The perils are listed in no particular order.<\/div>\n

Needle in a haystack<\/strong><\/p>\n

The audience will be drinking data from a firehose.\u00a0 The savvy presenter recognizes this peril as an opportunity.<\/p>\n

To capture attention<\/strong>\u2014do something that stands out from the environment.\u00a0 The opposite of getting attention is camouflage. Being attention-getting is not a quality; it is a contrast.<\/p>\n

Trying too hard <\/strong><\/p>\n

Lots of people will be trying to stand out, and they\u2019ll make the mistake of telling jokes, displaying cartoons on the screen, or trying to connect with the audience by telling stories about themselves.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t do it.\u00a0 The audience is content driven, results oriented, and time pressed.\u00a0 They have limited space in short term memory.\u00a0 Eliminate all extraneous information.<\/p>\n

Not setting the scene<\/strong><\/p>\n

In an effort to get to the point, many speakers will forget to remind the audience of the back story\u2014the space in which their molecule competes, and what the unmet medical needs are.<\/p>\n

Your drug is the hero of a story.\u00a0 It is stepping onto a stage to overcome important obstacles and bring health to sick people.\u00a0 Set the scene so your drug looks like it has an important job to do.<\/p>\n

Offending the experts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Analysts and other savvy investors may curl their toes in agony if you spend too much time on the big picture.<\/p>\n

Set the scene quickly, then summarize in a fair and balanced way the achievements of your compound before you walk them through the data.<\/p>\n

Using the word, \u201cRobust\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The term \u201crobust\u201d has become a meaningless buzzword, especially in a scientific context.\u00a0 Be the first presenter to dispense with using it.<\/p>\n

Instead, make a statement that is meaningful, such as, \u201cThe data are promising,\u201d or, \u201cThe data suggest\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Going down rabbit holes<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you leave information on your slides that you don\u2019t plan to talk about, you are inviting savvy listeners to drag you down into the weeds, which will choke your message with irrelevancies.<\/p>\n

Unless there is an ethical reason that the audience needs to know it, keep it off the slide if it does not support your argument.<\/p>\n

Not making an argument<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are some presenters who believe their job is to deliver information.\u00a0 This approach leaves too much room for the audience to draw their own conclusions.<\/p>\n

A good scientific presenter should make an argument for the quality of the study, the validity of the data, and the implications of his conclusions.<\/p>\n

Blowing Q&A<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easier to make a slick presentation than it is to handle a room full of skeptical and insightful questions.<\/p>\n

Brainstorm with colleagues to come up with all possible lines of inquiry, and practice responding to the most penetrating and damaging assaults.<\/p>\n

Lack of conviction <\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally, your delivery stands guard over the material.\u00a0 Great data poorly delivered at a high stakes venue is a huge waste of resources.<\/p>\n

Rehearse, and where you falter, alter.<\/p>\n