Thursday, 2 April 2009

Comunication skills!

The material of our presentation should be concise, to the point and tell an interesting story. In addition to the obvious things like content and visual aids, the following are just as important as the audience will be subconsciously taking them in:
Voice - how you say it is as important as what we say
Body language - a subject in its own right and something about which much has been written and said. In essence, our body movements express what our attitudes and thoughts really are. You might like to check out this web page
Appearance - first impressions influence the audience's attitudes to you. Don’t wear hat, hood and so on but let dress appropriately like normal dress.

The material of your presentation should be concise, to the point and tell an interesting story. In addition to the obvious things like content and visual aids, the following are just as important as the audience will be subconsciously taking them in:
Your voice - how you say it is as important as what you say
Body language - a subject in its own right and something about which much has been written and said. In essence, your body movements express what your attitudes and thoughts really are. You might like to check out this web page
Appearance - first impressions influence the audience's attitudes to you. Dress appropriately for the occasion.
Delivery
Speak clearly. Don't shout or whisper - judge the acoustics of the room.
Don't rush, or talk deliberately slowly. Be natural - although not conversational.
Deliberately pause at key points - this has the effect of emphasising the importance of a particular point you are making.
To make the presentation interesting, change your delivery, but not to obviously, eg:
speed
pitch of voice
Use your hands to emphasise points but don't indulge in to much hand waving. People can, over time, develop irritating habits. Ask colleagues occasionally what they think of your style.
Look at the audience as much as possible, but don't fix on an individual - it can be intimidating. Pitch your presentation towards the back of the audience, especially in larger rooms.
Don't face the display screen behind you and talk to it. Other annoying habits include:
Standing in a position where you obscure the screen. In fact, positively check for anyone in the audience who may be disadvantaged and try to accommodate them.
Avoid moving about too much. Pacing up and down can unnerve the audience, although some animation is desirable.
Keep an eye on the audience's body language. Know when to stop and also when to cut out a piece of the presentation.

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