Why Light The Fire From The Top?

Take the time to do things right. It is amazing how many people attempt to circumvent the process for creating a dynamic presentation. With a world of microwave dinners, marriage of total strangers on TV, and get rich schemes, it is easy to get caught up in skipping proven processes.

Before you create your first PowerPoint slide (or anything else for that matter), first determine the goal of your presentation. In other words, what do you want your audience to think, feel, or do differently after your presentation? Simply knowing the information is not enough. If that is the case, send an email instead.

It's amazing how first setting a goal helps everything fall into place. It's nice to aim at a target...and hit it!

Dead Air?

Have you ever heard a presentation that sounds as if it were prepared by a radio broadcaster? Run-on sentences, no pauses, little time to digest the contents.

Keep in mind that you have already processed your information. You are speaking because you probably know more about the topic than your audience. Avoid the temptation to dump everything you know so fast that people feel overwhelmed. Your audience may be hearing your information for the first time. They will welcome a little extra time to digest it.

Allow three seconds of silence after making an important point or when asking a question, even if the question is intended to be rhetorical. Good attention management includes knowing when to place the attention on your audience. Allow people some time to reflect on what your information means to them.

Steve Jobs' Presentation - The Abbreviated Version

Here's Mr. Jobs' latest 90-minute presentation condensed into 60 seconds. Wouldn't it be great if we could do this to other presentations?

Presenter’s Creed

One way to manage your adrenaline rush before your presentation is through mind exercises, or in other words, positive self-talk. Before you stand to present, try saying the following to yourself.

“I am about to give this group a gift – one from which they will benefit. They will be better off for receiving this gift, and they will thank me for giving it to them. I am glad I have the opportunity to share my knowledge with them.”

I'm not sure who originally wrote this, however, thanks! Sure beats worrying about my zipper being down.

A Noisy Presidential Race

Several days ago, I mentioned that a great presenter leaves his/her audience with a "repeatable message" - the one sentence or phrase he/she wants the audience to repeat long after the presentation.

I'm having a hard time figuring out what the repeatable message is for each of the leading presidential candidates. For example, with Bill Clinton it was clearly, "It's the economy, stupid." Mr. Clinton made his message clear for us (his audience), and when we went to the polls, that message resonated.

It could be that we live in a much noisier world than a decade ago. With the rise of mobile devices and the Internet, news travels even faster, so the candidates must respond to an ever-increasing demand for information. Not just the amount of information, but the speed of information.

So where does that leave us? We are drowning in information and thirsty for meaning.

More than ever, for your message to be receive as intended, you must leave your audience with a clear and concise repeatable message.

Can We REALLY Multitask Effectively?

During a recent workshop, I suggested that we consider "mono-tasking" instead of multitasking. There was a lot of pushback. Most of us are conditioned to think that multitasking is a good thing. Ask yourself, "Why are so many tasks left unfinished? Why do I find it difficult to focus? When do I get to sleep?"

As a presenter, make it easy for your audience to receive your message as intended. Have them focus on one thing at a time. Release your information is small digestable chunks, and then check to see that it is understood before moving on.

Yes, this is common sense, yet, it is not common practice.

Organizations Going "Topless"

It's happening! The backlash to multi-tasking we've been talking about is making the news. Companies and schools are banning the use of laptops and other mobile devices during presentations and meetings. Checkout this news clip from ABC News. (Of course, you have to first “pay” attention to a brief commercial.) After viewing, please let me know your thoughts.

Your Repeatable Message

Your message should endure long after your presentation. What is it that you want others to repeat when they leave the room? For someone to hear a message from you, and then have the capacity to tell others, it must be a message that is easy to receive, remember, and repeat.

When presenting, you are probably trying to persuade someone to respond. It might be to think differently, feel another way, or purchase something. Some of the decision makers may not be in your audience. For someone to be your advocate, they must be able to go out and repeat your message.

You can say something like, “The most important point to remember is…” or, “If you remember just one thing today, make it…”

It will be easier to remember if you keep it clear and concise.

First Impressions

How much money do you think is spent managing the impressions of the US presidential candidates?

People judge our competence, our reliability, our product, our company - even our entire industry - based on how we present ourselves. Major decisions are made and careers advanced (or slowed) based on first impressions.

Here are some of the components of impression management:

• Eye contact connotes trust, interest.
• Facial expressions convey enthusiasm and seriousness.
• Movement and posture convey confidence.
• Touch and handshaking give a feeling of openness.
• Appearance and clothing show professionalism.
• Personal space impacts audience comfort.
• Voice qualities convey confidence.

First impressions are not drawn from content or subject matter expertise. First impressions are made when the presenter has the highest level of adrenaline – the first two minutes (or less)!

X-Rated

Avoid anything that anyone might consider profane, vulgar, or in bad taste. This can include words, language, or jokes that may be perceived as racist, sexist, or a put-down. An innocent “hell” or “damn” might be terribly offensive to someone in the audience.

Pay attention to special concerns and taboos in certain cultures, companies, or nations. Keep your entire content rated “G” for General Audiences. The Mother Rule may help. Would you say it in front of someone’s mother? All right, I admit some mothers use language that could embarrass Eddie Murphy. The point being it is not worth the risk.

If you are presenting to a culture other than your native culture, consider the book, Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands by Terri Morrison, Wayne A. Conaway, and George A. Borden.

Many years ago, I used the word “panties” while telling a story during a presentation to a large audience at a Fortune 500 company in the Midwest. I did a lot of business with that company until that day. The word “panties” offended one person in that audience. That person happened to be highly influential at the company and made sure I was not invited back.