Ask the Expert

Steve Kayser

Question: Our company is really struggling. I have to give a presentation to upper management about new ideas or new ways to try to help grow our business. It's a big presentation. I'm afraid if it doesn't go well, our department will face serious cuts, and people will lose their jobs. Any suggestions from your experts or people you've dealt with in the past?

Answer: Yes to both, and they require moving mountains and making miracles.
By Steve Kayser, with credit to the late Dr. Paul Pearsall, one of the most requested speakers in the world and author of 18 international bestselling books.

MOVING MOUNTAINS—MAKING MIRACLES

In answering your question, we're going to steer clear of the mechanics of giving presentations. If you want that, pick up "Moving Mountains: Or the Art and Craft of Letting Others See Things Your Way." It's a classic, and the only book you ever really need to read about giving presentations. In addition, at the end of this article, there is a list of related resources and tools.  Let's move …  

Sideways of Good

I have attended literally thousands of business presentations, most revolving around technology products, applications, business systems, methods, practices, etc. Almost all included PowerPoint. Some were God-awful, a few were great; most were in between but usually sideways of good.

My Fair Share of Stinkers

I've given a lot of presentations and polluted the business world with more than my fair share of business-presentation stinkers. Some were so foul I'm surprised they haven't been cited as one of the causes for global warming.

I learned something from each and every one. The good, the bad and the fugly. I understand your pain. And your fear. Been there. Done that. And done it recently. But I've also had the great opportunity to work with and learn from a lot of great thinkers, writers and presenters.

I've written with and interviewed many best-selling authors, business presenters and storytellers. People like Steven Pressfield, author of "Killing Rommel," "The War of Art," and "The Legend of Bagger Vance'; Al Ries, author of  "The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR"; Robert McKee, screenwriting guru and author of the best-seller "STORY"; Dr. Paul Pearsall, international best-selling author of "The Beethoven Factor"; Dave Stein, best-selling business author of "How Winners Sell"; Bo Burlingham, author of "Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big"; Sam Horn, author of "POP! How to Stand Out in any Crowd"; Lynne McTaggert, author of "The Field" and "The Intention Experiment"; David Merman Scott, author of "The New Rules of Marketing and PR"; Donald Sull, author of "Revival of the Fittest: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Managers Remake Them" (Harvard Business School Press); Carol Dweck, Ph.D., author of the book "Mindsets: The New Psychology of Success"; Stephanie Palmer, author of "Good in a Room";  Marc Seifer, author of "Wizard; The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla"; and Skip Press, author of more than 20 books including "How to Write What You Want and Sell What You Write."

A very eclectic group with an incredible amount of knowledge and expertise. Storytellers all … but by necessity, business presenters as well. Great ones at that.

All had one thing in common.

Nothing.

Well, almost nothing. All had different styles. Different methods. Different personalities. Different differents. But, all have successful histories of connecting emotionally with their readers.

That's what you have to do. Connect. How?

Be bold in your thinking and presentation. Emphasize the concept of

Courage to overcome this adversity. Courage to make it a stepping stone to a better future.

You and your company, along with millions of others of us, are in a tight spot right now. Bad economy. Uncertain future. High energy costs. Healthcare costs, terrorism, you name it. The current economy and business outlook is piled high with difficulties.

Making Miracles

Sometimes a person could just feel screwed. Start wishing for a miracle to change everything. Wishing won't make it so. But boldness and courage can help make things happen—and maybe even make your own miracle.

I mentioned writing with Dr. Paul Pearsall.  He was an incredible human being and happened also to be the author of the New York Times bestseller "Making Miracles." He had an  approach to adversity I much admired. He faced death with dignity and … humor? Yes. But he also left a legacy, the sharing of his life's work and the people he touched. The miracles he made continue. Because of Dr. Paul Pearsall, I became acquainted with a 22-year-old woman.

She had just begun her life.

She had just started teaching English Literature in high school.

Then … she was struck down by a drunk driver. She was left pentaplegic (unable to move her arms or legs and unable to breathe on her own.) She was on a ventilator.

Life for her was over, right?

Wrong.

At that time, she was writing a book about her experiences. Writing a book on the computer that had been specially adapted to allow her to operate the keys with a stick held in her mouth.

A stick held in her mouth.

Let me say that one more time.

She was operating a computer with a stick held in her mouth.

And what did she say about it?

And yet, she still had a sense of humor.

So how tough a spot are you in really? Compared to that? How can you use that mental approach to the situation you face right now?

Dr. Pearsall also introduced me to the five reactions to life challenges and how they apply right here, right now.

Five Reactions to Life's Challenges … Choose Wisely

• Kindling—Make matters worse. React like kindling wood added to fire.
• Suffering—Poor me.
• Surviving—Pretty essential, but don't you want more?
• Resilience—Bouncing back to where you were before.
• Thriving—Flourishing not only in spite of the crisis, but because of it.

You don't want to just survive or to bounce back do you? You want to thrive. Communicate it. With confidence. Even if you don't feel it.

TELL THE STORY

Tell your story. What the situation is now and where you want to be in the future—which should be a much better place. Between those two things, now and the future, is the path to success. To travel that path, you will have to have the

• Courage to Be Creative
• Courage to Change
• Courage to Commit

CHANGE AND COMMIT

The two mega-elephants in the room. Change and commitment. All the bold, creative thinking in the world won't get you to a successful future without the courage to change—and commit to that change.

Donald N. Sull, author of "Revival of The Fittest: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Managers Remake Them" (Harvard Business School Press), discussed commitments with me in an article we did together. How to use commitments to revitalize, rebuild and transform a company into a market leader again. It pretty much boiled down to commitments. "Effective, transforming commitments share three characteristics: they are credible, clear, and courageous," according to Professor Sull.

