Communicating With Confidence

Transcription

1 Contents Managing The Fear Of Public Speaking Having An Objective The 5 Step Introduction Plan - SOSOR Load, Aim And Fire Make It Fun / Interactive The Importance Of Being Prepared The Use Of Visual Aids Program Content 1

2 Notes 2

3 Overcoming The Fear Of Public Speaking Notes According to most studies, people s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy. Jerry Seinfeld Experts in the field of human behaviour have identified that the single greatest fear people have is the fear of public speaking. It is therefore important for all leaders to understand that the fear of public speaking is normal. Everyone experiences some fear before giving a presentation and when you learn to make fear work for you it can result in a far more enthusiastic and dynamic presentation. It is not the fear that creates the problem, it is how you channel that fear and whether you allow it to be a negative experience or you allow it to be a motivator. Great presenters don t try to avoid the natural anxiety of public speaking - they actually embrace the fear to enhance their presentation. Successful leaders constantly look for opportunities to get in front of an audience to practice and improve the art and science of public presenting. Overcoming The Fear Of Public Speaking 3 What are some of the reasons why people might be fearful of public speaking?

4 Notes Tips For Managing The Fear Of Public Speaking 1. Thoroughly familiarise yourself with the materials/content of the presentation. 2. Rehearse the presentation; if possible pilot test and/or video tape it. 3. Complete a course in public speaking. 4. Obtain information about the audience in advance Learn the names of members of the audience and use them often. 6. Introduce yourself to the group before the presentation. 7. Prepare a presentation plan that is easy to follow. 8. Ensure you are mentally and physically alert, by getting sufficient rest. 9. Double-check the facilities, equipment and administrative arrangements in advance. 10. Try to put yourself in the audiences position ( what am I likely to get out of this? ). 11. Use eye contact to assist in establishing rapport with the group. 12. Anticipate potential problems, situations or tough questions. Prepare and practise responses to them. 13. Identify your own fears, classify them as controllable or uncontrollable, and confront them. 14. Do not apologise or tell the group you are nervous (you will lose credibility). 15. Spend time before your presentation focusing on relaxing and deep breathing. 16. Visualise yourself delivering a successful presentation.

5 Building Rapport Notes The introduction to a presentation is one of the most important factors determining its success. The introduction must: Set the scene Stimulate people s interest Relax and/or engage the participants Build the presenter s credibility Clarify your purpose or objective You can actually gain or lose the support of the group, or individuals within the group in the first 1-5 minutes. It is therefore very important to spend time building rapport with the group. SOME WAYS TO BUILD RAPPORT ARE: Show a genuine interest in your participants Gather information about the group in advance Building Rapport 5 Interact with your group before you present Use effective and relevant icebreakers What are some other ways that you can build rapport with your group?

6 Notes Building Rapport If your emotional abilities aren t in hand, if you don t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far. Daniel Goleman 6 Building rapport helps you break down the barriers resulting in a far more comfortable atmosphere and a better presentation. The amount of time required to build rapport will depend on the length of your program, and how much effort you put into breaking down barriers prior to commencing your presentation. Things We Should Aim To Achieve In The Introduction ;; To convert a group of individuals, who may not know each other, into a cohesive group. ;; To provide non-threatening introductory contacts with the facilitator and with each other. ;; To identify the needs of the group and be able to change direction if necessary to meet those needs. ;; To establish the credibility of the presenter. ;; To create a suitable learning climate and set the overall tone for the session. ;; To encourage participation. ; ; To convey the message that the session will be informative, stimulating, interactive and fun.

7 Having An Objective Notes If you don t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will. Harvey Diamond As a leader you need to create a mindset that everything you do has a reason/objective. In the communication process this is of utmost importance and our objective should be clear before we commence our preparation. Unless you have a clear plan of where you are heading and what you wish to achieve, the communication process will break down. It is important to remember that when you are constructing a presentation the objective is what the presenter (not the participants) wishes to achieve as a result of the presentation. An objective is one or two sentences that summarise what you want to achieve within the session or presentation. Some of the ways that you can commence your objective could be: Having An Objective 7 To equip you with the skills To provide you with the information To motivate you to consider To provide you with a progress report To give you an overview To present my proposal

8 Activity One Objective - The Importance Of Saving The Environment You have been asked to give a presentation on the importance of saving the environment. 1. What is your specific topic? (e.g. Recycling, Land care, Saving an endangered species, etc.) 2. Identify who you are and what organisation you are from. 3. Identify who your audience is. Now it is time to write your objective. My objective today is: 8 Meeting Our Objectives Not only is it important to have objectives, it is also important to meet those objectives. What are some of the ways that you can ensure your objectives are met?

