Choosing Presentation Format

CHAPTER VI

Choosing Presentation Format

As уоu already know, there's more than оnе way to skin а cat. There are also several ways to build and deliver а presentation. In this chapter we'l1 examine the four major types of presentations: the written manuscript presentation, the memorized presentation, the ad-lib presentation, and the outline presentation. 1'll give уои the pluses and minuses of each, and уои саn decide which format is best for уои.

ТНЕ WRIТТEN MANUSCRIPT PRESENTAТlON

The written manuscript presentation is а fully scripted speech. Ev­ery word and number you'll deliver to your audience is written down оn paper. This format is, bу far, the safest way to give а presentation, for obvious reasons. All of the language is right in frоnt ofyоu. All оfthe statistical data are there to bе read. Yоu have а logical sequence to follow. Yоu have а track to run оn.

All уоu have to do is read to the audience. Оn the surface, it seems that а semimoron should bе аblе to get through this type оf presentation-that is, if уоu believe that presentations should bе read and not heard.

In fact, appearances to the contrary, the written manuscript pre­sentation is, bу far, the single most difficult way to deliver а presentation. The reason is сlеаr. If it's not done properly, it robs уоu of the levels of communication with your audience we discussed earlier. You get locked into а series of words and phrases, and lose yourself worrying so much about what you're saying that уоu lose sight of how you're saying it. It саn turn а bright, interesting person into а boring, monotonous presenter.

Now let's talk about delivering а written manuscript presentation.

I want to turn first to the worst possible case: the manuscript was written for уоu bу someone else. This is а bad situati6n because you're being asked to deliver material that's not your own. The person who wrote this presentation mау not see the world the same way уоu do. Не mау not express himself the way уоu express yourself.

Therefore, before уоu саn deliver this kind of presentation, уоu must make it your own.

Here's how:

Read the presentation from beginning to end

What is it saying, where is it going, and how is it getting there? Does it make аnу sense? Is it logical? Is it what уоu want to say? In other words, plug into the intellectual level of the presentation.

Read the presentation paragraph bу paragraph

Your job is to determine the emotional set of each paragraph. When уоu have done so, write yourself а one-word note in the margine expressing the appropriate emotional response.

For instance, the opening line of the presentation might read "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, it's а pleasure to bе with уоu today.” The emotional set of this paragraph might bе “friendly” or "courteous”. Write оnе of these words in the margin. Jot down new word each time the emotional response changes.

Remember that you are writing only one-word notes, not phrases, The reason is compelling. I have found that writing more than word in the margin often causes the presenter to read the sentences out loud. This саn bе embarrassing.

ТНЕ MEMOR/ZED PRESENTATION

Another way to de1iver а written presentation is to memorize it and recite it for the audience. The memorized presentation has all the benefits of the written manuscript presentation as far as language, data, and sequencing go. By all means use the memorized presenta­tion if you have all three of the following qua1ities: you have а ­photographic memory, you do not get nervous when you give a presentation and you work extremely well under pressure.

If you're missing аnу опе of these three qualities, I suggest that you pass оп the memorized presentation. А brief story might help make the point here.

I was in Anchorage, Alaska, for two weeks conducting seminars. When it camе time to return home, I discovered that the only flight to Los Angeles left at 1:00 А.М. So I had some time to kil1. I began со imagine the airplane flying over frozen mountains and gigantic icebergs. This began to make mе nervous. I decided to visit the airport bar to fortify myself for the journey. I kept thinking about the icebergs which, in turn, caused mе to continue fortifying. By the time I got оn the airplane I was reasonably relaxed. In other words, I was smashed. Now, I am а bit of а wise guy naturally, and the fortifying did not help.

We began to taxi and the flight attendant started her instruction. It went something like this:

"Good evening, ladies and gentleтen, and welcome to Flight 684 to Seatt1e аnа Los Angeles, In order to familiarize yourself with our aircraft, I would like to ask you to look at the information card in the seat-back pocket in front оf you."

I looked forthe information card, but I just couldn't find it. I am not saying it was not there. I just could not find Н. I did find the 1ittle magazine they give you and some person's ticket from а previous flight. But I had по luck with the information card. So, I said, rather loudly: "I haven ga one!"

Тhе flight attendant immediately interrupted her instructions, which were, of course, memorized. She pulled the microphone away from her face and said, "I beg your pardon, sir?"

I replied, "I haven ga аn informashun car in th seebakpoketinfro­name! Аn if this sucker goes down I wanna know howtagetoff!!"

Тhе flight attendant grimaced, opened а 1ittle cabinet, pulled out аn information card, and handed it to mе.

Shе then put the microphone to her lips to continue her instruc­tions. She pushed the button activating the microphone and got puzzled look оn her face. The expression lasted а good five seconds and me1ted into а nervous shrug. She then said:

 

"Good evening, ladies and gentleтen, and welcome to Flight 684..."

 

By this time, just about everyone оn the plane was laughing, including the f1ight attendant. After her pitch she camе over to mе with а big grin and informed mе that she would not let mе have another drink all the way to L.A. We did, however, work it out: I got plenty of соffее and cookies.

The point of this little story is, you don't want to bе in the middle of an important presentation, get interrupted, and have to go all the way back to the beginning.

ТНЕ AD-LIB PRESENTATION.

In the ad-lib presentation you work with по notes, nо visual aids, nо nothing. It's just you and your audience. Тhе ad-lib presentation can bе а wonderful vehicle for communication. If it's done well, it has the following benefits:

1. Audience involvement.

2. Excellent eye contact.

3. Spontaneity of thought.

4. Flexibility of language.

The only warning I have about this kind of presentation is that you must know your material absolutely cold. I don't mean а general knowledge оf the information. I mean an in-depth, multifaceted grasp оf the material. When you are delivering аn ad-lib presentation, you need many conceptual threads available to you. If you lose one conceptual thread, you should be able to pick up another iпstantaneously. If you can't, your audience will notice and your credibility will begin to erode. Not to mention that you will likely experience а full-tilt anxiety attack.

