Isabel Allende, the famous Chilean author whose more than 20 books have sold more than 67 million copies in 35 languages, is an excellent role model for the creative process. I had the rare opportunity to meet and chat with Allende at a book-signing event for her latest novel, Violeta. In an effort to learn from a master writer, I asked her whether she followed Stephen Covey’s advice about beginning with the end in mind. Does she know how her novels will end when she begins to write? Her answer was an emphatic “No! Never! I just start writing; the end comes to me as the process unfolds.”

Image: AI generated

Her words brought to mind a similar approach expressed by Federico Fellini, the legendary Italian film director of such classics as La Dolce Vita and 8 1/2. In Fellini on Fellini, his book about his art, he described how he generates ideas:

I hate logical plans. Myself, I should find it false and dangerous to start from some clear, well-defined complete idea and then put it into practice. The child is in darkness at the moment he is formed in the mother’s womb.

While crafting a presentation is not quite the same as writing a novel or directing a film, it is still a creative process, and you can use the same basic techniques. However, in what has become standard operating procedure in business, the common practice is to reverse Allende’s and Fellini’s approach. Most presenters start with a “clear, well-defined idea,”— usually in the form of a set of company slides—and then “put it into practice” by standing up to present. The result is the predictable data dump.

That’s because this approach reverses the natural functions of the human mind, known among psychologists as “divergent” and “convergent” thinking. Neuroscientist Casey Schwartz described the difference in a blog about creativity on The Daily Beast website.

Divergent thinking is the ability to generate spontaneous, often unexpected ideas or solutions….Convergent thinking, on the other hand, is understood as divergent thinking’s opposite: the kind of thought process that allows you to narrow down your options.

Schwartz’s analysis parallels that of Daniel Kahneman who, in his bestselling book, called the natural processes of the mind as Thinking, Fast and Slow. Both of these estimable experts are describing what happens when human minds set about generating ideas: new ideas will inevitably come tumbling around in the mind in a random, disorganized fashion. The key to managing them is to allow them to run their course before attempting to organize them.

When presenters begin their creative process with slides, they are narrowing their options for ideas. The solution is to do your convergent or slow thinking after your divergent or fast thinking; to let your mind do what it is going to do anyway: generate ideas randomly—and then capture them in brainstorming.

In the Suasive story development process, we add an important preliminary step: establish the context of every presentation by defining the goal and its importance to the audience–then begin the brainstorming.

Before you even consider your slides, consider all the ideas you want to discuss, but treat them as words, not images. If you start with your slides, you front load your mind with everything from the color or size of the font to a pre-existing sequence. Instead, start with your ideas and write them on paper, or on a computer screen, a whiteboard, or sticky notes. Then look at all of the ideas objectively and decide which ones you need and—more importantly—which ones you don’t need.

Do the data dump in your preparation not in your presentation.

Do your divergent thinking before your convergent thinking.

Get creative.

This blog is an excerpt from my book Winning Strategies for Power Presentations, published by Pearson. Also, check out my newly released Presentation Trilogy—Presenting to Win, The Power Presenter, and In the Line of Fire—available on Amazon and other retailers.

    Jerry Weissman is the founder and president of Suasive, Inc., formerly Power Presentations, Ltd. Jerry founded Suasive in 1988 and quickly established himself as the coach for Silicon Valley CEOs delivering critical presentations for their IPO roadshows. He taught them to tell their company stories through the eyes of their investors, and in so doing, significantly increased the valuations of their companies. He amassed an elite client list and soon widened his focus to helping public and privately held companies develop and deliver all types of business presentations.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post Isabel Allende on Creativity appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

Ever since its debut in Paris in 1897, Cyrano de Bergerac has been an enormous attraction for audiences and performers. The original French actor, for whom playwright Edmond Rostand created the part, performed it more than 400 times. In the twentieth century, the story went on to be produced as a film twelve times—one of which earned an Academy Award for José Ferrer in 1950, another that starred Steve Martin in 1987, and the most recent starring Peter Dinklage in 2021—and as an opera five times.

Image: AI generated

While the story is based on a real seventeenth century poet and swordsman, it was Mr. Rostand’s nineteenth century interpretation that created its enduring appeal—and serves as a parable for presenters. Briefly stated, Cyrano is the story of a man who was considered ugly because of his very large nose, but who more than compensated for his looks with a rare gift for language. In a tale of romance by proxy, Cyrano helps a handsome but inarticulate man win over a beautiful woman by writing love letters for him and by speaking for him at a masquerade ball, almost as a ventriloquist.

The Cyrano Parable is a testament to the power of substance over style and the vital importance of the story. It is also an analog for the primacy of the presenter’s narrative over the slide show. This hierarchy is supported and promoted by a cottage industry of presentation consultants, authors, coaches, designers, websites, and organizations. I heard many of them reinforce this approach as a virtual mantra at Rick Altman’s Presentation Summit, an annual industry conference for graphics professionals.

