If you were to ask me about preparing presentations several years ago, my advice would’ve been very different than it is today. I would have said something like this:
- Come up with an idea about which you want to speak
- Create an outline for the topic with each point having two or three bullet points under each of those points
- Write out a script
- Review it enough times until you have the gist of it committed to memory
- Create slides based on your outline
- Rehearse until comfortable
This may work for many people, and if it does, I’m not knocking it. I’m saying this how I used to prepare for them.
In recent talks I’ve given, I’ve taken a different approach, and think they’ve been some of the better presentations I’ve given. To be clear, I’m not trying to sound arrogant: I don’t mean my presentations are great, nor do I mean that I’m a great presenter. But I mean the way in which I prepare for presentations has become easier and has yielded presentations that are more “me.” That is, there’s less rehearsed script, me talking about the subject matter as if I
But I mean the way in which I prepare for presentations has become easier and has resulted in talks that are more “me.”
That is, there’s less rehearsed script, a more of me talking about the subject matter as if I was sitting across a table at a coffee shop with me talking about it.
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