How Bill Gates Would Do: Debriefing Successful Presentations

Representing a large company is a responsibility. And if we are talking about a world-famous corporation, then the task becomes more complicated. Typically, the speeches of top managers and founders are well structured, emotional, and endowed with important facts. Let's take a closer look at some of the presentations.

The Microsoft founder often likes to start his talks with stories or pictures from his life. For example, at Harvard, when he was awarded his degree, Bill Gates began his speech with the words: "And I told my father that one day I will come back here and get a degree … And now I can include information about it in my resume."

Tip 1 - start with a little story. 

Another option. Ted-Talk titled Mosquitos, malaria, and education, Bill Gates

"Last week I wrote a letter about my work at the foundation. Warren Buffett advised me to honestly describe what worked out, and where else there are problems. My goal was to involve as many people as possible in solving problems. " A short story at the beginning helps the audience to get closer to the speaker and from the first seconds of the speech to penetrate the essence of the topic.

Jack Maa, the founder of one of the largest online retailers Alibaba, uses a similar technique. This is how he begins his speech at the Canadian forum: "15 years ago I came to Toronto. And we worked with about ten Chinese entrepreneurs and one internet specialist. And then we liked to discuss the future of the Internet. I believed in him very much! "

There is another peculiarity in this speech. A Chinese businessman explained why his views on education can be viewed from a professional point of view:

"I must say that I am not an expert in education, not a teacher … But I have a teacher's education. After three years of hard work, I was accepted to Hangzhou University to become a high school teacher. " As a rule, speakers include information about their expertise at the beginning of their speech. It helps to win over the audience.

At the same time, Jack Maa does not always resort to the help of private stories. Sometimes he opens the topic with global reasoning. For example, at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development conference on the future of education, the founder of Alibaba began his speech: "I think this is the most critical time for the world. The time when it is necessary to discuss the most important and problematic topic - education. Everything is changing very quickly, so we need to change the education system as soon as possible. "

Even if you get off to a good start, there are still many challenges ahead. For example, think over how to present the material, choose intonation and gestures.

A presentation is not only a well-structured speech but also a well-thought-out image. To gain speaking skills, you can reach out to those who make frequent speeches at conferences. One of them is Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Tip 2 - Exude Confidence and Calm. 

Within the walls of the corporation, he is often called "the sweetest guy." They say that a leader never raises his voice to subordinates, but only infects them with his enthusiasm.

"I can't believe it's been a year since the last Google I / O. Today is a wonderful day and more than 7 thousand people from 85 countries have joined us … I read about the conference last year. And there was little mention of sunburn. We have prepared and purchased a variety of sunscreens. Feel free to use them! " - this is how the head of Google opened the developer conference in 2017.

In addition, Michael Dell is very fond of making historical references in his presentations. For example, talk about how the world of technology is changing. This helps the audience to immerse themselves in the topic and understand the current state of affairs:

"First, computer monitors showed us a monochrome text, then graphics, photographs, and pictures appeared. Then we were able to watch films. Now is the era of high-definition video … All of this speaks of the tremendous growth of the Internet infrastructure, and at the same time the increased responsibility, "- reasoned in 2013 the founder of Dell at the meeting of the Academy of Achievements (Academy of Achievements).

Apart from Sandar Pichai, other speakers also demonstrate confident calmness. For example, Dell founder Michael Dell. Because of the confidential intonation that he often chooses for speeches, this speaker often comes across as an old acquaintance. He talks with equal confidence about the future of technology, the new possibilities of computers, or his daughter's graduation.

Typically, at technology conferences and Google presentations, the CEO speaks fairly calmly and benevolently. The voice is not too soft, but not loud either. His gestures are minimal. Sometimes he smiles, folds his arms, and walks along the stage. All his movements are quite calm and natural.

However, even if the speaker's charisma does not raise questions, and it is pleasant to listen to him, this does not mean that the speech will achieve the goal. It is necessary that the presentation be filled with facts that illustrate the speaker's point of view. It can be statistics, forecasts, historical analogies - anything that helps broaden the topic.

Tip 3 - Operate with specific facts. 

Among the famous speakers, Bill Gates is one of those who masterfully weaves facts into speech: "More than 30% of children do not make it to their senior year - they are expelled. This information was previously hidden. The experts took into account the dropout rate for the number of students who entered the senior grade and compared it with the number of students who graduated from the year. But most of the deductions took place years earlier, "says the Microsoft founder at the Mosquitoes, Malaria, and Education keynote speech. With the help of facts, the entrepreneur shows how serious the problem is - a large percentage of schoolchildren never receive a diploma.

So, we've figured out how to start speaking, which helps illustrate a point of view. The last detail remains - the final phrase. It is she who often remains in memory.

Tip 4 - Pay close attention to the final word. 

"If you want your company to succeed, have more male employees. If you strive to do quality things, hire more women. If you want to be hugely successful, have the same number of men and women in the company. Strike balance. This is exactly what we do at Alibaba, "concluded Jack Maa at the conference of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

First, a good start. Tell a short story to introduce your audience to the topic. Second, explain why you should be trusted. For example, professional experience or education can be mentioned. Third, think about your presentation and facts to help you get the message across. And finally, the last thing. Work on your final phrase carefully. As a rule, it is the last words of the speaker that remain in memory.