by Tim Calkins
Carroll, Shana, 170
Cato, 38
caveats, 172, 192–93, 219
chicken, presentation on how to wash, 1–4
choice, and complexity, 225–27
chronological structure, 73–74
Churchill, Winston, 10, 65, 134, 164–65
clarity, 28–29, 35–36, 43
clicker (presenter), 177, 222
clock, placement of, 157–58
closings: presentation content, 62–63, 78, 80; presentation delivery, 177
clothes, 164–65
clutter, removing, 79–80, 93–94, 206, 221
coaching, 138
cognitive load, 113
communication, 209
complexity: choice and, 225–27; resistance to, 227–28
components, presentation, 55–63; introduction, 55; agenda, 58–60, 62; conclusion page, 62–63; cover page, 55–57; executive summary, 60–62, 63, 137; purpose statement, 58
computer position, 151–52
conclusion page, 62–63. See also closings
confidence, 162–63. See also delivery
confidence monitor, 152
consistency, 98, 99, 100–101
copies, 132–33
Copulsky, Jonathan, 68, 196
cover page, 55–57
Covey, Stephen, 95
credibility, 93, 97, 109–10, 115–16, 202–3, 229–30
cycle, presenting, 198–99
dangerous points, 108–9
Darwin, Charles, 70
data and information, 105–18; introduction, 105; analysis considerations, 112–14; answering questions with, 188–89; credibility, 109–10, 115–16, 202–3, 229–30; dangerous points, 108–9; delivery of, 171–73, 207–8; fact checking, 117–18; importance of, 105–7; irrelevant points, 108; lack of, 207–8; mistakes, 30–31, 218–19; sources, 115–17, 202; Steve Jobs and, 206–8; stories for illustration, 110–12, 203; support points, 107; in TED talks, 204; types of, 107–9; understanding the data, 114–15; withholding information, 93–94, 206–7
date, on cover page, 57
decision making, 23–24, 196, 227
delays, for answering questions, 182–83, 193–94. See also cancellation and rescheduling
delivery, 159–77; introduction, 159; closings, 177; clothes, 164–65; confidence, 162–63; control of room, 212–13; data use, 171–73, 207–8; dealing with disagreements, 29, 175; energy level, 163–64; eye contact, 169–70; ideal place to stand, 166–68; key tips, 234–35; nerves, 160–64; presentation content and, 104; reading the audience, 173–75; slides, 169; software tools, 211–12; standing up, 165–66, 213; starting point, 164, 168–69, 231; by Steve Jobs, 201, 204–9; as storytelling, 169; time monitoring, 175–76; transi-tions between presenters, 176–77; trust in presentation, 170–71; withholding information, 206–7
development, see components; data and information; pages; story, presentations as
disagreement, audience, 29, 175
distractions, 31–32, 61, 108, 154, 174. See also clutter, removing
Dowell, Susan, 42
dress, 164–65
Drucker, Peter, 45
Duarte, Nancy, 66, 68
editors, 97
Eli Lilly and Company, 92
emails, 26, 28
endings, see closings
endorsement, 220
energy, 163–64
enthusiasm, 191–92
equipment, 142–45; importance of checking, 142–43; presentation walk through, 144–45; sound, 144; videos, 143–44
Eriksson, Kimmo, 229
errors, 30–31, 218–19
executive summary, 60–62, 63, 137
expectations, 59, 104, 181
expertise, 220
eye contact, 169–70
eye rolling, 190
fact checking, 117–18. See also data and information
fear, see nerves
feedback, 123–24, 138
first impressions, 30, 164, 230–31
flip charts, 149
fluency, 227–28
follow-through, 195–99; introduction, 195; addressing questions, 195–96; confirmation of decisions, 196; preparation for next presentation, 198–99; reflection, 196–98
formatting, 97–98
4-H presentation, 1–4
Gallo, Carmine, 65, 73, 94, 96, 134, 135, 205
Gettysburg Address, 94
goals, audience, 48
grammar, 97
graphics, 93, 96–97, 99
group presentations, 100–104, 153–55, 176–77
groups, audience preferences, 44–45
guest speakers, 130–31
headlines, 84–88; introduction, 84; length, 86; parallel structure, 86–87; passive vs. active voice, 88; placement on page, 213–14; sentence structure, 84–86; support points for difficult headlines, 90–91; transition words, 87–88
