How to Give a Persuasive Presentations_ a Q&A With Nancy Duarte _ TED Blog

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Blog Log in Q&A > TED News How to give more persuasive presentations: A Q&A with Nancy Duarte Stepping onto the TED or TEDx stage — or speaking in front of any group of people, for that matter — is truly nervewracking. Will you remember everything you wanted to say, or get so discombobulated that you skip over major points? Will the audience be receptive to your ideas, or will you notice a guy in row three nodding off to sleep? Presentation expert Nancy Duarte , who gave the TED Talk “The secret Posted by: Kate Torgovnick May October 31, 2012 at 12:05 pm EDT

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Transcript of How to Give a Persuasive Presentations_ a Q&A With Nancy Duarte _ TED Blog

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    Blog LoginQ&A>TEDNews

    Howtogivemorepersuasivepresentations:AQ&AwithNancyDuarte

    SteppingontotheTEDorTEDxstageorspeakinginfrontofanygroupofpeople,forthatmatteristrulynervewracking.Willyouremembereverythingyouwantedtosay,orgetsodiscombobulatedthatyouskipovermajorpoints?Willtheaudiencebereceptivetoyourideas,orwillyounoticeaguyinrowthreenoddingofftosleep?

    PresentationexpertNancyDuarte,whogavetheTEDTalkThesecret

    Postedby:KateTorgovnickMay October31,2012at12:05pmEDT

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    structureofgreattalks,hasbuilthercareerhelpingpeopleexpresstheirideasinpresentations.TheauthorofSlide:ologyandResonate,DuartehasjustreleasedanewbookthroughtheHarvardBusinessReview:TheHBRGuidetoPersuasivePresentations.

    TheTEDBlogtalkedwithDuarteinherCaliforniaofficeaboutwhatmakesakillerpresentation,aswellasabouthowgivingherownTEDTalkshapedherthoughtsonpresenting.

    Whatwouldyousayarethethreekeystogivingagreatpresentation?

    Thenumberonething,Ithink,istobeaudiencecentric.Totakethetimetothinkthroughwhotheaudienceisanddevelopallyourmaterialfromaplaceofempathytowardthem.Youreaskingthemtoadoptyouridea,whichmeanstheymayhavetoabandonabelieftheyholdastrueandthatshard.So,knowyouraudiencetakeawalkintheir

    shoes.Whatkeepsthemupatnight?Howaretheywiredtoresistyourmessage?Mostpresentersareconsumedwithpreparingtheircontentrapidly,whichmakesthematerialabouttheirownnarrowperspective.Byflippingthatparadigmtoanaudiencecentricapproach,yourmaterialwillresonateandtheaudiencecanfeeladeeperconnectiontoyouandyourmaterial.

    Numbertwo,youneedtounderstandyourroleinthepresentation.Somanypeoplefeelliketheyrethecentralfigurekindofliketheheroofthestorybecausetheyretheonetalkingthemost.Butinreality,yourroleisthatofamentoryoushouldbegivingtheaudienceamagicalgiftoraspecialtool,orhelpingthemgetunstuckinsomeway.Youhavetodefertoyouraudience.Whenyouputyourideaoutthereforanaudiencetocontendwithiftheyrejectyouridea,yourideawilldie.Youhavetothinkofitas,Thespeakerneedstheaudiencemorethantheaudienceneedsthespeaker.Thenyoullstarttoapproachamaterialwithyouraudienceinmindyoullhavemoreofastanceofhumilitythanoneofarrogance.Thatwillhelpyoucreatethekindofmovementneededtogetyourideatospread.

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    Andthenthethirdthingwrapyourcontentinstory.Astoryserveslikethesugarcoatingontheoutsideofapillinsomewaysitjustmakesitgodowneasier.Ifyoulookatpreliterategenerationsforthousandsandthousandsofyears,storieswouldpassdownforgenerationaftergenerationaftergenerationandstayalmostcompletelyintact.Yet,alotofpeoplecantrememberthelastpresentationtheysatthrough.So,usingprinciplesofstorythetensionandreleasethathappensinastorythatswhatwillhelppersuadetheaudiencetowardyouridea.

