How to Give Great Presentations

Building effective client presentationsMBO Partners

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Moderator

Sara Conde Director, Consultant ServicesMBO Partners

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Hashtag: #MBOWeb

@MBOPartners@pkarabetis

Our Presenter

Panayiotis KarabetisAssoc. Director, EngineeringOperations, Proposals, Processes

Thank you, Sara. And thank you to MBO Partners for this opportunity to speak with you today. Allow me to share an experience I had three weeks ago where I could have injured myself and a group of 40 unsuspecting people. It was a Thursday night at the Sheraton Hotel and I was on the roster to give a speech for my Toastmasters group. My group is a dinner club, so its members are easily distracted by wait staff and the smell of delicious food. When my name was called to speak, my colleagues clapped on command even though I knew they would rather be using their hands to eat their food. That night, instead of walking to the front of the room wearing a suit and tie, I dashed from my seat and ducked behind the lectern where I had stashed some clothing. As I dressed the part, a friend placed a towel on the floor in the center of the room and set a 2 thick patio block atop two vertical cinder blocks.6

My Opening

I emerged from behind the lectern wearing my old karate uniform, which thankfully still fit after 18 years of retirement.

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My Closing

My presentation was called How to Break Bricks, and even though I gave away the ending, my club let their food get cold and watched in anticipation to see if I would injure myself and other club members in the process. So, did I break the brick? Well soon find out.8

Call me Pete

My name is Panayiotis Karabetis, but feel free to call me Pete. I love seeing the world from different perspective and live to make complex ideas simple. I started at LMO Advertising as the Director of User Experience for our Engineering Department where I created digital experiences for clients like the United States Coast Guard and Ryan Homes. As of last year, Ive been helping our Baltimore and Arlington offices work seamlessly together by setting up collaborative software and creative processes. As a result, Im frequently training my colleagues and speaking at events on the subject of User Experience.

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Todays DiscussionIdeasBody LanguageVocal VarietyRehearsalVisual Aids

To be honest, it is quite the mental task to give a presentation about effective presentations. Can you imagine the pressure to make this talk successful? Im sure you can. Heres what well cover today. Youll learn why ideas are a dime a dozen and how your body language and vocal variety can either wake up your audience or put them to sleep. Youll also discover that practice does NOT make perfect and that your visual aids should NOT be works of art. All this and more, right after our first poll.10

ideas

Can we display that please?Which of the following led to a massive cognitive shift for humankind?

The Discovery of FireThe Printing PressThe Internet11

POLLWhich of the following led to a massive cognitive shift for humankind?

The Discovery of FireThe Printing PressThe Internet

The Printing Press

Technically, all three changed our world In their own way, but were going to focus on the printing press. Since its creation almost 600 years ago, it has single-handedly impacted your every attempt at presenting.

Forms of Communication

Before and after its invention, there were as many ways to transmit messages as there are webinars today. Methods like grunting, smoke signals, carrier pigeons; stone tablets, animal skins, quill pens. What made the printing press so special is how it revolutionized human thought. When it was introduced in 1440, people were leading more peaceful lives with easier access to food and shelter. So why is the printing press so important? Aside from making the printing and distributing of books much easier, it actually rewired our brains. Think about it, this was a time in history where people were no longer being being chased by wild animals. Times were less stressful than the civilizations of the past and, for the first time ever, modern humans of that time could curl up with a good book and let their imaginations run wild. This encouraged deep thinking about new ideas and paved the way for challenging existing ones. Not only that, but other people with the same books now had a reason to discuss their own opinions and spread those ideas further. This kind of critical thinking allowed individuals to form their own beliefs quicker and start seeking new information to support them.

Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows, suggests that this rewiring changed our behavior and made us susceptible to the dopamine effects the Internet. The Internet broke down more communication barriers than the invention of the telephone or radio ever did. You dont have to be a rocket scientist to notice the fire-hose of information fighting for your attention every day. Sadly, the constant distractions of this Information Age have made us a short-term gratification society.

http://www.trbimg.com/img-541b57ec/turbine/la-ca-jc-nicholas-carr-20140921

FOMO

A society where were trained to swipe, tap and click for the latest brain candy for fear of missing out. Much like the printing press revolution, our brains are once again being rewired to scan for new, novel information and ignore deep, prolonged thinking. This makes grabbing peoples attention more difficult than ever.

