“Time to discard the small do's and don'ts notes you've been carrying around for years . . . finally a book that captures the art of how to ‘sell' with the art of how to ‘tell' in a succinct and straightforward guide; complete with key tips that provide all you need to know about giving oral presentations to effectively communicate the value of your organization to a potential client. Having led captures and organizations from $5 M to $5B over 34 years, this is a must-read for capture leaders, capture teams, and business leaders alike.”

John Mengucci

CACI Chief Operating Officer

Former Lockheed Martin Business Executive

“John Parker Stewart has an uncanny ability to instill confidence, bring out genuineness, and ensure clarity and conciseness of delivery, that when combined together will help any individual or team deliver a compliant, compelling, and ultimately winning oral proposal presentation.”

Mark Gray

President and CEO, ASRC Federal

“Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations fills an absolutely critical need in the area of winning new business. In coauthoring this book, Don Fulop has synthesized over 40 years of highly successful engineering, program management, and business development expertise. He was consistently the ‘winningest' business development executive I knew at Lockheed Martin. His knowledge of the secret ins and outs of structuring oral presentations, meticulous preparation, and rehearsal for key customer orals, and highly skilled performance in front of senior acquisition executives were major contributing factors in his many multibillion-dollar program wins. Don set the industry standard for orals and customer presentations, and in Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations he shares his secrets with the reader. This book is essential to any library on how to win business.”

Benjamin H. Schleider III, PhD

CEO, DCG LLC

Former Lockheed Martin Executive

“Great ideas are often challenging to communicate. Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations provides easy-to-grasp tools to ensure a smart, persuasive, and dynamic presentation.”

Devon Burt

VP/Creative Director, Apparel Special Projects, Nike

“Presenting a cogent oral argument—be it to an auditorium full of strangers, a classroom of distracted teenagers, a gathering of superiors and peers, a courtroom with a judge and jury, a job interview, or a selection board of potential clients—is equal parts art, science, and, at its best, pure, unforgettable magic. The stakes are usually high and you get only a single shot at persuading the target audience. How to make the most of that one opportunity is what this book is all about. Don Fulop and John Parker Stewart truly stand up and deliver. They lift the veil and reveal what magicians rarely, if ever, share: their real secrets. Anchored in decades of highly successful experience at the pinnacle of business development—itself a mercurial combo of art, science, and magic—at such top-tier companies as Lockheed Martin and CACI, Don Fulop's perspective offers the invaluable insight, realism, and grit of the skilled practitioner. He has been there and done that—skillfully, gracefully, and seemingly effortlessly—delivering uncommon results. He has led, educated, inspired, pushed, cajoled, delighted, and amazed even in the face of doubts, vacillations, and the inevitable resistance to change. He is an experienced guide who knows both the path to success and the obstacles along the way. With Don at the helm, the sky is no limit. John Parker Stewart, the indomitable executive coach and supreme motivator, always brings out the best in individuals and teams. Together, Fulop and Stewart are an unbeatable combination. They deliver a readable, relevant and compelling book. Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations isn't ‘Public Speaking for Dummies' or yet another generic ‘how to' book. Listen to their voices of experience, learn their keys to success, and you too might be able to make magic happen.”

Dr. Lani Kass

Senior Vice President and Corporate Strategic Advisor, CACI International Inc.

Former Senior Policy Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Former Special Assistant to the Chief, USAF

Former Professor of Military Strategy at the National War College

“The business leader must never forget that a customer's request for orals is an open invitation to differentiate their offering from all others. Stewart's experience and practical tools, when combined with hard work and preparation, provide everything you need for successful orals with high impact and solid substance.”

Dan Olson

VP/GM, Northrop Grumman, Armament Systems Division

“Don Fulop is uniquely qualified to coauthor this book. His skill as an accomplished engineer, coupled with a special talent for visualizing the winning elements of a difficult proposal and understanding of the added value of a properly developed oral presentation, have resulted in a highly respected reputation in the technical business development community.”

Jay Honeycutt

Former Director, NASA Kennedy Space Center President, Lockheed Martin Space Operations

“It is fantastic that John has shared his vast knowledge and experience in oral presentations through this comprehensive and compelling book enabling the reader to win more often.”