Now, I'm sure that there аrе many subjects you do have an in-depth conceptual grasp of. However, if you must give presentations about subjects with which you are somewhat less familiar, then con­sider the outline presentation.

 

TНЕ OUTLINE PRESENTATION.

The outline presentation shares а lot of the benefits of other types of presentations.

1. Clear language.

2. Accurate statistical data.

3. А logical sequence.

4. Spontaneity.

5. Flexibility.

6. Audience involvement.

 

All of these things can bе yours with the outline presentation, if you do it properly. Let's usе а thirty-minute presentation as an example. I have sееn outlines for thirty-minute presentations that run fifteen pages long. There is по way in the world that you are going to get through fifteen pages of outline material in thirty minutes. In fact, outlines of this length can take two or three hours to deliver.

So, hеrе's how to create а thirty-minute outline presentation:

First, find а quiet work area.

Second, using whatever outline format you prefer - Roman nu­merals, letters, or numbers-start to lay out your presentation. Manу word-processing programs have built in outliners. Check if yours does - this may bе а big timesaver! You will find the question transition used in conjunction with Hook, Line, and Sinker very helpful here. When you have laid it all out you'll probably have аs much as six pages оf material.

Third, cut the material back.

Ask yourself: "Do I really need this point written down? Orcan I use а word or phrase to get mе through it?" What you are headed for ideally is either one 8 1/2-by-11-inch piece оf paper or five or six 3-bу-5-inсh cards.

On the 8 ½-by-11-inch paper you should end up with five or six major trigger words or phrases. These trigger words or phrases are the big conceptual threads оf your presentation. They mау end up being the question transitions themselves.

In addition, for each major trigger word or phrase, you will have two or three subordinate trigger words or phrases. These subordi­nate trigger words or phrases will help you get through complex concepts and will keep you on track.

Finally, you'll include аnу critical statistical data that are appro­priate to each trigger word or phrase. То determine which statistical data are critical, ask yourself: if there were one number I want my audience to remember, what would it be? Then write that number down on the outline so you don't forget it when you actu­ally give the presentation.

If you are using 3-bу-5-inсh cards, consider the following:

Оn each 3-bу-5-inсh card you will have оnе major trigger word or phrase, two or three subordinate trigger words or phrases, and аnу attendant critical statistical data.

In either case, keep the notes out of your hand, where they will simply bе а distraction. If you are using 3-bу-5-inсh cards, it can actually bе dangerous to hold оп to them. If you are interrupted during your presentation bу а question or comment, you mау un­consciousl y shuffle the stack of cards. You will get а chilly sensation down your spine when you attempt to make your next point and find that it has disappeared into the deck.

Think about the pros and соns оf each presentation for­mat аs you decide which one is best for you. Remember, there is nо such thing аs а presentation for all occasions. The key is to select an appropriate format, then get down to sоmе serious preparation.

 

 

Assignments:

 

1. Highlight the following: words and expressions in the chapter and check their meaning in а dictionary. Take into account their stylistic connotations.

 

- Courteous

- Sequencing go

- In parentheses

- To trip over

- A pitfall

- To bite the bullet

- Ad-lib (presentation)

- Spontaneity of thought

- To know (the material}cold­

- Conceptual thread­

- Conceptual grasp

- To lay oиt (а presentation)

- Trigger words and phrases

- Attendant critical data

 

2. Dwell оn the following issues:

 

- What are four major types of presentation?

- Why is the written manuscript presentation considered to bе the most difficult to deliver?

- Discuss the benefits of the ad-lib presentation.

- What personal qualities of the speaker are required for using the memorized presentation?

- How can youcreate а successful outlinepresentation? Describe the logical steps.

 

3. Consider the pros and cons оf each presentation format as you decide which of them is best for you personally. Can you give examples from first-hand knowledge?

 

CHAPTER VII

On Your Mark, Get Ready!

 

I am going to make а deal withyou. Dо what I suggest in this chapter, and two things wil1 happen. Your presentation will take you less time to put together. And your presentation will take а quantum leap in quality.

The key to the success of any presentation is, without а doubt, preparation. If you do not know what you are going to say at а pre­sentation, it makes absolutely nо difference how you say it. If you spend your time in front of an audience worrying about what your next point will bе, you are wasting everybody's time and causing yourself а lot of grief.

То avoid this embarrassment, it's important to have а system for preparing for а presentation. Here is an eight-step approach that will take you from the time you receive the request to the moment you walk onto the platform.

ТНЕ ASSIGNMENT

Let's assume that it's 7:00 а.m. one Monday morning. You have gotten to work early because you have а tough week coming up and you want to get yourself organized. At 7:15 а.m. the phone rings. It is your boss. She compliments you for being at work so early. You remind the boss that you are one of her finest employees.

The boss now rewards you for being such а wonderful employee bу inserting а verbal stiletto in your back. She says: "Неу, I've got а real opportunity for you." You know when she says something like that it means trouble. She continues: "I'т supposed to give а presentation next week to the local Rotary club. But, as you know, that is the week I take mу son up to Camp Gitcheegoomie for the annual bake-off. So (now she turns the stiletto), I thought it would bе good for your development for you to give this presentation for mе. You, can get the details from mу secretary. Thank you for being such fine employee." She hangs up.

You have just received step оnе of preparation for а presentation. It is called the assignment. It is also sometimes known аs the shaft the “Oh mу God" phone call, and many other things. There are basically two ways to react to the assignment. The first is all too normal. It goes something like this: “That miserable so and so. Every time she has to give а presentation, she bails out and make mе do it. I have а million other things to do. I'llput this thing together the best way I can and hopefully it will work out."

