How to Develop a Presentation Mindset for Engaging Communication

I’ve worked with so many students who are brilliant, but might not sound like it. They often ramble and stumble (if someone didn’t know them personally, they might label them as “not bright”). Here’s how I have trained 10,000+ students to sound smart (without faking it): 1. Speak in short, structured sentences Using big words and long sentences is the fastest way to lose credibility. People can see that you’re hiding behind jargon. So, instead: • Use short, declarative sentences • Pick simple, specific words • Structure your thoughts (“First... Second... Third...”) And here’s a bonus: pair your points with gestures (like holding up fingers). It increases your clarity, both verbally and nonverbally. — 2. Clarity = Competence Get to the point fast. Explain: • The problem • The solution • What you don’t know, and how you’ll figure it out That last one is underrated. Being able to say “Here’s what I don’t know (yet)” shows confidence, not weakness. — 3. Pay attention to your body gestures Avoid touching your face, fidgeting, or rubbing your neck during a conversation. These subconscious gestures signal “I’m nervous and unsure,” which erodes trust and credibility. . – 4. Want a confidence boost? Try this mindset: “I’m lucky.” Before a big meeting, pitch, or interview, try this: “I’m the perfect person for this. I’m lucky to be here, and they’re lucky to have me.” This mindset instantly upgrades your posture, tone, and energy. People trust those who believe in themselves. We trust people who feel lucky and capable. — 5. Know your story. Own your role. People with strong narrative identity—who know how their story fits into the moment—radiate confidence. Go in knowing: • What you bring • What do you want • How does this opportunity fit your bigger story — 6. One last tip: Nail the first impression. Before any big interaction, ask: “How can I be of service?” It instantly reorients your focus away from nerves, and toward connection. Whether you're in sales, therapy, leadership, or interviewing, that simple question builds warmth and trust. You don’t have to act smart. Speak clearly. Know what you know, own what you don’t, and bring presence and purpose into the room. That’s how you sound like the smart, capable person you already are.

🎤 "From stage fright to spotlight: How I went from bombing my first speech to coaching clients for their keynotes. My 3-week formula for presentation success..." As someone who has delivered countless presentations, I've developed a 3-week formula for conference success. Let me walk you through my process and share some insights I've gained along the way. 3️⃣ Weeks Out: • Outline key points - I identify 3-5 core messages I want the audience to remember • Create an inspiring mood board 🖼️ - This helps me visualize the presentation's tone and style. This also provides me with inspiration. 2️⃣ Weeks Out: • Craft presentation draft - I focus on creating a coherent narrative flow • I aim for 1 slide per 3 minutes of allocated time - This ensures I don't overwhelm the audience with information and also allows me to read the room if certain topics create more engagement • Weave in a compelling narrative arc - I use storytelling techniques to engage listeners. Villains, Heroes, Fairy Tale Endings! 1️⃣ Week Out: • Polish transitions - Smooth segues between topics to maintain audience attention and keep the presentation from feeling choppy • Perfect timing ⏱️ - I practice with a timer to ensure I respect the allotted time slot 2️⃣ Days Before: • Full run-through with notes 📝 - This helps identify any weak spots in the presentation and ensures I have notes for a fallback 1️⃣ Day Before: • Practice without notes - This builds confidence and improves natural delivery • Familiarize myself with the venue - Understanding the space helps me plan my stage presence ⏰ Day Of: • Don't overprepare the day of - you got this and last-minute changes can trip you up • Nail the first 30 seconds - A strong opening sets the tone for the entire talk • Smile and get comfortable on stage 😊 - Positive body language helps connect with the audience ✅ Pro Tips: 1. Use bullet points, not complete scripts. This keeps delivery natural and engaging. I've found memorizing word-for-word can lead to stilted delivery if I lose my place. 2. Be authentically you. Your unique perspective is your superpower on stage. Audiences respond to genuine speakers who share personal insights. 3. Incorporate audience interaction. I like to include a brief Q&A session or a quick poll by hand to keep listeners actively engaged. 4. Leverage the power of pause. Strategic silences can emphasize key points and give the audience time to absorb information. 5. Prepare for tech issues. I always assume the presentation won't work and I will just have to speak to it as a worst-case scenario. 6. Connect with other speakers. Networking at conferences can lead to valuable collaborations and future opportunities. Remember, public speaking is a skill that improves with practice. Each presentation is an opportunity to refine your technique and connect with your audience in meaningful ways. #PublicSpeaking #PresentationSkills #ConferenceTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #SpeakerPrep #StagePresence

