Since having reviewed my own end of the semester presentation and since having to think critically about how I can be a better presenter, I turned to an article in the Harvard Business review for assistance and found that it summarizes the MP process perfectly. In the article, “How to Give a Killer Presentation” the author, Chris Anderson, outlines five measures that will accomplish creating a great presentation; he suggests speakers should frame their story, plan their delivery, develop their stage presence, design their medium, and play to their strengths. All of which sounds familiar and commonsensical but when dissected it resonates intensely. The article clarifies:
Frame your story (Figure out where to start and end)
o All people are wired to tell and listen to stories so telling a story will best engage an audience.
o Determine what the audience already knows and don’t waste time restating information that will prove to bore your audience.
o Quickly introduce why you care/interested and don’t waste time trying to convince your audience to care/interested.
Plan your delivery (Decide to memorize, rehearse, or simply converse)
o Use presentation to map out the direction of the presentation but do not use as talking points.
o Memorizing scripted presentations are best but ONLY when antiquate preparation has been given.
o A conversational tone works best over passionate or authoritative tones.
Develop your stage presence (No matter how well you deliver a presentation content is always more important)
o Keeping your lower body still is the most successful way to appear more commanding.
o Eye contact is the most important physical hallmark of a good presenter.
o Introduce yourself to as many of the audience members before your presentation because doing so will ease your nerves, make you present, and lifts the veil of a unfamiliar audience.
Design your medium (Enhance your presentation and not distract)
o In order to avoid being repetitive and to be found interesting by the audience do not read out bullet points on your slides.
o Stop relying on Power Point as your only medium when so many new relevant options are at your disposal.
o Enlist the help of an artist, ARCHITECT, photographer, or graphic designer to help develop visual communications.
Play to your strengths (Be authentic)
o Prepare presentations well in advance to allow for proper rehearsal time.
o Be choosey about who you select to rehearse in front of because not all criticism should be considered or is valuable.
o Substance over style. It is fairly easy to coach out problems with delivery but almost impossible to coach in substance to a subject or story.
Concurrently, the author points out that it may be hard to give a good presentation but it is easy to ruin a good presentation and warns us from doing these 10 things:
- Make a really long introduction
- Speak too slowly and dramatically
- Inform the audience how important you are
- Refer to your note cards or TV monitor too often
- Cram your slides with numerous fonts, bullet points, or illustrations
- Use technical jargon to impress the audience
- Speak at length about you and your organization
- Remain unaware of how much time you have or used
- Don’t bother rehearsing
- Don’t make eye contact with anyone and just look at the tops of their heads
Finally, to further summarize, let go of being perfect and really know your material well. This allows you to conduct a conversational dialog by being present with the audience and to evolve your presentation in real time by reacting to the audience’s response.
Anderson, Chris. “How to Give a Killer Presentation.” Harvard Business Review: Magazine June 2013: n. pag. Print.