Many people have a great deal of anxiety when it comes to public speaking.
As a result, any professionals prepare themselves for every area of their business except one – making presentations!
If that sounds like you, you may be able to avoid giving formal presentations but you will still be expected to give informal ones.
Presentation is a vital part of your working life.
Whatever your position or job, your effectiveness and success will depend to a large part on how well you are able to organise and present your ideas.
Throughout your career you will find yourself presenting in many ways: to colleagues in team meetings; to staff in coaching sessions; to clients; to stakeholders; to managers and management teams.
You will present for many reasons: to propose ideas; to brief managers on project results; to introduce change; to interview direct reports; to interview prospective employees; to sell benefits to potential customers.
ESTABLISH THE PURPOSE
If you think of your presentation as a journey, the purpose is your destination. Stating your purpose tells you what you will have accomplished when you have “arrived”.
The two types of presentations you will give in the business world are:
informative and persuasive, sometimes known as telling and selling.
The purpose of an informative presentation is to increase understanding.
The purpose of a persuasive presentation is to influence choice, or change attitude or behaviour.
A good informative presentation usually answers the questions:
– Who am I talking to?
– Why do they need this information?
– What do I want them to understand?
A good persuasive presentation usually answers the questions:
– Who do I want to influence?
– What do I want them to do?
– How, when and where do I want them to do it?
It is important to decide whether your presentation is informative or persuasive, both for yourself and for your listeners.
Listeners accept, and expect, persuasive presentations to include relevant information which helps them make a decision.
However, many listeners feel “conned” if they are told a presentation is informative but it turns out to be persuasive!
Courtesy MTD Tips
