COOK UP A TASTY, NOURISHING & MEMORABLE PRESENTATION

As a member of the World Affairs Council, I entertain many international State Department guests for dinner when they are in Seattle. I love to cook and recently I’ve been noticing how creating a successful presentation can be so much like cooking.  When I cook I begin with a desire for something tasty and nourishing.  If I have invited others to share this meal, I consider their dietary preferences, whether allergies or religious/cultural preferences.  

I first look in my refrigerator to see what is there: meat or fish, cheese, butter, tofu, fresh veggies and fruit, fresh ginger, tamari, and begin to get a sense of where this meal is going.  Then I make my big decisions: what is the main theme of this meal?  What are the accompanying flavors that will make this dish special? I look in my cupboards for additional elements: rice, cornmeal, quinoa, kasha, dried or canned beans, pasta, garlic, olive oil, nuts, herbs and spices.  If I wish to try a new combination of these I research in my cookbooks or online.  Out of lemons?  I am lucky and can go right across the street and buy them and any other missing ingredient I might need at my neighborhood grocery store.  Or, I might go up Highway 99 to the great Pakistani grocery store to buy Halal meat for my Muslim guests.  And then I figure my timing and I’m ready to go!

Putting together a presentation can be just like that.  Know who your audience members are and what their preferences are for you want to make your message accessible.  Then gather all the elements you have at hand or can find easily, and see which of these will be your main message to this audience.  Next, assemble those stories, images and kinesthetic ideas that will clarify, enhance, and entertainingly involve your audience.  Plan your timing and you, too, will be ready to go!  

However, just as when cooking, practice makes a huge difference.  If you try a brand new recipe on your guests without trying it out beforehand, you really do not know how it will turn out.  And when you try a brand new presentation on your audience without practicing, you are also in a danger zone.  So, you must practice, practice, practice.  You can try bits of it out on your friends, colleagues and family - like giving them tastes from your cook pot.  In this way you can find out how clear and appetizing your message is and can do the final seasoning.

Bon Appetit!

Come to our workshop on November 22nd to practice cooking a presentation: Speak with Clarity !  See here for details: 

APPETIZER

APPETIZER!

A presentation is like an appetizer. When we are preparing to make an important presentation we often feel compelled to give the audience the whole story, put in all of the details, make it the best full meal deal for our audience and client. We give them the 7-course dinner.

When we do this we are missing the point. Our audiences for the most part, want an appetizer. In fact an appetizer is all they can digest of new information at one sitting. The rest is wasted on them. Give them a few tasty ideas to nibble on and they will come back later looking for the rest of the courses. They'll want to know more about our services or product or idea.

Pare down the size and complexity of your presentation. Simplify your task. Decide what you want them to take away from the day - what you want them to communicate to others. Find 2-3 compelling points that support that take-away. Depending on the time available, you can add 1-3 sub points for each point. Now add the spices: opening story, sensory details and the main spice - interaction for each point.

STOP! That's enough! They've had a tasty taste. If they want more they will ask you for it.

Bon appetit!

If you would like to learn and practice how to construct a tasty presentation, see New Fall Workshops schedule here.

STICKINESS!

Imagine delivering a message that is this sticky!

When your audience leaves your presentation, will they have become so attached to your message that they can hardly wait to pass it on to their colleagues?

The recipe for stickiness includes sensory details such as visuals, visual descriptions, feelings, action, gestures, props, interaction, stories, roleplays, activities, surprises . . . and I'll bet you can come up with quite a few of these yourself.

If you add these to a clear presentation structure to illustrate and illuminate your main points, your audiences will be charmed, intrigued, drawn in, entertained, as well as being informed, inspired and compelled to take action.

The stickiness will help them understand and remember your core message and important ideas.

And if you'd like to try this yourself - join us at our new workshop described here.