Professional development insight
can’t see because it’s too small for the room. In general, slides should be clear and concise, not fussy or overcrowded, and mostly readable. So consider the size of the room you will be presenting in. Animation can have an impact. It can enhance but it can also distract from the message you are giving, so use with care. Communication methods We all learn differently and we all absorb data in different ways. Some of us will only learn by actually completing the task in question (doing) whereas others can learn from watching. So, ensure that your presentation includes a variety of different media: visual, verbal, discussion, non- verbal. But take care when using humour – what some people find funny, others find insulting or even embarrassing; so if you are at all concerned, leave it out. What communication tools should you use? We all use a variety of methods to communicate – verbal and non-verbal (see Chart 2). Think about body language and facial expressions; for example, are your words saying one thing but your body language/expression says something totally different? (Try saying ‘No’ and nodding your head ‘Yes’ – it’s not at all easy.) Impact Now let’s have a look at the impact you make, and which is not limited to the content of the presentation. In fact, in many cases people won’t remember a word of it as 55% of your impact is your visual look. You would, for example, make an instant impact if you turned up dressed as a clown, and though people would certainly talk about your presentation there is a danger that that is all they would remember, not the content.
Chart 1
Chart 2
what the end result is meant to look like is daunting. I know a lot of people who won’t purchase a cookery book without pictures. Now consider instruction manuals/ leaflets for, say, flat-pack furniture (my personal favourite right now). Almost all include pictures and diagrams – and thank goodness for that, as sometimes the words just aren’t very clear, or the presentation you give: words give detail, pictures give clarity (well, at least they are meant to). Some people love visual aids, some not so much. Some like to make their slides fancy – all singing/dancing, with items flying in from all directions. And some cram slides so full of data they can’t be read from any distance. Use a variety of aids, props, technology, tools and tones to keep your audience engaged. There is, in my opinion, nothing worse than sitting at the back of a presentation where the speaker refers to the slide saying “as you can see”, but actually you ...slides should be clear and concise, not fussy or overcrowded, and mostly readable translation doesn’t quite work. Something to consider in any
How you sound also has a large impact: 38% is how you sound and a very minor 7% of the impact is actually the words you say (see Chart 1). I can give many examples of presentations I’ve attended where I can recall the speaker in detail, but not a single word they said. Your colleagues In most presentations you are trying to impart some additional knowledge to your colleagues. So you therefore know something that they need to know. But with knowledge of the people who will be listening to you, it should be easier to find ways to ensure you engage them. You can ask opinions on areas which might impact them, or that you know they will have a view on. If someone is very shy, but you know they will have a valid response, you might want to warn them in advance and maybe ask them to give you a written response you could include. Timing Practise your presentation and be constantly aware of the time. Keep to your scheduled time, and get a reputation for keeping to time. Understand that time is valuable, and respect others and recognise that people have busy lives and other things to do. n
Some facts ● 91% of people admit to day-dreaming during a presentation. ● 39% admit to falling asleep during a presentation. ● 60 seconds is the average time it takes a professional to tune out of the presentation. ● The average audience attention span is just five minutes; ten years ago this was twelve minutes. So keep it moving, keep it interesting. For colleague presentations the figures vary slightly. Fifty per cent of colleagues/peers do something else during a presentation: 28% text, 27% check emails and 17% fall asleep. So the figures are in your favour, but capture their interest early – tell them there is information they need to know within the presentation. Engage them! Initial engagement takes place in less than fifteen seconds, first impressions in around ten seconds, and there is an average attention span of just five minutes. Keep the content moving, keep it focused and keep it relevant.
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Issue 23 | September 2016
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
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