Real Leaders Don't Do Powerpoint

About the Author

Christopher Witt is a seasoned speechwriter, consultant, and coach known for his expertise in helping leaders craft impactful speeches. Witt's philosophy emphasizes the importance of genuine communication over the reliance on presentation tools like PowerPoint. His work focuses on teaching aspiring leaders how to speak with authenticity, charisma, and influence, ensuring their messages resonate deeply with their audiences.

Main Idea

When leaders speak, they’re not trying to dazzle their audience with their mastery of presentation technology. Instead, they speak to make a difference, to promote their vision, and to change the way people think. Leaders speak to influence and inspire, thereby changing the way people think and act in the future. To speak like a leader, you must move away from presenting information for its own sake and learn to shape your message in a way that encourages your audience to think and act differently.

Table of Contents

• A Great Person
• Compelling Messages
• Masterful Delivery
• Ooze Charisma
• Do Some Good
• Know Your Audience
• Manage the Event
• Be Expressive
• Incorporate Q&A
• Be Bold, Not Brash
• Forget the Jokes
• Expect Calamities
• Break the Rules

A Great Person

To be a great leader, you don’t need to be the president of a country or even a company. A great person has experience, passion, character, and a sense of humor. You simply have to be the best you can be.

Your character shapes the message listeners hear. To ensure your message is in sync with who you are:

• Know your reputation: Ask your peers what they think of you.
• Match your image to your message: Watch a video of yourself speaking to see if your perceived image aligns with your intended message.
• Be yourself: Stop imitating others or sounding like a corporate clone. Take a contrarian position and defend it with all you've got.

Compelling Messages

Compelling messages are powerful enough to change listeners' lives, even if only in a small way. To achieve this, you must prepare thoroughly and understand what the audience needs to hear. A compelling leader’s message has three essential elements:

• A big idea: A powerful idea that commands attention.
• A good and logical structure: The speech should flow naturally, with one idea leading to the next.
• Appropriate words and phrases: Use words that illuminate and motivate rather than impressive-sounding fluff.

Keep your speeches focused and brief. For instance, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address took just 2 minutes, Martin Luther King’s "I Have a Dream" speech was 16 minutes long, and Ronald Reagan’s response to the space shuttle Challenger tragedy was under 5 minutes.

"Brevity is the soul of wit." – William Shakespeare

To ensure your speech is well-received, organize it around one big idea and provide 3-5 main points that support that idea. Start strongly to grab attention and finish even stronger to leave a lasting impression.

Masterful Delivery

A great speech requires masterful delivery. This means projecting your authentic self in the most powerful way possible. Here are some tips: