Professional Practices
Course Instructor: Nabgha Hashmi
Faculty of Computer Science
University of Gujrat
Presentation Skills
Lecture - 4
Agenda
Irritating factors during presentation
Preparation and Practice
Tone and Body Language
Facing your fears
How to cope with your fears
Dealing with questions and interruptions
Some power point presentation tips
Presentation Fear
For some people, the thought of giving a presentation is more
frightening than falling off a cliff, financial difficulties, snakes
and even death.
Don’t get panic...You are not alone
A Picture speaks about 100 words !!!
Presentation Fear
Let’s try to solve it systematically !!!
Plan you presentation carefully !!!
This is the basic structure of a talk:
1. Introduction
2. Main part (body)
3. Conclusion
4. Question & Answer session
Preparation
Preparation is key!
Key message
Audience
Time
Resources
Closing
Preparing for Presentation
Clear objectives – what do you want to achieve?
Target audience: their needs – format?
Mind map – brainstorm – list content
Structure
Intro: who you are, purpose of presentation – benefits to audience.
Middle: key messages, content arranged in themes/sections
Conclusion/summary: take away message/call to action
Presentation plan with timings
Warm up!
Helps you to relax
Helps you to be heard
Helps you to sound more confident.
Warm up!
Deep breathing exercises- in for a count of 5, out for a count of
5. In for 6, out for 6, and so on, up to 10.
Hum! This loosens the vocal chords and warms them up
Do some tongue twisters. Really try to articulate the words. Get
faster and faster!
Tongue Twisters!
Unique New York
She sells sea shells by the sea shore. The shells that she
sells are sea shells I’m sure
Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry
Peter Piper picked a peck of picked peppers
Rubber buggy baby bumpers
Body Language
Body Language
Act confident, feel confident
Large personal space
Eye contact with audience
Relaxed body language
Standing upright with shoulders back
Use your hands for emphasis but avoid ‘flapping’
Body Language - Avoid this !!!
Lean on or grip the desk
Stand still
Use a single gesture repeatedly
Having a furious look all the time
Chew gum or eat candy
Click or tap your pen, pencil or pointer
Shuffle your notes unnecessarily
Tighten your tie or otherwise play with your clothing
Eye Contact
Never let them out of your sight.
Looking them in the eye makes them feel that they are influencing what
you say.
Eye contact allows the presentation to approximate conversation—the
audience feels much more involved.
Voice
Expression
Pronunciation
Vocalized pauses
Substandard grammar
Rate of speech
Volume
Pitch or tone
Emphasis
Remember….. !!!
A presenter is judged within first few minutes of
his/her presentation.
So first few minutes are much critical
to prove yourself.
Do...!!!
Illustrate your key messages, eg.
a startling statistic or image
a quotation from someone famous that applies to your message
Involve your audience – interaction
Ask questions to involve, establish rapport and support your arguments
Don’ts – a recap
Just read your handouts
Script everything
Arranging scripts right on presentation desk
Giving the Presentation, cont...
Clothing: comfortable, appropriate
Maintain eye contact
Use notes if you need them
Think about when to use handouts
Dealing with Questions
Questions show people are listening!
Allow time to deal with them
Decide when to answer them
Try and anticipate
Don’t be afraid to stop and think
Questions & Answers
Anticipate lines of questioning
Move your eyes off questioner
Clarify question
Be honest—don’t pose
Keep answers brief
Don’t repeat negative questions
If negative, end your response focused on somebody else
THE RULE…
NEVER argue with a
member of the
audience.
Instead…
Look at the questioner.
Remain neutral and attentive.
Listen to the whole question.
Pause before you respond.
Address the questioner, then move your eyes to others.
What if I don’t know the answer?
Open it to the floor
Take details and answer later
Repeat the question back if you don’t understand it
Ending your talk
Presenter as an “actor”
When you come to stand on the podium you become the actor of your
presentation. During your presentation you are going to speak and not read from
your notes. This means using your voice, and also your body language. What is
importnat is that you establish eye contact with each member of your audience.
Each person should feel that you are speaking directly to him or her. You need to
think in advance: Where shall I stand? How shall I keep eye contact? Where shall I
keep my hands? What if I get lost? How to manage audience phobia?
Rehearsal
become more familiar with what you want to say
identify weaknesses in your presentation
be able to practise difficult pronunciations
be able to check the time that your presentation takes and make any
necessary modifications so,
Practise, Practise, Practise !!!
“Make sure you have finished
speaking before your audience
has finished listening.”
-Dorothy Sarnoff
What irritates people during presentations
This is what irritates people during presentations
• the speaker was nervous
• the speaker was disorganised
• the speaker never looked at me
• the speaker had bad accent
• the speaker was monotonous
• the visuals were not there
• the speaker was speaking too softly
