How to leave a lasting impression with your presentation

Sometime in 2015, I watched a riveting talk on TV. A 12-year-old Maasai boy, Richard Turere, narrated how he invented 'lion lights' – a lighting system used to ward off wild animals from pastoralist areas. To the lions, the system simulates humans walking around with torches, and effectively keeps them away. In a matter of months, Richard went from a shy preteen, speaking barely passable English to sharing his invention on a stage frequented by speakers such as Amy Cuddy, Bill Gates and Simon Sinek – TED. TED Talks, the platform known for Ideas Worth Spreading tag line, is the stuff most people's dreams are made of. The ability to weave an account into a compelling narrative is important both in and out of the workplace. All professionals, whether they are employed or running their own gig, will at one point need to deliver a presentation meant to persuade an audience. As most things, this is easier said than done, pardon the pun. The key question is, are good presenters made, or are they born? And if you are the former, how do you get on stage and mesmerising your audience (or boss, or investor) into agreement? Chris Anderson is the curator of TED, the platform on which talks have been viewed over a billion times. "Giving a good talk is highly coachable...in matter of hours content can be transformed from muddled to spell-binding, if you keep in mind a few key things," Chris says.

The Art of Story Dorie Clark, a former presidential campaign spokeswoman is one of the first people I heard referring to the story-telling as an art. In one of her books, Stand Out, cited as one of the top 10 Business Books of the Year by Forbes she emphasises the use of data. "Data becomes more powerful if you pair it with a concrete example to help your listeners visualise what you're speaking about. Make sure your outline includes at least one story to make your presentation livelier." Whether you are completely at ease in front of crowds or the stage is your least favorite place to be, the most essential part of preparation is conceptualising and framing your story, much like Richard Turere and the events that led to his 'lion lights' invention. Anderson cautions against using jargon especially if your audience is unfamiliar with the subject matter. The biggest risk in telling a compelling story, public speaking specialists concur, is assuming that your audience has more interest or knowledge than they actually do. Think of a presentation as a journey, it should have a starting point and an end, the call to action or raizon détre – the purpose of the talk. What should come across clearly in your talk or presentation? The reason you care so deeply about the topic and why the people listening to you should too.

Delivery is everything In 2015, I gave an ignite (7 minute lightning talk) in Washington, DC. It was at the end of my Fellowship and our one week stay was at the invitation of the former US president. Nerves did not come close to what I felt in the days leading up to the talk. While rehearsing, I very quickly learnt that you cannot engage the audience while trying to remember what to say next. Before this experience, rehearsing over and over to the point of memorising my content went against everything I thought public speaking was about. Anderson reiterates delivery. When you don't have the option of reading off a screen or teleprompter (and you shouldn't because you will come off as mechanical), you should memorise your delivery verbatim. This leaves you room to infuse some humour and engage with your audience without constantly panicking that you will forget the next sequence of the narrative. Practice your delivery in front of an informal audience that can give you tips and feedback, and practice your media whether it's slides, photos or text. This also helps with nerves and allows any awkwardness you feel to wane.

Body language You're moving around the stage too much, or you look too stiff. It is either distracting or unnatural and you will lose the interest of your audience. This is another reason to rehearse your presentation beforehand – you can pay attention to your body language and correct a posture that works for you without giving your brain too much to multi-task on. "We naturally shift our bodies when we are standing in front of a group of people, but what it implies is that we are nervous at best, and weak at worst," says Martha, an executive career coach. However, nerves are not a disaster – your audience expects you to be nervous. Susan Cain's talk, right after she launched her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking is a good example of how nerves can endear you, as opposed to alienating you from your audience.