How To Evaluate A Presentation Skills Training Program

As a presenter, seniors evaluate your ability to think and communicate effectively from the quality of your presentation. Customers equate the quality of the product or service to the quality of your sales presentation. Your team will evaluate your ability to lead from your presentation skills.

Presentation Skills are critical...

As you can see, excellent presentation skills are absolutely essential for career and business. If you are looking at honing your presentation skills, there are a number of trainers, books and training videos out there. How do you evaluate the one that is best for you?

Here are 5 parameters you should use to evaluate a Presentation Skills Training Program:

1. Does it have a structured approach?

Most presenters learn from experience in college and at their workplace. They modify their presentation skills based on self-evaluation and feedback from friends or seniors. If you are one such presenter, there could be gaps in skills that you are not aware of.

Learning a structured approach ensures that you get consistent results time after time.

What to check for:

Does the workshop you are evaluating teach a structured approach to presenting? Check if they have a trademark process (e.g. Minimal Process for presentations) or format (e.g. a storytelling format) that shows they teach a clear process.

2. Is it a comprehensive program?

A good presentation is a combination of thinking skills, design skills and speaking skills. Thinking skills help you put together your thoughts and create a strong story before getting into slides.

PowerPoint or Slide Design skills help you create engaging visual content using diagrams, images and a good layout.

Speaking skills help you open strongly, deal with questions, judge audience reaction and understand your own style of presenting. All 3 parts need to be equally addressed for your skills to be honed.

What to check for:

Most training programs focus on the only a part of these skills. From the training schedule, check the amount of time allocated for each of these components. A good program allocates roughly equal time to all 3 components.

3. Does it go beyond tips and hints?

The problem with many training programs I have seen is that they teach tips and tricks. Tips include advice like, "You should appear confident on stage. Stand straight and look at your audience in the eye to appear confident."

While you may enjoy the program, you will remember nothing of the tricks a week after the training. There is no need to attend a program when you can pick up such tips even with reading free articles.

What to check for:

Watch out for programs schedules that talk about speaking tips, presentation hints, tricks to appear confident and so on. These programs are not intense enough to hone your skills.

4. Does it teach you anything creative?

To be interesting, every presentation needs to have a creative component. This could be in using an opening that grabs audience attention, using diagrams to represent ideas, using images in an unusual way.

What to check for:

No matter what it is, does the training program offer to teach you something unique and creative?

This also shows that the program will be teaching you something beyond the usual. Such creative aspects ensure that you can really sharpen your skills in the program, even if you are an experienced presenter.

5. Is the workshop practical?

This is the most important aspect that is applicable for any training program. If the program is not practical then it is a waste of time. A skill can only be learnt if it is practiced in a safe environment (not in front of the customer).

What to check for:

Check the trainer profile: Is the program being run by an experienced presenter who has experience in presenting as a manager or businessperson? If they have just been a trainer for a short while, it is possible that they do not understand the issues you face.

Check time allocated for practice in the program schedule: Does it provide ample time for practice during the course of the training? This indicates that everything that is being taught is being practiced step-by-step. If the workshop reserves a block of time at the end alone, then you can be sure that the program will not provide you enough practice.

Are there enough practice exercises and will they show you good and bad examples? All these indicate that the training will be far more effective than the run-of-the-mill training.

Once you find a program that matches these five criteria, you can be sure that it will help you hone your presentation skills.

Visit: www.StepupandSpeak.com

What You Will Learn From Public Speaking Training

Public speaking training are what we can call the best options for those who want to learn how to succeed in their careers but have to face and talk to people, but are afraid to. With the training, you will learn the abilities not only how to speak effectively in public, but also how to communicate well to different kinds of people regardless of the setting. Corporate leaders are good examples of public speakers. They do address large number of people that are usually their employees and business partners and yet they can also talk to people who are recognized to be the best in the industries they are working in.

Within the public speaking training are special classes. In these classes you are required to do your work and also your homework. So just to be able to become an expert in speaking in public, you should know your goals to help you decide which part of the training you want to focus on and specialize.

The following are the things public speaking training can empower you.

Overcoming your fear in speaking to the public. This is the number one factor why it is so hard to become an effective public speaker. With regular public speaking classes, you will be taught how to overcome this form of anxiety.

Learning the quickest and best methods in creating your effective presentation with different scenario. You will be equipped with knowledge on how to produce presentations for different audiences and for various scenarios.

