Show and Tell

1. The Core Principle: Truth, Story, and Pictures

If I tell you the truth, I tell it with a story, and if I tell that story with pictures, I can keep you glued to your seat.

Engage and captivate. The fundamental goal of any presenter is to help others see what they see, whether to entertain, educate, persuade, motivate, or ultimately change. This deceptively simple objective is often complicated by forgetting the core elements that make a presentation extraordinary. The secret lies in a powerful combination: truth, story, and pictures.

Three rules for impact. To achieve this, presenters must adhere to three essential rules. First, lead with the truth, and the heart will follow, fostering connection, passion, and confidence. Second, lead with a story, and understanding will follow, clarifying complex concepts, making ideas unforgettable, and including everyone. Third, lead with the eye, and the mind will follow, ensuring people see exactly what you mean, captivating their minds, and banishing boredom.

Change through connection. An extraordinary presentation changes people, and the fastest way to establish trust and facilitate change is by telling the truth. When combined with a compelling narrative and powerful visuals, this approach creates a presentation that resonates deeply, moves the audience, and leaves a lasting impact. It transforms a mere delivery of information into a transformative experience.

2. Mastering Truth: Connect Head, Heart, and Data

Things we BELIEVE outrank things we KNOW. And both outrank “JUST THE FACTS.”

Beyond mere facts. There isn't just one kind of truth; our presentations must consider intellectual, emotional, and factual truths. Intellectual truth ("I think this is true") appeals to the head, factual truth ("The facts tell me this is true") relies on data, but emotional truth ("I believe this is true") resonates with the heart. While all are valid, the most impactful presentations prioritize belief over knowledge, and knowledge over raw facts.

Hierarchy of impact. A good presentation shares new data, but a great one changes what we know. An extraordinary presentation, however, changes what we believe. This hierarchy suggests that while data provides the foundation, true influence comes from tapping into deeper convictions. For example, presenting raw sales figures (factual truth) is less impactful than explaining why those figures matter to the company's mission (intellectual truth), or how they inspire confidence in the team's future (emotional truth).

Audience transformation. The ultimate aim is to move the audience from simply receiving information to genuinely understanding, and finally, to deeply believing. This shift is crucial because beliefs drive action and lasting change. By carefully considering which truth to emphasize for a given topic and audience, presenters can craft messages that not only inform but also inspire and transform.

3. The Bucket Rule: Align Your Idea, Self, and Audience

For this topic, for this audience, and for myself, which truth should I tell?

Strategic alignment. Before crafting any presentation, it's crucial to answer a fundamental question: "Which truth should I tell?" The "Bucket Rule" provides a simple framework for this, organizing all presentation elements into three interconnected buckets: My Idea, My Self, and My Audience. This exercise helps clarify the core message, understand personal motivations, and empathize with the audience's needs and concerns.

Filling the buckets:

• My Idea: What do I really want to say if I had complete freedom? (Concepts, insights, data, anecdotes)
• My Self: Who am I really when sharing this idea? (Goals, hopes, beliefs, confidence, worries)
• My Audience: Who are they, what makes them tick, and what needs do they have? (Demographics, experience, abilities, concerns, aspirations)

Foundation for success. By thoroughly filling these buckets, presenters gain clarity on their message, build self-confidence, and develop a deep understanding of their audience. This foundational work ensures that the presentation is not just a delivery of information, but a targeted communication designed to resonate and achieve a specific outcome. It's the essential first step in moving from scattered thoughts to a cohesive and impactful narrative.

4. Four Storylines for Every Presentation's Purpose

After we’ve finished presenting, how do we want our audience to be different from when we started?

Purpose-driven narratives. Every successful presentation, regardless of its context—from a team status meeting to a TED Talk—is built on a clear storyline. These storylines are not random; they are carefully chosen based on the desired change in the audience. The key question to ask is: "How do we want our audience to be different from when we started?" This answer dictates which of the four universal storylines to employ.

The four universal storylines:

• The Report (PUMA rests): Changes audience's information by conveying facts and data. Aims for insight and memorability.
• The Explanation (PUMA ascends): Changes audience's knowledge or abilities by teaching new insights or skills. Aims for effortless understanding.
• The Pitch (PUMA pounces): Changes audience's actions by recommending a new solution or course of action. Aims for undeniable persuasion.
• The Drama (PUMA leaps): Changes audience's beliefs by inspiring a new perspective or way of looking at the world. Aims for deep emotional resonance.

Moving the audience. Each storyline represents a distinct way to move the audience, always from a lower point to a higher one, signifying change. Whether adding new data, sharing new insights, persuading to act, or inspiring new beliefs, the chosen storyline acts as a guide rope, ensuring the presentation has a clear direction and purpose, preventing confusion and driving meaningful transformation.

5. The PUMA: Your Presentation's Underlying Message Architecture

Our storyline is our Presentation’s Underlying Message Architecture.

