presentation zen Simple ideas on presentation design and delivery phần 10 pot

Keep the Lights OnIt is a common reaction all over the world: Just as the presenter is ready to begin, someone shouts "could you get the lights, please!" And the room becomes shrouded in

Keep the Lights On

It is a common reaction all over the world: Just as the presenter is ready to begin, someone shouts "could you get the lights, please!" And the room becomes

shrouded in darkness, save for the light reflecting off the screen The presenter? She must be there somewhere, I can hear her speaking (or is that the audience

breathing?)

If you want your presentation to be more effective, then don't touch that light switch Even when you are using slides, the more lights you can keep on, the better off you will be Remember, you're trying to connect, to tell a story, to sell an idea to the board or other decision makers It is very difficult to make a connection if the

audience can't see you The audience is not there to witness the narration of slides;

they are there to listen to you and become engaged with you and your topic If the audience can't see you, they will find it difficult to listen, and they are certainly more likely to tune you out

The audience must experience both your "verbal speech" and your "visual

speech." A relatively small part of your message is actually verbal The rest of your message is expressed visually and vocally Influencing people verbally becomes far more difficult when they can't see you

Cliff Atkinson reminds us of the evidence that supports the claim that the more the audience can both see and hear you, the better "It turns out that when you watch people speak, the visual cues help you to predict and understand the

auditory cues that follow soon after These visual cues are actually not limited to the lips, but include the entire human face," says Atkinson According to the

authors of Why Business People Speak like Idiots (Free Press), " human beings

are hard-wired to draw much more meaning from people than they are from the

information that people present." True, but they've got to see you.

Ten years ago, projectors were not all that bright, so turning the lights off made more sense Today, even inexpensive business projectors are usually bright enough for a smaller venue or teaching situation There is no good reason for turning off all the lights today in most situations In many cases, you just have to compromise The slides may look better with all the lights off, but you'll disappear With all the lights

on, the screen may wash out completely In this case, you can dim just the lights in front if possible Look for a balance, but do not present in the dark

208 Presentation Zen

In corporate meeting rooms across

Japan, common practice is to turn all or

most of the lights off for presentations It

is also very common for the presenter to

sit on the side or back of the table

operating the PC while the audience

stares at the screen as the "presenter"

narrates the slides This practice is so

common that it is considered "normal." It

may be normal, but it is not effective

Audiences will better understand the

presenter's message when they can

both hear and see the presenter.

Chapter 9 Connecting with an Audience 209

Remote Simplicity: Use a Small Remote

to Advance Slides

I see a lot of presentations by very smart people, yet all too often the presenter either uses a remote poorly (as if it is the first time he's seen such a device) or does not use a remote at all Even today, too many presenters stay next to the computer

on a table or lectern or walk back to the computer to change slides every few

minutes

Remote control devices for computers are relatively cheap and an absolute must

No excuses, you've got to have one If you are not currently using a remote to advance slides, adding a remote to your delivery style will make a huge difference The remote allows you to get out front closer to the people, to move to different parts of the stage or room, and to make those connections

When we stay glued to the laptop and look down to advance every slide, our presentations become more like slide shows with narration, the kind our uncle used

to bore us with when he whipped out his 35mm slide projector with highlights of his latest fishing trip Yawn

Remember, you want the technology behind your presentation to be as invisible as possible to the audience But when you have your hand on the computer and your eyes are moving back and forth from the computer screen, to the keyboard, to the audience (or projection screen), this becomes more like the typical PowerPoint presentation that people complain about

Small and basic is all you need I prefer small remotes with only the most basic features You can buy remotes that you can mouse around with onscreen and are equipped with myriad other features, but they are large and call attention to

themselves All I really need is the ability to advance, go back, and turn the screen black Very simple

210 Presentation Zen

In Sum

 You need solid content and logical structure, but you also have to make a connection with the audience You must appeal to both the logical and the emotional

 If your content is worth talking about, then bring energy and passion to your delivery Every situation is different, but there is never an excuse for being dull

 Don't hold back If you have a passion for your topic, then let people know it

 Remember hara hachi bu It is better to leave your audience satisfied yet

yearning for a bit more of you than it is to leave your audience stuffed and feeling that they have had more than enough

 Keep the lights on; the audience must always be able to see you

 Remove any barriers between you and the audience Avoid podiums (lecterns),

if possible And use a wireless mic and remote control for advancing slides so that you can move around freely and naturally

Chapter 9 Connecting with an Audience 211

What we think, we become.

