Presentation Training Archives - The pincus Group

Power Up Your Communications

aileen — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:00:40 +0000

No matter how the workplace changes, every management survey we have still ranks communication skills at the top of those valued. That’s because even a high level of expertise can’t overcome a failure to communicate that expertise well to others. Yet, somehow, we still expect professional communications to just magically and consistently happen. Even AI, as useful a tool as it is, is only a tool. It can’t substitute for your own clear, powerful voice communicating your ideas to colleagues, clients, or decision-makers. As 2026 gets underway, let’s remind ourselves of a few basics to help power up workplace communications:

1.) Respect the process.
Never walk into a presentation, conference, meeting or opportunity without preparing for it. Take just a moment to ask yourself who is going to be there, what your intent is in speaking to them, and what you want them to remember from what you have to say. It’s not about always having an answer. It’s about preparing for them. This one simple step can help shape your reputation as a polished professional.

2.) Your reputation is inseparable from your communication skill.
Every professional wants the judgment of others to be based solely on their work. That’s why we’re uncomfortable with public speaking. We tend to separate what we know (which we think we have more control over), from how we communicate about it, something we suspect we might be judged unfairly for. Embrace the reality. If you want credit for what you’re bringing to the workplace, display it clearly for others. Communication is the burden of the communicator, not those listening to you.

3.) The data (and pretty much everything else) actually doesn’t speak for itself. Whether delivering a written or oral report, it’s up to you to supply the “so what”. Don’t confuse information with wisdom, data with authority. You are the one who needs to supply the bigger picture. (Think “Here’s what the data tells us”, rather than “You asked me to look at…”)

4.) Own it.
The power of in person communication is in tone, delivery, word choice and body language, along WITH the content. A strong voice, confident posture, eye contact, and declarative, clear sentences, signals to others you have something worth listening to. (Even in remote meetings, turn that camera back on, look up, and speak up.)

And of course, make sure to get feedback. We hope you’ll call us in for that but do find the time to keep on top of your communication game. To get the credit for your ideas, you’ll have to connect them to the power of your communications.

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Five Resolutions to Help Step Up Your Presentations in the New Year

aileen — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:29:40 +0000

The annual surveys are in, and employers are again listing communication skills as one of their top qualifications for both new and existing hires. Even executives more experienced and more comfortable in all forms of public speaking say they could use some communication skills strengthening.

As we get ready to close out the year, here are some reminders on how to stand out in front of others, whatever your skill level:

1.) Resolve to leave boring behind.
“Hi, let’s get started. Thanks for coming. My name is…” You’ve just dashed our hopes we’re going to be engaged. Think about changing up your standard go-to open with a question instead, designed to let your audience know this is going to be about them. Open with a surprising fact or a quick anecdote, something they weren’t expecting.
2.) Resolve to get to the point: quickly
No matter how great your content, your audience needs to know where you’re going and why it matters to them from the get-go. Get those key messages up front so they don’t have to guess. Remember: BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front).
3.) Resolve to keep the attention you win
If you’re losing their attention, it’s on you to fix. The key advantage of in -person communication is the ability to adjust and be flexible in making sure the communication lands. If you notice you’re losing your audience’s attention, or see puzzled looks, don’t just plow ahead. Stop and engage.
4.) Resolve to resolve something
Don’t demand in person attention unless it can’t be handled any other way. Even meetings or briefings designed as “updates” should be held in person only to resolve matters that couldn’t be handled with an email or call. Respect everyone’s time and make sure you’ve asked for their time and attention for a specific and identifiable reason.
5.) Resolve to keep everything focused on them
Whether you’re presenting “up” to decision makers, ‘out’ to colleagues, seeking to win support, or collect ideas, every public appearance benefits by knowing your audience and why they’ve come to hear from you. No one should ever start any briefing or presentation with “I’ve been asked to come speak to you…” which separates you from the audience and positions yourself as a subordinate or simply an outsider. The more you know about what motivates this particular audience, the more successful you’ll be in delivering the clear, powerful communications all in the room were hoping for.