Structuring your narrative. The PUMA (Presentation's Underlying Message Architecture) provides a robust framework for building any presentation, ensuring a clear, continuous, and impactful storyline. It acts as the backbone, guiding the audience from beginning to end without losing continuity or becoming flabby. This architecture helps tame complexity by forcing ideas into a structured, digestible format.

Components of the PUMA:

• Summary: Begin with a concise overview of the main idea.
• Spine: Block out the main storyline, the core progression of your narrative.
• Supporting Materials: Add details and color as "legs" that reinforce the spine.
• Final Hook: Conclude with a memorable takeaway or call to action.

Clarity and focus. The PUMA ensures that every slide contributes to a single, overarching idea. A critical rule is to limit each slide to one idea, using "builds" to clarify complexity by breaking it into several slides rather than cramming multiple concepts onto one. This approach keeps the storyline taut and prevents the audience from getting lost or confused, making the presentation crisp and effective.

6. Visual Thinking: Six Pictures to Show Any Story

More of the brain is devoted to vision and visual processing than any other known function, including language.

The power of sight. Our brains are fundamentally wired for vision, dedicating a vast portion of their activity to processing visual information. This means that if our eyes aren't given something interesting to look at, our minds will wander. To truly captivate an audience, presentations must leverage this innate visual processing power, transforming verbal ideas into compelling pictures.

Six modes of visual thinking. Any story, problem, or idea can be illustrated using just six fundamental picture types, which align perfectly with how our brains process information:

• Portraits (Who/What): Show characters, objects, and things.
• Charts (How Much): Show quantities, numbers, and values.
• Maps (Where): Show location, position, and overlap.
• Timelines (When): Show time, sequence, and order of events.
• Flowcharts (How): Show cause and effect, or process.
• Equations (Why): Show the moral of the story or the core lesson.

Translate and captivate. By using a "picture pie" approach, presenters can systematically translate what they say into what they show. Starting with the main characters (portraits) and working clockwise through the other modes ensures that every essential aspect of the story is visually represented. This method makes complex information instantly visible, memorable, and engaging, ensuring the audience's mind stays focused and follows the narrative effortlessly.

7. Choosing Your Visual Style: Photos, Graphics, or Drawings

The ideal picture is as simple as a clear sentence.

Simplicity is key. When it comes to visual style, the goal is clarity and impact, not complexity. The ideal picture is the essence of an idea made instantly visible, without unnecessary detail, color, or 3-D effects that can distract. Presenters have three main styles to choose from: photos, graphics, and drawings, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Visual style options:

• Photos: Easy to find and evocative for moods or big ideas, but can be too specific, hard to edit, and stock photos of people often damage credibility by feeling inauthentic.
• Graphics: Great for custom visuals that show exactly what's needed, relatively easy to create with basic tools, and good for keeping things simple. However, they can easily become overly complex or visually "cold."
• Drawings: The best option for showing exactly what you want with a human touch. They are easy to keep simple and inviting, even with basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles. Simple stick figures, block figures, or "blob" figures can effectively convey emotion, action, or relationships.

Authenticity and focus. Regardless of the chosen style, the picture should support the speaker and the truth being conveyed, acting as a backdrop rather than overshadowing the message. The most effective visuals are those that are simple, focused on one big thing, and directly illustrate one of the six modes of thinking, ensuring the audience's eyes are drawn to the message, not distracted by extraneous elements.

8. Conquering Fear: Plan, Practice, and Perform

Worry dissolves instantly on contact with planning.

Embrace natural anxiety. Public speaking is a common fear, yet humans are natural-born presenters. Anxiety is a natural protective mechanism, reminding us to be prepared for a risky situation. Instead of letting fear overwhelm, it can be channeled into meaningful action. The key is to recognize that fear, when managed, can transform into the fun and excitement of performance.

Five steps to confidence:

1. Get Assignment: Start by filling your "My Idea," "My Self," and "My Audience" buckets.
2. Select Storyline: Choose the appropriate PUMA (Report, Explanation, Pitch, Drama).
3. Refine PUMA & Add Pictures: Develop your narrative and integrate visuals.
4. Plugs-Out Test: Practice the entire presentation out loud, on stage, without technology, as if it were the real thing. This builds confidence and identifies rough spots.
5. Perform: Deliver the presentation, knowing you've prepared thoroughly.

Performance tips for success:

• Warm Up: Recap main points in the shower, say your opening line backstage.
• Sand Out Bumps: Master the first two minutes; never apologize for anxiety.
• Slow is Beautiful: Speak slower than feels natural; take deep breaths.
• Find Your Swing: Be true to your natural stage self.
• Find Friendly Faces: Connect with a few audience members.

Confidence comes from knowing your material through rigorous practice. By planning diligently and practicing effectively, presenters can move beyond fear and deliver an extraordinary presentation that truly connects and changes their audience.