    WhatdoyoufeellikeyoulearnedfromgivingyourownTEDTalk?

    Ilearnedsomuch.BeingthePresentationLady,IknewIcouldntsuckatit.Thehardestpartwasgetting[mytalk]tofitwithinthisfiniteamountoftime.SoItrimmedandtrimmed,keepinginmindthatyoustillhavetonailwhythisisimportanttotheaudience.IhadapersoncoachmeandpointoutplaceswhereIcouldtrim.Youtooktoolonghere,andthatmadethispartofemphasistoolong.IworkedwiththetimercountingupuntilIknewIwaswithinthetimewindowthenwhatIdidwasworkwiththetimercountingdownsoIdknow,WhenImafourthofthewaythrough,Ishouldbeonthisslide.WhenImhalfwaythrough,Ineedtobeonthisslide.IcreatedmarkersinmymindsoIwouldknowhowIwasrunningontime.Sureenough,IfinishedthetalkandIhadsixsecondsleftontheclock.

    ItwasagreatexperienceformebecauseIhadntgonethroughitmyself.Idcoachedpeoplethroughitbutwowtoactuallybeavictimwasinteresting.Ilearnedthepowerofrehearsing.Ifyourehearsereally,really,reallywellitlooksimprovisational.Somepeoplerehearsetoapointwheretheyrerobotic,andtheysoundliketheyhavememorizedtheirpresentationanddidnttakeittothenextlevel.Goingfromsoundingmemorizedandcannedtosoundingnaturalisalotofwork.

    VOUSSOUHAITEUNEBONNEETHEUREUSEANNE2015

    English Motduprsident NosValeurs

    Le bureau tunisien dingnieursconseils indpendant STUDI a tcr en 1970. Devenu GroupeSTUDI, il sest dvelopp

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    So,theclassicadviceforstagefrightistoimaginetheaudienceintheirunderwear.Whatdoyourecommendpeopledotocalmtheirnerves?

    Idontusuallygetnervous,butwhenIgoton[theTED]stage,Iwasnervousbecauseitsprettyhighstakes.Irecommenddoingsomebreathingexercisesbreatheinasdeepasyoucan,andthentakeacouplemorebiggasps.Then,releaseitreallyslowly.Thatcalmsmyheartdown.ButmyfavoritepieceofadviceisntmyownitsfromaguynamedNickMorgan.Hesaid,Whatyouneedtodorightbeforeyouwalkonstageisthinkofsomeonethatyoulovedearly.Doingthat,Ifeltthechemistryinmywholebodychange.Myshouldersrelaxedandmyheartmelted.Thatfeelingofaffectionmakesyourbodycalmitselfdown.Thatsareallygreatwaytostopstagefright.

    Whatisthebestwaytostartcreatingapresentation?

    MybestadviceistonotstartinPowerPoint.Presentationtoolsforceyoutothinkthroughinformationlinearly,andyoureallyneedtostartbythinkingofthewholeinsteadoftheindividuallines.Iencouragepeopletouse35notecardsorstickynoteswriteoneideapernote.Itapemineuponthewallandthenstudythem.ThenIarrangethemandrearrangethemjustworkandworkuntilthestructurefeelssound.Andfromthatsoundstructure,youstarttofillitinusingapresentationtool.

    [Forvisuals],Ithinkpeopletendtogowiththeeasiest,fastestidea.Like,Imgoingtoputahandshakeinfrontofaglobetomeanpartnership!Well,howmanyhandshakesinfrontofaglobedowehavetolookatbeforewerealizeitsatotalcliche?Anothercommononethearrowinthemiddleofabullseye.Really?Everyoneelseisthinkingthatway.Theslidesthemselvesaresupposedtobeamnemonicdevicefortheaudiencesotheycanrememberwhatyouhadtosay.Theyrenotjustateleprompterforthespeaker.Abullseyeisntgoingtomakeanyonerememberanything.Dontgoforthefirstidea.Thinkaboutthepointyouretryingtomakeandbrainstormindividualmoments

    STUDI, il sest dvelopp linternational, essentiellement enAfrique mais galement en Europe.Aujourdhui, nos bureaux dereprsentation rgionale, nos filialesthmatiques et notre rseau departenaires nous permettent dtreencore plus proches desproccupations de nos clients et degarantir la qualit des projets quenousmenons.

