Successful Speaking for Technical Professionals

“Your audience is the hero of your presentation.”  - Nancy Duarte from Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Have you ever delivered a technical presentation to an engineering audience, and your audience members’ faces were like “deer in the headlights”

Audiences who aren't engaged by the speaker are bored and don’t retain or implement what you say.

In today's podcast, you will learn three methods you can use to engage your engineering audience:

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

“Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet service to see who they really are.” — Will Ferrell, comedian and actor

Two weeks ago, my wife, Elaine, and I moved to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, just outside of Charleston.  We loved living in Northern Virginia, but we wanted to move to a warmer climate.  

We weren’t disappointed.  The beaches, the Charleston downtown, and the wonderful neighborhood in which we now live (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) confirmed that we made the right decision to move to the Charleston area.

So we moved in and are still opening boxes.  We moved in on a Monday and didn’t obtain Internet access until Thursday.  We had access until the following Tuesday, when men from the Internet company came to bury the cable in my yard.  

Unfortunately, they left without checking my Internet access.  You guessed it. I had no access after they left.

We had to wait until the following Friday to get our Internet access restored. 

I started thinking about what we could do as speakers if our Internet access were cut during a live presentation.

This podcast explores three backup plans if your Internet access is lost during your presentation

References 

• Forbes Technology Council. (2020). “13 Effective Ways To Stay Online When Internet Service Is Unreliable.” Forbes
• Gallo, Carmine. “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.” (2010). Gallo discusses the power of rehearsal and preparation, which includes having contingency plans for tech failures.
• Duarte, Nancy. “Resonate.” (2010). Duarte emphasizes audience engagement through storytelling and adaptability—having a co-presenter is an extension of that adaptability.

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”— Sun Tzu from The Art of War,

My wife, Elaine, and I recently moved from Northern Virginia to the Charleston, South Carolina, area.  To say our move was chaotic is an understatement.  The packing, moving, and unpacking (which is still ongoing) were and are stressful.

This chaos of moving to another state got me thinking about the chaos that speakers have to deal with.

This podcast episode offers valuable tips for speakers to navigate the challenges posed by travel and logistics, content juggling, and the emotional strain of balancing their speaking commitments with personal responsibilities.

References 

• Brown, Brené (2012). Daring Greatly. Gotham Books. – On embracing vulnerability and managing the emotional cost of visibility.
• Duarte, Nancy (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. Wiley. – On modular content creation and the structure of compelling presentations.
• Morgan, Nick (2011). Give Your Speech, Change the World. Harvard Business Press. – On message frameworks and speaker adaptability.
• Port, Michael (2015). Steal the Show. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. – On the systems, preparation, and performance mindset required for speaking.
• Hyatt, Michael (2019). Free to Focus. Baker Books. – On productivity, routines, and systems that reduce chaos.
• Sinek, Simon (2009). Start With Why. Portfolio. – On creating clarity and intentionality in your speaking purpose and process.
• Loehr, Jim & Schwartz, Tony (2001). The Making of a Corporate Athlete. Harvard Business Review. – On the importance of emotional and physical recovery in high-performance roles.

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

“People don’t want perfect; they want real.” – Modern audience engagement trend

Excellent public speakers keep up with the latest audience trends.

This podcast explores three audience trends for which public speakers should take advantage.

References

• Gallo, C. (2022). The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman. St. Martin’s Press.
  Discusses how tech-savvy leaders are using evolving platforms for storytelling.
• PwC (2020). The Future of Work: A Journey to 2022.
  Highlights how emerging tech will transform communication and collaboration.
• Hofstede, G. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. McGraw-Hill.
  Provides a framework for understanding cultural dimensions and communication.
• Duarte, N. (2019). DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story. Wiley.
  Emphasizes audience awareness and message adaptation.
• Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly. Penguin Random House.
  Explores how vulnerability builds trust and connection—key for future communicators.
• Harvard Business Review (2020). The Feedback Fallacy.
  Emphasizes the need for meaningful, two-way communication.

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

“What you do for yourself dies with you. What you do for others is immortal.” — Albert Pike, attorney and writer

On this Memorial Day, it is proper to remember those who have given their lives so we may enjoy our freedom. 

Memorial Day in the United States began as a way to honor and remember soldiers who died in military service, particularly those who died during the Civil War, both Union and Confederate.

Those families touched by the tragedy of war no doubt have memories of their fallen sons, daughters, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, fathers, and mothers.

On this Memorial Day, we will explore what you, as a public speaker, want to be remembered for when you are gone.

