KRIS SHAMLOO

presentation tips

2025-01-25

1. Be entertaining. I'm a huge dingus, but if I'm funny I might be able to cast a spell on my audience. Corporate work is often dull. One or two jokes goes a long way to helping lighten the mood. Minimum of one joke, max three. Jokes don't have to be complicated, self deprecating is safe.

2. Remind folks of the team goal. Everyone gets tunnel vision at work around how they do their little part of the process. The goal is rarely to execute steps in a process; it's usually to make a great product or service. Tie it in to what you're presenting.

3. Less text, more rehearsing. Keep your slides sparse. Watch a Steve Jobs keynote. He was the best at it. His slides are spartan, he talks a lot. If you struggle with speaking, present to your manager (or a colleague) in private. Ask them to time you. Ask them to give you feedback at the end. Was the message clear? Was it boring? This is a win-win: you get to practice and your manager gets to do something unambiguously helpful.