Is it time to think outside the box and retire some buzzwords (or buzz phrases) from your presentations? Read this quote and see what you think: “It’s not exactly rocket science or brain surgery to figure out that they are not the cream of the crop when it comes to language. But perhaps at the end of the day we’ll find that we won’t have to reinvent the wheel. Instead, we’ll push the envelope and have our fingers in every pie.” www.conversationmatters.com Buzzwords lose their “buzz” over time and become ambiguous worn out clichés. Simple words lead to clear communication and make you sound human, and fresh. This is also mentioned… Read More
Continue ReadingGrand Openings
About a month ago I was in a situation where I had 45 minutes to present our proposal for a complex 6 million dollar project. Have you ever found yourself in a high stakes presentation with a short time to deliver your message? In situations like this you need to engage the audience quickly. We have likely all done traditional openings, “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, my name is Joe. I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to …” You know how the rest goes. The last thing you want to do is bore the audience at this key moment!! There is some debate among presentation… Read More
Continue ReadingShould you rise to the occasion?
I sometimes wonder if it is better to stand or sit while presenting. This week I had an experience which answered the question. I gave (basically) the same presentation three times in one day to two different audiences, in two different settings. The first two presentations were given in a staff lunch room, there were approximately 10 people in each group. The goal was to introduce new technologies. I did the two presentations while standing; standing worked well for this audience and setting. The third presentation was given at a restaurant, to three physicians. The presentation was basically the same content; however I decided to sit while giving this presentation. We… Read More
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