Nevertheless, their clients and my clients—businesspeople all over the world—continue to ignore the advice and follow the opposite approach of having their slides tell their stories. While this practice produces a never-ending deal flow for consultants and coaches, it rarely produces successful presentations for presenters. Heed the advice of presentation professionals; keep your slides simple and tell your own story.

Be like Cyrano: focus on telling a compelling tale, rather than focus on your appearance or that of your slides. You are not a ventriloquist and your slide deck is not your dummy.

This blog is an excerpt from my book Winning Strategies for Power Presentations, published by Pearson. Also, check out my newly released Presentation Trilogy—Presenting to Win, The Power Presenter, and In the Line of Fire—available on Amazon and other retailers.

    Jerry Weissman is the founder and president of Suasive, Inc., formerly Power Presentations, Ltd. Jerry founded Suasive in 1988 and quickly established himself as the coach for Silicon Valley CEOs delivering critical presentations for their IPO roadshows. He taught them to tell their company stories through the eyes of their investors, and in so doing, significantly increased the valuations of their companies. He amassed an elite client list and soon widened his focus to helping public and privately held companies develop and deliver all types of business presentations.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post The Cyrano Parable appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

The colossal success of the iPhone and its big brother, the iPad, are due in large part to their superior technical functionality. But equal credit must go to the high-concept design of Apple products—and even to Apple packaging—driven by Steve Jobs and his chief designer Jony Ive. While Ive left Apple after 27 years to start his own company LoveFrom (take a moment and check out the comma on the homepage of their website), I was privileged to be in the audience for one of his last presentations in which he described his attention to detail on the look and feel of every product that bears the Apple logo. Ive provided even further insight about his approach in a Wall Street Journal interview about LoveFrom, explaining that one of his first hires was a full-time writer: “to help conjure into words the ideas that his team of graphic designers, architects, sound engineers and industrial designers come up with for its collaborations.”

Image: Yay Images

I discussed Apple’s excellence with veteran Silicon Valley CEO and Board member Bill Portelli, who observed that there are three basic qualities of their design that could be applied to crafting a story:

1. Simple
2. Intuitive
3. Assumes the intelligence of its end user

Anyone who owns an iPhone—or who has looked over a shoulder at someone else’s iPhone—will agree that Portelli’s observation is spot on. And his observation that a well-told story should have the same basic qualities is spot on, too:

• Simple. Most presenters make the fatal mistake of overwhelming their audiences with too much information, or TMI. In the parlance of the highest of high technology, you have to make your story easy enough for your mother to understand. Follow the Less is More approach of Apple’s designs in telling your story. Make your narrative succinct.
• Intuitive. Your story is brand new to your audience, so they need context to process what you are saying. Provide them with a clear flow, and keep them in the flow by using linkages as you move through the individual parts of your story. Make it easy for them to follow, and they will follow your lead. Make it hard for them, and they will make it hard for you.
• Assume Intelligence. Give your audience more than the usual boilerplate features, benefits, and facts. Your audience has been there, done that, and they get it. They need and can process more than you show on your slides. Add value and dimension in your narrative with examples, analogies, anecdotes, evidence, current data, and customized content.

Apple often touts the multi-touch screen as one of the main features on many of their products, which provides another analogous piece of advice to presenters: Connect with your audience at multiple touch points—through their eyes, their ears, and their brains.

When you tell your story, be a Mac.

This blog is an excerpt from Jerry’s book Presentations In Action published by Pearson. Also check out his newly released Presentation Trilogy—Presenting to Win, The Power Presenter, and In the Line of Fire—available on Amazon and other retailers.

    Jerry Weissman is the founder and president of Suasive, Inc., formerly Power Presentations, Ltd. Jerry founded Suasive in 1988 and quickly established himself as the coach for Silicon Valley CEOs delivering critical presentations for their IPO roadshows. He taught them to tell their company stories through the eyes of their investors, and in so doing, significantly increased the valuations of their companies. He amassed an elite client list and soon widened his focus to helping public and privately held companies develop and deliver all types of business presentations.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post Presentation Advice from the iPhone appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

In the previous blog, you read about how presentations that go on too long bore audiences; but presentations that go too deep have an even worse effect: audiences forget the content.

Image: AI generated

In a book called Zen in the Martial Arts, author Joe Hyams tells the story of a university professor who visited a Japanese Zen Master to learn about Zen:

James Collins, author of the novel Beginner’s Greek, addressed the phenomenon in a New York Times Book Review essay titled The Plot Escapes Me. Mr. Collins described how much he likes to read books, but that once he finishes, I remember nothing about the book’s actual contents…all I associate with them is an atmosphere and a stray image or two. He went on to note that he is not alone, most people cannot recall the title or author or even the existence of a book they read a month ago, much less its contents.

