Presentation 101
Read this article on BusinessWeek, the Online Version, which gave 1o tips on how to present like Steve Jobs. You can read the article here: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jan2008/sb20080125_269732.htm?campaign_id=rss_topStories
Well, I had to make many a presentation myself over the years, and had to host an event on stage yesterday. Well, some of the tips the writer gave are common sense, and I totally subscribe to. Such as "practice practice practice", or that you had to have a theme, and how not to be Kang Cheong Spider, army lingo for getting flustered when little things go wrong. The rest talks about stylistics and how to capture more attention by using multi-media and having as little text as possible on screen.
I cannot say that I am a pro, but here are my views on what makes a great presenter.
In my opinion, what sets a great one apart from a mediocre, or even a totally bad one, is how one handles nerves, more commonly known as butterflies in one's stomach. Some are born with the gift of having stage presence, some need to force it out of his/her innermost depths, and some, just do not have it, no matter what you do or how hard they try. With that aura, no matter what happens, or doesn't happen, the presenter will have done his job. Even if the audience goes away without anything of value to take back with them, they will go home happy. These would be the best salespersons in the world, just like Steve Jobs. Even if the product was so-so, more likely than not, people will be impressed, and be convinced of whatever little virtue there was on offer.
The other quality a great speaker must have is the ability to think on one's feet, and react quickly in a decisive and convincing manner, and to know when to use the correct humour for the occassion.
There were essentially 2 speakers at the event yesterday, a lady and a gentlemen. What they tried to do was to sell a psychometric tool. They did brilliantly, when they were eschewing their product, and following the slides. But, the lady did one cardinal sin. When asking for questions, and when none came, instead of making a joke, she did a self destruct by saying" I guess my presentation was so lousy that nobody knows what I am speaking about". At that point, I guess it kinda got testy, until her boss butt in and saved the day by changing the subject. I guess, it could have gone very wrong.
A good presenter vs a not-so-good presenter can be discerned in 30 secs. An excellent presenter can be destroyed by 1 wrong word/sentence. So I guess the final virtue is to have the stamina to last the distance, and to be on one's toes from the moment it starts, right till the very end. And its never the end till the last guest has left the room.
Thank you.
Well, I had to make many a presentation myself over the years, and had to host an event on stage yesterday. Well, some of the tips the writer gave are common sense, and I totally subscribe to. Such as "practice practice practice", or that you had to have a theme, and how not to be Kang Cheong Spider, army lingo for getting flustered when little things go wrong. The rest talks about stylistics and how to capture more attention by using multi-media and having as little text as possible on screen.
I cannot say that I am a pro, but here are my views on what makes a great presenter.
In my opinion, what sets a great one apart from a mediocre, or even a totally bad one, is how one handles nerves, more commonly known as butterflies in one's stomach. Some are born with the gift of having stage presence, some need to force it out of his/her innermost depths, and some, just do not have it, no matter what you do or how hard they try. With that aura, no matter what happens, or doesn't happen, the presenter will have done his job. Even if the audience goes away without anything of value to take back with them, they will go home happy. These would be the best salespersons in the world, just like Steve Jobs. Even if the product was so-so, more likely than not, people will be impressed, and be convinced of whatever little virtue there was on offer.
The other quality a great speaker must have is the ability to think on one's feet, and react quickly in a decisive and convincing manner, and to know when to use the correct humour for the occassion.
There were essentially 2 speakers at the event yesterday, a lady and a gentlemen. What they tried to do was to sell a psychometric tool. They did brilliantly, when they were eschewing their product, and following the slides. But, the lady did one cardinal sin. When asking for questions, and when none came, instead of making a joke, she did a self destruct by saying" I guess my presentation was so lousy that nobody knows what I am speaking about". At that point, I guess it kinda got testy, until her boss butt in and saved the day by changing the subject. I guess, it could have gone very wrong.
A good presenter vs a not-so-good presenter can be discerned in 30 secs. An excellent presenter can be destroyed by 1 wrong word/sentence. So I guess the final virtue is to have the stamina to last the distance, and to be on one's toes from the moment it starts, right till the very end. And its never the end till the last guest has left the room.
Thank you.
posted by Brother John at 3:55 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home