I recently listened to an interview with author Brene Brown, a person whose presentation style and stage presence I find awe-inspiring, on the Tim Ferriss Show podcast. Her responses to questions about her presenting style struck a chord with me, as they touched on some key areas that I would like to focus when presenting. Brene is a gifted storyteller, who shares pieces of herself with listeners in a manner that is captivating, exemplifies vulnerability, and for many, leaves a lasting connection to her work. Storytelling does not come naturally to me, potentially due to the amount of vulnerability that it can require. However, this is a skill that I have often admired in others and have recently tried to nurture in my teaching. It has become clear that providing stories that my students can relate to the material we are covering deepens their learning and engagement. It is also a lot of fun! Similar to the Presentation Zen style and building on the theme of connection, she spoke about using minimalist slides with strong images to provide the story arch and chosen to connect to a piece of information or anecdote to be shared with the audience. Anyone who has watched her immensely popular TED Talk on vulnerability can attest to how well her images draw in viewers and add humor to a talk with shame, guilt and vulnerability at its center. Brene also talked about going into a presentation with a mindset of connection rather than performance. Brene states that she doesn’t rehearse in the traditional sense because she finds that if she rehearses too much, when it comes time to present she gets so wrapped up in the planned pauses and moments that she loses the connection with her audience. I sometimes get so preoccupied with hitting all the “key” points and in the way that I practiced, especially when presenting to peers, that I too feel disconnected and more like a machine churning out information than a communicator. I think coming from a mindset of making connections and communicating ideas would help my presentations. My top presenting goals: Tell stories, be vulnerable, use strong images, and have connection mindset! Related Links of the Day: These two TED talks exemplify the skills that I believe would make me a more effective presenter.
3 Comments
|
AuthorPassionate educator. Avid explorer. ArchivesCategories
All
|