Attention Spans Plummet

In a Microsoft study conducted last year suggests that since the mobile revolution of 2008, humans now have less of an attention span than goldfish, which apparently can focus for up to 9 seconds, whereas humans clock in at only around 8 seconds.http://mindfulmooves.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/our-average-attention-span.jpg

5-Second Test

Surely, this is why the 5-second Test has become an industry standard in the field of usability testing. During a 5-Second Test, participants are exposed to an image of a webpage foryou guessed it: five secondsafter which the image is removed and theyre asked questions about what they remember seeing or feeling. We have to get to the point or people will leave, both physically and mentally.

In fact, the basis of Oren Klaffs book Pitch Anything, revolves around this concept and how our feeble attention spans crave new, relevant information to stay active.http://www.reinventionsummit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/OrenCraft.jpg

The Croc Brain

Oren describes what he calls the Croc Brainthe most primitive part of our brain thats hard-wired to protect us from stimuli that could threaten our lives.

The Croc Brain wants information:FastSummarizedContrasting (new, different, novel)

If your message passes the scrutiny of the Croc Brain, it has a chance to make its way through the Mid-Brain and higher-level Neocortex where it might be considered for processing.

20-Minutes of Convincing Power

Croc Brain

OnOff

Unlike the Internet where you get 5 seconds to make your point, being in front of people affords you slightly more time. Oren calls this 20-minute window your convincing power but you dont get another chance.

18-Minutes or Less

This could be why Ted talks are capped at 18 minutes. Im of the same mind as Chris Anderson, the creator of Ted, who believes that all great talks have one thing in common: sharing an idea. To Chris, ideas are patterns of behavior that inspire thoughts. Those thoughts form our beliefs. And our beliefs help us navigate the world. Oddly enough, Chris recorded a great talk about creating Ted talks that I highly recommend. In short, he confirms that the only way to spread your idea is to keep it simple and appeal to your audience.https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140313205730-5711504-the-science-behind-ted-s-18-minute-rulehttp://www.ted.com/talks/chris_anderson_teds_secret_to_great_public_speaking

Define an OutcomeI want my audience to

learn how to chop an onion. start using Snap Chat. give me venture capital money!

Appealing to your audience starts with having a clear outcome of what you want to achieve. Regardless of whether you choose to inform, entertain, persuade or inspire audience, write an outcome statement to guide your efforts. An outcome statement is a single sentence that describes what your audience should do after your presentation. Only three rules apply to your outcome statement: (1) keep it short, (2) be specific and (3) make it actionable. For example23

Todays Outcome Statement

After my presentation, I want you to be excited about applying at least one new insight to your next presentation.

Heres my outcome statement for this presentation: [read statement]. Its that simple, so lets keep learning.24

body language

Were going to move into Body Language segment with another poll question that I hope you never have to answer in real life.Which statement best describes you?

I run away from the bear because Im scared.Im scared because I run away from the bear.25

William James

William James, the father of American Psychology, asked this question a lot because he truly believed that the way we actcontrary to popular beliefhad the power to affect the way we feel.

Lets try something

So, lets try something. I want you to initiate a half-smile. For the best results, focus on relaxing your entire face except for the corners of your lips. If youre in private, give it your bestwhat do you have to lose? If youre having trouble, heres some inspiration for you

Nice try

Really isolate your smile and observe how you feel with most of your face at rest. Hows your energy level? Hows your mood? Good, now completely relax and lets go the other way.

Really try smiling now!

This time. I want you to smile as if you have a pencil between your teeth. Invite your entire face to participateeven get your neck and ears involved if you can. How do you feel now compared to before? You see, merely holding this pose for a few moments is enough to add a positive spin to your internal dialogue. Thats what William James was trying to tell us.

Richard Wisemans book The As If Principle is a collection of stories and studies that support James theory. We just recreated James Lairds infamous Pencil Test that has been replicated time and time again and has shown an increase happiness in participants.

Fake It Until You Make It

You see, simply acting AS IF can create the feelings you wish to have. Dont confuse this with being delusional, though. Obviously, if you max out your credit cards buying useless stuff, youre not acting rich, youre acting careless and youll surely go broke.http://blog.unitee.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/o-ENTREPRENEUR-facebook.png

Facial Expressions & Gestures

Its why you should view presenting as a way to let go and use as much of your face and body as possible. Presenting is your chance to infect a group of people what the passion you feel in order to accept the idea youre suggesting.32

Its the premise of Amy Cuddys work that she talks about in her book Presence.Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

Posture is Power

She suggests that our posture can drastically alter how our lives unfold. Thats a pretty big claim!

