Getting the resistant on board

The other night, during a discussion on image-based PowerPoint, one of my public speaking group coaching members asked me how she can convince her colleagues -- who are resistant to change -- to try a new approach. Here's my response.

A speaker always needs to think first about the audience. What are their needs? What will help them to retain the most information for the longest time? What is the best method to give them something of value, something they can use, something relevant to their lives?

When people cling to their old ideas about PowerPoint, it's not because they're thinking of the benefit to the audience.

They're thinking "This is the way we've always done it, so it must be fine."

Or they're thinking, "I need to have all that info up there because my slides are my notes."

Or they're thinking "I need to show every single detail and share everything I know because I need to look smart or I need to look like I worked really hard."

Or they're thinking, "I can't be bothered to learn a new way to do it."

You get my drift - it's all about them and what's easiest and most convenient for them.

When we turn this on its head and ask presenters to make the effort to do what's best for the audience, we might be able to make more of an impact on people who are afraid of change.

It's ALWAYS about the audience. It's not about you. It's not about how smart you are or how funny you are or anything else about you. It should always be about making the best and most effective experience for the audience.

If we know that wordy, bullet-laden, clipart-filled, logo-bearing, template-wearing visuals are not the best experience for the audience (and we do), then it's time to buckle down and figure out how to do something that will work for them.

Why bother giving a presentation if the audience gets nothing out of it? No one will be impressed by your knowledge if you pack your PowerPoint full of miniscule text. They'll ask for your slides afterward only because they couldn't see or read them the first time around.

Stop being selfish and only doing what's easiest and most expedient for yourself. Do your audience and yourself a favor and care a little about what they want and need -- then give them that.

(The irony of a slideshow on communication with slides that are barely legible did not escape my friend Jacki, who sent me the slideshow that these images were taken from.)

Is there enough white space in your presentation?

I have a client who's verbose. It's the first thing he told me when I asked him about his challenges with public speaking. But he didn't have to tell me; I couldn't get a word in edgewise in the first ten minutes of our conversation. He says he "hates it."

Here's one way to look at it. I know a lot of people who can never think of anything to say. When you can't think of anything to say, it's awfully hard to have a conversation! At least if you're verbose, you will never run out of things to say and ways to say them. You can always edit and cull, and there will be plenty of material.

How do you prepare a presentation if you're verbose?

1. The most critical factor is timing yourself. You need to get a sense of how long each section of your presentation will take in real time. You might think editing is the most critical factor. But it's hard to know how much to edit if you haven't timed yourself.

When you practice alone, you think you have all the time in the world. You usually practice yourself right up to the last second of the time frame you're working with.

You think, "This is great! I need to give a 20-minute presentation, and I'm right on the dot!"

Uh oh.

What happens when you get into the room and people start asking questions? What happens when you find yourself (verbose as you are) going off on a tangent or adding another story that you think the audience would like?

Now you've gone over and you have to rush to finish up. And you didn't even have time to make your last point or give a decent closing.

If you have 20 minutes, divide that up between your opening, your closing, your body (say, three main points) and Q & A. Suddenly, 20 minutes doesn't seem like very much time!

Practice your opening and time just that. Practice your closing and time just that. Time each of your points. Figure out how much time you need for just your most critical and important points. Edit, cut, and save the rest for another presentation. Write the times on your notes if that will help.

2. Create a time cushion when you practice.

Always finish early when practicing, and not by a minute, but by five minutes. That's how much you could be off by the end of the talk. Don't risk annoying your audience by keeping them late or letting them down by missing important information. If that means you need to keep cutting, keep cutting. You don't need to tell the audience everything you know.

3. Keep your eye on the clock. If going over is a concern for you, get yourself a countdown timer.

Instead of watching the clock or your watch, which takes up too much time as you do the math in your head, a countdown timer tells you exactly how much time you have left. No math, just quick answers!

Think of editing and culling your presentation like white space in graphic design. Designers know not to pack every millimeter of space with text or images. Not enough white space and a design looks cluttered and will be hard to read. White space allows the viewer or reader to have some breathing room, a break for the eyes between compositional elements. White space makes the document more aesthetically pleasing.

