The Power of Storytelling

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By: Sam Swaminathan

Here is a quick question for you: What has influenced your thinking the most in your life?

In response to a survey I sent out to some three thousand senior executives which had the above question, the overwhelming majority responded back by replying that the stories they heard [from parents, grandparents, friends, community leaders, etc.] influenced their thinking more than anything else.

Come to think of it, isn’t that what we do with our own children? We tell our children stories before they go to bed, when there is a celebration at home, when we want them to learn about the great people who lived before us… the list is endless.

Stories are powerful influencers, perhaps more than any other influencer. Imagine yourself at a meeting with a venture capitalist.  You need a few million dollars to develop new technology that will make clean water available at practically no cost. It’s one thing to present a few dozen slides showing revenues, costs, discounted cash flows, and projected profitability. Imagine that you present the slides and then relate a story about a trip you made to Bangladesh, where you found millions of people suffering from inadequate and polluted water supply, and how one family in this little village lost three children as a result of polluted water. Then, you conjure a scene where this new technology has been implemented in that village, and the entire village has an inexhaustible source of inexpensive, safe water. There are no more deaths due to water pollution. The villagers have been liberated!

While the former presentation would appeal to all the rational instincts of people, the latter is likely to appeal to the rational and emotional instincts of the listeners. And there lies the power of storytelling. A good story memorably narrated can influence thinking profoundly, as it absorbs and engages the listener.

There is another powerful item at play. The world is being driven more and more by knowledge. Knowledge workers are very different from industrial age workers. They think more holistically, and are therefore more likely to be influenced by a combination of reason and emotion. As someone said about Powerpoint presentations – hey, we have lots of points, but where’s the power?

While not everyone is a natural storyteller, all of us can learn to become better at it. It is also a very liberating experience to tell a good story and watch the audience “get” the point. 

Good stories cut across age, geography, gender, religion and culture. In a globalized world, well articulated stories are a vital and necessary part of the leader’s arsenal.

A well told story is almost always more powerful than a logical argument.    

By: Sam Swaminathan

2015 Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc.

 

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 Related Training topics include: Presentation Skills Courses, Train the Trainer Courses and Sales Training

Swat Those Mosquitoes in Your Business Presentations (Part II: Tips J-Z)

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By: Mandi Stanley

“In this jungle we call public speaking, in the end, it’s not the lion or the tiger that eats you alive—it’s the mosquito!”

In Part I, we considered tips A – I to keep insects from creeping into your business presentations and undermining your credibility with your audiences. Now, please consider these remaining J – Z tips to be the ideal fly swatters to rid your next presentation of any pesky problems.

Journal Your Ideas
I keep an “Idea Journal” for each of my main topics. That way I am never at a loss for fresh material. These journals have saved me on a number of occasions. Here are some samples of what I will add to my “Idea Journal” or files.

• Related articles

• Quotations

• Real-world examples from coworkers

• Funny stories I hear

• Brainstorms!

• Illustrations

• Ideas for exercises

• Sample visual aids

Know Your Subject, Your Audience, and Yourself
Let’s focus on the “Know Yourself” part. Prepare yourself physically, mentally and emotionally before you speak.

• Loosen up by stretching

• Just say “no” to alcohol and caffeine before your presentation

• Do drink plenty of water

• Avoid consuming dairy products beforehand—they can contribute to throat congestion

• Eat a light breakfast or lunch, but do not overdo it

• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes - It’s not the time to break in new ones

• Oh, and don’t forget to breathe!

Lose the Lectern
Easy Idea: You do not want a barrier standing between you and your audience. Participants will not feel as close a connection with you. Instead of blocking your body by standing behind the lectern, turn it at a slight angle (45 degrees) and stand to the side of it. That way, you are in full view of your audience, and you can still peek nonchalantly at your notes if you need to.

The beginning of your speech is no time for weak small talk and gibberish or “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.” Nor is it the time to tell people the joke you just heard out in the hallway two minutes ago. If you have not prepared to say it, resist the temptation to do so. Instead, when you have a strong opening sentence that you have practiced and prepared and can speak with confidence no matter what your circumstances, you will immediately tame the butterflies in your stomach and win your audience’s attention.

• Start strong

• End stronger

• Memorize your first and last sentences

• Nix Your Nervousness

Nervous symptoms include the following:
These can sabotage any presentation. Turn that nervous energy into good adrenaline by identifying those symptoms, taking control of your surroundings, focusing on your audience rather than yourself, knowing your first and last sentences, and using these ideas to set the stage for success. 

• Quivering voice

• Shaky hands

• Trembling knees and legs

• Sweaty palms

• Dry mouth

• Rapid breathing

• Knots in your stomach

• Lack of focus

• Blotchy skin

• Rapid heartbeat

Open with Oomph
Which of these approaches can you use to get more creative with the opening of your next presentation? Decide now, and use it tomorrow!

