Solving Presentation Hell
How many mind numbing – content rich – presentations have you endured? Content creates boredom; it doesn’t solve it. Boredom is directly proportional to the quantity of poorly delivered content. More content equals more boredom. Someone wake me when it’s over!
Content without great delivery is presentation hell!
Great delivery begins with the audience.
I recently read, what has become my new favorite book on public communication, “The Pin Drop Principle,” by David Lewis and G. Riley Mills. I asked Lewis to explain the biggest mistakes presenters make.
Four biggest presentation mistakes:
- Not thinking about audience reaction first. What style, stories, and content best achieves desired reactions? Do you want to inspire, persuade, challenge, or enlighten, for example.
- Communicating without intention.
- Not preparing delivery.
- Not bringing your smile and personality.
Intention and objective:
Lewis and Mills teach people about intention by having them repeat, “Can I see you in my office?” with five different intentions. (Soothe, ridicule, frighten, demand, or patronize, for example)
Intention informs all aspects
of a person’s physical and vocal delivery.
Intention and objective explain the purpose of your communication. The Pin Drop Principle offers this killer sentence that gets presenters on track:
I want to (intention) my audience
so that my audience will (objective).
Examples from the Pin Drop Principle:
- I want to commend my staff and volunteers … so they feel appreciated and validated.
- I want to motivate my daughter so she applies herself and studies harder.
- I want to persuade this homemaker about the superiority of this vacuum cleaner so she places an order for purchase.
Beginning with the end in mind means communication centers on how you want your audience to feel and what you want your audience to do.
What mistakes have you seen presenters make?
The best presenters ________ (fill in the blank).
My first thought was “Dan is going in a new direction…” then the light went on and I said “..just a second – communication is at the center point of leadership. Thanks for increasing the depth!
Thank you Ken.
Absolutely. It’s possible – but it’s harder – to lead effectively without being an effective public communicator.
Dear Dan,
I agree and appreciate your suggestion that content with delivery make the presenter impressive. If we segregate it into two category- content and delivery, we can find the difference in impression.What happens only with the content or what happens only with the delivery? I feel good delivery creates better impression initially than good content. But good content lasts longer than good delivery. The reason is simple- content has structure and idea, whereas delivery does not have these both. Delivery is just like plaster that beautifies the content. Of course, good delivery with good content can create miraculous impact.
Delivery should connect with audience. so, presenter should know the audience. It is very important. So, identifying the audience is the area where presenter makes mistake. The best presenters know audience and connect them with good content with delivery. Here delivery depends upon the audience. So, the core is audience.
Thank you Ajay.
As I read your comment I thought about Maya Angelou said:
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
I’ll add that I have no intention of minimizing content. 🙂
as much maligned as power point is, it limits you to one idea per slide, and can keep you ontrack. Nothing is worse than a presentation that wanders about…
Thank you Bill.
Perhaps the main point of distinction is remembering that PowerPoint is a tool. It’s isn’t the presentation and it doesn’t replace the presenter.
absolutely — nothing kills like the unmodulated voice
Dan,
Mistakes? The worst presenters put a lot of words on slides and then read the slides to the audience.
The best presenters think of real stories from their own lives that make a point so clearly that no words on a slide are needed.
We learn best from real stories. We learn best from great story tellers who help us experience the emotions (the humor or angst) of a moment.
Dauna Easley
Thank you Dauna.
When I get into one of those “read this slide” presentations I feel like saying, just give me the presentation and go home. I can read on my own.
The best presenters make it interactive.
The best presenters want their audience to walk away feeling something.
Thank you Steve.
I love to draw people into the conversation.
I love feeling like I’m part of the presentation, too.
The best presenters connect with their audience emotionally.
The biggest mistake many presenters make are being boring and normal especially when presenting on technical topics.
Thank you Rob.
How do I want them to feel? Now that’s the question.
Technical presentations may be the hardest. Perhaps a story of how something is applied, a success or failure at implementation, or a benefit of the technology livens things up.
Thanks a great point, Dan! I agree! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Dan, this is a topic close to my heart because I am a presenter. The four points are right on and knowing your audience and giving them what they need to take away is a challenge. If you miss the “what’s in this for me” you have lost them. One of the biggest mistakes is not sticking to the topic and taking rabbit trails all over the place to where when you are done the audience has no idea what the lecture was about.
Thank you Tina.
The temptation of a rabbit trail is I think it demonstrates how much I know. In reality it indicates how undisciplined I am as a speaker. OUch!
You are very honest, and we have all done it that I why I set traps for myself to keep on track. 🙂
My experience agree whole heartedly with your discussion. Lack of focus and not understanding who your audience is are the two biggest mistakes. Then we go to charts. Charts on every aspect instead of one or two focused on the intention. WIth charts comes endless explanation of items the audience has little or no interest in.
I’ve received compliments many times for the succinct way I presented the issue, proposed course of action, and plan to move forward. In many instances it resulted in additional work because the customer felt my organization knew what it was talking about and had the situation under control.
Great discussion. Well done and very on point.
Thank you Michael.
I appreciate your inclusion of charts that need detailed explanations. Usually it’s better to email the charts or use them as hand outs to be given at the end or a presentation.
Confusion is easy. Simplicity and clarity takes work!
Hi Dan;
Great article and succintly put. I am just about to give a virtual presentaion on having difficult conversations – and the same principles apply – starting with intention and motive!
Thanks
Margaret
Thank you Turbo.
I think virtual is more challenging than live. Best wishes with your intent and motive.
You think being a presenter is difficult trying being a preacher without power point.
Thank you Rev.
I guess you’re making powerful points without powerpoint. I hope my attempt at levity doesn’t seem disrespectful.
