Professional presentation analysis

1. Justin Andrew Chavez
Professional Presentation Analysis
03/06/2020
Professor Rodrigo Mauricio Soares
There was a point in my life where even the thought of getting up in front of a group of
people would cause me severe anxiety. The thought of having ‘all eyes on me’ would be keep
most of up at night. Just before the presentation our hearts start beating as furiously as the drums
from the movie Jumanji. This personally, would cause me to stumble over my words, avoid eye
contact with my audience, and if you were to take a pulse of the crowd some would pass for
dead. Can you relate? I’m sure I am not the only one.
What is it that makes this grand opportunity to shine in our own unique way such a daunting
task? It’s not as if the crowd is going to tear us to shreds and toss us into a pit of snakes and
crocodiles. In fact, this is more of the chance to ‘peacock’ or ‘strut our stuff’ in a way that is
entirely our own.
As the years went on, I was forced to acknowledge the fact that speaking in public was never
going away. So, I went on the hunt for ways to be entertaining because if I could have the crowd
laughing with me, and not at me, we would all have a great time. Its now come a to a point
where giving a speech is even more exciting for me than it is for the crowd. I love being the

2. center of attention even if its for a little while. Honestly, anymore than a ‘little while’ and I
would have a cult following. That of course, is only a joke. The following analysis is my own
point of view in which I will answer the following questions: “What makes a presentation….”
1.) Effective
2.) Creative
3.) Captivating
4.) Inspiring
The Magic of Not Giving A F*** by Sarah Knight
Have you ever felt obligated to go out to a bar with a group of people that you really
don’t care for? What about feeling guilty for not going to a dinner party that interferes with your
personal time? It seems that most people have a problem with saying no because of the fear of
coming across as self-centered, unsociable, or just plain evil. Have you ever wanted to declutter
your life of annoyances that you have no interest in doing? Allow me to introduce you to Sarah
Knights, “The Magic of Not Giving A F***”. Ms. Knight used to have a corporate job that she
worked hard for over 15 years to obtain. She had a list of successful writers under her belt,
stability, and a good salary. But, one day she realized just how unhappy she was. She detested
the long commute, colleague going away parties, and feeling guilty for saying no to people. One
night after ‘a lot of red wine and tears’ she made the decision to quit her job and go to work for

3. herself. Ms. Sarah Knight presents an easy to understand and even easier to implement method
for giving your attention to what actually matters and not feeling bad for the things that do not. I
personally enjoy her use of alternative language because sometimes this is the only way to
express the humanness that we’re truly feeling. I also believe those taboo words shock people
into paying closer attention, and for some of us, brings a smile to our faces.
1.) Why was this presentation powerful or moving? Saying no to people for some reason
is hard to do without feeling bad or guilty. It takes a lot of courage for someone to invite
you out and earnestly want to spend time with you. But what if you really don’t want to?
Does this really make someone a ‘bad person’ or ‘unreliable’? Well, if you allocate you
‘f*** bucks’ as Ms. Sarah Knight suggests you can be polite and honest while not feeling
bad because its perfectly ok to not want to do something. I believe that this presentation
was moving because now 7.1 million people now know how to enjoy their time without
spending it on ‘f***s’ they don’t really want to give.
2.) Why did I like this presentation? Was it the content alone, or was it how the
speakerdelivered the content? The biggest reason that I liked this presentation was
because I have had a problem with saying no to people and not allowing people to cross
the line in the sand that I had drawn. This lack of a spine had caused many people that I

4. have encountered in my life to take advantage of my kindness knowing that I would
always say yes and be there. Most of those people never really cared about me anyways.
So, I stopped giving my ‘f***s’ to people and activities that I never wanted to be around
or do. I truly liked the way Ms. Sarah Knight delivered her content and the content she
delivered by means of using taboo language and the images. I liked her mild seriousness
and how she allowed the crowd to break the awkwardness of someone cursing in public
by laughing on their own accord.
3.) What made the content appealing? What made it relatable? That’s an easy one to
answer. EVERYONE has, to some extent, a problem of saying no to people. Doesn’t
matter if its your own children, the homeless people on the street, or annoying colleagues.
Everybody can relate to the issue of having boundaries and enforcing them. Ms. Sarah
Knight showed her own humanness and vulnerability by using the word ‘F***’ not only
verbally but on her slides and even on the title of her book. No one knows for a fact how
someone is going to react when using such words. But she didn’t care what people
thought and spoke her mind. She also used some very good S.T.A.R. moments like her
repeatable sound bite ‘clear out the annoy to make room for the joy’ and her use of
evocative visuals that used the word ‘f***’ in all of them.
4.) How did the speakerdraw me in to care about the subject/topic? Firstly, the title of
the presentation was eye catching. Having been in the Infantry those sorts of words are
tossed around like their going out of style. Next, the relatable story she told. She fused
the grim reality of wasting your time, money and energy with comedy and slowly guided
us all to where she wanted us to be; thinking. She played the role of mentor very well by
providing simple to use advice and by sharing her personal experiences.

