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Presentation effectiveness demands preparation

Posted: August 17, 2014 | Categories: Presentation skills

Some people fear public speaking.  Others love presenting before a group.  Whether you love it or hate it, there is one thing you must know:  You must prepare and over-prepare.

In the fall of 1992 I was called upon to speak at a program for a professional trade organization.  The original speaker had cancelled and I was chosen as the replacement.  I was excited.  I called the program chairman and we discussed the topic and the make up of the group.  I quickly got busy and outlined my program.  Two days later, there I was, standing by the podium, ready to present.

I got off to a strong start.  I could tell that I had engaged the audience as they nodded and their eyes twinkled.  Then, after about 10 minutes, the attention of the audience began to fade.  I was puzzled.  Why was I losing them?  Then one person raised her hand to pose a question:  She asked: “I would like to know how your presentation relates to the topic of our program.  YIKES! (Gulp).  To make things worse, there were people in the audience who I knew – including the mayor of our town.

 

So what happened?  How could I have been so far off?  The answer:  PREPARATION.  You have probably heard of the 6 P’s:  “Proper prior planning prevents poor performance”.  It is true, and I learned it the hard way.  If you are scheduled to do a program or speech, here is what I recommend you do to help ensure you do well:

  1. Confirm the topic
  2. Ask about the makeup of the group.  What do they do?  What is their educational background?  What are they looking for in this presentation?
  3. Ask “What outcome would you like to see as a result of this program?”

Once you have done this, remember the advice of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani:  Prepare relentlessly!

You may have the ability to “charm the birds out of the trees”, and that’s fine.  Experienced speakers know that 90% of success in presentation is excellent preparation.  As Vince Skully once said, “We have to have the humility to prepare, and the courage to follow through”