Slumber Party

While lounging in my pajamas with the ALPS angels, the discussion has turned to presentations. I look at events like the Global Citizenship Program Collaboratory at Webster University as an opportunity to engage in some participant observation and learn more about what to do and not to do when presenting information to an audience. To me there is always room for improvement, and the better I get at this form of communication, the more effectively I can teach the skill to students.

We’ve posted about student presentations several times before — for example, here, here, here, and here — but I don’t think I’ve provided you with the list of resources on presentations to which I refer students. Here is it:

• Helio Fred Garcia, “Hijacking Emotion is the Key to Engaging Your Audience,” Fast Company.
• Tara Sophia Mohr, “Eight Ways Women Undermine Themselves With Their Words.”
• Amy Cuddy, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are,” TED..
• Allan Pease, “Power Is In the Palm of Your Hands,” TEDx.
• Tell a story — Wienot Films, “Powerful Presentations: Simply Stated.”
• Jenna Marbles — she’s brilliant, has become even more talented with practice, and earns millions of dollars per year.

Last but not least, this is the best fictional depiction of an effective presentation that I’ve ever seen — “The Carousel,” from the TV show Mad Men.