentation Skills utilizing my three Ps – Principles, Preparation, and Practice.

Yes, I practice what is preached on my blog . . . and I hope to deliver an especially powerful presentation.

For more on Global Presentation Skills, consult The Complete Guide to Business School Presenting.

International Business Presentations – Colombia

International Business Presentation for Competitive Advantage
The International Business Presentation offers Chances to Develop Personal Competitive Advantage

I am always struck anew by the similarities across countries and cultures with regard to international business presentations.

More precisely, the delivering of business presentations across cultures.

The pathologies that afflict American Business Presentations show themselves in India . . . in France . . . in Russia.  And now, I discover yet another country and cultural commonality.  This time in Colombia.

My Seven Secrets seminar with Colombian Businessmen and Businesswomen at Corn Products International here in Cali confirms the core truths of the speaking masters from the past 25 centuries.

Even with regard to international business presentations.

It confirms that they are universally applicable across a range of cultures and languages.  Have a look at the company here:

Colombian C-Suite and midlevel managers react much as their American and Indian counterparts with regard to the most common pathologies that destroy what could be outstanding presentations.  These include bad voices, roaming presenters, slide-reading, back to the audience, hip-shots.  Add-in jittery feet, strange habitual actions, finger play, mumbling, and jammed/busy/ugly/unreadable slides.

All of this we see here in the United States.  It plagues Colombian business as well.

International Business Presentations Incorporate Ambition

But my Colombian colleagues – at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corn Products International, Johnson & Johnson, Javeriana University – show themselves to be receptive to coaching.  In fact, they are far more receptive to coaching and dThe International Business Presentationevelopment of especially powerful presentation skills than their American counterparts generally.

Why this should be so, I cannot guess.  Unless it relates to the difficulties of presenting in a second language and the ambition that accompanies the potential of a growing Colombian business sector that is becoming increasingly internationalized.

Presenting in a second language is, of course, an impressive feat in itself.

All of this demonstrates that there exist iron-clad truths in presenting.  And we ignore these truths at our presentation peril.

The eternal and ubiquitous verities in the presentation milieu serve to anchor us in a superficially uncertain world that the avatars of “change management” urge us to adapt to.  Certitude, not “change,” is the key to especially powerful presenting.

Learn the verities and practice the universals in your international business presentations, and you’ll go incredibly right.  Whether in the United States, or in India . . . or in Colombia.