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In the workplace, fewer things are more frightening than delivering a presentation. Yet, by the same token, in the New World of Work, fewer things are as vital, since good presentation skills are a critical success factor both for personal and business success.
Forbes Magazine research reveals that for the average person, the number one fear is public speaking. Among other things, stage fright can be caused by the fear of making mistakes and feelings of humiliation as a result. But, while not everyone is a natural at taking to the stage, these challenges can be overcome. Here are some effective techniques to get you started.
Set the tone with the audience at the outset
Before you even begin, set the tone with the audience. Do a welcome and introduction and put house rules in place. House rules help to regulate the flow of the presentation. House rules can therefore involve such things as when to take a break and how to minimise disruptions. Ask your audience members to switch off their cell phones and put their laptops away. If your presentation is long, inform your audience of the times you have set in place to take a recess for refreshments and body breaks. A Q&A session should only be held only once the presentation is over. Since, allowing the audience to raise questions during the presentation can waste time and disrupt the timing and flow of your presentation.
Preparation is key
Good preparation is key to delivering your presentation clearly and with confidence. Ensure that you have thoroughly researched any facts and figures beforehand and don’t be afraid to revise your work if need be. Do a dry run ahead of time and rehearse your presentation out loud at least three times. This will help you establish your ‘flow’.
Quickly capture your audience’s attention
Start every presentation by giving your audience a reason to listen. You only have a 45-second window to grab your audience’s attention so make the most of it. A clever icebreaker in the form of a quote, startling statement or question is a great way to rapidly engage your audience. Avoid using humour unless you know your audience. Not everyone sees life’s ironies in the same way.
Avoid ‘death by PowerPoint’
A good presenter will use their own notes as prompts to keep on track. Conversely, a bad presenter will only ‘talk to their slides’. This is where ‘death by PowerPoint’ comes into play. Typically, this happens when someone proceeds to read 40 slides out loud from a PowerPoint presentation that is so graphic intense and cluttered, and laden with so much text that the audience is left completely overwhelmed and confused.
Be authentic
It is important to remember that when on stage, the more you try to act like someone you are not, the more your audience will see right through you. So, be genuine, and use gestures that reflect what you are feeling to help convey those sentiments that you can bring to life in front of your audience. The more you can be yourself, the more confident you will come across and in this manner, you will better connect with your audience.
Remember that ‘Ums’ and ‘ahs’ have a purpose
The seemingly meaningless sounds that we make to fill a gap in speaking while we pause to think such as ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ are called ‘fillers’. Essentially, fillers are voiced when our brain stops our mouth from talking so that we can think for a moment. Everyone uses fillers. The most noticeable effect on the audience when using fillers is to demonstrate that the presenter is human too, which is another form of authenticity. Often, when a presenter is feeling nervous and fearful the brain suffers a lack of oxygen and the recall of information is not clear. This is also when fillers are spoken or ‘pauses’ in the speech take place. Pauses can be a good thing since they also give the audience time to process information.
Last but not least – save the Q & A session for last
Once your presentation is complete, you may want to open the floor for discussion and run a Q&A session. Even if you are completely familiar with the subject matter of your presentation, there will always be that one person who puts up their hand and asks a question that you don’t know the answer to. When this happens and you are literally lost for words, there are three things you can do:
- Ask the person framing the question to repeat the question. This will give your brain time to formulate or find the answer.
- Pose the question to the group. Simply say: “good question. Let’s open it up to the group. Does anyone in the audience know the answer? If so, please share it with the group.” This technique will stimulate audience discussion and briefly take you out of the spotlight, once again, giving you more time to prepare a suitable response.
- Say to the audience: “this is a very good question so, let’s park it for now and save it for last.” Once again, this will give you time to come up with an appropriate answer.
While giving a presentation can often seem like a daunting task, with preparation and practice the art of good presentation skills can be mastered. Knowledge, passion for and enthusiasm around the subject matter is key, so ensure that you are well-informed and your audience will be more attentive and engaged. Mastering the art of good presentation skills can unleash many career opportunities, so, don’t be afraid to take to the stage.
Reference sources: careerwise.com