You’ve seen them in your industry and your community: the names you recognize instantly, sharing their knowledge. We call them thought leaders, and joining their ranks may be easier than you expect. You may have sat in the audience at conferences or other industry meetings, listening to people whose backgrounds were similar to yours. But … Read more
In the hundreds of hours I’ve devoted to waiting on hold for people, I’ve listened to many messages that are nothing short of torturous. I’m not talking about reminders that I’m being kept on hold because my business is incredibly important – the problem usually shows up in the sales messages that pop up every … Read more
Did you know that public speaking is a bigger source of fear for most people than the idea of dying? Fortunately, most people die only once, but you may face multiple occasions in your career or civic life in which you’re forced to share important information in front of a crowd. There’s a lot of … Read more
When I mention the malady known as “death by PowerPoint,” nearly everyone nods. We’ve all been subjected to a variety of excruciating presentations that aren’t improved by the speaker’s use of that popular presentation software. I could list several examples, but the one that ticks me off the most is the goofy slide that’s stuck … Read more
Most of us are well-acquainted with the concept (if not the term) of “death by PowerPoint.” It’s a reference to any number of excruciating presentation types. To me, the worst offender is the presenter who subjects you to copy-heavy slide after copy-heavy slide, and must assume you’re illiterate, so he finds it necessary to read … Read more
Every time I attend a conference, I’m reminded of one of my many PowerPoint peeves. It’s not my biggest peeve (which is the presenter who subjects you to copy-heavy slide after copy-heavy slide, and makes it worse by assuming that you’re illiterate, so he reads every word to you), but it comes close. No, the … Read more
Most people whose jobs require that they sit through many presentations are well-acquainted with the concept (if not the term) of “death by PowerPoint.” It’s a reference to any number of excruciating presentation types. Perhaps the worst offender is the presenter who subjects you to copy-heavy slide after copy-heavy slide, and makes it worse by … Read more
Too many people think the secret to a great presentation is a dazzling PowerPoint presentation. Not quite. Whether you’re an occasional presenter or a seasoned pro, the answer is the same as the punch line to that tired joke: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”
It’s practice, practice, and more practice, pure and simple. The people who deliver presentations that seem to be so natural and casual are usually those who have practiced the most.