Presenting Powerfully - II
I WAS ABLE once again to buttonhole the presenter of that seminar on `Interviewing' and found that he had several other skills, which were revealed in the course of his next presentation on group discussions. When he saw that I was really interested and wanted to let several other young people know about them he made time and began to enumerate the other factors that differentiate a good presentation from a superlative one. I told him that though his tips on the conduct and mastery of group discussions were very useful, virtually everybody in the audience attended his session because of the manner of his earlier presentation rather than the contents of the present one. He said there was really nothing to it and everybody who had control over themselves could do the same if they followed the simple points below:
Total commitment to the delivery of the presentation itself. Unfocussed equals unconvincing, while commitment equals conviction and believability
A free-flowing yet `tight' storyboard that holds the interest of the audience, with no loose ends except deliberate ones engineered to provoke questions
All the facts and figures though they need not be shared with the audience. Listeners cannot absorb too many facts at one sitting. However, each one has his own concerns about the subject, so the presenter needs to know in case he is asked. While only about 3-10% of the material is presented, the balance 90-97% must be available in reserve to address individual needs
All the data need to be there, the ease of retrieval and use comes with practice
Have an arsenal of anecdotes to liven up the intervals between points made
Be sensitive to the audience's mood. Watch for body-signals and dynamically change your tone, volume and matter appropriately
Have actual physical activity once or twice where your audience requires to do something - it is an excellent way to reclaim wandering attention and interest
Provide a "Wow!" within the first two minutes and then intersperse your entire presentation with a reference to the first one or generate a new "Wow!" every twenty minutes
Repeat yourself only in the conclusion for reinforcement unless body language indicates non-comprehension the first time around. Frequent repetition often kills interest
The presenter is already `in-charge'; do not be tempted to be overbearing and drive in your superiority
Never concentrate on the VIPs, spread your goodwill and attention to everybody present. Make every member feel as if you are talking to them individually - remember eye-contact is essential
Try not to make more than one point per slide. Let sub-points illustrate the main point on the slide
Make sure you have no more than six bulleted points per slide and see that each one dims after mouse click. A good trick is for this to happen and then all of them appear on the last click on that slide so the audience can visually register them - it helps reinforcement
Be sensitive to gender issues in the course of your presentation - especially if members of both genders are present. Remember that men and women have differently-abled cognitive styles, so do choose words that can be interpreted by both or repeat them appropriately if necessary
Provide a short précis every twenty minutes to refresh their memories
Be ready and willing to be corrected by the audience. To maintain your point of view can be a killer if you do not have the answer to a question, say so and promise to get back with the answer - and actually do so later
Be aware that a smile makes your face look far more relaxed and so, do make an attempt to do so.
Be careful that you vary the smile appropriately so that you are not suspected of inanity
Carefully judge which interruptions or interjections you can ignore and which you need to address, lay down the ground rules of questioning and making suggestions - either at the end or after every point depending on your convenience and capability
If you arrive with an assistant or a fellow presenter, make sure there are a limited number of them. One is fine, three excessive. Make sure your companions know your machine and your slides so that they can handle all equipment like VCRs, CD-players and LCD projectors and let them familiarise themselves with your presentation till they are sure when to advance the slide. Work out a signal for which you can expect certain actions
Use good but simple language. Not everybody may have had the benefit of a specialised education, so using difficult words and phrases will not serve your purpose. Be simple and to the point
Your presentation should first outline the contents (about 10% of the total time) then move into the meat of the matter (around 80%) and then wind up by giving the audience a summary of what you have said to reinforce memory (the final 10% of your presentation time)
Be as contemporary as you can even a quick glance at the day's newspaper and a reference even to a relatively obscure but recent story will add to the efficiency-perception of the presenter
By keeping in mind the points above, he said even a novice could make a mark with his presentation skills, and more importantly, would be able to make it seem as if he had actually been rigorously trained in the art of masterful presentation. Above all, practice is the single most important preparation a prospective presenter needs to do. With practice comes confidence, and with confidence comes success.
I hope with these, I can one day become as impressive as the master-blaster of the city!
ARMITY GAUR
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