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    thatyouretryingtoemphasize.Thinktothesecond,thethird,thefourthideaandbythetimeyougettoaboutthetenthidea,thosewillbethemoreclevermemorablethingsfortheaudience.

    OnethingthatisreallydifferentaboutgivingaTEDTalkisthefactthatyouknowitwillbefilmed.Howdoyouthinkaboutthedifferencebetweenlivepresentationsandonesthatwillexistonvideo?

    Onstage,itfeelsreallyawkwardtodolargemovementsbecausenormallyinlifeweretalkingtosomeoneinamoreintimatesettingandmovingyourarmsreallybigfeelsmelodramatic.Butonthestage,youhavetomoveyourbodyinreallybiggestures.Itfeelsawkwardatfirstifyourenotusedtoit,soyouhavetokindofcloseyoureyesandgetusedtoit.Saythingsandmovelargely.Takebigboldstepsforward,bigboldstepsbackward.Youhavethisgrandstageandpeopledontusethespaceenough.IthinkoneofthegreatthingsthatJillBolteTaylordidwashowsheusedherbody.Herarmsstretchedallthewayupwhenshetalkedaboutnirvana.Thenshewhenshetalksaboutherwholesoulfeelingconstricted,shebringsherhandsdownandfoldsherarmsdowninfrontofher.Shesusingherbodyasaprop.Thatsanimportantwaytocreatemeaning.

    Also,withvideo,atechrehearsalisimportant.Youraudienceonvideoisexponentiallylargerthanthepeopleintheroom.Sobyfamiliarizingyourselfwiththecameras,youcanatleastlookinthatgeneraldirection.Youknowhow

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    youresupposedtolookaroundtheaudiencelookandholdforfiveseconds,lookandholdforfiveseconds?Youshouldlookatthecameraasifitsahuman.Getusedtoseeingthatcircularlensasaface.Feellikeitsapersonyouretalkingto,becausethataudienceoncameraneedstofeelliketheyrethereandthatyourelookingrightatthem.

    Tome,presentationsarethemostpowerfuldevice.Youcantreallynameamovementthatdidntstartwiththespokenword.TEDwasoncethisexclusive,amazingeventwhereideaswereexchanged,butyouvemovedtotreatingpresentationsasamediatype.Youguyshavebeensorefinedatit,thatwhatitsdoneiscreatedamovement.WhatTEDhasdoneismadeaplatformforintroverts,forscientists,forinventorstosharetheirideasinawaythatsclearandappealstoabroadaudiencesothattheirideasspreadandgetadopted.Itscompletelychangedhowpeoplepresent.Itscreatedthisdesiretobeexcellentincommunication.

    Whenyoulookatevenhowbusinessescommunicatedinthe30s,40sand50stheyweresomuchclearerandwellcrafted.IrecentlywenttotheStanfordLibraryandIgotabunchofoldGEBoardmeetingsfrom,like,1957.AndIthought,Thesearesobeautiful!Theirpresentationsreferencedhistory,theyquotedthings,theycraftedtheirwordsinsuchabeautifulway.ThenPowerPointenteredintothemixandsuddenlytherewasntanydesiretocraftanymore.IthinkTEDTalkshavebroughtthedesireforthecraftback.

    YournewbookisfromtheHarvardBusinessReview.Isitintendedforsomeonewhoisinbusiness,orforanyone?

    Allofmybooksareforanyonewhohasanideathattheyneedtocommunicate!IlovedworkingwithHarvardBusinessReviewandIthinkbecauseofthepublisher,businessprofessionalsmaybemoreinterestedinthisbook.Butanyonewithanideacanbenefitfromit.Itsaguidebook,sothatpeoplecanthink,Oh,Ineedtoknowhowtodothisspecificthing.Imgoingtogogetthisbookandfindthatonething.

