Self Reliance: Why You Are Your Own Best Resource

These days, presentations often become complex multimedia efforts. Think about it: you used to get up in front of folks with your flip chart or white board and just start doodling away. The emphasis was on you, your physical and oratorical presence, and…that’s all. A technical difficulty was the easel tipping over, or a marker going dry. Big deal.

Now, presentations are built collaboratively and across multiple devices. They’re saved in the cloud, on hard and thumb drives, and in multiple formats. The typical presentation is delivered via projector, but there are many different hookups, audio is sometimes but not always involved, cord lengths are a concern, and WiFi is sometimes but not always a reliable option.

As presentations have become more engaging and advanced, they’ve gotten a lot more entertaining and presenters have found unique and creative ways to move the message along. But there are also a lot more things that can go wrong. Self reliance—that thing where you take care of yourself—is a critical skill for today’s presenter, and if you’re not up to speed on all the details of getting your presentation delivered the way you intended it’s time you got there.

Breaking down your delivery into essential components is the easiest way to take care of yourself. Take these simple steps as you prepare to be self reliant:

Format for Success: Your presentation should be saved in PowerPoint and PDF formats, on your computer, on a thumbdrive and in the cloud. Why? Because computers go dead, crash, don’t have the right hookups, etc. sometimes. We’ve seen presentation audibles involving mobile phones and Google Drive that went perfectly despite profound technical issues, but you have to prepare in advance!
Count Your Cords: Make sure you have every adapter and cord type imaginable for your computer, tablet, and phone for both audio and visual. That means iPad to HDMI adapters, auxiliary cables, USB to VGA, etc. It’ll cost you $100 or so to get them all, and one pocket in your bag will become a nest of wires and adapters, but we promise there will come a time when things hit the fan and you’re the only one carrying a mini-HDMI to HDMI adapter or something like that. They’ll carry you out on their shoulders.
Cut the Cords: Always, always have a plan for how you’ll deliver your presentation if a Sharknado hits town, there’s no power, and it’s just you and the audience staring at each other in candlelight. Printed decks are an option for small groups; for larger groups you’re best off having an audible speech prepared that utilizes no or very few visual aids. And you can always visit an old school office supply store for an old school flip chart.

Whatever you do, just remember: it’s not the A/V team, the intern, or anyone else who loses if you don’t prepare. It’s you. So be self reliant, and make sure you’re taken care of when you head on stage.

Question: What other variables should presenters consider before the big pitch?





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