Think of your edits as allowing white space in your presentation. Breathing room for your audience. A break between ideas and thoughts, allowing them to process what they're hearing and learning.

It's not bad to be verbose; it can actually be useful in terms of having lots of content. Just make sure you leave enough white space around your words, and your presentation will be like a breath of fresh air!

How to Improve Your Presentation Skills on Inc.com

I was interviewed for an article on presentation skills for Inc.com and it's now live! I'm one of three experts asked to share our thoughts on how to improve your public speaking skills. I'm not-so-secretly happy to be the first and last expert mentioned in the article. Location, location, location!

The article is packed full of great suggestions. There are also some I don't agree with, and if you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know which ones.

But for the most part, it's informative and gives a lot more tips than most articles like this. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Link for Kindle subscription is now fixed!

Thanks to a client who was browsing my website and blog, I discovered that the link in the right sidebar to subscribe to Speak Schmeak for your Kindle was broken. Horreur!

Now it's fixed and if you've been wanting to subscribe, please do!

Safety is fun! says Virgin America

Download audio here.



Here's another very clever way to take something old, predictable and boring and make it fresh again. All the information is here, but delivered in a new and fun way. It proves my point that the dullest, dreariest topic can be made fun and engaging. Go Virgin America!



On a side note, I realize that I post a lot of entertaining videos, but I hope that you see them as more than just entertainment, as examples to put into practice in your own presentations. I hope you're taking the SUCCESs principles, for example, and using them to make your presentations more "sticky" and memorable. If you can analyze why these videos and commercials are working, then you can apply these concepts to your visuals and content.

This one uses cartoons and silliness to get its message across. The bullfighter who is so proud of himself for learning how to use the seat belt is made funnier by the bull who rolls his eyes. These subtle tactics keep our attention and keep us watching.

The woman who's putting on her life vest actually waves as the announcer says "As you leave the aircraft," putting a somewhat absurd spin on the idea of having to jump into the ocean in a water landing.

The video also pokes fun at those of us who are too cool to look around and see where the nearest exit is. This is obviously something that is common among passengers, so the airline used it because most of us can relate.

Again, I will say that using humor or fun in your presentation doesn't diminish the importance or seriousness of your message. Think about how you can say the same old thing in a new, fresh and engaging way in your next presentation.

Words speak louder than actions

Download audio here.



We've all heard the expression "Actions speak louder than words." Most of the time, we expect people's behavior to reveal their true self, even when their words speak otherwise. For example, imagine a thief who apologizes and says he feels bad about what he did, then steals again.

However, sometimes words speak louder than actions.

For example, there's a guy who loves to help people. He volunteers, he raises money, he constantly promotes his charities... and he never lets you forget it. His actions say he's generous and giving; his words say he's self-important and attention-seeking. Does that make him a bad person? Of course not. But it does make one think twice before getting involved with one of his projects.

More examples:

•  A boss who is generous to employees financially, but belittles their abilities

•  A pastor who nurtures his congregation with love and acceptance, but judges and criticizes those outside of his church

•  A speaker who gives great presentations and works well with organizers, but talks trash about his clients to others

The bottom line here is that, unless your actions and words are consistent, you come across as a hypocrite, as insincere, as a liar. If what you do and what you say are incongruous, you will not be able to gain the trust of your colleagues, your clients, or your audiences.

Are you aware of your incongruities? Do you think your actions will make up for the judging, arrogant, critical, rude, patronizing, self-centered, pretentious or snarky words you say?

Maybe for a while, but not forever.

Pay attention to both your words and your actions. Others do, and others will see right through your performance.

Where was this commercial during the Super Bowl?

Download audio here.



"The Man Your Man Could Smell Like..."



This commercial has it all, but mostly what it has is humor. Most commercials for men's fragrances and body care products are geared toward men and have pretty much the same message: "Women will throw themselves at you if you wear this." Specifically, and the ones that Old Spice is targeting, these newer products are marketed almost as aphrodisiacs.

