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Just over six months ago Karl Kildén contacted me for an interview for their thesis: “Critical success factors for business presentations with PowerPoint”. And now the report is finally finished. You can download the entire report here: LINK. The following is my interview in the report:

1a) PowerPoint and similar programs are being used for presentations at different organizations. What do you think of the use of it in general?
That it is counterproductive. The craving to go to meetings and presentations where PowerPoint consistently is being used wrongly is way too low. The amount of information that is being put into the PowerPoint presentation makes the audience lose focus and concentration. The effect of this is that they do not have the best decision data when they make their decisions. After the space shuttle crashed in the United States a couple of years ago, this was seen as one of the problems.

1b) What are the advantages and disadvantages of PowerPoint or similar is standard for a business?
Advantages: Most people know software for visual reinforcement. Cons: It is being used incorrectly as a visual reinforcement. It becomes a security blanket, a tool for presenters and not for the listener.

1c) PowerPoint has also been criticized because it frames our trains of thought to be focused on presenting and that you automatically are thinking of slides with bullet points. Do you think there is any truth in this?
Absolutely. I hear quite horrendous stories from the companies and workers I meet. The number of slides is totally, completely irrelevant to the presentation. The only thing that matters is the amount of objects per slide. That’s where the limits of our perception appears.

2a) What do you think about PowerPoint and similar programs in its standard version with a header followed by bullets?
It is okay in its function. Words in bullet form help the brain in both learning and understanding. However, don’t mix sentences and bullets – it just creates madness! Put that information in the note section instead!

2b) What do you think you should consider when making a presentation in such a program?
Start by first building the presentation in the structure of a common script in Word and then use PowerPoint to enhance and clarify certain parts of the presentation. Never begin building your presentation in PowerPoint. Start analogy instead.

3a) Do you think it is a common problem that the presentations are boring, uninspired, or otherwise fail to capture their audience?
Yes, but it has above all with people’s presentation skills to do and not with PowerPoint. However, their wrong-doing of PowerPoint doesn’t make it easier for them.

3b) What should you think about to avoid this?
Ask yourself: what do I think is an interesting presentation? And do you think is good? Don’t follow the flock of sheep over an inevitable precipice. And take a course in Presentation Skills. A presentation is about learning the technique of body language, voice and the approach. With that knowledge we can with or without PowerPoint, make good presentations.

4a) Do you think the presentations within companies are sufficiently educational and tailored to the audience?
Yes, the organizations which train their employees within presentation skills. Those who do not or do not take it seriously: no. If companies would be equally irresponsible in their sales as they are in their presentation and communication process, an absolute majority would go bankrupt.

4b) What should you consider so that the presentation will be educational and is easy to understand to the audience?
Use PowerPoint to reinforce or clarify – not to confuse. That means you will have a maximum of six objects per slide because that’s what your audience perception can cope with. Use pictures to reinforce, and if you use charts or heavy process diagrams in PowerPoint, break them down to the smallest possible elements. Question every detail by asking “Is it functional” and if it isn’t, delete it. In regards to the current “presentation” that your question relates to is about so much more than just PowerPoint. The three best and quickest advice I can give are these:
1. Ask yourself why you are holding this presentation, then define your message and break down the content into such a concrete and concise form that is possible.
2. Makes the contents of your presentation relevant and interesting for the audience.
3. We make the majority of our decisions depending on a feeling; therefore plant a feeling with the audience.

5a) If a business uses a guide/method that employees can use when creating presentations, what do you think this guide/method should focus on primarily?
That the recipient’s needs and the presenter’s goal should be defined according to the three presentation types: remember, inspire and persuade. And the presentation guide should help the presenter to achieve this.

6a) How important do you consider the specific introductions are, and do you use rhetorical concepts to categorize various such?
The fundamental premise that a human/receiver is to learn new things, be convinced or inspired is that they are focused. They are focused, when they think the presentation is relevant or interesting. Within there are specific introductions which has a huge responsibility, i.e. to build that interest and inspiration.