In this podcast, we will explore three traits for which every public speaker wants to be remembered.

______________________________

References 

• Gallo, C. (2014). Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds. Gallo emphasizes that the best TED speakers show vulnerability and speak from personal experience, which enhances their authenticity and connection with the audience.
• Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences. Duarte highlights the importance of structuring presentations with clear, logical flow and using language that makes ideas accessible to all audience members.
• Carnegie, D. (1936). How to Win Friends and Influence People. Though broader than just public speaking, Carnegie’s principles underline the importance of making others feel involved and valued—the key to engagement.

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

“It’s not the words that count, but the moment you made them feel something.” — Nancy Duarte, CEO of Duarte, Inc., and author of Resonate

A compelling and under-discussed topic for public speakers is the power of micro-moments – how small interactions shape audience perception.

These micro-moments have a significant effect on engagement with your audience. 

In this week's podcast episode, we will discover just what are micro-moments, where micro-moments happen in a presentation, and how to design micro-moments into your presentations.

References 

• Nalini Ambady & Robert Rosenthal (1993): “Thin Slices of Expressive Behavior”  Audiences often judge a speaker’s credibility, warmth, and confidence based on brief, nonverbal micro-moments before any content is delivered.
• Albert Mehrabian (1971): “Silent Messages: Implicit Communication of Emotions and Attitudes. Wadsworth Publishing.” This classic finding underscores how micro-expressions, tone, and pauses during a presentation impact how the message is perceived emotionally, shaping audience trust and connection more than the actual content.
• Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.  Micro-moments appeal to this fast-thinking system. The split-second impressions speakers make—how they walk on stage, pause, or react to the audience—shape perception instantly and intuitively, long before logical evaluation occurs.

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

“If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six sharpening my axe.”
— Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States

In my weekly articles, I have extensively discussed how to create, practice, and deliver presentations. However, I have not often discussed what you should do before you create your presentation.

Before creating your presentation, you should take three essential preparatory steps to ensure your message is relevant, practical, and engaging. 

These foundational actions lay the groundwork for clarity, audience connection, and the impact of your presentation.

References 

• Lucas, S. E. (2019). The Art of Public Speaking. McGraw-Hill. Lucas emphasizes that “adapting to the audience is one of the most important keys to effective public speaking,” underscoring the need for thorough audience research.
• Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences. Wiley. Duarte advises speakers to “articulate the big idea,” stressing that without a central message, the audience will struggle to retain anything meaningful.
• Reynolds, G. (2011). Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. New Riders. Reynolds promotes simplicity and structure, stating that “the best presentations are well planned and well organized,” not just visually compelling.

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

“If you listen to your audience, they will tell you what you need to know.” — Lee Clow, American advertising executive, best known for creating the iconic “1984” Apple Macintosh commercial.

Speakers often consider what their audience can learn from them. Have you ever considered how much you can learn from your audience?

This podcast episode explores three ways you can learn from your audience.

References

• Gallo, C. (2014). Talk Like TED. Gallo explains that great speakers monitor audience reactions and use them to improve content and delivery, particularly noting the value of “listening with your eyes.”
• Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly. Brown emphasizes the power of vulnerability and listening in leadership and communication, encouraging speakers to see feedback as a gift that reveals what truly matters to others.
•  Morgan, N. (2008). Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma. Morgan argues speakers become more effective by responding to audience signals — adapting tone, body language, and content delivery based on real-time input.

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

“When you position your customer [or audience] as the hero and yourself as the guide, you win the day.” -  Donald Miller in his book Building a StoryBrand 2.0: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
 
 

Donald Miller’s book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen (Harper Collins Leadership, 2025), discusses making your client the hero of your interaction. You are the guide who leads them to the solution to their challenge. 

This is directly applicable when you speak to your audience. Do you know their challenges, and do you lead them to the solution to their challenges through your speaking?

This podcast episode outlines three ways to make your audience the hero

References

• Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences, by Nancy Duarte (John Wiley & Sons, 2010)
• Building a StoryBrand 2.0: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen, by Donald Miller (Harper Collins Business, 2025)
• Connect, Then Lead, Harvard Business Review article (Cuddy, Kohut, Neffinger, 2013) shows that warmth, affirmation, and empowerment foster a stronger speaker-audience connection:

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.

"Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it 'to whom it may concern.'" — Ken Haemer, Presentation Research Manager at AT&T

This podcast episode covers the nitty-gritty of how to create, practice, and deliver excellent presentations.

It contains practical processes for doing this you can implement immediately. 

© 2026 DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC. All Rights Reserved. May not be used without permission.