Curious about the phenomenon, Mr. Collins discussed it with Maryanne Wolf who, at the time, was a professor at Tufts University and Director of the Center for Reading and Language Research. Wolf validated the experience, saying, There is a difference between immediate recall of facts and an ability to recall a gestalt of knowledge. We can’t retrieve the specifics, but to adapt a phrase of William James’s, there is a wraith of memory.

If readers forget content they’ve read, imagine how much more challenging it is for audiences who have only listened to a presentation.

So why would any presenter give any audience too much information?

The reason is that most presenters labor under the misconception that, in order for their audiences to understand anything, they have to be told everything.

I was guilty of that misconception when I was just 24 years old. Fresh out of Stanford, I returned to New York and landed a job working with radio personality Jean Shepherd. Shep, who later created the classic holiday film A Christmas Story, was the host of a late-night talk show on New York’s WOR radio. His rambling, free-form monologues earned him a cult following.

One day, Shep turned to me and, apropos of nothing, said, “If Hollywood decided to do the Jerry Weissman story, do you think they could do it justice?”

My immediate reaction was to scoff and say, “No way, there’s far too much to tell!”

That’s precisely how it is for presenters who spend most of their waking hours immersed in their company’s business.

The solution: set a cap. Use the same rule as you would to avoid Death by PowerPoint: Less is More.

Think of your presentation as a series of major themes or buckets, and set the limit at six. But use six only for very technical subjects. Better to stay with three to five, and any information you include clearly relates to those themes. Then, as you present, keep referencing the themes and tying the details back to them. Your audience will get the big themes and the main point of your story.

Otherwise your, and their, cup will overflow.

Or your audience might think of you, as Sir Winston Churchill did after hearing a Member of Parliament go too deep:

I can well understand the Honourable Member’s wishing to speak on. He needs the practice badly.

This blog is an excerpt from Jerry’s book, Winning Strategies for Power Presentations published by Pearson. Also check out his newly released Presentation Trilogy—Presenting to Win, The Power Presenter, and In the Line of Fire—available on Amazon and other retailers.

    Jerry Weissman is the founder and president of Suasive, Inc., formerly Power Presentations, Ltd. Jerry founded Suasive in 1988 and quickly established himself as the coach for Silicon Valley CEOs delivering critical presentations for their IPO roadshows. He taught them to tell their company stories through the eyes of their investors, and in so doing, significantly increased the valuations of their companies. He amassed an elite client list and soon widened his focus to helping public and privately held companies develop and deliver all types of business presentations.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post Don’t Let Your Cup “Runneth Over” appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

The opening of a presentation is your one chance to grab your audience’s attention – don’t waste it. Whether you’re pitching an idea, delivering a keynote, or giving a team update, those first few seconds set the tone for everything that follows. To help you make the most of that moment, here are 10 compelling ways to start your presentation and instantly spark curiosity. Think of these as tools in your toolbox—you won’t use them all at once, but having the right one ready can make a big difference when it counts.

Image: Yay Images

1. Open with a Story

Nothing pulls people in like a well-told story. It’s one of the oldest forms of communication for a reason—it works. Instead of simply saying, “Let me tell you a story,” start right in with a line of dialogue or a vivid moment. That kind of opening triggers curiosity and emotional engagement. Stories create mental images, build empathy, and make your message far more memorable. They help your audience connect with your topic on a human level, making abstract concepts feel tangible. Even complex ideas become more accessible when wrapped in a narrative. You don’t have to be a natural-born storyteller—just choose a moment that illustrates your message and keeps it real. Personal stories, customer experiences or customer service stories work especially well because they build authenticity and trust.

2. Share a Surprising Fact

Start a presentation with an unexpected piece of information that makes people sit up and think. A little-known fact grabs attention and often stirs an emotional reaction — shock, disbelief, even concern —which is a great way to draw your audience in. It immediately signals that they’re about to learn something new and worthwhile. Just be sure the fact is accurate and clearly connects to your overall message, so it doesn’t feel like a gimmick.

3. Present a Striking Statistic

People are naturally drawn to data—especially when it challenges what they think they know. Open with a relevant and eye-catching statistic: “75% of employees admit to zoning out during presentations.” Ensure your numbers tie directly into your topic and are meaningful to your audience. Briefly explain why the statistic matters, provide the context and explain what insight it reveals. A well-chosen statistic can be one of the most lasting takeaways from your talk.

4. Quote Someone Noteworthy

A powerful quote can instantly lend your presentation depth, credibility, or a thought-provoking start—especially when it comes from a respected expert or historical figure. Choose one that aligns naturally with your message and sets the tone for what’s ahead. Whether it’s widely known or unexpected, a compelling quote can anchor your opening and spark curiosity. Just be sure to attribute it correctly and avoid overused clichés.

