Jim McGuirk & Associates

Advanced Presentation Skill : Making a presentation is always important, and because of the importance, there is pressure on the presenter to speak and think correctly, clearly and confidently.

Business Writing : The training in our basic program, BUSINESS WRITING, focuses on five general areas: Organization Clarity Tone Grammar & Punctuation Style

How to facilitate a meeting : Facilitating a meeting is a difficult and complex task. It calls for handling people and information over a considerable time. HOW TO FACILITATE A MEETING concentrates on moving a meeting to a specified goal. We address what the facilitator needs to prepare and organize to lead and coordinate a meeting. Portions of our programs, Speaking & Thinking Under Pressure and Presentation Skills, appear in this program. Exercises in the program include: more...

Issues Communication : ISSUES COMMUNICATION prepares executives to speak - often under pressure - to a variety of audiences on a variety of issues. We use the most current techniques to facilitate memory. This enables a person to commit to memory a wide range of issues (financial, regulatory, operational, social) and the appropriate responses. Our techniques assist in the proper recall of the information, so as to have the response clear and correct. They help to eliminate vagueness and long-windedness. In addition, a hard copy approach, in the form of more...

Media Training : Media situations rank among the most challenging speaking assignments. They are fraught with pressure and risk. An ill-considered remark, bad preparation, faulty research or just a generally unconvincing response can turn instantly into "bad press.

Presentation Skills : One of the most difficult tasks required of a person is to make a presentation. Whether the presentation is to one person or many, there is a significant amount of pressure on the speaker to do well. The presenter is called on to develop and communicate an organized message while simultaneously holding the audience s attention. The coordination of these factors is a delicate, and at times, difficult balance.

Presenting with Powerpoint : Our program, PRESENTING WITH POWERPOINT, addresses the creation of the talk, its sequence and visual support as well as the handling and delivery of the talk under pressure. The program is delivered in full and half-day versions, the former giving us more time to work on the physical delivery. Portions of our programs, Speaking & Thinking Under Pressure and Presentation Skills, are included in the both versions. All exercises are videotaped and reviewed during the program.

Sales Training : Selling is complicated, whether it is on the telephone or in-person. The difficulties in normal communication are dramatically multiplied in a selling situation. In sales there are very real pressures cognitive, physiological and psychological pressures. These are natural and occur in everyone

Speaking Under Pressure : In countless one-on-one situations throughout the day, and in both small and large meetings throughout the week, there is a need to speak and think clearly under pressure. We define pressure as the sense of urgency and the physical reaction to a situation demanding attention. At a meeting someone asks you a tough question; the situation demands your attention and there is a physical and psychological reaction. Anytime we present our thoughts to clients, to managers, to peers, to subordinates, we are under a degree of pressure to communicate clearly and confidently. Pressure is inherent in a business environment.

The Effective Manager : Today a manager must lead, not just manage. To do this there are a number of essential qualities an effective manager must possess. Among others, these include intelligence and the ability to work hard, to think and communicate in an organized way, and to present oneself with confidence, authority and poise.

Written Talks : Our program, WRITTEN TALKS, addresses delivering and/or preparing a written script. Reading a written script is difficult. The principal difficulties are losing contact with your audience or making a mistake with the reading. Many times a script is too smooth, and although perfect grammatically, and beautifully structured, it is unnatural for the listener to hear. It can easily sound too artificial and not the true thoughts and feelings of the speaker. Our training technique is a very effective solution to this dilemma and has been successful for many individuals in a variety of circumstances. We also write speeches. Our lead associate in this area is a noted speechwriter, in both business and government.