Monday, November 25, 2019

Should I change my presentation style to be more like other people?

Me on stage at UnoConf 2019

I've spent a lot of time researching how to be a better presenter. The result of all of that is that I've reduced my own internal guidelines to this: don't do the bad things I see other presenters doing.

I don't like it when people read a script - So, I don't use one. (Although I do write several versions of one while preparing.)

I don't like it when people are giving a talk prepared by someone else - So I make mine my own. No-one else would give the presentation in the same way.

I don't like it when people are repeating something they've heard or researched but don't have personal experiences to share - So I only talk about things I know really well.

I don't like presentations that are given multiple times in the same way - So mine are always unique. By this, I mean, they're regularly updated and adjusted for the specific audience.

I don't like it when there's no audience interaction - So I involve the audience.

I don't like it when presenters are unprepared and underrehearsed, so they can't adjust to changes or things going wrong - So I rehearse lots.

I don't like it when people are talking about things they have no passion for--or at least don't appear to care about - So I only talk about things I can get excited about.

I don't like it when presenters take ages covering a single point - So I try and include lots of things. As a downside, this means I have a tendency to rush and may not cover items in as much detail.

I don't like it when there's no benefit to seeing a presentation live and watching a video recording would have been better. - So I encourage questions from the audience.


I know my "style" is not to everyone's taste but it feels right for me.
However, maybe I'd be more effective if I was more like other presenters...


What do you do when presenting? Or think I should do?




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