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Communicating Valley Style

GSVA
January 14, 2014
250

Communicating Valley Style

Heather Todd

GSVA

January 14, 2014
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  1. GSVA%Communica.on%1053% "The%trouble%with % the%first%.me%entrepreneur%is%that % he%doesn’t%know % what%he%doesn’t%know. % ASer%a%failure

    % he%does%know % what%he%doesn’t%know % and%can%beat%the%hell%out%of%people % who%s.ll%have%to%learn."% % % U%Don%Valen.ne%(founder%of%Sequoia%Capital)% %
  2. GSVA%Communica.on%1053% 1.  Silicon%Valley%is%highly%compe..ve.% 2.  Mee.ng%as%many%people%as%possible%is%more%important%than% building%longUterm%rela.onships.% 3.  Americans%don’t%take%punctuality%very%serious%% 4.  Things%are%very%casual%in%Silicon%Valley.%

    5.  Americans%typically%don’t%follow%through%with%their% invita.ons%(let’s%do%dinner)% 6.  It’s%individualis.c%America%as%opposed%to%team%work% 7.  I%can%convince%Silicon%Valley%with%all%my%educa.on%and% degrees% 8.  Failure%is%really%welcome%here,%so%I%should%show%how%much%I% have%failed% 9.  Americans%are%good%salesmen%so%we%need%to%learn%how%to% be%good%salesmen% 10.  I%should%do%things%in%a%logical%linear%style%like%in%Germany.%AU BUCUD% 11.  Problems%are%looked%at%as%opportuni.es.%People%take% ini.a.ve.%% 12.  If%I%have%a%good%idea,%it’s%easy%to%make%it%in%Silicon%Valley!%%% Germany%vs.%Silicon%Valley%Quiz%–%true%or%false?%
  3. GSVA%Communica.on%1053% Logical*Levels*by*Robert*Dilts* Iden)ty* “I*am”* Beliefs/values* “I*believe”* Capabili)es** Skills** “I*can*do”* Behavior*

    “I*do”* Environment* “I*experience”* * More%specifically,%“Beliefs”% Challenge%yourself%to%discover% poten.al%beliefs,%mindsets,% mo.va.on%behind%behavior%
  4. GSVA%Communica.on%1053% WriLen:% 1.%Do%Capitalize%the%beginning%of%a%sentence%and%beginning%of%a%paragraph!% % 2.%Get%your%quota.on%marks%“right.”% % 3.%Don’t%write%in%the%passive%voice.%%% % 4.%Keep%it%short%and%simple!%Stop%sentences%from%running%away.% %

    5.%Keep%in%mind%the%other%person’s%WITFM%(What%is%in%it%for%me).%% % 6.%State%the%purpose%in%the%email%subject%line!% % 7.%Send%emails%with%one%request/topic.% % 8.%CheckUin%with%people%to%see%how%they%best%want%to%be%communicated%with.%% % 9.%Don’t%expect%that%people%followUup.%Feel%free%to%followUup%in%another%way.% % 10.%Consider%alterna.ves%like%word%clouds,%pictures,%mind%mapping% A%few%Do’s%and%Don’t’s%
  5. GSVA%Communica.on%1053% Oral:% 1.%Don’t%over%explain.%AUBUCUD%(Silicon%Valley%people%get%annoyed%–”got%it,%move%on”).% % 2.%Don’t%go%into%too%many%specific%details%unless%asked.%% % 3.%Make%sure%you%are%really%listening*to%others%(forget%your%own%agenda).% % 4.%Take%ques.ons%at%face%value%–%don’t%shy%away%from%simplifying%(our%1st%differen.ator% is%this,%our%2nd%is%that)%%