Types of Power PosesHigh Power

Low Power

Amy talks about how to spot High-Power and Lower-Power poses and teaches us how to use them to alter our moods. Yes, this has a direct affect on how YOU are perceived in a room, but you can alter the mood of an entire audience by just getting them to go through certain motions.

Warm-Up Opportunities

This is what IDEO partner Brendan Boyle does in his talk, Design Thinking and the Power of Play. From the onset, he has his audience members pick a partner then draw a portrait of that partner for 30 seconds. When everyones asked to share their art work, the entire room bursts into laughter. This is important because, even though Brendan didnt have each person stand up tall and place their hands on their hips like Amy Cuddy would, he got them smiling and building rapport with one another before he dove into his speech. More importantly, as I mentioned earlier, he encouraged them to accept one of his ideas AND share it with a complete stranger. Talk about turning a cold room of guests into a shared space of friends. Amazing job, Brendan!https://youtu.be/Ddi-FclODYIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=140&v=FPkuwQNG93w

Eye Contact

One final way to mesmerize your audience is to make genuine eye contact with them. Youll find that when you extend a warm, intentional gaze to someone, it hones that persons focus even more on you. You can see this in action in the first 5 minutes of the Netflix documentary Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru, as Tony urges a suicidal workshop guest to reconsider his stance on life. Imagine how you can affect change in your audience just by looking at them. In your next presentation, try making holding eye contact with different people in the room for at least 5 seconds each. Youll be surprised how easily they get locked in to what youre saying.

Vocal variety

Your bodys partner in crime is its voice. Voice deals with not only what you say, but how you say it. Lets cue up our next poll.Which mindset best describes you?

I want you to know this information.I want you to know that I know this information.38

[react to poll results]Frank Forencich is one of my all-time favorite speakers because he presents from a place of deeply-embodied knowledge. He asks people to consider his information and uses language like We instead of I to invite them into his world. No force, just a sincere desire to share information with people to improve their lives.

Hes what Adam Grant identifies as a Giver. In his book Give and Take, Adam talks about how Givers, as opposed to Matchers and Takers, have the greatest potential to both fail and succeed. If you think of your idea as a gift to people, theyll be more accepting of it because youre looking out for their best interests. Besides, who doesnt like gifts?

In this case, the act of giving has only one outcome: to make your audience feel like its better for having heard you speak. Remember, when you speak to people, youre not selling a product, youre not selling a service. Youre not even selling a solution. No matter what business youre in, youre selling people a better version of themselves. Kathy Sierra would say that youre allowing them to feel like Badasses! Her book isnt about being a better presenter, but it reveals the invisible ways that products speak to peoples desires and, ultimately, improve the quality of their lives.

Your Goal

To come across as a giver who creates Badass experiences, you have to be clear about your intentions and the words you use to convey them.42

Strive for ClaritySelect words that are:ClearAccurateDescriptiveShortAvoid grunt words like:UmLikeUhRight?

Select words that are clear, accurate, descriptive and short. Get rid of words that dont matter. This also applies to grunt words like uh, you know, like, ummmm, right?43

Sometimes instead of saying for example, Ill say something such as such as, for example.

Demetri Martin, Comedian

This doesnt mean you should sound like a robot. Have fun with word play. Take a page out of comedian Demetri Martins book. For example, Sometimes instead of saying for example, hell say something such as such as, for example. See what I mean?44

Avoid Jargon WordsJARGONALTERNATIVEconceptualizeimaginefinalizefinishimplementbeginoutputresultsstrategizeplanviablepossible

Hes a perfect example of someone who can conceptualize and implement a viable, finalized strategy for optimized output. See what I did there? I totally lost you. Please, please, please replace jargon words with simpler ones. Not only will your audience appreciate the simplicity, but theyll have less to think about, which means you can drive your points home with ease.45

Pause for Silencea breakanticipationcuriosity

Remember to pause for silence, too. Silence is a break that builds anticipation and fosters curiosity. Silence creates a void where the next person that speaks [ be silent] gets the attention. That next person should be you, so take advantage of moments of silence in your presentation. You can even try combining pauses with intentional eye contact to amplify its effects.

