Afleveringen
-
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” – Pericles, Greek politician and general during the Golden Age of Athens
Public speaking has always been a cornerstone of societal change, personal influence, and cultural growth.
From ancient forums to modern stages, powerful speeches have shaped our world.
In this podcast, you will discover three ways your public speaking leaves a legacy.
Carson, C. (2001). The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Warner Books.Mio, J. S., Riggio, R. E., Levin, S., & Reese, R. (2005). “Presidential Leadership and Charisma: The Effects of Metaphor.” The Leadership Quarterly, 16(2), 287-294.Sorensen, T. C. (1965). Kennedy. Harper & Row.TED. (2020). Impact Report 2020. Retrieved from ted.com.Zenger, J. H., & Folkman, J. (2012). “What Inspires People to Give Their Best?” Harvard Business Review.
References -
“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” –- Steve Jobs, American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc.
Have you ever thought about why you speak to your audience?
Although the number of topics you can speak on is limitless, there are only a few primary reasons to talk to your audience. They are to inform, persuade, or inspire others.
This article will explore these three reasons in more detail.
Lucas, S. E. (2015). The Art of Public Speaking (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.Aristotle. (2007). The Rhetoric (W. Rhys Roberts, Trans.).Carnegie, D. (1936). How to Win Friends and Influence People.
_________________________________________________
References -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
“A panel discussion is a great way to explore multiple viewpoints, but it only succeeds if the panelists are engaged and the moderator knows when to steer or step back.” — Nancy Duarte, American writer and speaker
You may be asked to moderate a panel discussion one day.
In this podcast, we will explore ways you can prepare, conduct, and follow up as the moderator of a panel discussion.
-
"If you can't write your message in a sentence, you can't say it in an hour." — Dianna Booher, American author and communication expert
It's the holiday season, and you have more than a few things to do. So, how do you get them all done?
The key to a happy holiday season is to prioritize the items you need to accomplish and then complete them one at a time. If you do this, you won't complete all the items on your "To Do" list, but you will complete the most important ones.
There is an analogy between this and your presentations. Sometimes when you want to get so much done in a presentation, your message is lost on your audience.
This week's podcast explores three strategies you can use to focus on your message
-
"Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall." - Oliver Wendell Holmes, American jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
Do you have challenges answering technical questions from the audience during your presentations? You are not alone.
Fortunately, there is a myriad of information on how to overcome the challenges presented by audience questions.In this week's episode, we explore three of these challenges and how you can overcome them
Carnegie, D. (1936). How to Win Friends and Influence People. The book emphasizes the importance of listening and clarifying for effective communication.Gallo, C. (2014). Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. The book highlights the importance of storytelling and analogies in making technical content accessible.Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The habit of "seeking first to understand" aligns with acknowledging limitations and committing to clear follow-ups.
______________________________________________
References -
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in." - Author unknown
When technical issues occur during a presentation, technical professionals can take a few key actions to address and resolve them efficiently.
In this episode, we explore three critical steps that technical people can take to address and resolve presentation technical issues:
-
“Approach each customer with the idea of helping him or her to solve a problem or achieve a goal, not of selling a product or service.” – Brian Tracy, self-development expert
Selling a technical idea through a technical presentation involves more than just delivering technical details; it requires making the idea compelling and relatable to your audience.
In this week's podcast, we will discover three of the best ways for technical professionals to achieve this:
-
"If you want something stuck in someone's head, put it in a sequence of three."
— Brian Clark, Canadian businessman
The "power of three" is a communication and presentation technique based on the principle that people tend to process, remember, and respond well to information presented in groups of three.
This concept suggests that three points, ideas, or examples create a sense of completeness and balance, making complex information more accessible to understand and recall.
In practice, it leverages the natural human preference for triads, making messages more impactful and memorable in various contexts, from storytelling and speeches to marketing and technical presentations.
This week's podcast will illustrate three reasons why the "Power of Three" is a powerful tool in technical presentations.
-
Have you ever been interrupted in your presentations by an audience question? The question may or may not be Germaine to your presentation topic
Dealing with presentation interruptions and topic detours can be challenging, but effective strategies exist to manage them. This podcast episode details three strategies you can use
-
In your technical career, you will realize you must sell your ideas to get ahead in your career.
To a large extent, you can sell your ideas through presentations. However, how do you overcome your lack of confidence in delivering presentations?
