HOW MUCH ARE YOU ON AUTO-PILOT in your preparations and your presentations? It's pretty easy to reach that state, after you've been up in front of others a few times.
Of course, there may be those times when the audience just didn't seem to get it. Or where you didn't have all the equipment you were supposed to have. Or — well, there could be all sorts of glitches that somehow come up.
And you muddle through and snap back into auto-pilot the next time a presentation rolls around. In fact, it's in our nature to fall into this pattern.
BUT . . . just like an actor needs to approach each performance as though they're doing it for the first time, you should be approaching each of your presentation experiences as though you're doing it for the first time. Because, hopefully, your audience has never seen anything like your presentation before. (Unless, of course, your presentation is all about "Me" and you've loaded your slides with bullets and you intend to read all those bullets, in which case they've seen your presentation a million times before.)
Which brings me to the inspiration for today's post: CHECKLISTS.
You've seen them, maybe too many of them. You may even have your own version, though whether you're still going down the list is another question. And a checklist can be invaluable — if you really go through the exercise of using it.
I came across a reasonably concise list recently, by new blogger Vivek Singh. You can certainly find more extensive lists, but if you have too many things to check off, chances are you won't use it more than a couple times. What I particularly like in his checklist is the third part, where you do a post-presentation analysis. Debriefing your experience will be invaluable in helping you improve your efforts in the future.
If you already have your own checklist: A) congratulations! B) go through it and circle everything you now do by rote. If any of those circled items are things that should get extra attention, leave them on your list. If, however, any of them have become second nature (and don't compromise your focus on your audience), cross them off. Once you've done that, go through Vivek's list or Garr's or anyone else's and see what makes sense for you to add to your list.
And I'll add my "two cents" — Start off with a Goal slide; finish with an Action slide.
Meanwhile, if you don't have your own customized list, start one today. Find a list to start from, subtract and add as you feel appropriate, and then USE IT.
And resist, resist, resist the temptation to make your list too long. For a cautionary tale, check out this YouBlog post — Item #87: Breathe (repeat as needed).
Of course, there may be those times when the audience just didn't seem to get it. Or where you didn't have all the equipment you were supposed to have. Or — well, there could be all sorts of glitches that somehow come up.
And you muddle through and snap back into auto-pilot the next time a presentation rolls around. In fact, it's in our nature to fall into this pattern.
BUT . . . just like an actor needs to approach each performance as though they're doing it for the first time, you should be approaching each of your presentation experiences as though you're doing it for the first time. Because, hopefully, your audience has never seen anything like your presentation before. (Unless, of course, your presentation is all about "Me" and you've loaded your slides with bullets and you intend to read all those bullets, in which case they've seen your presentation a million times before.)
Which brings me to the inspiration for today's post: CHECKLISTS.
You've seen them, maybe too many of them. You may even have your own version, though whether you're still going down the list is another question. And a checklist can be invaluable — if you really go through the exercise of using it.
I came across a reasonably concise list recently, by new blogger Vivek Singh. You can certainly find more extensive lists, but if you have too many things to check off, chances are you won't use it more than a couple times. What I particularly like in his checklist is the third part, where you do a post-presentation analysis. Debriefing your experience will be invaluable in helping you improve your efforts in the future.
If you already have your own checklist: A) congratulations! B) go through it and circle everything you now do by rote. If any of those circled items are things that should get extra attention, leave them on your list. If, however, any of them have become second nature (and don't compromise your focus on your audience), cross them off. Once you've done that, go through Vivek's list or Garr's or anyone else's and see what makes sense for you to add to your list.
And I'll add my "two cents" — Start off with a Goal slide; finish with an Action slide.
Meanwhile, if you don't have your own customized list, start one today. Find a list to start from, subtract and add as you feel appropriate, and then USE IT.
And resist, resist, resist the temptation to make your list too long. For a cautionary tale, check out this YouBlog post — Item #87: Breathe (repeat as needed).
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