Presenting? It is all about storytelling

WRITTEN September 21, 2022 Author: Patricia McCormack

It happens all the time. You and your team are victorious over a problem you needed to solve – and now your boss wants you to present it and tell your story. As if it wasn’t hard enough solving the issue, now you have to talk about it.

In. Front. Of. Everyone!

The best way to get over any anxiety related to public speaking is to be prepared!

Presenting a problem resolution talk is actually very easy to structure and follow through. You just have to tell y our story. There are 3 main areas of your talk. Once you are through those, there may be a few questions at the end.

Tell your story and BOOM! It’s over.

  • WHAT IT USED TO BE LIKE: This is where you state the problem. Without motivation – without the problem – there is no reason for your team to find a better way. Describe it as a situation that was: 
    • Negative
    • Broken
    • Undesirable
  • WHAT HAPPENED: Now you get into the process to finding the solution. How does your team discover and work through problems to get better at what they were trying to do? What magic was needed to resolve it? Here, you talk about the: 
    • Change Agent
    • Magic Wand
  • WHAT IT IS LIKE NOW: Your story will end with a victory (or a failure) – the problem solved, the product developed, the business prospering. If it was unsuccessful, you can talk about the lesson(s) learned or key takeaways to ensure positive results in the future. Wrap it up with a call to action that will ensure a benefit to all. Focus on the results which are:
    • Better
    • Repaired
    • Desirable

So you have to present? No big deal. Tell the story of your victory and how it is beneficial to you and to your audience. Perhaps they can use what you have learned to solve their problem. Maybe your problem-solving will open up a new path to someone who was stuck in their own issue. Don’t just give a speech – share your story.


THIS INFORMATION IS FROM THE IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS IMPROVING PUBLIC SPEAKING CLASS. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS, REGISTER FOR ONE OF our PUBLIC CLASSES.
Image by the US Embassy on Flickr

Other Resources:

10 Steps To Mastering the Art of Storytelling by Trekk Soft

7 Steps to Effectively Presenting a Problem by Salesforce

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