What is your process for developing and delivering more successful speeches and presentations? Do you even have one? W. Edwards Deming, the 20th Century quality guru, said: “If you can’t describe what you’re doing as a process, you don’t know what you’re doing.” This speaks to the importance of a process. Ideally, you want to be as good, if not better, each and every time you present. This is what a process can help you do.
Watch the 3.5-minute video about the importance of having a process to achieve greater results from every presentation opportunity, or read the summary below.
A consistent process delivers consistent results.
To accomplish anything, from running a marathon to delivering a presentation, you begin with purpose, the desire to do something, your why. You then add your skills, your ability to do something. However, the missing piece is the process, actually getting something done. It is through a process that our desires and skills become tangible accomplishments.
A process encompasses the necessary steps to go from idea to applause.
Too often, we focus solely on developing our presentation skills, failing to recognize that poor presentation skills are the result of a poor presentation process. If you work on improving your process, your presentation skills are going to get better by default.
Throughout my decades-long career as a creative director, writer, and executive producer of high-profile corporate events, I created thousands of speeches, presentations, videos, and live performances. Every day brought high-pressure, high-impact, and high-stakes challenges as I worked to meet my clients’ needs while delivering top-quality content within tight deadlines and budgets. This experience taught me the critical importance of process.
The power of process should never be underestimated. Embrace it, refine it, and make it your own.
Two years ago, I began working on a self-directed video-based training course called Communication Success: Beginnings. It was during this process that I realized I had been using a 10-step process for decades to develop and deliver more successful speeches and presentations. The steps are:
- Determine Your Topic: Identify the “what” of your presentation.
- Define Your Purpose: Understand the value you intend to deliver to your audience.
- Outline Your Strategy: Develop a plan to Engage, Empower, and Energize your audience.
- Develop Your Messages: The primary conclusions of your presentation supported by facts, data, and stories.
- Create Your Experience Arc: Take your audience on a journey of both logic and emotion.
- Complete Your Two-Column Script: Finalize your talk track and identify supporting visuals.
- Produce Your Visuals: Enhance your messages with meaningful visuals.
- Rehearse Your Talk: Spend the time to practice, internalize, and refine your delivery.
- Deliver Your Talk: Be present and speak with confidence and authenticity.
- Advance Your Performance: Raise the bar and identify areas for continuous improvement.
To learn more and to purchase the Communication Success: Beginnings course, please visit my Learning and Development platform partner: Communication Success: Beginnings on Knowadays.
I’ll discuss the Power of Process in more detail in subsequent articles. For now, think about your process for developing and delivering more successful presentations. How can you make it work for you?
Are you ready to take your communication skills to the next level? Let’s schedule a call to discuss your needs and begin improving the results you achieve from every speech, presentation, and conversation.