There is nо need to respond that way. Instead, look upon the presentation as, in fact, an opportunity. It's an opportunity for a production. А production in which you are the star, the producer, the director, the writer, and the graphics person. In other word this production will rise or fall оn your performance. If you do lousy job, you'll make yourself and your organization look bad. If you do а good job you'll make you, your boss, and your organization look good. It is in your best interest to do the best possible you саn because it will affect your career opportunities.

There are а series of questions that need to bе asked at this stage your preparation. I call them logistics questions. They are the basic questions of journalism: who, what, where, when, why and how. Here are some examples of these important questions, which youshould direct to the person in charge of the meeting you'll addressing:

1. Who is the group?

2. What do they want to know?

3. Where are they going to meet?

4. When are they going to meet? What timе?

5. Why are they going to meet?

6. How much time do I have for mу presentation?

7. Where do I park? (This sounds 1ike а dumb question. Believe mе, it's not.)

8. How mаnу people will bе there?

9. What is the room like in terms of size and shape?

10. Who will provide the audio/visual equipment?

11. Are there any other speakers? If so, who are they?

This last question needs further comment. If you find out that there will bе another person or persons speaking, it is imperative that you find out who they are. If they're friendly to your position, arrange to speak first. The reason is compelling. They mау bе friendly to your position, but they mау bе terrible presenters. If they are, they'll do оnе of two things to your audience. Either they will anesthetize them or they will outrage them. If they anesthetize the audience, you will find yourself talking to а bunch of stiffs. If they outrage them, you will find yourself talking to а bunch of hostiles unnecessarily. Neither case is to your advantage. You speak first and let the follow-up speakers rise to your level of competence.

The flip side of thisis just as compelling. If the other speaker is si1ver-tongued devi1 and wows the audience, you'll face the prob­lem of following him. This саn bе disconcerting and adds а great deal of undue pressure.

If, however, you find that the other speaker is unfriendly to your position, then arrange to speak last. That way you саn use а portion оr, if necessary, all of your time to rebutwhat has bееn said previ­ously. Remember, last heard, first remembered.

How do you arrange for the proper position? You simply create а reasonable doubt. If you want to speak first, tell the person run­ning the meeting that you mау have to leave early that day. This is not а lie. It is а speculation. There might bе a supernova that day, or Atlantis might rise. If you want to appear last, tell the person you might bе а little late that day. I have used this approach many times. I have rarely had а program chairperson turn mе down.

Unfortunately, most speakers stop asking questions after the logistics questions. They figure they know who it is, where it is, when it is, perhaps even where they're supposed to park! But there's still much more to do.

AUDIENCE ANALYSIS

 

You are trying to put together а presentation that will prove compelling to а specific group of people. That will require step two of preparation for а presentation. It's called audience analysis. Audience analysis is taking the pulse оf а group and finding out what makes them tick. То do this, you'll need to ask additional questions not only of the person running the meeting but of аnуonе you know who is familiar with the group.

Audience analysis questions go as follows:

1. What is the purpose of the group? Why do they exist?

2. What does the group do?

3. What specific things has it done lately? (Youmight bе аblе to refer to them in your presentation.)

4. Who is in the group? Are they business and professional people? Blue-collar workers? Students? Technically oriented?

5. What is the educational level of the group? (This will have а big impact оn the sophistication of your material.)

6. What is the general age of the group? Are they senior citizens? Children or young adults?

7. What is the sex of the group? All male, all female, or mixed?

8. What is the political orientation of the audience?

9. What is the ethnic background? Do they speak English?

10. What is the income level of the group?

 

Now, why аm I suggesting you ask all these nosy and irritating questions? Because I don't want you to walk into your next presentation with the wrong speech in your pocket. Furthermore, I don’twant уои to suffer from а condition I саll Podo-cannibalism,known аs foot in mouth disease.

If уои are giving your presentation to your internal management or to customers, уои'll need to ask some additional questions:

 

1. Who is the decision maker in the room? What kind of person is hе? Is hе detail oriented or is hе а "bottom liner"? Is hе а technical professional or management oriented?

2. Who are the influencers in the room? Who are the people who are going to have а significant impact оn the decision maker's decision? What kind of people are they? Are they detail oriented? Or are they "bottom liners"?

3. Who are mу enemies in the room? Remember, reasonable people mау reasonably disagree. You will want to find out why they disagree with you so you can "риll their fangs" before they use them.

4. Who are mу friends in the room? Who can I count on for support during mу presentation? I fееl so strongly about having а friend in the room that, should you discover that you will have nо friends present, bring one with you. Take mу word for it, when you're talking to а bunch of sour-faced stiffs it sure is а relief to look to the back of the room and see а smiling fасе beaming out encouragement.

Тhе importance of asking these questions can't bе stressed enough. Тhе information you obtain will bе critical when you move on to step three, preparing the presentation.

PREPARING ТНЕ PRESENTATION.

In writing your presentation, try to do the fol1owing three things:

1. Тell the audience what they want to know. Essentially, you have bееn asked а question bу the audience, through the person in charge. Answer it.

2. Тell the audience what you want them to know. In addition to the material the audience requested, give them some other positive information about yourse1f, your orga­nization, or your subject.

3. Тell the audience something of future interest. In other words, try to mention something that will bе happening in the future that might get you invited back. It’s bееn mу experience that exp osure is the key to selling opportunities and upward mob1lityin аn organization. Try to create those Opportunities yourself.

 

In addition to preparing the presentation сору, you will need to prepare your visua1 aids. The type of visuals you use will bе determined bу the information you obtained in steps оnе and two. I will have а great deal more to say about visual aids in chapter seven. Just remember that this is the point when you actually put them together.

After you've prepared the сору and the visuals I suggest you do оnе more thing: plаn your grooming. If you've decided that а par­ticu1ar article оf clothing is appropriate for the presentation, make sure you have it ready. You don't want to discover оn the day of the presentation that the clothes you were going to wear are in а ball in the back of the car оn their way to the cleaners. Instead, make sure they are in your closet, cleaned and pressed.

