Comments on: Don’t follow these presentation tips

By: Olivia Mitchell

Olivia Mitchell — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:24:55 +0000

Hi Michael

I love the way that you’ve expressed that. You’ve put it better than I have in the post. Olivia

By: Olivia Mitchell

Olivia Mitchell — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:54:34 +0000

Hi Nathan

True – the slow fade is annoying. What I’m really ranting about though is the people who say “only do this” as if it were the only way of doing it. Using keywords can be effective, but is not the only way. Olivia

By: Michael Gardner

Michael Gardner — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:38:44 +0000

Olivia, how true. For every “do this” there’s the corollary, of yes, but not always. Each person and each situation is so different. That’s what I liked best about your post, its suggestion that we need to be more fluid, more open to what works for us and not locked in by absolutist “musts” or “shoulds.” The real key as you mentioned is to be ourselves, but our best selves, which is the trick. I just discovered your site and look forward to hearing more.

By: links for 2009-07-29 | burningCat

links for 2009-07-29 | burningCat — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:11:37 +0000

[...] Don’t follow these presentation tips (tags: powerpoint power presentation) [...]

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:07:32 +0000

Can’t but agree with the choice of tips to avoid. #5 is right to the core. Certainly, the delivery matters but not that much as to make or break the presentation. Thanx for sharing.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:08:37 +0000

I think it’s very important to differentiate between keywords and “keywords with slow fade” in number 9.
Many presenters have very effectively used mostly keywords in lieu of sentences or bullets. But ONLY keywords with a slow fade on every slide is definitely creepy.

By: Olivia Mitchell

Olivia Mitchell — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:10:01 +0000

Hi Lisa
I totally agree with going with what works – and particularly with my last two points (only keywords on slide and saving questions till end) there will be situations when those tips are appropriate.

Some of the tips that I’ve listed above do work to some extent or may work for some people. For example, telling someone who speaks fast to slow down, may work to some extent. And it was advice that I used to give. But chunking is so much more effective, that I can’t imagine ever needing to tell someone to slow down again.

So some of the tips I’ve listed above are not wrong, but simply superseded by what I think are more effective ways of helping people.

And I would never hold anything against you .
Olivia

By: Olivia Mitchell

Olivia Mitchell — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:24:22 +0000

Hi Dr Pete
Your point that energy is all the same to our bodies is very true. The feelings we get when we’re nervous or excited are both the product of adrenalin. So channeling that energy to help you with your presentation is a great way of thinking about it. Olivia

By: Lisa Braithwaite

Lisa Braithwaite — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:52:56 +0000

Olivia, you’ve outed me! Actually, I do give some of this advice some of the time to some of my clients, because everyone is different. And some of these tips actually work, depending on the individual and their needs. I say, whatever works for my client works for me! And some of the things I work on with clients make it to my blog. I hope you don’t hold it against me.

By: Dr. Pete

Dr. Pete — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:35:28 +0000

I love #6. I used to get very bent out of shape over speaking (like many people), and then would try to relax, fail, and get even more bent out of shape over failing at trying to relax. Wash, rinse, repeat, and eventually I was a nervous wreck.

One day, I somehow managed, in a “fake it ’til you make it” moment, to pour all that nervous energy intro the presentation, and it worked magic. One great thing about energy is that, at least to your body, it’s all the same – instead of trying to bottle it up, put it to work.