hedging, 172, 192–93, 219
Hees, Bernardo, 106, 118
horizontal logic, 68
Humes, James, 89, 165
humor, 99, 143, 216–18
illustrations, 110–12, 203. See also support points
Immelt, Jeff, 47
influencers, 45, 131. See also endorsement
information, see data and information
irrelevant points, 108
issue-solution structure, 75–76
Iyengar, Sheena, 225–27
James, Geoffrey, 70–71, 95, 217
Jillette, Penn, 164
Jobs, Steve, 204–9; introduction, 201, 204–5; clothes, 165; data use, 207–8; delivery approach, 205; polished presentations, 96; preparation, 134, 205; privacy, 208–9; props, 95; removing clutter, 94, 206; withholding information, 206–7
judgments, quick, 30, 164, 230–31
jury duty, 103
Kahneman, Daniel, 65–66, 113, 164
Kellaway, Lucy, 141, 160, 161
Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University), 5, 111, 130–31, 139–40
key points, 68
Kilts, Jim, 78, 138
knowledge, of topic, 49–50, 162–63
Kraft BBQ Sauce business, 31–32, 38–40, 126–27
Kraft Foods: A.1 Steak Sauce brand, 26–27, 163; author at, 4–5; clarity of purpose example, 38–40; credibility examples, 110, 115; group preferences example, 44–45; influencers, 45; knowledge about topic example, 163; presell example, 126–27; privacy example, 56; reasons for holding or delaying meetings, 25–26, 26–27, 31–32; Shake ’n Bake brand, 25–26; thinking preferences example, 47; topic importance example, 48
leadership, see boss
legibility, 98, 227–28
Leith, Sam, 66, 89, 97
Lemkowitz, Cary, 71, 143, 161, 172
length, 79, 214–15
Lepper, Mark, 225–27
lighting, 156–57
Lincoln, Abraham, 94
listening: preference for, 45; to questions from audience, 186
lists, 70, 91–92
location, on cover page, 57. See also space and set-up
logic, horizontal vs. vertical, 68
looking away, 190
marketing, 41, 42–43
Marques, Ricardo, 105
McGonigal, Kelly, 161–62
McKee, Robert, 70
MECE (mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive), 81
memorization, 215–16
memos, 26, 28
message, identification of, 36–38
Minto, Barbara, 75
mistakes, 30–31, 218–19
motivation, 227–28. See also confidence
Mueller, Richard, 49
name, on cover page, 57
nerves, 160–64; benefits of, 161–62; confidence and, 162–63; energy level and, 163–64; knowledge of topic and, 162–63; as natural, 160, 161; reasons for, 160–61
neutrality, 56
next steps, 63, 196
Noonan, Peggy, 37
Nordgren, Loran, 164
notes, 152–53, 172–73
/>
objections, identification of, 122–23
objectives, see purpose
opinions, 51, 105–6, 164
Oppenheimer, Daniel, 223–25
pacing, 157, 204
pages, 83–104; introduction, 83; active vs. passive voice, 88–89, 221–22; audience considerations, 99; brand considerations, 99; bullet points and lists, 70, 91–92; formatting, 97–98; group development, 100–104; headlines, 84–88, 213–14; inclusion criteria, 79; key tips, 233–34; legibility, 98, 227–28; logical progression, 80, 83–84; MECE (mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive), 81; mistakes on, 30–31, 218–19; polishing techniques, 96–99; practice with, 134–35; reading during presentation, 169; removing clutter, 79–80, 93–94, 206, 221; revision, 137–38; soft-ware tools for, 211–12; spelling and grammar, 97; support points, 89–95; visuals, 93, 96–97; word choice, 93, 223–25. See also story, presentations as
parallel structure, 86–87
passive vs. active voice, 88–89, 221–22
perceptions, audience, 49–51
perfection, 30
Pinker, Steven, 50, 60, 73, 97
podium, 149–50, 153
polishing techniques, 96–99; introduction, 96; animations and graphics, 96–97; audience considerations, 99; brand considerations, 99; formatting, 97–98; spelling and grammar, 97
politics, 220–21
PowerPoint, 211–12
practice, 134. See also preparation and practice
