Speeeech help!

Blighter · 11-08-2009, 23:57

I need some

I've been invited up to Blacks' Head Office to do a presentation in front of the big guys on how I feel the company is being run (get me

)

Apart from saying a four letter word that resembles excrement, what things should I/shouldn't I be doing?

Should I include humour and sarcasm, or not? etc

I've never done anything like this before

divine · 11-08-2009, 23:59

Charts.

Pie charts, bar charts, flow charts, you name, you use it.

They'll love it.

Mark · 12-08-2009, 00:04

Humour if you can do it - most think they can and actually can't (goes down like a lead balloon). Sarcasm would be a bad idea.

Here's some bullet points for you:

Know what you're talking about (well duh!)
Present the information in an interesting way (keep the audience engaged). Charts.
Don't make it too long (consider the average human attention span - if they're falling asleep, it's too long ).
Don't just recite any presentation slides (you could just as well have emailed them).

Good luck. Would scare me ****less. Presenting my uni dissertation nearly left me a nervous wreck and I've avoided at all cost since then. Some might say I'm still a nervous wreck.

Matblack · 12-08-2009, 07:41

Steer away from sarcasm and keep humour subtle unless its highly relevant, if they have asked you for opinion then you don't need to produce meaningless flowcharts and pie charts just for the sake of it but powerpoint slides will help maintain focus. Keep bullet points of what you want to say (use the slides to trigger your memory) but don't script it. Remain calm.

MB

Burble · 12-08-2009, 08:59

Avoid humour and sarcasm completely - you run the risk of coming over as a jumped up little know it all.

Try to make the presentation pretty much speak for itself - I hate seeing graphs and crap that require a 10 minute explanation. Ultimately they bring nothing to the party.

It's a pet hate of mine when people do a presentation where the text slides in, shimmers in and the like, it stinks of someone padding out their presentation. They're interested in what you've got to say, not much much fancy crap you can put into Powerpoint.

Keep it relatively short, make eye contact, don't speak too fast and try to relax.

Pheebs · 12-08-2009, 09:48

One widgy tip from me...

Smile

Works wonders on calming you down and relaxing everyone else

Fayshun · 12-08-2009, 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pheebs

One widgy tip from me...

Smile

Works wonders on calming you down and relaxing everyone else

And if you're nervous, imagine the front row naked

Kreeeee · 12-08-2009, 11:59

I'm great at giving presentations, and I've got to do one in my upcoming job interview.

It's all about confidence. If you can talk in a confident and engaging manner (lots of practice presentations to friends and family will help if you're not naturally confident) then you're 90% of the way there. The other 10% is knowing what you're talking about.

Pheebs · 12-08-2009, 15:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fayshun

And if you're nervous, imagine the front row naked

Hahahahaha!

I never do that! I just suddenly remember that men have dingalings!

Matblack · 12-08-2009, 15:09

Groups always react well to naked speakers, if things seem to be going badly ....... strip

MB

11-08-2009, 23:57	#1
Blighter Dubious Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Northampton Posts: 1,571	Speeeech help! I need some I've been invited up to Blacks' Head Office to do a presentation in front of the big guys on how I feel the company is being run (get me ) Apart from saying a four letter word that resembles excrement, what things should I/shouldn't I be doing? Should I include humour and sarcasm, or not? etc I've never done anything like this before __________________ Look at your signature, now back to mine, now back to yours, now back to mine. Sadly, yours isn't mine. But if you stopped writing about other things and made this your signature, yours could be like mine. Look down, back up. Where are you? You're on Boat Drinks, reading the signature your signature could be like. I'm on a computer. My Blog \| More Outdoors \| MSN \| Email \| Call Me

11-08-2009, 23:59	#2
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	Charts. Pie charts, bar charts, flow charts, you name, you use it. They'll love it. __________________

12-08-2009, 00:04	#3
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Humour if you can do it - most think they can and actually can't (goes down like a lead balloon). Sarcasm would be a bad idea. Here's some bullet points for you: Know what you're talking about (well duh!) Present the information in an interesting way (keep the audience engaged). Charts. Don't make it too long (consider the average human attention span - if they're falling asleep, it's too long ). Don't just recite any presentation slides (you could just as well have emailed them). Good luck. Would scare me ****less. Presenting my uni dissertation nearly left me a nervous wreck and I've avoided at all cost since then. Some might say I'm still a nervous wreck.

12-08-2009, 07:41	#4
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	Steer away from sarcasm and keep humour subtle unless its highly relevant, if they have asked you for opinion then you don't need to produce meaningless flowcharts and pie charts just for the sake of it but powerpoint slides will help maintain focus. Keep bullet points of what you want to say (use the slides to trigger your memory) but don't script it. Remain calm. MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

12-08-2009, 09:48	#6
Pheebs Deep Throat Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 6,512	One widgy tip from me... Smile Works wonders on calming you down and relaxing everyone else __________________ http://www.spiffingdesigns.co.uk

12-08-2009, 08:59	#5
Burble Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,826	Avoid humour and sarcasm completely - you run the risk of coming over as a jumped up little know it all. Try to make the presentation pretty much speak for itself - I hate seeing graphs and crap that require a 10 minute explanation. Ultimately they bring nothing to the party. It's a pet hate of mine when people do a presentation where the text slides in, shimmers in and the like, it stinks of someone padding out their presentation. They're interested in what you've got to say, not much much fancy crap you can put into Powerpoint. Keep it relatively short, make eye contact, don't speak too fast and try to relax.

12-08-2009, 11:59	#8
Kreeeee Long Island Iced Tea Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 278	I'm great at giving presentations, and I've got to do one in my upcoming job interview. It's all about confidence. If you can talk in a confident and engaging manner (lots of practice presentations to friends and family will help if you're not naturally confident) then you're 90% of the way there. The other 10% is knowing what you're talking about. __________________

12-08-2009, 15:09	#10
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	Groups always react well to naked speakers, if things seem to be going badly ....... strip MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"