There are many lessons to be learned from the world cup – that Luis Suarez should have spent more time on the naughty step; that it’s pointless investing in too much ‘England’ paraphernalia. But the most interesting and relevant area for me and my clients (all of us striving to be better presenters/speakers) is the way teams adapt their game and their line up according to the strengths/weaknesses/style of the opposing team.
This, of course, is what we individual presenters and pitch teams should be doing but it’s often forgotten in the heat of the, usually rushed, preparation.
The starting point for our prep, as is no doubt the case for the likes of Scolari, van Gaal and Herrera, is the audience/opposition. We need to understand them before we can work out how to ‘move’ them. Only then can we plan appropriate content, an effective structure, memorable slides and an engaging style of delivery.
Fail to do this at your peril.
Simply trot out the same old content, with that well used deck, and you’ll be heading, like the England team, for an early bath!