JUNE 2007 PRESENTATION SKILLS e t o n o l S C a r m f r o n g s e t i G r e This issue of our newsletter focuses on presentation skills. For better or for worse, presentations play a major role in your job as a Value Analysis Professional. The good news is that you can use the skills that you already possess to raise your level of presentation performance, enabling you to be even more effective in achieving your objectives. Inside, you’ll find a number of tips to help you analyze your audience, organize your thoughts, prepare your visuals, and confidently deliver your next presentation. Get ready to work; we’ve also included some exercises to help you “warm up” to the subject. Continuous improvement is something we all strive for, which is why I know you will find this issue particularly useful. Please let us know. And if you know someone else who would like to receive our newsletter, let us know that too. Just email me at carol.stone@crbard.com. n e S t o a r o l C n g k e t i M a r a t e p o r C o r n t , i d e P r e s c e V i n c . d , I B a r R . C .
PRESENTATION SKILLS: T H E O R E T I C A L P E R S P E C T I V E A s you are probably all too aware, the subject in historical context, or by juggle them into a logical sequence, presentations – both formal and talking about the purpose of the meet- and make note of gaps to be filled informal – are an integral part ing. Next is the narrative, the heart of by additional research. This is used of business life. As a Value Analysis the matter, best related in the form of to structure your presentation via the Professional, you have most likely given a story (“as a little background, let me three- or five-part model (above), many, and sat through more, some good tell you about….”) that conveys your writing it out in the form of an outline and others not so good. The reason: message in the way you want the audi- or bulleted notes for practice, practice, Presentations are simply a form of com- ence to understand it. Then comes the practice, and delivery. munication. Part art and part science, argument where you present your each requires both preparation and proofs and your reasoning. Although Your Audience practice, as well as attention to a few this is undeniably the most important As you write, keep in mind that the simple guidelines. part of the presentation, you must adult audience has an attention span keep your evidence to the necessary of about 45 minutes and will absorb Persuasion minimum and your arguments to three only about a third of what you say – a or four at most. T o keep your audience maximum of seven concepts. In addi- While many presentations are designed simply to inform, most involve some from getting restless, it is even a good tion, different audience members are degree of persuasion to: adopt a new idea to number these, letting your lis- likely to have different styles of learn- procedure, agree to the purchase of teners know up front how many they ing. For example, studies show that a specific product, accept and adhere will have to consider (“there are three only 20-30% (some indicate even less) reasons why we need to do this….”). of the population are auditory learners to a project goal or schedule. Facts are fine, and research is essential, but Next is the refutation, where you for whom words and sounds are most people do not make decisions based anticipate key objections by presenting meaningful. Another 30-40% (some on facts alone. The goal is action, and and addressing them, which is especially say up to 85%) are visual learners who the presentation cannot be counted as important for controversial subjects. respond best to stimuli such as pictures Last is the conclusion, which is not a and graphs. The rest (30-50%) are a success unless that goal is achieved. summary, but an appeal for under- kinesthetic learners – those who learn A Three-Act Play standing and whatever action it is that through movement or by doing – which At its most basic, a presentation can you want your listeners to take. is why, in a static meeting situation, it be described as a play in three acts: the is important for the presenter to move introduction (in which you tell the au- around, mingle with the audience, and Setting Parameters dience what you are going to tell them), When organizing your content, the use gestures or props. the body (in which you tell them) and American Management Association’s the conclusion (in which you tell them Strategies for Developing Effective Visual Aids what you have told them). However, Presentation Skills suggests a process T o appeal to their cross-section of that begins with setting your presen- learners, presenters can choose from a just as a play would be boring if it were nothing more than this, so would a tation parameters. This involves wide variety of visual aids – from simple presentation. A presentation must build; creating a simple list: handouts to flip charts, white boards, it must have movement. It must lead overhead transparencies, slides, video, ♦ a statement of your subject matter, the audience through logic, data, and or computer graphics that offer a com- ♦ the purpose of your presentation, bination of media styles. The medium emotion to conclusion and agreement. ♦ the desired outcome, and should match your message, your audi- ♦ its relevance to the audience. The Outline ence and your meeting room. The key In the book Power, Influence and Next you need an audience profile, is simplicity, especially for posted or Persuasion , the authors describe a five- where you note what you know about projected visuals: one idea per visual, the audience both personally and six lines per slide or page, six words per part outline for this that is as powerful today as it was when developed by the professionally as well as their key line, using key words only. Color is ancient Greeks 25 centuries ago. It, motivators. Then it suggests a “brain- good, but should be kept to dark print too, begins with a brief introduction, storming” session in which you write on a light background, not too fussy, but this time it is used to set the stage – out your facts and key points either with large type and no more that three in a list, on cards, or a “mind map,” typefaces per visual. Rule of thumb is by welcoming the audience, putting
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