Ironically enough, the biggest challenge faced by people making scientific and technical presentations is their reluctance to follow the scientifically established principles of communication. What are those rules? One of them is that the human mind is drawn to problems,… Read More »Scientific and Technical Presentations
The perils are listed in no particular order. Needle in a haystack The audience will be drinking data from a firehose. The savvy presenter recognizes this peril as an opportunity. To capture attention—do something that stands out from the environment. … Read More »Meditations on the perils of presenting at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference
When scientists present, they usually start with methods, then move to findings, conclusions and perhaps recommendations. There are good reasons for this, and it can provide some drama. Yet any communication we are willing to pay for is built in… Read More »When Scientists Present
Suppose you work for a large pharma company that historically makes its profits from blockbuster primary care products, and you work in oncology. When you present your plans to the senior people, it’s evident that they don’t understand your specialty,… Read More »Persuasion and Influence: Competing for Internal Resources
Here’s the scenario. A bio-tech company will fly to Paris to convince influential French physicians to use their compound-in-development in clinical trials. The company has invited the French doctors to a nice meeting room in a nice hotel and plans… Read More »Scientific Presentations: Hitting the Audience in the Heart
Despite the extraordinary contributions the pharmaceutical industry has made to the quality and longevity of human life, it stands charged in the court of public opinion on a multiple-count indictment. Below, I have listed what I believe are the sentiments,… Read More »Pharmaceutical Presentations: Pharma on Trial