Tips For Presentations

Presentations

Presentation Skills “The mind is a wonderful thing……… It starts working the moment you are born, and never stops ………. Until you get up to speak in public!!”

Presentation: Definition Something presented : as a : a symbol or image that represents something b : something offered or given c: an immediate object of perception, cognition, or memory

What is Communication? ❚ Nonverbal Communication

-body language -eye contact

Importance of Communication ❚ Class Presentations ❚ Field Research ❚ Business Communications ❚ Public Speaking

Fear of Public Speaking ❚ Population ❘ No.1 fear=Public Speaking ❘ Fear No.2=Death ❚ Stage fright -In spotlight -unprepared -inexperienced

Effective Communication ❚ Preparation ❚ Practice ❚ Presence

Effective Communication ❚ Preparation ❙ research -non-research ❙ format -speak on what you know -Notes- outline main points -note cards vs. full sized paper

Making Notes Use Cards - tie/number Use headings/subheadings Bullet points Colour code/shorthand Underline/indent Write out first/last sentence in full ❚ Memorise introduction ❚ Rehearse ❚ Use large visible printing ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚

Sample Speech Outline I. Introduction ❘ Thesis

II. Body ❘ support arguments

III. Conclusion ❘ review

Effective Communication ❚ Practice - practice makes perfect - revision - get time right

Preparation & Practice

Thorough preparation

Plenty of practice

Effective Communication ❚ Presence -nervousness- fright is common -Body language -voice tone -gestures -eye contact -positive attitude

Appearance ✦ Confident ? ✦ Warmth ? ✦ Stance ? ✦ Mannerisms ? ✦ Eye contact ?

Body Language ❚ Dress ❚ Posture ❚ Facial Expression ❚ Voice ❚ Movement ❚ Gesture

Voice Volume

Mumbling Voice drop

Pitch

Too high Too low Monotonous

Speed

Hesitancy Gabbling

Voice Voice Control ★ Pause and pace ❏ use pause to add emphasis and drama ❏ pace should be slower than normal, but vary according to mood ★ Emphasis ❏ say adjectives as they sound ★ Volume ❏ louder than normal ❏ larger audiences, more modulation required

Movement Movement - why does it improve the effectiveness of your delivery? ✦ Relaxes the speaker and the audience ✦ Gains attention ✦ Involves the audience ✦ Improves emphasis and eye contact

Movement Movement - it is crucial to your delivery that you choreograph it as every part of the room has a different relationship with the speaker - examples….. ✦ Start your presentation close to the audience ✦ 1st slide/ overhead - stand still ✦ Move to the screen to emphasise side/

overhead ✦ Change energy level to match/ control mood ✦ Controlled movement ❏ stop talking - stop eye contact ❏ start talking/ start eye contact

Gestures Gestures - why use them? ✦ Emphasise a point ✦ Involve the audience ✦ Visual expression ✦ Animation ✦ Demonstrates comfort

How much to use? ✦ depends on the audience size and makeup ❏ A little for conservative audiences ❏ A lot for large, dynamic audiences

Eye Contact Eye contact - communicates the following ✦ Honesty ✦ Trust ✦ Confidence ✦ Individualism ✦ Interest ✦ Sincerity ✦ Credibility ✦ Direct relationship

Eye Contact EYE CONTACT STRATEGIES Less than the other

=

Humility

Same as the other

=

We are the same

Constructive = Builds relationship (same then increasing) More than the other = Dominate other/ strength of conviction

Eye Contact Eye Contact - Directing It ✦ Decision maker ❏ receives most eye contact - 60% ❏ share the remainder equally ✦ Key influencer ❏ share the majority of eye contact ✦ By role ❏ allocate by job function/ status ✦ Everyone is equal ❏ proportion eye contact equally

Th in gs Yo u Sh ouldn’t Do ❚ Read directly from notes ❚ Read directly from screen ❚ Turn back on audience ❚ Slouch, hands in pockets ❚ No um, ah, you know’s ❚ No nervous gestures

Th in gs Yo u Sh ould Do ❚ Eye contact ❚ Can glance at notes ❚ Appropriate gestures ❚ Rhetorical questions to involve audience

Controlling Nerves ❚ Dry mouth: bite side of the tongue, sip water ❚ Too much saliva: breath through mouth ❚ Tight throat: yawn with your mouth closed ❚ Short of breath: apply pressure on lower abdomen ❚ Butterflies: tense & relax muscles of abdomen ❚ Drying Up: look at your note, repeat what you have just said

Ten Successful Tips Control the “Butterflies” ❚ Know the room- become familiar with the place of presentation ❚ Know the audience- greet or chat with the audience before hand. It’s easier to speak to friends than to strangers ❚ Know your material-increased nervousness is due to unpreparedness

Control the “Butterflies” ❚ Relaxation- relax entire body by stretching and breathing so as to ease the tension ❚ Visualize giving your speechVisualize yourself giving your speech from start to finish. By visualizing yourself successful, you will be successful

Control the “Butterflies” ❚ People want you to succeed-the audience is there to see you succeed not to fail ❚ Don’t apologize-by mentioning your nervousness or apologizing, you’ll only be calling the audience’s attention to mistakes

Control the “Butterflies” ❚ Concentrate on your messagenot the medium. Focus on the message you are trying to convey and not on your anxieties ❚ Turn nervousness into positive energy-nervousness increases adrenaline, transform it into vitality and enthusiasm

