Life is full of great presentation tips. As a child my parents invested enormous energy trying hard to influence so much of my behaviour. At school, it seemed my teachers roles extended way beyond my academic development. They also had a plan to influence my thoughts and behaviour. Even my friends seemed to have their[…]
Posts by:
Maurice Decastro
9 Great Presentation Tips to Influence Any Audience
Advice, Presentating training, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Mar 19, 2016
Presentation Tips You Don’t Hear – Write in Your Diary I often find that the most valuable presentation tips are the ones you simply don’t hear or read every day. Picturing yourself in the comfort of your own mind succeeding at something before you actually do it is an extremely powerful tool known as visualization.[…]
‘The Curse of Knowledge’ presents a significant challenge for most presenters. The ‘Curse of Knowledge’ is a phenomenon we experience every week in our training workshops. In layman’s terms,’The Curse of Knowledge,’ simply means that you assume that other people know the things that you do. It’s a curse because it causes you to believe[…]
6 Keys to a high impact presentation strategy
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Feb 28, 2016
Having a clear, compelling and concentrated presentation strategy is fundamental to the success of any business presentation There are countless books and articles written on ‘strategy.’ A great number make it sound so complex that it’s no wonder so many people find it confusing. Here is one of my personal favourite definitions: “What do you[…]
3 Bad presentation habits to watch out for
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Feb 14, 2016
There are 3 bad presentation habits to watch out for Bad Habit 1 – Reading slides Interestingly when you ask people what they regard as a bad habits when it comes to presenting many will list features such as: – Hands in pockets – Arms folded – Saying ‘err’ and ‘umm’ too much –[…]
6 Steps To Presenting With Confidence
Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Feb 06, 2016
Presenting with confidence starts in the mind. Presentation skills are a major contributor to personal success in business today. Presenting with confidence is the platform to influence, persuade and even inspire others. The days when the need to present well were useful or important have are long gone. Presenting with confidence is essential today Despite[…]
Presenting your monthly update at company meetings can be a challenge for many professionals. It is that last Friday of the month; time for the monthly update Everyone sits in exactly the same seat around the same table. They tell each other largely the same things they say each month. ‘Good morning, I’m here to[…]
Authenticity has long been one of the most respected and sought after qualities in leadership, presenting and public speaking. We live in highly competitive world. For many, our very self-esteem rests squarely on being liked, impressing people and an insatiable desire to look good. That’s why it’s so refreshing to hear someone speak who is completely[…]
Who would have thought it possible to ‘wow’ your audience in less than 2 minutes So much has been written about the skill of speaking and presenting in public. I’ve written over 100 articles myself in the last year alone. I’ve written an entire series about the ‘Art and Science of Presenting’, opening, closing, storytelling,[…]
Presenting is only as complex as you make it Our clients often present a similar opening challenge to us with each enquiry: “Our work is very technical and complex to explain. It is important to ensure that we are able to simplify our message and communicate it clearly.” We get it, every business is unique[…]
5 Pearls of Wisdom from Presentation Masterminds
Advice, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Dec 31, 2015
Do you know a presentation mastermind? We all have people who we admire and respect in our chosen passion. I have quite a few. Many are authors, speakers or leaders who are making a difference in the world. As a presentation skills coach it wouldn’t surprise you that I like a presentation mastermind. I’ve written[…]
Here are 5 Presentation lessons from fastcompany.com Presenting is about crafting and delivering a persuasive message with meaningful stories. After all, there’s not much point in delivering an Oscar winning performance if your objective is to lead your audience into action and they simply applaud and do nothing. The following 5 Presentation lessons from fastcompany.com[…]
Tthe following 5 presentation nuggets from forbes.com will serve you well the next time you are asked to present. 1. Believe in Your Audience “Employees mirror the enthusiasm, determination, and direction of a leader who shares innate confidence in their competence. With this understanding, employees learn to “act their parts” and exemplify the underlying[…]
Here are 5 presentation gems from Inc.com Each of the following extracts from Inc.com will help you to raise the bar on your own presentation performance: 1. Present like a GPS, not like a road map “A GPS shows you just the information you absolutely need to know at that moment. The key is simplicity,[…]
How to Turn a Boring Subject into a Brilliant Presentation
Advice, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking Dec 26, 2015
Do you know how to turn a boring subject into a brilliant presentation? Whether you are speaking about algorithms, algebra or actuarial science, your presentation will only be as boring as you choose to make it. When my son was a young boy one of his favourite sayings was, ‘I’m bored’. I would often respond[…]
The future of high impact presenting – Mindfulness is the key
