Stand & Deliver: Giving Presentations

The best communicators speak the truth as themselves. Fall in love with the full stop. Keep up to date with VOX news at www.voxcoaching.com and join us on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/vox-coaching

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Bibliography
Rodenburg, Patsy (1992) The Right to Speak: New York, Routledge Practical vocal exercises and an excellent section on the relationship between voice and self. Fox, Katie (2004) Watching the English: London, Hodder Amusing and intelligent guide to the peculiarities of British culture and behaviour. Hooks, Ed (2003) Acting for Animators: Portsmouth, Heinemann Not just for animators....for anyone. An energetic, accessible digest of insights from acting technique that are applicable in other contexts particularly good on physicality. Albert Mehrabians work (including communication camembert) and related material on Eric Berne www.ericberne.com/people/albertmehrabian.html Shewell, Christina (2008) Voice Work - Art and Science in Changing Voices: London, John Wiley & Sons Authoritative reference work on the physicality, psychology and practice of vocal development. Schultz, David M. (2009) Eloquent Science; Boston, AMS Books A thorough and up-to-the minute guide to effective and accessible communication of science in both speech and writing.

Context of the Course

How effective is our public speaking style? In what contexts do we feel comfortable? What do we do well and confidently in the area of presenting? If we are having some difficulties is there an identifiable pattern to them? How do we feel and behave when under pressure? How can we identify the styles of other people? How can we flex our styles to be either more congruent with theirs or more effective in communicating with them?

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Communication Camembert

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Research originally conducted by Albert Mehrabian into the communication of feelings and attitudes is represented in the pie chart below.

55% visual, including body language 38% vocal tone, including variations in speed, volume and pitch 7% content

If there is a perceived mismatch, or lack of congruence, between what were saying and our body language & vocal tone, then an audience will tend to trust the latter (the 93%) .

Presence
We identified four elements of physical presence: Contact with the floor: (weight evenly through the balls of the feet, moving lightly) Suspension: being drawn upwards enjoying our full height Extended Awareness: our consciousness focused more on others than the self Passion: why is it important to speak with these people at this moment?

Putting your attention on the audience or the other person can help to overcome self-consciousness.

Tension & Vocal Presence

Our vocal pitch can rise if we are nervous or breathe insufficiently Noise of agreement is your optimum pitch Padding moving from foot to foot can disperse adrenaline Breathing out is a good way to relax

Sirening allows you to explore your full vocal range Use the expressive power of language Shoulder and other tension can interfere with your voice

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Stretch your arms down behind your back and release relaxes the shoulders Our awareness can be placed in our head (intellectual) chest (emotional) or hips (sexual or comic or earthed)

Speaking to Others
Enter the stage and introduce yourself - the points mentioned included: You decide when you begin allow the audience to settle youre in charge Where you look, the audiences eyes will follow. Looking down takes the audiences attention to the carpet Contact the audience with your eyes best to speak to one person at a time, not over their heads, or speedily at everyone Putting your attention in the audience can help overcome self-consciousness Take your time slow down Take adequate breath for the sentence youre about to speak Allow pauses before and after you speak Fall in love with the full stop The audience wants you to succeed Its the audiences job to judge your presentation not yours. So abandon the job of being your own critic whilst you perform Time goes three times faster onstage than in the audience One of the most important questions the audience is asking themselves is: Do I trust this person? Putting your attention on the audience or the other person can help to overcome selfconsciousness

Tips to engage your audience

Variety: in the music of the voice and in the rhythm of gestures communicates passion Relevance: What does your audience want to know and what do they need to know? Keep it concrete: avoid abstractions. Use accessible examples and strong visuals Make it personal: reveal a little of yourself

PO Box 2973, Bristol, BS6 9FY Tel 07941 447735 info@voxcoaching.com Engagement: make contact a priority. Establish dialogue, keep it interactive www.voxcoaching.com

Tell a story: stimulates the audiences imagination and makes it memorable Unlock your hands. This will allow your gestures to work without self-consciousness

Coaching on Presentations
Move between two chairs, or mark punctuation each time that you finish a sentence. This exercise slows you down; enables the audience to digest material It means that you structure your talk in sentences/ paragraphs allows you to plan your sentences before you begin them & encourages you to take adequate breath

What are you doing to the audience? Find a range of verbs which express how you want to make the audience feel I enthuse you, I enlist you, I focus you, I amuse you. This puts your attention in the audience and builds a relationship with them.

Tell a fairy story to the audience (as if they are small children) This increases the expressiveness of your voice and use of language. Structuring your material as a narrative/ story will make it more memorable.

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Speed Dating
Question 1: What are your strengths as a presenter? Interactive presentations feels like a dialogue Tailored to the specific audience both in content and level Well-structured / designed and well prepared: good use of visual aids Speak clearly, good volume Effective eye contact Feel prepared for questions Enjoy spontaneity Have enthusiasm, passion and expertise Flexibility Confidence Calmness (or the appearance of calmness)

Question 2: What are your weaknesses as a presenter? Get Nervous Anxious about timing too long Language barrier Use too much information Poor structure rambling, lack of flow Erm, erm/gesticulation Lack of control of voice cant rely on it Difficult to adapt to different audiences Lack confidence/ find eye contact difficult Read from the power point screen Feel unprepared

Question 3: What makes a good presentation? Passionate speaker Clear, concise Good use of voice audible and varied Proceed step by step with material a good structure

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Interesting, engaging and relevant to audience Visually attractive Well-prepared Maintaining eye contact with audience Appropriate humour the speaker is relaxed Not too long Knowledge of subject matter - expertise Interactive and tells a story

Question 4: What are the best, and worst, presentations that you have seen? Best Interactive with audience Having a message Confident Honest Speaking slowly Humorous and relaxed Accessible material Relevant Infectious enthusiasm and passion Worst Nervous speaker Only reading the slides Not answering questions Speaking fast & over the heads of the audience Too much text on slides Waffling, going on too long Too much technical information Irrelevant or arrogant