03 08 Presentations

CATEGORY: BUSINESS GROUP: 3. AT THE WORKPLACE Topic: 8. Presentations Introduction: Most employees have to give some kind of presentation at some point during their careers. It might be to a small group of people or to a large audience. What is considered a good presentation might differ according to the culture of the country you are in or to the company you are with. Dialogue: Mandy works for a company in the United States. She has to give her first presentation at work next week, and she is a little bit nervous. Shes talking to her husband, Jim, to get some ideas on how to give a good presentation. Mandy: So, Jim, Im really nervous about this presentation I have to give at work next

week. Jim: Yeah, I always get nervous too when I have to give a presentation. How many

people will it be for? Mandy: I think there will be about 50 people in the audience. Jim: Thats a pretty big crowd! Mandy: I know. Thats whats making me a little nervous. Jim: What kind of presentation is it? Mandy: What do you mean? Jim: You know. Is it a demonstration, a briefing, a workshop, etc.?

Copyright 2007 English 1 on 1 Corp. All rights reserved. No reproduction without expressed written permission of English 1 on 1.

Mandy: Oh, its a demonstration. Jim: Why are you so nervous? Mandy: Well, Ive never given a presentation to such a large group of people before. I

gave presentations at school, but you know this is my first one at work. Jim: Have you been preparing already? Mandy: A little bit. Ive made an outline of what I want to say and wrote down some

notes. What else should I do? Jim: You should definitely prepare some kind of visual aids. Things like a power point

or a model of the product youll be demonstrating. Mandy: OK. Ive got both of those things. I just need to finish up the power point

presentation. Jim: You should check the venue too. That way youll know what it looks like, and you

can check on all the AV equipment. Mandy: Oh, thats a good point. I guess I should make sure the microphone, computer,

and projector work. Jim: Definitely. You dont want to get in there and have technical problems. How are

you going to start the presentation? Mandy: I was thinking of telling an anecdote first to get the audiences attention and

then just introduce myself and give an overview of what Im going to talk about. Jim: That sounds good. Dont forget to tell the audience whether they should hold their

questions till the end or if they can ask them during the presentation. Mandy: I didnt even think about that. Thanks. Ill add that. Is there anything I should

remember for during the presentation? Its been so long since Ive given one I cant remember.

Jim: Well, I guess first of all make sure that the audience can hear you. Make sure you

talk loud enough or use a microphone. Mandy: I could do a sound check at the beginning. Jim: Thats a good idea. Then, remember to make eye contact with the audience. You

want to remember to speak to them, not the equipment or the screen.


Mandy: I remember I used to turn my back to the audience sometimes when I was nervous giving presentations.

Jim: Yeah, dont do that. The only other thing I can think of is to smile and try not to

move around or fidget too much. Mandy: Ill have to try to remember not to do that. Jim: Thats pretty much all I can think of. Why dont you finish preparing the

presentation this week and then you can practice it with me, and Ill pretend to be the audience.

Mandy: Oh, that would be great! Thanks, Jim! Jim: Sure. Once you practice it a few times, youll feel more comfortable and less

nervous. Mandy: I hope so! Jim: Youll do fine, I know. Vocabulary a demonstration: a showing of the merits of a product or service to a prospective

consumer a briefing: an act or instance of giving precise instructions or essential information a workshop: a usually brief intensive educational program for a relatively small group

of people that focuses especially on techniques and skills in a particular field an outline: a preliminary version of a project, paper, or speech the venue: a place where events of a specific type are held AV equipment: audio-visual equipment technical problems: problems with AV equipment an anecdote: a short, amusing story fidget: nervous movement Discussion Questions:

1. Have you ever given a presentation? What type was it? Tell me about it. -Sure. Ive given lots of presentations before. Usually, I just gave short informational speeches or workshops. I gave employment workshops for international students. I usually had 5-15 students in the audience. I stood and talked as I went through a power point presentation. I preferred if students held their questions until the end of the presentation.


2. In your opinion, what makes a good/bad presentation? -To me, a good presentation is one where the presenter is smiling and relaxed. They speak slowly and clearly. Also, a good presentation has some kind of visual aid to help the audience follow along. A bad presentation is one that is boring, confusing, or delivered in a monotonous or unenthusiastic manner.

3. Do you get nervous giving presentations? Why not? How do you deal with the

nervousness? -Yes. Before a presentation I am usually nervous. To deal with this, I try to prepare myself as much as possible. I practice my presentation and arrive early at the venue to ensure that everything is in order. I try to take deep breaths during the presentation, and this helps me relax.

4. How are people expected to dress for presentations in your country? -Generally, for work presentations people dress in formal work attire. They wear suits or nice work clothes. Presentations are usually a time when people try to look very professional.

5. Do you think visual aids help or hinder a presentation? Why? -I think visual aids help a presentation. I think they are helpful for the presenter because it helps them remember what they are going to say. Its also helpful for the audience because they help them follow along and can make the presentation more interesting to watch.

6. Have you ever experienced technical problems during a presentation? What happened? -Yes I have. On a few occasions I went to give a presentation and the power point projector or laptop that I was using wouldnt work. I had to call in other people to help fix it. Thats why I always set up far in advance!

7. Is it customary for people to ask questions during a presentation, after a presentation, or not at all in your country? -In the U.S. I think its most customary for people to ask questions after a presentation. In some informal situations they might ask questions during a presentation, but usually they hold them until the speaker is finished.

8. What would you do if someone asked you a question during a presentation that you didnt know how to answer? -If this happened, I would just tell the person that I didnt know the answer to their question. I would let them know that the question was out of my area of expertise or that I would need to do more research in order to answer it. I think its better to admit that you dont know the answer than to try to make something up.


9. How often do you give presentations at your job? -Im a teacher, so I give presentations every day. Usually, theyre very brief presentations.

10. What happens to you when youre nervous? -When Im nervous my face turns red, and I get butterflies in my stomach.


03 08 Presentations

Documents

Transcript of 03 08 Presentations