And if you’re seeking to build skills for yourself, your team or your employees,
reach out to us at www.thepincusgroup.com for a free consultation.
We’re here to help you match the power of your ideas to the power of your communications.

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What To Do If The Worst Happens: (Why drawing a blank doesn’t have to upend your presentation)

aileen — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 20:42:17 +0000

You’ve prepared and are ready for that big briefing or presentation and
suddenly, the nightmare happens. You draw a blank. You look at your slide or your notes and can’t find your place or recall what you were supposed to say. How do you recover? Easily, if you bear in mind a few tips:

1. Prepare For The Unexpected
If you had to deliver your briefing or presentation in half the time you thought
you had, or without any notes or materials, could you? Next time you get ready
to take the stage, identify two or three key messages in your presentation, a
support point for each, and a conclusion. That’s the “elevator pitch” version of
your briefing. If you can deliver that one, your Plan B is ready.

2. Don’t Ask For Sympathy
“Wow, I’m sorry, my mind just went blank.” That kind of admission may start your audience down a path of doubt about your competence that you don’t want to lead them to. Instead, try to turn the focus on exactly where every audience likes that focus: on them. Have a few questions ready. (“Before we continue, let me pause here and take a quick survey,” or try soliciting questions. The goal is to give you a moment to remember what’s next and shift the focus from you to your audience while you do it. Always prepare some questions to bring out at times like these when you need them (a lull before they think of their own questions, to buy you more time, or to simply help you engage them).

3. Pause and Review
Without speaking, look over your notes. There’s no need to continually fill the
silence. If you’ve lost your place, return to your notes silently, calmly, without explanation and look them over. Your audience knows what you’re
doing and doesn’t mind the break. In fact, they may think you’ve deliberately timed it to let what you’ve said so far, sink in.

4. Stay Calm
Your audience isn’t looking for perfection.
Powerful presentations aren’t about showing your memorization skills. If
things go wrong (and eventually they will), use the opportunity to showcase
your ability to stay on track. Handling the unexpected with calm assurance
displays your leadership skills more than a flawless reading ever could.

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Non Verbals: Why They Are Killing Your Presentations

aileen — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 11:46:58 +0000

Non Verbals: Why They Are Killing Your Presentations
(and what to do about it)

Anyone who has ever sat through a briefing or presentation knows how quickly you can lose an audience without saying a word. Here are a few reminders on how to make sure your non-verbal’s are sending the right signals to your target audiences:

1. Come out of hiding
We know it may be more comfortable for nervous presenters to stand behind a lectern. That’s why when we see you behind one, our first thought might be to question your confidence. It’s almost impossible to really connect with your audience from behind a barrier (even a see-through one designed to give the audience the illusion of connection.) Display your confidence first and foremost by not hiding from your audience. If you need to check your notes, or get off track, you can simply stop speaking and do so. Presenting well isn’t about perfection, it’s about connection. (And your audience has no idea what you might have left out.)

2. Natural movements and eye contact signal confidence
The goal is to stand and move as naturally as possible. Pay attention to how you normally move, gesture, and maintain eye contact. That’s what you’ll want to mimic when delivering presentations and briefings in the real world. If you normally gesture freely with your hands, continue to do so. (That doesn’t mean gesturing widely and remember moving without purpose is usually called pacing.)

3. Pauses are refreshing.
We hear at a faster rate than we process information. That means deliberate pauses allows your audience to keep up with you and consider your points. That has the added benefit of making you the presenter seem in control and deliberate. If you naturally tend to be a fast talker, it’s far easier to adjust for that with pauses and some repetition, rather than to try and slow your delivery rate. No audience will complain you are too easy to understand.