5. Ask a Rhetorical Question

Questions are great tools for engagement. Opening with a rhetorical question instantly involves your audience in the conversation and makes them think. It is advisable to pause after the question and let it sink into the minds of the audience. Questions can spark internal dialogue, challenge assumptions, and invite your audience to mentally participate before you even begin your main points. Carefully think before asking a question: the best questions are those that relate directly to the audience’s current situation or challenges. A well-placed question at the start sets a reflective tone and encourages listeners to stay mentally engaged throughout your talk.

6. Offer a Challenge

Start strong by presenting a viewpoint that might stir debate or spark interest: “In the next 20 minutes, I’ll prove that remote working boosts productivity more than the office ever did.” A challenge like this gives your presentation purpose and invites the audience into a persuasive journey. Make sure your challenge is one you can back up with evidence, science or experience—credibility is key when you make bold claims. It is advisable to deliver it with confidence; in this way a challenge positions you as the one who deserves to be heard.

7. Address What’s Already on Their Minds

Acknowledge the thoughts or feelings your audience may be having. This shows empathy and immediately builds rapport. For example: “I know you’re probably wondering if…” Light humor or self-deprecation can work well here, especially when paired with interactive elements like show-of-hands questions. With this kind of opening, your audience will feel seen, entertained, and genuinely engaged right from the start. This technique works especially well with skeptical or tired audiences—it disarms resistance and creates a friendly, open environment.

8. Transport the audience to a different place or time

Invite your listeners to envision a different reality: “Imagine walking into your office and…” This technique taps into visualization and emotional engagement. By asking your audience to picture a scenario, you’re helping them invest mentally and emotionally in your message. While setting the scene, consider adding a touch of humor or an unexpected twist — it can make the moment more vivid, memorable, and impactful.

9. Connect to the Event’s Theme or Purpose

If you’re speaking at a conference, seminar, or internal meeting with a specific theme, use it to your advantage. Referencing the event’s central topic in your opening instantly provides context and shows that your message aligns with the bigger picture. Craft your introduction thoughtfully with that theme in mind—you might even create a catchy phrase or slogan that reinforces your message and sticks in the audience’s mind. This approach shows you’ve done your homework and helps you position your content as a valuable contribution to the overall event.

10. Start with a song or a poem

An unexpected and uplifting way to energize your audience is by opening with a short song (if you’re comfortable singing) or a brief, powerful poem. You don’t need to perform the entire piece—a catchy chorus or a memorable four-line stanza is enough to capture attention. Inviting the audience to repeat it with you adds rhythm, emotion, and creativity to your presentation as well, as you can create a sense of unity and a shared experience. To help everyone follow along, consider displaying the lyrics or lines on a slide.

Choose the opening technique that resonates with you and your speech, and watch your audience light up and pay attention. Once you’ve grabbed their attention, now all you need to do is keep it.

      Violeta Saladiene is a member of Toastmasters International, a not-for-profit organisation that has provided communication and leadership skills since 1924 through a worldwide network of clubs. There are more than 400 clubs and 10,000 members in the UK and Ireland. Members follow a structured educational programme to gain skills and confidence in public and impromptu speaking, chairing meetings and time management. To find your nearest club, visit Toastmasters International.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post Start Your Presentation with Impact appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

Sometimes, more is more—when a longer speech has a valid purpose. Florida Pastor Zach Zehnder delivered a three-day sermon to raise money for an addiction treatment center. U.S. Senators occasionally resort to filibustering and speak for hours on end, as a political maneuver.

Image: Yay Images

But that’s about it. Unfortunately, too many speakers test their audiences’ patience and tolerance by delivering speeches or presentations that go on too long. Beleaguered audiences have little recourse other than tuning, or walking out.

The Seattle City Council took a more active step by enacting a “new rule [that] bars council members from speaking for or against a motion for longer than 10 minutes.” The measure, based on Robert’s Rules of Order, promptly became known as The Blowhard Rule.

The Oscars took it a step further: After actress Greer Garson delivered a seven minute acceptance speech in 1943, the Motion Picture Academy established the practice of having the orchestra start playing a tune called Too Long (How appropriate!) when award winners exceed their allotted time.

Sadly, businesses do not employ orchestras nor do they observe Robert’s Rules of Order.

Nowhere is prolixity more counterproductive than in “The Elevator Pitch”—the single sentence that defines a company’s business— named to refer to the way you’d describe your business if you stepped into an elevator and suddenly saw a potential client that you’ve been trying to land. The allusion is intended to limit the pitch to the length of an elevator ride. Unfortunately, most such business pitches are often as long as elevator rides in the 163 stories of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world.

Peggy Noonan proposes how to chart a shorter ride: limit your elevator pitch to one sentence. As a Wall Street Journal opinion columnist, Noonan knows a thing or two about communication. Having written news stories for CBS, speeches for President Ronald Reagan, taught at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, and won a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, she understands the vital importance of succinctness. In one of her Wall Street Journal articles, Noonan referenced Clare Boothe Luce, a noted twentieth-century journalist, ambassador, congresswoman, and playwright, who told her “about a conversation she had in 1962 in the White House with her old friend John F. Kennedy. She told him, she said, that ‘a great man is one sentence.’”

