The importance of presentations and personal presence – and some of my top tips

Firstly thanks to all of you who contacted me to share your ideas following last week’s blog – ‘What are you doing to flourish when we are told to tighten our belts?’ Maria Christie, Interim HR Officer at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was the first to comment, so I have published her thoughts on how to flourish:

• Recognise that you get back what you put in
• Have a strong sense of optimism
• Recognise that group dynamics encompass broader views, values, vision and goals
• Want to make a positive difference  
• Increase self awareness

One of my clients asked me this week if I really write the blog on a Sunday, as it seemed such a commitment.  I do write them on a Sunday - even on this Sunday before dashing off to celebrate my son Alex’s 18th birthday. In fact, ironically, Sunday’s are the only routine bit of my working week! Anyone who knows me really well will testify to the fact that I ‘flourish’ best when in a fluid environment, with no two days the same and with an opportunity to adapt to the demands of the day and the business.  Structure yes, but routine – never! Except for Sundays. Interestingly, research now shows that for many of us in challenging roles, the working week starts on a Sunday, with internet research in particular occupying a part of the ‘rest day’ for those wanting to get ahead for the following week.  Google at least is happy!

The inspiration and ideas for the blog though occur on different days.  This week, it was on Monday, the day my 15 year old daughter, chosen to represent her school in an annual debating evening, had to pit her wits against, according to her, the ‘cleverest students’, all of course ‘more clever than her’. The use of every time management technique I know enabled me to slide into my seat at the back, one minute before kick off time, feeling every inch the errant career mother.  Glancing around the room, I felt a pang of jealously for a ‘mother and hot apple pie’ lifestyle, which would have ensured my seat in the front row. It was only a fleeting regret, but you can imagine my surprise when the first item on the agenda was announced: ‘A woman’s place is in the home’!

My interest in and therefore subject for today however was not the substance of the debates, but how the youngsters performed.  Faced with that many-headed monster, the audience, the debaters’ abilities to hold their nerve, embellish their notes, keep their voice under control, marshal their thoughts and arguments, talk to rather than at others and then listen acutely to the opposing side varied tremendously.  I read on their faces a range of emotions, from terror to fear to pride.  These emotions were juxtaposed in the faces of the audience, the parental figures willing success rather than failure, no doubt taking a share in the responsibility for the outcome.  Watching any of my kids perform, and being very competitive, I know I feel such emotions acutely.  I actually find it a more stressful experience than any of my own performances.

I admired those debaters.  Whilst performances varied considerably, they all saw it through to the end and no doubt went home with a sense of achievement. However, these kids will soon be competing for places at College, University and for jobs.  Their personal presence and their ability to present, formally or informally, may well be a deciding factor in where they end up.  And once there, how far they get.  That evening I found myself sitting there with my recruitment/selection hat on and could not help but gravitate to those who made their presence felt from the moment they entered the room.  They then stood up and inspired confidence in themselves and their views in those crucial initial seconds, and sustained this head start, finishing as strongly as they started, with as much impact and even more respect.

In our corporate lives, and depending on our interests outside of work, in our personal lives too, our success often relies on our ability to do precisely this. We may be giving formal presentations, chairing meetings, participating in meetings, making an ‘elevator pitch’, negotiating, selling, managing relationships, or networking. We will be judged.  If we get the presence and the presentation wrong, this may eclipse everything else that we have to offer.

Let us return for a moment to our parental figures. Isn’t it staggering the influence we can have consciously or otherwise on the development of our children and the young people around us? The more I develop myself, the more acutely aware I am of the legacy I leave for my children.  Not in a financial sense, but in ‘parental scripting’, the indelible marks and mental messages they carry with them through to adulthood. Sometimes I know I get it wrong;   in the area of presentation and presence though I know I have succeeded.  All three of my children perform confidently in Public, actually enjoy being on show, and rise to the challenge. Francesca gave a great performance at the debate, despite losing her notes just beforehand! I have always taught her to have a ‘parachute’ just in case, and nowhere is that more important that when presenting to others.

