Steve Jobs: The Greatest Corporate CEO Presenter of All Time – Presentation Skills, Public Speaking

www.ruthsherman.com http Steve Jobs received a standing ovation at the event pitching Apple’s new iPad. People were happy to see him, of course, especially because he is in the midst of a significant and indefinite medical leave. But people also have come to expect the type of presentation that it seems only he can deliver. It’s a phenomenon! I’ve written before about Jobs’s impact as a presenter. He embodies the Apple brand. In his black turtleneck and jeans, he’s the epitome of Silicon Valley cool. That’s what Apple products are, as well, the coolest, most beautifully designed, slickest devices out there. Apple presentations are also slick. There’s a tremendous effort that goes into creating such a gorgeous and visually striking presentation. And don’t be fooled by Jobs’s casual delivery — a lot of thought goes into that, as well. I always like to say, “preparation + experience = spontaneity.” When I discuss this with clients, it always seems to come down to this question: which came first, the product or the presentation? Most of the time, nuts and bolts executives think the product is the only thing that matters ; if it’s good enough and the marketing team does its job, it’ll sell. But sometimes, rarely, a Steve Jobs comes along who thinks different. Not that the product doesn’t matter — of course it always does. But that the pitch matters just as much. I’ve been a CEO speech and communications coach a [hl]long time[/hl] and I cannot name another major corporate …