Noonan defined that one sentence as “leadership [that] can be so well summed up in a single sentence that you don’t have to hear his name to know who’s being talked about. ‘He preserved the union and freed the slaves,’ or, ‘He lifted us out of a great depression and helped to win a World War.’ You didn’t have to be told ‘Lincoln’ or ‘FDR.’”

The one-sentence recommendation is also applicable to business, with particular regard to the elevator pitch. A guide to help you create a succinct elevator pitch can be found in the words of Rosser Reeves, a prominent advertising executive with the Ted Bates agency during the middle of the twentieth century.

Mr. Reeves coined the term “Unique Selling Proposition (USP),” which is “the main selling line [that relies on] simplicity to help shoppers recall the product and its most obvious benefit.” Reeves, USPs often took the form of slogans, some that exist to this day, such as M&M’s® “It melts in your mouth, not in your hands.” He argued that advertising campaigns should be unchanging, with a single slogan for each product.

To pitch or describe your own business, develop your own USP along Rosser Reeves’s guidelines. One of the most common complaints about presentations is, “I listened to their pitch for 30 minutes, and I still don’t know what they do!”

The USP is what they do.

This blog is an excerpt from Jerry’s book Presentations In Action published by Pearson. Also check out his newly released Presentation Trilogy—Presenting to Win, The Power Presenter, and In the Line of Fire—available on Amazon and other retailers.

    Jerry Weissman is the founder and president of Suasive, Inc., formerly Power Presentations, Ltd. Jerry founded Suasive in 1988 and quickly established himself as the coach for Silicon Valley CEOs delivering critical presentations for their IPO roadshows. He taught them to tell their company stories through the eyes of their investors, and in so doing, significantly increased the valuations of their companies. He amassed an elite client list and soon widened his focus to helping public and privately held companies develop and deliver all types of business presentations.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post The Elevator Pitch in One Sentence appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

People do not remember you by what you say, they remember you by how you make them feel

– Unknown

I joined the Experience French Toastmasters Club and was excited and eager to present my first speech. Having been a Toastmaster for twenty years I had given hundreds of speeches, but this would be my first in another language.

Image: Yay Images

I was well-prepared, checking my pronunciation and grammar. Memorization is not something I am good with, nor do I consider it helpful in giving a speech. However, since I was presenting this in French, and not my native English, I thought to try it. Spoiler alert: it was not a good idea and increased my anxiety. My speech started well, but within a minute or so, I could sense my audience was struggling to stay engaged. Very soon I had completely, and irreversibly, lost my connection to the audience. What happened and why?

Complexity

My speech was too complex to give in a language that I did not have full command of. My French was simply not good enough, and therefore I was unable to resonate with it in French. This left my speech void of any emotion because I was thinking in English and translating to French. My speech was a well-choreographed collection of words. It looked good on paper but was missing substance. I was Google Translate! I had talked for five minutes, yet, I said very little and more importantly my speech had no resonance with my audience. They were as happy to see me end my speech as I was to end it.

Emotion

Although it is beneficial to present a speech in another language to build confidence, it is important to present a topic that lends itself to the speaker fully understanding and being able to resonate with what is being said. That allows the speaker to be emotionally invested in the speech and able to change course if the audience is not engaging, for example, by using techniques such as adding humor or a personal story to pique the audience’s interest. I was unable to do that as I was not spontaneous in my thinking in French.

The opportunity to present a speech in a second language was the catalyst to remind me of the essential speaking elements that Toastmasters has taught me over the years: People do not remember you by what you say, they remember you by how you make them feel. My audience felt nothing because I was feeling nothing and therefore failing to deliver any emotion.

There are basic essential elements of engagement for effective public speaking and when these elements are present, a speech in any language whether in person or online becomes a memorable, engaging speech that leaves the audience wanting more.

What the audience sees

Visibility is the initial impression you give to the audience, and this first impression is crucial for audience engagement. What does the audience see?

• Are you dressed appropriately? Clothes do not make the man (or woman), but people judge by appearance, and sloppy or inappropriate dress gives the impression that you do not care about yourself or the audience.
• Are you poised and confident? When you give a speech, you are the authority, and you command attention. Slumped posture or continuous nervous movements or standing in the background pulling away from the audience conveys fear and lack of self-confidence. It gives the impression that you really do not want to give the speech and would prefer to be elsewhere.
• Do you use the space well? When a speech is given in person, do you stand in a spot where you are visible to the entire audience? Online, are you centered in the middle of the computer screen with adequate lighting and a background that is not a distraction?
• Do you maintain eye contact? In my experience it is difficult to maintain eye contact while using notes. I am not suggesting that notes never be used. But, if it is necessary to use notes, be sure to maintain eye contact with an audience. Never read your speech.
• Are your facial expressions and hand gestures visible? These are both important because they are the speaker’s nonverbal communication with the audience. Does your facial expression change to convey a point being stressed, or a humorous story? Are hand gestures used appropriately and are they visible when presenting a speech online?

