48. How To Present And Not Suck

The Operations Room: A Podcast for COO’s

48. How to present and not suck

In this episode we discuss presentation skills and storytelling. We are joined by Jonathan Zatland, Operating Partner at Forme Partners.

We chat about the following with Jonathan Zatland:

• Secrets to crafting narratives that captivate.
• How authenticity can transform your leadership narratives
• Why your presentations are falling flat

References

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-zatland-992a1b12/

Biography

A creative and commercial leader with an extensive career in high growth technology companies, e-commerce and marketplaces across UK and Europe. I started out my career as a screenwriter, living and working in Los Angeles. This was the foundation of my learning to connect stories with an audience. After a decade, I took that experience and returned to the UK to start a retail brand, Mungo & Maud. The first of its kind high end dog and cat accessory store with a physical shop in London and other major outlets around the world. Opened the online store in 2006 in the very early days of e-commerce. Following my exit, I continued my narrative thread into my role as International Multichannel Director at Etsy, helping to build and scale all International markets outside of North America. Following the IPO, I went back into startup as Chief Commercial Officer for eve Sleep, a disruptor in the sleep wellness space which I helped build and scale through to IPO. I now work as an Operating Partner for Forme Partners working with founders and CEO's across the European tech landscape, aiding them with their commercial hires at all stages of growth.

To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here.

Summary

• Career goals, creativity, and personal growth. 0:05
• Brandon and Bethany discuss their career goals and personal growth.
• Bethany realizes she needs to take advantage of not working and prioritize personal development.
• Bethany expresses frustration with lack of passion and purpose in her life, feeling unfulfilled despite various projects and hobbies.
• She longs for a major project that consumes her and stirs her imagination, but nothing has yet emerged.
• Effective storytelling and pacing in business presentations. 6:09
• Brandon and Bethany discuss narrative structure in business context, focusing on conflict and pacing.
• They emphasize the importance of actively listening to the audience and adjusting the narrative in real-time based on their reactions.
• Bethany scripts an opening for high-stakes meetings to set the tone and manage nerves.
• She tailors her approach based on the meeting's purpose and audience energy levels.
• Public speaking, authenticity, and vulnerability. 11:21
• Bethany uses narrative techniques to engage and motivate her team, including owning her energy and projecting enthusiasm.
• She also practices or rehearses her delivery beforehand to ensure authenticity and effectiveness.
• Bethany shares her approach to authenticity, vulnerability, and relatability in presentations, emphasizing the importance of self-discovery and confidence-building through therapy.
• Brandon seeks advice on how to be more authentic in his presentations, with Bethany suggesting starting with self-work and building confidence before attempting to connect with audiences.
• Brandon's son lied to fit in, but realized it didn't make him feel better or gain acceptance.
• By sharing small truths, Brandon's son learned that his friends accept him for who he is, lies or not.
• Storytelling and its importance in business leadership. 19:34
• Brandon M. learns to connect with audiences by sharing personal stories living company values.
• Jonathan: Conflict is necessary for business success, but resolution is key.
• Bethany: Storytelling vs. narrative: both are important for communication and leadership.
• Authentic storytelling and connecting with audiences. 23:49
• Bethany and Jonathan discuss the importance of making a memorable takeaway in a presentation, such as a "lemon in the eye" that makes the audience feel something.
• Jonathan suggests making something human and vulnerable to connect with the audience, using personal stories or moments that are relatable.
• Bethany observes that people can write about mundane things but make it compelling when writing from their authentic voice.
• Brandon M agrees, noting that authenticity is difficult to achieve, especially in corporate settings where people are often uncomfortable sharing their true feelings.
• Storytelling, narrative, and growth. 29:31
• Jonathan: Take people on a journey, reveal information gradually, show empathy.
• Bethany: Genuine care and empathy in feedback lead to acceptance, insincerity leads to rejection.
• Jonathan shares their approach to storytelling, emphasizing the importance of listening and feedback to improve.
• Consistency in storytelling comes from being comfortable with both planning and improvisation, according to Jonathan.
• Storytelling techniques for presentations, including pacing, energy, and engagement. 34:53
• Bethany: uses pacing, self-deprecation, and listening to engage audience.
• Jonathan: storytelling involves setting up, revealing, and landing, with repetition and reacting to energy.
• Brandon M uses pre-engagement techniques to alleviate tension and start conversations with a live audience.
• Jonathan emphasizes the importance of taking people on a journey through a story or problem-solving process.

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