Change of Address

13 Sep Change of Address

We were recently watching the Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil. Phil is a sweet, self-effacing host of a food show. He travels around the world rather wide-eyed about the country, manners and cuisine he’s experiencing. Phil Rosenthal is the Everyman version of Anthony Bourdain, and quite appealing to today’s culture, where being genuine is favored over hitting your marks and getting each line right.

Presentation styles have been changing since the 90’s, but many speakers have yet to adapt. The formality of scripting and reading a speech; being “polished and perfect;” or gesturing according to a playbook is no longer in fashion and leaves audiences cold. However, the opposite mode– where presenters “wing it” is dangerous and usually results in an ineffective muddle. We recommend speakers have safety nets and structure, yet the feel of the presentation should be conversational and genuine.

Develop an outline based on essential talking points and the logical flow of your talk. Add anecdotes to illustrate data and infuse a presentation with your insights and voice. Make sure to allow for moments of inspiration, improv or responding to questions. Make the feel of your presentation fresh and crackling with energy. You wouldn’t drive your grandparents’ car or wear their clothes, so why present the way they did?