6b) PowerPoint etc. are visual aids to an oral presentation. Do you think it was a general low level of knowledge within the rhetoric that caused the statement “Death by PowerPoint\” to be coined?
Yes, that’s probably part of the truth. We learn from the flock leader, that said: it is enough that our leaders have low expertise in presentation skills, or rhetoric, and thus start to hide behind PowerPoint. We are usually quick to give up regardless of the intelligence in the outcome. However, somewhere along the line, our stress factor at work has also contributed to worse PowerPoint presentations. Basically it’s about ignorance. If all “meeting killers\” had a basic knowledge of how remarkably limited our brain is in taking in firm impressions they would never even have looked at PowerPoint.

6c) How do you connect the ancient notions of Ethos, Pathos and Logos to modern presentations and PowerPoint specifically? (Ethos is one’s personal character, pathos is directed to the audience’s emotions and Logos is to persuade with facts and logic).
They are the three fundamental corner stone’s. As a general rule; it can be said that all presentations shall include all three. Off course, there are exceptions but for all meeting leaders and executives, the basic rule is that all 3 should be there. Unfortunately, Ethos is often delivered weakly because the presenter did not think of themselves as a good presenter. Therefore an even weaker Pathos is delivered because it then challenges the presenter to actually present … In contrast, most managers are really good at delivering Logos in matchless overdoses. But I would point out that it gets better, I see the light at the end of the tunnel, and that I sometimes actually feel that my persistent crusade for almost three years is beginning to take effect : )

7) Do you have any thoughts on how much time you have to create a presentation and how it affects the outcome?
If you do not have the technology per se as a presenter it will affect the amount of time a whole bunch. The better presenter you are, the shorter time you’ll need and vice versa. And now since most are fairly mediocre presenters, a lot of time will be needed to get close to a good result. Of course, it is not time that is given, so a mediocre presenter often gets too little time in relation to their knowledge, resulting in rather ineffective presentations. Knowledge is the key – because you have a chance to training, if you only want it… but who really wants to do something we aren’t good at … and how good do we really get when we are forced to do things we aren’t good at…?
 

My youngest son is starting school this fall, and the other day all the parents were invited to listen to both the principal and the teacher who introduced us to all the news and procedures to come.

Once seated, a teacher starts up, high spirited in her way with a very fast voice and a complete lack of breaks – in other words, she didn’t create the world’s best conditions for herself. What really made her fail was that she threw herself into logos, facts, figures and even more facts.

Fortunately, she left the word to the principal who calmly took the stage and began by highlighting the parent’s unwavering important role for our children, and for our interest to find ourselves there we gave ourselves a round of applause. The atmosphere was flying to the ceiling after that and the interest was high.

The big difference I noted in these two performances is the “respect section\”, which often comes directly in the beginning of a presentation, and is immensely important to how sympathetic the audience is to you as a presenter or speaker. But beware of faking the section of respect; praise without feeling and credibility will sink yourself lower than the floor.
Tips on good “respect sections\”

• Praise the audience on their decision to want to learn more about what you are about to tell
• Praise them for having taken the time to get to your presentation
• Praise them for something they have done that you are genuinely happy over or interested in
• Praise them for the organization they represent
• Praise whatever you want, you can be as creative as you want as long as it comes from the heart

Thanks for the time you took to read this. You are now even wiser than you were before!

Today, Svenska Dagbladet had anarticle about Karin Grönberg who draws pictures in real time during a meeting, also called live illustrations. It is tasty and attractive, and a breath of fresh air in our otherwise snowed in PowerPoint world. Live illustrations is about that the illustrator draws pictures of what is said during the meeting. But what the article does not address is the perceptive and memory effects. How high is it? No study is mentioned and unfortunately it is not enough just with the cool factor in a tool for it to provide a lasting memory effect. What do we know today and how can it be related to live illustrations?