Now turn this message around and sell it to the woman. "Look how fabulous your man would be if he smelled like me." Who makes most of the purchases in the American home? Yep, women. If you want your man to be like this guy, you have to take things into your own hands, apparently.

But instead of the typical macho guy who takes himself way too seriously in commercials, we have this uber-macho but woman-savvy manly man who also can produce tickets to your favorite show or a handful of diamonds at a moment's notice. Stereotypes of men and women abound here, but because they're so over-the-top, it's funny, not degrading or depressing.

This commercial could have given a huge lift to the spate of "pathetic man" ads on Super Bowl Sunday.

How can you find a way in your next presentation to turn a traditional or even clichéd concept on its head?

Is it a good fit?

Download audio here.



Last week I decided that I was not going to take on a particular client. It wasn't a personality issue or a coaching issue I'm not qualified to address. In this case, the client wanted to work in person, and I felt that, with the amount of work we were going to need to do, a long-distance, heavy-travel relationship would not be in either of our best interests. I referred him to coaches in his state so he could work with someone closer to home.

As entrepreneurs, we have the luxury of saying no to projects or prospects. "Luxury?" you say. Luxury to pass up a paycheck?

Yes, that's what I said. Because it's not about the money, is it? When I work with a client, I want to know that I'm going to be able to do my best work and that the client will benefit and grow from our working together. If there is doubt in my mind that this will happen, I'm happy to refer him or her to another coach. Because, ultimately, I want what's best for both of us.

How many times have you accepted a project that you knew wasn't right for you? Maybe you thought you were Superman. Maybe you thought you could stretch your skills to fit. Maybe you didn't hit it off with the client. Maybe the time frame was too short or the desired results too vague. But you took it on anyway.

How did it turn out? I've found that, when I have a bad feeling about a project, it usually turns out to be a bad idea. I wrote about an experience here that just didn't feel right from the beginning, and sure enough it was not my best speaking engagement.

The good news is, they hired me again, so I must not have been as bad as I thought I was. Also, I learned to trust my intuition, so that learning experience was important. But I was not happy before, during or after the workshop, and I don't think the audience benefited as much as I would have liked.

Just recently I was asked to take on the organization of a local event. I have a lot of experience running events and I'm good at it. It would have meant a lot of visibility for me and my business. But I just didn't want to do it. It's not a good fit for me right now, for a lot of reasons. So I said no.

It's hard for most of us to say no. We don't want to let anyone down. We don't want to go through the trouble of making that next referral. We really think we can pull it off, or hope we can. We need the money. Saying no, for a lot of people, implies failure. It implies "Can't."

I disagree. Saying no, trusting your gut when something doesn't fit shows strength. It shows empowerment. It shows that you know who you are and what's right for you.

Here's a post in the same vein by Jane Pollak. I like this quote, in particular: "Feelings in our bodies (we shouldn’t ignore) will show up before words have formulated around them in our brains. We need to trust these."

The next time you feel it in your gut that something or someone doesn't fit, pay attention. Analyze the situation. Explore why you are feeling this way. You might or might not be onto something. Wouldn't you rather make the right decision now than be dogged by a bad decision later?

(ETA: After I passed along this client to a new coach, I received two new ones in his place. Always trust that there are plenty of clients out there for you!)

Share your examples of a bad fit!

With malice toward none...

On this President's Day, I'd like to share the full text of Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, given on March 4, 1865. What better way to commemorate President's Day than to contemplate this powerful and timely speech?

Interesting fact: Three days before he was killed, which happened just weeks after giving this speech, Lincoln was awakened by a dream of his own death by assassination.

"Fellow-Countrymen:

At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.

On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, urgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war--seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.

One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. 'Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.' If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.'

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

Photo: Last known photo of Lincoln, taken March 6, 1865.

Don't jump the gun... patience pays off

Download audio here.



I did something yesterday entirely against my better judgement. I rushed to take an interview rather than scheduling it later in the day and taking time to prepare.

I've written here before about what not to do in an interview (that link includes several other links to interviewing blog posts). So what came over me? I wish I knew!

