Presentation Skills – not talent
Bad News and Good News – it’s not about talent.
If you are a good presenter and don’t know why – beware.
If you are a poor presenter and want to get better – take heart.
The reason is the same for both. Good presenters are skillful presenters – not talented presenters.
The ability to deliver good and great presentations is based on using presentation skills. Skills can be learned and honed. All it takes is study, practice and training.
If you want to be a better presenter, understand the principles, practice the techniques, and get expert coaching. That’s how the best in any field get to be the best and stay there. Just ask Tiger Woods.
Over the years I have met many fabulous presenters. I have not met one yet who claimed to be a natural born presenter. I am a top notch professional presenter and executive speech coach. Yet I was not a natural born presenter. I can tell you stories of my own frustration along the journey. I invested time, effort and money to become a great presenter. I read books, took seminars and listened to tapes and CDs. To get better I studied and analyzed hundreds of presenters. I received advice, coaching and mentoring from the best that I could find. And I haven’t finished yet.
How about you? It's not about where you start. Where do you want to be?
If you want to improve your presentations – improve your presentation skills.
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George Torok
Presentation Skills Training
Speech Coaching
Boardroom Presentations
Speech Coach Interview
Speech Coach Interview
Enjoy this Interview with executive speech coach, George Torok, about delivering business presentations.
Q: Why should a business executive consider working with a coach?
Executive Speech Coach:
To use a golf analogy, because you can’t see your own backswing. Tiger Woods is very talented at the game of golf and he knows the only way that he can improve and stay sharp is by working with his coach. This principle applies to many skills sets and especially to presentation skills.
Q: Why should executives work with a speech coach?
Executive Speech Coach:
Because no one will tell the boss that he is a lousy presenter or even “needs improvement”.
Q: Why do so many poor executive presenters not get speech coaching?
Executive Speech Coach:Pride.
Q: What is the biggest mistake that most business presenters make when it comes to presentations?
Executive Speech Coach:
They treat presenting as a talent and not a skill. Skills are learned, practiced and continually improved. Talent is simply a spark for an interest. You can not ride talent to excellence.
Q: What one thing should most business presenters do differently to be more successful?
Executive Speech Coach:
Be clear on the purpose of your presentation. Design the presentation to achieve that purpose and trim out everything that does not contribute to the purpose.
Q: What is your advice to all business presenters to prepare for their business presentations?
Executive Speech Coach:State your purpose in one simple sentence. Summarize your presentation in one short sentence. Phrase both of those sentences so that both your kids and your grand parents could understand. If you can’t then, you don’t understand it yourself.
Q: What is the most important message that a presenter should convey?
Executive Speech Coach:
That he understands the audience.
Q: Why do so many business presentations use PowerPoint?
Executive Speech Coach:That’s a good question that more business presenters need to ask themselves. Imagine delivering a presentation without PowerPoint.
Q: What’s your closing advice for business presenters?
Executive Speech Coach:
Focus on your purpose. Talk with people – not at them. Say less.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Presentation Tips and Articles
Enjoy this Interview with executive speech coach, George Torok, about delivering business presentations.
Q: Why should a business executive consider working with a coach?
Executive Speech Coach:
To use a golf analogy, because you can’t see your own backswing. Tiger Woods is very talented at the game of golf and he knows the only way that he can improve and stay sharp is by working with his coach. This principle applies to many skills sets and especially to presentation skills.
Q: Why should executives work with a speech coach?
Executive Speech Coach:
Because no one will tell the boss that he is a lousy presenter or even “needs improvement”.
Q: Why do so many poor executive presenters not get speech coaching?
Executive Speech Coach:Pride.
Q: What is the biggest mistake that most business presenters make when it comes to presentations?
Executive Speech Coach:
They treat presenting as a talent and not a skill. Skills are learned, practiced and continually improved. Talent is simply a spark for an interest. You can not ride talent to excellence.
Q: What one thing should most business presenters do differently to be more successful?
Executive Speech Coach:
Be clear on the purpose of your presentation. Design the presentation to achieve that purpose and trim out everything that does not contribute to the purpose.
Q: What is your advice to all business presenters to prepare for their business presentations?
Executive Speech Coach:State your purpose in one simple sentence. Summarize your presentation in one short sentence. Phrase both of those sentences so that both your kids and your grand parents could understand. If you can’t then, you don’t understand it yourself.
Q: What is the most important message that a presenter should convey?
Executive Speech Coach:
That he understands the audience.
Q: Why do so many business presentations use PowerPoint?
Executive Speech Coach:That’s a good question that more business presenters need to ask themselves. Imagine delivering a presentation without PowerPoint.
