Transcript Oral presentations

Chapter 9
Oral presentation skills
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
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Learning objectives
On completion of this chapter students will know
how to:
 identify the most appropriate presentation style
 use strategies to engage and interact with an
audience
 prepare effective slides
 use knowledge about non-verbal factors to
improve a presentation
 appreciate the value of preparation
 understand the importance of voice in presenting
effectively.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-2
Public speaking
 Public speaking skills are increasingly
important given a greater focus on informationrelated skills.
 In many universities public and professional
speaking skills is considered to be an important
graduate quality.
 The good news is that effective public speaking
can be learned!
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-3
Overcoming fear
 Anxiety can be offset by:
– visualising a successful presentation
– practising thoroughly
– ‘acting’ positive and confident as an audience will
‘mirror’ your approach.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-4
Activities 1 and 2
 Complete activities 1 and 2 on pp 196–197 of
your textbook.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-5
Preparing for a presentation
 Even short, informal speeches require
preparation.
 Never agree to do a presentation and then just
turn up, hoping that the ideas will come to you
as you speak!
 Videoing a practice speech provides an
opportunity to gain slightly more objectivity by
seeing yourself as others do.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-6
Windschuttle & Elliott
 Windschuttle & Elliott (1999, p. 356) suggest
that preparation will be rewarded in several
ways:
– Audiences appreciate well prepared speakers.
– Prepared speakers are more persuasive.
– Well prepared speakers are more likely to satisfy
audience expectations.
– Prepared presenters gain confidence for next time.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-7
Activities 3–5
 Complete activities 3, 4 and 5 on pp 197–200
of your textbook.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-8
Group presentations
 Practice is even more important for group
presentations. Coordinating with a group of
other speakers requires commitment and
teamwork.
 Decide which speakers will be responsible for
which parts of the presentation and convey this
information to the audience.
 Work out the sequence of speakers.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-9
Group presentations (cont.)
 There should be a consistent style running
through all the slides as this helps the
audience to follow your presentation.
 Be very familiar with each other’s
presentations. In a business situation, if one
person is absent the other speakers will have
to take responsibility for that part of the
presentation.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-10
Group presentations (cont.)
 Coordinate your overheads or visuals.
 Use the same font and background on slides.
 If using an overhead projector, consider asking
one group member to be responsible for
changing overheads or clicking PowerPoint
slides.
 Decide whether questions will be taken
individually or by a spokesperson for the whole
team.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-11
Group presentations (cont.)
 Plan for transitions from one speaker to
another. This can be achieved smoothly by
using statements such as:
‘Building on Lisa’s comments …’
or
‘Angie has explained some of the challenges the
project presents. Now I would like to point out some
possible ways of responding to them’
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-12
Group presentations (cont.)
 While one member is presenting ensure the
audience see other team members exhibiting
interest in the presentation rather than
scratching, chatting, stretching and preparing
their own part.
 A group presentation should be coherent and
seamless as though it had all been prepared
by one individual.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-13
Activity 6
 Complete activity 6 on pp 200–201 of your
textbook.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-14
Different kinds of speeches and
presentations
 Windschuttle & Elliott (1999, p. 357) list four
different types of speech:
– speeches that are read (It is difficult to maintain eye
contact with an audience if attention is fixed on the
page.)
– speeches that are rehearsed and memorised
– the extemporaneous speech that is prepared
thoroughly but the speaker performs
‘spontaneously’, using only prompts/notes.
– the impromptu speech, which is a speech
delivered without preparation.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-15
Activity 7
 Complete activity 7 on pp 201–202 of your
textbook.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-16
Different kinds of speeches and
presentations (cont.)
 Summers & Smith (2006, p. 79) make a
distinction between two types of speeches:
those that inform and instruct, and those that
persuade and convince.
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Informing and instructing
 The following advice is useful in all presentations but
particularly where the purpose is to inform and
instruct.
– Use simple, clear vocabulary.
– Avoid jargon and long, complicated explanations.
