PRESENTATION SKILLS

Milena Dragicevic Sesic

PLAN FOR ORAL PRESENTATION

I. Preliminaries a) Define your objectives What do you want your audience to think or do as a result of your talk? b) Analyze your audience What do you know about the background and attitudes of your audience (cultural backgrounds, motivations, expectations... / in other circumstances: age, educational level... c)Consider the situation What is the immediate situation (time, size of the room, equipment, number in audience...)

II. Deciding the Content

a) key themes Create a "brain pattern" showing the content of your talk b) main sections Decide the structure of your talk c) write key words - Prepare small cards as "memory joggers" for each section of your talk

d) visual aids - Prepare visual aids (maps, cards, overheads...) highlighting key points (at least one per theme, or section)

III The introduction

a) First words How will you "hook" your audience? What will be your first phrase? b) Project definition Aims, Objectives

IV The description
a) Cultural context (cultural policy) project within specific cultural situation of the country, town, village... b ) Me and my position in the project

c) Institutional point of view

V Conclusion
a) main points / key issues That should be clearly repeated in the summary b) Closing words How do you intend to close your presentation / final words?

PUBLIC PRESENTATION SKILLS

You want to have your project accepted so: put them over in a powerful and convincing way a) to persuade colleagues and authorities to help in the processes of realization b) to convince a potential sponsor to support a project c) to win over a "hostile audience"competitive project, personal enemy

presentation tasks:
a) persuade the jury in the quality and importance of the project innovation European dimension / regional dimension cultural development (animation, audience care...) b) reality of its realization in the given circumstances (region, town, institution...) - planning schedule - budgeting (other resources..) - socio-political framework and position of the institution... c) yours personal capacity to manage this project - conceptualization - managerial skills - negotiation skills - animation/sensibilization techniques

YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT:

I Structuring your presentation choosing appropriate language making effective transitions making humor working for you _________________________ II mind mapping techniques visual aids - dos and don'ts involving your audience

YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT:

III reducing pre-presentation nerves effective use of body language pacing your audience appropriate use of gesture handling tough questions assessing presentation effectiveness

IV

CONTROL: THE SECRET OF PRESENTATION SUCCESS

Control of yourself: you have to learn how to deal with nerves and body language Control of your material: you have to structure effectively your ideas Control of your audience: showing your abilities to involve them, to make them participate, to handle tough questions

Control of your own presentation:

showing ability to make it shorter/longer if "audience control" shows impatience, or to make it more interesting with unplanned joke if necessary, or to reorient your presentation if, after the first questions you see that planned presentation is inadequate, etc

The top 10 dos

Malcolm Peel - Improving your communication skills, Kogan Page, London 1990

1. Do check what is expected of you when invited to speak

2. Do prepare in plenty of time

3. Do establish a clear structure for the speech 4. Do prepare good, summarised speaker's notes. 5. Do realise and accept that all good speakers experience nervous tension before speaking 6. Do plan and rehearse the start with care. 7. Do put pace and enthusiasm into your delivery. 8. Do ensure you are clearly audible to everyone, asking if in doubt. 9. Do maintain good, evenly distributed eye contact with your audience. 10. Do plan and rehearse the conclusion with care.

The top 10 don'ts

1. Don't prepare too much material; check timing in rehearsal.

2. Don't try to do without speaker's notes.

3. Don't read a verbatim script. 4. Don't start with any sort of apology. 5. Don't risk weak or dodgy jokes. 6. Don't split your audience's attention -lot of visual aids or handouts. 7. Don't rock, sway or use repetitive gestures. 8. Don't use visual aids with too many words on them. 9. Don't gabble or rush your delivery. 10. Don't assume your audience is hostile, especially at question time.

evaluate your performance - selfassessment

Use of time available Content amount Level Appropriate Key points Clear Vocal presentation Non verbal aspects Use of visual aids 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Assumptions regarding your audience 5 Capacity to gain/ retain attention