It's 3 pm on a Tuesday afternoon
and you're delivering an important presentation to one of your company's
most prestigious clients.
| Things get off to a good start,
your audiovisual equipment is working and there's no need to refer to
your notes; you know this speech inside and out. You're a little nervous
but that's to be expected. Besides, you have your trusty podium to hide
behind between PowerPoint slides. You know it's important to connect
with the audience so as you go through your presentation you glance
at the picture on the back wall every so often – a little trick
you picked up – to look like you're making eye contact. |
|
 |
Ten minutes into your "awesome"
presentation you ask a question and no one responds. You look up from
your PowerPoint show and glance around the room only to see bobbing
heads, glazed-over eyes and…hey, the president of the company has dozed
off. Oh no, it looks like instead of "knocking 'em dead," you've knocked
'em out!
The Real Challenge...
Unfortunately many people think that once they've organized all the
information they need for a presentation, their work is over. In reality
preparing is only half the work. The real work is holding people's interest
long enough to get your point across. You can write the greatest speech
in history but if you can't keep your audience's attention, how will
they ever know?
To ensure your message is received
loud and clear, try paying attention to body language – both your
own and that of your audience.
Beat Boredom...
You can greatly improve your presentations by simply paying attention
to the messages you send your audience with your body language. Are
you standing in the same spot for the entire presentation? Is your voice
flat and uninteresting? Or maybe you aren't using any hand gestures
to get your point across. All of these things can make a presentation
a little boring.
Celeste Sulliman, Assistant Professor,
Communication at UCCB, says one of the keys to keeping your audience
interested is making eye contact with your entire audience, not just
one or two people. "This draws the audience into your presentation and
allows you to make an interpersonal connection with them. "
|
Remember to move around! You
don't have to do cartwheels, but do shift from one area of the room
to another periodically. You might also try moving forward so you're
closer to your audience instead of hiding out behind your podium.
Don't speak in a monotone voice
as if you're reciting your speech word for word. Sulliman suggests that
you be enthusiastic and animated. Speak to your audience in a conversational
manner just as you would to someone in a business meeting.
|
Decoding the Silent Signals
You can also improve your presentation by noticing the messages your
audience sends back to you through their own body language. Check out
their reactions to what you're saying. Are people nodding their heads
in agreement or are they just nodding off? If they look puzzled, stop
and allow them to ask questions.
Watch for signals of boredom
or misinterpretation. Are they leaning toward you to listen or are they
sitting back with their arms folded? When members of your audience are
slouched back in their seats letting their eyes wander it usually means
they're uninterested in what you're saying. But if they're sitting back
with their arms folded across their chest, staring at you, they may
have been offended by something you've said. If you're paying close
attention, you can catch this and clarify your statement without any
negative feelings.
The best speakers make you feel
as if they're having a normal conversation – not spewing out a
memorized speech. So relax and remember these tips – they may just
help you avoid turning your presentation into nap time.
To learn more about body language,
visit:
www.iib.org.uk/ba_body.htm
www.top7business.com/archives/success/092298.html
www.onebusinessplace.com/articles/market/body-language.html
www.usatoday.com/careers/news/usa024.htm
REFERENCE:
Celeste Sulliman, PhD. Assistant Professor, Communication, University
College of Cape Breton. Personal communication. December 7, 2000.
1. Source: Merriam-Webster Collegiate Webster Dictionary (Online). 2000.
