How to effectively present in English in the 21st Century

Yesterday, I had an interview for a teaching position at a law firm here in Seoul. Usually, I am the one doing the interview (the interviewer), but this time I was the person being interviewed (the interviewee) It was a very strange experience, but an experience I learned a very valuable lesson from.

Usually, when I interview someone here in Korea, I get the standard “Naver” or “Daum” answers. I can tell immediately when an interviewee is giving a memorised answer that they got from the internet pages of Naver or Daum. It never impresses me, and (perhaps this is my age) it really irritates me. There is no need for anyone to have to memorise their answers to an interview question if they just told stories from their life that were related to the question.

For example, I was asked: “How do you handle a difficult student?” my reply was to tell the story of a student who came in to my class late, began to interrupt other students when they were answering questions and dominating the class. I also told the interviewer how the atmosphere in the class deteriorated to the point where I had to call a break and talk to the student in private outside.

In that story I not only answered the interviewer’s question, but I answered in a way that they could relate to and understand. They were able to imagine the feeling in the classroom, and they could also imagine the frustration that not only I felt, but the other students felt. I also showed that I had the courage to take a student out of a classroom and talk to them privately (which, sadly, many teachers never do)

Th lesson I learned here was that while we, and many other blogs on presenting tell you, to tell stories, telling stories should not only be limited to presenting. Becoming good at telling stories can give your interviewing technique an incredible boost, and help you to land the job you have been dreaming of.

Our lives and the lives of everyone around you are made up of stories. It is these stories that make you an individual, and it is these stories that make you unique. The best advice I can give you for improving not only your presentational skills, but you whole communication skill is to learn how to tell stories well.

So, go on, tell your story and watch interviewers, audiences and your colleagues eyes light up with interest and excitement and see how your career dramatically improves.

This week I came across two TV ads that contain compelling stories, and little or no words. What it told me, and what you can learn from these ads is that a good story can turn anything into a great. Whether it is a TV ad or a presentation, by telling a story, or a series of stories you will turn your presentation into something great.

It does not matter how good your English is, many native English speakers produce terrible presentations, it does not matter how good your slides are, many presentations with professional quality images are bad. If you do not tell a story within your presentation it will be a disaster. The secret to a great presentation can be summed up in two words: “compelling stories”.

Take a look at these fantastic ads. They are short, but well worth your viewing.

While the music really helps to focus the story, the images alone in this ad tells the story of a woman going through the different stages of life. The story is compelling and really does keep your attention.

This video uses clips to tell stories, in effect there are many stories contained in just over two minutes. However, it is powerful, compelling and really gets the audience’s attention.
By changing your approach to your next presentation and focussing on stories, you not only will improve the quality of your presentation, you will also make it much easier for you to speak.