Experiment with VarietyVolumePitchRateQuality

Most of all, have fun and experiment with the different ways you can say things. WHAT TO SAY HERE47

Rehearsal

Speaking of which, lets display our next poll.Whats your preparation style?

I over-prepare for everything.I cram at the last minute.I improvise everything.48

My Wedding Vows

This is me on my wedding dayarguably one of the most difficult presentations Ive ever given. Despite my crooked tie, I got all my words straight. My posture promised my wife that I meant what I was saying. She cried, which in turn made the audience cry. Now, you have to promise not to tell her thisbut the entire time I was reciting my vows, I was laughing on the inside. This is because, a few hours before, while I was getting dressed, I was looking in a mirror putting on a bow tie, when suddenly I realized I looked just like Pee Wee Herman.

My Wedding Rehearsal

I laughed so hard that I lost my train of thought and forgot to practice my vows. I spent the moments leading up to my wedding taking photos like the one and posting them all over social media. Im not suggesting you do this before a big talk, but what this experience did for me is help me stop worrying about what our family and guests would think.

Practice Doesnt Make Perfect

Ive never totally believed that practice makes us perfect. Mike Tyson said it best when he stated that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.

Practice Makes Comfortable

Instead, I believe that practice makes us comfortable. I urge all of you to rehearse until your ideas become your own. Practice by yourself in the car on the way to work, practice in front of your spouseeven practice in front of your pets! Just make the words come out of your mouth so you can make the message your own. When we internalize ideas, our personality has a chance to shine through, and, we can better respond to the unexpected! Notice I didnt say react. Reacting is instinctual. Responding, on the other hand, is deliberate and mindful .

Critique Yourself

Acting natural is easier said than done. With the technology we have access to today, theres no excuse not to record yourself to critique your body language and vocal variety. If you dont feel like spending the time to record and watch your progress, at least practice in a mirror to catch a glimpse of what your audience will see so you can correct it ahead of time.

Remember to rehearseSet up / break down visual aidsBring back-upsTransition between main pointsLook at your audience (not slides)

You only get one chance to give your presentation, so dont blow it by thinking everything will go as planned. [read bullets]. And speaking of which

Visual aids

Lets get a few things straight about visual aids.I think presentation decks are:

The best thing everA waste of my timeA necessary evil55

How to Use Visual AidsTo reinforce a main pointTo enhance understandingTo save time

Visual aids help your presentation flow. Your slides exist to reinforce your main points and drive those points home. Why waste time explaining something with words when you can use concise images and animations to speak directly to the visual parts of the brain faster.

Make Objects VisibleLow QualityHigh Quality

However, this only works when your media is sharp and readable. Nothing ruins a powerful idea more than a supporting image thats pixelated or text thats hard to read.

One Thought Per Slide

Thats because people cant consume your slides and pay attention to you at the same time. In case you were reading this comic, I said that people cant read your slides and pay attention to you at the same time. You have the power to choose how to direct attention with your slide content, so limit your slides to one idea each because when we say yes to one thing, we have to say no to another. Make sure your audience is saying yes to you.

The 6-6 RuleNo more thanSix lines of textPer slideWith each line Having no more thansix words

If your slides only display text, keep the 6-6 rule in mind: [recite rule]

Keep It Simple

Your slides shouldnt be a work of art, so keep them easy to consume. It helps to remember that a picture is worth 1000 words.http://i.imgur.com/Wemlv.jpg

Using Animated GIFs

Which goes to say that an animation is worth a 1000 pictures. Whereas the quality of static images should be crisp, animated GIFs pack large ideas into tiny animated spaces, so they can be a little fuzzy since your audience will be focused on the animation and probably wont be close enough to notice the details. Check my presentation notes for online resources that make creating animated GIFs fast and easy.Convert Youtube to Animated GIF: http://makeagif.com/youtube-to-gifhttps://youtu.be/vuxKb5mxM8g

Stuck on finding images?

Speaking of finding images, theres no shortage of free and paid photography resources online, but having a few go-to sources will keep you from burning out and focusing too much on which images to use.

