Life After PowerPoint!

Most presentations are a variation on the problem-solution format. The presenter surfaces a problem that affects the audience, explains it in some way (its scope, implications, causes, etc.), and prescribes a solution to it (what to do, how to do it, and the benefits of doing it).

There are many ways to define a problem. The definition that I’ve been working with lately is a version of one proposed by a friend who teaches game theory to both the military and to businesses. And it’s this:

A problem is anything — a set of circumstances, an object, an action, a process, a person, a rule, a condition — or a combination of all of those things that prevents you from achieving what you desire.

A locked door is not a problem if you’re a homeowner wanting to protect your family and your possessions. It is a problem 1) if you’re the owner of the home and you’ve locked yourself out, or 2) if you’re a burglar and you want to break in.

Something — anything — only becomes a problem when it keeps someone from getting what they want.

That means that when you’re talking to a mixed audience, you may need to define the problem in a couple of different ways, depending on what the different people in the audience want. The CFO, the VP of sales, and the head of R&D may all agree that a situation at a manufacturing plant is a problem. But they may — they probably will — define it differently because of how it affects them and their areas of responsibility.

So to begin creating a problem-solution presentation, you need to understand at least three things: 1) the situation as it is, 2) the people affected by it, and 3) their desires and objectives.

Have I left something out? How do you define a problem?

I came upon a great article, The Humble Flipchart - a Project Manager’s Best Friend by Tom Ferguson. It lists the benefits of using a flipchart to facilitate brainstorming:

1. Provides focus for the team.
2. Records and displays our thoughts so far
3. Communicates more than words and sometimes what words cannot
4. Invites participation and when participants see their ideas up there in print, this encourages even more and better participation
5. Leverages the diverse knowledge, skills and experiences in the team towards specific objectives
6. Captures the thoughts of all and not just your own
7. Provides a platform for all to refer to and work from
8. Verifies that all contributions have been accepted, understood and are of value
9. Allows fast forward and rewind back and forth to add to or reposition a particular point
10. Pages can be reordered easily with the help of tape or bluetack

I think that many types of presentations can reap the same benefits.

You wouldn’t want to use a flipchart if your presentation is predominantly a one-way transfer of knowledge, where your goal is to communicate content you know to people who don’t know it. And you wouldn’t want to use a flipchart in a large room where people would be unable to see it. But you might want to use a flipchart, when you’re trying to facilitate a sharing of information or a group process (like brainstorming).

Using a flipchart encourages audience participation and interaction more effectively than just about any other process or tool that’s available. Audience members aren’t just responding or adding to the content on a slide someone else (i.e. you) created and displayed. They aren’t simply asking questions, which keeps them in the learner mode. They’re actually creating content. They’re generating ideas. They’re taking ownership. They, in effect, are acting like adults, which is — to my way of thinking — to be encouraged.

Do you use flipcharts? If so, what suggestions or reservations do you have about doing so?

I work with a lot of technical teams as they’re preparing oral proposals for large contracts. The contracts may be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Scores of people may be engaged in the process for weeks or months on end. And the presentations may involve hundreds of slides. Somewhere along the way someone — usually the capture manager or the person in charge of shepherding the proposal through the process — will ask “What’s our story?”

I’m not quite sure what the question means.

This much I know. People who ask “What’s our story?” are not thinking about story the same way I do. I think of a story, in its most basic form, as a narrative about a person (a character) who goes through a series of actions (a plot) that results in a change of some sort (the resolution), usually to the character but sometimes to the situation.

When people involved in a large technical presentation talk about its story, they’re talking about something else. (I believe that even — or especially — highly technical presentations can be improved by telling a story in the sense I described above. But that’s the topic of another post.)

Here’s what I think technical people mean by a presentation’s story. Or, at least, here’s what I hope they mean. The presentation’s story is the thread that ties everything together into a unified, meaningful, and desirable whole. It is a one-sentence summary of how you — your team, resources, knowledge, approach, tools, products, technology, etc. — can help your audience get from where they are to where they want to be.

Before I elaborate on this idea, let me ask for your input. Have you heard people use the term story in this way? Do you use the term yourself? What do you mean by it? Is it something like what I’ve described?

I’ve just returned from working with over 80 sales reps of a high-tech firm. They sell contracts (consulting, installation, products, and maintenance) that are worth many, many millions of dollars. Their sales process, which is remarkably well thought out, requires them to give several presentations. Their final presentation is often a formal oral proposal made by a team.

