“With his unshakable optimism, his heroic vision, and above all, his splendid speeches, Churchill roused the spirit of the British people.”
— Gretchen Rubin, Author: The Happiness Project
“Neuroscientists are finding that what passes as a typical presentation is usually the worst way to engage your audience.”
— Carmine Gallo, Author: The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs
Today’s startup culture demands a level of tech-savvy and communication skills unlike years past. It’s why somebody like me, a communications specialist/speech-language pathologist and educational technology consultant turned entrepreneur has gotten an inside look at the changing business landscape. I have traveled around North America since 2010 as an iPad Evangelist and public speaker re: Autism intervention, productivity, and personal digital branding.
It’s why I will be speaking at this event on 2/24/15 at a unique venue, Joynture on Wall Street, in Manhattan. I’ve invited people who are interested in thinking differently about entrepreneurship; the journey and end-game. Why? Because as Henry Doss writes in this thought provoking post:
“Speaking about and to innovation is not the same thing as speaking about or to specific outcomes. When we speak about innovation, we are speaking about states of being, of system conditions, of potential. The language of innovation is a language about culture, and for this reason, it must be a language of narrative, and stories and tales.”
I have flipped the script or rebooted my quest to innovate many times in my life; personally and professionally. It has resulted in honing my speaking skills and changing my Story, so that I am unafraid of taking risks, of leading with emotion, and of change. I believe that entrepreneurs can change the world. It begins with speeches which inspire, and linger in the minds of the audience, long after the lights have been turned off and the last live-tweet was fired.
It’s something that drives me to make my presentations an experience, not an exercise in endurance. It’s something that’s made me create a toolbox of public speaking tools if you will, to help me achieve that goal. Let me share 3 tools I use:
1. Keynote for Mac
Keynote for Mac (or for the iPad) blows. Other presentation tools. Out of the water. While there are many presentation aides to choose from, Keynote consistently delivers! It provides a seamless, entertaining, fully multimedia, visually appealing, and easy to use speaker program to create memories and meaningful dialogue, not just a message.
2. Kensington Wireless Presenter “Clicker”
The Kensington Wireless Presenter is a dream come true for speakers who like to walk the room and maintain control of the slides. I hate podiums and have been known to roam, and engage the audience up close and personal; sometimes sitting amongst them and taking questions or chatting. This “clicker” has awesome reach, not to mention it’s small enough to fit into my purse, making packing for travel so much less tedious!
3. VidToMp3 Music Converter
We live in the iEra where portable music is all the rage. Customizing one’s “playlist” for pitches, presentations, and a personal theme song to increase motivation is now the norm. Depending on my mood, my audience, my topic, and my venue, I will use music in different ways, requiring me to create a robust music library without going into debt 🙂 I therefore recommend the VidtoMp3 site, which I’ve happily used for several years, to grow my list of music files I can tap into as needed.
Being a successful speaker is about mindset, not just efficiency. It’s about knowingly creating a legacy, not just a “filler” for one’s resume. As Dr. Oliver Sachs writes in this heart wrenching, beautiful post:
“I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.”
Today’s speaker must find ways to deliver great content while melding showmanship with technological prowess, and humor with poignancy. Dr. Sachs and Steve Jobs are masters in their craft; excellent speakers and thinkers, who embodied this repeatedly, as seen from YouTube and their many filmed talks.
Steve Jobs had his presentation tactics. What are yours?
To be continued…..
Best,
Penina
The NICE Reboot Book Blog on Entrepreneurship in the iEra 