Control the “Butterflies” ❚ Gain experience-experience builds confidence, which is key to effective public speaking

Presentation Skills “The key to effective presentations is to manage the relationship between yourself and the audience so that a good rapport is developed with them”

Presentation Skills ✦ Short sharp paragraphs ✦ Simple words ✦ Repeat key phrases for effect ✦ Repeat key phrases for effect ✦ Avoid catch phrases ✦ Humour ✦ Anecdotes: real-life examples ✦ Rhetorical questions: don’t

require answers

YOU ❚ Do not use the media to hide you ❚ The audience came to see you ❚ The media should enhance the presentation, not BE the presentation ❚ If all you are going to do is read from the slides or overheads, then just send them the slides ❚ Remember, only you can prevent “Death by PowerPoint”

Questions?? ❚ End your presentation with a simple question slide to: ❙ Invite your audience to ask questions ❙ Provide a visual aid during question period ❙ Avoid ending a presentation abruptly

Use of Questions Questioning - Effectively Used Achieves.. ✦ Engages audience attention

?

✦ Establishes better 2 way communication ✦ Obtains required information ✦ Checks for understanding ✦ Checks for agreement

How to Prepare Questions …… ✦ Prepare key questions ahead of time ✦ Plan the timing of questions ✦ Be alert to situations that require unplanned

questions

Initiate A Discussion ASK QUESTIONS ❚ Open ended - to find out information ❚ Closed - to gain commitment ❚ Redirected - to involve group ❚ Rhetorical - to control group ❚ Leading - to give alternative choice

Tips For Enhancing Discussion ❚ Switch off the overhead or light projector ❚ Turn flipcharts to a blank page ❚ Erase any unwanted writing from the blackboard or whiteboard ❚ Show any objects referred to and then cover them up

Participants Four Types: ✦ Dr Quiet ✦ Dr Disagreeable ✦ Dr Side

Conversation ✦ Dr Talkative

Keep Control - Tactics ❚ Side Conversations ❚ Quiet/Shy ❚ Talkative ❚ Disagreeable

WHY?

Keep Control - Tactics SIDE CONVERSATION ❚ Ask to “share” their idea ❚ Restate a point & ask for their opinion ❚ Check if there is a problem ❚ “Should we include your point in the discussion?”

BE DIPLOMATIC & ASSERTIVE

Keep Control - Tactics QUIET/SHY PARTICIPANT ❚ Simple questions ❚ Eye contact ❚ Recognise & encourage any contributions ❚ Ask a question & invite everyone's opinion in turn

Keep Control - Tactics TALKATIVE ❚ Remind everyone of time limits ❚ Summarise point & ask for comments from group ❚ Address questions to other participants ❚ Refocus on objectives/agenda

Keep Control - Tactics DISAGREEABLE ✦ Paraphrase comments, and recap their ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

position in objective terms Find merit in one of their remarks Respond to their comment, not the attack Throw their opinion out to the group Answer their questions simply and factually

Scientific Presentations: Do’s and Don’ts

Scientific Presentation 1) Prepare your material carefully and logically. Tell a story. The story should have four parts: (a) Introduction (b) Method (c) Results (d) Conclusion/Summary.

"Tell'em what you are going to tell'em. Tell'em. Then tell'em what you told'em."

Scientific Presentation 2) 3) 4) 5)

Practice your talk Don't put in too much material Avoid equations Have only a few conclusion points

Scientific Presentation 6) Talk to the audience not to the screen 7) Avoid making distracting sounds like “ uuuhhh” and “mmm” 8) Polish your graphics 9) Use humor if possible, but don’t go overboard 10) Check your viewgraphs before you give the talk 11) Switch off your cell phones if possible.

Scientific Presentation 12) Be personable in taking questions. First, repeat the question. If you don't know the answer then say "I don't know, I will have to look into that." ❚ If the questioner disagrees with you and it looks like there will be an argument then defuse the situation. ❚ Never insult the questioner ( S/he may have contacts you don’t know about! ❚ ❚

13) Thank you Slide

Presentation Checklist Check :

Size of room Tables and chairs Sockets Lights Equipment Display table Entrance

Presentation Day & Practice 30 minutes before Arrange table & chairs Set up equipment Catering Display ✦ Start Promptly ✦ Finish on Time ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Handouts: Few Tips

Handouts Passing out Handouts: Can pass it out during presentation If flow interrupted, pass out before start  If more than one, can give out “package” ❚ Avoid passing around objects (“I will walk around with it”)

Summary: Dos and Don’ts of Presentation Don’t gesticulate wildly Do speak distinctly Do vary your speed and pitch Do look at your audience Don’t use jargon, slang and superfluous words Do pause after important points Do watch the time Do speak with conviction and enthusiasm Do be natural and sincere Do try to simile Don’t use jokes unless they are really funny and relevant

Summary Know your audience Know the occasion Know your speaking environment Pin down your topic Brain storm Research Prepare a rough draft of your presentation Transfer your presentation to mental/ written notes ❚ Practice ...To overcome nervousness! ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚

Now is the time to deliver your whole presentation to the group using all of the delivery techniques we have discussed.

Practice takes you from this..

To this ….

Thank you; Any questions?