Anke Tröder

Dozentin für Internationale Kommunikation/
Lecturer for Presentations & Public Speaking

Presenting means talking to people. I try and help you find your voice.

How to get in touch

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Vital statistics

I teach presentation classes at a small university of applied sciences and arts in Germany.

My students are between 20 and 30 and come from all walks of life: design, architecture, social work.

I also support our college start-up team with the coaching of young entrepreneurs for pitch contests, client and investor talks or product shows.

 

In 1987 I graduated in Literature/Languages.

Officially, and by heart, I am a teacher. I still say going to school instead of going to work or college.

I’ve been a freelance trainer since 1989, plus a translator, writer, editor.

I’ve an education in desktop publishing. Once I almost made my pilot’s licence. I’m a much better trainer than a pilot, but it has taught me the relevance of goals and of aiming sky high. Sometimes I wake up and find a story on my pillow.

I swopped planes for cameras. It’s safer for everyone. But I still love wings: I have made hooded crows my favorite subject. They are wonderful teachers, and students. Like all cats.

Since 1992 I have been a full time lecturer at HAWK Hildesheim, University of Applied Sciences & Arts.

In 2000 I started my first literary weblog. This is not it. It was fantastic to be part of something new and young and vibrant, and I still miss those first German blogs’ voices. It helps to explain why I fervently dislike Facebook. I liked my web better before it became all social. On the other hand, I love what is happening in Presenting Land. There are so many great and generous people out there doing a marvellous job. 

 

So what is this?

This is my note book. My think tank.

I am meandering here on talks and slides, images and words, content and gestalt, and everything else we think about in presentation land. Usually in easy English, sometimes in German. Some of the stuff is directed at my students, some at friends and trainers, some at myself. I am not out here to get into business. I am in business.

Occasionally, I still do external trainings. Just ask me.

 

Random thoughts on my job:

I believe nobody should use slides unless they can present well without.

I can get pretty mad if someone misquotes Mehrabian’s 55/38/7 rule one more time. 

I often wish Academia was a better role model. Still having to fight text ridden slides is tough. Having to fight slides with cheesy images is even worse.

Then again, the good days are worth it all:

• When you see an audience lean forward into that special silence.
• When you can tell something has changed. Forever. 
• When a young woman tells me she has lost her fear of public speaking.
• When a start-up team writes to let me know they have won first prize. Twice.

On those days I cannot imagine doing anything else.

On bad days, I sometimes wonder if maybe gardening is an option.

Anything else?

I am a TED translator, when I find the time. Which is not as often as I would like.

I have a few multiple autoimmune disorders that tend to make life a little tricky, and a few firm beliefs.

• We are our stories.
• For every sing there is a song. 
• Understanding the numbers we live by is empowerment.
• Stories are no business tool. Stories are a common good.
• Visualization is story telling in the dark.

As for presentations, I believe there is only one rule:

Presenting means talking to people. Everything else is common sense and practice.

 

Other stuff

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All images/stuff created under a Creative Commons Licence 3.0/by-nc-nd