Effective Presentations

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Aims

• In order to explore some issues which underpin giving effective presentations

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Some Outcomes

• At the end of the hour you will be able to:

1. Identify successes and areas for improvement in your presentations

2. Discover tactics for overcoming nervousness when giving presentations

3. Apply some tools for planning and structuring presentations more effectively

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Choosing What To Forget• Your biggest decision, in the next hour, is to

choose what you want to forget, from what you experience with me now. In that way we will all be practising purposeful activity.

• I can aim to raise your awareness of how to present effectively

• I can aim to increase your understanding of how to present effectively

• You need to choose which, if any, tools and techniques you will take away to practise in future. That is the way you will develop your skill.

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Argh A Presentation!

Presenting can be a very stressful experience.

Understanding why we need to make presentations can limit that stress.

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Question one

• Why might you want/need to make a presentation?

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Purpose of Presentations

Presentations should aim to achieve one of the following:

To inform or describeTo instruct or explainTo persuade, convince or inspire

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Perfect Presentations

No presentation is ever perfectWe can and must always reflect on what we

doNeed to try and avoid the obvious mistakes

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The Reverse Ishikawa• Make a list of some of the things that could go

wrong in a presentation.

• List the steps/measures we can take to ensure that these do not occur

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Risks and Controls• Voice

• Nerves

• Equipment failure

• Time

• Stuffy room

• Audience

Glass of water, throat lozenge, warm up exercise

Deep breathing, positive mental image, know your subject & practise

Have a back up method – OHP or handouts

Time your trial runs and know what you can drop

Involve the audience and open the windows

If quiet ask them questions, if noisy ask them to save their questions until the end

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Qualities

An audience will listen with interest if you have four qualities:

ConvictionEnthusiasmPower of speechSimplicity

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Planning and Structuring Presentations

• The key steps in planning a presentation are:Identify the purposeIdentify the needs of the audienceDecide on the structure with objectivesThink of the impression you wish to create by

the end

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Aiming Your Presentation

Target Audience

Who?

How many?

Location? Room layout?

Their expectations?

Aims

In order to…

So that….

Desired End Result

Describe what you want your audience to know/feel after your presentation

Outcomes

The aims will be achieved by…

Or, by the end of the presentation your audience will:-Be aware of…-Be able to…

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Timebars

• Plan the sequential stages of your presentation and ascribe real times to the stages, thus:Intro

09:15

Point 1

09:20

Point 2

09:25

Point 3

09:30

Point 4

09:35

Point 5

09:40

Conc

09:45

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KISS and Tell it like the news

Keep It Short and Simple

• Tell it like the newsHeadlinesKey storiesRecap headlines

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Giving a Presentation

Practical Arrangements

If possible check out the room before the event

Give yourself plenty of of time to ‘set out your stall’ before the presentation

Check equipment and have contingency plan

Think about the layout of the room

Check lighting and other environmental conditions

Gauge the mood of the audience as they arrive

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• Speak clearly and audibly - sound check

• Lighthouse

Giving a Presentation

• Vary pitch and volume

• Use pauses for emphasis

• Don’t read from your notes

• Don’t talk to the screen or Flipchart

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Giving a Presentation

Mannerisms

Don’t be tempted by manual propsDon’t keep loose change, keys in your pocketVerbal ticsWatch out for furnitureAvoid ‘closed’ or tense body positionsCheck hair and clothes before you stand up

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Starting a Presentation Start it with a BANG!

Ask a question Make a bold awakening

statement Use a audio/visual aid Tailor your opening to your

audience

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Presenting is a skill“True ease of writing

comes from art, not chance, as those move easiest who have learnt to dance”.

Alexander Pope“The Rape of the Lock”

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Over to You!

• So what have you learnt, or been reminded of about presenting?

• What will you forget?• What do you need to practise?• Good Luck!

Developing Effective Presentation Skills

Thank you