Own Your Voice: Improve Presentations and Executive Presence

Quiz 1

1. What is the first step when practicing diaphragmatic breathing?

Put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your stomach.

Breathe in through your mouth, and then breathe out through your nose.

Breathe in through your nose, and then breathe out through your mouth.

2. Which sequence of steps should you take before you practice making sound, while using actionable theater techniques?

Stand rigidly with your hands at your sides, stare intently, and breathe very slowly.

Stand slouched over, look at the ground, and breathe in short, quick bursts.

Stand on your spine, make sustained eye contact, and breathe from your diaphragm.

3. Which method should you use when you start to feel uncomfortable while maintaining eye contact?

Look away quickly and stare at the ground until you feel better.

Put your mind’s eye or mental focus in your feet or on the top of your head.

Lean forward intently while keeping your eyes as wide open as possible.

4. Why do you want to put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach when practicing diaphragm breathing?

It helps you to focus on only breathing from the diaphragm.

It helps you keep track of how fast your heart is beating.

It helps you stand up straight and be on your spine.

5. How should you begin the process of being aware of your spine?

First, become aware of your hips and bring them back gently.

First, place your feet underneath your hips, with your toes facing forward and your knees soft and pliant.

First, place your feet in front of you, with your toes facing inward and your knees rigidly locked.

Quiz 2

1. How can you best keep your presentations from becoming too stale?

Practice your presentation until it becomes rote.

Make an emotional relationship with your main ideas.

Stand on your spine and breathe from your diaphragm.

2. What does it mean to practice in the space?

When practicing, imagine the space in which you will give your presentation.

When practicing, imagine you are floating in space.

When practicing, breathe deeply and focus only on your presentation.

3. How can you make an emotional connection with your audience?

Breathe correctly.

Tell a good story.

Practice your presentation.

Quiz 3

1. What should you do to increase your chance of securing a requested raise?

Use fact-based wins.

Appeal to their emotions.

Be nice to your boss.

2. Based on recent studies, how are women’s voices perceived compared to men’s voices?

more logical

less persuasive

more fact-based

3. What is the first important step you should take when dealing with a colleague who repeatedly interrupts you?

Find an ally.

Interrupt your colleague the next time they speak.

Confront the colleague.

Quiz 4

1. What is a quality of a good listener?

hearing all the facts before you form an opinion

listening only when you find the conversation beneficial

expressing displeasure when you do not agree

2. Which general approach should you take when listening?

Listen to understand.

Listen to appease.

Listen to learn.

Quiz 5

1. In the following sentence, which word is considered a filler? “Sorry, l think we should maybe go with the green design and, like, roll it out in December.”

sorry

maybe

like

2.Which choice is an example of a filler word?

maybe

um

sorry

3. In the following sentence, what kind of word is “maybe” and why should it be removed? “I think we should go with the green design and maybe roll it out in December.”

It is a filler and adds an unneeded pause.

It is an apologizer and undermines your authority.

It is a qualifier and makes the sentence less impactful.

4. Which phrase in the following sentence is an apologizer? “I, well um, think we should go with the green design and maybe possibly roll it out in December, if that’s okay.”

maybe possibly

well um

if that’s okay

Quiz 6

1. How can a smartphone be a useful tool for preparing a presentation in a second language?

You can use it to translate difficult phrases while giving your speech.

You can use it to look up words you are unfamiliar with during your speech.

You can use it to record yourself practicing your speech, so you can catch mistakes.

2. You are giving a presentation in a second language and need to use a few words that are difficult for you. What should you do?

Use the words if they make sense, but write them down and practice saying them aloud.

Avoid using the words, but make a list of these words to practice later.

Use the words and hope the audience does not get too confused if you stumble on them.

Quiz 7

1. You are considered a strong leader in your company. What can you do to balance your leadership style?

Delegate tasks at your next meeting.

Allocate money to train your staff.

Start your next meeting with a smile.

2. What should you do if you notice a new team member at a meeting who is not engaging?

Ignore the behavior for now, as they will eventually feel comfortable and engage more.

During the meeting, call their attention and tell them to introduce themselves.

Give the team member their space in the meeting for now, but approach them after the meeting to show support.

3. How would you describe advocacy for others?

Help amplify the voices of people who may have trouble getting heard.

Be aware of the effects of your actions on others.

Maintain a balanced leadership style and presence.

4. What is the best definition of mindfulness?

being aware of how your actions affect others

being critical of all your weak points

being critical of your team’s weak points

5. After you create a list of how you appear as a leader in the workplace, what should you do next?

Critically assess each item on the list, identifying the negative aspects.

Neutrally assess how you feel about each item on the list

Have a subordinate take a neutral look at the list and offer their opinion.

6. You tend to be a warm leader. What can you do to balance your leadership style?

Ask everyone how their weekend was.

Start your next meeting with a smile.

Delegate tasks at your next meeting.