5. 5.) What did you get out of the presentation that you would not have experienced
reading an article about the topic? I feel that her personality would’ve been
completely misunderstood had it not been for watching her live. If I had read an article
about this she would have come across as bitter and resentful instead of honest and direct.
Her facial expressions and body language played a key role. She looked a bit serious
while remaining soft and relatable. Also, hearing a sweet looking young lady use the
word ‘f***’ has a lasting effect. You can hide behind your writing, but you cannot do so
while face to face with people. That takes a large amount of courage.
6.) What sort of emotions did the presenter elicit? How did they do this? Ms. Sarah
Knight clearly understood her audience having been in their shoes for 15 years so
naturally she made me feel like she was concerned and patient. I take it that most, if not
all, her audience members are business professional who spend most of their time taking
their licks and not retaliating in the work environment. Certainly, the word ‘f***’ does
not get used during meetings or while on the phone with clients. But she speaks to the
divine being latent within all of us that wants to break free from the restraints of society.
She helped me feel fearless. That divine being is capable of achieving anything it puts its
mind to she speaks to so I felt understood and accepted. She shows us all that it is

6. perfectly ok to not give a ‘f***’ about everything and how instead to care about the
things in life that bring us joy so I felt brave and at peace. This is a brilliant blend of
comedy and truth.
Why Veterans Miss War by Sebastian Junger
Why do Veterans miss war? Is that even possible? If so, we’re clearly out of our minds,
right? How could someone miss going through the worst times of their life? Near death
experiences most days, bombs exploding all around us, betrayals, hunger, isolation from the
outside world, and loss of luxuries such as warm food and clean clothes. Why would anyone
want to think of the most terrifying experience one could ever encounter and begin to feel a
sense of longing? Mr. Sebastian Junger is a journalist by profession with almost 20 years’
experience covering wars. On his last and most profound experience he was embedded with
American soldiers in the country of Afghanistan. He explains his own close encounters with
death and extreme boredom. What I liked most about his presentation is that he comes from a
place of humility and doesn’t use any visuals except the ones written on his face and body.

7. 1.) Why was this presentation powerful or moving? Everyone suffers to some extent
when war breaks out. That can be financially for the taxpayers or physically by those
on the battlefield. In the end we’re all paying the price and to say that the ones living
close to the action miss it sounds absurd to the outsider. So firstly, this is a topic that
no one can ignore given that America is usually fighting a war. Then he bridges the
gap from speculation to knowing as to why anyone who miss being on the battlefield.
2.) Why did I like this presentation? Was it the content alone, or was it how the
speakerdelivered the content? I like this presentation because of both the content
and how it was delivered. As a combat infantryman myself I enjoy hearing what
civilians have to say on topics of war just to see how close or far off they are from the
truth. The cornerstone of this presentation was the answer to the question “why do
veterans miss war?”; brotherhood. The absence of visuals left the imagination to do
the heavy lifting; bullet torn clothing, sandbag barriers.
3.) What made the content appealing? What made it relatable? The topic of war is
clearly strewn across our society in video games, movies, and the news. Its all

8. dressed up in glory with nice little bows and ribbons for the average person to enjoy.
Most people have no problem watching a war film and enjoying a video game where
you kill the other person dressed as a US Soldier. War is already appealing because
society in the masses has been desensitized to the physical act of one man killing
another man for some higher purpose. Most people would relish an opportunity to
digest something war related and further their own thirst for blood from the safety of
their homes. The minority on the other hand seek to deeply understand the inner
workings of a warrior and want to know why anyone would miss something so
terrible. This topic is loaded with appeal for all audiences. I found it relatable
because I am a veteran of the United States Army Infantry. I completely agree with
this outsider’s answer. It is entirely about the brotherhoods that we forge in war.
4.) How did the speakerdraw me in to care about the subject/topic? The question
“why do veterans miss war” was shocking to me because it’s something that I
experience daily and didn’t think a civilian would ever draw the conclusion. Then he
goes on to answer it perfectly; brotherhood. Sebastian tells the story of nearly being
shot in the head. Another one of someone actually being shot in the helmet. He does
a great job telling his story without the use of physical visuals by drawing incredible
mental pictures for the audience. He mentions ‘the sand kicking up by my head’ and
I for one pictured that with ease. His tone throughout the presentation was clearly
stricken with pain. His body language was docile and latent with humility as if he
was privileged to speak on the matter.

