I was presenting at an event this week and facilitating a workshop. There were no whiteboards, but we could use a flipchart. I created a framework diagram on the flipchart before the session on my subject and then used this as a basis to draw out issues from the session, writing up comments and ideas from the group as we went along.
I found this gave me both a focus to open the discussion and then something to fill in and complete with the group as we built up our ideas. It also meant I could control the session to keep on topic and to draw out the issues. I have seen Harvard Business School professors do this to great effect using chalk and a blackboard to write up ideas gleaned from interrogating their audience on business case studies. This “power of the pen” is not only a great way to manage and capture content in a meeting, it also gives you a measure of control and a “presence” at the session.
Making your presence felt in a meeting whether it is a negotiation, team briefing, or presentation is a critical skill and one that can be quite challenging to master especially with senior stakeholders or your manager - or just difficult or challenging individuals - present. There are lots of articles with advice on how to achieve this – see for example this Stanford article Improve Your Executive Presence or this Harvard Business Review Developing Executive Presence.
However, the simple action of standing up with a pen or piece of chalk and writing your ideas or those of the group on a whiteboard, blackboard or flipchart provides a way of leading and contributing in a very natural way which gives natural command of the room. It also brings your audience with you as they feel they are contributing and can see their and ideas written up in real time – as the old African proverb says If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.
Here is an interesting blog on How to Use Flip Charts Effectively which suggests in the context of presentations that Writing or drawing on a flip chart is an active process, and energizes the speaker. This other blog Paper Presentations - Advantages Of Using Flip Charts comments While everyone seems to be interested in creating high-tech computer generated presentations, the flip chart still continues to be the most effective paper presentation media of all and is one that should not be overlooked. Too often the false assumption is made that investing a lot of money in high tech visual aids and equipment will "make" the presentation. The best paper presentation visuals have been and still are the simplest.
Steve Jobs once said “People who know what they are talking about don’t need PowerPoint”. I agree and I suggest they can however use the power of the pen interactively to great effect to create presence and take your audience with you.
I found this gave me both a focus to open the discussion and then something to fill in and complete with the group as we built up our ideas. It also meant I could control the session to keep on topic and to draw out the issues. I have seen Harvard Business School professors do this to great effect using chalk and a blackboard to write up ideas gleaned from interrogating their audience on business case studies. This “power of the pen” is not only a great way to manage and capture content in a meeting, it also gives you a measure of control and a “presence” at the session.
Making your presence felt in a meeting whether it is a negotiation, team briefing, or presentation is a critical skill and one that can be quite challenging to master especially with senior stakeholders or your manager - or just difficult or challenging individuals - present. There are lots of articles with advice on how to achieve this – see for example this Stanford article Improve Your Executive Presence or this Harvard Business Review Developing Executive Presence.
However, the simple action of standing up with a pen or piece of chalk and writing your ideas or those of the group on a whiteboard, blackboard or flipchart provides a way of leading and contributing in a very natural way which gives natural command of the room. It also brings your audience with you as they feel they are contributing and can see their and ideas written up in real time – as the old African proverb says If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.
Here is an interesting blog on How to Use Flip Charts Effectively which suggests in the context of presentations that Writing or drawing on a flip chart is an active process, and energizes the speaker. This other blog Paper Presentations - Advantages Of Using Flip Charts comments While everyone seems to be interested in creating high-tech computer generated presentations, the flip chart still continues to be the most effective paper presentation media of all and is one that should not be overlooked. Too often the false assumption is made that investing a lot of money in high tech visual aids and equipment will "make" the presentation. The best paper presentation visuals have been and still are the simplest.
Steve Jobs once said “People who know what they are talking about don’t need PowerPoint”. I agree and I suggest they can however use the power of the pen interactively to great effect to create presence and take your audience with you.
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