Your Presentation is Like a Train, Not a Car

One of the most important keys to a successful presentation is forward momentum. Few things are more frustrating than listening to a speaker who zigs and zags, stops and starts and takes forever to get anywhere.

I tell my clients to think of their presentation as a train, not a car. You have to drive it ever-forward, pushing, pushing, pushing along the track. It should not resemble a breezy, extemporaneous road trip where you’re constantly stopping for snacks or bathroom breaks or exiting the...