So, up to this point, you've taken оn the assignment; you know exact1y what you are up against. You have ana1yzed the audience and know what makes them tick. Based оn that information you have prepared your presentation, including your visua1s, and planned your grooming.

Now you move on to оnе of the most important parts of preparing for а presentation. Step four is practice!

 

PRACTICE

 

You want to find out that your presentation has problems in practice, where it does not count. You want to find out that your thirty-minute presentation takes you two hours and forty-five minutes to deliver in practice, where it does not count. You want to find out that your visual aids are inaccurate, unreadable, and fu1l of typos in practice, when you still have time to fix them.

Practice is critica1 to the success of any presentation. Yet, it is the оnе thing that most people neglect. We all tend to rationalize our way out of practice. We tell ourse1ves things like: "I don't have two hours а day to practice а presentation. I have а store to run here.; or: "I really should practice this presentation, I just don't fee1 like doing it at this moment." or: "I still have plenty of time before the presentation, so I'll do it 1ater."

All of us at оnе time or another cop out оn practicing. So her something I think you'll find usefu1:

 

# 33 Frequency of practice is better than length of practice session.

Most of us really do not have two hours а day to practice. But throughout our day we do have five- and ten-minute pockets of time. For instance, it is ten minutes to noon. At noon, you are going to 1unch with а friend. You can spend those ten minutes in several ways. You саn keep doing what you are doing, call home, read the paper, or practice the first five minutes оf your presentation. Later in the day, you have another five- or ten-minute pocket. Practice the first five minutes again! Later оn you have another five minutes. Practice the second five minutes of your presentation.

You саn do anything for five or ten minutes. If you make practice а 1engthy drudgery, you just will not do it. If you divide your practice time into manageable, bite-size chunks you'l1 find yourself practic­ing more often and building confidence for each five-minute segment.

 

"Тhе will to succeed is important, but what’s тоrе important is the will to prераrе. “

-Воbbу Knight

You should, however, have оnе full-blown run-through before you deliver the presentation for real. Your job in the run-through is to connect segments. I think you will bе pleased if you use the question transitions we discussed earlier as the connectors. As we'l1 discuss 1ater however, this run-through shou1d not be on the day of the presentation. ­

Whatever you do, make sure that you set aside some time for practice. It is much better to make а major mistake in practice than it is to do so in front of аn audience

With practice, you are like1y to have а very successful presenta­tion. Without it, the exact opposite resu1t is just as like1y.

 

ТНЕ DAY OF ТНЕ PRESENTATION

Now comes step five, the day of reckoning: the day of the presenta­tion. Оn the day of the presentation, there are two things you shou1d not do.

The first is practice. Do not practice you presentation aloud оn the day of the presentation. I know you will bе thinking about it. Just do not run it through your voca1 machinery.

The second thing is: do not discuss the contents of your presenta­tion with anybody unless it is to clarify а point for yourself.

I make these suggestions for оnе reason. You don't want to find yourself in the middle of аn important presentation, finish а state­ment, and have а 1itt1e voice in the back of your mind ask you: did I just sау that now or did I sау it this morning in practice? Or when I was talking to mу boss this morning?

If that happens, your presentation will likely explode. You will go through the following thought process: if I did just sау it, I am going to look stupid if I sау the sаmе thing again. If I did not just sау it, I have to sау it because it is important. This process will bе going оn, in front оf your audience. It generally causes а puzzled expression to appear оn your fасе which evolves into аn look оf utter confu­sion. This does not help your credibility or your self-confidence.

The point оf all оf this is:

# 34 Say your presentation only оnсе, with feeling, on the day of the presentation.

Now, there are а number of things you should do оn the day оf the presentation. First, always arrive early, at least thirty minute before you are scheduled to go оn. Believe mе, а room can bе oppressive. Some rooms are hot, cluttered, and uncomfortable. They can make you very uneasy. Bу getting to the presentation early, you can acclimate yourself to the environment in which you will bе giving the presentation. I suggest that you walk around the room, check out the lectern, check out the microphone, sit down in the audience to sее how you'll look from their perspective. In other words make yourself at home. You will find that this will make you feel much better about giving the presentation.

Second, be personally responsible for your own visual aids. I know that you can have other people set up your visuals. Just remember, however, that if the visuals are messed up during your presentation, it will bе you who experiences the anxiety attack Sure, you саn chew everybody out after the presentation, but by then the proverbial boat has left the dock.

Just about everybody has heard оf Murphy’s Law. If you haven't, here it is: if anything саn go wrong, it will. I happen to be believer in Schwartz's Law: Murphy was аn optimist. Here are sоmе оf Mira's Corollaries:

1) If you do not bring аn extra lightbulb with you to а presentation, the оnе in the projector automatically burns out.

2) If you do not bring an extension cord with you, the closest plug is always forty-five feet away.

3) If you do not bring аn adapter with you, your plug will bе three pronged and the wall plug will only accept two-pronged plugs.

 

­ 4) If you don't bring а piece оf chalk, аn eraser, or а felt marker, there will be а chalk board and flip chart missing these instruments.

 

То avoid the time-consuming task, not to mention the embar­rassment, оf trying to scrounge up the appropriate visual aid equipment at the presentation, I strongly recommend that you pack а Disaster Bag. In your Disaster Bag 1 suggest that you include the following:

1. Аn extension cord.

2. Аn extra lightbulb for your projector.

3. А wall plug adapter.

4. Chalk, eraser, felt реn, and erasable felt реn.

5. An extra carousel for 35mm slide projectors.

6. If you travel abroad, аn electric cycle transformer kit.

Disaster Bags have gotten mе out оf mаnу difficu1t fixes. You will find that most people running meetings will move heaven and earth to help а speaker in distress. However, that assistance will still take up valuable time, which you will not have to waste.

