Make your next presentation naked

Onsens (hot springs) are ubiquitous in Japan and part of the culture. The act of getting naked and soaking in the bath with others is a means of communication. In Japanese it's called "Hadaka no tsukiai" (Communication in the nude). With "Hadaka no tsukiai," to soak with others in your in-group is to freely expose everything and communicate the "naked truth." Naked, we are all the same regardless of rank. In theory at least, this kind of "exposure" leads to better, more honest communication.

This got me thinking: What if we thought of designing and delivering business presentations in a way that was more "naked" as well? A way that was simpler, fresher — perhaps even a bit cheeky — and far more satisfying to both presenter and audience. That is, in a way that was freer. Free from worry. Free from anxiety over what other people will think. Free from self-doubt. Free from tricks and gimmicks and the pressure to pull those off. Free from hiding behind anything (including slides) and the fear of possible exposure that accompanies such hiding. Remove all encumbrances, be in the moment, naked...and connect.

Being naked
Being naked involves stripping away all that is unnecessary to get at the essence of your message. The naked presenter approaches the presentation task embracing the ideas of simplicity, clarity, honesty, integrity, and passion. She presents with a certain freshness. The ideas may or may not be radical, earth shattering, or new. But there is a "newness" and freshness to her approach and to her content. And if she uses slideware, her slides fit well with her talk and are harmonious with her message. The slides are in synch, and are simple and beautifully designed, yet never steal the show or rise above serving a strong but simple supportive role.

Why are we afraid to be naked?
Presenting naked is hard to do. But it wasn't always this way. When we were younger and we performed "show and tell" at the front of the class in elementary school, we were honest and engaged — sometimes our candor even made the children laugh and the teacher blush. But it was real. We told great stories...and we were only six. Now we are experienced and mature, we have advanced degrees and deep knowledge in important fields...and we are boring.

One reason we are so dull as adult presenters is because we are overly cautious. We are afraid. We want it all to be so safe and perfect, so we over think it and put up a great many barriers. Or we retreat, however unconsciously, and play it safe by hiding behind a stack of bulleted lists in a darken room in a style void of emotion. After all, no one ever got fired for just stating the facts, right?

Next time, to be different — to separate yourself from the crowd — try presenting naked.

How to present naked
This is not an exhaustive list (so please send me your naked ideas), but here are a few things to keep in mind when trying to present naked.

• Be present in the moment. Right here right now. Do not be occupied with thoughts of the future, of thoughts concerning what the results of your presentation might lead to. Do not ask about origins and ends leaving the moment forgotten. When you are with your audience, all that matters is that moment.

• Don't try to impress. Instead try to, share, help, inspire, teach, inform, guide, persuade, motivate... or make the world a little bit better.

• Keep the lights on. Find a compromise between a bright screen and enough room light for you to be seen. Do not hide in the dark — the audience came to see you as well as hear you.

• Forget the podium. Move away from obstacles that are between you and the audience.

• Use a small remote allowing you to have the freedom to move around the room/stage as you like.

• Don't attempt to hide. What's the point? Do not be evasive intellectually or physically. 

• Do not become attached to your software — if your computer crashes, screw it...the show must go on immediately, not after you have rebooted. Stuff happens, move on. Your message is far greater than the technology helping you.

• Keep it simple. All of it. Simple goals, clear messages, and moderation in length.

• Are you just a bit cheeky? Then that should show in your presentations too. Let your personality shine through. Why hide one of your biggest differentiators?

• Be credible.

• Do not use "corporate-speak" — speak like a human being. You can not be naked if you say something like "best practices" or "empowering a new paradigm."

• Think of your audience as being active participants not passive listeners ("Passive listener" = oxymoron?).

• Be comfortable with yourself being "naked." It takes practice and it takes confidence. The confidence comes with practice. Audiences hate arrogance and cockiness, but they love confidence...if it is genuine.

• Never decorate your messages or your supporting visuals. Decoration is veneer. Think design, but never decoration. Design is soul deep, decoration is "Happy Birthday" placed atop a sponge cake.

• Think in terms of what makes a good meal and good design. Think balance, harmony, variety...and content that leaves them satisfied and delighted, yet wanting more.

