Whenever you are giving an oral presentation, it is important to know your audience and have done your research. Presentations will differ depending on your audience. If you are talking to a group of CEOs on their company's profit portfolio, you can use vocabulary and ideas that are relevant to their jobs. If you are presenting to a group of students or young adults, you want to remain genuine but not act like "Joe Cool". Knowing your audience will help you determine how you want to present your information and the style and format you choose to use. As most of us know, sometimes someone asks a question or makes a comment in the middle of a presentation, and it might get you off your topic. If this happens (our students always seem to try to get us off task with asking questions...I know I have had a few Ferris Bueller's in my classroom), it is important to know some important steps to help trigger your memory so you are able to complete your presentation
- use mnemonic devices to help trigger your memory
- plan your presentation like you tell a story...think what happens in the beginning, middle, and end
- find a fodder (10-15 second time filler i.e. clear your throat, walk around the room, etc to get back on task)
- walk around the room...different areas will help buy time and allow you to think through your topic
- use coding throughout your presentation...similar to a nonverbal or unwritten form of a mnemonic device
Once back on track, it is important to keep your audience's attention. If you notice them straying from your main point...change it up a little! Get passionate with your audience so that they know you care about the topic. The more you move your body (okay, not like a crazy person), the more you will get energized and more comfortable with your presentation and your audience will sense how you personally feel about the topic. Apparently drinking any form of caffeine before presenting is a bad idea. Did you know that your adrenaline alone produces enough energy as 7 cups of coffee?? If we are nervous, we might already feel shaky...adding more to that might be disastrous. Stay calm and at ease by practicing and having someone video tape you presenting so you can personally edit your skills before you actually get in front of a live audience.
2 comments:
Good Morning Amanda,
I found the steps for triggerig your memory to complete a presentation most helpful. I know when I become nervous in the middle of a presentation I want to look at my notes in my hand or read what is on the PowerPoint which is not a very good thing to do because you loose your audience.
Harriet
I like what you said about students throwing their two cents in. You feel like you are on a roll and a student interjects something that just throws you off your horse. Having a plan to get you and your audience back on topic is a great idea. A story would be a great way to do this. It would draw your audience back in.
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