innovatED Magazine - Issue 3 - Autumn 2019

7 Top-tips for better presentations
Presentation Skills for Leaders
Leadership
By Robert Lilley, ISP Yorkshire & North East Network Leader
I write this having just sat through yet another ’death by
Powerpoint’ experience where the presenter simply read
through the numerous bullets on their overloaded slides.
We give presentations to impart information, possibly to
convert someone to our way of thinking or, as an
independent school leader, to instil parent confidence and
thus maintain our pupil recruitment. If our presentations are
boring or the viewer tunes out, we have failed.
One key hint is to move away from those bullet-laden slides
to high quality visual images. Visual communication is
proven to stick in the memory far more effectively. An
image can create an instant emotional connection and if
you can link your message to the viewer’s emotional
centres then you are already on your way to success.
Communications expert and author of ‘Presentation Zen’,
Garr Reynolds, suggests 7 other ways to improve our slides
and presentations:
1. Use multimedia wisely – don’t
overwhelm your audience with
too much information, animation
and pictures.
Cutting the superfluous is one of
the hardest things to do because
when we are close to the topic, as
most presenters are, it *all* seems
important. It may be true that it's
all important, but when you have
only ten minutes or an hour, you
have to make hard choices of
inclusion and exclusion. This is
something professional storytellers
know very well. What is included
must be included for a good
reason.
2. Use short stories – stories are easy to remember and
the best presenters often use personal stories to
illustrate their points.
Storytellers—filmmakers, novelists, etc. — know that it is
emotion which impacts people most profoundly. Yes, facts,
events, structure are important, but what people remember
—and what is more likely to push them to act—is the way
the narrative made them feel.
3. Respect your audience – Move away from the screen
and get them involved & engaged rather than just being
passive observers.
We are a storytelling animal. We are not a bullet-pointmemorizing
machine. We are wired to be attracted to a
story and to learn from them and to spread them. As
Andrew Stanton of Pixar says, "The best stories infuse
wonder.” Everything depends on the context of the
presentation, but in most cases a good presentation is a
mix of logic, data, emotion, and inspiration.
Page 26 | Issue 3 | innovatED | Autumn 2019