Why you need to ruthlessly edit your speech or presentation.
Whether you’re giving a speech without visual aids or a presentation using slide software, there’s never a good reason to tell the audience everything you know about the topic. As the famous philosopher Voltaire said, “The secret of being a bore is to tell everything.” As the presenter, it is your responsibility to separate ‘nice […]
The only way to get better at presenting is to present. Three ideas on how to start.
You want to be better at presenting but aren’t sure where to start. Do you take a class? Maybe you’ve taken a class and don’t know what to do following? Are books helpful? Maybe YouTube? All valid – and all will arm you with information that *can* act as tools while you work your […]
Do you have an emergency presentation kit?
Do you give presentations or speeches often? If so, it’s in your best interest to put together an emergency presentation kit: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1. A physical backup of your presentation(s) in the event your laptop crashes or you lose internet access. 2. An extra presentation clicker or remote. Sure, you can present without one, but […]
Becoming a competent presenter.
The space between the two can seem insurmountable. And beyond that, the space between the two is daunting because it is undefined (for you). You’re embarking on a journey to improve and there’s no telling exactly how you’ll get there or when you’ll arrive.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀What we do know is that the journey to improvement has […]
How to script a presentation (for practice purposes).
While developing a presentation, it’s helpful to start by writing a script to go along with the slides. We don’t suggest memorizing a script, but it’s a great way to learn your content and think about how you’ll transition between slides and key points as you prepare. Once you’ve got the content down you can […]
Write it how you would say it.
Next time you write an email, ask yourself if that’s how you would say it out loud if you were speaking directly to that person. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Because email (or any other form of non-direct communication) leaves a lot to be desired, we need to pay special attention to: tone, clarity and proactively responding to potential […]
VIDEO: The Best Place for ‘Thank Yous’ in a Presentation
6 of 6 Building Trust in Business: Have a standard operating procedure
A standard operating procedure names how you (your team, your organization, etc.) complete standard or routine tasks.
5 of 6 Building Trust in Business: Admit when you don’t know
“I don’t know but I will get back to you” is an essential business skill. It’s a response that builds immediate trust.
4 of 6 Building Trust in Business: Communicate when things don’t go as planned
We are human, and the people we work with are too. Humans make mistakes. There are times we over-commit. Sometimes we under-deliver. We make promises with the best of intentions. And sometimes we’re just the middle man in a complex system.