Learning to be more concise and how to build your power of persuasion. Learning to be an effective public speaker is not only about earning the knowledge on how to deliver or convey your messages well but also how you can convince your audiences on the things that you want to express.

Enhancing your speech deliveries by doing hands-on practices during public speaking classes. In this manner, you will learn how to design your speech and delivering presentations along with your group. Your group may also serve as your audience to help you get through your anxieties and obtain constructive criticisms.

Teaching you how to use your voice effectively. Sometimes it is the tone of your voice and the way how you pronounce every word that can convey your messages effectively and this you will learn from public speaking training.

Learning how you can convince people with your eyes and convey your message with your body language during your speech delivery. Your eyes and body movements are powerful message conveyors that can generally influence audiences.
Gaining confidence on stage. Confidence is weapons that can make your audiences sense you have the authority to reach out to them. If you have the confidence, you have the power to be in control. If you don't have it, your audience will also feel that you are not ready to take the lead.

Learning how you can organize your thoughts instantly. You will learn the basic knowledge on how to enhance the flow of logic into your brain and delivering interesting messages instantaneously that the audience can be able to listen and build curiosity in whatever things you say.

Learning how to maintain your poise, coolness and judgment in times of stress are also some of the things you will learn from public speaking classes. You need to be good in these aspects because questions will usually be directed to you regarding your topics so you need to be armed, cool and have a clear mind all the time.

Learning all these from the training in public speaking can help you succeed not only in your career but also gaining your self-confidence which can result in enhancing your personality, relationship with other people and building you a clearer perspective in life. Unfortunately not all people do have the luxury of time in attending public speaking classes or training especially the working people. Therefore, the best way to gain the knowledge in the art of public speaking is hiring a coach or a speech coach for personal speech training purposes.

A speech coach can pinpoint to you what you need to enhance, develop, and eliminate in order for you to become better in speaking in public. He or she can be able to identify which aspect in the way you speak you must improve to make you an expert public speaker. Another advantage of having a speech coach is that he or she can always adapt to your preferred time.

There is now online public speaking training which your speech coach can be able put you in and do one-on-one coaching. And with the use of the technology, this now becomes easy. However, you pay by the hour or by the project if you hire a speech coach. On the other hand, there are more things that you can gain in attending public speaking classes that a speech coach can't be able to provide and this is practicing with live audience which your classmates or group can help you with.

Visit: www.StepupandSpeak.com

Business Presentation Tips - How to Calm People Down

Many professionals dread the unthinkable moment in presentations: an angry or aggressive attack. Don't you wish you had a magic remedy to calm people down -- without risking embarrassment and public humiliation?

In most corporate and professional settings, direct attacks are not commonplace. Instead, all kinds of more subtle interactions are the norm. However, from time to time, you are likely to encounter strong emotions, anger, and resentment. All the 'yucky stuff' most presenters strive to avoid.

What can you do if the dreaded thing happens?

Apply proven presentation techniques to be persuasive, calm people down, and avoid embarrassment.

Let me ask you a simple question: what do you dread most?

 Presenting an important project to your boss or supervisor  Discussing a critical project with a bully  Saying the wrong thing - and not knowing how to recover  Putting your foot in your mouth  Bearing the brunt of ridicule and abuse from co-workersThese are just a few of the scary moments in presenting. But if you are speaking in public, at one time or another, some of these uncomfortable moments will appear. No doubt, from time to time, your ideas and recommendations will be challenged.

Instead of slinking into the corner and giving up before you begin, what can you do? Get more skillful at handling these difficult situations. There's good news here. These are interpersonal presentation skills that can be learned.

You don't have to be born with the gene of communication. You don't have to be super-human and know how to solve every problem before it shows up. Instead, you can focus on building your skills. In a short time, you can build the right set of skills, feel more confident, and be more effective in front of any group.

Use these 3 tips to win respect and get your ideas heard.

Tip 1: Find Common Ground

First, find common ground. Look for the connection in values, direction, or process that you share with your audience. Hint: there is always common ground. If it's not obvious at first, keep looking.

Tip 2: Focus On The Big Picture

Resist the urge to immediately jump into all the details of your specific proposal or recommendation. Stick to the big picture. Give the overview -- first.

