How to present to keep your audience’s attention | Mark Robinson | TEDxEindhoven

Summary

This script humorously critiques the misuse of PowerPoint in presentations, using the iconic 'I Have a Dream' speech as a backdrop. It emphasizes the importance of engaging storytelling and interactive questioning to maintain audience attention, contrasting the power of these techniques with the monotony of text-heavy slides. The speaker shares personal anecdotes and suggests a simple four-question format to structure presentations effectively, advocating for the expression of unique ideas to captivate and inform audiences.

Takeaways

• 📅 The script imagines the audience as being in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963, setting a historical context for the speech.
• 👤 The audience is described as primarily African American, feeling both anger due to racial discrimination and excitement to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• 🎤 The speech emphasizes the importance of delivering a message effectively, using the example of Dr. King's 'I Have a Dream' speech to highlight the power of oratory.
• 🚫 The script criticizes the overuse of PowerPoint and its potential to detract from the content of a presentation.
• 🤔 The speaker shares personal anecdotes to connect with the audience, discussing their own and their daughter's experiences with presentations.
• 🔍 The importance of capturing and maintaining the audience's attention is highlighted, with the natural tendency for attention to wane over time.
• ❓ The use of questions during a presentation is identified as a technique to recapture the audience's attention and engage them.
• 📖 Storytelling is presented as a powerful method to keep the audience interested and to make presentations memorable.
• 💡 The script introduces a simple four-question format to structure presentations effectively: identifying the problem, its cause, possible solutions, and the recommended solution.
• 🛠️ The speaker encourages the audience to practice storytelling and questioning as skills that can be developed over time, likening it to training muscles.
• 🌟 The final message is one of inspiration, urging the audience to find and share their unique message in a way that captivates and influences others.

Q & A

What is the main issue the speaker addresses in the script?

The speaker addresses the issue of boring presentations, particularly in the business and technical fields, and how the use of PowerPoint can detract from the message being conveyed.

Why does the speaker use the example of Dr. Martin Luther King's speech?

The speaker uses Dr. Martin Luther King's speech to illustrate that even the greatest content can be ruined by poor presentation techniques, emphasizing the importance of engaging delivery.

What is the speaker's opinion on the use of PowerPoint in presentations?

The speaker believes that PowerPoint can be detrimental to presentations if misused, causing audiences to lose interest due to text-heavy slides and monotonous delivery.

What is the first technique the speaker suggests for keeping the audience's attention?

The first technique suggested by the speaker is asking questions throughout the presentation to engage the audience and maintain their interest.

How does the speaker describe the use of questions in presentations?

The speaker describes the use of questions as a way to 'hook' into the audience's brain and draw their attention back to the presenter, similar to how Jesus used questions in his teachings.

What is the second technique the speaker recommends for effective presentations?

The second technique recommended by the speaker is telling stories, which are memorable and help keep the audience's attention and aid in the retention of information.

Why does the speaker argue that stories are powerful in presentations?

Stories are powerful because they are memorable, engaging, and can help the audience remember key points and details of the presentation.

What objection does the speaker anticipate from technical presenters regarding storytelling?

The speaker anticipates the objection that storytelling may not be applicable to technical presentations, but counters this by providing examples of how even technical topics can be made engaging through storytelling.

What is the simple format the speaker suggests for structuring presentations?

The speaker suggests a format that involves asking and answering four questions: What is the problem, what is the cause, what are possible solutions, and what is the chosen or recommended solution.

How does the speaker's own presentation follow the suggested format?

The speaker's presentation follows the format by starting with the problem of boring presentations, exploring the cause of audience disengagement, discussing possible solutions like questions and storytelling, and then presenting a comprehensive format that includes both techniques.

What is the speaker's 'dream' for the audience in terms of presentations?

The speaker's dream is that everyone will be able to stand up and speak out their unique message in a way that captivates the audience from the first word to the last, thus sharing ideas worth spreading.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 The Power of Presentation

This paragraph sets the stage for a presentation about the importance of effective public speaking. It uses the historical context of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech to illustrate the contrast between powerful content and poor delivery methods, such as overuse of PowerPoint. The speaker emphasizes that even the best content can be undermined by a lackluster presentation style, advocating for ditching PowerPoint and focusing on storytelling and audience engagement.

