Put em' All to Sleep

Ever been to a presentation, lecture or seminar and all it motivated you to was to sleep? I think I just heard an unanimous "Yes!"

So, who does them well? Who delivers really great in-person or video presentations? Do they use special skills ? Do they have special personalities? Are some people just better at it than others or can anyone learn to deliver inspiring and motivating presentations?

As an actor, writer, director and producer and someone who has had to sit through my fair share of really dull corporate presentations and training programs, I write with experience and complete confidence that anyone can learn to design and deliver great presentations. Anyone. Are some people with extroverted personalities better at it than their introverted colleagues? No. Just because the extrovert likes to talk a lot doesn't make him a better presenter. When teaching presentation skills I've had the pleasure of experiencing some incredibly powerful presentations from those who were considered wall flowers. Not all actors are effervescent and not all 'good' presenters are naturally good at it.

Through my years working as an actor and director in theater, film and television I learned a lot of performance skills. Besides researching and preparing to play a character I learned to, "act as if." As if I was a prince in Denmark, as if I really had shopped at Piggly-Wiggly Supermarkets, and as if I was an aging and washed up comic. So, if you're that shy and anxious wall flower and are tasked to present to your department during the next team meeting, act as if you are confident and experienced; that you know your topic and your main message and that you really won't die if something goes wrong. Anything can be learned and I can teach you the same acting and presentation skills that I have used to deliver powerful presentations that create lasting impact and positive change.

An actor in a play or a movie wants you, the audience to believe that they are the character that they are playing. If you don't believe them they'll start to lose interest and possibly head for the emergency exit so, start acting "as if."

For group presentations skills training or one-on-one presentation skill coaching, contact me and I'll show you how to get a standing ovation at your next presentation as well as the one after that.