Presentation Skills Success
Why you?
How can you get more done? By being a superior communicator. The secret of managing people is to master the art and science of communication. Superior communication skills are a combination of listening, negotiating and speaking. So the first question you should ask youself before your speak is "Why you?" Why were you chosen to deliver this presentation and why are you qualified to deliver this speech? Be clear on the why before you move to the how and what.
Public Speaking, Presentation or Speech?
Deliver your message with impact. It is not just a speech or presentation. I use the words speech, public speaking and presentation interchangeably in this article. It is your key message that is most important. Your presentation is the vehicle for delivering your message and to create results. A successful presentation is one that moves people to action. You know your presentation was a success if after you speak, your listeners buy, work or follow. To do that requires skill. Devour this article. You will capture the essence of superior presentation skills.
First Rule of Great Presentations
A great presentation does not just happen. It is planned, rehearsed then delivered with flair. A good presenter is one who learns the skills of presentations - not one who hopes for talent to carry them. Public speaking is a set of skills not a talent. You can be a good presenter if you learn the skills for presentation success. You will be a great speaker if you learn from every presentation you deliver. Great presenters start as poor speakers – then they get better.
Learn from other Great Presenters
Who are the public speakers you admire? Ask yourself why you admire them. What techniques do they use in their speeches that you can use? What principles can you adapt to your presentations? It could be a great political leader, business executive or innovator. Whether it is a Churchill, Henry Ford or Einstein – ask yourself, “Why does their delivery work so well? How can I use that technique or principle in my speech?” Look for the skills they used and make them your own.
Read the rest of this article on Presentation Skills Success
George Torok
Presentation Skills Training
Motivational Speaker
Communication Principles
Communication Principles
The secret to successful communication starts with the principles, the irrefutable truths. Learn these principles then you can begin to apply the techniques of effective communication.
To see the answers to the following questions try the interactive quiz here. Move your cursor over each question to see the answer on the quiz page.
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What is communication?
How do you send messages?
How does what you write, say or do impact on others?
How do we make decisions?
How do we make the important decisions in our life – like career, spouse, home, investment, friends, vacation, car, etc... ?
What two emotional directions drive all of decisions?
What is the strongest emotional driver?
When what we see conflicts with what we hear, what do we believe?
How can you be a better communicator?
How can you be a superior communicator?
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For the answers to these important questions about communication try the quiz.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Public Speaking Pro
Motivational Speaker
The secret to successful communication starts with the principles, the irrefutable truths. Learn these principles then you can begin to apply the techniques of effective communication.
To see the answers to the following questions try the interactive quiz here. Move your cursor over each question to see the answer on the quiz page.
-----------------------
What is communication?
How do you send messages?
How does what you write, say or do impact on others?
How do we make decisions?
How do we make the important decisions in our life – like career, spouse, home, investment, friends, vacation, car, etc... ?
What two emotional directions drive all of decisions?
What is the strongest emotional driver?
When what we see conflicts with what we hear, what do we believe?
How can you be a better communicator?
How can you be a superior communicator?
-------------------------------
For the answers to these important questions about communication try the quiz.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Public Speaking Pro
Motivational Speaker
Presentations: Using Quotations
Tips on Using Quotations in Your Presentation
In your presentation a good quotation can crystallize an unclear message and help to anchor an important point. It can help to have one powerful quotation to to sprinkle a few throughout your presentation. But be careful - too many and the impact is lost and you might appear to be just a copier of thoughts - not an original thinker.
The choice of source that you quote is as important as the selection of the words. For example even if they said something well you would probably not quote Adoph Hitler, Idi Amin or even OJ Simpson. They will probably not help your message or credibility.
Here are four points to help you improve the delivery of the quotation.
1. Always state whom the quote is from.
2. Change your voice slightly when you deliver the quote - this gives the impression that these are not your words - but of the authority you are quoting.
3. Pause just before you begin the quote and just after. The pause acts like quotation marks.
4. Memorise a short quotation. But you can read a longer quote.
5. When quoting from a book - hold the book up to show where the quote comes from.
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
Presentation Skills Training
Canadian Motivational Speaker
Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.
In your presentation a good quotation can crystallize an unclear message and help to anchor an important point. It can help to have one powerful quotation to to sprinkle a few throughout your presentation. But be careful - too many and the impact is lost and you might appear to be just a copier of thoughts - not an original thinker.
The choice of source that you quote is as important as the selection of the words. For example even if they said something well you would probably not quote Adoph Hitler, Idi Amin or even OJ Simpson. They will probably not help your message or credibility.
Here are four points to help you improve the delivery of the quotation.
1. Always state whom the quote is from.
2. Change your voice slightly when you deliver the quote - this gives the impression that these are not your words - but of the authority you are quoting.
3. Pause just before you begin the quote and just after. The pause acts like quotation marks.
4. Memorise a short quotation. But you can read a longer quote.
5. When quoting from a book - hold the book up to show where the quote comes from.
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
Presentation Skills Training
Canadian Motivational Speaker
Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.
