Presentation Skills

&
Public Speaking
 Learning Objectives
By the end of the session you should:
Be aware of the faults common to many poor
presentations
Be able to structure a presentation
Realize the importance of delivery technique
Know how to use visual aids effectively
Be confident in handling questions.
Be able to control nerves.
How do You do it Mr. Orator?

I tell them what I want to tell

them, then I tell them what I told
them I will tell them, then I tell
them what I told them
I told them.
 Note Please
Of the 6 elements in presentation;
1. What is said
2. How it is said
3. When it is said,
4. Where it is said,
5. To whom it is said, and
6. Who said it
.the last is the most important!
 Presentation Skills

The ability to create positive and lasting

impression, by projecting ideas logically,
concisely and creatively in tune with the
disposition and needs of the audience.
 Introduction
Making a prepared presentation is something
most managers have to do at least sometimes.
Success and failure in presentation can have a
significant effect on your career, being public,
and highly visible.
Presenting oneself positively to others, in small
or large groups is one of the competences you
require for a competence-based route to a
qualification as a Manager.
 Presentation: High-Risk Activity

When speaking to an audience;

You are operating in real time.
You cannot afford to go back and correct
something you do not like.
You cannot afford to go blank; and
You have an audience who will let you
know if they do not like what you are
saying.
 Pitfalls of Presentation

Some of the factors the audience identify in poor

presentations:
The speaker was inaudible;
Overhead projector (OHP) slides were illegible;
The speakers voice was a hypnotic monotone
which had the entire audience asleep;
The entire address was read;
The content was so muddled that it was
impossible to follow;
Pitfalls of Presentation..
The speaker jumbled his or her notes, and
spent most of the time trying to find out where
he or she was;
Half the slides were upside down or out of
order;
The audience knew the content already;
The audience didnt want to know the content;
The room was hot, cold, stuffy or otherwise
uncomfortable.
 Note Audience Interaction
A live audience can give you many cues
as to how well your presentation is going.
Are they asking stimulating questions, or
aggressive ones?
Are they leaning back with their arms
folded, or forwards, hanging on your
every word?
Are they awake?
 Note Audience Interaction..
Audience interaction may be totally
disruptive, making it impossible for you to
present in a structured manner unless it is
controlled.
Or it can make the whole event really
stimulating for all concerned, and better
than if you had merely given your talk
without response.
 Adjusting to Your Audience
Your delivery must be appropriate to
your audiences knowledge and
abilities.
Your own manner is critical;
avoid distracting or antagonizing your
audience by your mannerisms or your
style of delivery.
 Adjusting to Your Audience..
You must pace your delivery so that
your audience can easily absorb what
you say;
Dont go too slowly
Dont rush
Adjust your speed to the difficulty of
what you are communicating.
Minimizing Location & Technology Problems

Minimize acoustic problems by;

