The NatWest Accelerator Storytelling Workshop
A NatWest Accelerator session on public speaking and slide craft, delivered by Sergei Firsov.
What you say matters far less than how you say it and what people see while you say it. The workshop’s opening “make people care” frame - why anyone listens to a stranger, and why feelings outlast facts - lives in Thoughts on Presenting.
What matters most in public speaking?
- 55% the delivery (body language, presence).
- 38% tone of voice (pitch, speed, pauses).
- 7% the words themselves (the spoken content).
How to prepare a speech?
Imagine you only have a couple of days to prepare.
- Who? - the audience.
- What to do? - what action do you want them to take? Not what you want to say!
- How am I supposed to do it?
Do not
Write a detailed script and recite it. People can see what you are doing. Writing the script consumes time you should spend rehearsing.
Instead:
- Plan in blocks (the structure) - Block (topic) 1, Block (topic) 2, Block (topic) 3.
- Trial run.
- Bullet points - keep them short.
My emphasis
You do not want people to read; you want them to listen to you.
Three delivery styles
| Style | Shape | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Tree | branches fan out from a single trunk and eventually reach the point | Confusing |
| Nail-to-nail | predictable, flat all the way through, no twists or turns | Boring |
| Staircase | each step is a small milestone. Deliver one at a time. | ✓ |
Eight ways to climb a step
The key benefit of using the staircase approach is that you won’t fall down too hard. It’s like incremental delivery of code, or save points in a video game.
How do you signal that you are moving from one step to the next without dropping the audience? Eight transition devices:
- Pause.
- Question - to the room.
- “Uhmm?” - a deliberate vocal beat that signals “I am about to switch gears”.
- Next visual.
- Summary of where you have been.
- State the new topic.
- Story or joke.
- Downward inflection - drop the pitch at the end of a sentence to mark closure.
How to create good slides
The unifying rule: a slide is a visual companion, not a teleprompter.
- No wall of text. A slide that reads “This is me, blah, blah…” is a slide telling the audience to read instead of listen.
- Use a blank slide when you want full attention.
My emphasis
With a blank slide, people have no choice but to listen to you.
- Use visuals to create effects and complement your words.
My emphasis
Never put the words you are going to say on the slides.
- Use blank slides to introduce a new step in the staircase.
When does text make sense on slides?
Three cases only:
- Quotes and names (for credibility).
- Slogans.
- Bullets - and they must be very short.
Handling questions
No questions from the room
Three ways to surface them anyway:
- Push - press the audience.
- Ask yourself - model a question out loud and answer it.
- Mole - a planted ally in the audience asking the question you primed them to ask.
When a question is asked
The two paths, depending on whether the question is clear or vague:
| Path | What to do |
|---|---|
| Vague question | Ask back: “What is your question?” Then rephrase it for the room. |
| Clear question | Listen to the end. Pause. Answer to everybody, briefly. Then praise the asker. |
The throughline: the audience benefits from hearing the question reshaped or repeated; the answer is a performance for the whole room, not a one-to-one reply.
Source
- Firsov, S. (2026). Grow Your Sales: Tell Your Business Story. London NatWest Accelerator, NatWest Moorgate, London, 11 June. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/grow-your-sales-tell-your-business-story-tickets-1982955279621