ofessional Skills: Presentations Christian Sinclair, MD July 16, 2009
Professional Skills:Presentations
Christian Sinclair, MDJuly 16, 2009
Supporting Documents
• Original Presentation @Slideshare:• http://bit.ly/K0Zb3
• Presentation Preparation Worksheet @Slideshare:
• http://bit.ly/GiYjN • Presentation Notes One Sheet
@Slideshare: http://bit.ly/OL4Pz
Overview
• Preparation
• Speech and delivery
• Visual aides
Preparation
• Type of presentation– Purpose of presentation
• To inform
• To persuade
• To build goodwill
Preparation
• Type of preparation– Know your audience
• Captives
• Pragmatists
• Socially motivated
• Committed
Know Your Audience
• What is the size of the group?
• Age and gender distribution?
• Hierarchy of audience– Within organization– To the speaker
• Motivation & Reactions
• Education
Logistics
• Date and time of presentation
• Pre & post-presentation events
• Length of presentation
• Format– Workshop, didactic, focus group, panel
• Where?
Logistics
• Visual aid options
• Troubleshooting– Who is in charge? – Who can help me?
The Presentation
• What does my audience expect to gain?
• What do they already know?
• What are my key points?
• What materials do I need?
Structure
• Introduction• Statement• Argument• Epilogue
• Introduction• Central theme• Discussion• Conclusion
The Opener
• Set the tone
• Use a hook– Drama– Humor– Quotes
The Middle
• Chronological
• Geographic
• Compare and contrast
• Cause and effect
• Narration
• Problem and solution
• Process
The Close
• Summarize the message
• Repeat key points
• Call for action
• Revisit themes
• Think positive
• Thank audience
• Time for questions
The Pre-Introduction
• Helps create ambience and tone
• Think pre-show entertainment/education
• Start (and end) on-time
Topic Choice
• Try to select your topic
• Challenge your own knowledge
• Narrow your topic
• If a repeated talk– Up to date information– Work on sounding fresh, enthusiastic
Prep Time
• Organize your thoughts– Outline– Mind Map
• Select your references
• Look for real world connections
• Be realistic and reschedule if necessary
Overview
• Preparation
• Speech and delivery
• Visual aides
Speech and Delivery
• Tone
• Build rapport– Show of hands– No carnival tricks– Have audience help demonstrate tasks– Appropriate humor
Use of Humor and Drama
• Humor– Not just jokes– Careful with self-deprecating– Quotes
• Drama– Social math/Creative epidemiology– Voice and pacing– Not always a crisis or sad
Stage Fright
• Practice, practice, practice
• Breathe deeply
• Double-check your equipment
• Avoid reading your speech or slides
Stage Fright
• Stand tall
• Smile naturally
• Don’t rest on the podium
• Hands away from your mouth
Gestures & Facial Expressions
• Ask a friend for observation
• Don’t be afraid of gestures– Make them relate to the speech
• Smile sincerely
• Look in the mirror
Vocalization
• Change volume when appropriate
• Aim for a lower tone
• Aim for a slower speed
• E-nun-ci-ate
Language
• Use the active voice
• Bias-free language– Sexism, racism, ageism, pronouns, assumptions
Answering Questions
• Repeat/summarize the question
• Acknowledge/thank the person
• OK to say, “I don’t know”– But offer some follow-up
• Remain calm
• Tell the truth
• Stick to your topic/expertise
Overview
• Preparation
• Speech and delivery
• Visual aides
Visual Aides
• Show and tell
• Visuals– Can shorten time to convey information– Enhance recall of information– Enhance trust
• Know when and how to use them
Types of Visual Aides
Diversity of Content
PowerPoint
• 5 & 5 rule– Five lines– Five words per line
• Consistency
• Spelling
• Avoid fancy type styles
Flip Charts
• Can increase the energy
• Legibility
• Spelling on the fly
• Talking away from the audience
• Pull up and over
Handouts
• Before, during or after?
• Just a copy of slides
• An edited version of slides
• Fill in the blank version
• Just the highlights
• Facts that you don’t want on paper?
Overview
• Preparation
• Speech and delivery
• Visual aides
References
• Bowman, DP. Presentations. Adams Media Corp. Avon, Massachusetts. 1998.
• Harvard PCEP Program, Billings and Block, 2004
• Websites:– Presentation Zen– Six Minutes: A Public Speaking and Presentati
on Skills Blog