steve jobs
Effectiveness through Understandability
January 29, 2008 Filed in: Delivery
Earlier this month, Seattlepi.com ran a comparative language analysis of
Steve Jobs' and Bill Gates' keynotes for
Macworld Expo and CES respectively. Simply put,
Steve Jobs rated as the easier speaker to
understand, and the site attributes this as a
factor in Mr. Jobs' overall effectiveness as a
speaker.
The language we use when speaking can either help us connect with our audience or distance ourselves from them. How many times have you groaned in a seminar of conference room presentation when something like this flits through the air?
Speech like this requires so much time to digest and translate that the meaning is lost before it is reached. (To be fair, the above example is pure gibberish.) Kathy Sierra refers to one who speaks like this as a glib and as someone who should be ignored at all costs. Deep down, I think we already know this, and an audience is more likely to tune out a speaker following this pattern than engage him or her.
When giving a public presentation, think about how you are sating what you are saying. If you are using Microsoft Word to draft your talk, use the built-in Flesch-Kincaid readability scale. Easier to understand passages rate closer to 100 in Flesch Reading Ease, and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level gives you an approximation of the vocabulary level.
readability statistics in Word
Communicate clearly. Eliminate buzzwords, excessive acronyms, and unnecessary jargon from your speech. Think of how you would converse with the individuals in your audience, and take that approach to communicating your ideas. Remember, for anyone to connect with your presentation, they must first be able to understand it.
The language we use when speaking can either help us connect with our audience or distance ourselves from them. How many times have you groaned in a seminar of conference room presentation when something like this flits through the air?
bizarre buzz-speak courtesy of Corporate IspsumWe can phosfluorescently redefine out-of-the-box best practices before timely expertise and efficiently re-engineer inexpensive e-tailers with focused customer service. This allows us to enthusiastically synergize ubiquitous benefits for interactive methodologies.
In this, we credibly visualize integrated experiences through vertical best practices, giving us leverage to enthusiastically generate empowered technology and holistic total linkage and assertively redefine resource-leveling solutions via accurate potentialities.
Speech like this requires so much time to digest and translate that the meaning is lost before it is reached. (To be fair, the above example is pure gibberish.) Kathy Sierra refers to one who speaks like this as a glib and as someone who should be ignored at all costs. Deep down, I think we already know this, and an audience is more likely to tune out a speaker following this pattern than engage him or her.
When giving a public presentation, think about how you are sating what you are saying. If you are using Microsoft Word to draft your talk, use the built-in Flesch-Kincaid readability scale. Easier to understand passages rate closer to 100 in Flesch Reading Ease, and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level gives you an approximation of the vocabulary level.
readability statistics in Word
Communicate clearly. Eliminate buzzwords, excessive acronyms, and unnecessary jargon from your speech. Think of how you would converse with the individuals in your audience, and take that approach to communicating your ideas. Remember, for anyone to connect with your presentation, they must first be able to understand it.
Learning from Bill & Steve
October 01, 2007 Filed in: Links
Presentation Zen: Learning from Bill
Gates & Steve
x
Garr Reynolds posts another great comparison between the presentation styles of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, focusing on the contrast between Bill Gates' formal tone of presentation and Steve Jobs' conversational tone as well as their visual styles. While the two presentations he's citing are very different, he shares some very useful insights (and be sure to read the comments for some good continued discussion).
x
Garr Reynolds posts another great comparison between the presentation styles of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, focusing on the contrast between Bill Gates' formal tone of presentation and Steve Jobs' conversational tone as well as their visual styles. While the two presentations he's citing are very different, he shares some very useful insights (and be sure to read the comments for some good continued discussion).
The Self-Conscious Approach
July 10, 2007 Filed in: General Tips
| Delivery
To reach the broadest
possible audience with your message, you have to care
what others think of you. You are being judged by the
audience every bit as much as your content, and, if
the audience does not buy into you, they will
generally not buy into your material. Think of
political debates you or your family may get into as
well as when the media tackles issues. Inevitably,
the person behind the issues will be as much a
subject as the issue itself.
