Collective Wisdom from the Experts 165
Explain the story behind each bullet point, rather than using too much text and
reading it aloud a beat after participants have already read it for themselves.
Plan your presentation ahead of time using a whiteboard and sticky notes
rather than starting directly with PowerPoint. Brainstorming on sticky notes
allows you to see the big picture and easily rearrange ideas without feeling you
are destroying hours of work.
Place your sticky notes in “affinity” groups, combining similar concepts, and
then think about how to craft those ideas into a meaningful and memora-
ble story. Always come back to the questions “What’s my central point?” and
“Why does it matter to this specific audience?”
Capture interest by creating curiosity or showing the unexpected, then use
concrete illustrations to support your numbers with something your audience
can visualize. For example, a Wall Street Journal article described an executive
who lost enough of his company’s money that if you took crisp $100 bills and
stacked them on top of one another, they would reach the 92nd floor of his
Madison Avenue office. That’s a memorable image.
When in doubt, delete all but the essentials. You can prepare a handout for
people to read later if they want more detailed information, and a take-away
document will ensure that your facts won’t get distorted. This approach will
guarantee that you will present your essentials succinctly. And when you find
out that the president has cut your presentation from 30 minutes to 5 in order
to make his golf tee-time, you’ll be prepared to summarize on the spot.