[...]... him—which only would have made things worse and showing self-control, I gained respect from the audience 194 Presentation Zen Contribution and Being in the Moment Every presentation is a performance, and Ben Zander knows a thing or two about the art of performance You may know Ben Zander as the talented conductor for the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, but he is also one of the truly gifted presenters of... it!—I'll take a risk" and dare to lean into the music with intensity, color, humanity, and passion and quite possibly, in your own small way (and on only one buttock), change the world Play it with total sincerity and with your entire body—heart and soul and you will make a connection and change things As Ben Zander said while encouraging one of his talented students to play it in the "one-buttock" style:... I was 17 I don't care how technically "good" the music is, I have never seen a great performance that lacked a solid connection between the performer and the audience Playing music is a performance and also very much a presentation Good presentations are about conversing, sharing, and connecting at an intellectual and emotional level in an honest and sincere way It doesn't get much more honest than... Transforming Professional and Personal Life (Penguin) by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander, and I was inspired The suggestion to check out Ben Zander as a speaker/presenter was the best tip have received in a very long time Ironically, the next month I presented for a Fortune 500 company and found that every single person in the room was well-versed in the Zanders' teachings and that their simple advice had... entitlements, and calculations but is instead supportive, confident, helpful, and even inspiring A presentation is as good a time as any to let people see that side of you 198 Presentation Zen In Sum  Like a conversation, presentation requires your full presence at that time and place  Like a master swordsman, you must be completely in the moment without  thoughts of the past or the future, or of "winning" and. .. making the presentation or whether someone else could be doing it better, instead realize that at this moment in time—right here right now—you are the gift, and your message is the contribution There is no "better," there is only now It really is pretty simple Not every presentation situation is about contribution, perhaps but most are In fact, I don't think I have ever given a presentation that was... the feet tapping under the tables tell me that there is a connection, and that connection is no less than communication It's a fantastic feeling Chapter 9 Connecting with an Audience 201 Tom Grant, based in Portland, Oregon, is a musical legend in the U.S Pacific Northwest, and you can buy his albums or hear his songs on jazz and soft jazz stations around the world (including here in Japan) Tom's a great... Benjamin Zander It's not always about success or failure, it's about contribution and being fully present Rather than asking questions such as Will I be appreciated?" or Will I win them over?" and so on, ask "How can I make a contribution?" Here is what Ben Zander said to a talented young musician while coaching him on his musical performance: We are about contribution, that's what our job is everyone was... But the connection would not be there A connection with the audience is not a sufficient condition, but it's a necessary one Recently, I attended a Toastmasters' speech contest in Japan Toastmasters is rather traditional, you may be thinking However, I found it very interesting that not one of the contestants spoke from the lectern, not a single person All speakers placed themselves front and center... completely present in the "here and now," but is instead processing many emotional opinions and juggling several issues at the moment—both professional and personal while doing his best to listen to you We all struggle with this It is virtually impossible for our audience to concentrate completely on what we are saying, even for shorter presentations Many studies show that concentration really takes a hit after . him—which only would have made things worse and showing self-control, I gained respect from the audience. 194 Presentation Zen Contribution and Being in the Moment Every presentation is a performance,. music is a performance and also very much a presentation. Good presentations are about conversing, sharing, and connecting at an intellectual and emotional level in an honest and sincere way. It. calculations but is instead supportive, confident, helpful, and even inspiring. A presentation is as good a time as any to let people see that side of you. 198 Presentation Zen In Sum  Like a conversation,