- Buddha

10 The Journey Begins

Many people look for the short road and the quick fix to achieve presentation excellence But it doesn't exist: there are no panaceas or off-the-shelf fixes

Learning to become an exceptional presenter in today's world is a journey In this journey, there are many paths to presenting in a more "enlightened" way, a way that is appropriate for the world in which we live The first step down the road to becoming a great presenter is simply seeing—really seeing—that that which

passes for normal and ordinary and good enough is off-kilter with how we learn, understand, remember, and engage

No matter what your starting point is today, you can become much better In fact, you can become extraordinary I know this is true because I have seen it many times before I have worked with professionals—young and old—who believed that they were not particularly creative, charismatic, or dynamic, and yet with a little help they were able to transform themselves into extremely creative, highly

articulate, engaging presenters once they realized that that person that remarkable presenter was in them already Once they opened their eyes and made the

commitment to learn and leave the past behind, it was just a matter of time before great progress was visible Interestingly, as their confidence grew and they became more effective presenters, their newly found confidence and perspective had a remarkable impact on other aspects of their personal and professional lives

Chapter 10 The Journey Begins 217

How to Improve

There are many things you can do to become a better presenter (with or without the use of multimedia) and a better, more effective communicator in general Here are just a few things to keep in mind

Read and Study

Through books, DVDs, and myriad online resources, you can teach yourself much

of what is needed to be an exceptional presenter I list over 75 books, DVDs, and Web sites on the Presentation Zen Web site (presentationzen.com) which are

related to presentation design and delivery Most of the items recommend are not necessarily about presentation skills or slideware at all However, these are the

resources that are often the most helpful For example, you can learn a lot about storytelling and the use of imagery by studying the masters of documentary film and cinema Even books on writing screen plays will teach you lessons you can

apply to the world of presentations You just never know what you'll learn through self-study, especially when you look in unusual places

Just Do It

Reading and studying are important and necessary, but to really get better at

presentations—including the design of visuals you have to actually do it, and do it

often So look for opportunities to present If there is a local Toastmasters

( www.toastmasters.org ) chapter in your area, consider getting involved You'll not

only get many opportunities to speak and present with Toastmasters, but you'll also expand your network and make new friends, all of whom have an interest

in mastering public speaking Volunteer to present for your

school, business, or civic group, and look for

opportunities to "give it away."

218 Presentation Zen

Finding inspiration in jazz …

Exercise Your “Right Brain”

It is important for working professionals—no matter

what their field is—to stay in touch with their

"creative soul" and to nurture it What a waste it

would be to ignore one of your passions or talents

Frankly, you just never know where inspiration will

come from Inspiration, clarity, or a new perspective

may materialize unforced as you climb that mountain, paint that portrait,

photograph that sunset, write that novel , or find that "pocket" while playing with fellow musicians in a downtown nightclub

I no longer play music fulltime, but I still perform from time to time with local jazz musicians or blues bands in Japan It's so good for the creative soul to play live and connect with other musicians and an audience Blues especially is about connecting and telling a story through the words and music It's about feelings Playin g the blues well is similar to making great presentations: it's not about technique Once you begin to focus on technique and tricks and flash and making an impression, all

is lost If I never played music I would miss all the lessons

Get Out

Nothing great will ever happen to you if you stay in your comfort zone So as much as you can, get out of your office or school or house and make

connections and look to exercise the right side of your brain Out there" is

where the learning occurs Challenge yourself and develop your creativity;

exercise your creative brain Take a drama class Take an

art class Go to a movie Go to a concert Go to a

play or a musical If you're a musician, join an

orchestra or jam with friends or form a band Or just

go for an inspirational walk alone

Chapter 10 The Journey Begins 219

Or visiting a temple in Kyoto

Lessons Are All Around You

We can find inspiration and lessons in

unexpected places For example, over the

years I've learned a lot about graphic

design—what's effective and what's not—

during the morning commute on the trains

Trains here in Japan are clean,

comfortable, and on time The trains are

also full of print advertising hanging and

affixed to every conceivable space I enjoy

scanning the print ads while I commute as this gives me a chance to keep abreast

of new products and events, and also to study graphic design trends and observe the way graphics and print are used in the media You can learn a lot about

fundamental design principles and develop a critical eye through careful

examination of graphic design found in posters, banners, street signs, store

fronts, and so on We usually ignore or take for granted so much of the design in

an urban setting, but just walking down the street you'll find that the examples from which to learn are all around you The lessons are everywhere It's just a

matter of seeing

It's Within You Already

The key is in knowing that it is within you already Do not rely on Microsoft or Apple

or anyone else to dictate your choices Most of all, do not let mere habit—and the habits of others—dictate your decisions on how you prepare and design and

ultimately deliver your presentations The secret is in increased awareness and being able to see the world and all the lessons around you We cannot truly move forward and learn the new if we cling to the old The essential key to improvement

is simply having an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to learn and even

to make mistakes in the process There are many ways to improve and transform yourself In this chapter, I have listed just a few that I hope will be of help to you

220 Presentation Zen

So, what's the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion, there is only the next step And that next step is completely up to you In fact, far from being the conclusion, for many this is just the beginning In this book I have tried to give you a few simple things to think about as you work toward improving your presentation preparation, design, and delivery skills This book focused on presenting while using slideware such as PowerPoint or Keynote, yet the use of multimedia technology is not appropriate for every case You decide But if you do use slideware in your next talk, aim to design and deliver your presentation while allowing the principles of restraint, simplicity, and naturalness to be your gentle guide Enjoy the journey

Chapter 10 The Journey Begins 221

A journey of a thousand miles Begins with a single step

- Lao Tzu

Photo Credits 225