Sometimes when a journalist calls or e-mails, I fear that if I don't get right back to them, they'll find someone else. And it can happen. However, in this case, we discussed meeting times by e-mail, and both morning and afternoon times were good.

Here's how I normally prepare for a phone interview, especially if the interviewer has given me some clues as to what she is planning to ask me about.

I go to my blog and find the most pertinent posts about the topic. I search my newsletters and articles for appropriate material. Then I open them all on my desktop and search for key points I want to make. Sometimes I'll write them down; sometimes I highlight text and just refer back to it during the interview.

Did I do any of that? No. Because, instead of waiting to call her back in the afternoon, which we had already agreed was a possibility, I jumped the gun and called her back right after I got her message in the morning, with no preparation.

Had this interview been about one aspect of public speaking, say, engaging the audience, I could have maintained some focus. But this interview went all over the place and touched on many aspects of speaking.

I found myself giving (in my mind, anyway) rambling, inarticulate and unfocused answers to her questions. I knew I was leaving out key points -- ideas that I feel set me apart from other coaches and speakers. But my brain was just not ready.

Now this is not to say that the published interview will be inarticulate and rambling. The journalist's job is to put it all together into a cohesive piece that makes sense. I trust she'll do that. But I'm really disappointed in myself today for not taking my own advice and giving myself time to prepare. If my quotes in the article come out seeming less than intelligent, I have only myself to blame!

Four principles of presenter prosperity

Download audio here.



I have a client, Bart Baker, who has grown a successful insurance office over the past 22 years or so. Because of Bart's achievements, he's been invited to give a keynote at his company's next conference, and in reviewing his accomplishments, he has pinpointed four main steps in the process that helped him get to where he is today.

In working with Bart on his keynote, it has occurred to me that these are principles that would benefit just about anyone who wants to reach higher, grow in their business or better themselves in any area, including public speaking. So allow me to share these principles with you and maybe you'll find them as useful as Bart has!

1. Believe in yourself

In order to overcome fear and lack of confidence as a speaker you first have to acknowledge to yourself that you can do it. You have to see yourself as capable and you have to perceive obstacles as surmountable.

This is not always easy.

Mental fortitude is at the heart of just about every success story I've ever heard. From musicians to athletes to doctors to relief workers, there's a boldness and courage that one must cultivate in order to knock down barriers of fear and insecurity, the barriers that most often come from our own minds, not any external source. (See my series on Thought Traps for more on handling mental barriers.)

Once you find yourself focusing on the positive -- what you CAN do -- instead of the negative -- what you CAN'T do -- you crack open the door to future success.

2. Find your zone

We all have moments as speakers when we know we are nailing it. We get in the flow, we connect with the audience, the audience is responding, and there is a feeling of energy and excitement in the room.

How do you recreate that? By discovering what you love about speaking and what you're good at.

Each of us has our own individual style. If you spend your time trying to mimic other speakers, trying to recreate their magic, it's not going to happen. You can't use Zig Ziglar's stories or mannerisms and hope to channel him in your presentation.

What's your style? Do you have a loud, boisterous personality? Do you like subtle humor? Are you intense and tightly woven? Are you loose and lighthearted? Are you known for your charming, folksy manner?

Are you great in the Q&A part of a presentation? Maybe more of your presentation should be unstructured. Are you good at making complex concepts easy for people to understand? Find audiences who need your specific skill.

Focus on your strengths; that is the only way you can truly channel your own gifts for the audience's ultimate benefit.

3. Set goals

What do you hope to achieve as a speaker? Do you want to get paid as a professional? Do you want to get promoted in your job? Do you want to spread the message of a cause you're passionate about?

Decide where you want to go, and then make note of how you will get there.

If you want to get paid as a speaker, perhaps your first goal would be to develop your topic and your message. Perhaps another goal would be to get a certain number of speaking engagements in the next six months in order to practice and get feedback.

If you want to spread your message, your first goal might be to refine your message and create a short presentation. Next, you might make a list of groups who are a good fit with your message. Then, you might find out how you can get on the agenda of one of their meetings.

