Presentation skills are no longer a “nice to have.” They are a defining factor in personal and professional success, as the ability to present with confidence is the platform on which we influence, persuade, and inspire others. The days when strong presentation skills were merely useful are long gone; today, they are essential. Despite their[…]
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presentationskills tag
Presenting With Confidence Starts in the Mind
Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Feb 06, 2016
How to Transform the Dreaded Monthly Update Into Something People Actually Want to Hear
Advice Jan 31, 2016
For many professionals, presenting the monthly update feels less like communication and more like a ritual. It’s the last Friday of the month, and everyone sits in the same seats around the same table. The agenda barely changes, and one by one, people go around the room and say largely the same things they[…]
Authenticity is one of the most admired qualities in leadership and public speaking. When someone speaks with honesty and presence, we feel it immediately. It’s refreshing, human and memorable, but authenticity isn’t as simple as “just be yourself.” If only it were Audiences today are highly discerning. They can sense insincerity instantly and disengage the[…]
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,[…]
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? Here’s the truth most professionals never want to admit: There is no such thing as a boring topic, only a boring approach. You can speak about algorithms, algebra or actuarial science and still captivate an audience. Your presentation will only ever be[…]
The Future of High-Impact Presenting Is Mindfulness
Communication Skills, Leadership, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Dec 19, 2015
Search “presentation skills” on Amazon, and you’ll drown in more than 40,000 results. Google multiplies that into a billion, and yet, despite this ocean of advice, most of it still circles the same shallow waters: – Keep your hands out of your pockets. – Don’t fidget. – Just be yourself – Make eye contact. It’s[…]
Think back over the last three months. How many business presentations genuinely gave you what you needed, clearly, concisely, and with respect for your time? How many were padded with: – information you already knew – unnecessary detail – repetition – self-promotion – content that wasn’t relevant – very little actual value If you’re like[…]
Presenting With Impact: The Power of Presence
Advice, Mindfulness, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Nov 28, 2015
Presenting with impact doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but it is within everyone’s reach. The key is presence At Mindful Presenter, we define presence as a blend of poise, self-assurance and emotional connection. It’s the ability to make people feel your message and understand it. Presence is credibility, authority and likability woven together; the[…]
In our training workshops, one request comes up again and again: “Can you help me answer questions with confidence?” Most presentations involve a Q&A, and for many professionals, it’s the part they fear most. After investing hours crafting their message, this is the moment they feel exposed. What if: – They ask something I don’t[…]
There are many potential obstacles to high-impact presenting, and the good news is that every single one of them can be overcome. Here are four of the most common barriers professionals face, and how to move past them. Mindfulness (or the absence of it) Far too many professionals don’t prepare presentations; they survive them.[…]
10 Traits of Highly Successful Speakers and Presenters
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Oct 24, 2015
Highly successful speakers aren’t defined by natural talent alone. After years of speaking alongside them, coaching them, and watching them up close, one truth becomes unmistakable: they treat speaking as a craft. They work on it deliberately, consistently, and with a level of intention most presenters never consider. Here’s what they do differently. 1. They[…]
For years, something about the monthly meeting I attend at work never sat right. There was a pattern; predictable, familiar, and quietly unproductive. The same people sat in the same seats, month after month, as though the chairs were assigned by invisible ink. Managers delivered long lists of KPIs, most of which had little relevance[…]
Everything in business has changed, except the way many people present. Technology has advanced, markets have shifted, and leadership expectations have evolved, yet the culture of presenting in many organisations remains rooted in the past. This raises a difficult but essential question: Has your organisation kept pace with the times, or are you inadvertently adding[…]
How to Stop Waffling and Start Presenting with Clarity and Purpose
Advice, Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Aug 02, 2015
The internet is overflowing with presentation tips designed to help professionals eliminate bad habits. You’ll find advice on avoiding filler words, stopping the fidgeting, and resisting the urge to read every bullet point on your slides. One of the most damaging habits rarely gets the attention it deserves: waffling. Waffling is when a presenter speaks[…]
The Secret to Memorable Presenting Is PURPOSE
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 26, 2015
If you want to deliver a presentation that people actually remember, there’s one secret that sits above all others: PURPOSE. The next time you’re preparing to speak at work, ask yourself a simple but powerful question: “What do I want my audience to remember?” We ask this in every presentation skills workshop, and the most[…]
I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a sales pitch where the speaker calls the president “incompetent,” labels the competition “stupid,” and then proceeds to insult his own business partners, until now. That’s exactly what Donald Trump did during his rambling speech at the Phoenix Convention Centre last week. With an audience of thousands in[…]