This is not an exhaustive list by any means. Therefore, I hope you will share your ideas here on other ways to "present naked." I'd love to hear from you.

Presenting 100% naked may not be appropriate for every case, but stripping down as much as we can often will make a huge, refreshing difference. The result will be a presentation that is different and somehow more real, "real" like a frank conversation among friends. In my experience, the higher up the management chain you go, the less real the talk. People at the highest level of management do not often present naked, but I wish they would.

Comments

[Henri Bergius]

Similarly, in Finland all business decisions have traditionally been made in sauna. Thought now this tradition is in decline:

"So much for rural bliss. In the capital, the sauna has been dwindling in popularity as a place to fire up business deals. Mobile phone giant Nokia, which represents well over a third of Helsinki's stock exchange by market value, has seen its corporate steaming experiences stymied by the rise of feminism; since saunas are traditionally single sex, it is rather difficult to include female decision makers in the meetings."

http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Finns-aint-what-they-used-to-be/2005/02/21/1108834728953.html

[Ann]

This is reminiscent or George Orwell and his six rules or writing.
1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.

3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

4. Never use the passive when you can use the active.

5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

And kudos to you. Liked the entry.

[J. B. Rainsberger]

I suppose I'm fortunate: whenever I'm comfortable with the material I intend to present, I naturally present naked. I suppose I allow my naive side to take over and forget about how important the presentation is supposed to be. I suspect my behavior is related ot my intrinsic idealism: I assume that my audience will accept me as long as my presentation is valuable to them. I have no need to hide behind anything.

[Duncan Shand]

Great post. I have been presenting in corporates for 15 years and always been told to think of the audience being naked - it never helps. The idea of presenting naked is inspired; a thoughtful, helpful concept that I will try for my next presentation.

[Joanna Millunchick]

I just found this site and am really excited about what I am reading. I listened to Lessig's presentations and agree that his particular presentation style is engaging. But. I teach engineering. Any tips on how to use some of the concepts of Presentation Zen and Lessig's style to highly technical material? Do you have any examples?

[Matt Whyndham]

Re Technical material. Remember Richard Feynman's physics lectures. They are still reverberating now. A classic example of the naked style.

[Steve Thomson]

I teach presentation skills, and try to drum these same notions into corporate types on a daily basis. The concept of 'naked presentations' is a fine one, and one that I will be incorporating into what I tell these PowerPoint crazed, acronym dependant dinosaurs as from today.

My own style when asked to present is, I hope, pretty naked already, but this fine article sharpens up the definitions and simplifies the process. Kudos!

[The Pakistani Spectator]

a very "Briliant" post

[clan]

I can't be bothered with anything recently. I haven't been up to anything. I don't care. I haven't gotten much done lately. Not that it matters.

[Jason Peck]

Hi Garr,

This is a great post. I'm a speaker, but I haven't really branched out into presentations too much. But I've seen many in some of the temporary jobs I've been in in the past.

This sort of post, and I suspect your book (not gotten hold of a copy yet), should be required reading of management everywhere!

I've seen many a presenation where the presenters just reads off the OHP or PowerPoint and the screen is filled with lots of text or stats. Very cringeworthy.

Thanks again for the insights.

Cheers,
Jason
http://prohumorist.com

[Vishal]

It's very helpful & a Great Post.

[Joan Curtis]

Thank you for so vividly reminding us that we bring too much baggage to most of our presentations. I have created a paper titled, How to Give a Presentation without Notes (and PowerPoint). The essence is what you are saying. Keep your remarks simple and know what you are going to say.

Also, use your brain. When we hide behind our PowerPoint show or our notes, our brain goes on cruise control and so does everyone in the room! When you allow your brain to organize your well-practiced remarks, you can respond to the room.

In coaching we call this "dancing in the moment." What we mean by that is being present and responding to what is going on around you. So many presenters are so caught up with themselves and their message, they forget their audience.

You've reminded us of what is important.

The big word you left out is trust. It's important to trust yourself to repond to the other human beings in the room and to trust your audience to give you direction.

I've learned this through experience. Perhaps it takes experience to have that kind of trust.

I invite you to take a look at my blog. I'd be interested in your comments. http://www.TotalCommunicationsCoach.com/blog and check out our virtual group, Speak Up for Success.