The way we present visibly is so important and it is the first impression that the audience has of you. Referring back to my speech, my focus was on what I was saying, not on how I was making the audience feel. Since I was not fully competent in what I was saying, my focus was on me not the audience.

What the audience hears

Just as essential as visibility is what the audience hears. To convey your message, you must not only be heard, but you should encourage active listening by keeping the audience engaged. How do you do this?

• The quality of your voice – is your voice loud and clear? If you are presenting a speech in person, check that everyone in the audience can hear you. If not, then a microphone is needed. For online presentations, be sure to use a headset or ear buds and make sure your audio is without feedback or other distractions. In a hybrid situation, make sure the audience in the room and the audience online can both hear the speaker clearly.
• The pace or cadence of speaking. Is your speech too rapid? A rapid pace of speaking denotes a lack of confidence in your ability to ‘talk’ to the audience. For the listener it is difficult to comprehend what is being said (as the brain takes a moment to catch up) and the audience therefore ‘tunes out’ and disengages. On the other hand, a very slow cadence can put an audience to sleep as they tire of waiting for what the speaker has to say.
• Vocal variety. Pace or cadence is the rhythm of speaking and acts in conjunction with vocal variety – the subtle change of speaking more rapidly or slowing down slightly in relation to what is being said. For example, speeding up to denote excitement, or slowing down to hammer home a point. Vocal variety is also the change in pitch and tone of voice. Think of it as being on a roller coaster with the twists, turns, highs and lows of the ride. The climax builds as the roller coaster ascends higher and higher and then plunges downward. Giving a speech is similar as the speaker engaging the audience on a ride to reach an exciting climax.
• Pausing. A pause is not an interruption; it’s a moment to take a breath – for you and the audience. It’s a moment to digest what has been said. Use the pause to avoid using filler words, to regroup and collect your thoughts, to give the audience time to reflect after a major point is made, and when telling jokes or injecting humor into a speech. The pause is a powerful and essential element that is often overlooked.

What the audience feels

In preparing and presenting a speech how do you want the audience to feel? If it is something you have not thought about then you need to do so. A speech is not about the speaker; it is about the audience. It needs a clear (and relevant) message delivered in a way that keeps the audience engaged. Ultimately, it is about audience satisfaction.

My speech at Experience French was the most important speech I had ever given because it afforded me the opportunity to be reminded that the speech was not about me. It was not about my ability, or not, to talk in another language, it was about the basics, following the essential elements of Public Speaking. Had I not presented a speech in a language other than my native English I never would have given it a thought. I had fallen into the trap of speaking automatically and assuming I had it all ingrained in me. No matter how good you are public speaking, everyone needs an occasional ‘wake-up call.’ Mine was that speech in French. It failed the most important test of all; it failed to leave the audience feeling engaged.

      Teresa Palmer is a member of Toastmasters International, a not-for-profit organization that has provided communication and leadership skills since 1924 through a worldwide network of clubs. There are more than 400 clubs and 10,000 members in the UK and Ireland. Members follow a structured educational program to gain skills and confidence in public and impromptu speaking, chairing meetings and time management. To find your nearest club, visit Toastmasters International.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post Public Speaking Essentials appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

Navigating career transition during the mid-career stage can be challenging for many individuals for various reasons.

Reflecting on my journey, I found this phase difficult because it overlapped with caregiving responsibilities for both children and elderly parents. Balancing these dual commitments left me with little time to prioritise my career development fully.

Image: Yay Images

Others in my professional circle echo my challenge, as many have shared similar experiences. They have highlighted how caregiving responsibilities alongside major life events and health issues compounded their challenges. These shared experiences underscore the complex intersection between caregiving responsibilities and mid-career transitions.

How do caregiving responsibilities intersect with career growth

When faced with career challenges, many of us instinctively respond in one of three ways:

1. Fight
2. Flight
3. Freeze

Understanding these responses can help balance caregiving responsibilities and prepare for future career transitions.

Let us delve into each of them.

1. Fight

The Fight response would entail finding creative ways such as negotiating flexible work arrangements or implementing a robust time management schedule to balance multiple roles.

In my case, I relied on support from friends and family, which helped me to build my career. Without this support, I may not have been able to manage both roles effectively.

Some people have mentioned that withdrawing from social activities helped them to balance their dual responsibilities, but it led to social isolation.

The Fight response demonstrates resilience and resourcefulness, which can accelerate career growth. However, it requires a supportive network to avoid burnout. I value the flight response to career challenges because it helps me appreciate the rewards of fighting for what I genuinely want. This quote by Robert Frost served as my inspiration during this phase, The best way out is always through.

