I spent 30 days using I Wrote Like Churchill for 90 Days - Here is What Happened to My Business Presentations (Here's What Happened)

**I Wrote Like Churchill for 90 Days: Here’s What Happened to My Business Presentations** Confession time: I didn't suddenly start wearing bowler hats or chomping on cigars. But I did spend 90 days channeling the spirit of Winston Churchill into my business presentations. Why? Because 3 months ago, while knee-deep in a particularly dull PowerPoint, it struck me: My presentations were the verbal equivalent of watching paint dry. I needed a jolt of eloquence, and who better than Churchill to help me turn the tide? So, there I was, at 4:23 AM on a Wednesday, surrounded by a mountain of books and a hefty dose of imposter syndrome, ready to embark on this peculiar journey. (Spoiler: there were no actual speeches delivered in hushed war rooms.) My goal was simple: infuse Churchill’s gravitas into my slides and speech to see if anyone would notice—or care. Three months later, here's what I learned: My average presentation engagement score rocketed from a humble 58% to an astounding 92%. (Yes, I used audience polls; no, bribery was not involved.) The applause was real—I could practically feel the audience's virtual pats on the back through the Zoom calls. **Why This Actually Works** Churchill was a master of rhetoric, famous for turning words into weapons of hope and resolve. His speeches rallied nations and made grown men cry (or at least made them nod with solemn determination). It turns out that when you channel his style, people actually listen—and more importantly, they remember. I started by adopting Churchill’s rule of three: a rhetorical device where you present information in threes to make it more memorable. Transforming a slide from "Our Goals: Increase Revenue, Improve Efficiency, and Enhance Customer Satisfaction" to "We shall increase revenue, we shall improve efficiency, and we shall enhance customer satisfaction" added a touch of historical gravitas that surprisingly stuck with people. **Practical Applications** Here's where it gets fun. The first step in Churchill-izing my presentations was to declutter. If a slide had more text than Churchill’s longest speech (a whopping 3,600 words), it was time to get the scissors out. I focused on punchy phrases and impactful quotes—in fact, I replaced a whole slide with just one quote: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." It hit home harder than the original slide ever did. **How to Get Started** Want to give it a whirl? Start simple. Pick one small presentation (not your CEO’s quarterly report) and try these steps: 1. **Strip it down**: Go through your slides and remove 30% of the text. Trust me, it's liberating. 2. **Find a theme**: Churchill loved themes. Pick one central idea and weave it throughout. 3. **Use repetition**: Don’t shy away from repeating key points. If it was good enough for wartime speeches, it's good enough for your monthly sales review. **Real Results** The feedback? Oh, it was delightful. Colleagues who once found my presentations to be excellent nap aids now described them as "unexpectedly rousing" and "weirdly inspiring" (I choose to take that as a compliment). One coworker even asked if I could help with his own slides, unprompted! **Advanced Tips** Ready to up your game? Here’s some insider knowledge: - **Embrace the pauses**: Churchill was a fan of strategic silences. Use them to let your audience digest key points. - **Channel the visuals**: While Churchill didn’t have PowerPoint, he did use visuals when possible. Opt for impactful images over bullet points. - **Balance the old and new**: Mix Churchillian phrases with modern lingo to keep it fresh. (I referred to our marketing strategy as “our finest hour” and it didn’t sound completely ridiculous.) **Call to Action** Feeling inspired to give it a try? Go ahead, summon your inner Churchill and watch your presentations transform from drab to fab. Who knows? Maybe next time you present, someone will stand up and slow clap at their desk. Just don’t forget to leave the cigars at home—HR tends to frown upon those. And if you end up starting a movement (or inadvertently launching your own motivational speaking career), all I ask is a Churchillian nod of acknowledgement. Cheers to words that make a difference—whether across nations or in boardrooms!