I remember being scared to death to speak in front of my classmates.    For most people, fear of public speaking is greater than fear of death! Being able to speak effectively to groups is a key leadership skill, but fear can hold us back, cause us to doubt our abilities and shy away from opportunities that could propel us forward. I decided to follow my mother’s advice and take a public speaking class. Fast forward to today, over forty years later. I learned public speaking skills, taught university classes, and became a marketing and sales director.  I went on to become a paid speaker, life coach and the host of The Hero Within Podcast.  Learning public speaking was one of the most important career decisions I've ever made. Through the years, I've had the privilege of coaching others to become better entrepreneurs and leaders.   Whether it's delivering a sales pitch, leading a staff meeting, or engaging the audience, effective communication is critical to success. I continue to learn from my coaches who are helping me improve my presentation skills.  It isn't a one-time endeavor; it's an ongoing process that significantly enhances our effectiveness as a leader. Here are seven steps to becoming a better presenter and a more effective communicator: 1. Know your audience, their needs and interests.  Research and understand their problems and gear your message to solving a specific problem. 2. Become well versed in your content, allowing you to deliver it confidently.  Don’t memorize your material because then you’ll sound scripted.  Instead, be comfortable enough that you can talk about the main points from your heart. 3. Practice, practice, practice and practice some more!  It’s great to practice in front of a mirror, and it helps to become comfortable hearing your own voice. 4. Become an engaging storyteller to connect with your listeners.  Personal stories or hypothetical scenarios can make complex information more relatable to the audience. 5. Pay attention to your nonverbal body language, using posture, gestures and movement to enhance your impact.  Your posture conveys your level of confidence and your eye contact helps the audience build connection with you. 6. Manage nervousness by focusing on the excitement to share your message.  Instead of telling ourselves to “calm down,” reframing our anxiety as excitement is more effective because the feelings are nearly the same physiologically!    7. Actively seek feedback and continuously work to improve.  Be the first to give yourself feedback, assessing what you think went well and what you think you could improve.  You may also seek feedback from audience members, mentors, or your coach.  Take the feedback that you feel applies, disregard the rest and continue practicing.  See #3. By embracing these principles and dedicating yourself to ongoing growth, you’ll increase your speaking skills, empowering yourself to lead and inspire others with clarity and confidence.  

You know that sinking feeling… Someone interrupts your carefully prepared presentation with “But what about...?” and raises a point you never considered. Everyone is looking at you, and you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. In that moment, the idea or solution you’ve been presenting weighs in the balance. Address the resistance well, and your idea will likely be adopted with even more optimism than before. Address it poorly, and your idea is as good as gone. Here’s a quick overview of my “RAP” formula that you can use in these moments to turn blindside objections into “aha” moments. 1. R: Recognize the type of resistance you’re facing: - Logical resistance (conflicting data or reasoning) - Emotional resistance (values or identity challenges) - Practical resistance (implementation concerns) 2. A: Address it proactively in your presentation: - For logical resistance: Acknowledge competing viewpoints before they’re raised. "Some might point to last quarter’s numbers as evidence against this approach. Here’s why that perspective is incomplete..." - For emotional resistance: Connect your idea to their existing values. "This initiative actually strengthens our commitment to customer-first thinking by..." - For practical resistance: Demonstrate you’ve considered the real-world constraints. "I know this requires significant change. Here’s our phased implementation plan that accounts for..." 3. P: Provide a path forward that transforms resistance into alignment: - Give them space to voice concerns (but in a structured way) - Incorporate their perspective into the solution - Show how addressing their resistance actually strengthens the outcome The most powerful thing you can say in a presentation isn’t "trust me", it’s "I understand your concerns." When you genuinely see resistance as valuable feedback rather than an obstacle, you’ll find your ideas gaining traction where they previously stalled. #CommunicationSkills #BusinessCommunication #PresentationSkills

“How do you do it?” “What do you mean?” “How do you sound so confident speaking in front of people?” I had just finished a workshop for a corporate client when a couple of participants approached me. “When you present, do you rehearse? How long does it take you to practise and know what to say?” one asked. “I listen. I pay attention. I build on other people’s ideas. But most of all, I changed my mindset on how I see public speaking.” Like most people, I was terrified to speak in front of others. In my corporate life, I barely uttered a word in meetings. I was petrified when presenting—I’m guilty of talking to my slides instead of the audience. But that all changed when I embraced storytelling. Suddenly, the audience wasn’t hostile anymore. It was friendly. Now, when I speak in front of people, I share stories. It helps me connect with the audience. How Storytelling Transformed My Public Speaking 1. Engagement: Stories capture attention. People love listening to stories because they are engaging and relatable. 2. Connection: Stories create an emotional connection. They allow you to connect with your audience on a personal level, making your message more memorable. 3. Simplification: Stories simplify complex ideas. They help break down complicated concepts into understandable chunks. 4. Credibility: Sharing personal stories builds trust. When you share your experiences, it shows authenticity and credibility. 5. Structure: Stories provide a natural structure. They give your presentation a clear beginning, middle, and end, making it easier to follow. By changing my mindset and using storytelling techniques, I turned my fear into confidence. And so can you. P.S. What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to public speaking? Let’s discuss in the comments! If you need help crafting your story or building confidence, feel free to reach out. I’m here to help! #whatsyourstory #storytelling #publicspeaking

