Presentation Zen [61]
In corporate meeting rooms across Japan, common practice is to turn all or most of the lights off for presentations. It is also very common for the presenter to sit on the side or back of the table operating the PC while the audience stares at the screen as the “presenter” narrates the slides. This practice is so common that it is considered “normal.” It may be normal, but it is not effective. Audiences will better understand the presenter’s message when they can both hear and see the presenter.
Remote Simplicity: Use a Small Remote to Advance Slides
I see a lot of presentations by very smart people, yet all too often the presenter either uses a remote poorly (as if it is the first time he’s seen such a device) or does not use a remote at all. Even today, too many presenters stay next to the computer on a table or lectern or walk back to the computer to change slides every few minutes.
Remote control devices for computers are relatively cheap and an absolute must. No excuses, you’ve got to have one. If you are not currently using a remote to advance slides, adding a remote to your delivery style will make a huge difference. The remote allows you to get out front closer to the people, to move to different parts of the stage or room, and to make those connections.
When we stay glued to the laptop and look down to advance every slide, our presentations become more like slide shows with narration, the kind our uncle used to bore us with when he whipped out his 35mm slide projector with highlights of his latest fishing trip. Yawn.
Remember, you want the technology behind your presentation to be as invisible as possible to the audience. But when you have your hand on the computer and your eyes are moving back and forth from the computer screen, to the keyboard, to the audience (or projection screen), this becomes more like the typical PowerPoint presentation that people complain about.
Small and basic is all you need. I prefer small remotes with only the most basic features. You can buy remotes that you can mouse around with on-screen and are equipped with myriad other features, but they are large and call attention to themselves. All I really need is the ability to advance, go back, and turn the screen black. Very simple.
In Sum
• You need solid content and logical structure, but you also have to make a connection with the audience. You must appeal to both the logical and the emotional.
• If your content is worth talking about, then bring energy and passion to your delivery. Every situation is different, but there is never an excuse for being dull.
• Don’t hold back. If you have a passion for your topic, then let people know it.
• Remember hara hachi bu. It is better to leave your audience satisfied yet yearning for a bit more of you than it is to leave your audience stuffed and feeling that they have had more than enough.
• Keep the lights on; the audience must always be able to see you.
• Remove any barriers between you and the audience. Avoid podiums (lecterns), if possible. And use a wireless mic and remote control for advancing slides so that you can move around freely and naturally.
Next Step
What we think, we become.
—Buddha
Chapter 10
The Journey Begins
Many people look for the short road and the quick fix to achieve presentation excellence. But it doesn’t exist: there are no panaceas or off-the-shelf fixes. Learning to become an exceptional presenter in today’s world is a journey. In this journey, there are many paths to presenting in a more