Presentation Skills

Get your audience involved

November 11, 2020

Use these tactics to encourage audience involvement and hold its attention during your presentations.

Grab listeners’ attention with a clear purpose

November 11, 2020

Business speakers make a common mistake in their presentations: They concentrate on their agenda, instead of their purpose. Here’s the difference.

Are you too quick to offer help to employees who come to you with problems? … How does it strike you when someone says “What?” right after you’ve said something? … Pre-speech calisthenics … Hand-draw your proposals

Uh-oh! There goes my mic

September 10, 2020

Pleasing an audience is tough enough, but sometimes it seems that the inanimate world is after you, too—microphones and projectors in particular. When these necessary but irritating items break down, here are some ways to bail yourself out.

Lights … camera … awkwardness

July 9, 2020

Q: Our staff has been given a project to record dozens of short first-person presentations on video. We’ve found that a few folks are depressingly wooden, formal, and uneasy on camera. Is there a simple way to snap them out of their stage awkwardness?

Be mindful of your gestures

July 9, 2020

Many speakers are either too stiff or too grandiose in their movements. Use these tips to strike an effective balance.

KISS: Keep It Super Simple

June 24, 2020

Yes, you could produce a 50- or 60-slide PowerPoint presentation and feel good about your message. But you will be far more impactful if you whittle your message down to its core and present five to eight memorable slides.

Prepare for that moment at the mic

April 9, 2020

If you have a big presentation coming up, don’t let the stress of it keep you from doing your very best. Follow these tips to prepare so you shine on the big day.

Hold that holiday message to the staff

December 13, 2019

Q. I’m not sure what to say to the staff at the start of the holiday party this year, and I’m always nervous in front of that many people (about 500). We didn’t have a good year at all … any advice?

Even a 15-second presentation demands these basics

August 1, 2019

Never take any moment in the spotlight for granted. This is a moment that shapes the way people perceive you; don’t let it get away from you! Always consider these essentials.