Whenever you present, it's important to wear as small a target as possible. To do so, you must be very conscious of self – your appearance, the way you dress, your mannerisms and idiosyncrasies that may distract your audience from your presentation. I've seen perfectly competent presentations fail in delivery (and some great deliveries of poor material) because the presenters seemed oblivious or unconcerned with the impressions they left with the audience.
A good presentation is essentially a small-scale production, and productions need good performers.
Take these presenters as positive examples:
left to right: Steve Jobs, Guy Kawasaki, Garr Reynolds, Al Gore
These individuals are great illustrations of good performers in presentation. They are very conscious of how they carry themselves, how they speak, how they dress. I believe "refined" would be a good word for it. They realize that they are every bit as much a part of the overall presentation as any notes, handouts, slides, or other visuals. They have roles to play in the delivery of their messages, and their presence is just as orchestrated as the technology involved. As a result, the presentations are very engaging and a cut above much of what we are used to seeing.
Being an individualistic society, we value the mantra of not caring what others think of ourselves, but, if we want people to accept what we have to say, we need to make sure we are not getting in the way of our own message. Do some presentations succeed despite the speakers' imperfections? Absolutely. However, giving ourselves as much attention as our notes or visuals will go a long way in removing obstacles between our presentation and our audience's attention.
Additional Viewing and Reading
Whenever you present, it's important to wear as small a target as possible. To do so, you must be very conscious of self – your appearance, the way you dress, your mannerisms and idiosyncrasies that may distract your audience from your presentation. I've seen perfectly competent presentations fail in delivery (and some great deliveries of poor material) because the presenters seemed oblivious or unconcerned with the impressions they left with the audience.
A good presentation is essentially a small-scale production, and productions need good performers.
Take these presenters as positive examples:
left to right: Steve Jobs, Guy Kawasaki, Garr Reynolds, Al Gore
These individuals are great illustrations of good performers in presentation. They are very conscious of how they carry themselves, how they speak, how they dress. I believe "refined" would be a good word for it. They realize that they are every bit as much a part of the overall presentation as any notes, handouts, slides, or other visuals. They have roles to play in the delivery of their messages, and their presence is just as orchestrated as the technology involved. As a result, the presentations are very engaging and a cut above much of what we are used to seeing.
Being an individualistic society, we value the mantra of not caring what others think of ourselves, but, if we want people to accept what we have to say, we need to make sure we are not getting in the way of our own message. Do some presentations succeed despite the speakers' imperfections? Absolutely. However, giving ourselves as much attention as our notes or visuals will go a long way in removing obstacles between our presentation and our audience's attention.
Additional Viewing and Reading
The Simplicity of Steve
April 09, 2007 Filed in: Rhyme &
Reason
This picture has to be one of my all-time favorites
of Mr. Jobs:
While I understand and appreciate the character flaws in Steve Jobs, anyone who reads this blog regularly knows how much I admire his presenting skills. This picture really captures his stage presence in its simplicity and character. It is intriguing in that simplicity, and I think that quality is one of the main reasons Steve Jobs is such an effective presenter and marketer. His speech and his slides align in a clear and consistent message throughout his presentations that challenge the more conventional approaches most businesses take in public venues.
When Mr. Jobs introduces a new product, he does go through the obligatory slides that outline the features. (It is notable, though, that these slides are far less cluttered than one might expect.) However, it does not stop with the slides. More often then not, Mr. Jobs will physically show the product to the audience and demonstrate its functionality on the massive screen he always uses. The audience doesn't just see the specs. They also see the physical product, and they get to experience it in action. Regardless of the presentation topic, demonstration speaks louder than descriptions.