Q: What’s your closing advice for business presenters?
Executive Speech Coach:
Focus on your purpose. Talk with people – not at them. Say less.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Presentation Tips and Articles
Power Presentations: The Environment
Power Presentations: The Environment
The place and conditions in which you present have an important influence on how well your message is received. If the environment isn’t right, participants won’t pay the required attention and will become irritated.
To do a truly great job, it is very important that you be familiar with your presentation room in advance. Where will it be? Will you be in a board room at head office or a district branch? At a hotel, a college, or a conference centre? What facilities will be available?
Make every effort to visit the location so that you can determine what adjustments are necessary. Give yourself enough lead time for special arrangements as to seating, equipment, microphones, lighting, and whatever you want to change.
The Venue
Beware of Boardrooms
The boardroom is the worst place to present. Traditionally it is a place of flogging – of assigning blame for the last failed project or fighting over turf. The mindset hardens when managers and executives enter the boardroom. They know they are there to defend or attack. The seating arrangement is adversarial. It is difficult to find the perfect spot from which to speak. Your listeners need to crane their necks to see you no matter where you stand. Many things work against you when presenting in the boardroom so avoid presenting new ideas in the boardroom. It is a sure way to have your ideas quashed. When you want to present new ideas to your people take them offsite where you control the setting. For a better understanding of the hazards of presenting in the boardroom read the article, “Boardroom Presentations: Sweat Like a Horse” at the website, www.PowerPresentations.ca.
Location
If you have control over this, choose the city and site of your presentation carefully. I highly recommend that you spend more money obtaining the right environment and less on food and open bars.
The place and conditions in which you present have an important influence on how well your message is received. If the environment isn’t right, participants won’t pay the required attention and will become irritated.
To do a truly great job, it is very important that you be familiar with your presentation room in advance. Where will it be? Will you be in a board room at head office or a district branch? At a hotel, a college, or a conference centre? What facilities will be available?
Make every effort to visit the location so that you can determine what adjustments are necessary. Give yourself enough lead time for special arrangements as to seating, equipment, microphones, lighting, and whatever you want to change.
The Venue
Beware of Boardrooms
The boardroom is the worst place to present. Traditionally it is a place of flogging – of assigning blame for the last failed project or fighting over turf. The mindset hardens when managers and executives enter the boardroom. They know they are there to defend or attack. The seating arrangement is adversarial. It is difficult to find the perfect spot from which to speak. Your listeners need to crane their necks to see you no matter where you stand. Many things work against you when presenting in the boardroom so avoid presenting new ideas in the boardroom. It is a sure way to have your ideas quashed. When you want to present new ideas to your people take them offsite where you control the setting. For a better understanding of the hazards of presenting in the boardroom read the article, “Boardroom Presentations: Sweat Like a Horse” at the website, www.PowerPresentations.ca.
Location
If you have control over this, choose the city and site of your presentation carefully. I highly recommend that you spend more money obtaining the right environment and less on food and open bars.
A hotel is always better than your own board room. The neutrality of the location will help the audience concentrate on what you present rather than on unfinished tasks at the office. Make sure the site is easy for everyone to reach. Pick a hotel that is close to main highways and the airport.
Directions
Send a detailed map and directions well in advance. In your directions describe easy recognizable visual landmarks such as traffic lights, church, park and grocery store. Clearly indicate the name and address of the hotel, the presentation room and floor, the telephone number, the date and the exact time of the meeting.
Directions
Send a detailed map and directions well in advance. In your directions describe easy recognizable visual landmarks such as traffic lights, church, park and grocery store. Clearly indicate the name and address of the hotel, the presentation room and floor, the telephone number, the date and the exact time of the meeting.
In the lobby place a welcome sign with the name of your group. Indicate the meeting room and point the direction with arrows. Post another sign outside of the meeting room and you or your designate should greet the arrivals.
Also, double check that everyone is given accurate directions for finding your location by quizzing the front desk clerk. Pretend you do not know where to go (even if you do!) and find out if they are able to give you the correct information.
Make your visitors feel welcomed and do everything you can to minimize their stress. The easier you make if for people to find the meeting the more likely they will arrive on time and in the right frame of mind - ready to listen to your presentation.
If you have an out-of-town site, check that there is adequate and (hopefully) free parking. In your directions point out the best and alternate parking choices. Eliminate surprises. Tell them if they might need to pay for parking. Plan to park near the exit rather than the entrance so that you can leave quickly for your next meeting.
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The above is an excerpt from the revised Secrets of Power Presentations.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Presentation Skills Training
---------------
The above is an excerpt from the revised Secrets of Power Presentations.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Presentation Skills Training