    Wantmoreadviceongivingtalks?OurcuratorChrisAndersoniswritingtheofficialTEDguidetopublicspeakingtobepublishedbyHoughtonMifflinHarcourtinspring2016.TitledTalkThisWay!,itwillbepackedwithinsightsonwhatmakestalkswork.

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    RelatedStoriesDesignPowerpoint clichs we would liketo retire in 2013 (and a fewtechniques to tryinstead)ByTEDStaffonDec31,2012

    ThistalkfromTEDxBrusselsfeltlikeabreathoffreshstage.AcollaborationamongsciencewriterJohnBohannon,choreographerCarlFlinkandthedancetroupeBlackLabelMovement,thetalkisillustratedwithdance,notslides.IthinkthatbadPowerPointpresentationsareaseriousthreattotheglobaleconomy,Bohannonsays.Asyoureallaware,[]

    Science6 tips on how scientists and engineers can excite, ratherthan bore, anaudienceByKateTorgovnickMayonOct11,2012

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    MelissaMarshallhasamessageforscientistsandengineers:Contrarytopopularbelief,thegeneralpublicisinterestedinyourworkanddoeswanttohearthedetailsofyourresearch.Thetrickisthatyoumustcommunicateyourideasclearly,becausetheywillstartsnoringintheirseatsifyouassaultthemwitha[]

    Comments(45)LogintoaddcommentsorJoin(It'sfreeandfast!)

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    RebloggedthisonSpeakforYourselfandcommented:NancyDuarteisthequeenofgreatslides.Herbooksarebestsellersandsheimpressesasateacher.HeresheisontheTEDblogrevealingthreekeystoagreatpresentation.

    ClaireDuffycommentedonNov182012

    Pingback:Howtogiveagreatspeech(Hint:beauthentic)Broadside

    RebloggedthisonStJohn'sCatholicSchoolCPDandcommented:Addyourthoughtshere(optional)

    StJohn'sICTcommentedonNov122012

    Pingback:BeforeYouSpeak,LearnToSee|EchoHubPosts

    Pingback:LinksoftheWeek:WeekofNov511CreatingCommunication

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    RebloggedthisonLarson'sLearningLauncherandcommented:NotabadTEDTalktowatchinpreparationforanypresentationyoumaybecalledupontomake!

    larsonlearninglaunchercommentedonNov82012

    Pingback:TEDBlog|Howtogiveapersuasivepresentations:AQ&AwithNancyDuarteSimpsonvilleNewHomeNews

    Greatpost!

    LucommentedonNov22012

    RebloggedthisonSherryClaytonWorksandcommented:IamdevelopingsomepresentationmaterialsmeanttopersuadeinfluencerstosupportinitiativeswhichaddresscrosscommunityinterestsinChicago.NancyDuarteoffersgreatadviceinherbookHBRGuidetoPersuasivePresentations:

    Youraudiencewillusuallyincludeamixofpeopleindividualsindiverseroles,withvariouslevelsofdecisionmakingauthority,fromdifferentpartsoftheorganizationeachneedingtohearyourmessagefordifferentreasons.Decidewhichsubgroupisthemostimportanttoyou,zeroinonthatsubgroupsneedswhenyoudevelopyourpresentation.Whenyouaresegmentingyouraudience,lookat:

    Politics:Power,influence,decisionprocess

    Demographics:Age,education,ethnicity,genderandgeography

    Psychographics:Personality,values,attitudes,interests,communitiesandlifestyle

    Ethnographics:Socialandculturalneeds..

    SherryClaytoncommentedonNov12012

    Ihavealwaysfoundthatinbusinessandintherestoflife,thebestwaytopersuadesomeonetodosomethingorthinksomethingortobeforsomethingoragainstsomething,youhavetomakethemfeelit.WehadtogivepersuasivespeechesinmyspeechclassmysophomoreyearofcollegeandIdecidedtopersuademyfellowstudentstoweartheirseatbelts.Ihaveaspecialconnectionwiththesubjectbecause

    laurapcpb1408commentedonNov12012

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    onenightwhenIwas18,Iforgottoputmyseatbelton,andIwokeupthreeweekslaterwithatubeinmythroathelpingmebreatheandfoundoutthatmyhipswerebeingheldtogetherwithmetal.Bytheendofthespeech,atleastfivepeoplewerecryingandtheusualgroupofarrogantfootballplayersjustsattherestunned,mouthsopenslightly,inaweofwhatIhadjustsharedwiththem.Ifyoucanmakepeoplefeelsomething,youcanchangetheworld.