Ray Kiley, CEO, Intelledox

“Facing an oral presentation is much feared and all too often deferred, but is an increasingly critical aspect of winning proposals. How to succeed is put squarely under the microscope by John Parker Stewart and Don Fulop. Rest assured the winning organization will have thoroughly studied this invaluable resource.”

Colonel James C. Adamson, US Army, Ret.

NASA Astronaut

Former President, Lockheed Martin

Former CEO, Allied Signal/Honeywell

“This book is packed with world-class tips on speaking and presenting by a world-class coach. John is the best!”

Tarek Robbiati

Former CFO, Sprint

Former CEO, CSL-Hong Kong

“If you are a professional who has to win a proposal or impress a prospective client, this book should be a must-read for you and your team. I had the opportunity to work with Don Fulop in the highly competitive federal services contracting world and he is one of the real winners in this space. His focus on the strategy for what it takes to win, his clarity of offer, and mostly to the preparation for the presentations that are increasingly a part of large, must-win, proposals, Don is a proven leader. As we competed to grow from our base of a successful $2.5 billion company, leaving a presentation to chance was not an option. Don's proven techniques, and ability to teach these to a broad group of colleagues, really sets him apart and made his “Will to Win” a key differentiator. I would strongly endorse this as a must-read for anyone who wants to increase their probability of win.”

Mike Thomas

Former President, Lockheed Martin IS&GS Security Group

“John is on the extremely short list of orals coaches who have an uncanny ability to instantaneously connect with key leaders and orals teams in a credible way. He enables them to communicate effectively, serving not only their own best interests, but the best interests of the organizations that they seek to serve in a superior way.”

Brian Dalton

Vice President, Human Resources, KBRwyle

Former CHRO, Orbital ATK

“John's ability to find and articulate the essentials of a successful orals team is masterfully explained in a way that is understandable and executable by all levels. This is a must-read for anyone involved in oral presentations.”

David J. Dacquino

Chairman and CEO, Serco Inc.

Former Senior VP & GM, Raytheon Technical Services Co.

“Oral presentation success is a vital part of the implementation of marketing strategies. This in turn leads to sales and market growth. This compilation of methods, communication strategies, and presentation planning can be used by nearly any company or organization to produce excellent oral presenters. John's insight and leadership methods have proven over the years to be consistently successful. I have used many of these methods to improve sales, marketing, and customer interface for over 20 years. I fully endorse this book and the methods described therein to produce excellent oral presenters, the backbone of sales and market share growth.”

Brian K. Hovik

Market Manager, Aerospace – BASF Corporation

Former Senior Engineer – Boeing Research & Development

“How to prepare, practice, and present for an oral's presentation … this book is written by the experts and has the secrets for your team's success.”

Carey Smith

President, Parsons Corporation Federal Business Unit

“When your business growth depends on the ability to articulate why potential clients should choose your company over the competition, John Parker Stewart's oral coaching methods and strategies provide the definitive approach to success. This invaluable tool is also 100% applicable to businesses outside the government sector, and to anyone wanting to hone their presentation and analytical skills.”

Richard B. Evans

President and CEO, Health Care Solutions International

“Persuasion is the name of the game! John Parker Stewart and Don Fulop have crafted a masterful book to successfully take the reader to that goal.”

Dr. Cynthia Z.F. Clark

Former Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA

“John Parker Stewart's unique ability to combine both the business and human aspects into a presentation is second to none. This book provides the needed guidance for all competing oral teams to deliver persuasive and credible presentations. It is a must to capture targeted contracts.”

Daniel Cox

CEO, GCR Inc., New Orleans

“I fully endorse Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations! John Parker Stewart and Don Fulop have captured all the essentials of a successful orals that will help any competing team win their targeted contract!”

David Clark

COO, SC3

“Nobody in the world better understands the art and science of delivering a government oral presentation than John Parker Stewart and Don Fulop. They have worked with thousands of presenters over the decades, resulting in countless wins. They truly understand how to make you victorious! Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations provides you with the essential ingredients to make a winning presentation. Fulop and Stewart have crafted a masterpiece. This book is a staple for any executive who plans on doing business with the government, as well as all professionals who need to polish their presentation skills.”