– A clear structure is especially important for this type of
speech.
– Always support statements with research by providing the
audience with a reference (e.g. use phrases such as:
‘Wong’s 1999 study showed clearly that …’)
– Remember to give people time to read and think about any
statistics or other more complex graphics that you show
them.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-18
Persuading and convincing
 The role of a persuading presentation is to
influence the beliefs and attitudes of an
audience, perhaps with the intention of selling
a product.
 There are four techniques that a presenter can
use to persuade an audience and gain their
attention, especially early on in the
presentation.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
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Persuading and convincing (cont.)
1. Rhetorical questions

Questions asked by the presenter that don’t
actually require a response from the audience (e.g.
‘Doesn’t everyone hate advertising?’)
2. Quotations or surprising statistics


‘Business, you know, may bring money but
friendship hardly ever does.’ (Jane Austen/Mr
Knightly, Persuasion).
Statistical information can also be very useful for
drawing attention to the importance of a topic.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-20
Persuading and convincing (cont.)
3. Anecdotes
 ‘After a long day at work, I had to sort through a
pile of mail … and all of it turned out to be
advertising!’
 An anecdote is really about simply telling a story.
 The most effective anecdotes are those that
make it clear what the real point of a story is.
 Speakers often draw on humour in relating
anecdotes, but take care!
 Not all people find the same things funny. Avoid
offensive language, racist, sexist or religious
jokes.
 Tolerance and respect should be the guiding
principle concerning what is communicated and
how.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-21
Persuading and convincing (cont.)
4. Personal testimony


A persuasive speech draws on the emotions of the
audience, perhaps by reminding them of their
allegiances (e.g. ‘All of us love shopping …’).
It is still important to provide a logical and
balanced argument based on research—even if it
appeals to people’s feelings.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-22
Activity 8
 Complete activity 8 on pp 202–204 of your
textbook.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-23
Researching venue and
audience
 Arrive early to find out some information
beforehand.
 Find out what technology is available.
 Always have a back-up plan in case one kind
of technology fails (e.g. PowerPoint in OHT
form, a USB, CD Rom…).
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
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Finding out about the audience
 How many people are expected?
 What is the seating arrangement? Is the
seating flexible if you wish people to break into
discussion groups?
 Where is the speaker expected to stand?
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
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Finding out about the audience
(cont.)
 Who will be in your audience?
– Occupation, age, gender, cultural background or
special interests will all affect the reception you
receive.
– Find out how the audience feels about the topic.
– Are they attending your presentation because they
feel enthusiastic or depressed? Will their
attendance be required or voluntary?
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-26
Activity 9
 Complete activity 9 on pp 204–206 of your
textbook.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-27
Structure and presentation
 An oral presentation usually has an
introduction, a body and a conclusion.
Introduction
 A short outline/summary of the whole
presentation
 Gains the attention of your audience quickly.
According to Ober (2007, p. 283), a speaker
has 90 seconds to capture the interest of the
audience!
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-28
Structure and presentation (cont.)
Body
 Make your main points in the body
 Don’t try to give too much information but offer to
provide additional information after the
presentation.
 Each point is like a paragraph in an essay and will
require a topic sentence.
 Use transitional devices that include connecting
words such as ‘in addition’, ‘furthermore’ or
phrases that refer forward and back in the text to
show the connection between ideas.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-29
Structure and presentation (cont.)
Conclusion
 Should takes up 10 per cent of your speaking time.
 Summarise and re-emphasise the main points.
 ‘Signpost’ the fact that the presentation is almost
over.
 Use suitable endings such as ‘In conclusion’, ‘to
sum up’, ‘finally’, ‘as I have demonstrated’.
 Never finish a presentation by saying ‘That’s all I
have to say’ or ‘That’s it’. The only acceptable way
to conclude your presentation is to say ‘Thank
you’.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-30
Physical factors influencing a
presentation
 Body language conveys a powerful message
that is even more important than words.
