Presentation Skills

The Human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.
-- Sir George Jessel

To help combat fear

Walk around the venue Meet and greet the audience Bending exercise Take deep slow breath Tense and relax muscles Concentrate on your success Visualize audience after your presentation Engage in self-talk; excellent presentation Be prepared

Group communication basics

Know your audience Define your goals Be prepared Communicate orally, visually and physically Involve your audience Keep to your agenda and schedule

Know your audience

Size of the group Backgrounds and interests Ages Experience and expertise Expectations

Define your goals

Identify two or three most important you want them to take away from your presentation Be clear about what you hope to accomplish: Skill development Knowledge retention Information sharing Decision making or action taking

Preparation
Allow 4 hours of preparation for 1 hour of presentation Will the presentation be formal corporate level; or casual common office communication? Will the presentation be in the form of a lecture, discussion or a combination of both? Use knowledgeable persons as resource persons Knowing personalities of people help you play to the audience Structure presentation around what the audience wants and needs to know

Develop the agenda

Welcome and introductions Overview Workshop activities / presentation elements Conclusion / next steps

Before structuring presentation

Clarify your topic get clarification from customer Identify your theme message around which you weave your theme Research your topic be familiar with your topic Identify appropriate visuals

Structuring thoughts

Determine how to present the information to the audience: Deductive: lecture format. Take an idea and pose to the audience. Tell them how to use the info just presented. Principle How tos, applications, things to do Inductive: For group participation. Help audience reach a conclusion or consensus based on the dialogue with audience Instances, events, issues Principle Combination: You discuss an idea, reach a conclusion and then tell your audience what to do based on the group consensus

Developing an outline
1.
2. 3. 4. 5.

Topic: Opening: Subject 1 Transition: Subject 2 Transition: Subject 3 Call to action

Develop the materials

Choose media that are appropriate for the group size and content Recognize limitation of the room or equipment Simplify information for group display Provide details in handout

Arrange the room

Formal presentation; classroom style Large workshop; U shaped sitting Workshop: pod arrangement; small groups Small group brainstorming discussion

Check the equipment and the room basics

Equipment functions Back-up is available Ventilation Lighting and black-out

Communicate orally, visually and physically

Annunciate and project Make eye contact Be positive and energetic Move Use your visual aids

Involve your audience

Reveal the structure Use different media Incorporate participation

Keep to your agenda

Be concise End on time Respect your audience Accomplish your goals

Ask for feedback; Learn from experience

Informal and formal feedback All feedback is valid Learn from others Be open to new ideas Practice

Skillful presenters qualities

Self-control Poise seen as one who has control on the proceedings Awareness of people, time and space Tact no tasteless comments, jokes, etc Decisiveness process questions quickly and answer Persuasiveness Enthusiasm Honesty and directness Flexibility

Reason for a GOOD presentation

Very confident Confident Enthusiastic about the subject Time flew by Kept the audience involved In tune with the audience Pitched at the right level Easy to understand Made it interesting / came to life Entertaining / humorous Appropriate visuals Kept in control

Reason for a BAD presentation

Nerves Inadequate preparation Difficult to follow Pitched at the wrong level Alienating the audience Boring Too long Visual aids wrong Thrown by questions

To help stay stimulating

Dont tell me, show me Avoid using lecterns or podiums Maintain constant eye contact Glance at your visuals, dont study them Be yourself Dont script your speech Use simple, easy to understand language

Decide what to say

Summarize the theme List the points you could include Select the points you must include Establish the time allocations Develop a sequence Collect supporting information

Getting audience to your side requires:

Topic relevance Content and example specificity Speaker expertise

Project best possible image

People form an opinion about you in the first minute of seeing you on the floor To project a positive image work on the following factors: - Dress - Mood - Tone - Expertise

Audience interest / mood

Determines how you present the facts and what you say about the topic: When the group members are interested and want to be there, TEACH them through your presentation When they are dubious or dont want to be there, INVOLVE them When they are bored, uninterested or havent any idea why they are there, ENTERTAIN them

Presentation Tips
At heart, presentation remains a decidedly human event Hone your facilitation skills Keep up with new trends and techniques; add fresh anecdotes, statistics and insights Over prepare Dont just do a mental rehearsal; physically walk through to build confidence and perfect timing Dont be a slide narrator; dont put too many points there Know why you were asked to make the presentation; get the perspective Dont talk at people; talk with them

Tips
Customize; customize; customize: avoid canned presentations Create new concepts, process or applications; you cant build your credibility on other peoples work Continually work for interaction Show you are passionate about the topic; if you are not neither will the audience Teach what you love and live the life that shows Open up. Be authentic, open and vulnerable Keep it simple and to the point Reinforce the learning with theory, research and experiential exercises

Tips
Keep the learning alive with a continuous flow of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning Never give away the answers: use the knowledge of the audience; audience involvement increases. Dont read the slides: let them read the slide first before speaking Plan the beginning: success depends on the first 10 minutes Design presentations from the audiences perspective: Ask yourself: So what? Remember that the context is powerful: paint the big picture and the details

Tips
Be a provocateur, not a presenter: use questions instead of statements Be illustrative: use stories and examples, especially from the audience Remember that timing is important Have fun, learning and laughter go hand in hand Make it relevant: create an action plan to help incorporate learning points. Summarize; provide a summary of learning points and a special closure Begin and end on time Be available afterwards

Tips
Psych up before the presentation; spend time in the room and get a feel of it; meet the people Practice, rehearse and drill: helps control fear Evaluate everything: after every presentation; what was done right or wrong Limit content: dont put too much information Get professional help: If people dont buy the messenger, they will not buy the message Stay at it: the more you present, the more you gain expertise Change: try new methods, exercises, etc. Concentrate on the process: Be creative in increasing participation

Tips
Rejuvenate your presentation skills: get exposure to well known presenters; listen to audio tapes Be practical; deliver what is needed Focus on performance Facilitate learning: create a vision; deliver new information each time Effective listening Care for each person Be credible Watch yourself on video and listen to yourself on audio Be yourself Love what you do

Tips
Remember, you are the presentation: - Move around - Generate and maintain energy - Carry responsibility for the audiences experience - Modulate your voice, tone: loudly to emphasize, softly as a contrast