4. Connect Deliberately
The advantage your audience has in watching you, is being able to judge immediately whether what you’re saying is relevant and worth exploring. The advantage you have in standing in front of them is watching that judgement happen and adjusting. Are you seeing heads nod? Looks of interest? Good, proceed. If not, pause and ask for feedback. There’s no point in barreling ahead if your audience isn’t ready to go with you. Think ahead of time about any hurdles you want to help your audience get over. Be ready with examples, data, stories to help them get there.
Of course, we hope you’ll seek some professional training to help you make the most out of every presentation or briefing. You can however, improve your own performance by remembering why your audience is there, what they hope to get from you, and how you’re going to meet and exceed their expectations.

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How To Use Slide Decks

aileen — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:28:18 +0000

(It’s all about the visuals)

If you hate building, using or watching presentation slides, you’re not alone. While the technology to help us build those presentations has improved dramatically, little has changed in the inability of many presenters to bring them to life. Before giving up on them entirely, consider these suggestions

to make your presentation a standout.

1. Put the show back into Show And Tell

Your slide deck is your story board. It’s there as a VISUAL AIDE to your storytelling. Look over your slide deck. Is it a visual representation of your story? Is it memorable and understandable?

2. Is your slide deck there for you, or for your audience?

If your slides exist to help keep you (the presenter) stay on track, take them out and work harder on knowing what you want to present. If the slides are there for your audience, leave them in. The purpose of your slides is not to provide you with a script. It’s to visually help your audience connect with the story you’re telling. Don’t make your audience do the work to figure out what you’re saying or how it relates to them.

3. Your slides aren’t the presentation. You are.

Slides can’t compensate for a bad or even a mediocre presenter. Even if you’re delivering data heavy presentations, it’s you, not your slides that will make the difference with your audience. To avoid competing with your slides, consider creating two versions: one version to present orally and one with more detail and text for a hand-out to be referred to by the audience later. You want audience focus on you, not the slides they’re trying to read.

4. It’s the MOVIE, not the book.

If you’re in front of people, you’re the focus. No audience has come to read or be read to. Think of your slide deck as a movie, the version designed to give your audience a high overview of your ideas that encourages them to keep a dialogue going. (For the additional book version, see suggestion 3). No one will complain you had too few slides or that you were too understandable.

Of course, we hope you’ll seek some professional training to help you make the most out of every presentation. You can however, improve your own performance by remembering why your audience is there, what they’re hoping to get from you, and how you’re going to meet and exceed their expectations.

For more tips and techniques, visit www.thepincusgroup.com to align the power of your ideas with effective communication.

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It’s NOT Your Slides. It’s You

aileen — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:50:45 +0000

Those wary of slide presentations are not alone, despite Google Slides boasting 800 million monthly uses. The ubiquity of slide decks in both public and private sectors doesn’t seem to be changing no matter how the technology evolves. The issue though doesn’t lie in the slides themselves, but in how they are used. Here are some key considerations for your upcoming presentations:

1. **You Are the Presentation:** Regardless of the latest tools used to create presentations, remember that you are the primary focus. It is crucial to understand your audience’s needs, your goals in speaking to them, and how to effectively connect your message to both. Visual aids should complement all of that, not overshadow it. (Ask yourself when anyone approached you after a presentation and said they wished you’d have shown more slides.)

2. **Show and Tell:** Data requires more than just display; it needs interpretation. Visual elements like pictures can make that interpretation easier and more memorable, but it still must be supported by context. Think about how what you’re showing moves the audience’s understanding forward. If it doesn’t, than the slide is probably just to keep you on track and isn’t helping the audience.

3. **Less is More:** In oral communication, clarity is paramount. Present your main point upfront and then guide your audience through supporting evidence, especially with complex data. Avoid overwhelming your listeners with excessive information; instead, aim to engage and connect. Interactivity and being aware of how your audience is responding will help you stay on track.

Whether you rely on visual tools, handouts, or opt for a material-free approach, remember that your audience is looking for connection to something useful, not a reading assignment. Use your time with them to establish a purposeful connection, leaving them with valuable insights and wanting more.

