Presenting Status Update

Not always we stand up to present big change and groundbreaking results. Much more often we are to deliver a simple status update.

The problem with status update is that they are often boring and flat. 

Why? 

Because nobody needs more information. 
If it's just information, perhaps it's enough to send an email or distribute a report.

So if you want attention - and you should - you must turn the status update into a problem solving presentation. You can do it by asking yourself these questions:

1. 
Why does the audience need the information I am going to present?

2. 
What does the information allow them to do? 

3. 
Could they do without my information? 
If so, would my information allow them to do something better? Faster? Cheaper?

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How would this change your next presentation?
When will be the first opportunity to give it a try?

Goog luck and let me know about your questions and progress,

Tomas

How to present tables and charts

At Status Meetings we are often presenting just raw tables and charts.  There is a way to make them better in a few simple steps.

How to present tables and charts 

Click on the this link and download a simple guide for better tables. (Czech only)
Is it useful?

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_gDOVxazhysa0R3cXEwR1lhZ00/edit?usp=sharing

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Far too many tables and excel sheet are dumped on a page without a comment. 

You don't want your readers to work out what's going on. When readers see a table, they don't really know ehere to start. Without an obvious point we tend to simply give up.

So instead give your tables a lead-in tittle summarising the main idea. Don't just say: Our results.  Why don't you try instead: Income up 15% from 2 years ago.

Giving your table a lead-in title will also help you to focus your thoughts and present better:

What should you comment on:

a trend

a pattern

a highlight

an anomaly

a variance
a conflict
a risk
your opinion or conclusion

There must be something after all why are you showing the table? 

If you can't think of anything significant to say, then ask yourself a question: "Do I need to present it at all?"

Great Books on Presentations

There are two great books on presentation, I would like to share with you today:

..................................

RESONATE
by Nancy Duarte

Nancy Duarte is considered a leading authority on presentation storytelling.
If you have a minute, you may want to flip through this multimedia version of her new book.



Do you feel like exploring some more?

Have a look at selected first class presentations at http://www.duarte.com/book/resonate/#www


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PRESENTATION
a story of presenting with very few slides by Andrew Abela

Not every presentation is like a movie: full of emotions, stories and images. It's not very often when we stand in front of a large crowd. Some presentations are much more pragmatic.

How to present ideas concisely on very few pages?
How to get straight to the point?
How to make my data interesting?

There is a book which comments exactly on this type of presentations. 

http://www.extremepresentation.com/uploads/documents/The-Presentation-Ebook-Abela.pdf


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MORE BOOKS ON PRESENTATION
selected by me

My selection of most helpful books on better presentations



Happy reading and presenting,

Tomas

Horror. Scary slides.

It's one day after the Halloween and I hope you don't mind if I send you some scary slides. We didn't speak much about presentation design, but slides are usually a great way to kill any presentation. 

7 deadly sins to scare away your audience

And now some of my own favourites.

9 ways to kill any presentation

9 zpusobu jak zabit kazdou prezentaci from Tomas Zykan

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See?

My advice is:

Simplify
Use images rather then text
Use flip chart
Switch the powerpoint off from time to time

And remember, when presenting, less is always more.

All the best,

Tomas

Welcome to this Blog.

Everything is difficult before it is easy

J.W. GOETHE

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It is one week since our training.

Some of the ideas from our workshop are still fresh on your mind. Perhaps you have opened one of your presentations to look at. Perhaps you had a chance to present at a company meeting, to your colleagues or partners. That's great.

But watch out. 

The inspiration gained at a training does not last forever. It has an expiration date.

What may seem easy and clear today will be quite difficult 3 weeks from now - if you don't practice.

The start button

The smile

The pause

The energy

It doesn't sound hard, does it?

So take any opportunity you have to present. The best advice I can give is to practice. Practice. Practice.

To help you with the next step, I'm sending you this short video.

It will take 2 minutes 28 seconds of your time.

It is about trying and not giving up too soon.

Just because you don't have time.

Or you don't feel like it.

Or you don't know how to start.

 

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I will be posting now a short series of hints, examples and tricks.

Help me with your comments and questions. It's our platform, so lets use it as much as we can.

Have a great weekend.

TZ