Ever stood on a train platform and stared at the screen that says “Next train: 6 minutes”?
You don’t just look at it because you’re curious. You look at it because it gives you control.
You now have a choice: wait, grab a snack, or leave the station altogether.
That tiny screen does more than tell time. It lowers your anxiety. It gives you a sense of certainty in an otherwise chaotic world.
That’s the first lesson in presenting ideas clearly: give people a sense of direction.
People would rather follow someone with a bad plan than someone with no plan at all. Confusion kills momentum. But structure? Structure breeds trust.
Stand-Up Comedy Is the Gold Standard of Clarity
If you want to master presentations, don’t watch TED Talks—watch Dave Chappelle.
He’s not just funny. He’s a surgeon. With nothing but breath control, vocal dynamics, and storytelling, he holds the room. For an hour or more.
He doesn’t just talk. He guides.
That’s the second lesson: your job as a presenter is to move the story forward. Structure your ideas so your audience isn’t lost or guessing. Surprise them. But never confuse them.
Presentation Is Just Another Word for Service Design
Service designers figured this out years ago. They obsess over removing friction, managing expectations, and giving users a sense of control.
Take Lou Downe’s work with the UK government. They learned that even delays feel better when you tell people what’s happening.
Think about that: you can literally design someone’s emotional response by managing their expectations well.
That’s what your ideas need—a layer of service design thinking.
Tell people where they’re going. Let them know how long it will take. And give them options when things change.
Use the Rule of Three (Because Biology Said So)
There’s a reason every story has a beginning, middle, and end. It’s not just tradition—it’s neurology.
Our brains love the number three. Three points? We can handle that. One major idea with three subpoints? Easy. But give me twenty-two bullet points with no hierarchy, and I’m tapping out by slide five.
Clarity isn’t just about intelligence—it’s about restraint.
You don’t prove your genius by making things complex. You prove it by making them simple.
If you can’t explain your idea without jargon, you don’t own the idea—it owns you.
The Four Tools of Clear Presentation
Let me leave you with a metaphor—a toolkit for clarity:
- The Map – Show the audience the full journey.
- The Compass – Let them orient at every step.
- The Watch – Respect their time and attention.
- The Radio – Tune into their feedback in real-time.
If any one of those is missing, the others have to work overtime. But when they all work together, your message moves people from confusion to clarity. From hesitation to action.
Every time you open your mouth or hit “publish,” you’re asking someone to go on a journey with you.
Don’t make them guess where you’re going.
Give them a damn map.
