TEDxEast - Nancy Duarte uncovers common structure of greatest communicators 11/11/2010

Matt Abrahams: Tips and Techniques for More Confident and Compelling Presentations The ability to present your ideas in a clear, confident, and authentic manner can make a huge difference in your business (and personal) success. Yet many people are anxious or under-practiced in presenting effectively. The best way to feel more confident and deliver engaging presentations is through smart and thorough preparation and practice. From first planning through actual delivery, these tips and techniques can help you be a more compelling speaker and ensure your audience gets your message.

Yes, Even You Can Become A Masterful Storyteller According to Antonio Damasio’s book “Descartes’ Error: Reason, Emotion and the Human Brain,” neuroscience tells us that humans respond more powerfully to stories than plain facts or data alone. We don’t need an advanced degree to understand this concept, though. We already know (and feel) that the most thoughtful, powerful and exhilarating leaders present in the language of story. Yet, structuring our business presentations into stories remains one of our greatest struggles.

Simon Sinek's Start with why - Steve Jobs was the original "golden circle" branding builder Simon Sinek’s “Start with why” and Steve Jobs’ vision I have a confession: I am no Apple fanatic. I also think Steve Jobs was overrated as a ‘leader’ in the traditional, managerial sense. Of course, he was a charismatic polymath of colossal work ethics and fanatical commitment to UX. But I think his success came more from his supernatural vision than his chequered leadership. Simon Sinek’s “Start with why” than Steve Jobs’ homemade leadership style.

How to Start a Presentation in a Way That'll Immediately Capture the Room When I went to journalism school, probably 50 percent of our time was dedicated to ledes (that’s journalism-speak for the first line in an article). We looked at the great ledes in history, learned all the different types of ledes and had assignment after assignment where we’d write lede after lede for fictitious news stories. Why so much focus on the first sentence on a piece? How Howard Schultz Elevated The Art Of Corporate Storytelling Inspiring leaders are great storytellers. Their conversations transport you to another place that goes well beyond the physical attributes of the products they sell. Few corporate leaders have elevated the art of storytelling as much as Howard Schultz. As Schultz ends his career at Starbucks, stepping down as executive chairman, his story comes full circle from where it began—Milan, Italy.

The Ultimate Guide to Corporate Storytelling You've probably heard that storytelling is all the rage in the business world today. But you might be wondering, "What is corporate storytelling and how do I get started?" Read on to learn Corporate Storytelling 101: What it is, why it's the most effective way to get your ideas heard (and acted on), and how to get started. Corporate storytelling is, well, just what it sounds like…telling stories at work. But let’s face it, most of us don’t know how or where to begin. 3 Tips for Presenting in English When You’re Not a Native Speaker Executive Summary Many leaders quickly lose their confidence and competence when making business presentations. For a subset of them — those who need to present in English when it isn’t their native language — the stakes and the stress can feel even higher.

The 4 Signposts of Visual Storytelling Now that you understand the brain science behind why stories make information memorable, how do you apply it to the business world? Watch Part 2: The Four Signposts of Storytelling to learn a simple framework for turning your data and insights into authentic, compelling visual stories that your audience will remember and act on. Ready for Part 3: Storytelling Without Visuals is Only Half the Story? Fill out the form to watch the final video in the series. Now that you understand the brain science behind why stories make information memorable, how do you apply it to the business world? Watch Part 2: The Four Signposts of Storytelling to learn a simple framework for turning your data and insights into authentic, compelling visual stories that your audience will remember and act on.