I was impressed with how professional and well-trained they were. During our discussions, I asked how long they typically spend rehearsing their formal oral proposals. One person said, “We talk it through in the parking lot outside the customer’s headquarters.” Others said they might spend a half a day or a day. They all admitted that they’d like to spend more time, but that doing so wasn’t always feasible.

I’m a pragmatic sort of person. If you’re getting the results you want from your presentations, I think there’s little reason to change what you’re doing. So that’s what I told them: “If you’re happy with how many contracts you’re winning, keep it up. But if you’d like to improve your win ratio, I suggest you put more time into rehearsing your presentations.”

In future posts I’ll address how much time I think teams should put into rehearsing their presentations. And I’ll make some suggestions about how to make the best use of that time.

In the meantime, I’d like to ask for your input. How much time do you recommend devoting to rehearsals for a high-stakes team presentation?

We often talk as if speeches and presentations are the same thing. So maybe I’m splitting hairs, but I believe there’s a huge difference.

(I think speeches and presentations are different in the same way that fiction and nonfiction are different. I’d almost be willing to say that a speech is to a presentation as fiction is to nonfiction, but I want to think about that comparison a bit more.)

Similarities

Both speeches and presentations use many of the same skills and techniques. Whether you’re speaking or presenting, you still have to prepare what you’re going to say, establish rapport with your audience, choose your words and use your voice carefully, follow a clear and easily understood outline, gear your remarks to the audience’s knowledge and needs. And many other things.

Differences

A presentation is primarily about information–about conveying or explaining information so that the audience can understand, remember, and use it.

A presentation tends to be informal. Presenters usually speak from notes, not a prepared script. (Inexperienced presenters usually use their PowerPoint slides as their notes, which is why they create more slides than are necessary and put too much information on them.) Presenters often put little thought into what they’re going to wear. They’re often content to show up in what they normally wear to work. (I think they’d be wiser to dress a bit more formally.)

A presentation tends to rely on PowerPoint. Handouts are common. (Printing up your PowerPoint slides using the “handout” format does not turn them into handouts. It’s a bad habit, one of the many bad habits PowerPoint has aided and abetted.)

A presentation has a tight focus. It is practical and down to earth, which doesn’t mean it can’t be exhilerating and eye opening at the same time.

A speech is primarily about a vision–about creating a vision in the audience’s imaginations of what is or of what can be.

A speech tends to be formal. Speakers usually have given a lot of thought and time to preparing a script, not just a general outline. They may read the script (or not), or memorize it word for word (not recommended), or memorize parts of it (as I recommend here.) Speakers often dress very nicely, often in formal business attire.

A speech relies on words and on the speaker’s voice, body, face, and gestures (not on PowerPoint) to create images and emotions in the hearts and minds of the audience. 

A speech is evocative, imaginative, and large in scope. It’s concerned more about the big picture than about details, more about the final destination than about each step along the way.

Sims Wyeth makes this distinction, which I agree with: “CEOs and thought leaders give speeches. Managers and technical experts give presentations.”

What do you think? Am I splitting hairs? Are there other distinctions you’d make?

The goal of any speech or presentation is change.

Last week I wrote about changing your audience’s feelings. I concluded, in brief, that you can and should change people’s feelings during your presentation. But I also cautioned that changing their feelings is a short-lived phenomenon. By their very nature, feelings come and go, rise and fall, intensify and dissipate. What people feel during and shortly after your speech, they won’t be feeling tomorrow or the next day.

So what else can you change in the relatively brief time you’re speaking?

You may be able to change your audience’s actions.

The question I most frequently ask my clients when they’re strategizing their talks is, “What action do you want your audience to take as a result of listening to your talk?”

Do you want them to approve your budget? Give your project the green light? Use your procedure? Buy your product? Make an appointment to speak with you about your services? Give you their input? Join your organization? Volunteer their time? Go to your website for more information?

The more specific and immediate the action, the better. Why? Because you increase the odds that people will do what you want them to if they know exactly what it is you want them to do and if they can do it while it’s still on their minds.

(Andrew Lightheart, in a post titled Focusing on your Outcome without Manipulating People, raises some good questions about taking this approach. He rightly points out that it makes it sound easy to people’s actions, when doing so is actually quite difficult. And he’s also concerned about manipulating people, which I agree, would be an issue if you’re going about it in a covert or sneaky way. But I suggest you be upfront and honest about your intentions. Say, in effect, “Here’s what I want you to do and here’s why.” People always have the choice–you’re not coercing them–to do or not to do what you want them to.)