Public Speaking Lessons We Can Learn from President Obama
Communication Skills, Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 12, 2015
There are many public speaking lessons we can learn from President Obama. As a speaker, I’ve never hidden the fact that he stands out to me as one of the most gifted orators of our time. Politics aside, what interests me is how he delivers a message: the structure, emotion, connection and the lessons he[…]
What Michael Gove’s First Speech Can Teach Us About What Not to Do
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jul 04, 2015
When Michael Gove delivered his first public speech as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice at the Legatum Institute, he offered every aspiring speaker a valuable lesson, not in what to do, but in what to avoid. Whether you’re a CEO, a senior politician, or a project manager, giving your first[…]
If you’re a nervous presenter, there’s one thing you can be certain of: you are not alone. Public speaking anxiety is like a tax notice; it reaches all of us sooner or later. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or what you do; eventually, it shows up at your door. For[…]
How to Close a Presentation With Power, Confidence and Impact
Communication Skills, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jun 13, 2015
Closing a presentation can feel even more challenging than opening one. We all understand the importance of making a strong first impression, but the last impression is just as critical, and far too many presenters overlook it. Some of the best presentations are weakened by a few moments of hesitation at the end. A[…]
5 Body Language Tips Every Presenter Should Master
Advice, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking May 01, 2015
There are countless body language tips we could offer presenters, but this article focuses on five of the simplest and most powerful. When there’s a mismatch between what we say and how we say it, the impact of our message is dramatically reduced. People won’t trust what you say if your body contradicts your words.[…]
Most presenters start preparing by opening their laptops. They begin typing, tweaking, rearranging, and polishing. The presenters who consistently deliver powerful, memorable presentations start from a very different place. They start long before creating the first slide, long before the room fills, long before they stand up to speak. They begin by envisioning. Seeing Success[…]
Why the Best Presentations Are Built on Stories
Advice, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Storytelling Mar 13, 2015
Turning a presentation into a meaningful story is one of the greatest challenges any presenter faces. Yet it’s also the most important. A story is how human beings make sense of the world. It’s how we learn, remember, and connect. Long before we had slides, charts, or meeting rooms, we had stories, and they remain[…]
Most presentations die before they even begin. Not because the content is weak or the speaker lacks confidence, but because the presenter starts in the wrong place. They open a laptop, summon a familiar template, and begin arranging boxes on a slide. It feels productive, even responsible. but it’s the fastest way to drain[…]
In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, presenting can be a daunting task. If you’ve ever found yourself standing before an audience, you know that making a strong first impression is crucial. The Importance of First Impressions Research from Princeton and the University of Glasgow suggests that we form judgments about strangers in just half a[…]
What It Really Takes to Win Over a Tough Audience
Advice, Presentating training, Presentation Skills, Presentation Tips Feb 05, 2015
Have you ever had to manage a tough audience during a business presentation? You might have viewed them as challenging because: – They have more experience than you on the topic. – There are dissenters in the room. – A negative emotional charge hangs in the atmosphere. – You may face difficult or even hostile[…]
Public Speaking Inspiration from Iconic Movie Speeches
Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Jan 22, 2015
To create a compelling presentation, it’s invaluable to take inspiration from iconic movie speeches in Hollywood films. Effective public speakers can learn a great deal from these memorable moments. The Importance of Connection Whether you’re dealing with dreary headlines like “Nine People Wounded in Tel Aviv” or “IS Demands $200m Ransom for Japan Hostages,” it’s[…]
Mindful presenting involves the skill of directing your attention toward your audience and your objectives, free from distraction by intrusive thoughts or external events. It’s about harnessing the mind’s potential to achieve peak performance in your presentations. Every presentation is essentially a performance. This doesn’t imply it’s merely an act; rather, it means delivering[…]
Understanding Your Audience: The 6 Human Needs in Presentations
Leadership, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Dec 31, 2014
As a presenter, it’s essential to recognize that your audience has specific needs. To create a meaningful connection, you should understand and address these six fundamental human needs. The Framework of Human Needs In 1943, Abraham Maslow introduced a theory that outlines essential human needs: Physiological: What we need for survival. Safety: The need to[…]
Discover Your Public Speaking Style: Types and Insights
Advice, Presentating training, Presentation Skills, Public Speaking Dec 08, 2014
What type of public speaker or presenter are you really? Do you know? Understanding your public speaking style requires insight into your personality, thought processes, beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, and emotional triggers. A skilled public speaker possesses a keen awareness of what makes others tick as well. The Challenge of Self-Discovery There are many different styles[…]
