When they lose their buzz…

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

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Should 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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How is your storytelling?

I just returned from a 3 day meeting in Orlando.  Over 3000 people attended and, as you would expect, there were lots of presentations. The presentations were like most presentations, but I noticed something interesting. Many of the presentations contained a story, and the stories had a noticeable effect on the audience. Whenever a presenter started a story, the audience got quiet and were more focused on the presenter. Everyone was more engaged. The stories that were most engaging had common elements; they were about a specific person and a specific place and time. The best stories had a direct emotional link to the presenter’s message and were brief and concise. The basic elements of this “springboard” type… Read More

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