Goals don't have to be huge and intimidating. They can be tiny steps toward where you eventually want to be. As you find yourself achieving your small goals, then try setting larger goals.

4. Get support

We all get to a point sometimes where we just don't know what our next step should be. We've done all the research, we've gotten experience, we're moving forward. How then to make the next leap? What's the next challenge? Where do we go from here?

This is when talking to people in your industry who've been where you are, finding mentors and building a support system can help boost you to that next level.

Maybe you need accountability. How about a Mastermind group? Maybe you need to meet more people in your field. How about joining an association of your peers? Maybe you just need some advice. Ask a respected colleague about acting as a mentor to you.

Going it alone is hard. Finding people who do what you do will empower you, educate you, stimulate you and challenge you. Find role models you can learn from and who will push you to do more.

Thanks to Bart for giving me permission to adapt his principles for speakers!

How will you use these principles to help you grow as a speaker?

Super Bowl SUCCESs

Download audio here.



Even if you didn't watch the Super Bowl, you can still see one of the better ads right now on YouTube.

There are a lot of reasons this commercial for Google worked. I'm going to approach it from the perpective of Chip and Dan Heath's "Made to Stick." Let's see how it stacks up against their acronym SUCCESs as a memorable or "sticky" message. First, watch the commercial if you haven't already:



Simple: You can't get much more simple than showing a person searching on Google. Google is the tool and the product, and that's all you see. No dialogue, no actors, and only a simple piano melody drives the action. There are soft background sounds and voices to support the story.

Unexpected: I find the simplicity itself to be what was so unexpected about this ad. Especially in the middle of the Super Bowl, when most of the ads went over the top to get attention, this one was delightfully subtle.

Concrete: We all know what Google is. We all know how to use it. We don't have to stretch our imaginations to understand what's happening on the screen.

Credible: What's not to believe about the topics or methods of search? We've probably typed in similar searches about movie directors or "how to" do something or when a flight is arriving. We've used Google maps, and we've all had Google correct our spelling when we've misspelled a word.

Emotional: At first we're curious. Okay, so someone is searching on Google for study abroad programs. Then we realize it's a chronology of one person's experiences and we start to put the pieces together. We're drawn in; what will happen next? Long distance relationship? No, a job in Paris! Then, suspense! As the person types, we see all the possible search strings below... is he searching for how to tie a tie? No. Is he searching for how to assemble a computer? No.

Awww... "how to assemble a crib." A happily-ever-after ending with a baby giggle in the background. (A good friend of mine from college met her husband while studying abroad near Paris and is still living there with him and their three children. It happens.)

Stories: This ad takes random searches we've all done and strings them together into a storyline. There's a beginning, a middle and an end. We look at the search string "Tu es tres mignon" and surmise what has happened. We mentally create the story as each search is revealed. Google has given us the tool, but our brain's desire to make sense of the data is what's so fun about this commercial.

It isn't every day that a commercial can pass the "Made to Stick" test. How about your latest presentation? Have you held it up to the SUCCESs model yet?

Eye can't see you

Download audio here.



Waiting with my husband in the emergency room this morning (he's okay), I noticed three signs on the wall of the exam room, typed on 8 1/2" x 11" paper in 12- to 14-point font. They were placed opposite the bed.

One sign read, "Our Promise to You;" the second one was a handout with information for waiting patients; the third was titled, "Please Help Us Help You" and went on with a list of suggestions, like minimizing trips back and forth to the waiting room and having only one family member visiting at a time.

What struck me about these signs was that there was no way the patient could possibly read them from the bed. There was no way I could read them from the chair I was sitting in. Did the hospital really expect a sick or injured patient or concerned family member to get up and walk over to read the signs (which I'm sure were very helpful and informative)?

This reminded me of a typical PowerPoint slide show with a lot of bullets and text. The speaker hasn't taken one second to determine whether the audience can actually read the words on the slides, because he's been so concerned about making sure all the text can fit. He's concerned about saying everything he could possibly say on each slide, but is not concerned about whether there is any value to the audience in those slides.

