Presentation Skills For Managers

Presentation Skills for Managers

Developing Great CONTENT

Preparing Great DESIGN

Conducting Great DELIVERY

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Content Three Elements of Great Presentation Design Delivery Great Presentation !

Developing Great CONTENT If you find this presentation useful, please consider telling others about our site (www.exploreHR.org)

Steps in Preparing Content Analyzing Your Audience Gathering Relevant Data & Information Converting Your Data into an Outline

Analyzing Your Audience

Needs

Knowledge level

Attitude – how do they feel about the topic?

Demographic Information – this may include the age, gender, culture, and language of the audience members

Gathering Relevant Data & Information

Before you start your research to gather relevant information, there are three questions should be considered :

What do I want my audience to gain?

What might they already know about my topic?

What is the objective of the presentation?

Converting Your Information into an Outline

There are three steps to creating an outline :

Determine the outline style

Group your raw data

Arrange into outline format

Outline Style Chronological Shows events in order as they occurred Takes the audience on a journey through a flowing presentation States the problem, the why’s, your solution, and a summary States the cause and explains the effect(s) Narrative Problem/ Solution Cause/ Effect

Outline Style Topical Divides the general topic into several subtopics Uses some or all of the what, who, where, when, why, and how questions Journalistic Questions

Outline Format Introduction Body Conclusion Outline Format

Outline Format

Introductions

Should include an agenda and clarify the goals and objectives of your presentation.

Can include an overview of a situation, a statement of the current situation of the organization, or a recap of history.

Can use the strategies that help an introduction get attention: a quote, a question, humor, a creative image, an anecdote, or a sharing of emotions .

Outline Format

Body

Chronological

Narrative

Problem/Solution

Cause/Effect

Topical

Journalistic Question

Outline Format

Conclusion

Summarize the main points of your presentation

Provide closure, and leave an impression

Can consist of recommendations, future directions, next steps to take, and so forth

Building Great DESIGN

Presentation Design

Key Rules when Creating Bulleted Text:

Use one concept per slide

Use key words and phrases

Make your bullet points consistent in structure

Capitalize properly – capitalize the first letter of the first word only

Three Keys of Great Design

Layout

Consistency

Color

Great Slide Presentation Design

Layout

Layout

Consider your layout to be like the skeleton of your presentation….Just as our skeleton support our bodies, your layout should support your message and provide structure.

Consistency

2. Consistency

You must be consistent in the following design elements:

Your placement of text and images

Your fonts style and sizes

Your background

The sytle and treatment of your imagery

Your charts

Color

3. Color

Use high contrast to increase legibility (e.g., black text on clear and yellow on dark blue)

Colors should not clash – they should have a high degree of harmony

Avoid clutter by using no more than four colors

Consistent Fonts

The two main classifications of fonts are serif and sans serif fonts

Serif fonts have small flourishes extending from the main strokes of each letter (examples : Times New Roman , Book Antiqua , Bookman Olds Style , Garamond ). Sans serif don’t; they are straight and clean (examples : Arial, Verdana , Helvetica )

Sans serif fonts are best suited for electronic presentations

Tips for Planning Great Slides

Use slides sparingly. Avoid the overuse of slides or unnecessary slides.

Make slide pictorial. Graphs, flowcharts, etc., all give the viewer an insight that would otherwise require many words.

Make text and numbers legible. Minimum font size for most room set-ups is 20 pt.

Make pictures and diagrams easy to see.

Design Guidelines Avoid this This is better

Effective Charts and Graphs

Avoid slide like this one……

Conducting Great DELIVERY

Delivering Your Presentation Voice Language Usage Movement Body Language Great Delivery

Managing Your Voice

Try to sound natural, so your rhythm and tone is appropriate to the message you are delivering

Develop three important qualities:

Volume

Intonation

Pacing

Managing Your Voice Volume Avoid to speak in monotone. Put more feeling into your voice and make it livelier by changes in your intonation. Speak loudly enough to reach all the members audience without overpowering those closest to you. Intonation

Managing Your Voice For most of us, this is natural – except when we are nervous or excited. Practice, and you can figure out what sounds natural and appropriate for the points you are making. Pacing

Language Usage

When you speak, convey confidence and show interest in what you’re presenting. Speak with feeling .

Use short sentences and short, simple words .

Speak slowly and clearly enough that everyone in your audience can understand every word.

Movement

If possible, “ work the room and work the audience ”

Move appropriately and with purpose – don’t move simply because you’re nervous

Your movements should be natural and support your words and the rest of your presentation

Don’t move constantly. Pause for effect. Stand still to make an important point

Body Language

Stand straight , but not stiff. You should radiate energy

Be relaxed , be casual, but don’t be lazy

Use your hands, arms and gestures. Just let your body react to how you feel

Make good eye contact – the rule of thumb for eye contact is three to five seconds per person

Body Language

Do not keep hands in your pockets

Do not keep hands “handcuffed” behind your back

Do not keep your arms crossed

Do not put hands in “fig leaf” position

Do not wring your hands nervously

In advance of your presentation

Practice – a lot . Don’t just think your presentation through : act it out, in front of friends, or family. Time each section of your presentation and develop a schedule.

Memorize the first two minutes of your presentation, so you breeze on through the time when the butterflies are most active.

In the hours before presentation

Think positive thought : visualize yourself feeling at ease with the audience

Use affirmation (e.g., “I can do this. I am prepared. It will go well”)

Make sure all the equipment is working properly

Remember that the people in your audience are human too, just like you. They want you to succeed !

When you enter the room:

Focus on making your movements fluid and confident , neither too slow nor too fast

Find a few friendly faces in the audience, for reassurance

Smile. Show that you want to be there

Be yourself

How to Handle Tough Situations

Problem :

Know-it-all – A participant who feels like more of an expert than you.

Solution :

Don’t fight it. Involve know-it-alls in your presentation.

They may have some great information to contribute. Allowing them to participate and share their thoughts will not only show how confident you are, but also help them get more out of your presentation.

Problem :

Unprepared participants – Those who haven’t prepared for the presentation as you requested.

Solution :

Be flexible. Take something out of your agenda to allow the group time to get up to speed.

Keep in mind your overall objective of the presentations.

Don’t force your agenda; modify it to meet your objective.

Problem :

After-lunch nap time – One of the toughest times to keep people engaged.

Solution :

If you have anything to do with planning the lunch selections, go light – and no heavy desserts.

If you really need to get everyone going again, get out those icebreakers.

Problem :

Non-stop talker – A participant who carries on conversations during the presentation.

Solution :

Take a few moments to share what you talked about. This usually makes the talker feel more involved and want to stay engaged and participate with you instead of others.

Planning for the Questions

Anticipate the questions that might come up

Listen carefully to the questioner

Repeat or rephrase the question

Answer clearly and concisely

Go to the next question

Dealing with Disasters

You find out that the time allotted has been reduced. At the very worse, you can make your points, support the with the essentials, ask and answer the most likely questions on your list.

The slide equipment fails . You know then saying, “The show must go on”. Apologize to the audience and then add something like “Now return with me to a distant past, before Powerpoint, when all we had for presentations was our notes and perhaps a blackboard or flipcharts.” Then, make the most of your primitive tools.

Dealing with Disasters

You tell a joke that falls flat. Ouch! Just shrug your shoulders and apologize: “I am sorry. I got that joke at a Henry Youngman clearance sale.” (You can choose your own comedian).

You get nervous and flustered and lose track of where you are . Figure out where you are from your slides and notes. If you can’t, just be honest : “My brain has derailed. Who can back me up so I can the on the track again?”