preferences, audience, 43–47; introduction, 43–44; group preferences, 44–45; influencers, 45; readers vs. listeners, 45; thinking preferences, 46–47
preparation and practice, 129–38; introduction, 129–31; choosing people to attend, 131–32; coaching, 138; copies, 132–33; guest speaker example, 130–31; key tips, 234; practicing with slides, 134–35; revision, 137–38; room considerations, 132; by Steve Jobs, 134, 205; talking points, 135; time management, 135–37; value of, 129–30, 134
preselling, 119–27; introduction, 119; for feedback, 123–24; to identify audience positions, 121–22; to identify objections, 122–23; Kraft BBQ Sauce example, 126–27; process of, 125–26; to show respect, 124; value of, 45, 119–21
presentation brief, 52–53
presentations: approach to, 7–8, 18–19; audience, 41–53; author’s experience with, 4–5; beliefs about, 11–12; components of, 55–63, 77; data and information, 105–18; delivery, 159–77; follow-through, 195–99; learning and improvement, 10–11; pages, 83–104; poor presentations, 8–9; preparation and practice, 129–38; preselling, 119–27; purpose, 35–40; questions about, 211-22; questions from audience, 179–94; reasons for and against presenting, 21–34; reinforcing cycles, 14–16; space set-up, 139–58; as story, 65–81; training, 17–18; types of presenters, 12–13
presenter (clicker), 177, 222
presenters: ideal number, 219–21; seats for, 153–55; transition between, 176–77; types of, 12–13
presenting cycle, 198–99
priorities, audience, 47–49; importance of understanding, 47; personal goals, 48; themes, 48–49; topic importance, 48
privacy, 56, 208–9
problems, identification of, 122–23
projector, 148–49, 168
props, 95
pros and cons structure, 74–75
purpose, 35–40; introduction, 35; clarity of goal, 35–36; identifying the message, 36–38; Kraft BBQ example, 38–40; statement of, 58
purposeful presenting, 36
questions, about presenting, 211–22
questions, audience, 179–94; introduction, 179; caveats, 192–93; data use for answering, 188–89; delayed answers, 182–83, 193–94; eye rolling, 190; full answers, 188; inevitability of, 202; listening to, 186; looking away, 190; management of, 183; planted questions, 184; prediction of, 183–84; during presentation vs. at end, 181–83; proactive answers, 184–85; redirection, 193; repeating the question, 187–88; respect for, 186–87; responding to, 185–89, 191–92, 195–96; setting expectations for, 181; time for, 177, 180–81; tough questions, 192–94; using presentation to answer, 194; value of, 180; watching questioner, 189
reading: preference for, 45; presentations as readable documents, 216; of slides during delivery, 169
reasons, for presentations, 23–28; introduction, 21, 23; for decision-making, 23–24; requests from boss, 27–28; for support, 24–26; for understanding a situation, 26–27. See also avoidance, of presentations
recommendations: clarity and identification of, 28–29, 36–38; decision making on, 23–24; support for, 24–26, 29, 32–34, 102–3
redirection, 193
reference, for sources, 116–17
reflection, 196–97
Rehak, Bob, 79, 94, 96
reinforcement, 14–16
rescheduling, see cancellation and rescheduling
research, audience, 51–52
respect, 79, 124, 186–87
revision, 137–38
Robbins, Stever, 78
Robbins, Tony, 47
room, see space and set-up
Rosenthal, Robert, 230–31
Rucker, Derek, 164
Schwarz, Norbert, 227–28
seating, 145, 153–55
sentences, as headlines, 84–86
sepsis example, 111
September 11, 2001 attacks, 31–32
Shake ’n Bake brand, 25–26
slides, see pages
Song, Hyunjin, 227–28
sound testing, 144
sources, data, 115–17, 202