Plus points for live illustrations
1. Pictures are more effective than text.
2. Colors stimulates the brain.
3. Pictures + text is more effective than just text.
4. The article indicates that the quest is to find images to the keywords that your audience will recognize. If that is the case, the technology receives plus points for the application of conscious association.
5. It is a good, fresh dynamic tool that creates interaction with the participants.

Minus Points
1. Participants who read body text/sentences have a difficult time to listen to what the presenter says.
2. The risk is that the focus might end up on the illustrator instead of the presenter.
3. A small risk is also in the generalization of associations, because they are difficult to generalize and a wrongly used association could lead to a counterproductive memory effect. Therefore, you need to be a very experienced live-illustrator with a large bank of functioning, general associations.
4. Expensive option to hire an illustrator for every important meeting.

The company RSA specializes in “Live Illustrations” on YouTube, and they are quite awesome. But they’re not exactly the same thing as live illustrations mentioned above since they are pre-recorded and then adapted to the voice, the exact position. Well worthy of its inspiration though, here’s one of my favorites :

Top 5 tips for those who are nervous about presentations
1. Tell yourself you are the best and what you are going to say is important!
2. Prepare and practice your introduction so you can nail it.
3. Speak in a calm pace at the beginning.
4. You are your body language, so stand firm and have an open body language.
5. Do not talk to one person alone, remember to pause so you create control and calm.

Top 5 tips for you to use to “pick someone up” at the pub
1.Tell yourself you are the greatest and that your “target” will certainly be glad to talk to you
2. Trust your age-old insight; whenever you get an inviting eye contact, walk up right away! NEVER hesitate!
3. Do not complicate it. Be honest and give a compliment at first.
4. You are your body language, so radiate credibility and stability by putting you in the right mental attitude.
5. If you receive a no, do not take it personally. Your target may have 100 reasons to say no. Everything from already being taken, different sexual orientation, depression, to just having a bad day.

Top 5 tips if you are to be presenting in the morning, but didn’t have time to prepare yourself
1. Use spontaneous structure. (Then, Now, Later) Start telling the background/history and then your subject and finally the next steps/the future.
2. Prepare your introduction and your conclusion; which consequently are the two most important elements of your presentation
3. Set the goal that you want to achieve
4. Decide on 1-3 things you want your audience to take with them and focus solely on it.
5. Do not worry about that you miss or forget something; your audience don’t know exactly what you would bring up anyhow.

David Phillips interviewed by Robert L Svensson for Fokus Väst, www.fokusvast.se.

Presentation matters- the right presentation skill gets your message out

Whether it’s a client meeting or colleagues in a working meeting your presentation is critical to how your message reaches them. David Phillips is a much sought-after lecturer and trainer in presentation skills. Here, he gives some tips on how you succeed.

For David Phillips, presentation skills equal passion:
-I love the topic for the simple reason that you with simple sources can improve communication between the transmitter and the receiver in such a way that it may be absolutely crucial to the deal, the solution, the job, the relationship, the hearing, or whatever it may be that you are presenting within.

Practice your presentation

Begin by determining your goals and your message .Bring out the three most important things that you want recipients to bring back home from your presentation.
–In particular, I want the recipient to get a feeling, because we as humans make many decisions on going by our feelings, says David Phillips.

David recommends that you first enter your presentation as a script in a word processor. Once you have all of the content clearly documented, you decide which technology tools that best fit. Computer, projector, PowerPoint, whiteboard, flipchart, post-it notes, notebook, or something else?

– It is always good to practice practical before-hand , so that you know how long your presentation takes. It is important to keep time, so you can tie up the bag, and total everything before you are done with your presentation. My experience is that many presenters are underestimating the time. We think it’ll go faster than what it actually does. Delete points about pure facts, if you need to shorten the material. Practice again and check the time. Practice your body language and tone of voice. Body language is extremely important, as it makes up 50% of the presentation. Stretch yourself, practice not having crossed arms or fisted hands. Also practice how you should stand and how to move around. To practice practical also means mental preparation.

