When it comes to presenting, all speakers have their own style. But a speaker is usually a little more steak or a little more sizzle. In other words, he or she excels more at content or more at delivery. This steak-sizzle metaphor isn’t mine. I got it from Jerry Weissman’s book Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story. In it, he says that you can’t have the sizzle without the steak.
So which do you naturally lean more towards? The content (steak) or the delivery (sizzle) of the presentation? And is one better than the other?
Steak
If you are a speaker who loves the research and writing portion of the presentation more than actually delivering it, you may be more of a steak kind of speaker. For these types, it matters that the content is stellar, the research is credible and up-to-date, and that the words used in the presentation are powerful and precise. While speakers with this style can still deliver a great presentation, they usually feel most comfortable behind a lectern with detailed notes.
If this sounds like you, congrats. You’ve got a great presentation foundation. The steak has to come before the sizzle. But think about how you could extend the impact of your words by elevating your delivery. As a speaker who naturally excels at content, focus on these things to increase your sizzle:
- Using more facial expression
- Increasing eye contact
- Varying the pitch and rate of your voice
- Moving throughout your presentation (taking some steps, gesturing with your arms and hands, etc.)
- Getting up out of your notes
- Communicating warmth through relaxed and open postures
- Freeing yourself from the need to be perfect
- Practicing your presentation many times before the event
Sizzle
If you are a speaker who enjoys winging it, or entertaining the crowd, you are probably more of a sizzle style of speaker. You love the thrill of getting up in front of an audience. You enjoy making them laugh or challenging them to think about something new. The research and writing portion of the preparation bogs you down. And you probably feel like you can get away without practicing too much.
If this sounds like you, congrats. You probably give an entertaining and engaging presentation. But Weissman says, “All the vocal dynamics and animated body language in the world can’t improve a confusing story, while a clear and concise story can give a presenter clarity of mind to present with poise.” In other words, elevate your content so that your natural delivery skills can really shine. If you are a sizzle speaker, focus on the following things:
- Engaging in solid research
- Giving yourself enough time to write and revise your content
- Talking to experts in the field of your topic to get other perspectives
- Creating speaker’s notes that keep you on track without limiting you
- Making the goal of informing as important as the goal of entertaining
- Putting in enough practice time rather than relying on your ability to wing it
So which presentation style are you? Steak or sizzle? While all of us have a natural bent, every speaker needs both. To find out more about your presentation persona, take our free 10-12 minute assessment tool called Badge.
And find out more about how Ethos3 can help take your presentations to the next level.
