It's time. You have been preparing for days, maybe even weeks for this big day. The plan? You will stand and deliver, to the best of your ability, all you have prepared. Your slides are up & all your notes are memorized. The time to worry & prepare is long gone. You look out, take a deep breath, and begin your presentation. It's not about you anymore.
...you can breathe again. (:
How will you create an experience for your audience?
It's all about connection. In class I learned when your focus is towards the audience, your presentation becomes an experience for all to enjoy. The ability to effectively stand and deliver takes practice. Lots of practice! The key is to be prepared for anything. Your audience can change each time you present, and it is up to you to adapt to their needs. How do you do this? Master the "presentation skills."
Here were some of my favorite takeaways from today's lecture...
- Your hands can easily become a distraction to your audience. Be brief with your gestures & for the most part, keep them in neutral position (by your sides).
- If you feel uncomfortable, so does your audience. Be confident & try to roll with whatever comes your way.
- Stand on the left side of your screen. Why? Americans read from left to right, so as soon as the audience is done reading, their focus will come right back to you.
- Q&A: First focus on the person who asked the question, then feel free to glance at others as you go into detail, but always close with the original person who asked.
- Pauses are ok! Make them brief, but remember silence is better than "ummm" or "mmk, so.."
- Use your space through effective floor craft
- Connect through the eyes. Focus on an audience member for a moment, then move on to someone else. This will allow everyone to feel included in the conversation.
And to quote Professor Middleton, though the butterflies might never go away, "they will fly into formation," as you acquire and better understand these skills.
No one stands & delivers better than Ill Divo, that's for sure! In fact, this might become my presentation pump up song.
Professor Middleton had some great advice on giving effective presentations. Thanks for reminding me of it. And I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that writes down practically everything she says, ha ha.
ReplyDeleteSarah--this blog post is a great presentation! I also loved the point that Dr. Middleton made that the focus on the presentation should be on the audience, not us as the presenter. Honestly, how many classes could be 100% better if that little piece of advice out be put into practice? I also think that this new perspective is also relieving for the presenter. It's safe to say that everyone is self-conscious to one degree or another, but if we were to take that focus off ourselves, the result is creates a comfortable environment for both parties.
ReplyDeleteIl Divo has changed my life. Both through their angelic voices as well as their presentation. I totally support this as your pump up song. I liked what you mentioned about Q & A. It is important to involve the whole audience.
ReplyDeleteIt's so true about the butterflies flying in formation. That's exactly how I feel when I'm prepared. When I'm not prepared, it's more like a bunch of moths trying to fly into a light. Jumbled, uncomfortable, and unpredictable. Hopefully that won't happen on my presentation!
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