Thursday, February 15, 2007

The Essentials: Effective Presentations.

Yes, we need to hit the mind with our message, but we also need to stir the heart with passion. 

The leader who is only rational will have bored followers who aren't inspired to go anywhere. 
The leader who is only emotional will have excited followers who do not know where to go! 
It takes both. Help them see the big picture.

1. Have a goal: Are you there to inspire? Encourage? Challenge? Comfort? Motivate? Deliver bad news? Good news? 
Is it just informational? Are you trying to motivate them to action? If you know where you are going and where you want to take the audience, you can then work back from there and create your presentation. Like Stephen Covey's old axiom, "Begin with the end in mind." Be sure to know your goal.

2. Keep it simple: Be yourself - take slow deep breaths you don't have to be someone else. One mistake many people make is in trying to emulate the style of another person. This rarely, if ever, works. Why? Because you are not that person! Be yourself. That is, who others are expecting.
You can be simple and be very good at the same time. So be sure to keep it simple. 
Remember the world would not fall apart if you do a rotten job.

3. Be passionate about your topic: People want to see that you are passionate about your topic. Aristotle said that there are three areas integral to persuasion: logic, ethics and passion. You need to be a person of good character, have logical reasoning, and say it with passion. Also, be optimistic. Napoleon said, "Leaders are dealers in hope." As presenters, we pull people in and bring them along by giving them hope. 
Be sure to let your passion and optimism come through! Understand that you are your own worst critic.

4. Balance the format of your information: Use facts and figures and use stories. Include lecture as well as audience participation. In this day and age, with waning attention spans, we do well to change up the format on regular intervals. People are used to modern media which makes single person speaking a tough act. Be sure to use different formats in your presentation.

5. Tell stories: The best way to start with a crowd is to make them laugh, the audience becomes more relax and receptive. The joke does not have to be related to the topic. Stories are things that people can connect with. They can remember them. They see them in pictures. What would you be most apt to remember two weeks after hearing a speaker: The exact percentages of his or her statistics, or a well-told story? Be sure to build stories into your presentation so people remember the points you want them to remember.

6. Mastery of your material: This is the foundation of an effective presentation: It tells people 
you are serious about the topic, that you care about it, and you are qualified to speak to them about it. Fear comes from wondering if you will make a mistake, know your material. You will feel more comfortable and will come across as very credible. Audiences are looking for credibility, be sure to know your material.

7. Timing: Focus on the first five minutes, this time is critical as it allows you to settle and get 
comfortable. One of the skills of an effective presenter is that they can craft their presentation to 
fit the allotted time and then discipline themselves to stay within that time frame. Starting on time 
and ending on time will show people that you respect their time. Speakers/leaders shoot themselves in the foot by not finishing on time. Be sure to always stay within your time limits and leave your audience wanting more!
 

I believe leaders and almost anyone can become a better speaker and presenter if they practice their skill. It doesn't require a tremendous amount of advanced training, either. Just mastering the basics will take you to the next level and allow you to become a much more effective communicator.


I wish You Great Success.

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