    % 5.%Have%a%1%minute,%and%5%minute%way%of%presen.ng%your%company% (telephone%,networking%event,%presen.ng,%etc.)% % 6.%Focus%on%making*a*connec)on*–%don’t%oversell.%You%are%not%talking%to%a%customer%if% you%are%talking%to%an%investor%and%vise%versa.%% % 7.%Believe%that%the%(investor)%knows%more%about%your%market%than%you%do.%% % % A%few%Do’s%and%Don’t’s%
  6. GSVA%Communica.on%1053% NonUverbal% 1.%Be%aware%of%your%presence.%How%do%you%affect%others?%What%are%the%first% impressions%you%give?% % 2.%Don’t%ignore%what%you%are%communica.ng%with%your%body.%Learn%to%use%body% language%to%help%you%establish%connec.ons%and%support%your%inten.ons.% % 3.%For%example,%watch%the%distance*you%put%between%you%and%another%person.% Europeans%stand%much%closer%when%talking.%

    % 4.%Do%show%off%those%pearly%whites!%Smile%more.% % 5.%Watch%your%tones%and%use%inflec.ons.%German%is%much%more%monotone.%% 6.%U.S.%is%the%land%of%unspoken%rules.%Make%sure%you%are%aware%before%making%huge% blunders.%(e.g.,%Don’t%stare.%It%is%considered%an%invasion%of%privacy%and%can%even% make%others%angry.%Or%Where%are%you%throwing%your%cans?)% A%few%Do’s%and%Don’ts%
  7. GSVA%Communica.on%1053% Let’s%Prac.ce!% 1%.Wri.ng%to%an%investor%scenario:% You%have%found%the%“perfect”%investor%Dan%for%your%company.%He%knows%your%market%and%the% technology%like%no%other.%You%have%asked%your%contacts%but%you%haven’t%found%anyone%to%introduce% you%personally.%Your%job:%write%an%introductory%email,%compelling%enough%that%he%may%consider% mee.ng%with%you.%%% % 2.%Presen.ng%your%company%at%an%event%scenario:% You%are%going%to%be%presen.ng%your%company%at%a%very%important%event.%All%the%important%movers%

    and%shakers%are%there…..customers%and%investors%too!%The%only%problem%is%that%you%only%have%5% minutes%(alterna.ve%1%minute)%to%introduce%your%company.%Do%your%best%(remembering%all%the%nonU verbal%points%like%body%language)%to%convince%the%audience%of%your%company.% % 3.%Talking%about%your%team%at%a%networking%event:% You%are%at%a%networking%event%with%some%really%interes.ng%people%in%your%industry.%Everyone%seems% to%have%a%good%idea.%Everyone%in%the%circle%you%are%talking%too%is%discussing%what%makes%their%team%a% winning%one.%Present%why%you%have%a%winning%team%in%1%minute.%%%
  8. GSVA%Communica.on%1053% 1.  Take%the%opportunity,%be%open%and%curious,%realize%there%are%things%you%don’t%know%or%even%know%exist.%Be% open.% 2.  Effec.ve%communica.on%is%essen.al%so%put%it%in%your%constant%focus.% 3.  Tip%1:%Understand%who%you%are%talking%to!%Culture%(culture%quiz),%people’s%lenses,%and%most%importantly%beliefs % come%into%play%when%understanding%best%way%to%communicate.%

    % 4.  Tip%2:%Understand%yourself%as%much%as%possible!%What%lenses%do%you%have%that%influence%the%way%you%see% others%and%yourself?%What%beliefs%drive%so%many%things%you%think%and%do%and%how%and%what%you% communicate?% 5.  Tip%3:%Review%the%basics.%Brush%up%on%your%English,%study%your%wriLen%and%oral%rules,%and%prac.ce!%Use% resources%and%get%help%when%you%are%struggling.%(do’s%and%don’ts%for%wriLen%and%oral)% % 6.  Tip%4:%Communica.on%is%much%more%than%words!%Pay%close%aLen.on%to%presence,%body%language,%tone,%and% other%important%elements%that%will%help%or%hurt%your%efforts.%(do’s%and%don’ts)% 7.  Tip%5:%Establish%rapport%and%build%trus.ng%alliances%and%rela.onships.%Connec.on%is%key.%Reaching%someone% on%an%emo.onal%level%should%always%be%your%goal.%% 8.  Tip%6:%Prac.ce,%prac.ce,%prac.ce!%(exercises)%%Ask%for%feedback!%Realize%your%feedback%triggers%and%overcome% them.%Teach%others%how%you%like%to%receive%feedback.%% % % Overview%