How To Be An Effective Presenter
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Perhaps you lost an election for the local city council because of your poor debate performance. Or maybe you got a C in a class just because you did badly on an oral report. Those situations happen frequently, even when the substance of an argument is sound, or even superior to others. In other words, people who are good communicators/presenters but don’t have meaningful ideas may be more successful than bad communicators/presenters who have the best ideas. Of course, this isn’t always true, but the truth is that presentation skills are extremely valuable.
A presentation in its most general sense is a process through which information is presented to the public. It’s important to always remember some general pointers about effective presentations:
- What you say with your mouth isn’t the only thing that you communicate. Your audience will perceive your emotional state, and most probably imitate it. If your body language is lively and energetic, the public will be more likely to be more active listeners. If you seem uncomfortable and depressed, your audience will have a hard time following your message.
- Learn how to use visuals effectively. Don’t read from your slides if you’re using them. Use those slides to make a specific point or to shock the audience. Steve Jobs, CEO and founder of Apple, is particularly skillful at this.
- What the audience wants is more important than what you want. Focus on directing the substance of your message toward the needs and wants of the public, as opposed to yourself.
- Tell stories. Humans have an innate tendency to understand messages through stories and anecdotes.
- Keep it short. Speeches or presentations are most effective when the speaker gets to the point without rambling and leaves it there. When presentations drag on more than necessary they become dull and repetitive, and the audience loses interest.
I believe in the power of successful presentations. Leaders who are also savvy presenters have a significant weapon in their arsenals. Below are some resources that you could use to develop your presentation skills:
Awaken the Giant Within