05:02

🤯 Overcoming Presentation Anxiety

The speaker shares personal experiences with presentation anxiety, recounting a disastrous first attempt at public speaking as a teenager. Despite the initial failure, the speaker has since learned techniques to enhance confidence and audience engagement. The paragraph highlights the common challenge of maintaining audience attention and introduces the concept of using questions as a tool to recapture waning interest during presentations.

10:06

📈 The Impact of Questions and Stories

This section delves into the specifics of using questions and storytelling as presentation techniques. The speaker explains how questions can act as 'hooks' to draw the audience's attention back to the presenter, while stories serve as memorable devices to keep the audience engaged and help them retain information. The paragraph also touches on the historical effectiveness of storytelling in speeches, citing Jesus as an example of a great storyteller.

15:07

🛠️ The Framework for Effective Presentations

The speaker introduces a four-question framework designed to structure presentations for clarity, focus, and memorability. The framework involves identifying the problem, explaining its importance, exploring the cause, discussing potential solutions, and presenting the chosen solution. The paragraph also addresses common objections to storytelling in technical presentations, arguing that storytelling is a skill that can be developed with practice and can be applied to any subject matter.

🌟 Sharing Unique Messages Through Public Speaking

In the concluding paragraph, the speaker expresses a dream for all individuals to be able to effectively share their unique messages through public speaking. The speaker believes that unlocking this ability benefits both the speaker and the audience, as it allows for the spread of valuable ideas. The paragraph ends with advice on how to conclude a presentation effectively, using a planted question or a series of actions to signal the end and prompt applause.

Keywords

💡Discrimination

Discrimination refers to the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. In the video's context, it is the unfair treatment of African Americans, symbolized by signs saying 'whites only,' which highlights the social issue that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed in his famous speech, aiming to achieve equality for all.

💡Presentation

A presentation is an oral or written description of something, often given to an audience with the aid of visual aids. The video emphasizes the importance of effective presentation skills, using the example of Dr. King's speech to illustrate how a powerful message can be undermined by poor presentation techniques, such as overuse of PowerPoint.

💡PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a software program used for creating and displaying slide show presentations. The script criticizes the overuse of PowerPoint in presentations, suggesting that it can detract from the message if not used effectively, as it can lead to audiences losing interest due to text-heavy slides.

💡Attention Span

Attention span is the length of time that one can concentrate on a task without becoming distracted. The video discusses the natural tendency for an audience's attention to wane during a presentation unless techniques are used to maintain interest, such as asking questions or telling stories.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the act of telling stories, in spoken or written language, often used as an instructional or entertainment tool. The script highlights storytelling as a powerful technique for engaging an audience and making presentations memorable, using examples from Jesus's teachings and personal anecdotes.

💡Technical Presentation

A technical presentation is a formal discourse on a specialized topic, often involving complex information or data. The video challenges the common misconception that storytelling is not applicable to technical presentations, providing examples of how even software architects and version control can be discussed through narrative.

💡Ted Talks

Ted Talks are a set of conferences run by the non-profit Sapling Foundation, where speakers share 'ideas worth spreading' in short, powerful presentations. The script mentions Ted Talks to illustrate that even in high-impact speaking engagements, the principles of engaging storytelling and audience engagement apply.

💡Software Engineering

Software engineering is the application of engineering principles to software design, development, and maintenance. The video uses the speaker's background as a software engineer to relate the concept of 'eating your own dog food' to the idea of practicing what you preach in presentations.

💡Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is the belief in one's own abilities and judgments. The script suggests that effective public speaking can boost self-confidence, as it allows individuals to share their unique ideas and gain recognition for their contributions.

💡Engagement

Engagement refers to the involvement and interest of an audience in what is being presented. The video emphasizes the need for presenters to actively engage their audience through techniques like asking questions and storytelling to prevent attention from dropping.

