the presentation experience codes

the presentation experience codes

The Power of Effective Presentations

1. Introduction

The Bounded Rationality section makes reference to an earlier work by Simon who suggests the theory that audiences can never fully understand the message an audience is trying to convey because we have too much information and are constrained by time. This is a shot at reality but does not signify the loss of motivation and effort we discussed from our school teachers in presenting our work to the class. This can be seen as a challenge to bridge the information gap and have a satisfying transfer of information in a presentation. This is a good lead into the risk management segment on presentation notes.

The Art of Persuasion section is a good look at the psychology of selling a message to an audience. The eight-step easy-to-remember coaching method is a good straightforward process in aiding an effective presentation. The defining and understanding of the audience’s mindset with the matrix diagrams is a helpful tool in this. The emphasis on persistence to work through and practice each of these steps towards being creative when planning a presentation is a theme which runs throughout this book and is a pivotal point to its underlying message.

This booklet provides practical advice and guidance from the experts on how to deliver effective presentations. It discusses the eight basic steps in a presentation; it deals with managing presentation notes and looks at features of Microsoft PowerPoint which help to create a professional presentation. The PowerPoint package is treated in some detail because many of PowerPoint’s high-tech features can be distracting for an audience and the transfer of information can be lost. The final section provides ideas which can be delivered in a presentation on a dry run basis to friends, family or colleagues to gain constructive feedback.

2. The Importance of Presentation Skills

Another reason why presentation is a valuable skill is that people judge the person giving the presentation based on his or her communication skills and are likely to make important decisions about the person as a result. This means that people will be very likely to associate a good presentation with a capable leader or an informed individual. On the flip side, someone who is not able to communicate his or her ideas well could be known as an ineffective leader. This is important to remember because chances are that the first impression that someone makes will be from a school presentation.

Firstly, and most importantly, having an effective presentation can help to get your message across to people, which greatly increases the likelihood that they will create change based on your presentation. If you have a great idea but can’t communicate it to anyone, it’s as if it is non-existent. A presentation is a well-suited way to share ideas with a small or large group of people. In order to make changes within an organization, create new policies, or gain buy-in for a new idea, it often requires a good presentation to sell the idea. For individuals, strong presentation skills can be a great help at an interview to prove a better job. Most of the work written on employing a pitch to sell to an employer or prospective clients, and this is essentially what an interview is. High school or college students could benefit from an effective presentation when trying to convince parents to increase an allowance, or when trying to prove why a night out should be allowed. All in all, the ability to create change with words is a strong skill, and good presentations are a great way to develop this.

Effective presentation skills are important for almost everyone at some point in their career. In fact, many people are often called upon to make a presentation at some point. It may be for a small group of work colleagues, a teacher in a classroom, a group of clients, or it could be in front of hundreds of people at a conference. Whatever the occasion, having strong presentation skills can be an asset for personal success.

3. Mastering the Art of Delivery

Coming back to body movement, this and the use of space is very effective in that it allows the speaker to change the area of attention, shown by the audience’s eyes. Going back to the eye movement of a listener is important. Respace can change the focus in an instance, and with a brief pause, the attention of the entire audience can be regained.

Flat spots occur when there is no change in voice. This shows a lack of interest in what is being said and will affect the listeners. A speaker wishing to convey the importance of a point must briefly stop before and after the point and change voice to indicate importance. Pausing is a useful tool that is often underused or abused. A good pause before a point will create anticipation from the audience, and the audience’s thoughts will be focused on what is about to be said. A pause after a point is useful as it gives time for the audience to reflect on what has been said.

Changing the pitch and pace of the voice is an effective tool in trying to get a point across or showing the importance of something. It is often used in stories to children. If the children are being told of something bad or scary, the storyteller may use a lower pitch and quieter voice to create suspense, and the children may become quiet and listening. If the storyteller senses that the children are getting scared and the point requires lesser emphasis, the storyteller can use a higher pitch and louder voice to change the mood of the children. This is relevant to any speaking situation; the speaker must be aware of how the audience is taking the speech and if they are understanding the points. A speaker will be able to sense this through the reaction of the audience, and if unclear about anything, an audience member might ask a question. This is a clear sign to the speaker that something requires more emphasis to make it clearer.

Movement. This should be relaxed and purposeful, going hand in hand with eye contact. Movement should avoid any sudden jerks, like that of a nervous and scared person. Hands should never go over the shoulders or above, as this shows signs of defense or is like someone pleading.

Eye contact should be established between all members of the audience, lasting about a second on one person. It helps to change looks between different areas of the audience and also not to look over the top of the audience’s head, as this gives the impression of deep thought and trying to recollect the speech, it is also a sign of nervousness.

There are two stepping stones that any presenter must know and be proficient and comfortable using. They are eye contact and body movement. This is because public speaking is a two-way process between a speaker and an audience. The audience will gauge the speaker on their body movement and eye contact. If the speaker does not use these well, the audience might perceive that the speaker is not interested in the topic, is uncertain, or is lacking in confidence. If the audience thinks any of these things, they are unlikely to be interested in the speech. A speaker who is confident and interested in the topic, coming across through eye contact and body movement, will be well received, and confident speakers are believed and will persuade action or thought from the audience.

4. Utilizing Visual Aids for Impact

If I try to paint a picture of a giant fast food meal, which preference would you have wished to use? The meal consisting of four McDonald’s double cheeseburgers, two large fries, and diet Coke or the meal consisting of a single piece of Halibut fish and a salad comprised of romaine lettuce, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil dressing? If the point of your message is to move people away from unhealthy eating habits, for a moment, I would hope it is the second meal. Now, how the image of that meal is created can affect what you see in your mind. If the presentation is effective, you will be able to see the meal not only through what I have said but through a visual aid. This will further clarify and reinforce the message adopted from my verbal picture. Now, would you rather see a picture of the meal drawn out with a box of Crayola’s? Or a high-definition image from the internet. The latter indeed has more impact on the aid and will further reinforce the idea.

To achieve vitality, impact, and premier status as a presenter, you have to utilize visual aids – and do so skillfully. The reason is obvious. We live in an increasingly visual-oriented society where images and visual symbols play a more and more important role in strengthening and shaping the message (of whatever sort it may be). Evidence of this is found, among other places, in the fact that spoken and written languages often utilize visual words (see, picture, insight, neon sign) to clarify and reinforce communication. A visual aid is any direct, nonverbal device that reinforces and clarifies the speaker’s message. This encompasses a wide range, from a simple object to a high-definition interactive computer program. Remember, a flipchart used during a largely verbal presentation would be considered a visual aid. Would this convey the idea? Instead of talking about using visual aids, let’s show the difference something simple can make to a message. The speaker is giving a presentation on the cost of pharmaceuticals. Without the aid of a graph, which leads the attention of the audience from his verbal to a different visual channel, he will have to do a lot of talking to keep attention. With the graph, the data (which is important) is immediately clarified and simplified – hardly any words need to be said to explain it, the picture says it all. A thoughtful selection of a visual aid can significantly

5. Conclusion: Elevate Your Presentation Experience

I highly encourage everyone to take stock of their life to see if they need to present someone in the future. If the answer is even maybe, purchase this book. Think about how the presentation will affect life as a student, professional, and member of the community. If a person plans on just scraping by in these fields, then perhaps this book is not necessary. If a person wants to distinguish themselves as a person with great ideas and are very capable, then really think about purchasing this book. It has many valuable lessons that can be reviewed time and time again to really make the most out of each presentation. The time spent practicing its teachings can greatly improve on the message it intends to convey. So really think about the value of The Power of Effective Presentations and its ability to benefit life now and for years to come.