PPP 414 | The 12 Biggest Presentation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, with Terri Sjodin

People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

Summary

In this episode, Andy is joined by Terri Sjodin, author of Presentation Ready. They discuss strategies to improve presentation outcomes and avoid common mistakes. Terri shares her research, based on a multi-year study, identifying the 12 most common presentation errors. She emphasizes the importance of preparation, understanding the audience, and developing persuasive communication skills. Practical insights include the use of Monroe's Motivated Sequence and the effective phrase 'what this means to you.'

The episode also covers tips to handle nerves and the role of dressing for success in both virtual and in-person presentations. Additionally, the conversation underscores the value of teaching communication skills to the younger generation.

Sound Bites

• "Avoid the 'We-We', 'Do-Do.'"
• "There is a gap between how presenters see their presentations and how observers see them."
• "Don't let the way I show up be a distraction from my competency."
• "I want to encourage parents to engage their kids in a public speaking course, get them involved in speech and debate, or maybe even acting at a young age, teach them the art of the spoken word."

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:35 Start of Interview
• 04:42 Less Obvious Situations When We're Presenting
• 06:34 Research on the 12 Most Common Mistakes
• 09:00 Winging It
• 15:09 Monroe's Motivated Sequence
• 17:13 "What This Means To You Is"
• 19:34 We're More Boring Than We Think
• 23:35 How Much Does Appearance Matter?
• 26:33 How To Tame The Nerves
• 30:27 Advice for Parents
• 32:40 Interview Wrap Up
• 33:12 Andy Comments After the Interview
• 38:22 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Terri, her book, and her research at SjodinCommunications.com.

If you’d like more on this subject, here are some episodes to check out:

• Episode 378, with Bill McGowan
• Episode 246, with Steven Rogelberg
• Episode 189, with HBR Editor Dan McGinn

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Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Power Skills

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Synthiemania by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Underground Shadows by Musiclfiles License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license