If you sometimes jump from one topic to another during your presentations, or you find yourself using the same transition, such as “the next slide shows…” you’re missing out on an important opportunity to create better flow and better retention of your content. Better transitions = better flow.
John was reluctant to present monthly results to his leaders. His number-driven slides resulted in sleepy audiences, or in lots of questions, most of them off-topic. What to do? Read for tips on presenting with numbers.
Your presentation is technical. The topic is complex. You are afraid your audience will be confused or bored. Take some time to figure out ways to make it more palatable. Clearer. More interesting. Here are some ideas to start with.
Over two years ago we attended a live virtual event that lasted two days, and kept people engaged from start to finish. We thought a reminder of how to engage your listeners might be worth revisiting!
How often should you engage your audience or learners? Of course, it always depends on the situation, your audience, and your content. Find out what the experts and my colleagues say.
Yes there are some risks associated with engaging your audience or trainees. It could be seen as a waste of time. Maybe your attempts flop. Oops! Here are some ways to avoid the risks and make a real connection.
A valued client recently asked: “We often talk about engaging our learners and audiences in general. But exactly why is engagement so important?” I reached out to my network for their thoughts. Here is some of what they said about engagement.
A difficult or challenging question makes you uncomfortable and makes you falter in your response. When it happens, recognize that you may be having an emotional reaction. Your heart may start beating faster, a sure sign of a fight, flight or freeze response. What to do to next…
You ask for questions and … crickets. Nothing. Nada. Where did you go wrong? It could be the way you asked, or even when you asked. Try these 5 strategies and you should get more engagement, including questions.
Do you ever ramble, go off on tangents, or provide far too much detail or background about your subject? It’s easy to do, and often causes you to lose your audience. Read four quick tips that will help you plan and execute a more concise presentation each time.
Our coaching clients wondered how they could do a thorough presentation to the executive team within a very tight time frame? They had a lot of ground to cover, and not much time. If you find yourself in a similar situation, consider these strategies.
Our coaching clients were prepping for a key team presentation. They aced it and received rave reviews. A few simple actions will ensure your team will also create and deliver a presentation that is clear, compelling and cohesive.
Do you ever feel you are fumbling around in Zoom, looking for this and that? I am always looking for a quicker way to move about. Good news! There are many keyboard shortcuts you can memorize and use to get things done much more smoothly.
Introducing a guest speaker, in person or virtually? Following these actions will help you make a gracious introduction—so your audience understands why this speaker is there, and so your speakers feel welcome and can do their best.
Clear speech sets you apart from the crowd, makes you sound more confident, and can be obtained with practice and feedback. Here are five steps you can take to ensure your words will sound clear and confident.
A prospective client. A job interview. A new team member. A presentation to your board. These situations have one thing in common: you need to introduce yourself in a way that creates a positive first impression. Since we all know how important first impressions are, let’s explore some best practices for introducing yourself.
Here are 10 great ways you can get your teammates, peers or learners engaged in brainstorming and sharing in virtual meetings, presentations and training sessions. We would love to know if you have discovered more ways to engage virtually, so drop us a line if you would like to share what works for you.
Like flying an airplane, the most critical parts of a presentation are the takeoff and landing. In presentations, the last minute or two is when you “land” your message. Will the audience remember what you said? Will they take action? Or will they just be glad it is over and click out of the meeting in relief?
Want to be a better speaker? Whether you are speaking virtually or in-person, formally or informally, here are some things you can do to become more effective. And some things you can do less of. Result: better presentations and meetings.
Live or virtual, to be an effective speaker you need a clear and compelling message for each presentation. Here is a quick reminder how to create a clear compelling message for your very next meeting, presentation, or sales pitch.
OK, so you have information to impart that is technical, detailed, or full of jargon or special terms. Some of you would even call it….boring. One issue is how to make it clearer and easier for nontechnical people to understand. Another is how to make it more interesting. We show you how to do both.
Listening is a big part of daily life, both at work and at home. But because we rarely if ever give it any special attention, we might not be as good at listening as we would like to think we are! Here are some pointers that can help you be a more effective listener.
For years we have been talking about death by slides. We all know slides are often too dense, too complex, visually unappealing. In today’s virtual world, visuals carry even more weight than before. In addition, our audiences are often suffering from Zoom Fatigue. Here are four quick tips to make sure your visuals add value.
What keeps your audience focused and attentive, whether for one hour or two full days? Great content. Great speakers. And masterful engagement. I recently spent two days learning from a handful of pros and saw how they kept 1200 people engaged.
When they are stressed, people are less focused, more distracted and often feel misunderstood. Effective change leadership addresses these feelings and shows empathy for what team members are experiencing. You can build habits and skills to master this important soft skill.
Do you ever get tongue-tied when you speak? Have trouble thinking of the right words? Or feel like you stumble through the words? Let’s think about why that happens, and how you can build more fluency in your speech.
These days, it is pretty much a given: your organization is undergoing a significant change, and your team is worried. Learning to communicate change is a skill that we can build, and one we will use over and over.
You might be communicating new information, or guiding staff or customers when your content is uncertain and changing fast. You can still speak with confidence and clarity, if you are willing to put in the time and effort.
Ever notice how we tend to lean on certain words, certain phrases? They quickly start sounding tired, clichéd, boring. Today we’ll look at ways you can upgrade your language so you can sound smarter. And, when you turn these verbal changes into habits, they will sound natural—and smart.
Better communication means being in the present moment as much as humanly possible. These days, that is not easy. For fluency and impact, reset physically and mentally between meetings.