Practicing Presentation Skills

Module Overview

Today’s workplace is characterised by frequent and unexpected organisational changes, greater responsibilities and broader remits – involving much collaboration, team-working and matrix reporting.

Being a confident, polished speaker is an essential skill to navigating this environment effectively and persuasively.

In this 2-day seminar, you’ll develop your presentation skills and learn how to present your ideas with conviction, control and poise – and without fear.

You’ll gain the specific skills and direction you need to become comfortable with your own style. And, you’ll receive expert advice on how to handle especially challenging situations.
Most importantly, you’ll learn how to present by presenting.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify ways to gain rapport with your audience – using speech & body language
• Learn tactics to reduce nervousness & fear
• Project a professional presence – amid peers, managers & stakeholders
• Know how to organise content, to fit your goal – to inform, consult, persuade, train, etc.
• Recognise how visual aids can create impact and attention – including the paths and pitfalls
• Learn the ‘ins and outs’ to using voice, eye contact, props, stories, analogies and humour
• Gain practice in how to handle Q&A’s
• Prepare, test & deliver a mini presentation
• Prepare reports and proposals that inform, persuade and provide information

Programme Content

• Planning and preparing content – the role the brain plays in designing & remembering content
• Taking the audience’s perspective – how they hear and interpret the message
• Create an audience profile and set presentation parameters accordingly
• Practice skills to reduce nervousness and positively manage self-talk.
• Deliver your material so that it is heard, understood and remembered
• Learn the benefits of rehearsing, adhering to a time frame and speaking from notes
• Injecting your own personality to regulate flow and response with your audience.
• Develop ‘active listening’ and empathy skills to really tune in to your audience’s reaction
• Identify tips for effective composition of visual content and speaker aids
• Handling questions – and how to encourage questions from the audience
• Being able to anticipate, avoid and handle equipment problems
• Learn to manage the common logistical and “set-up” problems – & how to deal with “problem participants”.
• Prepare and role-play a presentation segment drawn from your own experience
• Receive feedback on the effectiveness of your presentation role-play
• Build skills and self-critique by use of video playback.

This course is suited for
Senior Managers, Middle Managers & Team Leaders