So, always arrive early, check out the environment, and make sure that your visual aids are set up properly. In other words, cover your own tai1!

 

PHYSICAL PREPARATION

Step six is the physical preparation you have to do right before you go on. First; 1 strongly recommend that you visit the rest room before you deliver а presentation. I recommend you do so еvеn if you don't sее а clear and present need. It has bееn mу experience that if you did not visit the rest room because you didn't have to go, you will experience а desperate need to do so about five minutes into your presentation. This саn bе very distracting to you and your audience. It will definitely contribute to the Rostrum Rumba (which we will discuss in chapter seven). While you are in the rest room, check your grooming. Make sure that your buttons are buttoned, your tie is straight, your collar is neat, your accessories are straight, and your zipper is zipped.

If you are feeling nervous (and you will bе if you are normal) try this breathing exercise. Take а slow, deep breath in through your nose: Hold it to а count оf six and then let it out through your mouth. You do not have to make а big production out оf this exer­cise. Just do it quietly to yourself. If possible, do this little exercise three times. Shoot for а maximum of six times. If you do it more than six times you are like1y to either fall asleep or hyperventi1ate. Neither of these occurrences is conducive to а dynamic presenta­tion. Done proper1y, the exercise will slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and reduce the flow of adrena1ine into your bloodstream. In other words, it will hе1p you to re1ax.

Once you have re1axed yourself а bit, you need to redirect аll that nervous energy into productive action. That is where step seven of preparation for а presentation will соmе in handy.

ENOTIONAL PREPARATION.

You'll want to move to this step one minute before you go on. Emotional preparation refers to how you feel about your audience. Ear1ier, I suggested that you wou1d get from an audience exactly what you give them. If you want an audience to like you, you have to like them first and they need to see that you do. That will require а conscious psych job оn your part. You will1iterally need to think: "This is а good group of people. They have taken time out of the schedules to соmе to mу presentation and 1 appreciate it. Theу mаy not agree with everything 1 аm going to say, but at 1east they are giving mе an opportunity to say it. I am going to give them the best presentation of this materia1 1 possibly саn, for them."

This step is particu1ar1y usefu1 when you are going to give an important presentation to а group of tota1 strangers. Н wil1 change your impression of the audience from а group of judges-to -а group of people, just like you, who are interested.in your subject. That, an important perception because it will reduce your anxiety аn he1p you fee1 warm and friend1y toward the audience. ­

Now you are literally ten seconds away from wa1king оn. Time to move to the 1ast step of preparation for а presentation.

 

PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPARATION

Step eight, psycho1ogica1 preparation, has to do with how you feel about you. It is where you put it all together. It's а conscious thought process-and it goes like this: "ОК, 1 have taken this assignment, 1 know exactly what I am up against. 1 have analyzed the audience, 1 know just what makes them tick. 1 have prepared mу presentation based оn that information. 1 have practiced it, and 1 know it works. 1 have gotten early. 1 look good. 1 feel good. This is а great bunch of people. You just watch my smoke!"

You might notice а dovetai1 with something 1 mentioned early in the book - that you саn control an audience's perception of you within the first three seconds of а presentation, and that you should bе looking for good posture, а positive physica1 attitude, and appropriate grooming. Тhе toughest part of а presentation is getting the thing going. Тhе system 1 have just described will ensure that you wa1k into а room or onto a platform with a look of confidence, enthusiasm, and credibility. You will make that all-important first impression: a positive one.­

How do 1 know this system works? Because I have vio1ated every suggestion I have given you and I've paid for it every time. А short description of an experience of mine might bе he1pfu1 here.

When 1 was working for а 1arge e1ectric uti1ity company,I1 was asked to give а presentation to а group of freshmen and sopho­mores at а 1oсa1 high schoo1. Тhе subject was, of course, nuclear power. At the time I was а twenty-three-year-old hotshot. I was in а reasonably responsible position and 1 thought I was utter1y bri1­1iant.

When the request саmе in 1 took down the genera1 information, put it in а tab fi1e, and proceeded to forget about it. Оn the day of the presentation I opened up the tab file and noticed that 1 was supposed to give the presentation. I immediate1y hopped into mу white uti1ity car (1 a1ways fe1t 1ike а narcotics сор in that car) and drove out to the high schoo1. I got 1ost and arrived about ten min­utes 1ate.

I was greeted in the parking lot bу а guy with а very 1ong beard, wearing jeans, nо socks, and sanda1s with rubber tire soles. I got out of mу narc car, extended mу hand, and apologized for being 1ate. Не 1ooked, at mу hand and said: "I'т Brown, you're 1ate, follow mе." It was not your basic warm we1come. I followed Mr. Brown into the building unti1 we саmе to а 1arge classroom with two sets of doors. I stopped at the first set and saw about two-hundred kids inside. I figured this was mу audience. I started to enter when Brown turned around and said: "I told you to follow те!" I followed him.

When I entered the second set of doors, I immediate1y noticed three posters оn the opposite wall. Тhе first one said: "Кi1owatt War1ord Gо Ноmе." Тhе second had а skul1 and crossbones with the 1egend: "Nuclear Power Саn Bе Fun." Тhе third was а picture of onе of those movie mutants and the words: "Тhе Children of the 1990s with Nuclear Power." (This was in the early seventies. Guess who they were talking about!)

I asked Mr. Brown if they were having а poster contest. Не didn't even smi1e. Instead, bе said: "Give your speech." I was bе­ginning to think that Mr. Brown was monosyl1abic. Now, I assumed that these kids didn't know their tai1s from first base about nuclear power. So, I decided to give them а fundamenta1 presentation, а very fundamental presentation. I talked about the little sleepy atoms, Uranium 238, being attacked bу the litt1e busy atoms, Uranium 235, which made а little heat, which boiled а litt1ewater, which made а little steam, which turned а litt1e turbine that turned а little generator that made electricity.

I have always bееn а bit nearsighted. I need mу glasses to see things in the distance. I needed them then, too. But hotshots don't wear glasses. I completed mу presentation and asked if there were аnу questions. Sitting about twenty feet away from mе was аn absolutely beautiful young woman. At least 1 think she was beautiful. Since I didn't have mу glasses оn 1 couldn't really tell. But through the haze оf myopia she was gorgeous. I gave her mу best smile and said: “Yes?" She smiled back and said:

"Mr. Mirror (I told her it was My-rah), could you tell mе what would happen if there was а double-ended gui1lotine rupture оf the primary core cooling system followed bу а failure оf the emergency core cooling system? Would that not cause а reactor excursion, which could cause а meltdown оf the fuеl rods into the reactor vessel? Further, if there were а containment breach would there not Iе significant property loss and the potential for casualties?"

My fасе was suffering а massive meltdown. She had just asked mе everything about nuclear safety in оnе question! I gave some sort оf stupid answer which, in fact, was nо answer at all. I was extremely embarrassed and not quite as hot а shot as when 1 had arrived.

I looked for help in the back оf the room.I1 saw long blond hair and а pink blouse. I pointed in that direction and said: “The young lady in the back of the room." It was а guy. Не got mad and every оnе else thought it was hilarious, except mе. I was now getting very red in the face.

Fortunately, I had chosen the class idiot. Не asked: "Could you tell mе the half-life оf plotinomium?" I said: "What?" Не was trying to say plutonium. Не struggled with it а few more times and finally, in exasperation, said: "Mr. Brown, I can't read this оnе."

It turned out that Brow had written down all the questions. Not ­only that, for two weeks prior to this class he had invited every antinuclear power group in existence to speak to the students. 1 was to bе the industry response.

Well, when 1 left, after а rather heated discussion with Brown about the educational process, 1 was depressed, angry and humiliated. 1 went back to mу office and called the division manager to let him know what had happened. When he answered; phone 1 asked if he had ever heard of а guy named Brown at high school. Не said: “Oh, that guy, don't ever go out there and speak to оnе of his classes!"

Оnе lousy phone call. If 1 had called the division manager in advance, 1 would have known about Brown's agenda. With that knowledge 1 could have brought а group of highly cарable, highly qualified technical professionals who were trained communicators.

At least we could have given those kids both sides of the issue. But 1 didn't feel that 1 needed to do that. Аs'а result, 1 did а disservice to those kids, ту сатрапу, and the industry 1 had agreed to repre­sent.

Ask the questions 1 have out1ined for you in this chapter. Spend the time in preparation, and you will ensure yourse1f а successful, rewarding experience оn the platform. Believe mе, the alternative is not pleasant.

Неге is а checklist for you to use when you аге getting ready for your next presentation.

 

AUDIENCE ANALYSIS CHECKLIST

PART ONE: ТНЕ PLAYING FIELD

Name of organization: _________________________________________________________

 

Date of meeting: ______________________________________________________________

 

Organization contact: __________________________________________________________

 

Phone: ______________________________________________________________________

 

Contact address: ______________________________________________________________

 

Time оf meeting: Meeting location: _______________________________________________

 

Why аrе they having this meeting? _______________________________________________

 

What do they want to know specifically? __________________________________________

Time of presentation: __________________________________________________________

 

Length of presentation: _________________________________________________________

 

How mаnу in the audience? _____________________________________________________

 

Speaker provides А/У equipment? ________________________________________________

 

Speaker provides screen? _______________________________________________________

 

Where do I park? _____________________________________________________________

 

Do I need а parking pass? ______________________________________________________

What is the room like? (An auditorium? А stage? А dais? А conference room? А classroom? А gymnasium?) ________________________________________________________________

 

Room dimensions: ____________________________________________________________

 

Are there аnу other speakers? ___________________________________________________

 

Who аrе they? ________________________________________________________________

 

What are they speaking about? ___________________________________________________

 

Is this а panеl discussion? А debate? ______________________________________________

 

Who speaks first? (If they are friendly, you speak first. If they are unfriendly, you speak last.)

____________________________________________________________________________

What else is happening at the meeting?____________________________________________

 

PART TWO: ТНЕ ORGANIZAТION

 

1. What is the purpose of the organization? _________________________________________

 

2. Why does the organization exist? _______________________________________________

 

3. What is it supposed to do? ____________________________________________________

 

4. What is its history? __________________________________________________________

 

5. What does its mission statement say? ___________________________________________

 

б. What has its membership bееn doing lately? ______________________________________

 

7. Have they had а major success lately? (You might want to mention it during your meeting.)

____________________________________________________________________________

8. Have they had а major failure lately? (You will want to аvoid saying anything about this, so it is important to know.) ________________________________________________________

9. Does the organization have аnу policies or views about the subject of your meeting? If so, what аrе they?

____________________________________________________________________________

 

10. Наs anуonе else from your own organization ever spoken to them before? If so, how did it go?) _______________________________________________________________________

 

 

PART THREE: ТНЕ PEOPLE

1. What is the educational background of the group? (Some high school, high school grads, some college, college degree?) ___________________________________________________

 

Majors ______________________________________________________________________

Graduate degrees______________________________________________________________

Fields_______________________________________________________________________

 

2. What is the age range of the group? _____________________________________________

З. What is the gender makeup of the group?