9. 5.) What did you get out of the presentation that you would not have experienced
reading an article about the topic? Seeing the look on his face and studying his
body language took away any chance of me thinking of him as a ‘know it all war
profiteer’ because he was clearly stricken with grief. That is not easy to do when
you’re not the one pulling triggers.
6.) What sort of emotions did the presenter elicit? How did they do this? For me
personally he elicited longing for war. During the entire presentation I was
transported back to Wardak Province Afghanistan with all my friends. I could hear
peoples voice who are no longer on earth. I could smell the sent of cheap Afghan
cigarettes and CLP (oil for our weapons). I could feel my weapon in my hand and the
excitement of getting ready to go out on mission. He accomplished this upon me with
ease because he’s great at illustrating the daily atmosphere. For civilians who have
never touched the sands of Iraq, the jungles of Vietnam, or the mountains of
Afghanistan there was a clear and present atmosphere filled with shock and grief
delivered from a civilian’s perspective.

10. How the Mysterious Dark Net is Going Mainstream by Jamie Bartlett
When most of think about the dark net, those of us aware of it, we begin to think of
mischievous drug dealers and porn addicted maniacs. I’m sure most of us would not think of this
as a place for innovation, or more importantly, a place to browse the web in complete anonymity.
I remember the time I personally accessed the dark net. I felt as if I was finally going to be
accessing the truth on many hot topics that I had in the foremost of my mind. The truth of God,
aliens, and how to earn money online, finally! What I failed to notice, however, was that for
once in my life my privacy was not being raped and my information was not being sold to
companies all around the world. Your address is literally encrypted, bounced around, and nearly
impossible to locate. Jamie Bartlett has the physical appearance of someone who we’d consider
to be tech savvy so even in a mild form trusting him is easy. I like the journey that he takes all of
us on from the unknown to the other side of being interested. He bridges this gap with ease by
drawing parallels between the drug dealers and the average internet user who are both seeking
anonymity and privacy.
1.) Why was this presentation powerful or moving? Being that we are all caretakers
to our own privacy we need to use the tools available to us in order to keep it so;

11. private. We can’t rely on ‘BIG BUSINESS’ to do it for us. These companies say that
they do not share our information but all too often they are proven guilty for doing so.
The dark net is a place that anyone can use with ease and keep their business to
themselves. Furthermore, in the ‘censorship free world visited by anonymous users’
we get access to raw information before it gets the chance to be altered or altogether
thrown out by the likes of Goggle. Jamie Bartlett brings to light how all of us are in
want of our privacy being protected and shows us how to do it for ourselves.
2.) Why did I like this presentation? Was it the content alone, or was it how the
speakerdelivered the content? I really enjoyed the journey that he takes us on from
the fear of using the dark net to its practical use for everyday web activity. I found
his blend of comedy and truthfulness in his message easy digest. Pretty quickly I
went from being skeptical to seeing how the dark net has everyday uses. The way he
uses his hands to illustrate his points is in of its own a sparkline at times.
3.) What made the content appealing? What made it relatable? I use the internet
everyday and for many hours which makes me a user. My induvial expertise is that
of digital marketing which is the reverse side of the coin. So, I am both concerned for
my own privacy as well interested in how to better acquire valuable information that
can benefit my work. Another appealing factor is the mysteriousness of the dark net.
Most people have no idea still that this exists. Let alone any knowledge of how it can
benefit them.
4.) How did the speakerdraw me in to care about the subject/topic? He lured me in
with the mysteriousness and wickedness oftentimes associated with the dark net.
Then, quickly he drew the parallel between those that would use the dark net for

12. ‘evil’ and everyone else who just wants to protect their privacy and enjoy raw
information. Then he speaks of innovation occurring in the fringes and the cleverness
of those that need to remain especially private.
5.) What did you get out of the presentation that you would not have experienced
reading an article about the topic? The obvious ones are the little human quarks
and personality traits that you can’t express in writing. Jamie’s physical appearance
with his untidy hair and the way he moves his hands and body played an important
role in me trusting him as a mentor and someone who is entertaining.

