We all prepare and deliver presentations all the time. If you’re an external practitioner, this begins with marketing presentations. Whether internal or external, there are proposal presentations; planning presentations; status presentations; and more. Some of us tend to “death by PowerPoint” while others are great at using imagery to communicate a message. But for all of us, there are three critical skills we rarely think of.
In his Fast Company article, “How to Sharpen Essential Job Skills During Your Next Presentation,” Darren Menabney focuses on three skills: critical thinking, design thinking, and storytelling.
- Critical Thinking: We all have biases; we all make assumptions; and most of us let these biases and assumptions shape our presentations. Menabney invites a critical thinking mindset that calls out the biases and assumptions so that they are not incorporated into our messaging. “Critical thinking is also about skepticism, and making sure we’re not fooling ourselves, so take a skeptical eye to your own work.” Finally, he makes the point that we should look at our work through the eyes of the audience. Anything that is not relevant to the objectives of the presentation and to the audience should be taken out.
- Design Thinking: “Design thinking is a process where you’re creating solutions from the user perspective by focusing on the end user and developing insights into their needs.” Once again, it is the user perspective that is important. After you have created the presentation from that perspective, the author recommends you treat it as a prototype; present it to co-workers, get feedback, and improve it.
- Storytelling: Storytelling activates head, heart, and gut. Data, information, doesn’t. As a result, being a skilled storyteller not only improves your presentation skills. It strengthens your ability to influence the decisions and actions of others. Here Menabney recommends developing your own portfolio of stories, and then selecting those that are most relevant to your objectives and the audience.
To the author’s recommendations I would add one more. Be intentional about delivering value in every interaction, including your presentations.
Photo by Teemu Paananen on Unsplash
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About the Author: Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman is the Managing Editor of Change Management Review™. In this capacity he regularly curates articles of importance to our readership; contributes original writing; hosts podcasts; and works with guest authors.
For more than five decades Brian has been engaged in—and a student of—change at the personal, organizational, and societal levels. During this time, he has worked with both individuals and organizations (ranging from solo practitioners to Fortune 100 businesses), guiding them through a wide array of challenges. Decades of experience have given him a deep appreciation of the universal patterns that underlie successfully navigating even the most difficult changes.
In addition to his work as our Managing Editor, Brian is a transformation coach, supporting both individual and organizational change. Brian is committed to passing his “lessons learned” on to others, so that their change journeys can advance more smoothly. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and public speaker. Brian is the author of “The Hero and the Sherpa,” a chapter in the online Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (Springer Publishing; Judi Neal, Editor). He also has an extensive library of blog posts, articles, and videos on the change journey, including “The Ten Most Important Lessons I Have Learned Over 50 Years of Engaging Change.”
Mr. Gorman’s formal education includes a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas, San Antonio and an MA in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
Brian is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coach, and is an active member in the New York City chapter. Brian is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the Gay Coaches Alliance.
Related Posts
About the Author: Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman is the Managing Editor of Change Management Review™. In this capacity he regularly curates articles of importance to our readership; contributes original writing; hosts podcasts; and works with guest authors.
For more than five decades Brian has been engaged in—and a student of—change at the personal, organizational, and societal levels. During this time, he has worked with both individuals and organizations (ranging from solo practitioners to Fortune 100 businesses), guiding them through a wide array of challenges. Decades of experience have given him a deep appreciation of the universal patterns that underlie successfully navigating even the most difficult changes.
In addition to his work as our Managing Editor, Brian is a transformation coach, supporting both individual and organizational change. Brian is committed to passing his “lessons learned” on to others, so that their change journeys can advance more smoothly. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and public speaker. Brian is the author of “The Hero and the Sherpa,” a chapter in the online Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (Springer Publishing; Judi Neal, Editor). He also has an extensive library of blog posts, articles, and videos on the change journey, including “The Ten Most Important Lessons I Have Learned Over 50 Years of Engaging Change.”
Mr. Gorman’s formal education includes a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas, San Antonio and an MA in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
Brian is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coach, and is an active member in the New York City chapter. Brian is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the Gay Coaches Alliance.