Holton Yost

General Manager, General Dynamics Information Technology

Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations is undoubtedly the most comprehensive book available to prepare effective presentations that deliver results in any business situation … with its time-tested and practical coaching advice spread throughout, you will find it indispensable.”

Michael Millane

Principal Program Manager, Intel Corporation

“To master an orals presentation and gain a competitive advantage, this is a kick-ass, must-read book! Stewart and Fulop have written the essential primer for anyone venturing into the perilous world of orals presentations. To overcome your insecurity and desperation in making that big presentation, read this book again and again, and learn from the best!”

J. Willian Koegel, Jr.

Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, CACI

Former Partner, Steptoe & Johnson

Former Member, DC Legal Ethics Committee—Washington, DC

“John Parker Stewart successfully blends the art and science of oral presentations, and shares a piece of his magic in Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations. I have worked with John, and experienced his magic first-hand. Having worked with many orals coaches, there is no other coach in his league, and no process that comes close! I highly recommend his approach to individuals and teams facing any type of orals. His process and tools create confident teams and compelling presentations!”

Sue Shaffer

VP-Business Development, SGT

“Composing an interesting story and telling it in a compelling way are the keys to any successful presentation. John Parker Stewart and Don Fulop offer their performance-proven methods to guide you in delivering your next winning presentation.”

Rear Admiral Mark A. Hugel, US Navy (ret.)

Cover design: Wiley

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646–-600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.

Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Stewart, John Parker, author. | Fulop, Don, 1950- author.

Title: Mastering the art of oral presentations : winning orals, speeches, and

stand-up presentations / John Parker Stewart, Don Fulop.

Subjects: LCSH: Public speaking. | Oral communication. | Business communication.

Classification: LCC PN4129.15 (ebook) | LCC PN4129.15 .S74 2019 (print) | DDC 808.5/1–dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018050992

Foreword

In the pursuit of large government contracts, it is common that each competitor be required to make a face-to-face or video presentation to a source selection board. These oral presentations usually require that the key personnel of each competitor’s team explain how they will meet or exceed the customer’s expectations as the winning contractor.

Oral presentations are one of the most nerve-wracking experiences any professional must endure! Every word spoken carries the same weight as a written proposal. In addition to leveraging technical content, your presenters must impress and convince the source selection board that your team is the one that will best meet all of their requirements and the one they want to work with for years to come.

Having worked in the government contracting industry for over 40 years, I have learned that oral presentations require a completely different set of skills from the ones needed for producing a written proposal. Knowing that “you never get a second chance at a first impression,” it is imperative to seek the best advice and coaching to make the most of the opportunity for presenting your ideas to your prospective customers.

Two of my favorite people, John Parker Stewart and Don Fulop, have now collaborated on Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations, a clear and comprehensive guide that covers every facet of preparing your oral presentation team to make the absolute most of their time in front of the customer.

John Parker Stewart, an internationally renowned author and executive skills development coach, adapted all his learning about what works and what doesn’t for highly effective communication to provide key steps for preparing and delivering remarkable oral presentations.

John joined forces with Don Fulop, who is one of the finest, most successful business development executives who has ever pursued and won federal government contracts. The fruit of their collaboration is a complete game plan for preparing, practicing with, and delivering successful oral presentations for federal government contracts. In fact, the principals and practices detailed in this book are equally applicable to any oral presentation, speech, or stand-up presentation.

Within the covers of this invaluable guide, you will find all the support, tips, and advice you will need for developing an oral presentation from start to finish. The process that Don and John outline will help you understand, implement, and satisfy the orals requirements for your team and for yourself.

Consider this book an orals coach in one comprehensive volume. Use this guide to learn each phase of the orals requirements. You will find a thorough explanation accompanied by examples of what an orals experience entails, and how to apply it to your specific needs in meeting the requirements you face.

Good luck learning all the ins and outs of an orals experience. You will not receive a more complete and practical guide anywhere than this book will give you! Follow these orals tips from two masters of the trade, and you will be several steps ahead of your competition.

Good luck in winning your next contract! I wish you all the best!

Ken Asbury

CEO and President, CACI

MASTERING THE ART OF ORAL PRESENTATIONS

WINNING ORALS , SPEECHES , AND STAND - UP PRESENTATIONS

Foreword