It takes a long time to become a powerful and effective business presenter . . . and it takes much more effort than simply reading the occasional article offering presentation “tips.”

This should be an intuitive point.

Nonetheless, such articles sprout unmolested over the landscape.

And I suppose they can serve a purpose . . .

If perchance they help even a single person elevate their presentation game, then let a thousand presentation tips articles bloom.

In fact, it seems several thousands have bloomed.

Many of them promise the moon and the stars.

For instance . . .

Godly Presentation Tips

I forever stand in awe of the hubris of the short presentation article entitled “10 Tips to Be a Presentation GOD.”

This “God” motif occupies a certain niche in the business presentation genre of tip.  A book even carries that title:  How to be a Presentation God

Here’s a review from a website offering a learning event based on the God book

We’ve all been there: an Excel spreadsheet smeared across a presentation slide and someone mumbling into a microphone while you check your email just to stay awake.  It’s presentation hell. But it doesn’t have to be this way.  In How to Be a Presentation God, Scott Schwertly shares effective step-by-step secrets for delivering transcendent presentations with an easy-to-implement approach focused on engaging content, personal storytelling and effective design elements — the holy trinity that leads to godly delivery.

What chutzpuh, if nothing else.

I think not.

If presenting were that easy, wouldn’t we have a whole lot more “presentation gods” striding our corporate corridors?

That said, I recognize that much of the hype in such headlines is simply to get folks to read the piece.

And the over-promise of a headline does not obviate the fact that likely some good advice might be buried somewhere inside.

You simply must dig for the gold . . . and then do something with it.

Presentation Tips Gold

Here is one such article, in which the author details the struggles of his son giving his first major talk in front of hundreds of investors.  We all respond well to uplifting stories.  Stories in which the hero overcomes great odds.

And those of us in the business presentation enterprise face great odds with every presentation.  And if we don’t recognize the stakes for what they are and prepare accordingly . . . we have already lost the game.

As with most such pieces, it over-promises.  The title alone gives it away:

How To Go From Being a Disaster—To a Great Speaker

You know or you should know that you don’t go from disastrous speaking to becoming a “great speaker” from reading one article on presentation tips.

But . . .

This article does offer powerful and effective advice grouped into eight points to get you on your way.

As with most of these things, the article is fun to read and satisfying.

We read.  We nod.  Scratch the chin.

“I can do that,” we think.

But to follow the advice, ahhhh . . . that is the rub!

It requires behavior changes, and this is the most difficult thing for people to do.

I have seen it time and again in my classes . . . students know the information.  They internalize it.  They receive instruction.

But nothing happens.

They don’t change.

They continue plying their unconscious bad habits, even when those habits are pointed out and become part of the realm of the known.

Promise is easy.  Change is difficult.

This is a tip most folks don’t want to hear.

For more “tips,” consult my comprehensive book on business school presenting, entitled with suitable hubris:  The Complete Guide to Business School Presenting.