Tip 3: Listen With Total Focus

Listen to what is said with complete focus. Instead of thinking about what you are going to say next, listen. By listening intently you show that you care about what people think.

You may not agree with the content of what they are saying. However, by listening with full attention, you show respect. This often calms people down.

Knowing how to calm people down requires practice, skill and the right tools. You can use body language, words, gestures, and visual sketches to create a calmer environment and encourage open communication.

If you dread conflict, or have ever "lost it" in a professional presentation, this is an important area to develop your skills.

Learn how to calm people down, without embarrassing yourself or them. Knowing what to do in different settings gives you confidence and skill to be more effective in presenting. 

Visit: www.StepupandSpeak.com

What is Leadership Training?

The introduction of a successful leader into a management team is a good investment for any organization. Leaders visualize plans, inspire subordinates and plan the required course. Leadership skills comprise of various qualities such as optimism, commitment and the ability to use power effectively.

Leadership training is significant, not only in the world of business, but even in the worlds of sports and medicine. Leadership training is essential for the social and economical set-up of any business. Leadership skills in managers are important ingredients in company's expansion. These skills are best acquired with the help leadership training. Democratic, autocratic and laissez-faire are the different approaches to leadership training. Each of these is unique and inculcates leadership skills based upon distinct operational patterns.

Training programs are tools that help in the application of leadership skills at work. These skills could have been acquired at leadership skills classes, seminars or read. Individuals as well as organizations specialize in offering leadership training in various fields. There are many organizations that offer online leadership training also. Some of these organizations are even willing to reimburse the money paid for a leadership seminar, if the result is not satisfactory. Leadership training programs are expected to use core and widely agreed upon features of leadership, to bring out the best in people. Leadership involves vision and the ability to influence people and motivate them to work towards it.

Leadership training can be profitable to businesses in a number of ways. It helps to educate the employees, improves their performances and reduces staff attrition. This is beneficial to organizations, as it reduces the cost involved in constantly hiring new employees. It also helps in developing high performance teams. The participants gain a sense of power, which is, the power to guide others and the organization in the right direction, successfully.

Visit: www.StepupandSpeak.com

Public Speaking Tips For Successful Speakers

Most people would rather have root canal work done than get up in front of an audience and deliver a speech. Of the five most commonly held terrors that the majority of Americans own up to, the fear of making a speech heads the list. It is ahead of the fear of death and an audit by the IRS. Here are some Public Speaking Tips that will ease your way somewhat and help you overcome your fears.

Mark Twain said, "It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech."

MARKET RESEARCH:

Any good speaker will consider Market Research the bottom part of the iceberg with the top part being the actual speech. You need to consider the five targeting questions first.

These are:

What are you going to be talking about, what is your purpose in speaking?
When - how far away is your speech - how much preparation time will you have?
Where is it going to be held and what, if any travel arrangements are in place?
Why do they want you to speak, what is your speciality?
How are you going to accomplish it. Do you need to research the topic
WHO IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?

Know the specific nature of the guests. Do they belong to the same business type or organization. If so, put some anecdotes or items of interest relating to their common interest into your presentation. Perhaps you could make a positive statement about the geography of the town or city you are speaking in.
What is the purpose for them assembling. Is this a special occasion requiring you to direct your speech to the reason for the seminar or gathering.
Be mindful of the possible cultural differences and exclude material or comments or phrases that might be culturally insensitive. Research well.
If at all possible, mingle and greet some of your audience as they arrive and make them instant friends. You will find it much easier giving your presentations to a group of friends than a group of strangers.
WHAT ORDER ARE YOU SPEAKING IN?

Are you the keynote speaker? Are you speaking first, in the middle or last? This is very important because speaking order is can have a huge bearing on the audience's attention span, particularly if you are to speak after someone who has bored them into a state of stupor.

WHAT IS YOUR THEME GOING TO BE?

What topic are you going to be speaking about in your presentation? If you're an acknowledged expert in a particular field you may be asked to talk about anything within your area of expertise.
It's also very important that you establish early on what sort of speech you are being asked to deliver. Are you being asked to inform your audience; entertain your audience or persuade your audience? Once you have established this you can then research the basic theme of your presentation.

