Defining Communicating & Presenting

Communication and Presentation Skills are tools used to condense and communicate ideas in an effort to be heard, to persuade, to engage an audience and convince others on many different levels personally and professionally

Communication is the process of exchanging information, ideas, and feelings. There are 6 elements : (1) Senders (2) Receivers (3) Messages (4) Channels (5) Feedback (6) Blocks They are useful for : Teaming & Collaboration Interpersonal Skills Personal Engagement Social Responsibility

Types of communication

A picture is worth a thousand words.

What is this picture trying to communicate?

Role of communication in organizations

Levels of communication
Communicating and presenting take place on different levels. It is necessary to explore and operate on the across the following levels
The conceptual - communicating the overriding idea behind the message

The perceptual engaging the audience visually as well as verbally,

The sensory using and appealing to all the senses

The emotional knowing your subject, owning your story, and appealing to your listeners emotions

The behavioural - influencing change in the way your audience behaves

Some thoughts on Communication

Good writing / presentations cant make bad work good, but bad writing/presentations can make good work go unnoticed

Being a good writer / speaker rarely comes naturally

Get better by writing more paper, giving more talks and by analyzing what good writers / speakers do

The secret of effective communication is to let the river of your thoughts flow into the basin of other minds and perspectives

Presenting effectively is an art. Preparing the presentation is essentially an art

Communication Styles

Passive
Extends but does not feel Entitled to rights, accepts responsibilities

Aggressive
Demands but does not extend rights; does not accept responsibilities

Assertive
Both exercises and extends rights and responsibilities

Distortions in Sending & Receiving Messages

On a humorous note.

Communication Interaction Patterns

Functions and applications of communication

Listening Styles

ResultsResults -style:
Interested in the bottom line or result of a message

ReasonsReasons -style:
Interested in hearing the rationale behind a message

ProcessProcess -style:
Likes to discuss issues in detail

Maintain eye contact and nod your head to convey that you are listening or that you agree. Smile and show interest and lean forward to show the speaker you are interested. Use a tone of voice that matches your message

Effective Listening and Engagement

1. Setting the stage
Remove distractions Be open and accessible Listen with empathy

2. Ensuring mutual understanding

Reflect feelings Paraphrase main ideas Interrupt to clarify Confirm next steps

3. Understanding body language

Observe position and posturing Make eye contact Consider expression and gestures

4. Suspending judgment
Concentrate Keep an open mind Hear the person out

On a humorous note.

The Presentation Process Map Plan Prepare Practice Present

Why? Reason for presentation Impact on audience Scope of content Who? Target audience Cultural make up Knowledge level Size

What? Research Authenticity of content Examples Expert opinions Live data Famous quotes Movie clippings Diagrams/ Graphs Anecdotes & Jokes Create the structure

How?
Study flow of content Ascertain relevance Review impact Get familiar with content Prepare for delivery Simulate and evaluate Prepare for questions Maintain Cue Chart Timing Print out of presentation Key word reminders

How/Where/Who? Greeting/ Salutation Opening Outline of contents Logical delivery Focus on outcomes Stimulate interest Draw conclusions Take a stance Deal with questions

Know who your audience is and what level they are at. Know what you want to say, how to say it clearly and why you are saying it. Know what and where the core of your story is

Making the presentation

Phase I Opening:
Build rapport with the audience through a joke, anecdote, personal incident, story, fact Throw a monkey in the audience or pose an introspective question

Phase II - Delivery of content:

Articulate/ deliver the content with clarity & confidence Engage with the audience by maintaining eye contact and expressive body language Manage your time effectively Ensure that too much time is not spent on a single topic

Phase III - Closure

Draw the topic towards a logical conclusion Ensure that your views are well cemented Field questions and doubts

Presentation Challenges

Dealing with tough questions Irritants in the audience who create interruptions/
disturbances

Fears relevant to presenting - Shaky hands, blushing

cheeks, memory loss, nausea, and knocking knees

Fear of the Unknown OR Loss of Control Fight or Flight Mode No Backup Plan No Enthusiasm For Subject Focus of Attention

Bringing life to your presentation

A sense of excitement is imparted through the vocabulary you use, your mental attitude and physical actions Use active verbs Rehearse and relax Use metaphors to help your listeners think about problems in a different way Use quotes that are easy to remember so that your audience has something to take away and reuse Modulate your voice to bring meaning and feeling through changes in volume, tone and pitch Change pace and emphasis, build in pauses. Speak clearly and slowly Use facial expression and hand gestures as part of your delivery - make eye contact Avoid mannerisms Think about your appearance, dress to impress

Tips Towards Effective Presenting

Minimize looking backwards Focus more on the audience than on the audience Show only key words and not the entire content Be sure of the content and the context before presenting Avoid sensitive topics which are controversial Keep it short and simple Data must be objective, unambiguous & precise Remove your beliefs and prejudices Avoid jumping to conclusions Be precise, detailed and unambiguous Be close to the real problem Use a variety of visual aids (graphs, tables, photographs and diagrams)

Ingredients that make an excellent presentation

Excellent presentations are all about : Communication and performance Concepts and stories as means of explanation and application A direct result of developing and using the skills and techniques Turning you into an expert and powerful communicator, Enhancing your persuasion and negotiating skills There are 3 Main Purposes Inform, Persuade, Educate

Barriers to Effective Communication

Process Barriers:
Involve all components of the perceptual model of communication

Personal Barriers:
Involve components of an individuals communication competence and interpersonal dynamics between people communicating

Physical Barriers:
Pertain to the physical distance between people communicating

Semantic Barriers:
Relate to the different understanding and interpretations of the words we use to communicate

THANK YOU