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Effective Business Presentations ^ 391011

Effective Business Presentations

harvard business review effective presentations

Effective Business Presentations ^ 391011

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Publication Date: July 10, 1990

Source: Harvard Business School

Effective presentations do not just happen, they are the result of careful planning and practice. The more appropriate to audience, situation, and topic your planning and delivery, the more likely it is that you will achieve your communication goal. An active, involved audience is one of the speaker's greatest assets.

harvard business review effective presentations

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Communication Strategies: Presenting with Impact

Gain skills and techniques to engage, inform and inspire others, improving your ability to communicate as a leader.

December 2, 2024

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM ET

2 consecutive days

$2,990 Programs fill quickly — free cancellation up to 14 days prior

Registration Deadline

November 24, 2024

Communication Strategies Program Overview

Communication strategies: presenting with impact, a public speaking course.

Public speaking—whether delivering a presentation, making a pitch, or leading a group discussion—can cause even the most confident leader to break a sweat. Yet communicating your message with poise, confidence, and conviction is an essential leadership skill. Mastering your public speaking and presentation skills will enable you to inspire your audience as well as build trust and credibility.

Through oral presentations and small group activities, you will put proven public speaking techniques and tools into practice, test out new approaches, and learn to communicate clearly and confidently. Discover the powerful impact of storytelling and practical persuasion skills to authentically illustrate your message. Learn how to effectively organize materials to blend analytical and emotional content into a compelling story, and incorporate dynamic introductions and memorable endings into your presentations.

Who Should Register for this Public Speaking Course

This communication program is appropriate for business professionals at all levels of experience who would like to enhance their communication skills to succeed in delivering impactful presentations. It is ideal for anyone in a role that requires ceremonial speaking, persuasive speaking, or any other type of public speaking, regardless of industry or years of experience.

All participants will earn a Certificate of Participation from the Harvard Division of Continuing Education

Participants must be fluent in English to participate fully in fast-moving discussions and exercises.

Benefits of Communication Strategies: Presenting With Impact

This communication strategies program is designed to offer new techniques to improve your public speaking skills. Key takeaways from the program will help you improve your ability to persuade and influence your audience in large- and small-group settings.

During this public speaking training course, you will:

  • Learn guiding principles of making effective presentations
  • Build confidence in your presentation abilities
  • Cultivate your personal leadership and communication style
  • Learn strategies on handling hostile audiences

“Jill [Slye] shared invaluable tips that have helped me to reduce my anxiety and negative self-talk around my presentations while conveying a message that encourages others to affect change through empowering presentations.” — Lizbeth Sanches-Acre

The curriculum for this communication strategies program is designed to be interactive and hands-on. You will practice the skills and techniques you are learning in real-time through small group activities and oral presentations during the program.

The curriculum will cover topics such as:

  • Effective delivery skills involving presence, vocal variety, body language, narratives and humor, and handling nerves
  • Crafting clear and concise messages
  • Understanding and connecting with your audience
  • Techniques for effective handling of Q&A sessions
  • Ways to gain buy-in and influence your audience
  • Strategies for online communications, webinars, podcasts, Zoom platforms, etc.

This public speaking course is offered as a two-day on-campus program in our state-of-the-art classroom space in the heart of historic Harvard University. Program tuition is $2,990 plus the cost of travel.

Considering this program?

harvard business review effective presentations

Send yourself the details.

Related Programs

  • Effective Organizational Communication
  • Influence and Persuasion in Leadership
  • Becoming a Leader: Developing Your Style and Making Sound Decisions

December Schedule

  • Communication Overview
  • Honing Your Personal Communication Style
  • Developing Audience Centered Content
  • Presentations
  • Strategies for Online Communications
  • Leadership Communication Model

Jill Abruzese Slye

I am much more confident in my ability to present my thesis (once it’s complete) than I was before I took the program. I know it’s going to be a better presentation than any of the ones I’ve made thus far.

Student, Master’s in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Certificates of Leadership Excellence

The Certificates of Leadership Excellence (CLE) are designed for leaders with the desire to enhance their business acumen, challenge current thinking, and expand their leadership skills.

This program is one of several CLE qualifying programs. Register today and get started earning your certificate.

How will this program help me improve my public speaking skills?

This program will help you improve your public speaking skills through hands-on practice of communication techniques and new approaches. As part of the program, you will engage in group exercises and oral presentations where you will receive feedback from the instructor and your peers to help you improve your skills in real time.

How will improving public speaking help me advance my career?

Public speaking is an important skill for any business professional, regardless of industry or role. To advance your career, you must possess the ability to convey your message with clarity and lead group discussions with confidence, regardless of the specific situation. Developing the techniques and strategies to communicate effectively will help build trust in your leadership skills more broadly.

What skills or experience is needed before enrolling in this program?

Participants do not need any specific experience or skills to enroll in this program. It is open to any business professional interested in improving their public speaking skills and their ability to communicate effectively and persuasively.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education Logo

Mastering the Business Presentation

Business gets done through presentations—they enable people to give updates, offer recommendations, and submit proposals. Indeed, it is hard to succeed as a business leader if you can’t create and deliver an effective presentation. Yet far too many presentations simply don’t work very well; they are too dense, too dull, and too complicated.

Tim Calkins MBA ’91 will explain why presenting is such an important skill for rising business executives and why people struggle. He will provide five best practices that will help you turn big data into a compelling story and change how you think about presenting.

  Tim Calkins is an award-winning marketing professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches courses including "Marketing Strategy" and "Biomedical Marketing." He has written three books and was coeditor of two. His latest book is  How to Wash a Chicken: Mastering the Business Presentation . Tim began his career at Kraft Foods, where he managed brands including Miracle Whip, Parkay, and Taco Bell.

harvard business review effective presentations

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How to create an effective presentation, harvard business review.

Do you have an important presentation to give and not much time to prepare it? Here’s Nick Morgan’s quick 5-step process to creating a great presentation. Nick talks you through a series of simple steps that will get you from blank screen to polished presentation in no time.

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Public Speaking Podcast

A podcast launched in a time of great change. Just One Question with Dr Nick Morgan has over 50 episodes featuring some of the worlds most elite and accomplished speakers. More importantly the podcast brings light to our industry as we undergo a public speaking and communication reformation. 

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  7. Effective Business Presentations

    Effective Business Presentations. By: Therese M. Hofmann, Deanne F. Womack, J. Janelle Shubert. Effective presentations do not just happen, they are the result of careful planning and practice. The more appropriate to audience, situation, and topic your planning and delivery, the more likely it…. Length: 5 page (s) Publication Date: Jul 10, 1990.

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