We all talk about giving more engaging presentations but, in 2021, EHA seized the initiative to try something bolder with their key “Spotlight” talks.

In a session that involved a talk show-style interview, audience workshops, and video testimonials from the EHA 2021 faculty, Jude and Nathalie revealed how these speakers were convinced to engage with a bolder approach to the Spotlight presentations...by imposing anxiety-inducing restrictions! This was followed by training and coaching from Jude, who explored the major areas that needed improvement. These included speakers trusting their gut instinct, shaping their content into a compelling story, allowing the audience to see their content from their unique perspective, and ensuring they crafted a strong opening to grab attention from the start. Following this last point, audiences were challenged to craft a powerful intro to the dullest topic they knew, demonstrating that there were some masterful storytellers in the crowd!

Votes indicated that the audience were broadly willing to spend the necessary time preparing presentations and investing in training for their speakers. Continuing to improve the quality of presentations involves not only pushing speakers outside their comfort zone but also reassuring them that they have the necessary support to succeed.