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Common Presentation Mistakes to Avoid

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Common Presentation Mistakes to Avoid

Presentations are something that you’ve likely been experiencing since your school days and could be using actively in your career.  Either way, you’re probably familiar with how presentations work and know that their success has a lot to do with who the presenter is and how well they interact with the audience.  Common presenting mistakes can often cause your audience to quickly lose interest in what you’re talking about.  Here are some mistakes you’ll surely want to avoid during a presentation:

Failing to Engage With Audience

As a presenter, your number one job is to make sure you’re keeping your audience interested in what you’re talking about.  Even the most interesting topics can feel quite boring if the person presenting isn’t engaging enough. Get your audience to interact with what you’re talking about.  Ask questions, and foster participation to keep everyone interested. Standing in front of a crowd and reading off a bullet list slide by slide will quickly result in your audience losing interest in what you’re saying.

Overloading Presentation Slides

Aside from your presenting skills, you should always make sure your slideshow is well put together and organized.  Tools like PowerPoint are extremely useful if you know how to use them correctly. A slideshow should be well organized with the information you’re trying to get across; however, you don’t want to pack each slide with paragraphs, pictures, and graphs.  Your slides should be a guide for you and your audience to follow along with. The rest of the information should come from you as the presenter. You can even go as far as using the hidden “notes” field as a teleprompter to keep you on track; just be sure you aren’t relying too much on it.  

Speaking in Jargon

A wide vocabulary is a great thing to have if you know how to use it.  Have you ever heard a presenter who sounds extremely smart, but you really don’t have any idea what they’re talking about?  Keep this in mind when you’re behind the podium. It’s essential to remember that when presenting to an audience, you should keep your speech and vocabulary to a level where your audience won’t have trouble understanding what you’re saying.  According to the Harvard Business Review, “Consider whether your presentation passes the “grandmother test”: If your grandmother wouldn’t understand what on earth you’re talking about, rework your message.”

Lacking Clear Focus

Always keep a clear focus on the message you’re trying to convey.  If your thoughts are scattered, it’s almost a definite that you’ll confuse your audience quickly; and that will ultimately result in losing their interest.  Keep your thoughts organized, and your mind focused on specific topics.

Conducting a Classroom Debate

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Conducting a Classroom Debate

Conducting a classroom debate can be a great way to get different ideas from the students and keep them engaged. However, you need to use the right approach. If you don’t, you could risk going into topics they aren’t interested in or worse. So use the following tips and make sure your debates are always fun, valuable, and engaging:

Poll the Class

You need to control the general range of topics of the debate. However, within that you can allow the students to choose what they want to discuss. This makes them feel like they have a choice and are participants in the process.

Avoid Touchy Subjects

In school today, the last thing you want to do is talk about something that could upset someone. Avoid touchy topics that might offend students. The last thing you want is a bad social media backlash against you or your school, regardless of how important you think the topic is.

Get Into it With Them

Get involved in the discussion as well. Don’t take it over, but make your opinion known. When you’re willing to openup with your students, they will trust you more and be willing to open up in front of the class and with you as well.

Have a Backup Plan

Sometimes, no matter what you do, you can’t get the debate started. Have some kind of gimmick or activity that gets them into the mood to talk about the topic, then try going back to the debate. Consider team games to start with, as this builds trust among the group.

Involve Technology

The younger generations love technology. While they may not respond to a whiteboard, they might light up if you mention their favorite Youtuber or social media star. Try bringing in a tablet or even using your smartphone to get more engagement. It is speaking to them in a language they understand so they will liven up.

When it comes to teaching, it has its share of challenges. However, one of the most difficult things is to get the whole classroom involved in a debate. So have the right strategy on your side and you can enjoy a better outcome each time. Use the advice above and your students will be asking you to have more debates in the future.

Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety

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Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety

 

Public speaking is a legitimate fear for individuals of all ages.  Giving presentations, speeches, or other activities that require speaking in front of a large group of people, can present anxiety, and prove to be rather difficult for many people. However, there are many tools that one can use to overcome fears and strengthen public speaking skills.  Here are a few tips to reduce that public speaking anxiety.

Break It Down

When you’re preparing your speech or presentation, break the whole thing down into manageable steps. Outline your intro, the points of your speech, and the conclusion. Write down each part separately, then put it all together. Cut or add what you need so you don’t run over your allotted time.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

The adage goes, “practice makes perfect” and it’s completely true. Rehearse your speech or presentation. Do it in front of your bathroom mirror or in your bedroom at first. Hearing the speech out loud will help you figure out what needs tweaking. Then practice your speech with a close friend or relative, someone you trust to give constructive feedback.

Don’t Expect Perfection

Perfectionism is a hard concept for a lot of people to break. We don’t want to show others that we’re not as put together as we should be. Here’s a hint: nobody else is expecting you to be perfect. Even if you flub a word here or there, keep going. Chances are, no one is going to notice.

Engage With Your Audience

Don’t read your speech off word for word and don’t memorize. You’ll end up with a presentation sounding wooden and false. Instead, engage with your audience like you would a friend over coffee. Step away from the podium. Ask questions, invite them to clap or raise hands. All of these things will help to connect with your audience and reduce any nervousness.

Breathe

Most of all, don’t forget to breathe. Deep breathing exercises have been found to slow the heart rate and reduce stress. Even taking a few deep, slow breaths before you start your speech will give you time to gather your thoughts.

