The Big Presentation

Question: Our company is really struggling. I have to give a presentation to upper management about new ideas or new ways to try to help grow our business. It’s a big presentation. I’m afraid if it doesn’t go well, our department will face serious cuts, and people will lose their jobs. Any suggestions from your experts or people you’ve dealt with in the past?

Answer: Yes to both, and they require moving mountains and making miracles.

MOVING MOUNTAINS—MAKING MIRACLES

In answering your question, we’re going to steer clear of the mechanics of giving presentations. If you want that, pick up “Moving Mountains: Or the Art and Craft of Letting Others See Things Your Way.” It’s a classic, and the only book you ever really need to read about giving presentations.

SIDEWAYS OF GOOD

I have attended literally thousands of business presentations, most revolving around technology products, applications, business systems, methods, practices, etc. Almost all included PowerPoint. Some were God-awful, a few were great; most were in between but usually sideways of good.

MY FAIR SHARE OF STINKERS

I’ve given a lot of presentations and polluted the business world with more than my fair share of business-presentation stinkers. Some were so foul I’m surprised they haven’t been cited as one of the causes for global warming.

I learned something from each and every one. The good, the bad and the butt-fugly. I understand your pain. Your fear. Been there. Done that. Done it recently. But I’ve also had the great opportunity to work with and learn from a lot of great thinkers, writers and presenters.

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

I’ve written with and interviewed many best-selling authors, business presenters and storytellers. People like Steven Pressfield, author of “Killing Rommel,” “The War of Art,” and “The Legend of Bagger Vance’; Al & Laura  Ries, author of “The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR”and “War in the Boardroom”; Robert McKee, screenwriting guru and author of the best-seller “STORY”; Dr. Paul Pearsall, international best-selling author of “The Beethoven Factor”; Dave Stein, best-selling business author of “How Winners Sell”; Bo Burlingham, author of “Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big”; Sam Horn, author of “POP! How to Stand Out in any Crowd”; Lynne McTaggert, author of “The Field” and “The Intention Experiment”; David Merman Scott, author of “World Wide Rave”; Donald Sull, author of “Revival of the Fittest: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Managers Remake Them” (Harvard Business School Press); Carol Dweck, Ph.D., author of the book “Mindsets: The New Psychology of Success”; Marsha Friedman, author of “Celebritize Yourself”; Stephanie Palmer, author of “Good in a Room”;? Marc Seifer, author of “Wizard; The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla”; Guy Kawasaki, author of “Reality Check”; Dan Heath, author of “Made to Stick:; and Skip Press, author of more than 20 books including “How to Write What You Want and Sell What You Write.”

A very eclectic group with an incredible amount of knowledge and expertise. Storytellers all … but by necessity, business presenters as well. Great ones at that.

All had one thing in common.

Nothing.

THE POWER IS IN THE CONNECTING

Well, almost nothing. All had different styles. Different methods. Different personalities. Different differents. But, all have successful histories of connecting emotionally with their readers. With people.

That’s what you have to do. Connect. How?

BE BOLD. STEP UP. STAND OUT.

Be bold in your thinking and presentation. Emphasize the concept of

COURAGE

Courage to overcome this adversity. Courage to make it a stepping stone to a better future.

You and your company, along with millions of others of us, are in a tight spot right now. Bad economy. High unemployment. Uncertain future. High energy costs. Healthcare costs, terrorism, you name it. The current economy and business outlook is piled high with difficulties.

MAKING MIRACLES

Sometimes a person could just feel screwed. Start wishing for a miracle to change everything. Wishing won’t make it so. But boldness and courage can help you make things happen—and maybe even make your own miracle.

I mentioned writing with Dr. Paul Pearsall. He was an incredible human being and happened also to be the author of the New York Times bestseller “Making Miracles.” He had an approach to adversity I much admired. He faced death with dignity and … humor? Yes. But he also left a legacy, the sharing of his life’s work and the people he touched. The miracles he made continue. Because of Dr. Paul Pearsall, I became acquainted with a 22-year-old woman.

