WINNING WITH WORDS: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE THE VOICE OF OKDHS

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No Audio: Bob Campbell - Toastmasters International, Speech Delivery Facilitator.

Bob Campbell: The value of this sort of training and what DHS is doing today and what Toastmasters does is absolutely... it's nothing less than finding our voice. To be a person is having the ability to speak your mind on whatever that subject is.  If it's as a representative, for instance, of DHS, conveying the message of DHS, why it's important the community, helping educate the public. That's part of it also, but each of us has to have our voice. We have to have the ability to stand up, to speak our peace even as we listen to others.

No Audio: Jeff Wagner - Center for Communications and Community Relations, Programs Administrator.

Jeff Wagner: Every day we have a chance to take what may have been a bad situation and turn it into a customer service opportunity. If we can resolve the issue that sparked the customer thinking that their only recourse was to call the press - if we can resolve that, when the reporter calls the client back,
the client will say, "Oh well, they've taken care of that." No story.

No Audio: Sheree Powell - Coordinator of Communications.

Sheree Powell: You're going to want to have a pre-interview interview with the reporter. You're going to want to sit down with them, talk to them either in person or on the phone. Really find out what they want - what they're after. Try to get a feel for the angle of the story. You should be able to tell that with the first few questions and answers that you have with the reporter. You don't want to go into the situation not being prepared.

Jeff Wagner: We'll help to determine whether you're the appropriate person to respond to the reporter and we'll work with you on your response.
We'll help you develop talking points. If you have two or three things in your pocket that you can say to the reporter and make sure that you keep hitting those points, that will make the discussion a lot easier for you. You always want to be courteous and helpful with the reporter. Again, any program information you'd typically give to a customer or client you can certainly tell the reporter.

Sheree Powell: But most of the time most local stories, most local issues - the community would much rather hear from you. You're the most trusted person in that community. So, we want you to have the tools to respond to stories. We will determine if you are the appropriate spokesperson. If you are, then we'll help you develop those messages.

No Audio: "Four Steps in a Media Response - 1) Determine the nature of the reporter's request. 2) Notify your supervisor and your communications professional. 3) Return the reporter's call promptly. 4) Follow up with your communications professional." 

Sheree Powell (continues): Typically it's just going to be things you already know. Most of the stories that come up on a daily basis are things that you can respond to very quickly, very easily. If there's something else that's a little more in-depth that we can help you put together, we'll help you to develop a very clear, concise message with some talking points that will help you deliver that message with some comfort.

No Audio: Sandra James - Director, Comanche County.

Sandra James: When the media in Comanche County comes into my office, they want to talk to me because to them we represent, the local office represents, DHS. It is not the state office; it's the local office. So, when they come, and they will come, you have to be prepared to address it. But, we are DHS.  

Jeff Wagner: Never let your guard down. Everything you say can be quoted. It can be misquoted and it's fair game for the reporter's story no matter what the story was he was originally calling about. You want to learn to speak in sound bytes.

No Audio: "Media DOs and DON'Ts: DON'Ts: 1) Don't speculate. 2) Don't use jargon. 3) Don't go off the record. 4) Don't place blame."

Jeff Wagner (continues): You really only have 10 to 12 seconds and if you say something like "no comment" - people don't say "no comment" very often, but every time they do you're seeing it on TV.

No Audio: Katerine Leidy - Design Services and Print Shop, Programs Supervisor.

Katerine Leidy: Don't use our own DHS jargon unless you know everyone else in the audience knows what that is. So, I can through out SNAP or TANF and everybody knows what that is. I don't have to worry, but if you're speaking to the Rotary, those people may not have ever used those services, so you really need to spell it out for them.

Jeff Wagner: With radio and TV you don't want to use a whole lot of facts and numbers. If I rattle off a whole bunch of numbers about the program, they'll get lost, and you want to make things much more human.

Sheree Powell: Be professional, keep your calm, keep your cool, don't let them bait you because they will try, and always be prepared. So, just watch those facial expressions, your body movements. If you get hammered into a corner and you don't know what to say, go back to your talking points.

No Audio: "Media DOs and DON'Ts: DOs: 1) Do be honest. 2) Do respect confidentiality. 3) Do know your talking points. 4) Do stay focused. 5) Do be clear and concise."

Sheree Powell (continues): If you draw a complete blank, go back to the mission of the agency. The mission of our agency always makes a great talking point. No matter where you are you can always use that.

Jeff Wagner: When they say, "Is there anything else that you want to say?" take that deep breath, know that you're almost free and repeat everything that you know you wanted to say. Nine times out of ten that second take is the one that they will use. Because you are so much more relaxed when you say it.

Sheree Powell: We will be launching our social media presence very soon, but, as you know, many of us are already out there on social media privately within our own homes and we have private Facebook pages, twitter accounts, things of that nature. We need to be sure and caution employees about social media. While it may seem casual, it is still in writing and it never goes away.

No Audio: Kathie Wright - Family Support Services Division, Programs Manager.

