<div style=”transition: none 0s ease 0s; display: block;” data-rss-type=”text”> n n It’s every public speaker’s worst nightmare. You’re up on the platform, halfway through your presentation before you notice that every eyeball in the room is glazed over, blankly staring back at you. And oh boy, have I been there! n n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n Now, there are lots of reasons why an audience might not be fully engaged, but one of the more common reasons I’ve come across is poor flow. n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n Flow is a quality in public speaking that’s hard to quantify, but you can think about it as continuity of thought, or a thread that leads you and your audience through your speech seamlessly from beginning to end. It can be a difficult skill to master, but here are some ways you can improve your flow.n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n <b> n <font style=”color: rgb(255, 42, 173);”> n n Make an Intensity Mapn n </font> n </b> n </div> n <div> n n Before you start giving structure to the “what” of your presentation, you can start by making an intentional decision about “how” you want the information to flow. n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n How do you want the emotional intensity of your talk to rise and fall? n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n n Will your information flow in a straight line, or will branching off in different directions help tell a better story?n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n <font style=”color: rgb(255, 42, 173);”> n <b> n n Plan Your Beatsn n </b> n </font> n </div> n <div> n n A good story has a beginning, middle, and an end. Your presentation should have those things too. If you’re not taking your audience on a journey, you might as well just hand them an outline! Make sure that each part of your talk builds momentum and points to whatever comes next and delivers the appropriate punch.n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n <font style=”color: rgb(255, 42, 173);”> n <b> n n Cut Out the Fluffn n </b> n </font> n </div> n <div> n n If you’re finding that a particular part of your talk is really bogging the whole thing down, consider whether or not it’s necessary to make your point. Most of the time, it’s not, but a well placed aside can be effective too. You may find that restructuring your presentation to align with your intensity map holds the key to keeping things moving.n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n <div> n <font style=”color: rgb(255, 42, 173);”> n <b> n n Get Creativen n </b> n </font> n </div> n <div> n n There’s more than one way to deliver the same information. Think outside the box! Bring in moments of connection with personal anecdotes to help drive a point home. Crafting a memorable presentation usually starts with a creative spark. Take some time to brainstorm and don’t be afraid to take risks!n n </div> n <div> n <br/> n </div> n</div>