Although I believe you can and should change your audience’s actions, I’m more skeptical about your chances of changing their behavior.

An action is a one-time thing. “Do this [approve my budget, buy my product, call me to set up an appointment] now.” And that’s often a good thing. (If the selection board, for example, awards your company a multi-million dollar contract as a result of your oral proposal, pat yourself on the back.)

But behavior is an ongoing pattern of acting. It’s a habit. And people rarely, rarely, rarely change habits in response to a one-time event, such as a speech.

You might think, from last week’s post and today’s post, that I have a limited opinion of what a speech or presentation can change. But I wouldn’t be a speaker or a speech coach, if I thought that were true. 

I actually think you can accomplish a lot–even in a single speech. But I think you do so by changing how people think, because if you change how they think you also change how they feel and act. Not just for a moment, but for years to come. Maybe for a lifetime. How you do that is the subject of a future post.

What do you think?

Photo courtesy of HeyPaul at Flickr.

I got a message on my voicemail yesterday that reminded me of many presentations I’ve endured and of the mistakes many presenters make.

The woman leaving the message had obviously called the wrong number. She also didn’t pay attention to my message, or she would have realized her mistake.

Lesson #1: Know your audience.
She didn’t know her audience or, at least, she wasn’t speaking to the audience she thought she was. She wasn’t unlike many presenters I hear. They seem to have no idea whom they’re speaking to. They presume their audience knows and cares about their subject.

She then left a lengthy message which boiled down to this. My loan needs to be approved immediately. I need you to call me back so I can move ahead with it. “It’s an emergency!” Please call.

Lesson #2: Keep it brief.
The longer you speak, the less impact your words have. Don’t leave long voicemail messages and don’t give long presentations. Never go over your assigned time. Never go over the time your audience is willing to listen.

Lesson #3: Tell your audience WHAT you want them to do.
My unknown caller did this well. What was I supposed to do? Call her. Don’t leave your audience guessing. Every presentation should have this goal: to move the audience to action. So tell them what you want them to do. Be specific.

Lesson #4: Show your audience WHY they would want to do it.
My caller told me why she wanted me to do call her back — so she could get the loan — but not why I would want to. This is the most common mistake presenters make. They presume that what’s important to them is important to the audience. Not so. It’s your job to figure out why they would want to do what you want them to. What’s in it for them? How will they benefit from taking action?

After talking longer than necessary, she finally gave me the number she wanted me to call. Ten numbers in quick succession. It was a bad connection. I played the message once again, and I couldn’t even make out the area code. I wanted to return her call and let her know she better try her call again, because that’s the kind of guy I am. But I couldn’t.

Lesson #5: Show your audience HOW to do what you want them to.
By rushing through her phone number in a mumble and not repeating it, she kept me from doing what she wanted and, apparently, needed me to do. Presenters do this all the time. They presume that their listeners know how to do what they’re asking them to do. Or they explain it in such a cursory way that people don’t get it. If your audience can’t do what you want them to, you’ve wasted your time. And you’ve wasted their time. Break it down. Walk them through it. Keep explaining it and answering their questions about it until you know they’ve got it.

I hope my unnamed caller gets her loan. I hope you can use these lessons to get what you want from your presentations.

Photo courtesy of Michael (mx5tx) at Flickr.

The goal of any speech or presentation is to bring about a change in your audience. To change how they think or feel or act, if only in a small way.

So when you’re planning a talk, the question is what is the change you want to bring about? Which raises another question. In the limited time you have available what can you change?

Here’s what you may be able to change in your allotted time on stage: your audience’s feelings, actions, behavior, knowledge, thinking.

For today I’ll just focus on the first — feelings.

Can you change people’s feelings?

Yes, of course you can. Good motivational, inspirational, and after-dinner speakers do it all the time. So do good preachers. Coaches do it during pre-game or half-time talks.

I know, I know — technically, you can’t make people feel anything. People are responsible for their own feelings. You can only create the conditions that allow or encourage people to change their feelings.

Should you change people’s feelings?

Yes, yes, yes. People — even the most button-downed, just-the-facts-ma’am types — aren’t emotionless automatons. If you fail to engage your audience’s feelings — rousing their interest or curiosity, if nothing else — you’re not doing your job as a speaker.

Even the most highly technical presentations need to engage people’s feelings.

What feelings can you evoke?

Your options are almost limitless, depending on your personality and values, your audience’s makeup, your topic, your goal, the event itself. Here are some possibilities. (The definitions are courtesy of dictionary.com. The questions are ones you might want the audience to ask themselves.)

