Presentation Skills
A presentation is a means of communication
that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group,
addressing a meeting or briefing a team.
A presentation can also be used as a broad the term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a
wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.
To be effective, step-by-step preparation
and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully
considered.
A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often contain a 'persuasive' element.
It may, for example, be a talk about the positive work of your organization,
what you could offer an employer, or why you should receive additional funding
for a project.
The Key Elements of a Presentation
Making a presentation is a way of
communicating your thoughts and ideas to an audience
Consider the following key components of a
presentation:
Context
- Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context of the presentation.
- When and where will you deliver your presentation?
- There is a world of difference between a small room with natural light and an informal setting, and a huge lecture room lit with stage lights. The two require quite different presentations, and different techniques.
- Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?
- If somewhere new, it would be worth trying to visit it in advance, or at least arriving early, to familiarise yourself with the room.
- Will the presentation be within a formal or less formal setting?
- A work setting will, more or less by definition, be more formal, but there are also various degrees of formality within that.
- Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?
- Are you already familiar with the audience?
With a new audience, you will have to build rapport quickly and
effectively, to get them on your side.
What equipment and technology will be available to you, and what will
you are expected to use?
In
particular, you will need to ask about microphones and whether you will be
expected to stand in one place, or move around.
What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?
Check how you will be ‘billed’ to give you clues as to what information
needs to be included in your presentation.
All these aspects will change the
presentation. For more on this, see our page on Deciding the Presentation
Method.
Presenter
The role of the presenter is to communicate
with the audience and control the presentation.
Remember, though, that this may also
include handing over the control to your audience, especially if you want some
kind of interaction.
You may wish to have a look at our page on Facilitation Skills for more.
Audience
The audience receives the presenter’s
message(s).
However, this reception will be filtered
through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience, knowledge
and personal sense of values.
See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication to learn why
communication can fail.
Message
The message or messages are delivered by
the presenter to the audience.
The message is delivered not just by the
spoken word (verbal communication) but can be augmented by techniques such as
voice projection, body language, gestures, eye contact (non-verbal
communication), and visual aids.
The message will also be affected by the
audience’s expectations. For example, if you have been billed as speaking on
one particular topic, and you choose to speak on another, the audience is
unlikely to take your message on board even if you present very well. They will
judge your presentation a failure because you have not met their expectations.
Reaction
The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether you, as a presenter,
effectively communicate your message, and whether it met their expectations.
As a presenter, you don’t control the
audience’s expectations. What you can do is find out what they have been told
about you by the conference organizers, and what they are expecting to hear.
Only if you know that can you be confident of delivering something that will
meet expectations.
See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.
Method
How will the presentation be delivered?
Presentations are usually delivered directly
to an audience. However, there may be
occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using
video conferencing systems, such as Skype.
It is also important to remember that if
your talk is recorded and posted on the internet, then people may be able to
access it for several years. This will mean that your contemporaneous
references should be kept to a minimum.
Impediments
Many factors can influence the
effectiveness of how your message is communicated to the audience.
For example background noise or other
distractions, an overly warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of
audience alertness can all influence your audience’s level of concentration.
As a presenter, you have to be prepared to
cope with any such problems and try to keep your audience focussed on your
message.
The three P's of presentation
Preparation
Confidence is a great selling point,
feeling fully prepared when you go into a presentation is going to make you and
your audience feel secure. When you are developing the content of your
presentation, make sure you have a beginning, a middle and an end.
Make sure you understand the goals of the
presentation; what do you and the audience need to get out of it? Ensure that
you have your materials ready in plenty of time before you deliver, so you can
set up quickly without adding to your nerves. Arrange them properly. Do the
research nicely so that you can be having the proper knowledge to deal with the
topic concerned.
Practice
Ahead of the day, practice what you are
going to say, either to a mirror or a tolerant friend. This will help you to
refine the narrative, ensure you get timings correct and as a result, you will
come across as prepared and competent. You will also be more familiar with the
presentation, which will help to reduce your nerves on the day.
Perform
If you are presenting for the first time or
simply delivering new material, you need to accept that it may not be perfect.
I’m an experienced trainer but when delivering new material, I will need to
practice and finesse new elements before and after delivery. Hopefully, all
will go very well. But if it doesn’t, learn from it, change it, prepare and
practice for next time. The day is very important. Keep yourself as confident as
possible. Take the time factor seriously. Be ready to make some necessary
changes in your rehearsed presentation as and when the situation arises. Keep the
audience attached to your presentation by making it interactive, adding
interesting facts, making it interesting and respect their time.
Here are some more tips on perfecting
your presentation skills:
Breathe
Breath is the engine of the voice, air from
your lungs pass over your vocal cords and is transmitted to your audiences’
ears. So it is a good idea to breathe in before you speak.
Breathing is also a great way to combat
nerves, a couple of good deep breaths before presenting increases oxygen in
your system relaxing your muscles and energizing your brain.
Relax
Easier said than done, but if you follow
the advice above it will help you to keep a level head and feel more in control
of the situation. There are many relaxation techniques you can use to get you
in the right frame of mind for presentation. Deep breathing, stretches and
visualization can really help to combat nerves.
Know your audience
Research your audience just as vigorously
as your content. Tailor your content to them, if they are technical include
appropriate jargon and technical detail; if they are non-technical then avoid
jargon and try using plain language instead.
Also, try to pre-empt the questions you may
be asked during and after the presentation, you can prepare answers for the
most commonly asked questions so the flow of the presentation isn’t interrupted
and you appear knowledgeable and confident.
The critical outcome of any presentation is
that the audience understands your message and your goals.
Winston Churchill wrote all his speeches
for the comprehension of a 12-year-old, as he understood the power of simple
words. Never try to impress anyone with your vocabulary, impress them with your
knowledge, experience, and passion.
