8th February, 2010 - Posted by jeffdavis - No Comments
Somewhere in the mid-1990’s, business speakers began to get smart about spin. That’s when “problems “were transformed into “opportunities,” and “near disasters” became, “challenges.” There is something to be said for the detached, objective description of a situation. For example, flight attendants tell us, “In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks » Read More
3rd February, 2010 - Posted by jeffdavis - 3 Comments
There are a few phrases business speakers use that are meant to convey one meaning, but actually convey another. “We are well-positioned to…” is one of those phrases. It sounds so mature and business-like, doesn’t it? Maybe that’s why so many speakers reach for it. When we hear speakers say, “We’re well-positioned to…” we hear » Read More
18th November, 2009 - Posted by jeffdavis - No Comments
When people know they have to give a presentation, it’s pretty common for them to generate a list of topics they want to cover. If this blog post were a speech, I’d generate a list of topics to cover that looks like this: - Topics versus content - Why its appealing - Why its not enough - What to » Read More
18th November, 2009 - Posted by jeffdavis - No Comments
When people know they have to give a presentation, it’s pretty common for them to generate a list of topics they want to cover. If this blog post were a speech, I’d generate a list of topics to cover that looks like this: - Topics versus content - Why its appealing - Why its not enough - What to do instead No one looking » Read More
7th September, 2009 - Posted by janebeard - 2 Comments
Think back to when you’ve been in the audience for a live presentation — in the same room with the speaker, not watching on TV. What’s the first one that springs to mind? And what is about that presentation that was memorable? What did you like/not like about it? For Jane, the answer would be a eulogy » Read More
6th September, 2009 - Posted by janebeard - 1 Comment
Here’s a radical concept: The only reason to give a presentation is to change the audience in some specific way. If you aren’t going to do that, don’t give the talk. Send them your thoughts through e-mail instead. Think about your experience sitting through presentations of all sorts. You know that most presentations are a waste of time » Read More
