When you are called upon to make a formal or semi-formal presentation there are a couple of things you can do in preparation which will make the task a lot simpler for you.
First: Define the purpose of your presentation. In other words: what are you trying to achieve with it. If you don't know what your objective is in making this presentation, how can you expect your audience to know? If the presentation in question isn't really yours (if you are delivering a corporate message for example, rather than speaking from personal experience) then you need to sit down with the person who 'volunteered' you and get them to tell you what the objective is. Trying to deliver a message without knowing the purpose is like driving somewhere but not knowing where you need to be. A lot of miles can be covered hoping to bump into a recognisable destination.
Second:..actually, I think I'll leave the second thing for later. Call it a cliffhanger ending...which I wouldn't advise when you're making that presentation.
Get more information about us at www.profile-training.com
Thursday, 18 December 2008
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Stupidly Early
Making a presentation or a speech can be a stressful event. Even the thought of getting up and speaking in public can be enough to induce the symptoms of panic or fear.
Now, while I have many techniques I'd like to share for eliminating or minimising that stress, and fully intend to offer some of these solutions in this blog in the near future, I thought today that it would be a good idea to offer some very practical advice for you when you find you're in the frame for a bit of public speaking. Advice that will certainly lower the potential for stress and make your presentation more enjoyable.
Research your venue: If you are unfamiliar with the location, either go there ahead of the date or at least do some homework on the internet about transport, parking, etc.
On the day: Get there early! Being late is a sure fire way to stress yourself up even if you're an experienced and confident speaker, so leave a stupidly large amount of time for travel. You can always find the venue, make sure you know which door to use and such then go and have a sandwich or something.
A footnote to this advice is that when you have arrived in good time and you find yourself with an hour spare, don't be tempted to have an alcoholic drink - even a small one is a bad idea for loads of reasons - and avoid coffee if you have even the slightest tendency to get wired on caffeine - there's always soft drinks and decaff!
Now, while I have many techniques I'd like to share for eliminating or minimising that stress, and fully intend to offer some of these solutions in this blog in the near future, I thought today that it would be a good idea to offer some very practical advice for you when you find you're in the frame for a bit of public speaking. Advice that will certainly lower the potential for stress and make your presentation more enjoyable.
Research your venue: If you are unfamiliar with the location, either go there ahead of the date or at least do some homework on the internet about transport, parking, etc.
On the day: Get there early! Being late is a sure fire way to stress yourself up even if you're an experienced and confident speaker, so leave a stupidly large amount of time for travel. You can always find the venue, make sure you know which door to use and such then go and have a sandwich or something.
A footnote to this advice is that when you have arrived in good time and you find yourself with an hour spare, don't be tempted to have an alcoholic drink - even a small one is a bad idea for loads of reasons - and avoid coffee if you have even the slightest tendency to get wired on caffeine - there's always soft drinks and decaff!
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
I spent some time today helping a friend with some writing, and advised her that she could maybe lose some of the jargon and business-speak she had used, replacing it with plain, simple English.
This is advice I've given many clients, as it seems that many people don't think they're giving good value in their written or spoken presentations unless they incorporate a bunch of words, phrases...even paragraphs...that seem only to be included to impress the reader or listener.
No-one I've ever come across would complain or feel short-changed by being offered information in plain, clear English (or please feel free to insert your preferred language here).
In fact, I believe your message will be easier to take in and understand if the audience doesn't have to rummage around in the furthest recesses of their mind or the web for a translation.
The next time you're writing something for work or for a presentation, why not take a moment to review it and see if you can get rid of some jargon in favour of plain language. Your audience might well thank you for it!
Presentation and communication skills coaching and training - www.profile-training.com
This is advice I've given many clients, as it seems that many people don't think they're giving good value in their written or spoken presentations unless they incorporate a bunch of words, phrases...even paragraphs...that seem only to be included to impress the reader or listener.
No-one I've ever come across would complain or feel short-changed by being offered information in plain, clear English (or please feel free to insert your preferred language here).
In fact, I believe your message will be easier to take in and understand if the audience doesn't have to rummage around in the furthest recesses of their mind or the web for a translation.
The next time you're writing something for work or for a presentation, why not take a moment to review it and see if you can get rid of some jargon in favour of plain language. Your audience might well thank you for it!
Presentation and communication skills coaching and training - www.profile-training.com
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)