If you listen close enough, data will talk to you. Yet, many data-heavy presentations deliver lots of information but little insight. The audience is inundated with many numbers and charts but the insight or “so what” is often missing. Here are two tips to make your next data-heavy presentation shine. Tip #1: Guide the eye …
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function” – F. Scott Fitzerland An idea that has shaped my thinking of business presentations is the metaphor of the dance floor and the balcony. It is the …
“Without emotion, there is no beauty.” – Diana Vreeland Colors Bring Joy I remember the festival of Holi! People throwing handfuls of colored powder at each other on the streets of Delhi. Clothes stained in every color imaginable – pink, blue, red, green. Peals of laughter. Thinking about it brings a distinct feeling of happiness. …
“Hospitality is a dialogue” – Danny Meyer I love Shake Shack. On several occasions, I have waited in long lines to savor the Smoke Shack burger and the Crinkle fries. How has Shake Shack thrived in the perilous fast-food industry? This weekend I discovered the secret; that can be applied to business presentations as well. …
Apply Shake-Shack’s Secret To Your Next Presentation Read More »
“Bad design is smoke. Good design is a mirror.” – Juan Carlos Fernandez Time to Get Crafty We may not all be artists, but many of us have had to put on hats we never imagined throughout the course of our careers. This could include designing presentations, posters, videos, and even websites. Whether or not …
The Story Behind an Icon The Sydney Opera House, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, had its groundbreaking opening in 1959. Naturally, an undertaking of this magnitude would have been considered a great feat. But at 588 concrete pillars, 2,400 concrete ribs and 1,056,006 ceramic tile chevrons, attempting to finish within the …
“In the word ‘question’ there is a beautiful word- quest.” – Elie Weisel What Happened to Questions? When we ask questions, we embark on an exploration of new ideas and a conquest for new information. This is most apparent in children who have an innate sense of wonder. The world itself and the way it …
Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine” – Elvis Presley The corporate world romanticizes competition. Business-school students around the world carry copies of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” in their back-packs. Battle metaphors are part of corporate lexicon. From “war-rooms” to “competitive battle-grounds”. From “war-games” to “strike when enemy is weak”. Teams obsess about …
What Elvis Reminds Us About Technology Disruption Read More »
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” – Leonardo da Vinci Wabi-Sabi – a Japanese term – is a form of appreciation for the beauty of simplicity. It is an idea foreign to many westerners. Wabi means a lack of materialistic ‘wealth’ while feeling free from a need of worldly things. Sabi is defined by a feeling …
I have always loved George Clooney: from the doe-eyed Doug Ross in E.R to the smooth Danny Ocean in Ocean’s Eleven to the suave Ryan Bingham in Up in the Air. But, while he is visually appealing and a talented actor, it isn’t his looks or acting that make him stand out to me. It …
What is George Clooney’s secret to “Effortless Cool”? Sprezzatura. Read More »
