Challenge

I work in the IT industry where presentations are generally boring. People usually tend to clog the slides  with too much information and tend to read from the slides whatever is written. One of my role in the  organization is of a trainer and one of my challenge was to train senior leaders to improve presentation  skills, to be able to sell better – whether to the clients or to the employees within the organization. This  was becoming important as internally as well as externally we were receiving feedbacks of how the  presentations by leaders were becoming ineffective.

Selection

To overcome the challenge I thought of choosing Storytelling as a tool to improve the presentation skills.  The reason why I chose this was due to the fact that presentation is nothing but how effectively you are  able to convey your message to the audience, and what better way to do it than through stories. Since  early age we have been fascinated by stories, whether in books or movies. We have also seen and read  some great leaders present the most difficult messages via effective story telling (examples would be  Nehru’s speech on the eve of India’s independence). The best presentations we remember for long time  are those which weave a story (e.g. the stories we have used in this course)

Application

To apply Storytelling, I read a lot of articles and books and also attended few trainings myself (like the  Nancy Duarte’s training). Once I understood this better myself, I started first with looking at  presentations I had created (and realized how bad those were). I redid my own presentations to format  them like stories – to start with a big statement, to alternative talk about what is and what could be, and  to end with a promise of better things. Once I was through with this, I shared these with the same  audience I had given the presentations to earlier (although not to clients but mostly internal  employees). I took their feedback and further improved on it.

Post this I started working on a training around Storytelling catered towards senior leaders. This needed  to change the process for them, so the entire training required to have lot of examples and videos on  what has not worked and why. It also needed to have counter examples and videos on how storytelling  could change things and how it has worked over many years (like Martin Luther King’s speech, like Steve  Job’s presentation on iPhone launch).

Once I had the initial training done, I took it to my boss and walked him through it. I incorporated the  feedback he gave and then did a sessions with a small group of leaders. Once this was done, I again  modified based on feedback and the launched it wider.

Insight

The main insight I gained about this challenge was the importance of what method / tool to use to solve  a problem. Another insight was about the audience and creating the training keeping them in mind.

During applying the concept with self, I learnt the requirement to make gradual changes – not to turn  around the presentation upside down. The initial sessions with the leaders helped me understand their  challenges (e.g. why it was required to clog or overcrowd the slide in some cases)

I also learnt about design thinking concepts (which I realized now after attending this course) on how  smaller, incremental progress helps, on prototyping and on the use of Storytelling as a tool.

Approach

What I would like to do next time is revisit the new insights I have gained in this course. I would maybe  like to use Visualization as well to help improve presentation skills. I will also like to do incorporate  feedback process – so I will start with talking to the leaders first and understand their problems and  POV, understand what they know about storytelling, etc.

From this course, I will remember all the stories whether is it about Geoff and George, MeYouHealth or  the Good Kitchen. Those concepts will remain with me for a long time because of these stories. And  hence I will apply new ways of training folks on story telling by incorporating more visuals and videos.


Challenge I work in the IT industry where presentations are generally boring . People usually tend to clog the slides with too much information and tend to read from the slides whatever is written . One of my role in the organization is of a trainer and one of my challenge was to train senior leaders to improve presentation skills , to be able to sell better – whether to the clients or to the employees within the organization . This was becoming important as internally as well as externally we were receiving feedbacks of how the presentations by leaders were becoming ineffective . Selection To overcome the challenge I thought of choosing Storytelling as a tool to improve the presentation skills . The reason why I chose this was due to the fact that presentation is nothing but how effectively you are able to convey your message to the audience , and what better way to do it than through stories . Since early age we have been fascinated by stories , whether in books or movies . We have also seen and read some great leaders present the most difficult messages via effective story telling ( examples would be Nehru ’s speech on the eve of India ’s independence ) . The best presentations we remember for long time are those which weave a story ( e.g. the stories we have used in this course ) Application To apply Storytelling , I read a lot of articles and books and also attended few trainings myself ( like the Nancy Duarte ’s training ) . Once I understood this better myself , I started first with looking at presentations I had created ( and realized how bad those were ) . I redid my own presentations to format them like stories – to start with a big statement , to alternative talk about what is and what could be , and to end with a promise of better things . Once I was through with this , I shared these with the same audience I had given the presentations to earlier ( although not to clients but mostly internal employees ) . I took their feedback and further improved on it . Post this I started working on a training around Storytelling catered towards senior leaders . This needed to change the process for them , so the entire training required to have lot of examples and videos on what has not worked and why . It also needed to have counter examples and videos on how storytelling could change things and how it has worked over many years ( like Martin Luther King ’s speech , like Steve Job ’s presentation on iPhone launch ) . Once I had the initial training done , I took it to my boss and walked him through it . I incorporated the feedback he gave and then did a sessions with a small group of leaders . Once this was done , I again modified based on feedback and the launched it wider . Insight The main insight I gained about this challenge was the importance of what method / tool to use to solve a problem . Another insight was about the audience and creating the training keeping them in mind . During applying the concept with self , I learnt the requirement to make gradual changes – not to turn around the presentation upside down . The initial sessions with the leaders helped me understand their challenges ( e.g. why it was required to clog or overcrowd the slide in some cases ) I also learnt about design thinking concepts ( which I realized now after attending this course ) on how smaller , incremental progress helps , on prototyping and on the use of Storytelling as a tool . Approach What I would like to do next time is revisit the new insights I have gained in this course . I would maybe like to use Visualization as well to help improve presentation skills . I will also like to do incorporate feedback process – so I will start with talking to the leaders first and understand their problems and POV , understand what they know about storytelling , etc . From this course , I will remember all the stories whether is it about Geoff and George , MeYouHealth or the Good Kitchen . Those concepts will remain with me for a long time because of these stories . And hence I will apply new ways of training folks on story telling by incorporating more visuals and videos .