Wherever and whenever I get a chance! LOL Not disrespectful at all! Thanks for the levity, Dan.
Thanks, Dan. I’m working on a presentation. I get one hour after dinner. 50 minutes plus questions. I may be trying to say too much. I think that I tend to make presentations like writing a paper – three main points, support the points, and conclude. Maybe presentations are better done with one main point and three supporting stories. With time to share stories. Maybe I think the risk is I won’t get participation so better have enough to say to fill 50 minutes. Timely topic for me.
Thank you Glenn.
The concern you express is nearly universal for presenters. What if I run out of material.
I remember from Pin Drop the idea of trying to tuck two or three ideas with one story… I wonder how that would work.
The thing that helps me most is finding stories that align with my intent. Once I determine how I want them to feel, I find it’s easier to find the right story.
Best wishes… I think after dinner presentations are most challenging!
Dan –
You said: “Boredom is directly proportional to the quantity of poorly delivered content”
and I think that it should be, “poorly delivered content” SQUARED. I do know that it is NOT a logarithmic scale, for sure. I do like those sessions where there is a break and one is allowed to “vote with your feet,”
Thank you Dr. Scott.
Love your mathematical equation B = PDC squared. I think you are right. I was too easy when I said it was directly proportionally.
Perhaps a graduate student could do some research and determine the exact ration??
The best presenters use stories, which is another way to say, “In my experience….” which is another way to allow listeners to listen and absorb without feeling defensive because someone is telling them what to do.
Thank you Katrina.
I like the idea that stories make room for listeners to digest and connect with content on their own terms.
Thanks for the lead on the Pin Drop Principle. Looking forward to reading the book and learning the method. Couldn’t agree with the authors more. For me, it is…Content X INTENT=ACTION
I’m not a big fan of PPT, but I will say if one is limited to this form of communication I would strong encourage reading any of Garr Reynolds’ and/or Nancy Duarte’s books. Learn how to create a PPT presentation without using any bullets and few, if any, words.
Garr Reynolds
Presentation Zen
Presentation Zen Design
The naked presenter
Nancy Duarte
slide:ology
resonate
Happy sliding…Jim
Thank you Jim.
Thanks for the heads up on Reynolds and Duarte. I couldn’t agree more. I find PPT works great for showing images and a few – very few – words. I also use it for embedded videos and audio files when useful.
Personally, I find the old rules about using the same style and font on every slide is boooorrrrrrinnnngggggg!!
Another great and short read is Edward Tufte’s “The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint: Pitching Out Corrupts Within.” Tufte walks the reader through the PPT reason the Space Shuttle Columbia crashed.
…..bore me with PowerPoint presentations..zzzzzzzzzz
Thank you Cat. Well expressed
Reblogged this on lewandog and commented:
Start with the end in mind, engage, have purpose!!
I think powerpoint has killed presentations. Nothing beats a great speaker. Biggest mistake I’ve seen is paragraphs of words on powerpoint and the presenter reads them all – a-hem I can read. The best presentations have tops 3 main points and when done well you leave knowing them as if they were your idea!
Thank you Diana.
Sometimes going against accepted practice is more interesting than fitting in.
hmmmm sounds like the makings of a post!
Dan –
Not enough can be said about presentation skills. So many “speakers” drone or “uh” their way through.
I do agree that having lots of text on slides and reading them is just ridiculous, but would also caution against not putting salient points on the slides. A picture alone on a slide is not helpful when shared or reviewed later even though it was been perfect when the presenter told her story.
Slides should be the scaffolding from which the talk hangs.
Thanks,
Roy
Thank you Roy.
YOu bring up an important point for presentations that will be shared after the live show is done. Most of my PPT slide decks are useless.
All of this is great, but am I missing something?
For me, the presentation is all about the content, but content that is relevant to the audience (the starting point) and has a clear objective, but what catches me most is:
Enthusiasm and commitment of the presenter (but not in isolation to the above!
Dan, I hate your posts! They are just sooo provocative!
As always…thank you!
Thank you “thebusinessowl”
I think you gave me the business… 🙂
Can’t get away from the need for great content. My deepest concern is the false belief that great content is enough.
We definitely want to avoid the triumph of form over content! That’s just smoke and mirrors.
Those are some good idea to make the presentation not as boring as hell. As an international student, my accent will make the presentation very interesting..It’s hard and not confident enough to give a presentation. Can you cheer me up by giving me some suggestions?
Thanks!
Thank you JTS’s.
Sounds like your accent makes it difficult for some to understand you. The only thing I can think that might help is preparation and practice. Could you get some help from someone who has already faced and overcome this challenge?
Thank you Dan,
Unfortunately,I’m the only international student in my program. But my classmate did help me a lot. Sometimes they give me less part of our work. somehow…I think probably I need to gain confident by practicing.
Thank you again Dan
JTS, not sure how important giving presentations will be in your career, but assuming it is very important and English is not your first language, I would encourage you to seek out voice/speech coach. Here is one that even addresses accents: http://www.speechcoach.ws/default.asp
Hope this helps and good luck speaking…
thanks for jumping in Jim…great idea
Thank you so much for the kindness help. I just click the link you attached, It seems like a very helpful. Thank you Jim!
TS
JTS,
Consider joining your local Toastmasters Club. It’s a great place to gain confidence. You will never be criticized for your manner of speech. (Our club has a member who is working with both accent and a stammer, and he gets all the respect his efforts deserve).
Find a club near you:
http://reports.toastmasters.org/findaclub/
another great idea Roy…thank you.
Thank you so much for the suggestion! I will check that out!
One of the most annoying things presenters do is to put their entire spoken part of their presentation on their supporting slides. I feel slides are to highlight topics and main points only. NOT for you to read to your audience. BORING and annoying.