Do not:
If there is a loss of confidence or loss of place, try to keep going though some ad-libbing whilst it returns or use a crutch (the acetate, the notes, perhaps a back up sheet of notes was made). Try to get off the crutch as soon as possible. Everyone has stage fright and there is no perfect presentation.
If equipment does not work or stops working, or suddenly you realise that say slides are in the wrong order, can the problem be ignored? Very often it can, as supporting media is just that.
Try to ad-lib anyway to help the flow, but watch the clock.
If it looks like a presentation is going to overrun, then find something to truncate or even cut out. There is a skill in speaking while looking ahead at the content.
Give signals to the presenting colleague whose turn may be approaching, especially if there is a large amount of ad-libbing in terms of speech. The handover should be as smooth as possible.
The presentation should come to a firm halt.
Questions and answers
Let people know before the presentation begins that questions can be asked afterwards. Occasionally they may interrupt, but decide whether this is what is wanted. if not, say that questions will be taken at the end!
Questions help to...
- Involve the audience
- Get their attention in advance for later
- Give them a sense of involvement
- Show the speaker's confident knowledge
- Finds agreements and disagreements
Questioners have several motives, not all of which are pure as the driven snow. So it is quite possible to detect what kind of question is being asked. Some people genuinely ask something simply because they want to know more information or follow up the taster the presentation offered. Some think that they can match the presentation without the preparation, and the questions will be oneupmanship. Some go further and just want to put the other point of view, and then the questions are persistent (one answer leading to another). Others are almost showing off.
So the different motivations behind questions give rise to the...
- Genuine question
- Competitive question
- Oppositional question
- Relentless question
- limelight question
It is professional, however, to regard each neutrally if possible. However, questioners obviously need handling and it is a question of management, so offer the chance to ask questions to anyone else, make the answers shorter, or call time if need be.
Nevertheless questions are likely to be:
- Could you say more about? (genuine)
- Explain more because I don't understand (genuine)
- Where is that information from? (competitive?)
- Is that reliable? (competitive?)
- Do you know this work? (oppositional)
- Have you heard of Mr Very Obscure who says...? (oppositional, limelight)
- You are wrong about... (oppositional, relentless)
- You've not answered my point.. (relentless)
- But that is not the issue is it? (relentless, limelight)
- What is your authority? (limelight)
- This material is available to anyone who looks (limelight)
Handling questions well and answering them from a position of authority by command of the subject enhances and rounds off a presentation, so the questions (which often get the most interest) can be the most successful part of the presentation and round it off well.
Moving on
The research that went into the presentation, the material in the background, the narrative of the presentation and the issues raised by the questions can all be used towards creating a larger written piece of work.
Adrian Worsfold
http://www.pluralist.co.uk
Eastwood, J. (1998), Presentation Skills, Leicester: De Montford University Library, Student Learning Development Centre.