182: Presentation Skills and Questions, with Bonni Stachowiak

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed

Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

Audio Question from Rick

• 3 Ways to Start Your Next Presentation
• Episode 126: How to Be Interesting When Pitching an Idea
• Show and Tell: How Everybody Can Make Extraordinary Presentations* by Dan Roam
• The Quick & Easy Way to Effective Speaking* by Dale Carnegie

Question from Jay

Daniel Pink said that one of the important qualities of a leader was the ability of the leader to insulate their team members from the “noise” of the organization (I completely agree). However, I have also seen that the act of insulating one’s team can get the leader into trouble. Ultimately, insulating one’s team members sometimes means saying no to new projects so that more important existing projects can get done. This very thing (insulation of team) has a tendency to create a great working environment for the followers but simultaneously put the leader in jeopardy with his superiors. How do you suggest dealing with such a quandary? In essence, the right thing to do for the leader’s people, and consequently the organization, is also the very thing that may cause political difficulty for the leader.

• Yes, Bonni received a new Kindle* for Valentine’s Day
• Essentialism* by Greg McKeown
• Episode 129: How to Create A Personal Knowledge Management System
• Harold Jarche

Audio Question from Phil

• Episode 143: Accepting Feedback With Sheila Heen of Difficult Conversations
• The Leadership Challenge* by James Kouzes and Barry Posner
• Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) Assessments

Question from Charles

How does one know if what one needs is a professional coach (life/career coach?) or a therapist? Are there professionals which wear both hats? I am currently in transition from solopreneur to possibly going back in the corporate world after about 12 years. It’s not a transition that I am eager for and is accompanied by a good measure of anxiety, confusion, self-doubt, etc.

My feeling is that I need someone who can objectively guide me through answering some basic questions at this point in my life (What do I really want to do? What are my real strengths? Do I want to go back to the corporate grind? Should/How do I change careers?, etc.) while also helping me manage the emotional issues. I know this is a tall order (overwhelming for me right now). Should I be seeking one person who can offer a holistic view (a life coach)? Or two very different professionals (who may or may not offer conflicting advice)?

• Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes* by William Bridges

Audio Question from Elle

• Episode 79: Benefits You Get From A Recognition Program
• Episode 80: Ten Steps To Create A Recognition Program
• Drive* by Daniel Pink
• On The Folly Of Rewarding A While Hoping For B by Steven Kerr

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