The beginning is crucial
The beginning of a presentation is critical to how the receiver will absorb information.
– Learn the beginning by heart, like running water – then you will create a good flow for when you continue. It also means a lot of self-confidence to get a good start, says David.

When David Phillips is holding lectures he usually talks about 15 important steps in a presentation. 7 of these steps lie in the introduction. It is good to create a getter, which triggers the audience. Getters should simultaneously be relevant for the rest of the presentation. For example, you can ask a question which would be a little provocative. Or tell an anecdote.

— Also be clear in your target definition for the audience. Let’s say you want them to get this knowledge out of the presentation. Otherwise, expectations can easily drag in different directions. Also note to end the presentation with feedback to your pre-specified goals. If the audience is not satisfied, think about what you can improve for the next time.

Common mistakes among presenters
According to David, it is common that presenters underestimate body language. Practice therefore, facial expressions, gestures and voice mode in order to increase credibility and enthusiasm. Another common mistake is to build the presentation for himself and not to the public. Get in tune with the audience, all content should be relevant in the presentation. It is also good to have a dialogue with the audience, but keep in mind the time.

Finish so that the audience leaves with a lasting impression
Just as the beginning is very important, so is the end.
– A good conclusion gives the audience a lasting impression. Avoid asking questions, it is you that is to control the situation and how it ends. In order to avoid un-clarities and unanswered questions, you can say: “Before I summarize my presentation, I can answer a few questions, if you have any?\”

David Phillips underlines the importance of a good final word, which ties back to the beginning.
— You may like to use something that catches their interest at the end, as well. If it is a sales presentation, come up with a concrete finish, book a meeting or determine how you move on from here with the customer.

A college-student at Södertörn called me up and wanted to do an interview. The student, Tove Rumar and I met a week later at a coffee shop and here are the results of her interview. I thought that there are a few things interesting in it that you as the reader may find useful in your own quest for better presentations bättre presentationer.

Thanks for the interview, Tove! Well explained, much better than most journalists I have encountered over the years!!

David Phillips has started and operates a company called thepresentationskills.com, where he mainly focuses on how to best make use of PowerPoint at work and in other more daily context. He hold courses and lectures in which companies and individuals from around the world will learn the importance of not having dispersed natured slides or unnecessary side quests in their presentations.

David is very busy and travel extensively in his work, but we managed to meet up for an interview. We met as agreed in a cafe in Vasastan, Stockholm. He comes directly from training and is dressed in both the shirt and the west. He exudes calm and authority and is not afraid to make eye contact.

I start by asking him why he is working with what he does and at what age he began to hold presentations. He replies that he has lectured for about 2-3 years but has been holding speeches since he was 20 years old, which would be about 14 years.

As a 20-year-old David began to have interest in neurology, psychology, and how the brain works. He has studied the defeat methods and differs much from other lecturers as he works with human behavior and cognition. He knows that body language controls the brain and the words more than the reverse. It is therefore important that you, as a speaker, work with your gestures and your attitude to make a big difference to how you are perceived and how well your message is presented.

I asked what three things that he thinks is the greatest with his job and he replied that the absolute coolest is the high, the sence of power that arises somewhere in the middle of the lecture. Everyone is totally aware of him. That he can create a big change in a person’s life is another part of the work that he loves. “You can save your marriage, your job or land a business deal by learning to communicate better\”, he said, and seems to be extra proud of this particular part of his job. He also finds it interesting with the intercultural meetings and differences he sees in his work. It has happened that up to 15 nationalities simultaneously has been at his lectures.

What David, like many speakers with him, use the most of when he gathers ideas to a speech is mind mapping, but he also uses the internet to find inspiring lectures by other speakers. When he later arranges the speech he frequently uses templates and different outline rules, but not always. “One of the best speeches I’ve seen was totally missing an ordinary rhetorical structure or building”. The speech is that of an American football coach, that coaches his team before a game, and is wholly independent of templates”. The speech consists of one single long escalation to climax.

