Effective Presentation Tips

Unconventional Wisdom: Don’t Just Tell

Have you heard this purported “best” method of presenting?

  1. Tell them what you’re going to tell them
  2. Tell them
  3. Tell them what you told them 

There’s one word that seems to dominate this message – “tell.” As an adult, I don’t take too kindly to being “told.”

This method of presenting assumes the audience knows nothing and must be told. But we know that adults bring a wealth of life experiences to any meeting or presentation. Our job as presenters is to value the experience that is in the room.

How do we do it? Simple. Replace the Tell, Tell, Tell approach with the Ask, Add, Act approach. 

Ask. Ask participants what you want to tell them. A well-designed question or activity can draw out what your audience may already know about the topic. Ask before telling and you honor the expertise in the room. 

Add. Add content or any key points that they may have missed. By asking and hearing the participants’ comments, you acknowledge them for what they know. Then you can simply say, “In addition to the points you mentioned, there are a few others….” Then you can add points you want highlighted. There will be a higher likelihood of attention and retention as the participants are now listening for what they may have missed. 

Act. Invite participants to act on their new learning. Some ways to do this are to ask them to revisit the content and do one of the following:

  • List one thing that surprised you
  • List an idea you picked up on
  • Choose one thing you will do differently as a result of what you learned

After participants have chosen, invite them to share their observations or action ideas with others. More action will be taken by participants if they have written something down and shared it with others.

Do you want greater results from presentations you deliver? Use the Ask, Add, Act approach and leave the “tell”ing behind.

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