Polishing Your Presentations August 1, 2008 Michael Rubinstein Tuesday, August 1, 2008

The Presenter’s Worst Nightmare… “ Well I thought my razor was dull until I heard his speech.” --Groucho Marx, Horsefeathers Page

“ Well I thought my razor was dull until I heard his speech.”

--Groucho Marx, Horsefeathers

Preparing Your Presentation Page

Preparing Your Presentation

First Steps Be clear about your main messages Target your approach to your audience researchers donors policymakers NGOs mixed audience Page

Be clear about your main messages

Target your approach to your audience

researchers

donors

policymakers

NGOs

mixed audience

Engage your audience Pose a challenging question Tell a joke (culturally sensitive) Tell a story related to your research Show a photo Tell why you think this research is especially important Page

Pose a challenging question

Tell a joke (culturally sensitive)

Tell a story related to your research

Show a photo

Tell why you think this research is especially important

Body of the presentation Tailor your presentation to your audience tone content Do you need to talk about…? methodology program structure challenges impact Page

Tailor your presentation to your audience

tone

content

Do you need to talk about…?

methodology

program structure

challenges

impact

Closing Come up with a memorable closing photo quote Page

Come up with a memorable closing

photo

quote

Practice Your Presentation Never give a presentation without practicing Better to practice in front of colleagues Time yourself Lack of practice is the number one cause of poor presentations Page

Never give a presentation without practicing

Better to practice in front of colleagues

Time yourself

Lack of practice is the number

one cause of poor presentations

Delivering Your Presentation Page

Delivering Your Presentation

Don’t Waste Time Avoid long introductory statements Don’t say “I will be brief” Don’t complain about the lack of time Page

Avoid long introductory statements

Don’t say “I will be brief”

Don’t complain about the lack of time

Eye Contact Eye contact builds connection to audience Fix your gaze on individual people Look in all corners of the room Never back look at the screen “ Read” your audience Page

Eye contact builds connection to audience

Fix your gaze on individual people

Look in all corners of the room

Never back look at the screen

“ Read” your audience

Speech Speak slowly and clearly Use voice inflection Emphasize key words Speak directly into microphone Don’t hide your passion for your subject Page

Speak slowly and clearly

Use voice inflection

Emphasize key words

Speak directly into microphone

Don’t hide your passion for your subject

Body Language Use open positions Don’t fold arms Use hand gestures Smile at beginning of presentation Stand up straight – like Mommy always said Page

Use open positions

Don’t fold arms

Use hand gestures

Smile at beginning of presentation

Stand up straight – like Mommy always said

Distracting Movements Rocking from side to side Scratching Fidgeting Playing with keys, rings, coins, etc. Putting hands in pockets Page

Rocking from side to side

Scratching

Fidgeting

Playing with keys, rings, coins, etc.

Putting hands in pockets

Dealing with Nerves Take a moment to focus Take a few deep breaths Concentrate on speaking slowly Channel your energy into gestures Practice increases confidence Page

Take a moment to focus

Take a few deep breaths

Concentrate on speaking slowly

Channel your energy into gestures

Practice increases confidence

Using PowerPoint Page

Using PowerPoint

Using PowerPoint Assess whether you need PPt You are the presentation PPt is only there as a guide Don’t read the slide content Don’t look at the screen Page

Assess whether you need PPt

You are the presentation

PPt is only there as a guide

Don’t read the slide content

Don’t look at the screen

Slide content 6 words per line 6 lines per slide 36 words per slide Bulleted text One slide per minute Page

6 words per line

6 lines per slide

36 words per slide

Bulleted text

One slide per minute

Graphics Use them! photos, graphs, movie clips Graphs & charts must be very simple Page

Use them!

photos, graphs, movie clips

Graphs & charts must be very simple

Templates Use an IFPRI template Consistent fonts, formatting, color especially when importing from other sources Serif or sans serif Light or dark? dark font on light background or light font on dark background Page

Use an IFPRI template

Consistent fonts, formatting, color

especially when importing from other sources

Serif or sans serif

Light or dark?

dark font on light background or

light font on dark background

Top Ten PowerPoint Misteaks Complicated graphics Inconsistent fonts Inconsistent font size inconsistent formatting Too many colors Writing things out in complete sentences is a common mistake. Too many slides per time allotted Too much text per slide Reading verbatim from slides Page

Complicated graphics

Inconsistent fonts

Inconsistent font size

inconsistent formatting

Too many colors

Writing things out in complete sentences is a common mistake.

Too many slides per time allotted

Too much text per slide

Reading verbatim from slides

Parting Thought Groucho: Tomorrow we start tearing down the college. “ But, Professor, where will the students sleep?” Groucho: Where they always sleep--in the classroom. Page

Groucho: Tomorrow we start tearing down the college.

“ But, Professor, where will the students sleep?”

Groucho: Where they always sleep--in the classroom.