By Esther W Hudson MAdEd CPHR, Managing Partner, Capability Connections Consulting
It’s going to be the vacation of a lifetime! Finally, you’ve saved enough money to go to Paris. There’s so much to see: The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, designer boutiques along the Rue du Faubourg….and, oh yes, enjoying a continental breakfast in a cute café. You ask yourself: “Will I get stuck going around the traffic circle at the Arc de Triomphe at rush hour? Will I manage without knowing French?” So many hopes and fears.
You pull out the travel book you have had for years, waiting for this trip. You open the cover and quickly flip through the pages. There are hardly any pictures and the few that are in the book are only in black and white! You skim the text, which is so small it is hard to read. All you can find is facts and figures: dates, heights, and numbers of various events and structures. Disappointed, you close the book and wonder why you wasted your time reading it and, more importantly, saving it for all these years.
So what does this experience have to do with accounting and presentations? The answer is everything. Accounting content may not be as exciting as sites in Paris, but your audience shares the same proclivity for boredom when nothing exciting is happening. As humans we love stories. They engage us. We are momentarily immersed in a new world of colour, emotion, and possibilities. We enjoy and remember the dynamic storyteller at a party who shares a surprising experience in a way that holds us in rapt attention. We may forget their name, but we remember their story.
What makes a good presentation
Good presentations have clear, uncluttered, readable slides that are visually appealing. Rules such as one idea per slide should be faithfully obeyed.
Similarly, the presenter should speak clearly and at an appropriate volume, avoiding any distracting behaviour. Good presentations are factual and clear, but they don’t have the firepower to be remembered. Unfortunately, having a good presentation doesn’t change minds and inform new action.
How to make a great presentation
Great presentations—ones that people remember—require much more. These presentations don’t just give facts; they translate facts into meaning and pave the way for meaningful discussions and informed decision-making. Facts are expressed in interesting, creative ways that create a robust intellectual understanding of the present reality. They provide the fuel for well-reasoned discussions of possibilities. In short, great presentations have the capability to inform and motivate innovation in this crazy world.
In the seminar Making Numbers Come Alive: Storytelling for Accountants, you will learn how to influence your clients by telling compelling stories that explain, clarify, and strengthen the meaning of the numbers. You will also learn other high-performance and whole-brain approaches to increase the impact of what you are reporting or recommending. The result will be a dramatic impact in your ability to engender trust and influence decision-makers at every level.
Sign up for the upcoming full-day seminar, Making Numbers Come Alive: Storytelling for Accountants taking place over two days, November 23 & 24 and May 17 & 18.
Esther W Hudson MAdEd CPHR, Managing Partner, Capability Connections Consulting
Esther’s consulting work focuses on helping organizations build the capability and commitment of their people to achieve breakthrough results. Leadership development, thinking training, customer service, change management, and culture assessment are particular specialties.
Her experience includes over 30 years of consulting, specializing in human resource development, working with clients in a wide range of companies. She is an accomplished conference speaker and facilitator. Her sessions encourage people to think more deeply about what they are doing and to have the confidence to take constructive action and create change.
Esther received Bachelors of Arts and Education degrees from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, holds a Master of Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University, and is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR).
