(Originally posted on November 5th) Today was a bit special. Today I got to assist a local school, in Suffolk here in the UK, with some presentation training for the Lower Sixth form – so, roughly 16 to 17 year olds. What an inspired idea on the part of the school.

Well, so indeed it proved because I was thoroughly entertained along the way with a variety of 5 minute presentations (in the ‘bare bones’ style – no AV aids) on a very broad range of topics. There was evidence of much hard work and preparation, along with the inevitable butterfly or two.

One speaker chose as her topic a stylishly contentious theme along the lines of ‘Why we shouldn’t give financial aid to developing countries’ (this was not her thesis nor indeed her conclusion but it proved an excellent starting point). Her articulate and engaging talk then took us through various questions, and suggested answers until, about halfway through, her talk really grew wings as she painted a picture in words for us of a well in Africa. Not just any well but a well using children-power by means of a roundabout. The children play on the roundabout, the roundabout generates the power to draw the water from the well. Thousands of gallons a day are provided to the residents at the ‘cost’ of an hour or two’s fun.

It so beautifully fitted the moment and provided such an iconic image that it has stayed with me ever since.

The moral of this particular tale? Just a reminder, really, to all speakers everywhere of the power of storytelling and, in particular, of clear pictures painted in words. Striking graphics are always good but, should you find yourself presenting/talking without the omnipresent laptop and projector, and you certainly should, then think hard about the pictures you can show nonetheless.

When Tolkein first wrote ‘The Lord of the Rings’ it was not an illustrated book and yet no-one who read it could have failed to have a whole panorama of striking images in their head (ok, strongly linked to archetypes in his case). A Dark Rider, an Orc, the Hobbits themselves – all much more than shadows. Shakespeare’s plays are full of the most stunning pictures painted in words and many speeches have inspired, and continue to inspire, artists to capture them on canvas.

It’s tempting to say that often the most compelling pictures are never drawn.  Which ones compel you?

One golden rule of presenting is that you are your most effective audio visual aid. Better still when supported by some finely crafted slides or other visual aids, no question. But the slides are there to do just that, support you, your argument, proposal, sale .. whatever it might be.

When presenting the main arguments or benefits, and in order to maximise the attention of your audience, you will often (very often in many cases) want them focused on you and what you are saying. The only feasible way of achieving this is to have no other distraction, particularly not up on the screen behind you. So, intersperse ‘blanks’ in your presentation slides when you need this full focus from them. Blank should mean something other than glaring white, but, within the context of your slides theme(s), something that in no way distracts. I prefer to use a washed out or blurred image (perhaps of the basic template design itself) that is pleasing but not distinct.

Then, when you are ready, you can move your story forward with the next summarising, explanatory or introductory slide and, crucially, everyone will be looking at it together. You retain control of the rhythm and pace and, to the greatest extent that you can, the attention of the entire audience as well.

It works. Try it next time and let me know if it worked for you.

Here’s a very short video on the same topic: