Painless Speaking is a page-turner I read recently on the important art of Public Speaking. In that treasure-trove, the putative author — Mary Elizabeth — shares a giant list of visual aids speakers and trainers can rely on while going lyrical on stage. The aids include: audio-visual tapes, drawings, photographs, graphs, charts, samples, hand-outs, props and slides.
Dear reader, wise use of slides brought out through PowerPoint presentations will be the central plank of this piece. As a sage on stage, when you decide to use PowerPoint you must be very careful for in professional speaking, there is something pundits dubbed ‘Death by PowerPoint’. You can read more about it in a heroic book titled Speak to Win by Brian Tracy. Some speakers rely on PowerPoint Presentation so heavily to an extent that their personalities, puissance and essence diminish as they move from point-to-point.
Some presenters goof when they consider PowerPoint as the nub of presentation. They forget about power and potency of their voices, words, deeds, posture and gestures. Yet — this is how it should go: In case you purpose to use PowerPoint or any prepared visual outline, you should use them as tools of trade that keep the focus of your audience on your face. Bring up one concept at a time. Discuss it. Explain it before bringing in the next one.
Meaning, as a presenter use PowerPoint only as a prop or as a robust support. It should not be the gist of the presentation. Largely, remain the focal point of the presentation. PowerPoint is there merely to assist you and to illustrate your points with crystalline clarity to the audience. When you use PowerPoint, purpose to prepare, practice and rehearse for the umpteenth time. Go through a dry run: 3-5 times before you make your presentation. Do a complete dress-rehearsal to ensure that everything is hunky-dory. Before you begin doing your thing, you must ensure that everything is perfect like a picture.
Then, I know this will shock people fond of PowerPoint presentations. Advisedly, you should never have more than 5 lines on a single slide. In addition, the line should never have more than 5 words. Failure to abide by this golden rule can distract or even confuse the audience. Albeit, there is an exception to this rule; with a smaller room or group, you can use more lines or words than the rule permits.
Regardless of the number of points you use, bring them up one at a time as you are commenting on them. Do not make the mistake of bringing up the entire slide full of information so that the audience is busy reading and not paying a scintilla of attention to you, the presenter.
It is instructive to note that it is important to face the audience while using PowerPoint. You should have your laptop in front of you illustrating what is appearing on the screen behind you. As you click through your PowerPoint presentation, keep your eyes on the audience and address them all through. When you are not referring to a point on the screen, ensure that you blank out the screen so that it does not distract the audience as you speak. Actually, never forget about this poignant point: Your face is the most important element in any presentation. While you splash words on the screen, people’s eyes will be darting from your face to the screen, back and forth, like spectators at a tennis game.
Likewise, when you use PowerPoint, ensure that your face is bright throughout the entire presentation. As a presenter, do not accept to be in the dark. Adhering to this piece of advice will help you ensure maximum clarity for the projector and the screen. In any case, when you use PowerPoint, commence with a strong, clear statement — that sets the stage for your presentation. You can then use PowerPoint to illustrate critical numbers, points and relationships. As you prepare your slides, blend words with images that communicate. When you have finished using PowerPoint, blank out the screen.
Be sure to end with a strong focus on your face and your verbal message. Finally, things easily go south. You have probably witnessed situations where probably the entire presentation was mainly on PowerPoint. When the machine fails to function, the presenter becomes helpless — stands confused and begins clicking, but nothing happens. People edge to the stage to tinker with the machine at that time. They try fixing it. They call a certain ‘technician’. The glitch dents the seminar or workshop because it disorients the speaker.
© Victor Ochieng’
The writer trains people on the art of Public Speaking. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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