Page 46 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

DESIGNING THE PERFECT PRESENTATION 37

weeks or a month agonizing over the preparation of a big presenta-
tion or speech?
Come to think of it, wouldn’t it be nice if we could be certain

that every audience got our message right the first time, every time,
and that they could pass a quiz on what you said when they left the
room? Maybe even remember a month or six months later what the
message was?
You can enjoy these big paybacks simply by designing your pre-

sentation with five key elements in mind:
1. Strong start
2. One theme
3. Good examples
4. Conversational language
5. Strong ending
These are the key building blocks that constitute the perfect presen-
tation. The perfect presentation is a reality within the reach of any-
one willing to stretch.

Think of these five elements as an acorn. Plant that acorn in your
head, and watch the acorn grow into an oak tree. That oak tree is a
fail-safe technology for busy executives I call the POWER formula.
Put another way, the POWER formula is like a tool kit for your

brain. It can fix what doesn’t work—and fine-tune what does—and

should be with you whenever you have the opportunity to speak.