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Senior Executives: Yes, you can have AI write your speech, but here’s why you might not want to

aileen — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 18:21:56 +0000

According to the latest report from McKinsey, 13 percent of us own up to using AI for 30 percent of our work tasks. While there isn’t clear data on how many senior executives are using AI for presentations and speeches, it’s clear AI is gaining increasing acceptance for all sorts of work products.
I’m not the first to focus on why senior executives, especially those in the C suite, should be careful about substituting the human element for AI, especially in high stake communications. Setting aside recent scandals over AI failures, here’s some things to remember about why you may not want to remove yourself from the hard work of formal communications:

1.) Authenticity is not only key to executive communications, its inseparable from your reputation.
Ok, you want to save time and having someone or something else write that draft on deadline is tempting. The problem is data alone isn’t going to be what enhances your reputation and gets you remembered. Basically, that’s what you’re getting back: data. If you’re not connected to the substance of what you’re saying, beyond the data, we in your target audience are going to be able to tell. If we think someone or something else wrote what you’re delivering, we have reason to question your understanding of it.

2.) If you don’t have time to put yourself into your communications, say no.
If you’re a senior executive and you’re speaking to people in person, they’re going to judge you. That’s how this works, and it’s not a bad thing. In fact, that judgement is your opportunity to exceed expectations. You can only do that if you put in the effort to show people exactly why you’re in a leadership role. AI can do a lot of things, but it can’t inspire or connect the way humans can. Only accept those appearances you have the time to prepare for, because that’s how you’ll ace that judgement test.

3.) Show UP
Whether you have a speechwriter or use AI or both to produce a rough draft, don’t leave the final product to others. No one else sounds quite like you and that’s the point of why we choose in person communication. Even the best of speechwriters takes a while to learn how to present something in “your voice”. Make the effort to make sure you’re comfortable with everything in that draft from messaging to phrasing. Even then, find a way to add more of ‘you’: a story, an anecdote, some perspective that gives us insight into your thinking. OWN it.

Whatever you do to prepare for your public presentations and speeches, take them seriously. For your audiences who don’t work side by side with you daily, this is how they will know (and judge) you. Oh, and invest in a coach. We’ll help you match the power of your ideas to the power of your communications.

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Teleprompters: When And How They Can Help Public Speakers

aileen — Thu, 29 May 2025 20:29:23 +0000

Teleprompters are more accessible now than they’ve ever been. They can be as readily available and inexpensive as the nearest IPAD. But how do you know if using a Teleprompter is the right choice for your next presentation or appearance? Here are some things to consider when deciding if and when a Teleprompter is the right tool for you.

1.) Teleprompters only supply the sizzle, not the steak.
If you’re thinking a teleprompter will help save you time and preparation for your speech or presentation, don’t bother. Teleprompters are designed as a prompt on the content you already know. If you don’t have time to work on your content and on delivering that content, a teleprompter isn’t going to help you.

2.) Practice (Until You Can Let Go of Perfection)
No one knows what you were supposed to say, but stumbling over written words will give them a good idea about the difference. If you’re using your teleprompter the way a professional actor might, word for word, your performance is going to suffer. Practice until the prompter actually is a PROMPT, and not a literal script for you. (In fact, using bullets instead of whole sentences on a teleprompter will force you to do that.)

3.) Connection, not perfection is the point.
The teleprompter was invented by an actor. You’re not acting. For you, the point of a teleprompter is to allow you to connect with your audience instead of focusing on memorization. That means eye contact, voice inflection and body language are as important when using a teleprompter as in any other kind of verbal connection. If you’re standing in one spot READING to an audience, that connection will be lost.

4.) Your content needs to still be written for the ear, even when you’re reading.
Don’t forget that your audience is listening to you, not reading along. That means everything you’re delivering needs to be understood the first time. Your teleprompter script should be written the way you will be delivering it: shorter, more direct sentences, without words and phrases that need further explanation.
If you can’t ad lib around what you’ve written, re-write it.

Teleprompters have their place in formal, high profile speeches and appearances, and at industry conferences and presentations. They can help free you up from worry over the content, and allow you to be in the moment to make connections with your audience. Like all tools in your toolkit, it’s a matter of using the right one in any given circumstance and having the experience to use that tool to your advantage.

