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The Simple Tips for Your Presentation from the World Class Presenters

April 1, 2020 by Muhammad Noer

Sometimes, presentation can get confusing. When you asked to present something, what would you feel? Maybe you will worry that your presentation won’t be interesting. Or, you worry about your performance on stage. Even though, amazing presentation is the key for the successful presentation.

You may feel afraid or worry for many reason. It’s very human if you feel worry or afraid before your presentation. But, you have to minimize those feelings for your own sake. You can minimize your bad feelings with confidence. Without it, then you will not perform well.

If you want to have confidence, you have to prepare. You as a presenter and your presentation material. When you have prepared, then you will have the confidence. A good material can give you enough confidence to present it.

But, it doesn’t mean that you have to spend all of your time, just to prepare your material. You have to do something else, too. You have to practice and you have to rest.

But, you don’t have to worry. Some world class presenters share their secrets. Their presentation skill is one of their key to success.

Here are their tips:

Tip #1: Tell the audience your points

It’s okay to tell about numbers in your presentation. But, if there too much numbers, your audience will be tired. So, use numbers if only it necessary. Show the numbers creatively, like in diagrams or tables.

In addition to data in numbers, another data and facts should be presented in a creative way, so it will be interesting for the audience. Tell them about those data and facts, only those relevant to the purpose of your presentation. Too much data will kill your audience.

Tip #2: Use the attractive templates

Although it may seems trivial, slide shows can help make your presentations more interesting. For that, take a minute to choose or design an attractive template. It would be better if the presentation template is made ‘in line’ with the intent and purpose of your presentation.

In addition to templates, use visuals that are suitable with the material that you want to convey. This visual includes images, videos, colors, and font that will be used. Thus, to representing the intent and purpose of the presentation, this visual material must also be eye catchy, to attract attention and not make the audience feel bored quickly.

Tip #3: Use the big letter

Big means that the size of the letters is have to easily read by the audience. Besides, the appearance of these large letters will make the audience to focus on the material displayed on the presentation slide.

Also use the same typeface in the presentation material. A matching font can also help your audience stay focused on what you are saying during presentation.

Tip #4: Think about GPS

Dave Paradi recommends that you imagine GPS when making presentation material. The presentation material that you are going to deliver must have a clear flow, from the opening, the content, to the closing presentation. All of that must trace, so that the audience’s attention is not interrupted, until eventually they will do what you expect.

Tip #5: Use manual before digital

Before you make presentation material using a computer, it’s good to design the material by hand. The aim is to make it easier for you to explore, what you should convey and how the delivery flow, so that it is more interesting and effective.

After your material is more conceptualized, complete with visualization to be conveyed, then the material can be created using a computer.

Tip #6: Thinks as an audience

Before making presentation material, first think that you are the audience who will attend the presentation. If you are in a position as an audience, what information do you want to get, or how to deliver the presentation material that you want. But, of course you should already ‘know’ who would be your audience.

By thinking as an audience, you will make presentation materials according to their needs, not according to your own desires. You do have certain goals and objectives that must be conveyed. But, it must be collaborated with the needs of the audience. Material that fits the audience’s point of view will make presentations more interesting and easier to understand.

Isn’t it simple? To make a stunning presentation cannot be in the blink of an eye. Experiences are required. For that reason, presentation training can be one way to become a reliable presenter.

How to Avoid Boredom in Delivering Same Topic Presentation Frequently?

February 19, 2020 by Muhammad Noer

Being a speaker for the same topic so frequently or routinely and over a long period of time will certainly give you a sense of saturation. This boredom can have an impact on the way you deliver your presentation to audience.

That same topic will also resonate differently to audiences who happen to have heard you deliver the topic before. For example, they burst out laughing at your jokes about your topic before, but this time they might just smile.

Well, then how to keep your presentation interesting, even though you are bored. How do you anticipate the same people who have heard your presentation among an audience?

The following are some strategies that can be put into practice to keep your presentation effective.

1. Adjust the “module” of the presentation topic

This term only exists in our mental notes as speakers. Instead of as a whole, try to view the parts of our presentation as a collection of modules.

You can turn your presentations to suit the needs of the audience and ourselves. Make a number of module variations. By changing modules like this, you avoid the boredom of the material itself, likewise with the audience.

Don’t forget to train the entire module variation, so that you can immediately overhaul the parts of the presentation as needed.

