Jacqueline Farrington, founder of Farrington Partners and a communications expert with over 20 years of experience, shares valuable insights on mastering presentations. She emphasizes that a presentation is essentially a performance and discusses rehearsal techniques that include the memory palace method and the importance of practicing under stress. Jacqueline also highlights how to transform negativity into learning opportunities and the necessity of connecting emotions to the content for a more authentic delivery.
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insights INSIGHT
Presenting as a Performance
Presenting is an elevated form of communication requiring intentional commitment.
It demands presence, strategic use of voice and body, and carefully chosen words.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Driving Analogy for Rehearsal
Jacqueline Farrington uses the analogy of driving to explain cognitive overload during presentations.
Rehearsing commits details to long-term memory, freeing up working memory for connection and adaptation.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Memory Palace Technique
Use a memory palace, like your home, to internalize your presentation's flow.
Associate each talking point with a room to easily adapt to time constraints or changes.
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How to Present Like a Pro (Virtually or in Person)
Jacqueline Farrington
This book provides actionable principles for effective public speaking, focusing on strategic presence, voice, body language, storytelling, and handling questions. It is designed for busy professionals seeking to enhance their communication skills and influence in any situation. The guide is based on the science of how our brains process speaking experiences, offering insights into creating authentic and impactful presentations.
Jacqueline Farrington: The Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations
Jacqueline Farrington has over 20 years experience as a change maker, empowering leaders and their teams to spark transformation and innovation through communications. Known for her direct, yet supportive and science-backed approach, Jacqueline works with senior and board-level leaders as the founder and president of Farrington Partners. She blends her experience in the performing arts, vocal pedagogy, communications, psychology, and organizational and executive coaching to help her clients find unique communication solutions.
Her clients include multinationals such as Amazon and Microsoft, as well as startups and nonprofits. She proudly served for many years as TEDxSeattle’s Senior Speaker Coach, where she sourced, vetted, and prepared speakers for yearly sold-out audiences. She was thrilled to see several speakers from that event move on to the global TED stage. In addition to teaching at Yale, she has lectured and taught at the London Business School, Rutgers University, and Imperial College. Jacqueline in the author of The Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations: How to Present Like a Pro (Virtually or in Person)*.
We all know we should practice before a big presentation, but how you practice makes a big difference on whether you just feel more prepared…or actually are. In this episode, Jacqueline and I explore how to rehearse so you perform better.
Key Points
A presentation is a performance. Just like any performance, how you rehearse is critical for your success.
Great presenters look relaxed and natural and unrehearsed because they have practiced over and over again.
Internalizing your talk is like driving home. You know the route so well, you can take any turn you want and still arrive at the same house.
Use a memory palace to recall point during your presentation. This also provides and easy path to adjust timing and content when changes inevitably come.
Create controlled stress for yourself during rehearsals. This surfaces where to get better and also helps you respond more effectively when actual stresses come up when presenting.
Review your work objectively to decide how to improve your message. It’s helpful to think about watching a recording of someone else so that you can better surface what to change.
Resources Mentioned
The Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations: How to Present Like a Pro (Virtually or in Person)* by Jacqueline Farrington
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
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