Changing the seating pattern, or
Talking more loudly than usual.
Visual aids can be a problem;
Slides may be under the control of
someone with whom it is difficult to
communicate.
 Minimizing Location & Technology
Problems..
Or a projector may be so old that fine
details or poor contrasts on a slide will be
totally lost.
You may be faced with the latest
technology which is more sophisticated
than anything with which you are familiar.
You need to adapt to what is available, as
good visual aids can be invaluable.
 Structuring Your Talk
Tell them what you are going to say, say it,
and then tell them what you have said;
Introductory section
Main section
Conclusion
 Introductory Section
Introduce yourself,
Explain your objectives,
Say how long you will be talking for,
Indicate the main points you will be making and how
you will structure them,
Make clear the ground rules concerning questions
For example, you may be happy to be interrupted
with requests for clarification, but would prefer to
take more substantial questions at the end.
 Main Section
Clarify the problem situation which you are
addressing.
Outline the significant factors in both situation
and environment, and the evidence that
change is needed.
Describe the measures of effectiveness to be
used in evaluating options, and how options
score on these measures.
Make clear what you are recommending.
 Main Section..
The above is the same as you would do in a
written report.
When presenting orally, you will need to give
additional pointers to internal structure within
your main body.
When you have finished dealing with one point,
signal this by a brief summary of the point just
made, and then a short statement of the point
you are about to start on.
Visual aids can be useful for this.
 Conclusion
Summarize your key points, again using visual
aids if appropriate,
Emphasize your recommendations or
conclusion,
Thank your audience for their patience, and
invite questions.
You will find that a simple, and clear structure
makes audiences much better able to follow a
talk.
 Public Speaking:
Deliver Your Talk Effectively
Aim to form a relationship with your audience.
Make it easy for people to hear and
understand.
Use detail sparingly.
Keep any notes brief.
Be alert to visual cues from the audience.
Dont try to fool people.
Allow time for questions.
 Make Good Use Of Visual Aids
To maintain your audiences interests,
some sort of variety is needed.
Visual aids, skillfully used, can provide
this.
They can also convey certain things
better than can words alone, e.g.;
Make Good Use Of Visual Aids.
Graph, or other appropriate diagram,
Video clips
An object waved in front of the
audience
Vary your aids if your presentation is a
lengthy one, say in excess of half an
hour.
Dont overload your slides.
 Handle Questions Skillfully
Questions can be enormously helpful, or can
wreck a presentation entirely.
Restrict questions during your presentation.
Reserve more substantive questions to the end.
Postpone answers in a positive, courteous way.
Make a note of postponed questions so that you
do not forget to deal wit it later, or ask the
questioner to ask it again at the end.
Understand what is being asked.
Handle Questions Skillfully..
If you are uncertain as to the meaning of the question,
clarify it with the questioner.
If a question challenges what you have said, resist the
temptation to become defensive, or to attack the
questioner.
Praise an informed questioners knowledge or
understanding, agree with as much of the question as
you can, and thank the person for their contribution.
Where questions are pointing to a genuine weakness in
your presentation, it is usually better to acknowledge,
indeed share, the concern, rather than pretend that the
problem is less than the questioner rightly thinks
 Controlling Nerves
Good speakers always retain a slight tinge of
nervousness; they find this gives an edge to
their performance.
Complacency can lead to flatness and boredom
all round.
So there is no need to eliminate nervousness
altogether, merely reduce it to a level that will
enhance, rather than detract from, your
performance.
 Controlling Nerves..

The factors which can help you

are;
Practice,
Exposure to other similar situations,
Relaxation techniques, and
Thorough preparation.
 Preparation Is Essential
Research your audience and the requirements for the
presentation
Arrive at the location early enough to check everything.
Think carefully about what to include, and how to structure
it, and about how best to add force to your arguments.
Prepare the most professional-looking visual aids that
circumstance allows.
Rehearse your arguments many times, so that you feel
confident in expressing them.
Present to a guinea pig audience or a mirror for practice
and mastering your presentation.
 Remember
You are seen before you are heard;
Dress smartly and appropriately
Dont over-dress
Choose the right colours for the right
occasion
 Speaking too Much...
34,000 words per day
238,000 words per week
12 million words per year
Are your words wasted?
Are you misunderstood?
 Speaking Styles
Men Report Talk
Language that conveys information,
facts, knowledge, and competence
Women Rapport Talk
Language that creates connections,
establishes goodwill, and builds
community
 Systematic Speaking Process
Stage Activity
1 Topic Selection a.Analyze your Principle
b.Analyze yourself
c.Consider the occasion
d.Select your subject area
e.Narrow your topic

2 Topic Development a.Gather support

b.Organize materials
c.Conduct an oral tryout and revise

3 Presentation a.Work to control anxiety

. b.Rehearse the presentation
c.Deliver the presentation

4 Post-Presentation Analysis a.Conduct a post-presentation analysis

.