As a Data guy, I had certain beliefs about presenting. I feel icky admitting this, but I used to think... "Can I impress them with my charts and graphs?" If you've ever seen a data analyst present, you've seen this. Data Analysts love their charts and graphs. But the truth is... Pretty graphics don't win people over, especially Senior Leaders. My problem was... my ego. And it actually made me a ball of nerves. So why does this matter to you? Because when presenting is about YOU, it's all wrong. Being impressive isn't about great slides... being extra funny or sarcastic... or having a one line zinger... Business leaders aren't impressed by this. Here's the key that changed everything… Your Leaders want Team Members who know this: Great business presentations are about being RELEVANT for your audience. Here are 5 ways to be more RELEVANT when speaking... so you can engage your audience and win them over. (See if you see the common thread.) 1️⃣ Start with their priorities Don’t open with your outline. Start with what they care about. 2️⃣ Use their language and examples Skip buzzwords. Speak in terms they already use day-to-day. 3️⃣ Answer: what does this mean for them? After every key point, tie it to... what and why it matters to them. 4️⃣ Prioritize what impacts their world Cut anything that’s irrelevant... Oh, and don't think emotions don't matter Every leader makes decisions with some emotion. 5️⃣ Tailor your visuals and data to your audience Your examples and slides should reflect... their world, not yours. Did you see the common thread? Notice how being engaging & impressive is about THEM! Yes, great communicators know it's about the audience! Focus on SERVING them and you'll engage (and impress) them. Why? Because... Serving others reduces nerves (and your ego). Relevance to your audience earns attention. Speaking in their language builds credibility. Was there one of the 5 that stood out to you? - - - - - If we haven't met, I'm Cooper, and I help business professionals grow their confidence & credibility when speaking and presenting. +Follow me for more actionable tips.

When I first became responsible for reporting information, ideas, and results to an executive audience, my presentations were… Not great. Not good. Really bad. My slides were disjointed, and cluttered with every piece of information I thought *might* be important. They were basically placeholders for data vomit, rather than individual pieces of a cohesive story. Then I listened to (and re-read) The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking and it reshaped how I approach not just presentation building, but deliverable output as a whole. Here’s how I applied the book’s five elements to my presentation problem. 🌎 Understand deeply Instead of jumping straight into PowerPoint (which, side note, I’m quickly becoming a Figma Slides convert), I now start with an outline in a Word doc. This forces me to think deeply about my message first. I use the outline to identify core insights and ensure I truly understand what needs to be communicated before I ever touch a slide 🔥 Make Mistakes My early drafts are messy. And long. Intentionally. But I always share them with my CRO for feedback. Each iteration, each mistake, each cut, helps refine the narrative, eliminate distractions, and clarify the message. 💨 Raise questions Throughout the entire outlining process I’m asking myself questions, and letting their answers lead me to more questions. “What’s the ONE idea this slide needs to communicate?” “How does this fit into the larger story I’m trying to tell?” “How does each slide connect to the next?” “How can I guide the audience toward a conclusion instead of overwhelming them with details?” Etc. 💦 Follow the flow of ideas My biggest unlock came when I stopped seeing each deck as a standalone task and started treating every presentation as part of a larger, evolving conversation. The best presentations don’t just deliver information, they connect past discussions to future decisions. I began revisiting previous decks, looking at how ideas had evolved, how decisions had changed, and deciding how/if my messaging needed to shift in response. Instead of reinventing the wheel every time, I build on what has come before. This allows me to create continuity, reinforce key themes, and ensure each presentation moves the conversation forward. 🔁 Engage change A client once told me, point blank, that my decks were “completely useless.” Brutal? Yes. But ultimately a valuable lesson. In that moment, I had two choices: ignore him and keep doing what I was doing, or lean into the discomfort and use it as fuel to improve. I chose the latter. Engaging change meant breaking old habits. - Letting go of information-heavy slides. - Shifting from “here’s everything I know” to “here’s what you need to know.” Engaging change helped me refine my focus, improve my messaging, and, transform how I communicate ideas. - - - How do you approach creating a presentation? Share your process below 👇

