8.2.2 Delivery
The quality of the delivery of the presentation is essential if you are to maintain audience interest. Verbal and non-verbal behaviour should be consistent and used to emphasise your message, for example, to demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for a topic. As mentioned above, concentrate on changes of tone and rhythm. Focus on delivering the message rather than on your nerves: try to cast off your inhibitions.
Activity 8c
Read through the various approaches to public presenting on pages 600-604 of the textbook and the use of non-verbal behaviour in presentations on pages 609-610 of the textbook.
In front of a mirror or a friend or relative, deliver the presentations you prepared in 8b. Note how you stand, how you use your hands, what your facial expressions are, and the tone of voice you use.
The extemporaneous mode of delivery for business presentations is the style most likely to retain audience attention and make your speech both credible and interesting as it allows you to maintain eye contact. This style allows you to appear more natural and in control such that you can be more spontaneous and responsive to audience needs (Yoder et al. 1996). It is not an easy thing to do without experience, however; but there is little worse for audiences than watching speakers read the texts of the notes in front of them without making eye contact
As you will know if you have made presentations, all presenters experience a degree of anxiety, or at the least anticipation, prior to presentations. Some presenters can use the anxiety positively to motivate and energise while others use it negatively, let their nerves get the better of them and convince themselves that they will fail.
Elder (1994) provides several strategies to deal with nerves:
- Look at the audience.
- Pause to take deep breaths.
- Respond to the looks and body language of your audience.
- Use gestures. Moving your arms around will make your address more interesting and will make you more relaxed.
- Keep saying to yourself: `I have something interesting to say and I want to share it with these people.'
- Keep practising. When you know the material thoroughly it will be there in your head when you most need it.
- Keep reminding yourself that, if things get really tough you can always just refer to your notes.
- Say to yourself, `I know my audience. I have researched the topic. I know my material is well organised. I know what I'm talking about. I've practised. Why should I be nervous?'
- Remind yourself that you are in the box seat. The audience is usually, at the beginning, eager to hear what you have to say. You have the power and you are the centre of attention. Remember: most people are impressed by good speakers and you can be one.
- There is value in dressing a little bit better than your audience. That is a very subtle, non verbal way of establishing your position.
- Organise yourself so that you aren't rushing on the day of your speech. Leave yourself time to go to the toilet if you need to so that you are not rushing off two minutes before you are due to give the speech.
- Eat and drink in moderation beforehand. Feeling full or slightly tipsy is not a good way to start a speech.
- Don't be afraid to stop your speech if there are technical problems. Some people insist on carrying on even though the microphone is buzzing, a light is flickering, or traffic noises outside mean that half the audience can't hear. Have the confidence to stop and ask: `Can you hear me with that jackhammer making such a din?' If people can't hear you, no matter how good your speech is, continuing will be a waste of time.
- Lastly, learn the technique of 'floating'. We have already said that it will be impossible to be completely relaxed. Your throat will be dry, your stomach will be full of butterflies, your palms will be sweaty, your heart will be pumping away. This is not peculiar to you. It happens to pop musicians, athletes, or anyone else who is presented with a real challenge. So, what do you do? Actors have a relaxation technique which can work wonders. Find a quiet place if you can. Start with your toes and work from one end of your body to the other tightening every muscle and then relaxing it. Tighten your toes. Relax them. Tighten your calf muscles. Relax them. Tighten your stomach muscles. Relax them ... and so on.
Another variation of this is a simple breathing exercise. Take a deep breath. Hold it. Then let it out with a smile. You will be amazed how it will relax you.
In any communication, fear is more often something we perceive rather than something real. It is a matter of reframing the way you think about the situation; from negative to positive. Reflect back on the learning person and self-defeating person in chapter 5.
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