Sharpen the Rock

How to maximize the impact of your presentation

What’s Your Problem?

I’ve coached public speaking skills for a long time and though delivering an engaging presentation is challenging for many, I’ve found the bigger problem people have is structuring a compelling story.

Most people see a presentation as the information they need to share. The problem is, the information we need to share, in many cases, is boring. In order for your audience to receive your message in the most impactful way, it’s imperative to transform it into a story they can relate to. The first thing your story needs is a powerful opening.

Think about any movie you’ve enjoyed. How did it start?

Have you ever seen the movie “The Dark Knight”? It’s one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Do you remember how it begins?

Imagine Batman walking the streets of Gotham City, and all is well. There are no real problems, so he approaches some citizens on a street corner. The conversation might sound something like this:

Batman: Do you all need anything?

Citizen: Nope, we’re good, Batman.

Batman: Ok, umm….I’ll just be over here if you need me.