Presentations—your chance to shine!
| There was a time, not so long ago, when only people above a certain level in an organization were expected to make presentations. That’s all changed now. A person at any level could be asked at any time to present information to a group. Since public speaking is generally acknowledged to be at the top of people’s fear list, this is not always a welcome change!
If you are suddenly in a position where you must speak before groups, it might help you to think of a presentation not as something to be feared, but as an opportunity to shine. If you conduct yourself professionally on the platform or in the boardroom, present your information clearly, concisely and preferably with a bit of style, and interact confidently with your audience, you will build a picture of someone who can get the job done. Let’s look at how you can accomplish each part of this plan. Conduct yourself professionally It’s not so much that you must be confident—but you do have to look it. When rehearsing your presentation, stand tall, look at yourself in the mirror and see a person who knows the facts and can present them persuasively. Follow the example of professional athletes and visualize your success. That doesn’t mean just seeing yourself making the presentation, but rather what happens at the end. If your goal is to have the budget include funds for your new project, visualize the president shaking your hand and saying, “Congratulations! You’ve convinced us this project is important, and you have the money you need!” Dress for the occasion. If you are presenting to senior management, understand that they will judge you at least partly on how you are dressed and groomed. Dress as closely as possibly to the way they do. Is your hair well brushed and smart? Are your shoes clean and polished? Is your jewellery discreet and businesslike? Wear nothing that will distract either your own or the audience’s attention. Above all, know your material. Nothing is a greater confidence booster than knowing you can answer the toughest questions. Present your information clearly... Organize your material into bite-sized chunks; that makes it easier for people to understand and absorb. Jot your notes on index cards and move them around until the information flows logically. Put key words in large letters on index cards and carry them with you as “cheat sheets” to keep you on track. This makes for a much more professional presentation than reading from a prepared speech—boring!! When you know what you want to say, think about visual aids to support your words. Whether you choose overhead transparencies, presentation software, or simply a flipchart or whiteboard, the important thing is content. What will you put on the screen? Remember, they are called visual aids because they are to aid your presentation—they are not the whole show. Resist the urge to put a paragraph of information on the screen, and then turn around and read it. This is a common presentation killer. Use charts and graphs to illustrate statistics, accounts and trends. If you must use words, put them in short bullet lists. Follow the 6 x 6 guide: no more than six words to a line and six lines to a frame. The best visuals contain just enough information to help the audience follow what you are saying. ...concisely... Novice presenters often feel they must say everything they know about the subject, but this makes for a boring recitation of facts. Instead, put yourself in the place of your audience and ask yourself what they need to know. For each piece of information you plan to give, ask yourself if this is useful to them or to your objective. If not—out it goes. Keep everything else for the question and answer section. Often, a clear, factual answer to a question can be more impressive than the same information buried in the presentation. ...and with a bit of style If you’re an analyst, analyze for goodness sake! If you are reporting on the month’s results, don’t just blandly explain that sales were up by 25% but profit was down by 10%. Fill in the gaps—why did this happen? Was there some unexpected expense against sales? Did new competition force prices down? If they wanted to find the information for themselves, they wouldn’t need you to make the presentation. Remember, senior people must listen to a great many presentations, so they need you to help them understand your message. Whether it’s fair or not, it is true that when you present well, people think you do everything well. Do you want to lead the new project? Try to be the one to present it, dazzle them with your presentation—and the job is as good as yours! © 2004 Helen Wilkie All Rights Reserved. You may reprint this article for your online or print publication so long as you include the complete article and the following paragraph: Helen Wilkie is a professional speaker, consultant and author who helps companies do better business through better communication. Her latest book is "The Hidden Profit Center". To received free monthly tips and techniques on communication, visit http://www.mhwcom.com or http://www.HiddenProfitCenter.com and sign up for "Communi-keys". Reach Helen Wilkie at 416-966-5023 or hwilkie@mhwcom.com |
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