Hook your audience with these attention-grabbing openers:  

• Tell a story with which the audience can relate.

• Ask a provocative question.

• Share some startling statistics.

• Use humor, though not necessarily a joke.

• Quote someone.

• Tie in a newsworthy current event.

• Involve them in a discussion or activity.

Pack Your Bags
Have you remembered all the props and equipment necessary to make your presentation a smashing success? Do not forget anything! Here is a sample checklist. Use it to create your own, and check it each and every time.

• Overhead transparencies

• Overhead markers

• Flipchart pads

• Flipchart markers

• Transparent tape

• Masking tape

• Portable microphone and equipment

• Extra copies of workbooks and other learning guides

• CD player

• CDs

• Slide projector

• Slides

• Remote control

• Laptop

• Presentation software

• Writing utensils

• Props and visual aids

• Door prizes

• Candy

• Emergency clothing

• Other

Quicken Your Wit
Have an arsenal of prepared one-liners that you have rehearsed but that appear spontaneous. The perception is that you are able to think—and speak—on your feet. 

• What do you do if your overhead projector blows a bulb?

• How do you respond when an audience member’s cell phone rings?

• What if your opening story “lays an egg”?

I recommend buying—and reading—What to Say When You’re Dying on the Platform: A Complete Resource for Speakers, Trainers, and Executives, by Lilly Walters. Published by McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1995.  Think about it:  What will you say the next time your microphone shorts out on you during your talk? I have my one-liner ready. Do you have yours?

Rehearse—Rehearse—Rehearse
Before an important presentation (and they are all important)

• Practice in front of a mirror.

• Rehearse in front of your spouse.

• Invite some friends over, pop some popcorn, and let them be your audience.

• Videotape yourself.

• Audiotape yourself, and then listen to it in your car.

• Repeat selected sections of your speech three or four times.

Support Yourself with Speaker’s Stance

1. Step One –  Stand with your feet slightly under shoulders’ width apart.

2. Step Two –  Elongate your spine and assume good posture.

3. Step Three – Stand with your weight slightly forward in your stance, concentrated on the balls of your feet.

4. Step Four –  Let your arms rest naturally at your sides.

Speaker’s stance keeps you from the lazy habits of crossing your ankles, locking your knees, or resting all of your weight on one leg. It looks natural and comfortable to your audience. Practice speaker’s stance. Get comfortable with it.

Tell them.  Remember the Madison Avenue Approach.

• Tell them what you are going to tell them.

• Tell them.

• Tell them what you told them.

Unclutter Your Transparencies and Slides
Consider the following design guidelines for preparing crisp, clean, and consistent visual aids:

• Use the 6 X 6 Rule: No more than six lines of text with no more than six words per line.

• Leave plenty of white space. Resist the temptation to cram too much information onto one slide.

• Use sans serif type for transparencies and slides. Examples are arial and univers.

• Use yellow text on a black background or white text on a green background for maximum readability.

Voice Your Vocal Concerns
Tape yourself to monitor verbal crutches you may not be aware of. These are fillers such as:

• “Uh”

• “Ummmm”

• “And, uh”

• Continual throat-clearing

• Continual lip-smacking

They also include “favorite words.” A participant in one of my seminars in Portland, Maine, approached me at the first break to ask me, “Did you know you said the word ‘particular’ six times during your presentation?” I have always remembered that. Other examples could be “and,” “the point is,” “y’ know,” “like,” “well,” “basically,” and “okay.”

Can you identify your favorite fillers? Better yet, can someone else tell you?

WII FM Your Audience
Remember: Before you hit the stage, your audience is tuning into WIIFM radio. The format of that station is “What’s In It For Me?” It is the station in life through which we filter everything. Our audience members are listening while wondering “What’s in it for me?”

•  Simply ask yourself: Am I giving them a reason to listen? Have I clearly stated the benefit to them?

•  What’s in it for my audience?

Express Sincerity
Internationally recognized speaker and seminar leader Larry Winget of Win Seminars! in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has this to say about sincerity and the speaking industry:

“Very few people will pay any attention to what you have to say. Most people won’t even believe what you have to say. But they will pay attention to see if you believe what you have to say.” - Larry Winget

You:  Remember You Are The Presentation

Dr. Albert Mehrabian reminds us

• 7 percent of our message is communicated through our words

• 38 percent is communicated through our tone of voice

• 55 percent is communicated through our body language and other cues

• Use this No-Panic Checklist every time to make sure your voice, posture, gestures, and dress are sending the message you desire

• Heed Zig Ziglar’s advice

Okay, I’ll admit: Z was a tough one.  But I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with best-selling author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar back in 1997 in Overland Park, Kansas. I will never forget his positive energy and words of advice to other presenters.  “Everyone has butterflies in their stomach. The only difference between a pro and an amateur is:  the pro has them flying in formation.” Use this No-Panic Checklist to get over the sweaty palms, shaky hands, quivering voice, and nervous energy you may encounter before an important presentation. Take control of these A-Z elements, stop focusing so much on yourself, and you will get your “butterflies flying in formation.

