December 01, 2025

Why to present better and how as a statistician

36 minutes

A conversation with Kaspar Rufibach

Why You Should Listen:

✔ By the end of this episode, you’ll:

✔ Pick up concrete steps to improve your presentation skills over time: feedback, recordings, formal training, and deliberate practice.

✔ See why communication is leadership – and why “you can’t lead if you can’t communicate” really applies to statisticians.

✔ Learn how to start a presentation: from a blank sheet to a clear set of 2–4 key messages your audience will actually remember.

✔ Rethink slide design so your slides support you—instead of becoming an information dump that competes with your voice.

✔ Understand the crucial difference between academic talks (“what I did”) and business presentations (“what we should do now and why”).

Get practical ideas to prepare earlier, present shorter, and focus on what your audience truly needs to hear.

Episode highlights with timestamps

[00:02:00] Why presentations matter more than you think
Kaspar shares why statisticians can’t “hide behind the numbers” if they want real impact.

[00:03:00] How Kaspar actually starts a talk
From a blank sheet of paper to a small set of key messages.

[00:07:45] The problem with crowded slides
Why most slide decks try to do the wrong job—and what Kaspar does instead.

[00:14:00] Presentations, reputation, and wasted time
How the way you present shapes your personal brand with colleagues and leaders.

[00:18:00] When leaders don’t care about your methods
The shift from “here’s what I did” to “here’s what we should do.”

[00:20:45] Starting with your conclusion
How leading with recommendations can save you when your time is suddenly cut.

[00:23:30] Simple habits to become a better presenter
Small changes Kaspar says you can start using in your next talk.

[00:29:00] Dealing with fear and staying authentic
Why there are no “natural born presenters” and what really helps you improve.

[00:33:00] Kaspar’s three core principles
The key ideas he hopes every statistician remembers after this episode.

Links:

🔗 The Effective Statistician Academy – I offer free and premium resources to help you become a more effective statistician.

🔗 Medical Data Leaders Community – Join my network of statisticians and data leaders to enhance your influencing skills.

🔗 My New Book: How to Be an Effective Statistician - Volume 1 – It’s packed with insights to help statisticians, data scientists, and quantitative professionals excel as leaders, collaborators, and change-makers in healthcare and medicine.

🔗 PSI (Statistical Community in Healthcare) – Access webinars, training, and networking opportunities.

Join the Conversation:
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By Alexander Schacht and Benjamin Piske, biometricians, statisticians and leaders in the pharma industry

4.4

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