Communication Skills, Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Dec 19, 2015
I believe that the future of high impact presenting and public speaking revolves around mindfulness. My latest search for ‘presentation skills’ on Amazon yielded over 40,000 results. Google trumped them with 961 million – Keep your hands out of your pockets – Don’t fidget – Make good eye contact These are just a few of[…]
How many business presentations have you attended in the last 3 months that delivered exactly what you needed to know, in a manner that respected your time? When attending future business presentations take note of how much of it was: – Of relevance to you? – What you already knew? – An unnecessary level[…]
Presenting With Impact – Presence is the key to success
Advice, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Nov 28, 2015
Presenting with impact doesn’t seem to be something that comes naturally or easily to all professionals. It is, however, within everyones reach and the key to success is presence. At Mindful Presenter we believe that presence is having a sense of poise and self-assurance It’s the ability to make others feel connected emotionally to your[…]
In our training workshops we are often asked to help presenters to answer questions with confidence. Most presentations involve some form of question and answer session. For many professionals, it’s major source of anxiety. Many presenters dread the question and answer session Having invested so much time and energy researching and crafting their presentation[…]
There many potential obstacles to high impact presenting. All of them can be overcome. Let’s take a look at 4 of the key obstacles to high impact presenting 1. Mindfulness Or should I say, the absence of mindfulness. Most professionals are extremely busy being busy We are all preoccupied with the everyday pressures of deadlines[…]
Presentation lessons surround us everywhere. If there is grandeur involved, you can be sure there is something you can take to your next presentation. That includes Bonfire Night. If you’re visiting a professional display this bonfire night watch carefully. There will be valuable presentation lessons right in front of you. I was spoiled by[…]
Public Speaking and Presenting Lessons from Halloween
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Nov 01, 2015
For many people, presenting and public speaking can feel as scary as Halloween. As we approach Halloween, households all over the world have begun preparations. Huge trays and tubs are being filled with sweets. Pumpkins are being strategically placed by front doors. I’m also getting ready for the frenzy. Last year our door bell[…]
10 Traits of Highly Successful Speakers and Presenters
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Oct 24, 2015
Highly successful speakers spend a great deal of time learning their craft. Having spoken and worked with many of them here is what I’ve learned. 1. They focus on the opportunity Successful speakers feel nervous too but they make a conscious choice to reframe their thinking. They focus on how they can help their audience.[…]
How effective and productive is your monthly meeting? I was often troubled by a particular pattern I saw in the monthly meeting. A typical monthly meeting would look something like this: – Each person sitting in the same seat they always occupied. – Each manager taking it in turns to update the room[…]
Apple has long been hailed as one of the most innovative, influential and admired companies in the world. If you’ve ever used any of their products it’s pretty easy to understand why. I’ve often heard it said that when you’re talking about some of the most advanced and popular products on the planet, it’s[…]
Presenting in business has changed dramatically over the past two decades. The question is, has your organisation changed or are you part of today’s leadership crisis? Would you: Market your business today the same way you were marketing it 20 years ago? Use exactly the same technology today that you were using in your business[…]
Just how important is body language in public speaking and presenting? What you say is of paramount importance. Disregard to the way you say it can undermine and destroy every good intention you have. Most presenters understand the need to project confident, open body language when delivering an important message. There’s a lot more you[…]
Exceptional Speakers Have 7 Characteristics In Common
Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Aug 09, 2015
Exceptional speakers are suprisingly difficult to find in many organisations today. You will know them when you see them because they have a great deal in common. Below are 7 characteristics that we believe exceptional presenters have in common. 1. Courage It’s perceived as risky business standing in front of any audience. We can[…]
3 Presentation Tips to Help You To Stop ‘Waffling’
Advice, Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Aug 02, 2015
The internet is full of presentation tips focused on helping professionals to get rid of bad habits. Many of them overlook one of the most damaging, ‘waffling’. Reading slides, reciting bullet points, fidgeting and incessant ‘umming’ and ‘erring’ are amongst the most common. One of the biggest offenders is the menace known as, ‘waffling’.[…]
PURPOSE – The Secret to High Impact Presenting
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 26, 2015
The secret to high impact presenting is, PURPOSE. The next time you are presenting at work, ask yourself what you want your audience to remember. ‘I want you to think back to the very last presentation you attended and tell me the one thing you remember from it’. We ask that question during each of[…]
