SPEAK with CONFIDENCE

MONDAY - TUESDAY [14th & 15th DECEMBER 2010]

---> Powerful Presentation Skills by ABDULLAH MD YUNOS & RUSILAWATI KAMARUDIN

Some things to keep in mind...!!!

When preparing any presentation it is most important to focus on relevant content and your audience -- if you maintain these two, everything else will fall into place. Below is a selected list of suggestions:

• Most importantly, DO NOT simply read slides aloud. (focus: audience). Your audience can read faster than you can speak, so this gesture can come across as disrespectful.
• Have good content (focus: content).
• Consider putting provocative questions on the "title" slide rather than your name and the date (focus: audience, content). This technique can engage the audience before the presentation begins and get them thinking about what they know (or don't know) about a subject before your lecture begins.
• Ask the audience questions during the presentation (focus: audience, content). Be sure there is enough time and a legitimate means for the group or an individual to respond.
• Do not plan your presentation in PowerPoint (focus: content). Use outlines, cards, or "mind mapping" techniques instead.
• Remain cognizant of PowerPoint's information density problems (focus: content). Create more in-depth handouts to which the audience can refer during or after the presentation.
• Use Mnemonics (focus: content, audience). Use images to put the audience in a "place" to which they can mentally refer later to retrieve information.
• Occasionally use the "black screen" feature of PowerPoint (focus: audience). If you hit the "b" key during your presentation the screen will go black. This takes attention away from the screen and refocuses it on the speaker (you or an audience member).
• Keep the lights on! Or risk having to hand out pillows (focus: audience).
• Make change (focus: audience). The average attention span begins to wane after about 20 minutes. Occasionally change your presentation style (e.g. ask questions, engage in a small-group task) in order to "reset" audience members' attention clocks.

:: In CONCLUSION ::