Make your ideas matter. NO ONE cares if you’ve got the best idea in the world if you can’t tell anyone about it… just like no one can borrow the best book in the library if it’s on the wrong shelf so no one can find it.
The most common problem I fight in my presentations training is called “cognitive fluency”. The phrase kicks itself in the nuts, which makes me smile…
The concept is this: the less “brainwork” your audience has to do, the more likely it is that your content will slip in. It’s why, for example you should use “Saxon” words in stead of latinate once when you talk…
1/ “start” rather than “commence”
2/ help, not assist
3/ and (frustratingly) a talk, not a presentation 😉
For a quick quiz, what’s the Saxon equivalent of “sexual intercourse”? And when have you ever stubbed your toe and shouted “Oh sexual intercourse me, that hurts!”?
The irony of the phrase “congitive fluency” having poor congnitive fluency isn’t lost on me.
Here’s a tip. Go through what you think you’re going to say in your next presentation and check out each and every little thing in it for Cognitive Fluency. It’s not as simple as just using shorter words but it’s a good start.
Oh, and stop bloody thinking of *writing* a presentation. As soon as you start writing you start “thinking in latin”. Obviously that’s not literal, but you know what I mean. Stop it. Think in Saxon. It makes you more accessible and it makes your material more impactful.
________________________
Sales pitch… I make your ideas *matter*. It really is that simple.
What are the catches? Well, you’ve got to pay for it and I only work with smart folks who’re trying to make the world a better place.
If your idea matters, talk to me. If it doesn’t, don’t.
