Most presenters:
Use bullet point slides
Fill their slides with text
Use printouts of their slides for conferences
Look more at the screen than at their audience
Start presentations with their company history or detailed bio information
Start presentations with their company history or detailed bio information
Recycle slidedecks from past presentations
Think that presentations are about giving their audience information
Don't ask themselves why audiences should care about their presentation
Worry more about how they look rather than what they say
Leave all the audience questions until the end
Call their slides their 'presentation'
Are just glad to be done with the presentation no matter the outcome
Are just glad to be done with the presentation no matter the outcome
If most people are doing it does that make it ok? It makes me think of when I was a kid and I wanted something that 'everybody' else had. My mother would ask me, 'If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?'.
My question to you is - if everyone else is approaching presentations this way, does that mean that you should? Are you too worried about appearing normal? Do you want to be like most people or do you want to be a presenter that makes an audience think, 'Wow! That was something different, something better'?
Don't follow the herd. Be outstanding!
© 2011 Jeanne Trojan. All rights reserved
© 2011 Jeanne Trojan. All rights reserved
Jeanne I appreciate your effort to let the people know that they have the problem. But to keep the balance, let's look at http://www.ted.com/talks/david_cameron.html . It is THE presentation I would say... And what are your admired presentations?
ReplyDeleteNot Jeanne, but TED is great place to dig awesomeness. My favorites are Sir Ken Robinson and Hans Rosling. There is also difference between speech delivery and presentation. Or both.
ReplyDeleteSorry it took me so long to reply, Roman! I agree with both of Petr's favorite presenters.
ReplyDeleteHans Rosling is a great example of how a presentation full of data doesn't have to be boring.
Ken Robinson is far from perfect if you are thinking about body language, saying 'um' etc, but WHAT he has to say is so compelling that it doesn't matter.
I would also add Seth Godin to the list. He's one of those speakers that makes it look SO easy!