”After all, as Mr. Ziglar reminds us:  “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

By: Mandi Stanley

© 2025 Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc.

 

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The Power of Presenting 
(An Essential Skill in Today’s Competitive Markets)

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By:  Mike Bayly

 

“It was the “umms” and “errs” that I remembered, not their message.”

If you want to win that order, you need to wow your prospects and customers with a well- prepared and professionally delivered presentation. In today’s highly competitive markets, the difference in presentations between competitors can make the difference between success and failure.

When you stand up and give a presentation, it’s so easy to be unaware of all the little distractions that detract from your message.  How many times have you heard a presentation with every other sentence joined with “umms” and “errs” or “OK” or that common one of teenagers today, “like”?  Did you remember the message or was it the “um” rating?!  Your audience will not thank you if you do that and even worse you could lose the order.

So what can you do about it? Well, PRESENTING is a skill, and skills can be learned. You first need to PREPARE your presentation. Winging it in today’s business environment just will not fly anymore. After all, the eagle, the symbol of America, does not wing it. It soars, finds its prey, hovers to make sure it can achieve, and then goes for the kill. It PREPARES, and so must you.  With a well-prepared presentation, you will not have to worry about forgetting what you are going to say. One of the reasons why people get so nervous is they think they are going to dry up.

You obviously need to know your subject, but only pick the 10% that’s RELEVANT to your audience – resist the temptation to “impress” them with your knowledge by overwhelming them. They will not be able to absorb it and will just tune out. You have lost them! When you have decided on which 10% to use, you need to STRUCTURE it. Start with your basic message and then expand it in a logical sequence. And when you start your presentation, tell your audience what you are going to talk about – give them a “roadmap” of your subject. Then they will be able to follow you.

DON’T fill your slides with a huge amount of information. Use just KEYWORDS and then talk around them – it will be much more natural. Otherwise you will lose your audience as they try and figure out what on earth the relevance of the information presented is to what you are saying. A bit like a movie when the voice is out of sync with the picture – the brain gets confused. If you have something complex to show, use a PICTURE or a simple diagram. There is much less likelihood of any confusion than if you only use words – after all the brain does not “see” words. It interprets those words to form an image and unless the relationship between the words and the image were all made at the same time to the same audience, there is a very high probability that each member of the audience will “see” a different picture – not what you are trying to achieve!

When you have prepared your presentation you think you are ready, but the actual delivery can be the most daunting activity.  You break out in a sweat, you start to shake, and the brain decides it’s going to sleep! Sound familiar? Well now you need to prepare yourself. You need to relax. Just stand with your hands loosely at your sides and gradually relax all your muscles in your body. Take a deep breath and then hold it before gradually expelling. Do this a few times. Fill your lungs, just like a singer or a wind instrument player because if you talk in a “conversational” voice, your audience will very quickly become bored. You need to develop a “presentational” voice. You speak more slowly, deliberately, with more power (remember the back row – they would like to hear what you are saying too) and instead of all those non-words (the “umms” and “errs”) use a PAUSE. A pause is very powerful. It gives your audience time to absorb what you have just said, and it gives you time to collect your thoughts. Have clearly in your mind the first 30 seconds of what you are going to say and practice it over and over. And make sure it GRABS their attention.

You do not get a second chance to make a first impression!

By:  Mike Bayly

© 2025 Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc.

 

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Swat Those Mosquitoes in Your Business Presentations (Part I: Tips A-I)

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By: Mandi Stanley

Part One

A wise woman from Amory, Mississippi, once gave me some advice I will never forget. It’s one of those catchy Southern sayings that just kinda’ sticks with you through the years:

“In this jungle of life, in the end, it’s not the lion or the tiger that eats you alive—it’s the mosquito! Honey, don’t be caught without a fly swatter.”

Success (or failure) today is found in the details—the daily decisions—that shape and mold us.

Likewise, the same can be said for those of us called upon to speak or present to a group of people. Whether you are a sales professional armed with your laptop and PowerPoint, or a committee chairperson sharing information with your peers around a conference table, or the corporate trainer for a Fortune 500 organization, or the president of your local Rotary Club, or even a Sunday school teacher, speaking in front of a group can be either the most terrifying or the most rewarding experience of your life.

You can know your content cold, but do not miss that up to 93 percent of your message comes from your eye contact, body movement, vocal tone, gestures, posture, filler phrases, even your clothing, hair, and shoes.

