Our brains are amazing data banks. Packed in with our memories and emotions is a lifetime of information, data, thoughts, beliefs and ideas; all seeming to be of equal importance just waiting to be shared!
Excited to showcase his or her expertise, knowledge and prowess, an untrained speaker will often try to dump a mountain of information into one presentation. The result; sensory overload for everyone involved. The speaker is left to navigate an incohesive collection of thoughts, facts, figures and graphics which lead nowhere. The audience, overwhelmed, exhausted and disinterested begin to check their Twitter accounts. Sound familiar?
A speaker can only be as good as the structure of the message, and that begins with focus, clarity and an agenda. One way to clear out the clutter and develop a strong message is to begin with one simple question. What is your “Why”?
Why are you presenting? Is it to inform, persuade or inspire? What action do you hope to promote? What do you hope to accomplish? Solidify the “why” by stating it in ten words or less. Jot it down on a piece of paper. Keep it at hand to use as a guide while constructing your presentation. When determining which bits of information to use, refer to your “why guide”. If the information, slide or data doesn’t enhance or reinforce your “why” toss it aside! You will have less clutter and more clarity in your presentation, thus offering an engaging, interesting speech roadmap for your audience to enjoy. How simple is that?