2. Throw away all of your notes

This is the benefit to always practice. When you deliver the same topic quite often, you may have memorized everything by heart, but you may also need cue cards.

But, forget those cards or any kind of notes. Memorize the variations, as stated in earlier point. You are flexible in using them. By removing your focus from any notes, you will be free to interact with the audience. You will also be free to improvise and prevent yourself from the regularity of presentations.

Many speakers are reluctant to interact or engage to their audiences because of the fear of losing control, although there are many advantages to making the audience part of the presentation.

To avoid this situation, just ask variety of questions or give instructions to your audience.

3. Utilizing multimedia in “modules”

We know that the use of pictures, music, or videos gives extraordinary impacts in building effective presentations. Now, by breaking your presentation into modules, you can use up-to-date or better pictures, song pieces, or videos to suit the conditions or needs of the audience.

4. Getting to know your audience

This applies to any presentation, whether it’s a first one or for the umpteenth hundred times. The difference is, when you use this strategy in giving a routine presentation of the same topic, you will be more helped in matching modules that can be changed earlier.

Find out about relevant demographic, psychographic, age, gender, etc, so you can choose the module that best fits the audience’s life situation. This information can be obtained from the event organizer or committee.

For example, one time you have to deliver a presentation on the topic of career planning and this time the audience are managers. So, you can take an example of a career journey from prominent company leaders that they might recognize.

Another time, you have to talk about the same topic, with different audience. They are employees who started their careers from general staff positions. Then you have to replace the example with people who are in similar conditions and situations with them.

Similarity will attract the interest of the audience.

5. Adjust to the purpose of the presentation

The same presentation can be used for different purposes. Again, it is important to divide your presentation into modules. For example, you are a regular speaker on business topics. You can change some modules that are more suitable for those who are just starting a small and medium business.

On another occasion, you are asked to speak in front of small and medium entrepreneurs who want to improve their business by using latest technologies. All you have to do is modify an existing presentations (the modules or examples).

When you are considered as an expert in a particular field, the possibility to give the same topic many times in a presentation is very large. To that end, be creative in modifying your presentation, so that it is more suitable to audiences with different backgrounds, and prevents you as a speaker from being bored. (*)

Why Smiling is Good for You When Giving Presentation?

November 13, 2019 by Muhammad Noer

Some of you might say, “Standing in front of audience without getting cold feet sometimes is already hard, let alone smiling.”

Well, the truth is smiling can help you reduce stress and shake off all your fears while talking in front of people, such as in a presentation.

A smile has its own strength. To your audience, a smile expresses warmth. For yourself, it gives a strong impression on how you see the world.

When you smile, you change the effect of the reaction on your body. The body releases dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, the hormones that responsible for calmness and pleasure. Aren’t these conditions you really need to overcome your fears and stage fright?

When giving a presentation, your smile is an important part of the instruments that exist in your body. Smiles can modulate your voice, thus enabling you to get more engaged to your audience.

Our body is a tool, just like a musical instrument. The design is important. Our mouth is the bell of the instrument, while smile determines its shape. When you change the shape of the bell, it also changes your voice.

When you smile, you can feel it changes the atmosphere, from your stage to the entire room.

There are so many reasons why you better smile when giving presentation. The release of the happy hormones was just one of the them.

It makes you look cool and credible

People say, the less emotion you how, the more you look cool and credible. Apparently, not really. The Journal of Consumer Research in 2018 reveals the opposite. Looking serious or credible has nothing to do with smiling.

Researchers found that public speakers who smile look cooler than less expressive ones. In addition, unable to smile risks the absence of connection with the audience. And we all know that connectedness is needed in effective communication.

It helps you to build connection with audience

This point is related to the previous reason. Giving a presentation is a form of communication that based on relationships. Presenters need to smile to help them develop connections with the audience.

People tend to mimic face expression their interlocutors. The mimicry often occur unconsciously. Basically, by mimicking, we want to express warmth and build connection.

So, when you stand in front audience and smile at them, there’s a big chance they will smile back at you unconsciously. This is the beginning of the formation of connections in the subconscious.

It helps your mind stay calm and makes your body relax

When you see the audience smile back at you, you can also feel the effect. You will be calmer, more relaxed, and more confident. It is triggered by the release of the hormones, like serotonin and dopamine in the brain.

Dopamine increases feelings of happiness, while serotonin tries to reduce stress. When you smile, your brain produces chemicals that tell you if you enjoy this activity (presentation, public speaking). It is telling you, “You are fine.”