Kathie Wright: Our agency, we need to have more people that are going to go out there and are going to share, whether you're in the grocery store, whether you're at that particular meeting, you know, just push yourself and just attend. Just try it.

Katerine Leidy: Your purpose is kind of your cornerstone to your whole speech. You won't be delivering your purpose to everyone, but this is how you will get started mentally preparing your speech. So, first - does your speech need to inform, motivate, persuade or entertain the group? In most cases you guys will probably just need to be informing, sometimes persuading and if you can entertain, that's even better. You need to determine - what do you want them to understand, what do you want them to get out of it and then, what do you want to achieve? What's your goal in presenting to this group?

No Audio: Laree Reidenbaugh - HRMD, HR Programs Field Coordinator/Trainer.

Laree Reidenbaugh: We are the best advertisement that the Department of Human Services has.

No Audio: "Public Speaking Facing Your Fears"

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Bob Campbell: The primary method for overcoming it is to actually do. It is to speak in a positive, supportive environment. That's what DHS has created for its people here today. That's also very much what Toastmasters does. The more that somebody steps up to a lectern and takes the opportunity to stand up in front of a group and present their thoughts, speak to that group, the more confidence they gain. They're able to overcome that fear of public speaking.

Laree Reidenbaugh: The first thing that I found for myself, my biggest fear, "Oh my word, what if I stand in front of a group of people and I forget what I'm supposed to say? There's that long silence! What am I going to do?" Here's one of the things that is delightful; well, that happens to me on a fairly regular basis, when something like that happens.

One of the tools that I use for myself: I stop. I take a deep breath and I just stand there and I smile at the audience. It is a wonderful attention getter, and it is amazing what silence will do. If I become comfortable with that level of silence, stand there simply and smile, the brain can come up with incredible things in just two to three seconds that feed you where you need to be.

"What if I stand in front of people and they don't like me?" You've heard the little saying before: we're not in a popularity contest. Here's the real truth of life - there's somebody everywhere that doesn't like me somewhere. I'm standing in front of a group of people and there's bound to be someone here that does not like me. Here's a statement that was really powerful for me and I want to share - what a difference it makes: as long as I walk in integrity day by day by day, as long as I do what I am here to do, and again as I walk in integrity, what other people think of me is none of my business.

"What if I get up in front of a group and I'm just paralyzed with fear? What will I do if I'm just absolutely paralyzed?" One of the tools that is so powerful to me is physical movement. In fact, I almost had an aversion to standing here. Sometimes if I have to stand behind a podium I will put my hands on it and anchor myself so I don't move around.

Now, I'm not talking about movement that looks like you're pacing back and forth like you're caged at the Oklahoma City Zoo. I'm not talking about that kind, but I'm talking about a deliberate movement. Have some papers... and there's a reason that you go and you walk over here. Have deliberate movements, but for me that is huge because when I can move in a deliberate method it takes that fear down and it relaxes me just a bit as I look at that.

Dress the part when you go out. Dress the part when you stand before a group of individuals. You may not know what you're talking about, but you look like you do. That'll work as well, so dress the part that you're standing for. Stand up there before a group of people and look like you mean it.

"But what if I mess up? What if I stand up in front of the group of people and I mess up? What am I going to do?" Here's what I find is delightful: unless you are Piers Morgan, you and the audience enjoy it when you see the speaker mess-up up front because it shows how very human people are. We're not perfect human beings. We are real human beings and if we mess up with something laugh with your audience. Enjoy the experience with them. But be prepared, those mess-ups are going to happen. It's going to happen.

No Audio: Jennifer Gourd - Muskogee Child Support Office, Managing Attorney.

Jennifer Gourd: I think in any situation, although it's uncomfortable to
do something that you're fearful of, it does make you stronger.
It helps you learn and grow. 

Laree Reidenbaugh: Let that fear work for you. I truly believe if we get to a point that we are not nervous or we don't have that level, perhaps, of a bit of discomfort before we get up before a group, we've lost our edge; we have lost our purpose. That means that Laree Reidenbaugh is not taking it seriously unless I have that level that comes through - that I am not taking it seriously unless that has come through for me. Nobody can tell your story like you can do that. Find some way to make your presentation be you, so that you are real, and you are genuine when you stand before that group - that you are the real deal when you stand before.

No Audio: Renee Jackson - Data Services Division, Administrative Program Officer.

Renee Jackson: I learned that it's important to connect with the audience. Make your topic relate to them and have that connection, that personal connection.

Kathie Wright: It helps to just be yourself, to give the information, to shareà I like to say to chat about it more than just give out statistics because people need to know what the programs are that will help our low-income families.
We have a lot of need. So just to be myself, just to share the information, always be honest, say, "I don't know" when I don't know, just to listen and to be professional.

Sheree Powell: We're going to help you. You have communications professionals throughout this agency although they are mostly at the state office level. We are just a phone call away.

No Audio: "Office of Communications 405.521.3027"

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