2. Flight

The Flight response can manifest in many ways, such as avoiding a career challenge, stepping back from a role, or choosing to drop out of a course. One of my mentees experienced this firsthand. She shared, I found it challenging to balance work, study, caregiving responsibilities, and ill health. Therefore, I decided not to complete my social work degree.

While withdrawing might seem like a practical way to reduce stress in the short term, it can lead to long-term consequences such as career stagnation, guilt, or diminished confidence, especially when caregiving duties ease, or health improves.

To mitigate the impact of a Flight response, I recommend discussing available support with your manager or tutor. Engaging with a career coach, mentor, or counselor can also provide new perspectives to deal with the situation.

3. Freeze

The Freeze response is a passive way to deal with career challenges. It can take various forms, such as procrastination or inaction, which can lead to career stagnation.

Remaining in a state of Freeze mode can lead to reduced productivity and motivation, which others may perceive as unfair to both colleagues and the organisation.

Reigniting your career after a period of stagnation can be difficult, especially if specific competencies have not been developed during that time. Confidence levels can dip when navigating today’s competitive job market, and recruitment practices may feel overwhelming.

To counter this, I recommend taking small, manageable steps to stay engaged. Listening to podcasts about trends in your sector can keep you informed.  One person shared that playing games like chess and sudoku helped him stay mentally agile, which he found effective.

Rebuilding Your Career After Caregiving: Ten Empowering Steps

The end of a caregiving chapter often brings a mix of emotions, including relief, uncertainty, and hope. It also marks the beginning of a new chapter in your career journey.

As caregiving responsibilities begin to shift, many professionals ask: how do I re-enter or reinvent my career? This next section offers ten practical steps to help you rebuild with clarity and confidence.”

1. Reassess your values and interests

Reflect on what truly matters to you now. Have your values shifted? Embrace those changes and align your career with what inspires you now.

2. Identify transferable skills

Caregiving builds skills such as budgeting and problem-solving. Why not explore how you can use these skills in a work environment?  Highlight them confidently in your CV and job application form.

3. Update your skills

You should sharpen existing skills or learn new ones. Resources like YouTube tutorials, webinars, and online courses can help you learn at your own pace.

4. Clarify your goals

Revisit your career aspirations. Set short and long-term goals that reflect your new reality and connect them to a clear sense of purpose.  Setting a realistic goal within a set period can help you stay motivated.

5. Track trends in your field

Stay informed about industry updates, emerging roles, legislation, or technologies. This keeps you relevant and fuels your self-belief. The knowledge gained would increase your confidence and prepare you for your next transition.

6. Understand modern recruitment

From digital applications to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and LinkedIn networking, today’s job market has changed significantly. A good understanding of these would help you prepare effectively for your job search.

7. Reignite your network

Be bold and reach out to your professional contacts to ask for advice, support, or even an opportunity. Be clear about the type of support you need, as this can impact the help you receive from them.

8. Consider volunteering

It is an excellent way to acquire new skills. It also offers the opportunity to nurture your passion, explore new interests, and meet new people.  You will be contributing to a meaningful cause.

9. Seek Professional support

Your options include mentorship and career coaching. Through mentorship, you can gain insight and direction from someone more experienced.  A careers coach can help you explore your ideas, clarify your next steps, and work out a plan of action.

10. Engage in professional communities

There are many opportunities available, such as LinkedIn. By participating, you will get inspiration, share your ideas, and enhance your knowledge and skills.

Final Thoughts

Caregiving may interrupt your career, but it does not signal the end. As Albert Einstein said, In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.

Whether you have completed your caregiving journey or are just beginning it, the experience can enrich your life, strengthen your resilience, and equip you with a wealth of transferable skills. I encourage you to embrace this chapter without guilt.

Understanding the impact of the fight, flight, or freeze response can help you rebuild and re-align your career with the new you.

Rebuilding your career starts with thoughtful and intentional steps. Start today and plan your next move with renewed clarity, purpose, and confidence.

You have given so much of yourself in caring for others; now is your time to rise and invest in your next chapter.

      Pamela Odukoya is a career coach, trainer, and leader with over 20 years of experience. She is also a member of Toastmasters International, a not-for-profit organization that has provided communication and leadership skills since 1924 through a worldwide network of clubs. There are more than 400 clubs and 10,000 members in the UK and Ireland.

You can learn more at her Calabash Careers Coaching site.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post The Intersection of Caregiving Responsibilities and Mid-career Transition appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

Just like in photography or painting, composition in slide design is key to making content engaging, clear, and memorable. Composition is the spatial relationship between all the elements on a slide. Whether it’s text, images, colors, or font choices, the way elements are arranged determines their look, feel, and meaning. Here is a real-world example where composition helped transform a presentation meant to convince a committee of the merits of rebuilding a hospital cafeteria.