TO WHAT?

Now the question is, commit to what?  What, with all your boldness, courage, creativity and plans for change, are you going to commit to?

How are those commitments going to be the pathway from where you are to where you want to be?  To help you climb the mountain—to move the mountain—that's the crisis you're in today?
 
To help you flourish not only in spite of the crisis, but because of it? To help you, your department and your company to become what Dr. Pearsall defined as a  "Thriver?"

Questions as Answers

Those are the questions for your answer. But take heart. It's been done before. Lots. Here's one example of a "Thriver" who turned tragedy and crisis into a symphonic unity that resonates to this day.

From Ode to Misery to Ode to Joy

Beethoven's ninth symphony, "Ode to Joy," was written when Beethoven was totally deaf. The chords and chorus heard only in his mind. Was he crazy? Was he so crazy as to think that this musical wonder haunting his mind could be adequately expressed to others though he could not hear himself?

On May 7, 1824, at Vienna's Kärtnertor Theater, "The Ninth Symphony" was first performed. Beethoven, totally deaf, could not conduct the premiere. But, he did stand next to the conductor during the performance to indicate proper tempi.

Weep Not for Me My Ode to Joy

On the final note of the premiere, the audience exploded with thunderous applause. But Beethoven, standing next to the conductor with his back to the crowd, looked straight ahead—he didn't know.

He had heard nothing.

His "Ode to Joy" was received with rare, effusively raw human emotion. The kind reserved for awe-inspiring moments of a singular human's triumph over seemingly unconquerable odds. And, most unusually, some of the players in the orchestra wept.

Raucous cheering. Yells and tears echoed, thundered.

None of which Beethoven could hear. He continued to conduct.

The solo contralto noticed Beethoven's introspective incomprehension, and turned him around. One could only wonder what went through his mind at that moment. He could not hear.

But he could see. He bowed before the cheering crowd.

Beethoven lived.

Beethoven thrived.

Now go—be like Beethoven

There are no easy answers.

The End Challenge

Challenge everyone in the presentation - at the very end.  Challenge them to action.

It's your time to be bold.

Step up.

Act.

Stand out.

Lead.

Move your mountains. Make some miracles.

THE END (ALMOST)

About the Author:

I'd rather use this space as a thank you and in memoriam to Dr. Paul Pearsall. It's been a while since I did the story with him. An amazing and inspiring person. I'm honored to be on his website for an interview and article I did with him called "Overcoming Adversity. Some Survive. The Great Ones Thrive. Learn to Thrive."

FLEA-MARKET MIRACLES?

I met Dr. Pearsall in a flea market. Well, not exactly. I met him through a book he wrote called "Making Miracles." I first saw it in a flea market. It cost me two bucks.

WORST PITCH OF ALL TIME?

"Making Miracles" was a mixture of physics, spirituality, and for me, had the wonder of immortality buried between the big bang and quantum quirkiness. That was my take anyway. So I contacted him to do a story. He was great. Said yes immediately. Which is all the more incredible because I blew the pitch horribly. It went something like this …

"Hey, Uh, Yeah, Uh, I, Ummm … bought your book in the discount bin at a flea market, paid two bucks for it, wanted to interview you and do a story about it."

CAN YOU BEAT IT?

If that isn't the worst pitch of all time, I'd love to hear one that beats it.

Dr. Pearsall wrote 18 bestselling books, all of which have been translated to several languages and many of which were number one on the New York Times list. His most recent book came out in October 2007, and is titled "Awe: The Delights and Dangers of our 11th Emotion."  He was a licensed clinical neuropsychologist and one of the most requested speakers in the world. He was also a frequent consultant to national television including "Dateline," "20/20," CNN, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "The Today Show," and "Good Morning America."

A "Charlie Dickens" of a Life. The Best of Times. The Worst of Times.

What was particularly appealing and amazing to me about Dr. Pearsall was his personal story. He was a thriver too.  He barely survived birth, conquered among a litany of other obstacles, total blindness, and then finally, cancer. Dr. Pearsall's triumph over terminal cancer is documented in the bestseller, "Miracle in Maui" (which when I picked it up for $2.00 was then called "Making Miracles").

Survive Terminal Cancer?

Yes.

He was told he would certainly die of an extremely rare type of cancer that strikes down young and healthy people in the prime of their lives. And, for a little extra good cheer, Dr. Pearsall was also told that even if his cancer went into remission, he'd die anyway. Die from suffocation caused by a deadly virus allowed to attack his lungs by his chemotherapy-and-radiation-weakened immune system.

Does It Get Much Better Than That?

Yes. He was told the terminal good news on a Good Friday.

Geez, Is That It?

Nope. That Good Friday, as he walked slowly down his driveway, the ache of cancer eating away at him, feeling lost and hopeless, he opened his mailbox and noticed an envelope marked "Urgent. Internal Revenue Service."

Death and Taxes

Yup, you guessed it. Selected for a random compliance audit of State and Federal tax records for three years. How's that for some good cheer on Good Friday?

How'd did he react?

He laughed. Laughed so hard he cried.

My kinda guy.

And when I read it I laughed.

Laughed so hard I cried.

End:

Related Resources:

"Moving Mountains: Or the Art and Craft of Letting Others See Things Your Way"—A classic, and the only book you ever really need to read about giving presentations. 

"The Best Kept Secret of Great Presentations"—Has a 20-pt. presentation checklist

Guy Kawasaki "10-20-30 Presentation Rule"—YouTube Video

"Alltop Resource on Speaking and Presentations"

"Animotorize—Help Banish Boring Business Presentations"

"70+ PowerPoint and Presentation Resources and Great Examples"

"Presentation Zen"—Garr Reynolds' Blog

Contact Information:

Steve Kayser