space and set-up, 139–58; introduction, 139–41; arrangement, 145; arrival, 141–42; clock placement, 157–58; computer placement, 151–52; confidence monitor, 152; equipment considerations, 142–45; ideal size, 132; key tips, 234; lighting, 156–57; moving chairs and tables, 147; notes placement, 152–53; podium, 149–50; projector, 148–49; reservation of, 132; seats for audience, 145; seats for other presenters, 153–55; space for presenter, 145–47, 166–68; walking the space, 158; writing surfaces, 149
speaking first approach, 70–71
spelling, 97
Spencer, Octavia, 160
stage fright, see nerves
standing up, 165–66, 213
starting points: presentation content, 68–69, 77–78; presentation delivery, 164, 168–69, 231
statistics, see data and information
stories, for illustration, 110–12, 203
story, presentations as, 65–81; introduction, 65–66; closings, 78; development process, 78–81; good vs. bad stories, 66–67; key points, 68; vs. lists, 70; logical progression, 69, 80, 83–84; speaking first approach, 70–71; starting points, 68–69, 76–78; storyboard, 71–73; structure, 73–76; time needed for development, 81. See also pages
storyboard, 71–73
stress, see nerves
structure, 73–76; introduction, 73; chronological, 73–74; importance of, 66; issue-solution, 75–76; parallel, 86–87; pros and cons structure, 74–75; sentences, 84–86
Sun Tzu, 22
support, for recommendations, 24–26, 29, 32–34, 102–3
support points, 89–95; introduction, 89–91; audience considerations, 91; bullet points and lists, 91–92; dangerous points, 108–9; for difficult headlines, 90–91; irrelevant points, 108; props, 95; removing clutter, 79–80, 93–94, 206, 221; strong points, 107; visuals, 93, 96–97; word choice, 93, 223–25
surprises, 197–98
talking points, 135
team presentations, 100–104, 153–55, 176–77
technology, see equipment
TED talks, 201–4; data use, 204; differences from business presentations, 201–3; pacing, 204; stories in, 203
texts, 26, 28
themes, audience, 48–49
thinking preferences, 46–47
time: agenda and, 60; clock placement, 157–58; management of, 135–37, 175–76; for presentation development, 81; for questions, 177, 180–81
title, 56
ti
tle page, 55–57
titles, slide, see headlines
training, 17–18
transitions: between presenters, 176–77; in presentation content, 87–88
vertical logic, 68
videotaping, for practice, 135
video testing, 143–44
visuals, 92–93, 96–97
voice, passive vs. active, 88–89, 221–22
Weissman, Jerry, 36, 134, 216
Welch, Jack, 78, 180
whiteboard, 149
word choice, 93, 223–25
Wortmann, Craig, 55, 111
FOR MORE RESOURCES ON
PRESENTING, PLEASE VISIT:
* * *
www.TimCalkins.com
www.HowToWashAChicken.com
* * *
Follow Tim Calkins:
L @timothycalkins
I LinkedIn
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
* * *
Tim Calkins is a marketing professor, strategy consultant and author.
He is clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches courses that include Marketing Strategy and Biomedical Marketing.
Tim also works with corporations around the world on marketing-related issues through his firm, Class 5 Consulting. Recent clients include PepsiCo, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Hearst.
His books include Defending Your Brand: How Smart Companies Use Defensive Strategy to Deal with Competitive Attacks (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012) and Breakthrough Marketing Plans (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008 and 2012).
Tim won the Lawrence G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award, the top teaching award at Kellogg, in 2006 and 2013, making him one of just five people in the award’s more-than-forty-year history to have won it twice. Poets & Quants included him on its list “Favorite MBA Professors of 2016.” He also received the Sidney J. Levy Teaching Award, two Kellogg Faculty Impact Awards and the Kellogg Executive MBA Program’s Top Professor Award four times.
He received his BA from Yale and his MBA from Harvard. Tim lives in Chicago with his wife and three children.