The Before version includes a generic slide with an aerial photograph and a block of text. Minimal thought was given to composition—no clear focal point. The image lacks style and storytelling elements. The overall look is uninspired and feels like a default PowerPoint template.

The After version is designed on top of a notebook (see thread stitches in the middle if you enlarge the picture), which matches the idea of continuing a story with the team that’s already been on the site and is familiar with the terrain. The slide first shows the entire aerial view in a muted color palette, and then, on click, parts of the image are muted, and just the cafeteria stands out. The font choice balances imagination and precision, evoking both storytelling and architectural planning. Most important: the new composition has meaning because the design choices reinforce the fact that this project is about continuity and improvement rather than just another construction effort.

What are some key takeaways?

– Don’t settle for generic slides; composition should reinforce your message.

– Choose fonts and image styles that support the story you are telling.

– And direct attention to key areas by adjusting contrast, size, and placement.

This post is from Carmen’s How to become memorable community. If you liked this content, you can sign up to become a member at the How to become memorable community, where you will find new content being posted continuously.

    Carmen Simon is a cognitive neuroscientist. She is also a best-selling author and leading expert on using memory to influence decision-making.

Carmen speaks frequently to corporate, academic and government audiences on neuroscience research findings related to creating memorable messages based on how the brain works. She holds doctorates in both instructional technology and cognitive psychology.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post More than Pretty: Composition that Impacts Meaning appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.

On Sunday, December 2, 2012, President Obama awarded David Letterman, along with several other artists, among them Dustin Hoffman, the Kennedy Center Honors for influencing American culture through the arts.

Image is AI-generated

In his nearly two decades as the host of the CBS Late Night show, Mr. Letterman has made his nightly reading of his Top Ten list a social ritual of American culture. While he uses his list for comic effect, you can use the same approach to create a structure for your presentations.

Authors Stephen R. Covey and Deepak Chopra used the numbering technique for the structure of their respective bestsellers, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. The popular Politico website regularly calls out the Top Five takeaways from the political events that they cover; how-to newspaper and magazine articles add sidebar boxes that summarize their main tips with a total number; and the help desk web page of product and service companies summarize their customer FAQs with a total number.

In the fast and furious business world where presentations are often hastily cobbled together with a disparate collection of begged, borrowed, or stolen slides and delivered by a presenter who is the only one in the room who can understand what on Earth one slide has to do with another, the numbering technique can be emergency CPR. Simply organizing the different elements into a clear order makes it easy for both the presenter and the audience to follow.

Eric Benhamou, the former Chairman of 3Com Corporation (acquired by HP in 2010), did so under rather trying circumstances.

Mr. Benhamou was invited to deliver a keynote speech at a dinner given by the California-Israel Chamber of Commerce, an organization as diverse as the more than 7000 miles that separate those two centers of business. The event, which was held on a mid-week night at Silicon Valley’s large San Jose Fairmount Hotel, began with a cocktail hour that ran for far more than an hour. When the ballroom doors finally opened, the several hundred guests rushed in to find seats at tables they had to share with strangers. After the usual rubber chicken meal, the Masters of Ceremonies presented awards to individuals who were familiar only to Californians, and some who were familiar only to Israelis. Each of the recipients then proceeded to give an acceptance speech that made Academy Award acceptance speeches seem abrupt by comparison. When Mr. Benhamou’s turn came, it was nearly nine o’clock.

How would you like to have to deliver a speech in those circumstances?

But Mr. Benhamou rose to the occasion. At the very outset, he announced that he would be sharing the top ten experiences of a recent trip he made to Israel. Each of the experiences was unrelated to the next—one historic, one cultural, one economic, one technological, one a human interest story—but he counted down as he went from anecdote to anecdote. Mr. Benhamou is a gifted presenter, and he held his audience’s attention throughout. When he got to his ninth anecdote, the audience began reaching for their valet parking stubs and, as soon as he finished the tenth, they bolted for the doors.

Structure your presentation by organizing your diverse themes into a group of ten or seven or three—many people subscribe to what is commonly known as the “rule of threes.” Give your audiences order rather than chaos, or they will start reaching for their valet parking stubs a lot sooner than Mr. Benhamou’s did.

This blog post is an excerpt from my new book, just published by Pearson, Winning Strategies for Power Presentations; it is one of 75 lessons from the world’s best presenters, and available now from Amazon.

    Jerry Weissman is the founder and president of Suasive, Inc., formerly Power Presentations, Ltd. Jerry founded Suasive in 1988 and quickly established himself as the coach for Silicon Valley CEOs delivering critical presentations for their IPO roadshows. He taught them to tell their company stories through the eyes of their investors, and in so doing, significantly increased the valuations of their companies. He amassed an elite client list and soon widened his focus to helping public and privately held companies develop and deliver all types of business presentations.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

The post David Letterman’s Top Ten appeared first on PowerPoint and Presenting Stuff.