These hormones relax your body. Smiling reduces the body’s response to stressful changes.

Research that has been done involves the act of biting chopsticks in the mouth, which gives a similar shape to a smile, giving the effect to heart rate. The beating is lower, so less stress occurs.

These findings suggest that smiling during brief stress can help reduce the body’s stress response.

It helps you to have longer life span

Well, this might be the long-term reason, but if you think your life is stressful since you have to give presentation a little bit too often, and stress leads to shorten age, therefore you better start to practice this smile.

In conclusion, smiling is a simple way to make giving presentation or public speaking less stressful, while helping you connect with your audience.

One thing that also important to keep in mind is public speaking is an industry of service. As speakers, we must find ways to form ourselves to become instruments of presentation, that will get the strongest response from our audience. Who would have think that the strongest instrument was a smile?(*)

7 Tips How To Communicate At The New Workplace

May 15, 2019 by Muhammad Noer

You are just accepted at a new workplace. This means that you have to adapt to the new environment.

The new workplace with a new work atmosphere, habits, friendship environment, which may be very different from what you know so far. In a new workplace, in addition to the challenges of working on new responsibilities, you are also challenged to be able to adapt in a new environment, including how to communicate with new colleagues.

It’s okay, if you feel anxious and nervous at the first day in the new workplace. This nervousness is mainly because you really don’t know the atmosphere of the new office.

So, the ability to adapt is very important. The faster you adapt to the new atmosphere, the faster you can do your best there. The most important thing that will really help you adapt is how to communicate with the new colleagues.

Here are some tips for communicating in a new workplace:

1. Focus When The Introduction Process

When entering a new workplace, your status is a new employee. No matter what position you are in, you are a new employee.

A new employee will usually get guidance from the HRD team. The HRD team will usually provide information to you about important matters related to the internal company. For example, regarding the organizational structure, business activities or work performed, vision, mission, company values, habits and regulations that apply there.

The purpose of this introduction is to introduce the company to new employees. For that, you really need to focus when they explain it to you. Note the explanations given well. Ask questions if it is really needed, so when you start working, there are no more things that block you.

By focusing on paying attention to the explanations given at the introduction, and asking questions about things that you don’t understand, you show that you respect them. You listen to everything they say. Listening is one of the keys to a good communication.

2. Be Calm and Observe

Sometimes, there are people who are so passionate about working in a new place. They become overreacting. They act like they already know everybody.

This is maybe because the person wants to try to blend in immediately and is known by their colleagues. But, it really doesn’t need to be done. Excessive and pretentious attitude can even make other people feel uncomfortable, so that will actually limit your intercommunication.

It’s better to be casual. Observe first how the communication patterns that applies in the new office, like the communication style of your new colleagues, both to fellow work colleagues and to superiors.

When it’s time for a break or lunch, you can chat with new friends more relaxed. This is also an opportunity for you to observe their nature and behavior. That way, you can determine the right way to communicate with them later, especially when you want to discuss work issues.

3. Pay Attention to Your Voice

The point is, speak with the same volume with your new friends or with the circumstances around you. For example, there may be times when you need to speak quietly. There may also be times when you have to talk louder.

4. Use the Opportunity to Talk

At certain times, you must be proactive to get to know and be known by your new colleagues. You can’t just sit quietly and wait for them to be talked to. Every now and then, you must speak first. Of course, you have to look the situation first. You can start the chat when it’s time to relax, for example during recess. For that, prepare yourself with exciting chat materials.

5. Always be polite to everyone

Even if you are new, you don’t need to be inferior, especially if you meet or cross path with people who have higher positions than you. You can greet them politely, while making small talk.

Of course, you also have to be polite to everyone in the office. If you cross path with someone you just met, don’t look away and try to smile. You will never know, maybe that person turned out to be a big boss or a company owner.

By being polite, you have opened a barrier to build relationships with other people. Actually, it’s not just new people who are feeling awkward to communicate with old people somewhere. Old people will feel awkward when they have to interact with new people.

By being polite to each other, then you have reduced the awkwardness.

6. Avoid Excessive Complaints

As a new person, of course there will be things that make someone feel uncomfortable when in a new place. If you have worked in other places before, it will unconsciously make you compare it to the new one.

