Nancy Duarte's Blog, page 14
August 7, 2019
The Top 5 Presentation Mistakes Everyone Makes
We all know what it’s like to sit through a bad presentation. We can easily spot the flaws — too long, too boring, indecipherable, what have you — when we watch others speak. The thing is, when we take the stage ourselves, many of us fall into the same presentation mistakes. Here are five of [...] continue reading
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August 5, 2019
Meetings: When to Present and When to Converse
Meeting hosts often think that presenting to a room full of people is the best way to share ideas. Westerners in particular, with their Greco-Roman oratorical roots (think Aristotle and Cicero), tend to craft a verbal case and then declare their views to the audience. But sometimes it’s better to have a conversation, where other voices are considered [...] continue reading
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July 11, 2019
Big Meeting Coming Up? Close the Slideshow; Pick Up the Slidedocs
Presentations have long been a staple in meetings. And, like everything popular, they’re also getting some backlash. Does a presentation actually make a meeting better, or can it make the meeting experience worse? For internal meetings where the goal is to build consensus, consider turning off the projector. As an alternative to presentations, Amazon starts [...] continue reading
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June 19, 2019
Celebrities – They’re One of Us! How the Year’s Best Commencement Speakers Made Themselves Relatable to Graduates
It’s that time of the year again: commencement season. Across the globe, crowds of students and their loved ones gather to watch the distribution of diplomas and listen to congratulatory words delivered by administrators, faculty members, and celebrity commencement speakers alike. There’s no doubt celebrity commencement speakers are one of the most beloved graduation ceremony [...] continue reading
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June 11, 2019
Use Contrast in the Middle of a Presentation to Transform
Doing a quick internet search for “Tips for the beginning of a presentation” and “Tips for presentation endings,” will serve up thousands of relevant results. But just try looking for tips on how to write the bulk of your presentation—the middle, and you won’t find much. That’s because most people don’t understand the significance of [...] continue reading
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May 30, 2019
3 Speaking Skills That Will Help You Communicate Data
Have you ever had lunch with a genius? And I don’t mean just someone really smart, but someone who lives and breathes their profession and can explain its mysteries with both passion and skill to anyone, regardless of education. I’ve met many geniuses like this in my life, and those conversations are some of my [...] continue reading
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May 14, 2019
How to Write a Great Talk: Murder Your Darlings
Writing teachers commonly use the phrase “kill your darlings” to describe the editing process. But, most don’t even realize it comes from prolific British author Arthur Quiller-Couch, who offered an even more extensive guideline for editing in his 1914 lecture on style: “Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it—wholeheartedly—and delete [...] continue reading
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May 2, 2019
Why Will Ferrell’s USC Commencement Speech Was a Grand Slam
Commencement season is upon us. You know what that means. Celebrities, statesmen, and scholars across the world are delivering words of encouragement as graduates cross school stages for diplomas. And we’re watching the videos. There have been lots of great commencement speeches so far this year. However, there was one speech, in particular, that’s become [...] continue reading
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April 30, 2019
Grant Writing 101: How to Secure Funding For Your Big Idea
So, you’re a creative person with a big idea. You’ve fleshed out your new program, dreamed up a performance, or crafted a community class. But you’re missing one crucial detail. You can’t make your idea come to life without financial support. As a dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker currently beginning a new creative process in New [...] continue reading
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April 2, 2019
19 Powerful Presentation Stats to Transform Talks in 2019
Here is a list of some of the most important presentation stats we could find: what is working, what is trending, and what people struggle with when it comes to giving successful talks. Some of these numbers come from brand new research, and others are tried and true classics. But one thing is certain: all [...] continue reading
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