While sitting in the exam room, I imagined large, colorful posters replacing the signs. I pictured shortened sentences which were simple and clear. I pictured graphics and images to help them make their message clear, even to people who don't speak English or who are visually impaired.

If the hospital really cares about people reading those documents, they need to make them patient-friendly, easy to see, and quick to digest from afar.

If you really care about your audience getting value from your slides, you need to rethink the small text and multiple-bullet approach.

More on PowerPoint here:

Images are not fluff

One idea, one image

Slides are not handouts

Is PowerPoint the new black?

PowerPoint effectiveness based on research

A PowerPoint fairy tale

Speaking for (and to) the average Joe

Download audio here.

While watching news shows, I often feel my eyes glaze over and my brain go somewhere else while pundits and their guests discuss the finer details of political and financial matters.

So when someone comes along who can put these complex concepts into easy-to-understand language, I practically jump off the couch.

That's how I felt the first time I saw Elizabeth Warren on The Rachel Maddow Show. Warren is a Harvard Law School professor and the chair of the congressional oversight panel on TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program), more commonly referred to as "the bailout." I see your eyes glazing over already, but stay with me.

The first time she was on The Rachel Maddow Show, it had been two weeks since the oversight panel had started its work. And Elizabeth Warren was not taking her time to settle in. She was hitting the media, clarifying what kinds of questions the committee was asking the Treasury Department and why -- in plain English.

She's one Rachel Maddow guest that I will always pay attention to, while others who make me impatient with their gobbledygook get the DVR fast-forward treatment.

Here's why I enjoy watching her:

1. She makes it simple. She asks, "How is giving $700 billion to banks actually helping families?" She then explains why the bailout can't help the economy without provisions to help people who've lost their homes.

2. She makes the abstract concrete. In a conversation on financial regulation, she points out that regulation ensures our cars have airbags, our medicine isn't tainted and a baby's carseat won't collapse in a car accident. Those are all concrete and relatable images that help make her point.

3. She avoids jargon. Period. And for a Harvard law professor, I can only imagine how difficult that must be!

4. She comes across as warm and approachable. She has an almost folksy way about her. She doesn't shy away from the occasional "um" or "uh." She's not scripted, memorized or canned. She expresses her support of the American family passionately and with conviction. She believes in what she's doing and has fire in her eyes when she talks about it. She's making a human connection even through the TV screen.

If only more TV personalities could explain so clearly and succinctly the economy, the history of the current financial crisis (here's one of her articles for some background), and the day-to-day inner workings of the companies responsible and the agencies set with the task of fixing the mess. If only Elizabeth Warren could be cloned...

Below are several Maddow interviews. Take a peek.

Does your presentation taste as good as it looks?

Download audio here.

Thank you to fellow speaker and trainer Bert Decker for today's food and public speaking analogy.

Last night on Twitter, Bert mentioned making Coq au Vin for the first time and forgetting to ask the butcher to cut up the whole chicken required for the recipe. Last I heard, Bert said the cutting was sloppy but the smells of the meal cooking were great.

This reminded me of a previous post I wrote about two speakers at the same event, one polished, professional and slightly canned, the other disheveled and passionate. The one I connected with was the one who gave more than 100% to the audience, even though her appearance was less than perfect.

How much energy do you put into the external appearance, glitter and gloss of your presentation vs. the preparation, heart and soul of your presentation?

In Bert's case, the chicken would taste the same either way, though slightly less attractive than if the chicken had been cut up professionally.

I can't say the same for your presentation.

If all you focus on is the external, that is, your movement, gestures, voice, clothing and slides, your presentation will be nothing but an empty shell.

However, take the time to prepare your purpose and your objective, determine your audience needs and wants, dig deep into your emotional well and find what drives you and what excites you about this topic... and even if your outer appearance is not perfect, your audience will see and feel your authenticity and passion. They won't be able to help themselves being drawn into your world. They won't be able to help themselves wanting more.

There's great satisfaction in putting a beautifully plated meal on the table. Just make sure it tastes good, too.