Even so, when you encounter something that makes you uncomfortable, just keep it in your heart. As a new person, you should not immediately file a complaint. Maybe, the thing that makes it uncomfortable is only temporary or actually doesn’t happen at any time.

Instead of thinking about complaints, you better focus on the fun about the new workplace. Isn’t that what used to make you interested in working in that place?

7. Manage Your Cubicle Properly

At the new workplace, you will get a desk or your own place to work. Arrange your cubicle well, so it is nice to see. Make sure that your telephone, laptop, and other devices have been set up in an organized fashion, so you are able to use them effectively when it comes to communicating with those who aren’t in the workplace. A SIP trunk (learn more here) with the latest features, and a device that has all the apps is also a must if you want to make sure you are communicating at a high quality. Don’t forget that a neat and pleasant cubicle will attract the attention of colleagues to visit. That way, your chances of being able to communicate and getting to know them more will be even greater.

Indeed, it is not easy to adapt in a new place. But, good communication skills will make your efforts to adapt easier.

Who Said Introverts Can’t Be Great in Public Speaking?

April 24, 2019 by Muhammad Noer

Many people thought that great public speakers are extroverts. They said only extroverts can fluently and successfully deliver messages and inspire people on stage. Introverts surely will find it difficult to give speech in front of a crowd. Let alone stand on stage and talk in front of dozens, even hundreds of people, giving a speech at a small family event will make them very nervous.

But, apparently that assumption was not entirely correct. Many world-renowned speakers are introverts. In fact, being an introvert can actually be a good asset to become a great public speaker. How come?

Introverts are people who tend to look inside themselves. They pay more attention to their own thoughts and feelings, not because they are not able to give attention to people or things that happen around them. They do this because they are more stimulated by their inner world.

Take the example of former United States President Barack Obama. Who would’ve thought that he is an introvert? Then there is Bill Gates, the founder and chairman of Microsoft. Although introverted, fortunately he is not a shy person.

But there are also introvert AND shy public speakers. One of them is Eleanor Roosevelt, most influential First Lady in the US history. An official biography wrote that she was a shy and awkward person. But however, she managed to show herself as very public and entertaining persona, during her duty as First Lady. She even become a US spokesperson at the United Nations, after her husband died.

Then, why are these introverts able to be great speakers?

1. Introverts are Full of Preparation

It’s like a mantra: preparation is the key. Being able to speak in public with confidence and engaging is not depending on your character or original nature, but how prepared you are. Good speeches, remarks, or presentations do not come from certain social skills, but rather preparation.

Introverts love solitude. They like to spend time in their solitude to improve or practice their speeches, remarks, or presentations. Introverts also tend to like writing. When doing this, they will try to write their messages right.

Not that they don’t need input or criticism from the friends or close people. Introverts, like any other speakers, like to get instant feedback from the messages they deliver. It’s just that introverts prefer to get this feedback by the time their draft of speech, remarks, or presentation has been completely done.

Introverts also pay more attention to their physical needs, such as getting enough rest, eating right, and calming down. So, it’s no wonder they have good physical condition when they talk on stage.

2. Introverts Focus on Messages

Introverts are very aware that they are not the most important thing in the room. They know that their presence is to serve the audience. Turned out that this perspective able to reduce anxiety because the focus is on things or messages that were more important than themselves.

A number of reliable speakers strongly believe that speaking in public will bring a kind of benefit to their audience. When you believe the strength of your messages, you will no longer have a problem with confidence.

3. Introverts Serve the Audience

Introverts are extraordinary listeners. This trait makes them care about the needs of those around them. For introverts, this is why they feel talking feels unnatural to them. Introverts think public speaking is not about them, but about their audience.

They realize, task of a speaker is to take care of the audience, not to be judged by them, nor to entertain them. It’s important to know who your audience are before giving a speech. You have to gain as much information about your audience as possible. Who are they? What do they need to know? What do they already know from your material?

Introverts will take time to research, to ask, and to think about what the audience needs to know and how to deliver their messages.

Introverts put focus on their audience is not only when they plan their speeches, remarks, or presentations, but also when delivering them. They consider instant feedback from the audience to be very important. Introverts will be very happy if they get nonverbal cues from their audience that show interest, or even vice versa, so they can immediately improve the delivery of their messages.

Well, if you are an introvert, don’t be too worry. You have enough capacity to be a great public speaker. You have unique strengths that extroverts don’t. Just trust yourself and master your stage. (*)