She had just begun her life. Had just started teaching English Literature in high school. Then … she was struck down by a drunk driver. She was left pentaplegic (unable to move her arms or legs and unable to breathe on her own.) She was on a ventilator.

Life for her was over, right?

Wrong.

At that time, she was writing a book about her experiences. Writing a book on the computer that had been especially adapted to allow her to operate the keys with a stick held in her mouth.

A stick held in her mouth.

Let me say that one more time.

She was operating a computer with a stick held in her mouth.

And what did she say about it?

And yet, she still had a sense of humor. So how tough a spot are you in really? Compared to that? How can you use that mental approach to the situation you face right now?

Dr. Pearsall also introduced me to the five reactions to life challenges and how they apply right here, right now.

FIVE REACTIONS TO LIFE’S CHALLENGES – CHOOSE WISELY

• Kindling—Make matters worse. React like kindling wood added to fire.
• Suffering—Poor me.
• Surviving—Pretty essential, but don’t you want more?
• Resilience—Bouncing back to where you were before.
• Thriving—Flourishing not only in spite of the crisis, but because of it.

You don’t want to just survive or to bounce back do you? You want to thrive. Communicate it. With confidence. Even if you don’t feel it.

TELL THE STORY

Tell your story. What the situation is now and where you want to be in the future—which should be a much better place. Between those two things, now and the future, is the path to success. To travel that path, you will have to have the

• Courage to Be Creative
• Courage to Change
• Courage to Commit

CHANGE AND COMMIT

The two mega-elephants in the room. Change and commitment. All the bold, creative thinking in the world won’t get you to a successful future without the courage to change—and commit to that change.

Donald N. Sull, author of “Revival of The Fittest: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Managers Remake Them” (Harvard Business School Press), discussed commitments with me in an article we did together. How to use commitments to revitalize, rebuild and transform a company into a market leader again. It pretty much boiled down to commitments. “Effective, transforming commitments share three characteristics: they are credible, clear, and courageous,” according to Professor Sull.

TO WHAT?

Now the question is, commit to what? What, with all your boldness, courage, creativity and plans for change, are you going to commit to?

How are those commitments going to be the pathway from where you are to where you want to be? To help you climb the mountain—to move the mountain—that’s the crisis you’re in today?

To help you flourish not only in spite of the crisis, but because of it? To help you, your department and your company to become what Dr. Pearsall defined as a “Thriver?”

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Those are the questions for your answer. But take heart. It’s been done before. Lots. Here’s one example of a “Thriver” who turned tragedy and crisis into a symphonic unity that resonates to this day.

FROM “ODE TO MISERY” TO “ODE TO JOY”

Beethoven’s ninth symphony, “Ode to Joy,” was written when Beethoven was totally deaf. The chords and chorus heard only in his mind. Was he crazy? Was he so crazy as to think that this musical wonder haunting his mind could be adequately expressed to others though he could not hear himself?

On May 7, 1824, at Vienna’s Kärtnertor Theater, “The Ninth Symphony” was first performed. Beethoven, totally deaf, could not conduct the premiere. But, he did stand next to the conductor during the performance to indicate proper tempi.

WEEP NOT FOR ME MY ODE TO JOY

On the final note of the premiere, the audience exploded with thunderous applause. But Beethoven, standing next to the conductor with his back to the crowd, looked straight ahead—he didn’t know.

He had heard nothing.

His “Ode to Joy” was received with rare, effusively raw human emotion. The kind reserved for awe-inspiring moments of a singular human’s triumph over seemingly unconquerable odds. And, most unusually, some of the players in the orchestra wept.

Raucous cheering. Yells and tears echoed, thundered.

None of which Beethoven could hear. He continued to conduct.

The solo contralto noticed Beethoven’s introspective incomprehension, and turned him around. One could only wonder what went through his mind at that moment. He could not hear.

But he could see. He bowed before the cheering crowd.

Beethoven lived.

Beethoven thrived.

Now go—be like Beethoven

There are no easy answers.

THE END CHALLENGE

At the end of your presentation challenge everyone.  At the very end? Yes. Challenge them to action.

It’s your time to be bold.

Step up.

Act.

Stand out.

Lead.

Move your mountains. Make some miracles.