In 2017 only YOU can prevent bad presentations

Happy New Year! It’s once again time to stop, reflect, and make resolutions. (Look at an article in the latest issue of the NSA’s Speaker magazine for examples of resolutions).

My title was derived from old Smokey Bear public service announcements that warned Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires. But Smokey Bear’s images are jealously guarded by the Ad Council.

Instead I went back to the Wikimedia Commons and Library of Congress web sites and adapted the four images shown above.

You are responsible for thinking and planning BEFORE writing a speech, firing up PowerPoint (or Excel, or Word), and opening your mouth before an audience.

In a post at his No Sweat Public Speaking blog on December 26 titled Lessons from Coaching Clients..., 2016 Fred E. Miller ended his list by saying something similar:

You are much better than you think you are.
Everyone has something to talk about.
Stop the negative self-talk!
Little things can make a BIG difference.
Practicing is not optional!
Take TOTAL responsibility for your presentation.

The painting of Samuel Adams and photo of Elisabeth Meyer came from Wikimedia Commons. The photo of 3 minutes intermission while changing pictures and broadside of Suicido came from the Library of Congress.