Even if you know what you are going to say, awareness of the other elements involved will prevent you from sending your audience distracting mixed messages. So, before you hit the stage, before you approach the podium, before you open your mouth, remember:

“In this jungle we call public speaking, in the end, it’s not the lion or the tiger that eats you alive—it’s the mosquito!”

Please consider these quick A – Z tips to be the ideal fly swatter to rid your next presentation of any pesky problems.

Analyze Your Audience 
The success of your presentation depends on your ability to connect with your audience. It’s all about them—not you. Who is going to be listening? Can you answer these crucial questions about the audience before each presentation?

• Number of people present?

• Age?

• Gender?

• Educational background?

• Job titles and work responsibilities?

• Knowledge level of subject?

• Geographical location/culture?

• Attitude and interest level?

• “Hot Buttons” or taboo subjects?

Believe the Four “B’s” of Public Speaking 
My training manager at the American Management Association shared some of the best advice I received early in my career as a professional speaker. It is as simple as this:

• Be prepared

• Be interesting

• Be brief and

• Be seated!

Create Confidence 
As you speak, so are you perceived (and you eventually become). If you speak with confidence, you are perceived as confident, and you become more confident. These nonverbal cues let your audience know you believe in what you are saying and doing.  HINT: It is the same advice your mother gave you. Check the mirror before you go on stage, and remember:

• Stand up straight

• Make eye contact

• Smile

• Breathe

• Confidence begins in the eye of the beholder

Dress for Success

• What do you wear if the meeting is “business casual”?

• How do you know if you are dressed appropriately for your presentation?

• When in doubt, dress one level “up” from your audience.

• Avoid busy patterns and multi-colored suits.

• Wear darker colors when speaking in front of large groups.

• Follow the 1+1 Rule for men’s and women’s suits: 1 primary color + 1 accent color.

• Ladies, leave the distracting jewelry, heavy makeup, loud perfume, and “big” hair at home.

• Men, button your coats.

• Remember to remove your nametag before you speak.

Engage the Eyes 
Let’s dispel these two eye contact myths:

One:  Do not select a spot on the back wall right above people’s heads and focus on it.
Two:  Do not pick a point on someone’s forehead and stare at it, as if you are looking in their eyes.

Instead, make real eye contact with individuals in your audience, as if you are talking one-on-one with each person for 3 to 5 seconds. Divide the room into quadrants and alternate your focus to avoid favoring one side of the room (a common tendency among amateur presenters). And, when there is one “happy face” in the room paying attention and really listening, be aware of your inclination to focus mostly on that person.

Forget Fidgeting 
The cure to cutting out these distracting behaviors is to ask a “speaker buddy” to monitor you occasionally or to videotape yourself at least once a month (painful, but necessary).

• Twirling your hair

• Stroking the chin

• Popping your pen cap

• Tapping the lectern

• Fiddling with your note cards

• Jingling coins in your pocket

• Scratching your head

• Adjusting—and readjusting—your tie

• Playing with your rings and other jewelry

• Pacing

• Continually messing with the microphone

Gesture with Grace—and Purpose 
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

People are much more likely to pay attention to what we are showing them from the stage than what we are telling them. So, our words and our body language must be in sync. Gestures should enhance—not distract from—the message. Remember these helpful hints during your next presentation:

• Gesture in your personal power zone. It is the length of your arm span, out in front of you and above your head. The gestures may feel “big” at first, but they will look natural to your audience.

• Refrain from pointing at your audience.

• Resist the temptation to stick your hands in your pockets or behind your back. Your audience may think you are hiding something from them.

Highlight with Humor 

For years, the same question was volleyed about the hallways and meeting rooms during conventions of the National Speakers Association: “Should you use humor in a presentation?” The rote response was: “Only if you want to get paid!”

However, humor has its share of do’s and don’ts:

• DO poke fun at yourself—not audience members.

• DON’T over promise, saying “This is the funniest joke you’ve ever heard.”

• DON’T bill yourself as a humorist unless you are. Otherwise, they’ll be expecting a stand-up comic.

• DON’T even think about jokes that pertain to sex, religion, politics, race, age, or disabilities.

• DO pause before the punch line. It’s not as funny if it has to be repeated.

Involve Your Audience

What are you doing to hook your auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners during your introduction? Consider these possibilities:

• Ask an open-ended question.

• Begin with a series of questions where they can respond by raising their hands.

• Get them laughing.

• Conduct a pair-and-share exercise.

• Simply do something to get them to nod in agreement or shake their heads in disagreement.

• Either way, you are involving them early on in the process. Few people want to simply sit and listen to a lecture anymore. They want to be part of the presentation.

• Ask yourself:  How will I involve them early?

See Part II for tips J – Z.

By: Mandi Stanley

© 2025 Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc.

 

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