Since 2015, I have spoken to more than 15,000 people in 10+ countries including Singapore, The United States, Lithuania, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Turkey, Sweden and so on. Here are 5 tips that helped me deliver engaging presentations and these tips can help you too. Come closer to the screen: 1. Master Storytelling: Always, always and always start with a story. Storytelling is the most important skill you may need to have. Regular presentations are boring. The stories are memorable. 2. Get the Audiences Involved: Meet and greet, and get the audiences involved from the second or third sentence. Ask a question or invite them to share some thoughts. Once they are involved, now you all are in the same wavelength. 3. Seeing is Believing: Colorful and easy to view slides are your friend but you gotta be ready to go. Seeing is believing which means people love to see good visuals but nobody wants to read too long texts. Keep that in mind for your next presentation. 4. Stay Hungry, Stay Humble: A presenter who is authentic and comes with humility, open-mind and with an intention to give and take is the best combination. Audiences love authentic presenters and this is the formula for a successful presentation and interaction. 5. LAST Method and Never Argue: Listen, Ask, Speak, and Thank but never argue with audience members. Arguing with someone from the audience is the worst way for any presenter to "prove a point." Also, never turn your back to the audiences to read from your slides. And, keep your hands out of your pocket. No matter who you are, learn to respect the audiences. That's the best way to deliver engaging presentations and be a memorable speaker.

I’ve spent the past few weeks working with a group of speakers preparing for a large corporate event, and I keep seeing the same 5 pitfalls. It felt right to share here on LinkedIn, because it’s relevant for anyone pitching a client, presenting to your team, or speaking on a stage: 1. Resist the urge to lead with an intro, "Hi, my name is." Start with a strong hook - a question, a statement that announces the problem you’re about to solve, instead of leading by introducing yourself. And let’s please stop going around with some “hot start” where your entire team gives intros in a cheeky way for a new business pitch or client presentation. Just introduce yourself before you’re about to speak and then go into what problem you’ll be solving for the client if they hire you. 2. Establish the stakes. Why is the work you’re doing so important? What would happen if you didn’t do it? What are the stakes of the problem or challenge you’re outlining? 3. Tell a personal story. If you can take a personal story (yours, a customers, someone your work impacted) and thread it through the talk or presentation, everyone in the room will walk away remembering some part of that person’s journey. They’ll visualize the person, they’ll develop an emotional connection to them, and they’ll remember your talk long after it’s over. 4. Practice your steps and hand gestures. Choreography is a big part of presenting, and far too many people focus only on the words they’re saying. I am someone who speaks with my hands, which can be distracting on stage. That’s why when I’m preparing for a talk, I run through how I will walk around on the stage and when I will stop to make a point. Ask me about the triangle method I learned while prepping for my TEDx talk! Be aware of your body but not too self conscious of it. Move your hands so they add emphasis but don’t distract. Record yourself walking around your office or living room rehearsing, even if it makes you cringe. This will help you make any necessary adjustments as you go. 5. Focus on ONE message. Be clear on the one major takeaway you want people to remember after you leave the stage, the room, the meeting. Don’t muddle your message or try to communicate too many things in too little time. Keep going back to your one main thing. Repeat it if you have to. Make your point, and don’t dilute the point with tangents or unnecessary details. Restate your point in closing. What else makes or breaks a great presentation? I’d love to hear your best advice!

No one learns by being talked at. Adults learn by doing, reflecting, and trying again. Last week, I had the privilege of leading a presentation skills workshop for the ESCP - European Society of Coloproctology. What stood out? The energy in the room. A small, engaged group of professionals fully invested in leveling up their skills. Within the first 45 minutes, participants were already presenting. Why? Because real growth comes from action. You can’t master communication by sitting back and listening. You have to step in, try, and refine. Here are three techniques we practiced (and you can start using today): → State your one-sentence takeaway *before* showing a slide. This sets the stage for your audience. → Open with a clear promise of value, then guide your audience with a structured agenda. → Use the PRA method for Q&A: Pause. Reframe the question. Answer with 1-2-3 points for clarity. By the end of the day, the progress was visible. Confidence grew. Messages became sharper. And every participant left with tools to amplify their impact. Thank you to Gabrielle van Ramshorst and the ESCP team for creating a space where curiosity and commitment thrived. If your organization or leadership team is ready for practical, hands-on training that delivers measurable improvement, let’s talk. Together, we can build clarity, confidence, and connection.