In the room next door, they were screaming and yelling; hooting and hollering; banging on the walls and stomping on tables.  In a moment, find out how this behavior can make you a better speaker.

Recently, I was coaching executives of a Fortune 500 company.  I help leaders, managers, executives and salespeople breathe life into their business presentations.  It was the end of the day and in the room next door, they were screaming and yelling; hooting and hollering; banging on the walls and stomping on tables.
In that noisy room was my friend and trainer, Elaine Dumler.  Later that evening I asked Elaine what was going on. 

“Elaine!  What was going on in your training room?”

“We had to go ‘over the top,’ Ed.”

“What do you mean, by going ‘over the top’?”

“Ed, I was having a hard time staying awake, listening to their presentations.  I had enough.  We had to go ‘over the top.’”

“My mother, Josie Adams, used to be a trainer.  She used to say, “In order to know what is enough, you have to experience what is too much.  After you’ve gone ‘over the top,’ you’ll naturally dial it down.”

“How does it work?”

1. Stop the boring presentation immediately!
2. Explain to the person you are coaching, “In order to know what is enough, you have to experience what is too much.”
3. Have them select one piece of content (PowerPoint slide).
4. Set a timer for 2 minutes.
5. They are to present this material completely ‘over the top.’  They can jump on tables; pound the desk, yell and scream.  Present the content in a way that they would never think of doing.  They must break through their mental glass ceiling / comfort zone.  It must be unreal and ‘over the top.’
6. After the timer has sounded, immediately have them present the same content, but this time, present it as they would normally.

“What happens?”

1. They naturally dial it down.
2. According to their peers, they present at the appropriate energy level.
3. It’s memorable!
4. The quiet people come out of their shell.
5. People have more confidence.
6. They deliver better.
7. They make better word choices – their vocabulary is better.
8. It loosens them up.
9. It’s transformational.  People are amazed at what they can do.

“In order to know what enough is, you have to experience what is too much.” After you’ve gone ‘over the top,’ you’ll naturally dial it down.

I had one of my very quiet students try this “Over the Top” technique.  She’s from Brazil and speaks Portuguese, Spanish and English.  English is her third language and she did not feel that comfortable presenting in English.  In fact, her voice was so soft, that when we replayed the DVD, the camcorder did not pick up her voice.

I explained to Susan (her name has been changed at her request) that “In order to know what enough is, you have to experience what is too much.”  I explained the “Over the Top” technique to her.

You should have seen the look on her face!  She was terrified.  I asked to go ‘over the top’ in the language she preferred.  She only had one question.  “Does anyone here understand Portuguese?”

Susan went completely ‘over the top.’  She rocked her head up and down, back and forth like a rock ‘n roll star.  She moved from one side of the room to the other.  Her pitch was richer, her rate was faster and her volume was louder.  She smiled.  Her coworkers were astonished.  I was shocked.  She was completely transformed.

She was then asked to do it again, this time in English and not ‘over the top.’  Just as Elaine predicted, Susan gave an outstanding presentation.

Here again is the “Over the Top” Technique.

1. Find a part of your presentation you’d like to test, using the “Over the Top” technique.
2. Set the timer for 2 minutes.
3. Record yourself.
4. Tell your family/friends what are you are doing.  The first words out of your mouth should not be, “I’ve gone ‘over the top’.”  You will wake up in an asylum!
5. Immediately after the ‘over the top’ session, present the content again.
With this counterintuitive technique, you will bring more energy, confidence, better delivery and vocabulary to your next presentation.