I recently read Slow Productivity from Cal Newport, and I was struck by how closely his recommendations align with the principles of the Presentation Sprint. Applying these ideas to your presentations can definitely make you a better speaker.
Indeed, the author introduces 3 key rules for achieving slow productivity. It’s important to note that “slow” is not meant as a negative. It refers to the Slow Movement, which encourages reclaiming our time and focus from the constant rush of modern life.

Do fewer things

I cannot agree more with it. We should do fewer presentations. We do too many of them and for the wrong reasons. How many presentations could have been an email, a memo, or a video recording? Be aware that the recommendation is to “do” fewer things, not “achieve” fewer things. Doing fewer presentations at the same time will reduce the time you spend on each, giving you the opportunity to do more in the long run. The results? More impactful presentations!

Work at a natural pace

Here again, it’s 100% aligned with the Presentation Sprint mindset. Even if it’s a sprint, you shouldn’t do it in one sitting. You need to reflect and meditate on your ideas. Let them grow and mature on their own. So, yes, a sprint should be short to limit the time you spend on it.  But it can still spread across several days and weeks. I usually recommend starting 6 weeks before the presentation days. It allows you to spend 1 hour per week while making incredible progress without feeling overwhelmed or rushed.

Obsess over quality

My position on this last one is more nuanced. Yes, we want an engaging, emotional, and entertaining presentation. However, our ultimate goal is to achieve our presentation objectives without wasting too much time. Therefore, we shouldn’t focus on perfection but on good enough. 80% is good enough, and good enough is great if it saves time.

There is so much to do and think about while preparing a presentation. By applying the Slow Productivity recommendations, you’ll get the best results in a shorter amount of time, and you’ll likely find the process more enjoyable and less stressful. Fortunately, these principles overlap almost perfectly with the Presentation Sprint framework.

Overall, I loved this book. In part because it validates the way I worked on my book (hello confirmation bias) but also because it uses plenty of micro-stories to highlight these concepts. It’s a fun and fast read.

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