Matt Abrahams, a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, shares practical advice on how to make public presentations memorable and how to cultivate the right mindset for successful communication.
He offers a variety of techniques to improve communication skills, including leveraging technology tools, establishing clear goals, and structuring content effectively.
Overcoming common fears in communication
Two common fears in communication are not remembering what to say and the concern that the audience won’t remember the message.
Utilizing technology tools can help mitigate these fears by improving vocal intensity, reducing disfluencies, and enhancing overall communication flow.
The importance of clear communication goals
Effective communication begins with a clear goal.
This goal should encompass information, emotion, and action.
Having a well-defined objective can guide the communication process and ensure that the message is effectively conveyed and received.
Structuring content for impact
Structuring content effectively can greatly enhance communication.
Three recommended structures are comparison contrast conclusion, problem solution benefit, and what-so what-now what.
These structures can improve presentations and be adapted to various forms of communication.