I have to admit — I love lecterns. (Some people call them podiums, but they are lecterns.) I love knowing that I can put my notes there just in case I need to glance at them. For someone who struggled with stage fright for most of her life, that’s very comforting.

I also work with scripts. I craft my remarks, my stories, my opens and closes. I’m very purposeful in what I say and how I say it so I can do my best to get my points across and engage my audience.

PowerPoint is a maybe. For training, I almost always use it. For keynotes, very rarely. For stories, not so far. (Not that I wouldn’t if it was a good idea!)

Here’s my point. These tools are great if you use them wisely. They can greatly enhance your presentation. The trick is to make sure they are not traps. Try to stay out of the black and white trap — always or never. It’s always situational!

Watch this video for tips on how to use them.

[YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcfoFdkJoDI&list=UUIoQQOQkeyPiFE3MHDGnPhw]