I am telling David that I find it difficult to properly screen the material, and he tells me that “it is important to remember the goal you set for the speech, that it is clear and precise. Then you question each argument, quotation, and image and ask; Does this lead to the objective? If it doesn’t, then delete it”. This strategy makes his speech very pungent, with simple and clear messages.

Because he thinks that notes do not belong in a speech, he totally memorizes his speeches. When I wonder if he never ever has key notes for his lectures, he confesses that he sometimes exhibits key points at eye level with the audience. This is to be able to sweep his eyes over the audience and see the next theme without having to turn his eyes from the audience.

How long time and how many repetitions is needed to totally memorize a 10-minute speech in the best way, I wonder? “A total memorization of a shorter speech should be practiced for three or four days about ten times, and it is important that there is space between the briefings, since it is easier for the brain to take in the information if it gets a chance to rest between rehearsals”. A technique he uses extensively for memorizing both speech and lectures is to play a movie in his head. “The favorite is a road I see myself go along. The route has as many curves as there are points in the speech or lecture. At each curve there is an object that is associated with what must be said at any point. And to remember optimally, it is good if the objects are as extreme as possible. For example; a Greek statue which is grotesque and worm eaten with one hand cut off…This provides the best memory results.\”

When asked if he still gets nervous before he goes up on stage, he says firmly, “the day he no longer is more or less nervous, he will stop lecturing and speaking”. It is good to be nervous; it increases the performance, as long as you are not too worried. Music is good to listen to before but not something for calm so that it becomes unfocused and relaxed. “A favorite is the soundtrack to the movie” Gladiator “, it makes me in the right mindset”, he said

During the lectures, he uses what he calls the “interest-based structure”, which means that he can change and customize his speech after the listener reactions. To win them over and bring them with him, he uses a high-status body language, which he says that you in principle always should use in similar occasions. “Movements and gestures should be smooth and alive, and have a meaning. If they instead are jerky or seemingly unmotivated you will be perceived as unpredictable, and it will immediately reveal a lower ethos”. How we behave and are moving around will in turn affect how the brain is thinking. If you are acting “high status” the brain feels that you are calm and in the lead role

Another tip he gave me was to try, like before the speech or lecture, to try to find the “informal leader” in the group. “During the performance, one can then carefully reflect his body language a bit subtle and perhaps quote or use expressions that person uses. This often gives a good ethos and doing audiences sympathetic to you\”.

What do you do if you lose the thread in the middle of a speech or lecture, I wonder. “It’s best to take a small pause, maybe drink a little water. Usually, I am catching on to the thread again. And if I unlikely don’t remember it, then is better to be honest and tell the audience”.

When I ask if he ever made a fool of himself during a lecture he first said that he actually never has, but at closer thought he remembers one time when he was holding his lecture “Death by PowerPoint” for the company Ericsson. “I was completely prepared and was about to get on the stage within two minutes, when I hear someone speak German. I then ask whether it was intended that I should keep the presentation in English. It was, so in a blink of an eye, I had to translate my 140 slides in my PowerPoint, which has, of course, has a central role in that particular lecture. Fortunately, it contains not much text. However, I manage to do this and come up on stage and tells anecdote for my audience\”.

The last thing I ask is if he has any tips on how I shall pause properly in my speech since I think it is difficult to get my pauses long enough. He replied that “since your sense of time does not function normally when you are on the stage, you need to rely on a situation instead, to make them long enough. Your pauses should be long enough that you feel that you want to vomit. These vomit emotions will, after you become more and more familiar them, turn into a sense of power – which you manage to captivate your audience so that they are mindful, even when you fall silent. ”

After this much-needed, but a bit uncomfortable advice I thank David for the interview and step outside in the cold again.

Hans Rosling is sharp on a lot, and hard to beat is his creativity. Here he goes out with IKEA boxes and symbolic objects to illustrate his message. Accurate, memorable and inspiring!