8 Responses

1. PRESENTATION SKILLS
   Brenda,
   Ask delegates to think of an attitude [give them a list?], say ASSERTIVENESS or GENTLESNESS.

   To talk about themselves in 3 stages

   Stage 1: “When I present badly, I…”{and they describe the thoughts and feelings they feel).

   Stage 2: “When I present effectively / excellently/ effectively / etc., I…(thoughts and feelings)”

   As they go through each stage, they must exaggerate the physicality of the state – sloped shoulders, hand-wringing, etc.
   They must also maintain the chosen attitude!

   Stage 3: When I’m at my best…(thoughts, feelings).

   However, during THIS stage, the audience behave distractingly, heckle, generally try to put the speaker off.
   The speaker stays focused whilst maintaining the chosen attitude.

   Variation: specific topic/s with a key word or phrase.
   Speaker must use the key-phrase 3 times, and maintain attitude throughout.

   Variation: Speaker presents “When I’m at my best…” but physically stands in less effective stance.

   Videoed and play back can add to the ‘fun,'(no, really!) although I tend not to use video for presentation skills if there are more than 6 people and fewer than two days!

   MJM

2. Presentation Skills
   At the start of the presentation tell the audience that you’ve bought a cheap bottle of wine from the supermarket and that to win this item they have to answer one question from you about some detail of your presentation subject at the end of the presentation. It keeps them captured to your presentation whilst having some fun… It works!!….

   http://home.btclick.com/avworkshop

3. Presentation Skills
   Take a look at SkillSoft Internationals library of over 200 Web delivered courses. They have a series entitled ‘Powerful Presentation Skills’, which include such courses as:
   Planning your Presentation
   Delivering your Presentation
   Presenting with Confidence & Impact
   Either contact me as emailed or go to [email protected] or their Web site at http://www.skillsoft.com

   Best regards

   Colin

4. Poetic License
   Dear Brenda

   Myself and Martin King run a two day workshop which we call Poetic License. It develops an individual’s ability to present with enthusiasm, passion, and to emote on day one; day two is then about writing the presentation so that it is easier to deliver presentations that are interesting, emotive and capture the audience, as well as motivate them into action. Contact me directly for more information. [email protected]

5. One Minute Presentations
   Brenda,

   Have you tried giving forcing participants to give a one minute presentation on a topic chosen by the trainer. You basically use a Mind-Map to help them develop a silly topic on something like e.g. toilets, then ask them to talk for a minute.

   It builds:

   1. Planning and preparation skills
   2. Confidence
   3. Improves platform presence
   4. Practice fast feedback

   Good luck

6. Shock Treatment
   Hi Brenda, one of the most effective opening to a presentations course I have seen is the “Bad Start”. I have to warn you that this only really works at the beginning of the course as it totally focuses on first impressions. If the delegates know you or have seen your training before, it reduces its effectiveness. The role play should last for about 5 mintues (this gives time for anybody who thinks you’re acting to start doubting) It is high risk but it really does highlight how personal behaviours affect impact. Examples of ‘Bad Behaviour’ below:

   *Turn up late * jacket off (depends on how formal you are) * chewing or eating * Be abrupt/rude * interupt delegates * ignore/turn back while delegates speaking * Ask delegates what they expect to achieve from the course without giving ANY guidance *

   Reponses range from astonishment, shock, fear…. one person even got up to leave the course (obviously own up straight away if this happens!!) As soon as you turn back into your old self again ask the delegates for their reactions, it provides a really good base for opening discussions and focusing on the objectives of the session.

   Hope this helps….and sorry if you’ve heard it all before.

   Cheers
   Vicky Graham-Blair

7. Presentation Skills Idea
   With my senior clients, I encourage them to invite a small panel of equally senior customers to hear prepared presentations on my client’s business. The ‘judging panel’ responses have (so far!) always been amazingly helpful and ‘spot on’ – and the event (usually on a neutral territory, often in the evening followed by a dinner) develops tremendously useful relationship bonds afterwards between the client and their clients.

   Jeremy Thorn
   Chairman – QED

8. a couple of exercises
   Hi Brenda
   Give someone some text to read out loud. get everyone in the room to close their eyes and listen to it as if it were a Radio 4 broadcast. Get the volunteer to read it straight first time. The second time get him/her to walk between two bits of paper at opposits sides of the room at key points which you have previously underlined on the script. Ask the group what effect this has on their understanding.
   Also, with foreign participants, encourgae them to do their final presentation in their native tongue: it transforms their performance and you’ll be amazed how much the English speakers still understand!
   Good Luck.