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Practice Makes Perfect: How Much Do You Really Need?

aileen — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 14:28:59 +0000

We’ve all heard the old joke about the best way to get to Carnegie Hall: Practice, practice, practice.

The best way to ace your next presentation or speech is the same: through rounds of practice. But how much do you really need and what type of practice should you be using to get comfortable with your material and perform at your best?

While getting to maximum levels of readiness for public speaking of all kinds varies, there are some common techniques that will help you. Here are some practice tips to try before you next take the spotlight:

1.) Don’t forget the “movie”: Many, if not most professionals, spend the bulk of their time before presentations or speeches on their content. Of course you want to get the content right, but if you forget to practice the delivery (the ‘movie’ since people are watching you), content won’t save you. People need to SEE the confidence and authority as you communicate to trust you’ve got it right.

2.) Don’t forget the “movie” (part 2). Practicing your delivery doesn’t mean just reading the content silently to yourself, Stand and actually deliver your presentation or speech orally as you will be doing, mimicking the real setting you’ll be speaking in as closely as possible. You’ll need to hear and feel yourself deliver your talk to be able to catch where you need revision, how you need to emphasize key points, and hear what’s working and what’s not.

3.) An audience helps. After you’re comfortable with your basics, try delivering it to someone. Give them some specifics to look for (i.e. Tell me what stands out to you and if you think my pacing is about right.) If you can get someone to listen to your talk who isn’t from the same field of expertise, so much the better. They can give you a different perspective on how clearly you’re communicating.

4.) Don’t OVER practice. The point here is NOT to get every word memorized and scripted. You want to practice to the point where you’re not only comfortable with the material, but comfortable with being in the moment. You want to be able to adjust the material and your delivery as you go, depending on your audience’s reaction. Connecting with your audience is your primary goal here, and that can’t happen if you’re tied to every word in a script. If you see nods of agreement, expand. If you see signs of disagreement, stop and address it.

5.) You’re the only one needing perfection. Your audience doesn’t care that you skipped a slide or a phrase. They won’t notice it until you point it out, and why would you? If you make a mistake, keep going. You can even refer to a point you missed later on, without calling it out as a mistake. No one will remember that you got every word right, or that you didn’t. They’ll only remember how they felt about it.

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Using the Power Pause in Public Speaking

aileen — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 12:53:44 +0000

The Power Pause in Public Speaking
and why it’s so powerful

Projecting confidence and authority in public speaking is both easier and harder than it looks. It’s easier because hitting the mark as a speaker isn’t really about your title (although that may help set expectations.)

And it’s harder because as much as you might want it to be so, you’re not going to be judged only on what you know. This is also about how you communicate what you know.

If you think about those you’ve watched deliver speeches, give presentations or simply contribute to meetings, consider what separates those who seem to appear confident and authoritative from those who don’t.

It’s not about always having a ready answer. It’s certainly not about having the loudest voice in the room or having the spotlight.

Confidence and authority come only when you let your audience come along with you as you communicate.

That means hesitating and qualifying every statement or simply taking too long to make a point won’t fill your audience with confidence in what you’re saying. Neither will rushing your audience to judgement with a torrent of information they may not understand.

Taking the audience with you means using the power of the pause. The advantage you have when you speak in public is immediate feedback.
Are they staying interested? Are they appearing bored or puzzled?
You’ll know if you’re paying attention.

Their power in listening to you in person is seeing and hearing you in real time. Do you sound confident? Do you look authoritative, authentic? What does that look and sound like when you take the spotlight?

Learn to get comfortable with the silence, a powerful pause at key points.
Even if you’re someone who tends to speak at a faster pace, especially under pressure of speaking in front of people, give your audience planned times to catch up. Let them consider what’s being said. Space those pauses after you’ve made a key point and even write reminders to yourself in your notes if you have to. If presenting with slides, pause before starting each one in the beginning, until you get used to giving your audience a moment.

The results will be an audience more engaged, and a reputation for being poised and more confident. (And yes, get the content right too.)

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