Presentation Skills for IT

Professionals series
Session 1: Preparing content for a non-technical audience

Alan Carroll

12 May 2014

Agenda for todays Career Advantage webinar

Welcome and logistics
Speaker introduction

Todays session: Preparing content for a non-technical audience

Question & Answer
Upcoming Webinars

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Participate!

This will be an interactive session. Ask questions using the Q&A panel
in WebEx on the right side of the screen

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Todays Topic: Preparing Content for a non-Technical

Audience
First session in the sixpart Webinar series

In this session you will learn how to take very technical content and present the data
packets in a way that is easy for non technical minded managers to understand.

Additionally, you will understand the roles and responsibilities you play when conducting
a presentation.

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Enroll for Entire Series in NetSpace

NetAcad students /alumni: Self-enroll in NetSpace to register for

upcoming sessions plus

PRIZES! Opportunity to win The Broadband Connection,

the Art of Delivering a Winning IT Presentation e-book

Earn a Certificate of Participation

Register today: http://cs.co/diys

Non NetAcad Students : Visit www.NetAcadAdvantage.com to

register for upcoming sessions and view past recordings

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About our Speaker: Alan Carroll

Alan Carroll of Alan Carroll and Associates has been teaching presentation
and communication skills workshops at Cisco Systems worldwide for over
20 years.
He travels the world teaching diverse key skills and techniques to CCIEs,
engineers, account managers, and executives. He is a licensed psychologist
and lives with his family in Connecticut in the United States.

Alan is also the author of the book The Broadband Connection -the
Art of Delivering a Winning IT Presentation.

Visit his website: http://carrolltrain.com/

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Cisco Confidential

Goal for the webinar series

The purpose of these six sessions is to expand your ability

to prepare and deliver an effective presentation by
incorporating a set of tools that will result in increasing your
confidence, clarity, relaxation and presence in front of the
audience.

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Session 1: Preparing your Technical Content for a nonTechnical Audience

Imagine Youve been invited to present your expertise to a group of stakeholders in
your organization who are looking to YOU for YOUR advice on how to move forward with
a technology solution.
Are you prepared to communicate your in-depth knowledge in a way that will make sense
to this audience?
Todays session will help you prepare the content of your presentation in a way that will
make sense to a non-technical audience.

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Make your presentation RELEVANT to your audience

Who is your audience?

Do you understand the problem, challenge or pain to

address with your audience?

How will you engage your audience and keep their

attention?

What Is In It For Me (WIIIFM)?

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Communication Packaging- Feeding your Audience

Different people have different appetites depending on their

knowledge, title and loyalty to the conversation.

How will you know how much to feed your audience?

What is the depth of the data you are going to

present?

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How will you deliver content?

Different people have different appetites, but also ways to consume. What is the most

effective way to deliver content?

Power Point
Flip Chart
White Board
Discussion
WebEx or other virtual tools
Other?

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What do you think?

What are the pros and cons of using WebEx to present?

Share your ideas in the chat!

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12

Barriers to Clarity
What are the barriers that block the audience from understanding your communication?

#1 Barrier: Misunderstood Word or acronym

#2 Barrier: Lack of mass or three dimensions
#3 Barrier: Gradient is too steep

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13

Concept: Manager of the Conversation

You have roles and responsibilities to play when conducting a presentation.

There are 10 roles which we will cover along the webinar series:

Role #1: Manager of Clarity

Role #2: Shepherd and the Flock of Sheep
Role #3: Tour Guide

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14

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Presenters

Spin off book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Remember the 7 habits of a Highly Effective Presenter using this acronym:

RAPSORE
Today we will look at

A = Authority

Effective presenters have authority on the subject matter. They are able to simplify and establish
a gradient that meets the technical level of the audience.
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15

Lets Review: Key Learnings

We discussed several important topics today to help you communicate effectively with a

non-technical audience:

Hold the Attention of your Audience

What Is In It For Me (WIIIFM)
Communication Packaging

3 Barriers to Understanding
3 roles in Manager of Conversation
RAPSORE: Seven Habits of Highly Effective Presenters A

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Questions?

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Upcoming Webinars:
Session 2: Establish a relationship with your audience
Thursday,
Session
2: JuneJune
12 12
Topic: 7am
Establish
relationship
NewaYork
with your
13haudience
Amsterdam
16h Dubai
19h Singapore

Understand how to create common ground and build rapport with your
audience.

Learn about conveying energy and passion as you deliver your presentation
to help you maximize the effectiveness of your presentation.
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18

Upcoming Webinars:
Mentoring Your GPS to a Successful Career
Thursday, 22 May
This is the first session in the
2 sessions:
six- part Webinar series !
Webinar 1: 7am Amsterdam 16h
Dubai, 13h Singapore
Webinar 2: 8am San Francisco,
11am New York, 17h Amsterdam

Learn about the various aspects of the mentoring process, the roles of both mentor
and mentee, as well as guidelines to make the most out of the relationship.
Interactive roundtable with mentors and mentees who will share their experiences.
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Thank you.