Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek.
Businesspeople are drawn to politics for the same reasons they’re drawn to extramarital affairs.
They think they can improve the lot of others, while enjoying the ego-boost.
Everyone should therefore be deeply excited about Donald Trump’s announcement today that he will run for president.
He can only add color (orange, to be precise) to the political arena, as he raises his own brand to ever higher levels.
You, though, must be wondering what you can learn from his presenting skills.
I am here to tell you.
1. Don’t Commit Unforced Errors. There’s a temptation when you stand in front of an audience — or, in Trump’s case, every human in America — to just start talking and hope that what comes out of your mouth is coherent. Trump, for example, said that he would be “the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” What he may have forgotten is that he’s most famous for uttering the phrase “You’re Fired.” When you’re presenting to an audience, try to anticipate every last interpretation of what you’re going to say. Otherwise you might suffer that painful silence that every presenter dreads.
2. Substantiate Where Possible. When you make an argument during a presentation, it’s always nice to back it up with at least one factual surprise. If you can tell your audience something they didn’t expect, or even know, you’ll have them on your side. By contrast, Trump offered this assertion that just floated in its own odor: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best [sic]. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” Source: Donald Trump’s mouth.
3. Judge Your Personal Anecdotes Very Carefully. During Trump’s speech he bemoaned the fact — as he sees it — that America never beats anyone, especially China. He added: “I beat China all the time.” Sadly, he didn’t substantiate. Does he beat China in negotiations? Does he beat China in sheer televisual magnetism? Does he beat Chinese people to the buffet at his hotel or doing laps in one of his swimming pools? If you’re going to tell a personal anecdote, make it relevant and perhaps even self-deprecatory. Otherwise, you might sound like a dreadful blowhard who’s more interested in himself than in his audience.
4. Don’t Be A Blowhard (Though It’s Tempting). We in America struggle to not tell people how great we are. We do it on LinkedIn. We do it in bars and on dates. Trump couldn’t resist, in the middle of his very serious speech about our nation and its future, to muse: “I have the best courses in the world.” No, he wasn’t speaking of presentation courses, nor of educational courses. He was speaking of golf courses. Blowing your own trumpet, especially when you blow it about something manifestly trivial, won’t endear you to your audience. It’ll make them think that you love yourself above all things.
5. Don’t Paint Too Bleak A Picture (Though It’s Tempting). It’s easy to tell those to whom you’re presenting that their situation is dire. This is, of course, your way of telling them you’re going to be their savior. It’s a very tricky tightrope upon which to tiptoe. You might make them question whether your blowhardiness and general wind-filled rhetoric is altogether devoid of substance. Sadly, Trump got a touch carried away when he offered: “The American Dream Is Dead.” Which conjured up a picture of America as a corpse. No client really wants to be thought of as a corpse. Clients have feelings too.
Written by: Chris Matyszczyk Source: www.Inc.com
Picture: www.WashingtonPost.com
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THE MARK CONSULTING & MARKETING