 To express confidence stand straight and pull
your shoulders back a little.
 Some movement is natural but avoid pacing or
swaying from side to side.
 fold your arms: it can look defensive.
 Do not keep hands in pockets: it can seem
furtive or too informal.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-31
Physical factors influencing a
presentation (cont.)
 Avoid habitual movements such as scratching
and ‘praying gestures’.
 Ask a friend to observe or video you practising
to reveal any movements you need to avoid.
 Many speakers say ‘ugh’ quite frequently.
Locker (2006, p. 481) suggests these sounds
can be reduced with practice.
 Smiling usually helps to develop a positive
relationship between a presenter and the
audience.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-32
Physical factors influencing a
presentation (cont.)
 Practise making eye contact with each member
of the audience for a moment, but avoid
focusing on one person for longer than a
second or two. According to a study cited by
Locker (2006, p. 479), eye contact with the
audience creates an impression of being better
informed, friendlier, more honest and more
experienced.
 Never stare at the back of the room or out the
window!
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-33
Physical factors influencing a
presentation (cont.)
 Confirm that everyone in the audience can
hear you.
 Vary your volume, pitch (‘music’ of the voice)
and pace to add interest.
 A higher pitch indicates excitement and a lower
one is used for emphasis.
 Pace refers to how quickly you speak (Taylor
2005, p. 387).
 Try saying the same things using different
pitches to see if any are more effective than
others.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-34
Physical factors influencing a
presentation (cont.)
 Decisions about what to wear for a
presentation depend on your audience and the
situation (e.g. formal presentations require
formal clothing).
 Taylor (2005, p. 385) suggests dressing more
formally than an audience because it helps you
feel more confident and professional.
 Wearing long sleeves also projects authority
and professionalism.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-35
Interacting with your audience
 Interactive presentations can be fun and
interesting.
 Some ways of interacting with an audience
include:
–
–
–
–
using questions and answers
asking for volunteers
asking people to respond by raising hands
asking members of an audience to discuss their
own experience in relation to the topic.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
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Activity 10
 Complete activity 10 on p. 207 of your
textbook.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-37
Answering questions
 If you need more time to answer a difficult
question a useful tactic is to ask the speaker to
repeat it (Locker 2006, p. 482).
 It is also acceptable to ask individuals to
rephrase a question if you do not understand it.
 However irritating, always answer questions
even if they have already been covered in the
presentation.
 Avoid embarrassing anyone when responding
to a question.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
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Answering questions (cont.)
 Locker (2006, p. 482) also cautions presenters
against responding to individuals with
comments such as ‘That’s a very good
question’, since it suggests other questions
were less useful.
 Anticipate some questions beforehand in order
to develop confidence and appear informed.
 If an individual is rude, keep your cool and
maintain a professional approach. Ultimately,
someone else’s rudeness will reflect badly on
them rather than you.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-39
Summary
 Practising helps you to keep within your time
limit and contributes to a smooth, coherent
presentation. It will also reduce your anxiety.
 Structure your presentation into an
introduction, body and conclusion.
 Use a variety of quality visuals to enhance
audience interest.
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-40
Summary (cont.)
 In group presentations the following needs to
be discussed beforehand:
– order of the presentation
– transitions from one member of the group to another
– becoming familiar with each other’s work and how
questions will be responded to.
 There are different kinds of speeches. Those
that are read, those that are rehearsed and
memorised, the extemporaneous speech and
the impromptu speech. The purpose of a
speech also varies.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-41
Summary (cont.)
 Research the venue and the audience
thoroughly.
 Find ways to interact with the audience.
 Stylistic devices can be used to influence an
audience. These include asking rhetorical
questions, using quotations, sharing anecdotes
and providing personal testimonies.
 Pay attention to physical aspects of your
presentation, such as posture, gestures,
personal mannerisms, facial expressions, eye
contact, clothing and voice.
Copyright  2007 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Communication Skills for International Students in Business, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
9-42