13. 6.) What sort of emotions did the presenter elicit? How did they do this? Happiness
was the first to cross my mind. His physical appearance is beyond the average
persons’. I felt that this person is 100% himself and that I could relate. Next, there
was awe. The topic he began discussing was so mysterious and had very little light
shed on it. Joy soon followed closely when he began mixing serious subject such as
drug dealers and with the more harmless average internet user. Finally, I felt
satisfaction in knowing that I didn’t just waste 15 or so minutes of my life thanks to
his excellent choice in topic, his humanness injection, and practicality for moving
from ignorance to enlightenment.
My Presentation Top 10
1. Alternative Language: I like when people seek to shock and awe people
while intelligently dashing their presentations with the use of taboo words.
Sarah Knight’s entire presentation was done so eloquently. She oozed
with humanness when using the word ‘f***’ in which everyone could
relate. This tore down the wall of boring and mundane and instead created
this atmosphere where we could all just keep it real.
2. Evocative Visuals: I like to see visuals in a presentation but not the sort
latent with a bunch of bullet points. Sarah Knight made excellent use of
onscreen visuals by keeping them simple and profound. Her simple plan
of deciding what you don’t give a ‘f***’ about and then not giving a
‘f***’ about those things was so easy to implement once you looked at her
visual.

14. 3. Physical Appearance: I’m not one to judge a book by its cover, however,
it’s easy to gain credibility when you look the part so well such as Jamie
Barlett. He looks just like the sort of person that spends a lot of time in
front of a computer and on the fringes.
4. The Journey: One of the best journeys I’ve been on during a presentation
was Jamie Bartletts “How the Mysterious Dark Net is Going Mainstream”.
Even, I, a self-proclaimed computer enthusiast received an enlightenment
from this presentation. I went from having no use of the dark net to being
a believer in its practicality. I thought I was satisfied with my current
privacy protection technology, until now. My IP address encrypted,
bounced from server to server. That’s what I call privacy. What I really
like is how he parallels drug dealers and those who just want complete
anonymity. He then speaks of innovation being crafted out on the fringes.
When people were not receiving the products they payed for someone
came up with a discreet third-party holding tank for the funds. When
people wanted to be even more discreet in how they paid with BITCOIN
they created a bank of a sort that would blend everyone’s BITCOINS
together, mix them all up, and re-distribute everyone’s money making it
completely untraceable. Clearly, we could all learn a thing or two in how
to protect ourselves.
5. Knowledge of your Audience: Sarah Knight knew everything there was
to know about her audience. She used to be one of them. She had been
someone who allowed herself to be sucked in by guilt or the fear of loss of

15. face. She was able to be 100% herself on stage because she knew that
everyone in the audience was dying to do just the same.
6. Body Language: Sebastian Junger by far exceeded in this category. He
didn’t need any visuals because he became one. You could read the grief
on his face without even asking him “what’s going on?”. I truly
appreciated his lack of bravado with the absence of gore-filled images or
videos. The way he stood and spoke said everything that images and
videos could’ve and shouldn’t.
7. Mentor Role: Once more Sebastian Junger took the crown in this
category. He helped guide a crowd filled with psychologist, who no doubt
knew a thing or two about veterans and the issues they all face, from what
they thought they knew to the truth; brotherhood.
8. The End: I really enjoyed the ending in Jamie Bartletts presentation. It
was strong, informative, and gave new twist to what he had already said.
He goes on to say “The dark web is already mainstream. Facebook has
already created a dark web site. A group of London architects have
created a dark net site. The dark net is no longer a den for drug dealers or
a hideout for whistle-blowers. The internet is about to get more
interesting, more exciting, more innovative, more terrible, more
destructive. That’s good new is you care about liberty, freedom, and
democracy. It’s also good news if you want to look at illegal pornography
or buy and sell drugs. Everybody wins. It’s not just one-sided.” At the

16. end of his presentation I felt as if I had been left with something to
seriously think about.
9. Repeatable Sound Bites: I find that repeatable sounds bites are very
effective, and the one Sarah Knight uses is a perfect example, “clear away
the annoy to make room for the joy!” They make the message easier to
remember.
10. The Beginning and Call to Adventure: Sarah Knight speaks to that free
spirit in each and everyone of her audience members. “The thrill of
decluttering your house from old spatulas is one thing but what if you
could declutter the rest of the stuff? Task, obligations, relationships,
events, and drop them at the curb without a single regret? And by doing so
be free to focus our time, money, and energy on things that actually make
us happy?” That speaks to all of us.

17. Website Links for Images Used
The Magic of Not Giving A F*** by Sarah Knight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwRzjFQa_Og&list=WL&index=3&t=0s
Why Veterans Miss War by Sebastian Junger:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGZMSmcuiXM&list=WL&index=2&t=51s
How the Mysterious Dark Net is Going Mainstream by Jamie Bartlett:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzN4WGPC4kc&t=202s