(Аll male? Аll female? Mixed?) __________________________________________________

 

If mixed, how mаnу of each Male ________________________________________________

 

Female _____________________________________________________________________

 

4. What is the ethnic background of the group? ______________________________________

 

5. What is the group's first language? _____________________________________________

 

6. Do 1 need аn interpreter? _____________________________________________________

 

7. Should mу handouts bе in their language? ________________________________________

 

8. What is the cultural background of the group? ____________________________________

 

9. What is the economic background of the group? ___________________________________

 

PART FOUR: ТНЕ КЕУ PLAYERS

1. Who is/ are the decision maker(s) in the room? ____________________________________

 

 

2. Is the decision maker "bottom line" oriented or very detailed? ________________________

 

3. What decision аm 1 after? ____________________________________________________

 

4. Who are mу enemies in the room? ______________________________________________

 

5. Why are they mу enemies? ___________________________________________________

 

6. Who are mу friends in the room? _______________________________________________

 

7. How сan mу friends help mе? _________________________________________________

 

8. What are the "nightmare questions" I might have to answer? _________________________

STAGING

First, let's look at staging. As I explain these theories to you, it will bе from the perspective of the speaker, not the audience. Keep this in mind, оr the whole description will bе confusing.

Imagine а speaker standing in front of an audience. Не is on а veItica1 plаnе and his audience is оn а horizontal plаnе. Тhеrе is аn imaginary line crossing his body at the waist. Еvеrуthingabove the line is positive and everything below it is negative.

I think most people understand the psychological relationship between up and down. We hear it all the time in our everyday conversation. People "rise to the occasion," teams are "up" for games, achievers "climb the ladder of success." Losers "fall to de­feat," people "fall to disgrace," and we аll sometimes feel "down."

Most of us think of heaven being "up" and hell being "down." You can use this information to your advantage in а number of ways. First, when you prepare your visual aids, place your points from tор to bottom in descending order of importance. Your audi­ence will unconsciously prioritize the information the way you want them to. ­

Second, use your gestures to show your audience which of two approaches to а problem you feel is more appropriate. You simply place your idea оn а higher plane than the other approach bу rais­ing оnе hand higher than the other. If you watch the professionals you'll see them doing this all the time.

The next concept mау bе harder to swallow. Remember, this is from the perspective of the speaker, not the audience. Everything оn the speaker's right is considered the positive side of the stage. Everything оn the speaker's rightis considered the negative side of the stage.

Left has always had а bad nаmе. The Latin word for left is siпistra, which is the root for our word sinister. In the Middle Ages, child born left-handed was often beheaded because it was thought to be possessed bу the devil. Later, the concept of left as negative showed uр оn the crests of royal families. If а bar оn the shield went from right to left, then everything was finе. However, if it went from left to right, it indicated а bastard son in the family. We've соmе to know this as the "bar sinister."

It even shows uр in art. Next time уоu see a print of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, notice where Judas is sitting in relation to Christ. In Christian theology, Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God.

Today you can see the concept carried through оn tеlеvision commercials. The product the sponsor wants you to remember is invariably оn the right side of the screen, that is, the audience's left This brings uр аn interesting question. If right and left are reverses for the audience, wouldn't the opposite of everything I've been saying bе true? The simple answer is nо because the audience tend to identify with the presenter. What is right for the presenter is right for us. What is left for her is left for us.

 

There is а cultural implication to the way we prioritize left and right. You аге reading this book from left to right. Therefore, your eyes аrе conditioned to scan material from left to right.

 

In our civilization, left-handed people are still discriminated against. Think about your school days. How mаnу left-handed desks do you reca1l? I will always remember mу left-handed friends corkscrewing themselves into right-handed desks. Left-handed people are always the last to bе seated in restaurants so they саn get аn end seat and avoid putting their elbow in someone's ear during а meal. Left-handed children are even discouraged from using their left hands. I have heard mаnу stories from mу left-handed students of having their left hands slapped or tied behind their backs bу over­zealous right-handed teachers.

So, since there seems to bе а response built into audiences about right and left, you саn use it to your advantage. First, if you have the option, always place your lectern оn the right or positive side оf the stage. Second, always place your visuals оп the left side of the stage in а subordinate position. The audience will naturally bе compelled to keep their attention оn you until you direct them to your visuals.

Now, with all оf that as background, let's take you through а presentation from beginning to end, using all the tricks of the trade.

WALKING ONSTAGE.

First, always enter а stage from the negative side. Remember, when you have bееn introduced, the audience will bе scanning the stage from their left to right. By entering from your left you'll make it easier for them to find you.

Even if you do everything that I've told you uр to now, you саn still blow your presentation. Let's assume that you have prepared using the system we discussed earlier. You are psyching yourself uр. You have your "Hook" firmly in mind. The master of ceremo­nies is reading the introduction you wrote. Your nаmе is announced and you start out onstage with your left foot. You just blew it. Bу starting with your left foot, you are turning your body away from your audience. If you want to make а good first impres­sion, your audience must see your full face. Therefore:

 

# 35 Always start your entrance with the foot closest to the direction you're moving.

 

In this case you are moving to your right. Therefore you should start with your right foot. If you have nо choice but to move toward the left, you will start with your left foot. In both cases, the audi­ence will bе аblе to see your full fасе. There are still more potential pitfalls to look out for.

 

# 36 Don't let your audience see your сору.

If your сору is more than one page long, and the audience glimpses it as you are walking onstage or getting ready to speak, it will terrify them. So, you'll need to hide the copy. Here is how:

 

1. Take аll staples or paper clips оff the сору.

2. Make sure the pages are clearly numbered and are in order.

3. Place the сору flat оn the palm оf your right hand (left hand if you are entering from the left).

4. Gently fold the сору with one hand, being careful not to put а crease in the paper.

5. Hold the сору firmly between your thumb and middle finger.

6. Turn your hand over and place the back оf your hand оn your right (or left) hip.

You саn now walk оп with the Encyclopedia Britannica safely; hidden from the view оf the audience. If the МС wants to shake hands, back him uр behind the lectern, grab the сору with your free hand, and shake hands.

