Presentation Skills Archives

When Stakes Are High in the Briefing Center

by Steve Mandel

Executive Briefing Center presentations are typically high stakes. When millions in revenue are on the line, expectations are high on both sides of the table. If you're asked to present, you feel the pressure. That's why preparation is essential. And, practice is mandatory. Here are a few essential tips to help you prep for and deliver world-class briefings.

by Steve Mandel

Presentation Skills, Presenting to Executives

Don’t Let How You Communicate Set You Back

by Steve Mandel

In the business world, people and events seem to move faster than the speed of light. You've barely completed one task, when five more appear needing your attention. And, they were all due yesterday! Given that you can't stop the earth from spinning, or time itself, here are a few things you can do to keep your communications efficient and relationship-positive amidst the chaos.

by Steve Mandel

Conversation Skills, Presentation Skills

Tips on Presenting from the Big Stage

by Steve Mandel

Speaking to a big audience can be intimidating. Often, bright lights are shining in your eyes, the stage is huge and elevated above your audience, and the stakes may be very high. The pressure is on! At last month’s Cisco Live event, we provided coaching around the unique challenges of speaking to large audiences. Here are a few of the tips we shared for tackling these challenges.

by Steve Mandel

Executive Presence, In-Person Presentations, Presentation Skills, Presentation Slides

Tough Questions: Keep Your Cool Under Pressure

by Steve Mandel

Everyone has had to deal with questions that are difficult, asked in an angry voice, or just plain hostile. And, when you're caught off guard by such questions, it's easy to be thrown into a panicky state and not answer well, jeopardizing your credibility. Here's how to avoid losing your cool under pressure.

by Steve Mandel

Conversation Skills, Presentation Skills, Selling Skills

What if Your Salesforce Asked Better Questions?

by Brad Holst

By asking better questions, your sales team can engage in stimulating and productive customer conversations. A recent book demonstrated how a lesson from the elementary classroom applies to Fortune 1000 sales executives.

by Brad Holst

Conversation Skills, In-Person Presentations, Presentation Skills, Presenting to Executives, Sales Readiness, Selling Skills

Are Your Sales Reps Presentation-Ready?

by David Mears

While customer-driven dialogue should be the goal of every sales meeting, make no mistake: there are key “moments of presentation” during these conversations that can determine your success or failure. The best sales people know when they need to shift gears and jump into presentation mode, and they do it well because it's a skill they've practiced.

by David Mears

Conversation Skills, In-Person Presentations, Presentation Skills, Presenting to Executives, Sales Readiness, Selling Skills

How to Pause When Presenting

by Steve Mandel

It's not uncommon to talk too fast and speed through a presentation. Too often, people fill potential pauses with filler words such as, “like” or “ya know” or “um” or “ah”. But, the effect on your audience can be devastating. Instead, learn how to use pauses effectively to enhance your audience's understanding of your message and their esteem of you as the messenger.

by Steve Mandel

Conversation Skills, Presentation Skills

You Can Pause Your Way Through Anything

by Brad Holst

I recently had a conversation with a former client that reminded me of how small changes in how you communicate can effect big results. Something as simple as mastering how to pause can influence how you're perceived by others and what you're able to achieve. Here's what she told me.

by Brad Holst

Conversation Skills, Presentation Skills

Leaders: Don’t Get Lost in Presentation

by Brad Holst

Employee-contributed innovation happens at every level of your organization. Are the best ideas being heard within your organization?

by Brad Holst

Conversation Skills, Messaging Skills, Presentation Skills

How to Communicate with Executives: Part III

by Steve Mandel

The two-part blog series on How to Communicate with Executives was so well-received, I wanted to write a third and final bonus post. Not to mention, Fortune 500 executives have shared so many invaluable tips with me with over the years, that it's difficult for me not to want to share them all. So, this week I'll conclude the series by focusing on (1) the use of slides when presenting to executives and (2) how to manage push back when interacting with executives.

by Steve Mandel

Executive Presence, PowerPoint, Presentation Skills, Presenting to Executives

How to Communicate with Executives: Part I

by Steve Mandel

In Part I of this two-part series, Steve Mandel shares two common concerns Fortune 500 executives have voiced again and again about how people communicate with them. Their concerns directly correlate to steps you can take to become a more skilled, confident, and highly competent executive communicator.

by Steve Mandel

Conversation Skills, Presentation Skills, Presenting to Executives

Lessons from the Jungle Cruise

by Brad Holst

I'm proud to say that I was a Disneyland Jungle Cruise skipper. I wore the hat, shot the gun, and made “the backside of water” water joke more times than I can count. For me, it was the ultimate part-time college job. The pay was good, the work itself was crazy fun, and it turned out I learned lessons about effective presentations skills that stick with me today. Here are three that anyone can use to be a better presenter.

by Brad Holst

Presentation Skills

3 Ways to Use Eye Contact to Your Advantage

by Steve Mandel

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who averted eye contact with you? It feels awkward and off-putting, at worst. At best, it can be difficult to connect with what that person is saying. A presentation is a conversation with your audience. The degree to which you use eye contact effectively will help you and your audience feel more comfortable and engaged.

by Steve Mandel

Conversation Skills, Eye Contact, Presentation Skills

3 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Slides

by Steve Mandel

"Death by PowerPoint" is very much alive and well. Learn how to spare your audience the pain. Gain three easy tips for dramatically improving your presentation slides.

by Steve Mandel

PowerPoint, Presentation Skills, Presentation Slides

Do Presentation Skills Matter?

by Brad Holst

Do presentation skills really matter today? Much more than you think. Your ability to present well could mean the difference between status quo and success.

by Brad Holst

Presentation Skills

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