If you decide that it is an informative speech then your audience will expect to get new information that needs to be presented in an even-handed and objective manner.
If you are going to present a persuasive speech then the purpose is to give the audience convincing evidence to support a change in attitudes, beliefs, values or behavior.
An entertaining speech is not about being a stand-up comic. It should be a speech, NOT a routine and should provoke a pleasurable response from your audience. A good entertaining or humorous speaker does not need to use blasphemy and bad language to get his or her point across. You can entertain without using filthy language or highly offensive gender, religious, cultural or ethnic material. It's a poor speaker who needs to use these devices to gain notoriety.
CONSIDER YOUR SPEECH STRUCTURE

Whatever the basic premise of your speech, whether you are going to be informing, entertaining or persuading you audience, you will need to have a definite sense of structure to your speech.

A good speech must have an opening, a body and a conclusion.

The Opening:

Your opening sentences must capture your audience's interest and attention right from the beginning. If you lose them during this crucial start, they will most likely stay lost for the whole speech. Perhaps you might consider beginning with a pertinent rhetorical question for an informative speech; a humorous story for an entertaining speech and set up your premise for a persuasive speech.

Next provide a good linking sentence to segue between your opening and the body of the speech.

The Body:

Have a few good points (no more than three or four). Use these to expand upon your speech premise.

The Conclusion:

Here you need to summarise the main points in the body, perhaps reiterate your main premise and deliver a conclusion and finish with a memorable statement.

The object of a speech is to Communicate something to the audience. People seem to think that just opening and closing your mouth and speaking provides communication. This is not so. The people you are speaking to must UNDERSTAND what you are talking about in order for communication to have taken place. If you do not communicate; if you leave the audience with more questions than you answered then you have not succeeded.

I hope these Public Speaking Tips will give you a place to begin. However all the tips in the world will only take you so far in a career as a public speaker. The number one thing you must do is participate, participate, participate. You only get better by doing. So grab your courage in both hands and start accepting speaking engagements. Don't take on a role beyond your speaking ability. Start where you are with small five minute speaking opportunities. Whatever you do, begin to do something. If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there.

Nyree Burt is an author and a public speaker of some skill and experience. She has won awards and competitions for speaking ever since she was a teenager. She has addressed corporations and held training sessions in Australia and New Zealand and can add significantly to the skill level of anyone who desires to improve their public speaking skills.

Visit: www.StepupandSpeak.com

Public Speaking Anxiety Fix Using Different Self Calming Methods

When we're in a position where we have to present publicly no one can come up with a public speaking anxiety fix other than ourselves. If you suffer from public speaking anxiety, fixed the situation by making sure before you go into the speaking event you have used tools that will help you calm down.

There is something you can use which is called self-hypnosis to calm yourself down before you go into an event. Self-hypnosis is not the type of thing that you see in Las Vegas or when watching cable TV where someone starts squawking like a chicken. It is a state of mind and a process that you go through to reach your subconscious and defuse the fear. There are many different tools you can use to learn how to do self-hypnosis before your next public speaking event.

Another tool you can use is meditation. Meditation has become more popular in today's world to combat stressors. It is a process of relaxing body and mind and the relaxation carries over as a public speaking anxiety fix. If you're able to meditate for as little as five minutes before you go on stage you may be able to find the relaxation point that allows you to deliver your presentation with the confidence you've always wanted. Meditation is used for many different things such as lowering blood pressure and during things like writer's block. We've all meditated in some form of another even if we didn't know it. Closing your eyes to think about a subject before you focus on it is a form of meditation and a great speaking anxiety fix if you've got to deliver a speech or lecture.

Yoga has also become a great stress reliever and public speaking anxiety fix. Many people today do yoga for physical fitness, but yoga always been an art form that is used for meditation in order to clear your mind. Yoga is about body and mind and it is one of the best public speaking anxiety fixes you can rely on. Of course you can not do yoga in the middle of a business meeting but if you do yoga in the morning before you leave for your meeting it can carry through the day and make you feel confident and clearheaded, which is one of the keys to delivering a quality public address.

Whatever tool you use-whether it is self-hypnosis, meditation or yoga you need to find a mechanism to use it as a public speaking anxiety fix so you're fears wane and your delivery can be perfect.

Finding a public speaking anxiety fix is what this lens is all about. Having had to deliver speeches in my various senior roles with companies and while owning my own business I can attest to that terrible stage fright feeling that people experience. The anxiety of speaking in public is not limited to speeches to large groups. It can be debilitating when simply delivering a stand up message to a small group of colleagues.

Visit: www.StepupandSpeak.com