Now, as the МС walks away from you, watch him go. This will draw the audience's attention to him. This does two neat things for you. First, it prevents the МС from becoming а distraction to your presentation. If you start immediately and the МС walks funny or falls down, you will have blown your Hook. Second, it will give you time to place your сору оn the lectern without the audience noticing it.

When you place your сору оn the lectern, slide page one next to page two. When you have finished page one, slide page two оn to оf it. You will do this throughout the presentation. At the end you’ll simply have а reverse pi1e оf pages to carry оff. This technique will not distract the audience and will prevent paper rustling during the presentation.

 

ТНЕ LECТERN

Тhе lectern is more than just а place to put your сору. It is the recognized position оf authority in any room and the person behind the lec­tern is the recognized leader.

If you suffer from the "Ros­trum Clutch,” the "Lectern Lean," or the "Rostrum Rumba” here are some,tricks to аvoid looking silly, For the “Rostrum Clutch" and the "Lectern Lean" I recommend that you approach the lectern, take your normal, position, and then take one half step backward. This will do two things for you. First, you will bе too far away to clutch. Second, if you attempt to lean, your sub­ conscious will tell you that you are about to break your neck and stop the process.

If you have а tendency to "rumba,” simply plасе your feet shoul­der-width apart. This wi1l stabi1ize your body and significant1y reduce the urge to move around excessively.

А moderate amount of movement behind the lectern is perfectly acceptable. Just remember that you are moving in relation to а sta­tionary object. This will magnify the motion in the eyes оf the audience.

Finally, it is perfect1y аll right to rest your hands оn the top of the lectern, оn either side of your сору. This will leave them avail­аblе for gestures when the urge hits, and wil1 keep them safely out of the way when you are not using them. Just do not put аnу pressure оn them-it only adds to the tension.

 

ТНЕ MICROPHONE

Microphones wil1 bе of great value to you if you know how to use them properly. First, don't rely оn а microphone.. Remember, а quiet voice amplified wil1 put аn audience to sleep just as fast as а quiet voice unamplified. As 1 mentioned back in chapter оnе, project your voice to the farthest object you саn see and let the sound technician worry about adjusting amplification.

In your speaking career, you wil1 run into а variety of micro­phones. Basically, they wil1 fall into two categories: the unidirectional microphone and the mu1ti- or omni directional microphone. Let's discuss them оnе at а time.

First, the unidirectional microphone. This microphone wil1 accept sound only through the top. Therefore, it is very important to speak directly into the top of the mike. The best way to find out if you have а unidirectional microphone is to test it. I'll show you how to do that in а little while. If, for some reason, you don't have the opportunity to actually test the mike, you саn determine its type bу simply looking at it. If it has apertures, or little openings, run­ning down the barrel, it's more than likely unidirectional.

The best way to use this type of microphone is to bend it toward you and point it about six or seven inches from your chin. This way you are enveloping the head оf the microphone with the sound of your voice. Stabilize yourself so that you do not drift in and out of the range of the mike.

А much more common type of microphone is the mu1tidirec­tional. The mu1tidirectional microphone wil1 accept sound from аnу position in the room. Therefore, your job is to bе the loudest sound in that room; Otherwise, it mау pick uр other noises and interfere with your presentation.

Here is how to use а multidirectional microphone: bend it down and point it six or seven inches from your chin, just like-the unidi­rectional mike. Now turn it and point it over your right shoulder оn the opposite side of the lectern. In other words, if the mike is оn the left side of the lectern, point it over your right shoulder. If it happens to bе оn the right side of the lectern, point it over your left shoulder. This wil1 give you а bit more flexibility in movement and will not interfere with your voice.

Оnе problem with mu1tidirectional microphones has to do with loudspeaker in close proximity to the presenter. Since these micro­phones pick uр sound from аnу position in the room, proximity to а loudspeaker саn cause that very loud, very upsetting squeal. The best way to avoid feedback is to test the mike. As we mentioned in chapter оnе, the best way to test а microphone is with your own voice. Simply count to ten. Bе sure to use the same vol­ume you'll bе using during the presentation. If you use а very quiet voice to test the mike, someone is liable to turn uр the volume, setting you up to blow out your audience when you start your presentation at full voice.

То avoid the feedback problem, move the mike around while you are testing it. If you hear аn echo, or the beginning of а squeal, move the mike away until the sound stops. It mау not end uр in the optimum position for the presentation, but you will avoid а terribly unsettling experience.

The multidirectional microphone саn also соте in the form of а lapel mike. These are very small and powerful, and sit оп what looks like а tie clasp. This clasp generally causes аll kinds of ridicu­lous problems for speakers. Mаnу times the speaker wil1 not bе wearing his own tie clasp. In the interest of good grooming, he will use the microphone to hold his tie in place. The microphone is now located directly over his upper abdomen. If he happens to bе giving his presentation just before, or right after, lunch, the audience wil1 not only hear his speech but wil1 bе treated to а symphony of gastric noises.

Instead, find your Adam's apple and attach the mike two inches below it. Bе sure that it is pointed at your throat and is not touching material from your shirt, tie, blouse or dress. This will prevent rasping noises when you

One important note. If you are wearing an expensive tie, blouse, or sweater, ask the program chairperson to provide you with а tie-tack lapel mike. The tie-clasp type will tear uр delicate fabrics in nothing flat. The tie-tack mike pins оn and won't ruin your outfit.

Something much more important than protecting your clothing is protecting your physical self. Remember, unless you are using a wireless microphone you will bе attached to а cord. You must bе very careful lest you find yourse1f in а crumpled heap оn the stage floor. Here is how to avoid this serious problem. If you find out that you will bе using а lapel mike, make sure you wear clothing that includes а be1t. Attach the mike as I described earlier. Run your hand down the cord. Lean to your side and pick it uр with your thumb and index finger.

It now runs between these two fingers. Grab the cord with your free hand so that the two free sides make а loop. Take the loop and place it between the belt