Tag Archives: Presentation Skills

Does Your Audience Focus Suck?

By Phil Stella | Published: February 4, 2019

Last month’s year-long ‘Do Your Presentations Suck? series overview garnered curious and enthusiastic reader reaction. That’s great. So, we start off this deep dive into Best Practices with a look at Audience Focus. Read More »

101 Tips for Presenters

By Phil Stella | Published: August 6, 2018

 ‘’Making Presentations’, Tim Hindle, DK Publishing, Essential Managers series, NY, NY, 1998

Despite some pix of people in dated attire and old technology reference, the author provides 101 simple tips for creating and delivering effective presentations. Most still work today. Worth the quick read.

More Questions About Presentations

By Phil Stella | Published: July 3, 2018

I’m pleased with your very positive reaction to this new feature. Several readers commented on how useful the short answers were and others offered new questions. So, here are more Questions About Presentations: Read More »

Hand It to Your Audience

By Phil Stella | Published: March 1, 2018

(This month, we conclude our series of harnessing delivery skill best practices to mask Presentation Anxiety (PA) symptoms with the first of a two parts on gestures. What you do – and don’t do – with your hands can project confidence, credibility and competence – or not. So, let’s Hand It to Your Audience!) Read More »

Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect!

By Phil Stella | Published: February 1, 2017

I hate to trash a childhood fantasy, but Practice doesn’t really make Perfect … it only makes Permanent. Only Perfect Practice makes Perfect. I’ve ranted before about why presenters shouldn’t try to memorize their presentations. They should learn them through practice and refinement of message content and structure. Some thoughts for your consideration: Read More »

I Don’t Get It – 3 x 5 Note Cards

By Phil Stella | Published: February 1, 2017

A reader recently asked me about using 3 x 5 note cards to hold speaker notes. I don’t get 3 x 5 cards … at all! Read More »

Overcoming Stage Fright

By Phil Stella | Published: February 1, 2017

A blogger was doing research on stage fright for speakers and asked me how people can overcome it. My short answer was ‘They can’t – it’s a perfectly normal human response to fear or stress.’ Here are the highlights from the rest of the interview. Read More »

An Audience-Centered Sport

By Phil Stella | Published: December 5, 2016

‘Speaking is an Audience-Centered Sport – How to create and deliver presentations that make people sit up, take notice and beg for more!’, by Marjorie Brody, Career Skills Press, Jenkintown PA, 2001.

I reread Brody’s book while traveling. It’s an excellent basic overview with some content contributed by her professional speaking colleagues. Well worth the read.

Two Smart Alternatives

By Phil Stella | Published: December 3, 2016

Looks like last month’s piece on handling audience questions generated lots of interest, especially about the Two Smart Alternatives I said would be in this month’s ‘Communicate Confidently!’.  So … here you go.

As discussed last time, choosing which audience question strategy – anytime or only at the end – is not easy because neither one works best for all presenters, all messages and all audiences. But here are two smart alternatives for this dilemma, … two hybrid strategies that involve the best features of both approaches. Read More »

Any Questions?

By Phil Stella | Published: November 1, 2016

It’s time to add some Best-in-Class strategies for handling audience questions to your growing Workplace Presenter’s Tool Kit. What they ask and how you respond can make or break your credibility, impact your confidence and influence your outcomes.

If you thoroughly planned and prepared your presentation, that detailed process should help you anticipate 90% of the questions 90% of the audience will ask 90% of the time. Not bad odds for sure. Read More »