I led a workshop Wednesday on presentation skills for board members of the American Copy Editors Society.
Many of the workshop’s tips are reflected in my 2010 post on preparing and delivering workshops and presentations.
These were slides for the workshop:
It is always a subject of intense emotions. Public speaking and presentations make even the most brilliant professionals head for the covers when invited to say more than ‘a few words’. It is necessary that people who speak to people as part of their (professional) jobs learn to do it without fear or ill emotions.
As a presentation coach myself, I can assure you that your ability to effectively relate a complicated subject matter to non-technical audiences, colleagues, clients, customers, investors, regulators business associates/partners, senior Management executives etc etc etc sets you apart from the rest (even if you’re not academically/technically the ‘best’ brain in your group).
Why? People love people who make it easier for them to comprehend difficult information. It’s a law of Nature. We humans, by default, love to have things the easy way. Don’t you do, too?
So if you can make it easier for your audience (or boss or senior execs) to sit through, say, Board meetings, enjoy the usually-boring PowerPoints and agree on a good decision, then you’re on your way to a faster climb up that corporate ladder.
It’s a guarantee!
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