I was a total ZOMBIE.
I stared with unfocused eyes at a bunch of strangers.
My posture was slouched, my hands were trembling and witnesses told me I didn’t look like myself at all.
Fortunately, I wasn’t standing in front of a room of co-workers or executives delivering an important presentation. Instead, I was onstage at the Hippodrome State Theater playing a zombie in its production of Night of the Living Dead. However, if the symptoms listed above describe how you feel just thinking about giving a presentation at work, here are a few principles and practices from the world of theater that can help you avoid looking or feeling like the undead the next time you’re center stage at work.
1. Rehearsal is not optional
a. Practice delivering your material. Public speaking is a learned skill, and the best way to ensure a great experience for you and your audience is to invest the time in learning and rehearsing your presentation.
b. Consider using a video camera or webcam to record yourself practicing. Make sure your body language, facial expressions and vocal inflections are helping to communicate your message and not distract from it.
2. Technical Design
a. If you’re using a slide presentation, avoid reading from it word for word. Visual aids like these can often become a crutch, and the misuse of them can negate all of the hard work and planning you’ve done. Be confident that if technology fails, you can still communicate the information effectively. If visuals are critical to your message, prepare high-quality printed materials to distribute in case of an emergency.
b. Familiarize yourself with the space where you’ll be speaking. If you require assistance from your IT Department, have those arrangements made well in advance. If possible, test everything in the room you’ll be using a couple of days before and the day of your presentation.
3. Be Heard
a. In theater, as in the conference room, the fastest way to have people “check out” mentally is if they cannot hear or understand you. Speak clearly, and project your voice in such a way that is appropriate for the space where you will be speaking.
b. Be aware that nervousness can lead to an altered version of your normal speaking voice, so do your best to relax, breathe and enjoy the experience. Come prepared with a bottle of water should you need it.
5. No Apologies
If an actor makes a mistake during a performance, or if there is a technical malfunction, the show just keeps going without a grand announcement of the error. Usually, the only people who even know there was a mistake are the people who performed or produced the show. The lesson here is that if something goes wrong, chances are – you’re the only one who knows it. By stopping to apologize for a glitch, you risk drawing attention to something that may have otherwise remained unnoticed.
6. Take a Bow
You worked hard, prepared well and executed your presentation brilliantly. Your co-workers don’t need all the details of the work you put into your presentation; however, there is no benefit to downplaying your efforts, either. If paid a well-earned compliment, a simple and heartfelt “thank you” will serve you well.
A strategy to gain additional benefits from your presentation would be to send a short email thanking the attendees for their participation and including some (but not all) of the following items:
- A .PDF file of relevant slides from your presentation
- A suggested reading list on the subject you spoke about
- A link to connect with you on LinkedIn (if they haven’t already)
- A link to an article that reinforces or expands on the concepts you addressed
- An anonymous five-question survey evaluating your presentation (www.SURVEYMONKEY.com)
Finally, here are some online resources that can help you craft a presentation worthy of a standing ovation:
- Would animation best communicate aspects of your message? If so, visit www.GOANIMATE.com,
- For high-quality photos and illustrations for your slideshow, use www.ISTOCKPHOTO.com,
- For tips on organizing an effective presentation, visit www.PRESENTATIONPREP.com,
- If you need a free online teleprompter, check out www.CUEPROMPTER.com,
- For a visually creative alternative to PowerPoint, I use www.PREZI.com,