    RebloggedthisonParzival'squestion.

    bpaulcommentedonNov12012

    Pingback:TEDBlog|Howtogiveapersuasivepresentations:AQ&AwithNancyDuartearnoneumann

    ReallygoodTedpresentationbeingfreshlypressedcaughtmyattentionandIamsohappytomeetyouramazingwork.Ilookforwardtogettingyourbook.

    KathycommentedonNov12012

    Speakinginfrontofotherscanreallyfreaksomepeopleout,luckilyIlovedoingthat!Butwhatagreatpost,withalotofclearconcepts.CongratsonbeingFreshlyPressed!

    sportsandthecrosscommentedonNov12012

    Rebloggedthisongraceonpurposeandcommented:OhmanOhman,thisisgood.Ireallyneededthis.Asbothawriterandanindividualsurroundedbymycurrentcommunity,Ineedtolearnhowtoeffectivelycommunicatemyideas.Iwanttochangenotonlymylife,buttheworldaroundme.Sooobad.HowdoIpresentmyideasofadifferentlifewhichmaysoundsoforeign,andattimesoffensive,tothosearoundme?Ithinkthebiggestkeyistoempathizewiththeaudience.Itsnotaboutme,butitsaboutthem.Itsnotaboutmyideas,butaboutthembecomingempowered.Ifyouwanttocommunicateyourideasmoreeffectively,takealittletimetoread

    GraceLucillecommentedonNov12012

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    throughthisarticleandwatchthevideoofNancyDuarte.Itsdefinitelygivenmesomegoodinsightandpointers.

    Allexcellentpointstheuseofthestoryandheroarc,startandfinishareimportant.Theoneaboutyouarenottheheroisveryveryimportantbuttheroleisonefewpeoplecanresist.

    Mytuppenceworthnevereverstartwithajoke,sureitcalmsyournervesbutthisisntTheComedyStore.bedifferentwithyourstoryandpuzzletheaudiencewithwhereyourgoingegourpresentsituationissimilartotheNormanConquestofEngland.Almosteveryproblemoropportunityissimilartothatsituation(ortheAmericanCivilWarorGoldilocksandtheThreeBearsorTheLordoftheRings,etc)anditsareadymadehookforyourstory.useimagerytheyveneverseenbefore(buyitfromtheweb,itscheapatiStockphotoandthelikeandyouowntheimagesforever)remembertheadviceofSirJohnGielgudtoanoviceactoraboutbeingonstageBeOn,BeBrief,Begone!

    GreatpostandcongratsonbeingFreshlyPressed.

    jumeirajamescommentedonNov12012

    Greatpointsoneofmypersonalhatesisthepresenterputtingaclipartimageonnearlyeveryslide.Firstly,Imagrownup,soIdontneedpicturesallthetimeonlywhentheycommunicatesomethinguseful.Secondly,byusingobviousclipart,thepresentersaysIreallycouldntbebotheredtotaketimetofindunique,relevantimagesbecauseIjusthavesomanymoreimportantthingstodowithmytimethanwasteitonthisstupidpresentation.Yeah,thanks,mate.Nowweknowhowyoufeelaboutus,youraudience.

    TheophaniaElliottcommentedonNov12012

    Whatagreatinformativeblog!Thanksforsharing,Icantwaittogetthisbook!

    segmationcommentedonOct312012

    ArchitecturalNexuscommentedonOct312012

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    Excellentpoints!Thepresentationtipsapplytoeveryone,nomatterwhatfieldheorsheisin(architecture,medicine,law,engineering,teaching,etc.).

    Ithinkthisisagreatpost.Ilovethethirdpoint.wrappingthepointinastory.IrememberSteveJobswasgreatatthis!Thanksforsharing.

    JeremyTruittcommentedonOct312012

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