💡Memorable

Memorable means worthy of being remembered; not easily forgotten. The script argues that stories are a key element in making presentations memorable, as they help audiences retain information and recall the main points of the presentation long after it has ended.

Highlights

The importance of delivering powerful presentations without relying on PowerPoint.

The analogy of Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech to illustrate the impact of presentation style.

The pitfalls of using text-heavy slides and the recommendation to ditch PowerPoint for better engagement.

Personal anecdotes to connect with the audience and share the fear of public speaking.

The use of questions as a technique to maintain audience attention and engagement.

Turning normal sentences into questions to keep the audience interested.

The effectiveness of self-answering questions to transition between topics.

Involving the audience by asking questions and expecting responses to maintain engagement.

The historical significance of storytelling in capturing and retaining attention, exemplified by Jesus and Greek mythology.

The power of stories to make presentations memorable and impactful.

Addressing the common objection that technical presentations cannot incorporate storytelling.

Real-life examples of technical presentations successfully using storytelling to convey complex ideas.

The concept of 'eating your own dog food' in software engineering and its application to presentations.

A simple four-question format to structure presentations for clarity, focus, and memorability.

The idea that every presentation should tell a story, from problem identification to solution recommendation.

The speaker's dream of enabling everyone to share their unique message effectively through public speaking.

Strategies for concluding a presentation effectively, including planting a question and using body language cues.