• Curiosity: “The desire to learn or know about anything”
  What is this? How does it work? Why are things as they are? What would it be like if they were different?
• Frustration: “A feeling of dissatisfaction, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems”
  What’s wrong with the current situation or way of doing things? What doesn’t work? What’s the cost of its not working? Why are things so difficult? Isn’t there a better way?
• Loyalty: “A feeling or attitude of devoted attachment and affection”
  What are this group’s shared values? How can I become a part of this group? What can I do to contribute to its success?
• Anger: “A strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong”
  What is wrong with the current situation? What can or should be done about it? Why is it intolerable? Whom does it hurt?
• Hope: “The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best”
  What would it be like if we were to achieve our goals? Who will benefit and how will they benefit from this change?
• Love: “Affectionate concern for the well-being of others”
  Who needs our support? How can we help? What is the “greater good” and how can we contribute to it?
• Pride: “Pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself”
  What can we do? What challenge can we take on? What are we capable of achieving? How can we excel?

What are the problems of dealing with people’s feelings?

First, you have to be somewhat sophisticated and psychologically savvy when you’re addressing people’s feelings. (Which isn’t to say you need a counseling degree.) It’s relatively easy to stir people up. (Talk show hosts do it all the time.) It’s more difficult to know what to do with them once they’re stirred up. And to bring about some positive or constructive change as a consequence.

Second, feelings are fickle and short-lived.

If people leave your talk on a high, for example, feeling positive and positively euphoric about their ability to create a whole new reality, they will not feel the same way tomorrow morning. I guarantee it. The best you can hope your speech will do — and it’s often a good thing — is change people’s feelings during your speech and immediately afterwards.

What do you think? Agree or disagree? Additional insights? What other feelings do you think a speaker can or should rouse?

Photo courtesy of chefranden at Flickr.

In yesterday’s post I wrote that one of the best ways to avoid being boring is to be interested yourself in what you’re talking about (and about life in general).

And I mentioned a talk by a ranger at the Carlsbad Caverns about bats as an example.

Here’s another example. Bonnie Bassler is talking about bacteria. Bacteria! You would think — at least I would — that it’s one of the least interesting topics in the world. It’s certainly not a topic I thought I would be willing to listen to for 18 minutes. And yet once she started talking, she hooked me.

She was interesting for many reasons.

1. She used graphics well. Meaning she used few of them and they were illustrations that clearly depicted what she was talking about.
2. She was articulate. (I love listening to someone who speaks so clearly and fluidly.)
3. And she was clear. I, who barely scraped by my college chemistry and biology classes, understood everything she said.

But what made her most interesting is the fact that she herself was interested in what she was talking about. This woman loves bacteria. And it shows. And her fascination was contagious.

Check it out:

By the way, I loved her vocal pacing. Yes, she talked fast. But so what? To me it conveyed enthusiasm and vitality. And it never kept me from understading anything she said. I think her talk is a masterful example of a technical presentation.

What do you think?

In previous posts I’ve already discussed

• Erroneous Assumption #1: The Facts Speak for Themselves, and
• Erroneous Assumption #2: Knowledge Is Power

Now I’d like to address Erroneous Assumption #3: The Best Ideas Win Out.

No one I’ve worked with has ever said stated this assumption in so many words. But many of my clients have acted as if it’s so true it doesn’t need to be articulated. They act as if all they have to do is come up with a really good idea, and that’ll be enough. When it comes time to make a presentation about their idea — to get approval, say, to start a project or to win funding for the next phase of their work — they slap something together at the last minute (usually a bunch of PowerPoint slides) and do their best. Which usually isn’t very good, since they’ve spent so little time and thought planning what they’re going to say or building support among the power players.

And then they’re amazed and disheartened when their proposal gets shot down. And what irks them most is the fact that someone else’s idea — an idea that isn’t nearly as good as their own — gets the attention and approval they think their idea deserves.

Good ideas often get ignored or passed over, while less worthy ones win attention and approval. It happens all the time.

If your idea is better than everyone else’s and someone else’s idea wins out, it isn’t that person’s fault. It’s yours. It’s your responsibility both to have a good idea and to communicate it so people 1) understand it, 2) realize its benefits, and 3) know how to act on it.

In future posts I’ll look at another aspect of winning people’s support — the politics involved. For now, do you have any reactions or questions? Have you had good ideas passed over for no good reason at all?