The ability to speak in front of people is now more important than ever before. The size of your audience or whether you're talking to someone you know well or someone you've never met is not important. On the other hand, being able to express yourself in writing is becoming a thing of the past. At least that is the opinion of Jack Welch.
Jack Welch gave his first public presentation in 1964. He spoke to three hundred senior executives at GE, and it was a misery for both him and the audience. Today, after he has spoken in front of more than a million listeners, presentations are fun for him. He says the following rules proved to be the most important prerequisites for success.
1. A simple message
The message you want to convey to the audience must be simple, but not simplified or silly. Every good speech has one main topic, expressed using clear language and strong arguments. This main message should not be lost in a huge amount of data. You should also not hide it by trying not to offend anyone. Your goal is not to make everybody agree with you in the end, but to make them understand.
2. Something new
You presentation should give the audience information about something they don't know yet. It makes no sense to recite the material everybody has already received by e-mail. Likewise, it is useless to talk about something that has been spoken about over and over using well-known stories. Every time you appear before the audience, you should surprise and delight your listeners. Bring some new and interesting information to help them get smarter and find passion for your idea.
3. Enthusiasm
The audience should never be bored. No matter how serious the topic is you are talking about, nobody wants you to act purely logically and maintain a stone face. On the contrary, you have to show your feelings and enthusiasm for tackling the problem. Only then you can expect the same enthusiasm from the other side.
-kk-