As soon as I saw him open the leather portfolio he had laid on the podium, I could feel my eyelids getting heavier. The CEO looked down at his script and read, “Good morning. It’s great to be with you.” And the rest sailed over the audience because by the time he had reached the third paragraph, everyone had tuned him out.
Reading to an audience has the same effect as reading to your children at bedtime.
It puts them to sleep.
Let’s be honest—most people don’t love speaking in front of a group.
And when the nerves kick in, the temptation is strong: write everything down. Word for word. Memorize it. Or worse—read it straight from the page.
But that’s not speaking. That’s reciting.
If your goal is to improve your presentation skills, sound like a leader, and connect with your audience, then here’s one simple truth:
You need to use notes, not scripts.
What’s the Difference?
Think of a script as a crutch. You’re tied to it. Your eyes are down. Your tone becomes robotic. You’re so focused on saying the right words that you forget to focus on the real people in the room.
Notes, on the other hand, are like a map. They guide you, but they don’t restrict you. Notes give you freedom. They allow you to speak with energy, stay in the moment, and connect with your audience in real time.
That’s where confident speaking begins.
The Risks of Relying on a Script
Here’s what I’ve seen from coaching hundreds of leaders and rising leaders: the moment someone clutches a full script, three things happen:
And worst of all?
The audience can tell.
Notes Build Trust. Scripts Build Walls.
Let’s say you’re listening to a speaker. They’re locked into their script, never looking up. You start to wonder: Do they even believe what they’re saying?
Now flip it.
Imagine someone who walks on stage with a few note cards in hand. They glance down now and then, but they’re clearly in control. They sound like they know their message. They’re having a conversation—not delivering a monologue.
That’s someone you trust. That’s someone you’d follow.
How to Build Smart Notes
If you want to improve your presentation skills and break free from scripting, here’s how to build a smart note system:
1. Start with structure, not sentences.
Write your outline using bullet points or headers. Use keywords that trigger your memory. Don’t write full paragraphs—write ideas.
Bad script:
“Good morning everyone. I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today about our new marketing strategy…”
Smart notes:
This isn’t writing a paper. It’s preparing to speak.
2. Highlight transitions.
Mark where you shift topics. That way, if you lose your place, you can quickly reorient.
Use bold, color, or spacing to make your notes easy to scan.
Use large fonts and lots of white space. It’s easier to find where to go next.
3. Practice speaking from them—not reading them.
Rehearse with your notes the way you’ll use them in the room. Practice glancing down, then speaking up and out. The more you rehearse like this, the more natural it becomes.
Presentation Skills Are About Presence
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to remember every word.
But you do need to be present.
Using notes—not scripts—is one of the most effective presentation techniques to bring authenticity, flexibility, and confidence to your delivery.
Remember, the goal isn’t just to “get through it.” The goal is to connect. And that only happens when your audience believes you’re speaking with them—not at them.
So let go of the script.
Grab your notes.
And step into the room like you own it.
Ready to take the next step in your presentation journey? At Sandusky Group, we help leaders build executive presence and master the art of confident speaking. If you're looking to improve your presentation skills and own every room you walk into, let's talk.