I contrast this with a guy I coached this week. He came to me because he had for twenty years feared every time he had to speak in front of others, from the terror that disabled him in his wedding speech to his weekly meetings with his colleagues at work.  He wants to go places, and his fear and lack of skill is holding him back.  We traced the roots of this fear to the derision he experienced at school and college, ridiculed for being dyslexic and nervous, by teachers whose role was to support him.

But of course it’s not just about parental scripting is it?  It’s about the preparation, knowing how to prepare, researching the audience, knowing our subject, understanding our physiology and the biochemical reactions when we are under pressure, anxious or filled with fear.  It’s about being aware of our body and how to make it work for not against us when we are under the spotlight.  This will keep our breathing at an optimum level, our voice able to deliver on command, and our body language becomes congruent with our verbal message.  Recognition of our own personal style is vital too – we can’t emulate others and robotic presentations do nothing for the audience.

We can boost our natural dose of ability with a range of skills, tips and techniques.  Add to this the belief in our own value and the understanding that we truly need to connect with the person or people we are presenting to and we will find ourselves in a better place.  Mentally and physically.

Top tips on giving presentations

I’d like to share with you some of my personal top tips on giving presentations.  So I’ve listed these below.  Please pass these on to whoever may benefit from them.

Presence

Remember, the loudest noise you will make is before you have even opened your mouth

Calm, measured movements show you are confident and in control

Smile, make eye contact

Project positive energy and enthusiasm

Get there early, talk informally to individuals – you will build up ‘IOU’s

Signal you are calm, in control, comfortable in your surroundings and with your subject and equipment

Engage with the audience – don’t treat them like opponents

Overcoming Nerves

Avoid coffee and other stimulants beforehand

Never learn off by heart unless you are an actor

Be very familiar and confident with your opening remarks – have some visual aids if you can

Understand your physiology to get your voice and breathing under control

Smile – it relaxes your vocal chords

Use short sentences and watch your pace

Make sure you are grounded – think about how you stand

Relaxation techniques can help – but practice before and find the one that work for you

Always have a parachute

Talking in front of a large group

Remember it is not a many-headed monster – just a collection of individuals

Organise seating around circular tables – café style – rather than rows

Practise microphones and other technology beforehand

Walk towards and even into the group – don’t retreat

Visual Aids

Remember these are to help you and the audience

Restrict content – a picture says 1000 words

Check PowerPoint animation beforehand

Avoid complex animation

Take your own remote mouse

Avoid too much of the ‘reveal’ method

Answering Questions

Buy yourself some time if necessary – a good way is to summarise or get clarification, even if you do not really need it

Don’t motor mouth on and deliver another presentation as a response

Give an answer and one piece of support

Build in signalling clues to infer you have more to offer if requested

Never ask if you have answered the question

At meetings

Think about where to sit – there are strategic places around the table

Don’t sit opposite an ‘opponent’ – sit next to them or one along

Try and speak early on

Ensure you have a good upright posture or your breathing will be inhibited and your vocal quality may suffer

Acknowledge views before disagreeing and identify merit in others’ opinions

Never say “I hear what you are saying” or “I totally disagree”

Avoid the word “but”

Debating

Do your research – both sides of the argument

Challenge all assumptions – before and during (Thanks to Louise Hazell, Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development, West Kent Housing)

Take key notes to enable logical, accurate and punchy responses

Don’t draw attention to your notes by pretending they are not there

Finally, read some of the Patsy Rodenburg books for some in-depth advice on harnessing human energy

Alison Miles-Jenkins Sunday Morning Blog – 4 July 2010 Blog Number 8

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This entry was posted on Sunday, July 4th, 2010 at 5:56 pm and is filed under Management Development, Presentation Skills, Sunday Morning Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.