Presentation Style: Obama vs Hillary
Presentation Style: Obama vs Hillary
This is an instructive lesson in presentation skills.
Although it seemed that Hillary had the advantage coming into this fight – Obama seems to be leading recently.
From a presentation skills point of view Obama has all the advantages. He is male, taller and has a deeper voice.
All things being equal those factors tend to lend an advantage in public speaking. That is an observation of how we tend to feel about public speakers.
Obama is a master of prose, pacing and the pause. Three powerful presentation techniques
Hillary often seems to be in a panic. She does have the advantage of age. We tend to give more credibility to a person who apears older. However because this campaign is about change - the relative youth of Obama gives him the congruency point.
And the one time that Hillary showed some emotion by shedding a tear – it appeared to be so out of character that it drew more criticism than rapport.
In this horse race my money is on Obama – because he speaks like a leader. Hillary speaks like a sargent major.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Presentation Skills Training
This is an instructive lesson in presentation skills.
Although it seemed that Hillary had the advantage coming into this fight – Obama seems to be leading recently.
From a presentation skills point of view Obama has all the advantages. He is male, taller and has a deeper voice.
All things being equal those factors tend to lend an advantage in public speaking. That is an observation of how we tend to feel about public speakers.
Obama is a master of prose, pacing and the pause. Three powerful presentation techniques
Hillary often seems to be in a panic. She does have the advantage of age. We tend to give more credibility to a person who apears older. However because this campaign is about change - the relative youth of Obama gives him the congruency point.
And the one time that Hillary showed some emotion by shedding a tear – it appeared to be so out of character that it drew more criticism than rapport.
In this horse race my money is on Obama – because he speaks like a leader. Hillary speaks like a sargent major.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Presentation Skills Training
Pardon My French
Pardon my French
My good friend and fellow professional speaker, Marc Andre Morel, delivers a speech with the title, “Pardon my French”. It’s an entertaining presentation. He is French Canadian and fluent in both French and English.
English speakers sometimes use the phrase, “Pardon my French” when they use crude or rude language. In this case it has nothing to do with speaking French. The phrase is ‘culturist” because it assumes that crude or imperfect English is French.
I often work with presenters whose mother tongue is other than English. They often feel self-conscious about their lack of perfect English.
I wish that they would see how silly this concern is because most natural born English speakers are less than perfect English presenters. As an English speaker all my life and with a university education I still make English errors. We all make mistakes.
A good example of how imperfect English hasn’t hurt him is US president George W Bush. And he went to Harvard.
So when I work with business speakers whose first tongue is not English, I remind them that it is about getting your message across. It is not about speaking ‘perfect English”.
George Torok
Pardon my English
My good friend and fellow professional speaker, Marc Andre Morel, delivers a speech with the title, “Pardon my French”. It’s an entertaining presentation. He is French Canadian and fluent in both French and English.
English speakers sometimes use the phrase, “Pardon my French” when they use crude or rude language. In this case it has nothing to do with speaking French. The phrase is ‘culturist” because it assumes that crude or imperfect English is French.
I often work with presenters whose mother tongue is other than English. They often feel self-conscious about their lack of perfect English.
I wish that they would see how silly this concern is because most natural born English speakers are less than perfect English presenters. As an English speaker all my life and with a university education I still make English errors. We all make mistakes.
A good example of how imperfect English hasn’t hurt him is US president George W Bush. And he went to Harvard.
So when I work with business speakers whose first tongue is not English, I remind them that it is about getting your message across. It is not about speaking ‘perfect English”.
George Torok
Pardon my English
Public Speaking Pro
Public Speaking Pro
The online resource for promising public speakers just launched. It is the place to visit to prepare yourself to be a more effective public speaker.
Here's what you will find at Pubic Speaking Pro
How to deal with the fear of public speaking
A crash course on improving your public speaking
How to use the technology tools of public speaking - multimedia, PowerPoint and even old techonology - the original overhead projector.
There are more public speaker tips and articles waiting for you - and of course this site will continue to grow.
Public Speaking Pro - the resource for promising public speakers.
Check it out.
George Torok
The online resource for promising public speakers just launched. It is the place to visit to prepare yourself to be a more effective public speaker.
Here's what you will find at Pubic Speaking Pro
How to deal with the fear of public speaking
A crash course on improving your public speaking
How to use the technology tools of public speaking - multimedia, PowerPoint and even old techonology - the original overhead projector.
There are more public speaker tips and articles waiting for you - and of course this site will continue to grow.
Public Speaking Pro - the resource for promising public speakers.
Check it out.
George Torok
Presentation Skills - not talent
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.
Register for free monthly presentation skills tips
Read articles and tips about presentation skills
George Torok
Presentation Skills Training
Speech Coaching
Boardroom Presentations
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.
Register for free monthly presentation skills tips
Read articles and tips about presentation skills
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
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