Transcripts

imagine it's Wednesday the 28th of

August

1963 and we're in the United States of

America specifically Washington DC now

you are a primarily black or

africanamerican audience and you're both

angry and excited you're angry because

people still discriminate against you

based purely on your race there are

signs up saying whites only no

colors but you're also excited because

today you're going to hear your hero the

great Dr Martin Luther King come to

speak to you so imagine you see him walk

on stage and as he walks on a screen

goes on behind him and he says these

Immortal words good afternoon everyone

um I want to talk to you today about the

fact that uh I have have a

dream that uh one that one day this

nation will rise up and live

out the true meaning of its

Creed we hold these truth to be

self-evident that all men are created

equal and I've got some more slides on

that

later two that one day on the Red Hills

of Georgia the sons of former

slaves

and slave

owners will be able to sit down together

at the table of Brotherhood and I'm

going to show you that table later on in

my presentation for those of you taking

notes it'll be on slide

87 three uh we have to wait a few

moments for this animation

I got a bit carried away with

PowerPoint there's so many

features three that one day even the

state of Mississippi a state sweltering

with the heat

of

Injustice you can do all kinds of things

on PowerPoint look at that get words

going right across the screen oppression

that one took me an hour and a

half it's totally worth it we'll be

transformed into an oasis of freedom and

Justice so let's March on

Washington so why did I do this because

I want to show you that even if your

presentation has great content and this

is widely regarded as one of the

greatest speeches of the 20th century

even with great content you can destroy

your message simply by the way you

present it and you can kill it Stone

Dead with PowerPoint and yet this is how

most of the presentations I see in the

business world and particularly

technical presentations happen I see

very smart people standing in front of

other very smart people with just slides

of text and often just reading it why do

we do that isn't there a better way well

yes there is and it starts by ditching

PowerPoint now I have to tell tell you

that I'm by no means a natural speaker

in fact the very first presentation I

ever gave was a complete disaster I was

13 years old at school in England here

in the Netherlands of course it's

different uh my daughter was just six

years old when she gave her first

presentation and she chose to speak

about England so she took some things

with her to show her class she took uh a

large British flag she took a mug with

the Union Jack printed on the side and

she took me along

so that her school friends would know

what an Englishman looks

like now because my wife trains in

presentation skills she taught us some

techniques and was practicing with her

in the runup to it and as a result her

presentation went really well now

compare that to mine when I was a

13-year-old first of all I was nervous

who here would admit to being nervous if

you had to speak in front of such a

large

group that's at least 90% of you it's

natural to be nervous well actually I

was more than nervous I was terrified I

was shaking and I went completely white

maybe the topic I chose didn't help

because I chose to speak on the locked

SR71 Blackbird

aircraft it must have meant something to

me at the time there's worse things for

13-year-old boys to be interested in so

I gave my talk and after a couple

minutes when I finished the teacher said

to me well that wasn't very long can you

you speak some more so I had to speak

spontaneously in front of 30 unimpressed

teenagers about the bloody

Blackbird and so I left there thinking I

would never be able to speak in front of

a group now since then I've leared a few

techniques which enable me to have more

confidence when I speak in front of a

large group and I want to share the two

most important techniques with you today

but before I do that let's agree what

the problem is we know that there are

many boring presentations in the

business world

but why are they boring what's

happening when you stand in front of a

group or anyone stands in front of a

group they have to keep audien's

attention for a certain period of time

now what happens naturally with any

audiences they'll give you their

attention at the start but just

naturally people's attention will drop

unless you're reading slides to them and

then it just nose Dives and it doesn't

matter what you're saying how good your

content is cuz when it gets to hear

nobody's listening anymore so what we

need as presenters is a way that when

people's attention starts to drop we can

pull it back again and that not just

once but multiple times throughout the

presentation how can we do

that well I said I'll tell you two

techniques that I use and the first one

is hidden in this graph

it's questions I ask questions

throughout my

presentation have you noticed you see

how easy it

is I could ask questions like this all

the time and I would keep your attention

wouldn't I but it would be annoying

after a while wouldn't

it see question I that's one way I ask

questions I ask question then uh I turn

a normal sentence into a question just

turn a normal sentence into a question

format another way I can ask questions

is when I ask a question and then answer

it myself for example just now I said

why are so many presentations boring and

that gives me the opportunity to answer

it it's a way to introduce the next

topic and the Third Way is when I ask a

question but then I expect an answer

from you so just now I said who here

would be uh nervous if you had to speak

in front of a large group now I'm not

conducting market research I already

know n the answer it's going to be at

least 90% of people the only reason I

asked a question is to keep your

attention you see question marks are

shaped like Hooks and all I'm doing is

hooking into your brain and drawing your

attention back to me as the

presenter and great orators really great

orators use tricks and techniques to

keep people's attention one of the

greatest presenters of all time one the

greatest speakers perhaps the greatest

was a man who lived 2,000 years ago and

he had crowds following him for days I'm

talking about Jesus he used questions to

keep people's attention questions like

what are people saying about me who do

people say that I am and who do you

think that I am and by doing that he was

keeping people's attention and getting

them thinking but he's not best known

for that what's Jesus best known for in

terms of

speeches he's most famous for the second

technique which is telling stories now

do you see how I use Jesus then as a

bridge from one topic to the

next you might have heard of some of his

stories stories like the Good Samaritan

or the prodical Sun and these are

stories which exist in our culture even

2,000 years later you see stories are

memorable you can go much further back

for example to Greek mythology stories

like the wooden horse of of Troy and who

