SKILL NUMBER 7: PRESENTATION

THE BOOK OF MANAGEMENT

THE TEN ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR ACHIEVING HIGH PERFORMANCE

SKILL NUMBER 7: PRESENTATION (pg. 418 - 485)

 

Presentations have become an essential tool for business communication in workplaces.  Presentations are intended for many reasons, from information to persuasion.  It is delivered formally from behind a podium to an informal addressing to your staff.  To be successful, presenters must understand what to communicate, who they are communicating to, and where is it to be communicated.

PLANNING

A presentation is a way of informing, inspiring and motivating others.  No matter how charismatic you may be, success depends on careful planning of your content and delivery.  Presenting successfully means examining what to say and how to convey the information from the perspective of the audience.

A presentation allows audience to gain knowledge by watching, listening, and inspires by the speaker.  Goo presenters understood that audiences are looking for information, not the full detail.  Get to know the audience, talk to the organizer about their expectations.  Identify the essential information you want the audience to understand and remember.  The rule here is to have no more than three (3) core messages.  Remember that less is more when it comes to oral presentations.

Presentation serves a great variety of purposes.  The better you can meet the needs of your audience, the more successful your presentation will be.  Successful presenters ‘read’ the audiences’ reaction by inviting questions and encouraging interruption as questions and comments provide vital feedback.  Some presentations are much more formal such as presentations to boards, regulatory bodies, examination and assessment panels.  Always request guidance about what is expected.  Keep the presentation concise and limit the detail to be included.  Focus on what they really need to know.

Confidence is another key success factor.  Keep in mind that it’s not your personality that is under attack when handling challenges.  Build flexibility into your presentation.  There are many ways to organize your ides to create an effective and convincing presentation.  There is also the element of preference to be considered.  Presentation structures have three (30 high-level elements:

1. The introduction or opening
2. The body or main content
3. The conclusion or close

The two (2) simple observations of human interaction that is important in presentations are:

1. You have only one chance to make a first impression
2. People remember longest what they hear last

The opening of presentation serves as attention grabbing, establishing credibility, and setting the stage.  Be audience centered; try to find the common ground.  End the presentation with a summary of your key points.  However you choose to end the presentation, make it meaningful and memorable.  There are many verbal techniques to help your audience remember what you say such as:

Alliterations	‘…the sweet smell of success’
Grouping words in threes	‘friends, Roman, countrymen’
Acronyms	‘Audience, Intent, Message – AIM’
Allegory	‘I have a dream’
Repetition	‘Location, location, location’
Mnemonic	‘Thirty day has September…’
Personification	‘this product will be your faithful companion’
Rhetorical questions	‘Can one product really deliver all these benefits?’
Using motif	Returning to a symbol or visual image

Eliminating filler words such as er, um, ah, and so on, will instantly power up your presentation.  Learn to use narratives and stories effectively.  Such stories can be useful when incorporated with the ‘lesson learned’ or moral based on the events.

Visual aids in presentations will undoubtedly heighten impact and improves audiences’ retention.  Slides are used to reinforce points, drawing attention to them.  Simplify the information on each slide.  Use no more than five (5) lines per slide, and no more than six (6) words per line.  Use no more than two (2) images on one slide.

 

PREPARING

Every presentation is a performance.  Practice is found to be vital to improve confidence and fluency.  Be yourself.  Identify your strengths and put them into good use in your presentation.  Build in opportunities to digress from the main path.

Effective presenters know that time keeping is as important as a good content.  Never go over your allotted time.  Memorizing presentation word-for-word is not a good idea.  Using humor can be a powerful icebreaker.  It’s a wise policy to expect the unexpected.  Always have a “plan B”.

 

PRESENTING

Appearance plays an important role in setting out your intent and credibility.  Dress to create an air of authority and confidence.  Inner confidence comes from self-belief and real enthusiasm.  Be sure to always use movement purposefully and intentionally.  Because human attention is always drawn to movement.

Even the best prepared presenter will come up against hard questions or difficult questioners.  No one expects you to have all the answers all of the time.  The key to handling difficult questions is keeping your poise.  Maintain a calm demeanor.  Avoid being provoked.

Delivering a formal speech at an official or ceremonial occasion requires a particular method of preparation.  Keep the sentences short.  Look for different ways to show personality and commitment to the message.  Feel free to depart from the speech.

Short notes from:

THE BOOK OF MANAGEMENT

The Ten Essential Skills For Achieving High Performance

Darling Kindersley Limited (DKL), Penguin Group (UK)