Here is one final picture of Steve in action. Again, he is visibly demonstrating a product (in this case, Microsoft Entourage for Mac). He seldom relies on screen captures, and he never uses his slides to explain how software works. He uses the software, and everyone is able to see the functionality on a screen that absolutely dwarfs the speaker – leaving nothing indistinct or unclear. (Don't you wish every venue had a screen like that?)
Whatever you think of him as an individual, Steve Jobs is a good presenter, and simplicity is at the core of his style. There are some exceptions to this, but it's hard to deny the way this simpler approach helps draw the audience in and enhance, rather than distract from, the overall presentation.
Good videos of his talks can be tricky to track down. Here are some places to look:
Note: These images and more come from All About Steve Jobs.
While I understand and appreciate the character flaws in Steve Jobs, anyone who reads this blog regularly knows how much I admire his presenting skills. This picture really captures his stage presence in its simplicity and character. It is intriguing in that simplicity, and I think that quality is one of the main reasons Steve Jobs is such an effective presenter and marketer. His speech and his slides align in a clear and consistent message throughout his presentations that challenge the more conventional approaches most businesses take in public venues.
When Mr. Jobs introduces a new product, he does go through the obligatory slides that outline the features. (It is notable, though, that these slides are far less cluttered than one might expect.) However, it does not stop with the slides. More often then not, Mr. Jobs will physically show the product to the audience and demonstrate its functionality on the massive screen he always uses. The audience doesn't just see the specs. They also see the physical product, and they get to experience it in action. Regardless of the presentation topic, demonstration speaks louder than descriptions.
Here is one final picture of Steve in action. Again, he is visibly demonstrating a product (in this case, Microsoft Entourage for Mac). He seldom relies on screen captures, and he never uses his slides to explain how software works. He uses the software, and everyone is able to see the functionality on a screen that absolutely dwarfs the speaker – leaving nothing indistinct or unclear. (Don't you wish every venue had a screen like that?)
Whatever you think of him as an individual, Steve Jobs is a good presenter, and simplicity is at the core of his style. There are some exceptions to this, but it's hard to deny the way this simpler approach helps draw the audience in and enhance, rather than distract from, the overall presentation.
Good videos of his talks can be tricky to track down. Here are some places to look:
- Apple – QuickTime – Macworld 2007 Keynote
- All About Steve: Steve Jobs Live
- Apple QuickTime Guide – Apple Events
Note: These images and more come from All About Steve Jobs.
Passion and Connection
January 14, 2007 Filed in: Delivery
This is one of a few
posts I have had gestating in my brain since watching
Steve Job's Macworld 2007 keynote. By now, you
probably know the products announced during the
keynote, and you've possibly seen and/or read
reaction to those products from various sources.
However, reading and viewing commentary just doesn't
have the same impact as watching Steve Jobs
speak.
Throughout his talks, Mr. Jobs will demo his own products, but he does so with an enthusiasm that's contagious. He doesn't just share facts, figures, and specifications about the product – he shares excitement. He connects with the audience at an emotional level. He doesn't just say, "This product is great." He says, "This is why I think this product is amazing, and let me show you! Don't you think this is great?" He exudes passion for the products he is presenting, and that passion is contagious.
"Unbelievable."
Who else can make scrolling through a playlist feel revolutionary? Who else makes Google Maps and HTML email feel fresh and exciting? People notice Apple products (and are polarized by them) partly because of the man who evangelizes them the most – CEO Steve Jobs. You can't ignore how much he cares about his pitch. His enthusiasm and passion demand reaction, whether its positive or negative. The one thing you can't do is remain passive when he speaks.
What about your own presentations? How does your audience see you? Are you viewed as someone just presenting material that is expected to be presented in a totally mundane, dispassionate, and predictable manner? Are you excited about your topics? Do you communicate that excitement in your presentation? Passion connects. Passion engages. Be passionate during your talks, and your audience will respond with greater enthusiasm for whatever topic you are presenting about.