has heard of the expression Trojan Horse

right just take a look around now you

see the trick even works when you know

about

it that was my own trojan horse in this

presentation so stories are powerful

because they keep people's attention and

they are memorable and because they are

memorable memorable you can use them to

help your audience remember things for

example a few moments ago I told you two

stories the first was about my daughter

when she was at school just shout out

the answer what topic did she speak

about England that's right and when I

told you about when I was a very nervous

13-year-old what topic did I speak

about Blackbird aircraft you see this is

completely useless

information but because but because I

put it in story format you remember it

it stays in your mind so stories are

very powerful to keep people's attention

and to help them remember details

now whenever I tell audiences or people

about the power of Storytelling I always

get the same objection and I heard it

recently when I was speaking at a

company that hires software staff and

all their software staff need to go

through something called the software

introduction course and I was speaking

to the presenters of this course and I

was telling them about storytelling and

one of them raised this objection I

heard all the time he said well listen I

can't tell stories I've got a technical

presentation

and before I could respond two other

people spoke up one of them said well my

topic is software architecture and I

tell the story of how we came to have

the good architecture we have today and

then someone else said well my topic is

software version control which sounds

like the most dull topic on planet Earth

and he said and I tell a story of what

happened when we didn't have good

version control that we released version

one to the customer we later found out

it had a bug so we released version two

to fix that def effect and when we

released version 3 with lots of new

features that first bug reoccurred and I

left there thinking if you can tell

stories on a software introduction

course you can tell stories anywhere the

problem isn't that we can't it's just

that we're not used to it it's like a

muscle we've never used it's like Kiana

Reeves in The Matrix okay so here's a

spoiler alert when when comes out of the

Matrix he realizes that he's never used

his muscles before and he has to learn

over weeks and months to use them and

that's the same with storytelling at the

start it's hard but with practice you'll

be including them naturally in your

presentations so how can you use these

two techniques I'm going to show you now

a very simple

format which if you use will make your

presentations more clear more focused

and much more memorable you simply ask

and answer four

questions the first question is what is

the problem what is the problem that

you're addressing with your presentation

whether it's in your company your

department your school

wherever here's a great opportunity to

tell your first

story story of how you encounter this

problem and then you can tell us why

it's important to you and while you say

this you can also say why it's important

for us because if there's one question

that every audience member has on their

mind during every presentation it's

this what's in it for me you're there

talking all this time taking a half an

hour or an hour of my life I'm never

going to get back why should I listen to

you always tell people why they should

listen that's why for example I just

said using this simple format your

presentations will become more clear

more focused and much more memorable

always tell people where they should

listen to you second

question what's the cause why did this

problem occur here's a great opportunity

to tell your second story a story of how

you got to the bottom of this problem

and really investigated it and found out

what's going

on third

question what

are

possible

solutions and here's an opportunity to

tell multiple stories you say we tried

out solution a and that completely

failed because and then we tried out

solution B and tell the story of how

that seemed to work better and so on and

then finally what's

your

chosen solution

or recommended solution depending on the

content context and if you've already

implemented this you can tell the story

of how it's affecting your original

problem how it's solving it and this

whole format forms a story a story of

how you found a problem how you

investigated it how you tried out

different solutions and how you came to

the format that you're recommending the

solution you're

recommending and this simple format

works for different kinds of

presentations it works for management

presentations it works for technical

presentations and to my surprise it even

works for Ted

Talks because I didn't realize this

until right at the end of my preparation

but my talk actually follows this format

because I started with the problem

boring presentations with Martin Luther

King trying to work out

PowerPoint then I told you the cause we

don't know how to keep an audience's

attention

then I told you possible solutions

questions and storytelling and I've got

one format which includes the lot so

apparently I'm following my own

advice which is a happy

coincidence I'm a software engineer and

in the software world we call this

eating your own dog

food which is why they don't let us

write slogans

[Music]

anymore so why am I telling you this

it's because I also have a dream a dream

based on a conviction that all of you

are unique and all of you have a unique

message within you but sometimes you

don't know how to share that message so

it stays locked inside and that's a

tragedy because if you can share that

message everybody wins you win because

you get a spotlight put on yourself and

your ideas and you gain the kind of

self-confidence you can only get through

effective public public speaking and the

world can win we can win because we get

to hear and potentially Implement your

ideas so I have a dream that one day all

of you will be able to stand up and

speak out that unique true message

within you in a way that keeps your

audience's attention from the first word

to the last and in so doing you'll all

live up to Ted's Creed to share ideas

worth spreading thank

you that was

great

so I have a question

yes it's a fast learner yes

yeah what do you do after giving how do

you leave the stage after giving a great

presentation

how you give a presentation it's always

good if you give a presentation it's

always good to have a planted question

someone who comes on with a question

that you already know about so when you

want when you finish your presentation

uh the best way to finish is just to say

thank you and then everybody knows that

it's finished but if you are in a

situation like this where you're

expecting Applause you can encourage

that I did four things in the very last

second did anyone spot what it was

I said I said thank you very much I took

a little bow I clapped my hands

together and then I took a step back and

in that vacuum you all started

applauding so that's probably a good

place to end thank you very much