Some people thrive when giving work presentations; exuding charismatic energy, calm confidence, and a clear strong voice – it’s like they have just walked off the TEDx stage and into a meeting room.
Then there’s the other half of us who struggle with the spotlight, and where imagining the room naked is more of a hindrance than help, and just plain weird.
Persuasion, powerful communication, clear vision, inspiring language: if you’re not using these things to full effect, your storytelling needs work!
Harvard Business Review explains that to tell a good story, one must, “avoid beginning-to-end tales describing how results meet expectations – this is boring and banal. Instead, you want to display the struggle between expectation and reality in all its nastiness”. Effectively, experts agree that it is the humanising of a most powerful situation.
Think of the number of times we drift off in internal meetings when a speaker overstays their welcome and tells stories we can’t connect with. The trick to pump up the room? Simply say less but say it well. Invite conversation and have colleagues dream big; it builds a sense of team and unity.
Preparation
Brene Brown, one of TED’s most popular presenters, says knowing why you’re giving the presentation can take a lot of pressure off the delivery. Preparation helps to calm nerves, anticipate any questions your audience might have, and make sure your information is useful and engaging.
Make it Conversational
Try starting with a short story or adding a little humour. Avoid the use of ‘um’ and ‘uh’ and keep your tone professional and friendly. The more straightforward your presentation is, the less likely you will overwhelm your audience.
Motormouth Free-Zone
By rushing through the presentation in half the time, your audience is going to have to work hard to understand what you’re saying. Take a few deep breaths and own your platform. Don’t be afraid of a short silence if you need to catch your rhythm.
Mix Up Your Media
A presentation can escalate quickly from engaging to monotonous so keep your audience on their toes by splitting between speaking, video, a flipchart, whiteboard, or meme to express a key point. Not only does this increase the attention of your people, but it keeps them engaged until the end.
What tips and tricks have you used to nail a presentation? Reach out and let us know!
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