Most business people give a presentation on just an
occasional basis, which is one of the reasons it can feel like an ordeal every
time it happens. So what can we learn from people who are presenting day in,
day out - Television personalities? I have come across a couple of tips from TV
people from very different generations and they both revolve around
preparation.
Jason Manford is a comedian, TV presenter, radio
presenter and actor. He’s probably most
familiar, however, from his regular appearances on TV panel shows. How has he
achieved such a broad-ranging career at the age of just 35 and why is he in
such great demand?
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| l to r: Alan Davies, Sandi Toksvig, Stephen Fry, Jeremy Clarkson, Jason Manford |
A big clue to his success can be drawn from this insight. “I
prepare for everything”, he says, “even panel shows. I probably won’t use a lot
of what I have prepared, but knowing you are so well prepared gives you great
confidence.” So, contrary to rumours, he
is not given all the questions in advance, but does know broadly what topics
are going to be covered. Based on that knowledge, he researches and writes
little snippets and jokes that will suit the style of the show.
That kind of commitment and
attention to detail is more readily associated with a different era of
television – such as that of Cliff Michelmore, who was 96 when he died earlier
this year. In the 1950s and 60s he became one of the best-known presenters on British
television. He was appearing
in as many as 300 programmes a year and presided over election coverage and moments
of live drama such as the assassination of President Kennedy and the return of
the damaged Apollo 13.
Michelmore’s hallmark was that he always appeared
confident, calm, unhurried and unflappable. We could all do a bit of that, so what
was his secret? Michael Parkinson got an insight when, prior to becoming a famous
chat show host, he worked with Michelmore on the BBC current affairs show 24 Hours. Noticing that his preparation methods used to
involve a mere skimming of the research, but many notes in the margins of the
running order, Parkinson asked Michelmore what he was writing. “I’m looking at
the running order to spot where there might be a breakdown, and when I find it
I write in my ad libs,” he replied.
Like, Jason Manford, he hopefully didn’t need
to use much of what he had prepared but forewarned is forearmed and the result
is unflappability.
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