Throughout his talks, Mr. Jobs will demo his own products, but he does so with an enthusiasm that's contagious. He doesn't just share facts, figures, and specifications about the product – he shares excitement. He connects with the audience at an emotional level. He doesn't just say, "This product is great." He says, "This is why I think this product is amazing, and let me show you! Don't you think this is great?" He exudes passion for the products he is presenting, and that passion is contagious.
"Unbelievable."
Who else can make scrolling through a playlist feel revolutionary? Who else makes Google Maps and HTML email feel fresh and exciting? People notice Apple products (and are polarized by them) partly because of the man who evangelizes them the most – CEO Steve Jobs. You can't ignore how much he cares about his pitch. His enthusiasm and passion demand reaction, whether its positive or negative. The one thing you can't do is remain passive when he speaks.
What about your own presentations? How does your audience see you? Are you viewed as someone just presenting material that is expected to be presented in a totally mundane, dispassionate, and predictable manner? Are you excited about your topics? Do you communicate that excitement in your presentation? Passion connects. Passion engages. Be passionate during your talks, and your audience will respond with greater enthusiasm for whatever topic you are presenting about.
Steve Jobs and the Introduction
August 12, 2006 Filed in: Delivery
I've seen way too many keynotes, seminars, and presentations now, and I've seen a ton of introductions. If you are at a keynote of some kind, the keynote speaker is usually somehow formally introduced. ("Our speaker today is known for..." or "Ladies and gentlemen, Insert Name!") If it is something smaller scale, you may get a one-sheet introducing your speaker, or you may have the speaker introducing him- or herself. ("...I want to wish you the best of mornings and tell you how truly fortunate I feel...") Once in a while, you get a presenter who wants to play some kind of get-to-know you game, but those shall not be spoken of here.
The video mentioned in my prior post has Steve Jobs being introduced by another speaker, and it distracted me because this is so unusual for Mr. Jobs. The usual Steve Jobs intro goes something like this: Lights dim; Steve Jobs walks out, says, "Good morning. Thanks for coming. We have a lot of great announcements today, so let's get started," and the presentation begins. That's it.
Your introduction will make an early impression on your audience. In my experience, respectful but concise is a good idea. You've acknowledged your audience and have expressed appreciation for their presence, but you're not going to waste their time either. There's not much more an audience appreciates than a presenter who avoids wasting time.
Steve Jobs, Microsoft, and One Hostile Audience
August 10, 2006 Filed in: Delivery
Days then were dark for Apple. They were bordering on irrelevancy and financial failure, but the momentum began to change when Steve Jobs reclaimed the MacWorld stage in the summer of 1997 to immense enthusiasm, but he brought a very unwelcome announcement in his wake.
Apple would have a $150 million investment from none other than Microsoft. In recent history, with the friendly (and sometimes less than friendly) barbs Apple shoots at the Redmond giant, it's hard to imagine a time when Apple would need to turn to the company that seemed to symbolize everything that was wrong with the technology industry, yet it happened. In August of 1997 Microsoft purchased $150 million of non-voting Apple stock; the two companies entered into a cross patent agreement; Microsoft committed to at least five more years of Mac Office, and Apple made IE the default browser on Macintosh computers.
The audience went wild ... but not with enthusiasm.
In the video, the developers in attendance actually began jeering and booing while Steve Jobs was talking about the partnership. The man who could barely introduce himself among the cheers that greeted his arrival onstage now had problems getting two sentences out of his mouth without some form of hostile reaction from his audience.
Through it all, Steve kept his cool. His tone was very matter-of-fact. He was not messing around, but neither did he shoot back at his now hostile audience. Presenters sometimes end up in front of hostile audiences such as this, but the important thing is to, like Steve, keep our cool. Remain professional. Stay on task, and do not let yourself be derailed into justifying yourself or firing back at the nay-sayers.
Check the video out. It's about 40-minutes long, and you can find it right here.