THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF PRESENTING

Make Presenting Well a Strategic Priority.
Presenting is a manager's second most important job, yet it's not always given the strategic forethought it deserves.

Get Professional Help.
Bad presentations cost much more than good ones. Save your firm time and money by investing in writing, design, technology and coaching.

Perfect Your Story, not Your Presentation.
The fanciest presentation won't make up for a weak message. The most valuable contribution a presentation can make is forcing you to refine your story.

Be a Ruthless Editor (or work with one).
The presentation that says everything, says nothing.

Under-design Your Presentation.
Good design is invisible — it becomes part of the story.

Make Only One Big Point.
It's impossible to make several big points — they only become several little ones.

Don't Work in a Vacuum.
None of us can see the forest for the trees. Objective feedback is essential.

Never Abdicate Your Argument to the Slides.
You are the presentation. You generate the credibility, not the visual aids.

Switch to "Plan B" Immediately.
The most memorable presentations are the ones that go wrong. Don't waste valuable time "fixing" anything — just present without it.

Never Use the Word "Rehearse."
Athletes don't rehearse, they train and practice — so they can win.
Don't say "I need to rehearse," say "I need to win."