9 The 5 Step Introduction Plan Notes There are five steps that should be covered in the introduction section of any presentation. Together they form what we call at Proteus, the SOSOR structure. If any of these steps are missed then it will have a negative impact on the rest of the presentation. STEP ONE SELF This step is to introduce yourself and to establish credibility. Give information about your experience and about the specific program topic you will cover. STEP TWO OTHERS To build rapport it is important to get people to interact as soon as possible. Think of creative and relevant ways to involve people during the introduction. STEP THREE SCENE The scene identifies the main areas that will be covered during the presentation. STEP FOUR OBJECTIVE The objective is determined by what you want to achieve by the end of the presentation. The 5 Step Introduction Plan 9 STEP FIVE RESULT This is what the participants will be able to do as result of the presentation. Every presentation must have benefits for the participants, as this is what motivates them to listen and participate. It is important to have a structure, as it will ensure that you do not lose your way, and that you have something to fall back on when things get difficult. A structure will also help you keep to the point. It is now time to prepare our introduction.

10 Activity Two The Importance Of Saving The Environment INTRODUCTION Hello, my name is... I am here today to talk about (topic)... SELF My background is... Before we start, I would like to ask... OTHERS Today I would like to talk about... SCENE 10 My OBJECTIVE today is... As a RESULT of this you will be able to... Now without notes use SOSOR to present on your hobby or passion.

11 Constructing A Presentation Notes There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience. Alexander Gregg The Chunking Process A presentation can be chunked into three main parts: The Introduction As discussed, there are five steps that should be covered in the introduction to ensure that you have prepared the way for the information to be delivered and received effectively. The Body The body of the presentation is the information you want to get across to the group. This will incorporate breaking down each of the four scene points from the introduction into three sub-points. Constructing A Presentation 11 The Conclusion The purpose of the conclusion or summary is to reiterate what you have covered in the presentation (the scene points), remind them of the result and identify what they can now do.

12 Constructing A Presentation There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave. Dale Carnegie Often the problem with presentations is not that you don t have enough to say, but in fact you have too much information. 12 When you chunk the information, or break it down into manageable components and then put it into a simple structure, you ensure that you stick to the point and stop repeating information. The SOSOR Flow INTRODUCTION Self Others Scene Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 Objective Result BODY Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 CONCLUSION Scene Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 Result

13 Load, Aim And Fire Notes The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public. George Jessel Use key words only People often ask, how do I present my SOSOR without reading straight from my notes? The answer to this question is to use KEY WORDS ONLY for your presentation notes. It should not be a long-winded script. Make eye contact When you are presenting it is critical that you engage with your audience by using eye contact, while utilising your notes as a guide only and not lecturing your audience. Load, Aim, Fire The Load, Aim and Fire concept is designed to assist public speakers to present successfully while using notes. This is designed as a 3-step technique to provide people with a simple, yet effective tool, especially when they lose their way. The Load, Aim and Fire steps are as follows: Load, Aim And Fire 13 Load: Stop talking (use the power of silence to gain the participants full attention). Look at your notes and Load the information that you want to communicate. Aim: Before you begin talking, reconnect eye contact with a member of the audience. Fire: Once you have reconnected with someone in the group, deliver the information to the audience.

14 Notes Load, Aim And Fire The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause. One Thought, One Person Concept Mark Twain Maintaining and having appropriate eye contact will assist public speakers tremendously in building rapport with their audience. We often do this by focussing on one or two people or we can scan the whole room. A great way to develop effective eye contact is by making eye contact with one person, delivering one thought and then moving on to deliver the next thought to another person i.e. One Thought, One Person. 14 Remember to stay connected with ALL of your audience. We also need to be conscious of not inadvertently disconnecting with a section of the audience. We can sometimes do this, when we are walking around and lose the ability to make eye contact with those people on the edges of the room.

15 Make It Fun / Interactive Notes Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself for he shall never cease to be entertained. John Boswell Fun doesn t necessarily mean funny, it means interesting and enjoyable. Making presentations fun and interactive has potential benefits for both the presenter and the participants: 1. If the participants enjoy what they are doing they are more likely to co-operate and participate. 2. Participants will be more likely to participate in the current program and later training activities. 3. The presenter s reputation is enhanced if word spreads that his/her sessions are worth going to. 4. The concentration span of the participants is likely to be improved and information retained if the presentation is enjoyable. Make It Fun / Interactive People feel positive when they laugh and laughter is contagious.