Google Images FTW

Youll find that Google Images has sophisticated advance search features that save tons of time. In addition to helping you find any image, it lets filtering results by size, color and image typeyes, even by animated GIF. Results can even be narrowed down further using time frame and license options to ensure your images are recent and dont violate copyright laws.https://www.google.com/advanced_image_search

Careful With Color

And quick word about color. Colors against a contrasting background can easily draw attention away from you or distract people in general. Use it wisely and test colorful slides before you unleash them.

Be Consistent

Lastly, when it comes to creating presentation decks, dont reinvent the wheel. Instead of wasting time on layouts and fonts, focus on researching and shaping your idea. Start with an existing Powerpoint or Keynote template to avoid tinker-itis.

[read quote] When it comes to building slide decks, there are many frameworks to follow and a lot of details to consider, but it doesnt have to be complicated and it definitely doesnt have to be perfect.

Extra Tactical tips

Lets go over some final tips.67

Hit the Ground RunningPick a topicDefine your purposeResearch your topicMake an outline(Start writing!)

Heres a framework I like to use to get started quickly. First, pick a topic, then do the research necessary to create an outline and start writing your narrative. Notice I didnt mention firing up Powerpoint to start laying out quotes and images. During this discovery stage, the sky needs to be the limit and presentation tool slow down progress.68

Start With a TopicRecent discussionsNews or articles that interests youYour expertiseEveryday experiences

Most of us have a shoebox full of topics to keep us busy, but if you dont, consider any recent discussions youve had or articles that interest you as a starting point. If that fails, ask yourself: What am I good at? or What everyday experiences could I share with the world?69

Research Your TopicWhat do I already know?What am I interested in learning?What dont I know?

When you move on to research your topic, remember that your goal is to fill the gaps in your existing knowledge with facts that support your topic. So, regardless of the methods you use to discover information, always ask yourself these three questions before you begin 70

Make an OutlineOpeningBodyMain pointSupporting PointMain PointSupporting PointClosing

Your answers will generate so much content that your outline will be bursting at the seams. Just keep reminding yourself to section off an opening, body and closing and fill the body section with supporting points. If what you write doesnt support your topic, get rid of it. When it comes time to rehearse, youll find that memorizing your opening and closing statements will make giving the rest of your presentation infinity easier.71

Bibliography Help

If you need to cite your sources and dont remember how, go to easybib.com. Just select the source of your and fill out a short form and the website will generate an acceptable citation in MLA, APA or other accepted formats for you.72

Get Feedback

Most people are shy about giving feedback because they either dont know how or they dont want to hurt your feelings. Help them to give you feedback that will improve your presentation. Heres one approachGOOD: I like thisBAD: Theres an opportunity to do this better.. or Id like to see more of

You could also ask:If you had to sum up my message, what would it be?Was my message clear?What could I improve overall?

Dont ask what you did well because its not relevant and chances are that the things you did really well will come up on their own. You care about improving, not getting a big head.

Set the Stage for SuccessWhat one idea do I want to convey to my audience?

What vocal and body language will work best with my audience?

How do I want my audience to feel during and after my presentation?

Nothing is Guaranteed

Remember, nothing is guaranteed. A fun, easy weapon you can add to your presentation toolbox is the discipline of improv. If youve ever thought about signing up for a class, now is the time. Improv and public speaking go hand in hand. Nothing can prepare you for being unprepared like the ability to think on your feet. Thats my wife, by the way. Can you see I married her?

Did I break that brick?

So, did I ever break that brick? You bet I did.76

Grand Finale

And I had all eyes on me until the very end. Best of all, my hand is in one piece and not a single club member went to the hospital that night.77

Thank you for participating!

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Presentation Notes: BooksThe Shallows by Nicholas CarrPitch Anything by Oren KlaffThe As If Principle by Richard WisemanExuberant Animal by Frank ForencichGive & Take by Adam GrantBadass: Making Users Awesome by Kathy SierraPresence by Amy Cuddy

Presentation Notes: VideoTEDs Secret to Public Speaking by Chris AndersonYour Body Language Shapes Who You Are by Amy CuddyDesign Thinking and the Power of Play by Brendan BoyleTony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (Netflix)Demetri Martin: Live (at the Time) (Netflix)

Presentation Notes: ToolsGoogle ImagesUnsplashGiphyFlickrEasy Bib

Presentation Notes: ReferenceConsumer Insights (Microsoft, Canada)5-Second TestToastmasters Competent Communicator