In this episode, we explore three effective strategies to overcome your lack of confidence in delivering presentations.
-
Technical people are often frustrated with how management or marketing teams may prioritize style and polish over the actual content or data.
This style and polish can feel superficial to technical people who value substance and accuracy.
The key to an excellent technical presentation is to find the right balance between style and polish and substance and accuracy
To balance style and polish with actual content or data in a technical presentation, technical people should focus on three strategies: simplify the visual design, prioritize key data, and tell the technical story.
-
Technical professionals are often asked to explain complex information under a time constraint.
You can effectively condense complex projects or data in a short time while maintaining critical technical information by employing the following strategies: visual communication, executive summaries, modular documentation.
-
“People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint.” - Steve Jobs, American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc.
While this might sound a bit extreme, the essence of the Steve Jobs quote is clear: to truly engage, you must focus on more than just slides—you need to connect with your audience. This can be challenging but not impossible in the world of technical presentations.
Imagine you’re in a room full of people with dim lights. You’re about to deliver a highly technical presentation you’ve spent weeks preparing. The stakes are high, but your audience is scrolling through their phones or staring blankly.
Engagement is nowhere in sight. Technical people often find themselves in this scenario, struggling to captivate their audience despite having crucial information to share.
In this article, we’ll explore how you can successfully engage your audience, no matter how complex your topic.
We’ll go over the following three ways you can transform your next technical presentation from a dull lecture into an interactive and engaging experience:
Know Your Audience and Tailor Your ContentUse Storytelling to Simplify and EngageEngage Your Audience Actively -
"By visualizing information, we turn it into a landscape that you can explore with your eyes. A sort of information map.” - David McCandless, writer, designer & creative director living in London
Technical people delivering technical presentations have an additional burden which non-technical speakers don't have to worry about– how to represent data on their slides.
Regarding data representation in technical presentation slides, presenters should focus on the following focus areas: (1) Accurate and Objective Representation of Data, (2) Consistency in Visual and Content Representation, and (3) Inclusivity and Accessibility in Representation
-
As a technical professional, you may often experience specific frustrations related to the complexity of content in your presentations.
In this podcast episode, we will explore three frustrations you may have experienced and what to do about them: overwhelming detail, audience knowledge gaps, and balancing technical depth and clarity.
-
Why do people still go to the movies? Because everyone loves a story.
In these weekly articles on public speaking, I have often talked about the power of story in your public speaking. However, do you also use stories in your technical presentations?
When you use stories in your technical presentations, you demonstrate how the technology is used in the real world.
Using stories in your technical presentations can translate complex information into readily “digestible” information for your audience.
In today's episode, we'll discuss three ways to use stories in your technical presentations to make your message have more impact: (1) case studies and real-world examples, (2) problem-solution narratives, and (3) personal anecdotes
-
Forbes Magazine tells us the number one fear of people is public speaking.
This is unfortunate because speaking intelligently to an audience, engaging them, and leaving them with something that will improve their personal and professional lives will do more to advance your career than anything else.
Some people believe technical expertise is what companies prize. They do, but it is much easier to find technical talent than someone with excellent public speaking skills who can positively influence the company’s customers to award contracts to the company.
This week’s episode will explore public speaking fear considerations and what speakers can do to lessen fear before and during their presentations.
-
Welcome to “Successful Speaking for Technical Professionals,” the podcast dedicated to helping you shine in the spotlight and deliver your technical expertise with flair. I’m your host, Frank DiBartolomeo.
In each episode, I will draw from my over 40 years experience as an engineer and over 30 years experience as a Toastmaster to explore the nuances of presenting complex information in a way that resonates and engages.
Whether you're a software engineer, data scientist, or any tech professional eager to polish your presentation skills, this show is for you. We’ll tackle everything from crafting clear and compelling narratives to mastering the art of visual aids and handling challenging questions with poise.
Join us as we speak with seasoned presenters, communication specialists, and industry insiders who will share their secrets for making your technical presentations not just informative but unforgettable.
If you’re ready to transform your technical knowledge into impactful presentations and leave a lasting impression, you’re in the right place.
Remember, great presentations are not just about sharing information—they’re about connecting with your audience and making your message resonate. From refining your narrative to perfecting your delivery, every detail counts.Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review and share it with your colleagues. We’d love to hear your feedback and any topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes.
Thanks for joining us, and until next time, keep honing those presentation skills and make every tech talk count!