16 Notes Activity Make It Fun / Interactive What are some ways that a presenter can add an interactive and fun dimension to their presentation? 16 Presenters should be constantly looking for humorous material that they can adopt into their presentations, such as cartoons, anecdotes, quotes or funny experiences.

17 Guidelines For Use Of Humour Notes Before I speak, I have something important to say. Groucho Marx Most presenters do not regard themselves as naturally funny so they may be reticent about injecting humour into their delivery. The following guidelines may help: 1. Natural humour such as a quote with an illustration tends to be more relevant and more effective than telling jokes. 2. Humorous incidents based on the presenter s past experiences can be relevant and very effective 3. Humour should generally be directed at the presenter, rather than the participants, so that no-one will be offended. 4. The presenter s reputation is enhanced if word spreads that his/her sessions are worth going to. Guidelines For Use Of Humour Humour should be suitable for the type and level of the audience, as well as the occasion. 6. Most trainers need to practise using humour in order to deliver it effectively.

18 Notes The Importance Of Being Prepared It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. Mark Twain Even though you may be happy with the content and layout of your presentation, the role of the presenter commences well before the participants arrive. 18 Too many presenters prepare at the last minute and panic when something goes wrong. They are then unsettled when they commence their presentation, putting both them and their group on edge. Make a list of the things that need to be done prior to commencing a presentation. It is the responsibility of the presenter to ensure that everything is ready prior to the presentation. As a presenter your role is to ensure that you create a positive learning environment, whereby all participants have the opportunity to contribute and there is a safe space to challenge and question information, in a robust and healthy way. Ultimately, the presenter will lead the discussions and take back the control as required. At Proteus we call these the three critical C s of Communication: 1. Contribute - Give participants the opportunity to contribute and be engaged in the presentation 2. Challenge - Create a safe environment for people to challenge and question the key concepts, ideas and information 3. Control - Give the presenter the authority to lead the conversation and take control where required to ensure the objectives are being met with no individual or group hijacking the presentation.

19 The Use Of Visual Aids Notes Visual Aids help you reach your objectives by putting emphasis on whatever is being said. Clear pictures multiply the audience s level of understanding of the material presented and they should be used to reinforce your message, clarify points, and create excitement. It is critical that you prepare Visual Aids that reinforce your major points, stimulate your audience and work well in the physical setting of your presentation. Remember, Visual Aids are AIDS ONLY. They should never replace your presentation. Visual Aids and audio-visuals include a wide variety of communication products, including: Flip Charts Power-Point Presentations Overhead Transparencies Slides Video Tapes and DVDs Audio-Slide Shows Objects and Props The Use Of Visual Aids 19 Demonstrating a process, or simply passing around a sample of some equipment or model are also effective ways to clarify messages visually. However, if Visual Aids are poorly selected, or inadequately done, they will simply distract from what you are saying.

20 Notes The Use Of Visual Aids Tips on Preparing Visual Aids Don t over rely on your slideshow, so be careful of Death by PowerPoint! Keep Visual Aids BRIEF do not overload your audience. Ask the audience to read or listen, not both. Give participants hard copies of various graphic aids used in your presentation. They will be able to write on the paper copies and have them for future reference. If you have handouts, don t let them become a distraction during the presentation. Use Key Words or phases only for your Overheads and/or Power Point slides. Place yourself at Centre Stage. Talk to your audience, not your Visual Aids. Retention Of Information 20 Visual Aids add impact and interest to a presentation. They enable you to appeal to more than one sense at the same time, thereby increasing the audience s understanding and retention level. With pictures, the concepts or ideas you present are no longer simply words - but words plus images. The following chart cites the effectiveness of visual aids on audience retention.

21 Activity Design a 5-10 minute presentation relating to a topic of your choice. INTRODUCTION Hello, my name is... I am here today to talk about (topic)... SELF My background is... Before we start, I would like to ask... OTHERS Activity Today I would like to talk about... SCENE 21 My OBJECTIVE today is... As a RESULT of this you will be able to...

22 The Body Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 22 In CONCLUSION today we have covered Scene: As a RESULT you will now be able to...

23 Activity Working Copy INTRODUCTION Hello, my name is... I am here today to talk about (topic)... SELF My background is... Before we start, I would like to ask... OTHERS Today I would like to talk about... SCENE Activity 23 My OBJECTIVE today is... As a RESULT of this you will be able to...

24 The Body Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4 24 In CONCLUSION today we have covered Scene: As a RESULT you will now be able to...

25 Action Plan What have been the main areas that you have gained and/or had reinforced from this program? Follow-up Actions Action Required: Expected Outcome: Due Date: Action Required: Action Plan 25 Expected Outcome: Due Date: Action precedes clarity. Peter Sheahan

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