Public speaking can cause a lot of stress and fears. However, you can side-step most of the stress with a bit of preparation and ways to keep yourself grounded and relaxed. Just breathe, step away from the podium, and give it all you got!

Essential Elements of Public Speaking

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Essential Elements of Public Speaking

Public speaking can often be intimidating as you attempt to communicate a specific message and make a connection with your audience. For most individuals, public speaking rarely comes naturally and is usually a learned skill that requires plenty of practice.  It’s important to remember that mastering the art of public speaking takes time and practice. If you want to improve how well you give speeches or presentations in the classroom or workplace, there are a few essential elements to keep in mind.

Invite Participation From the Audience

You can engage with your audience and allow them to stay interested in your presentation by inviting them to participate. You can use a specific person as an example when you’re making a point or use a catchphrase or word that is repeated by the audience to ensure that they’re receptive to what you’re communicating.  This helps keep your audience engaged in what you’re talking about while encouraging feedback.

Research

Although you may be passionate about what you’re discussing during your presentation, you’ll still need to present a few facts to prove your argument or ideas. Researching extensively is necessary to become an expert on the topic and to ensure you’re qualified to answer any questions at the end of your speech. If you’re well-researched, you’ll have more confidence talking to your audience and won’t have as much fear with the amount of attention that you receive.

Get Over Your Fear

Fear can limit your ability to speak in a public setting and can cause different reactions both physically and mentally. Your audience will take notice if you’re shaking or are stuttering, making it necessary to get over your fear. Controlling your breathing and practicing your presentation in advance can allow you to feel calmer and more prepared. Have a few notes in front of you to stay on topic with each point that you want to make, which can help you to feel more confident being in the spotlight.

Express Yourself

If you don’t incorporate a bit of personality into your public speaking skills, then you can likely expect your audience to generally lose interest in what you’re talking about. Insert a bit of humor, have fun, and express yourself to show that you’re passionate as you get others on board. You’ll be more entertaining if you make it a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone instead of only focusing on communicating your points.

Quick Tips to Improve Public Speaking Skills

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One of the most common fears that most people share is public speaking, which can allow you to feel judged and examined by your audience while giving a presentation speech. In many cases, it can be easy to make mistakes as you attempt to convey a particular message and process your thoughts while in the spotlight. If you want to appear composed during public speaking and improve your skills, there are a few tips to follow.

Make Your Message Simple

Simplifying your message is necessary to have clarity when you’re speaking and avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the points that you need to address. Make it concise to ensure that you communicate clearly and avoid losing the attention of your audience. You can break your message into questions to make it easier to understand and to find a connection with each person you’re speaking to during the presentation.

Practice on Video

Consider practicing your speech or presentation ahead of time to ensure that you can see how you appear. You can take a close look at your mannerisms or how well you articulate your words to make improvements before it’s time for the big day. Practicing in the days leading up to your presentation will allow you to get the general framework down without having to memorize everything, which can cause it to appear forced and unnatural. Although experiencing nervousness is normal, you can feel more confident with enough practice and by becoming more comfortable with speaking in front of other people, according to this article by Marjorie North.

Make a Connection with Your Audience

One of the most important aspects of public speaking is making a connection with your audience to ensure that your message is received. If you’re authentic about your message and are passionate about it, you can allow it to be translated to those who are listening to what you have to say.

Using humor is a way of connecting with your audience and by becoming more relatable. Making other people laugh can also allow you to relax and feel more comfortable. Telling stories and interacting with people in your audience will also make for a more entertaining presentation that is fun and doesn’t seem to drag on for those who are in attendance.

The greatest orators in history (Pt. 1)

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Spoken rhetoric has held a significant place in society for centuries, dating back to the origins of human speech and interaction. That said, it is easy to pinpoint a countless list of speeches, debates, presentations, and other oral showcases that changed the face of history — from wars to paradigm shifts in philosophy. The individuals responsible for these deliveries are now immortalized as beacons of inspiration in their craft.

Here are a few of the greatest orators in history.

 

Abe Lincoln

Consistently regarded as one of the most famous speakers of all time, Abe Lincoln is responsible for some of history’s best-known speeches — among them, the Gettysburg Address, which itself may well be the most important display of oration in American history. The speech, delivered during the American Civil War, alluded to a new era of freedom in which all American citizens would live equally; it reflected on the power of unity and the struggle for tolerance and equality in a hostile and divided United States.

 

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela’s societal impact continues to resonate to this day, and this is partially due to the many great speeches he gave during his life. “Almost each one of Mandela’s speeches is widely believed to be one of the most inspirational addresses by any world leader in the past several decades,” and it is easy to see why; they cover a wide range of relevant issues — most notably racism in the legal system. Though Mandela’s speeches were perceived by some, at the time, to be radical and dangerous, they live on as masterful showcases of progressive ideology.

 

Martin Luther King Jr.

It is no secret that Martin Luther King Jr. remains one of the most important and influential orators in history. King’s speeches are among the most famous to ever be recorded (especially the iconic “I Have a Dream” oration of 1963 — which remains likely the most significant instance of speech centered on civil rights and societal reform); this is all the more impressive given his too-short life. The speeches are powerful in both their wording and verbal delivery, making King an undeniable standout “in the pantheon of American icons.”

Great Debates in History: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)

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What Are the Lincoln-Douglas Debates?

During the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas engaged in a series of debates regarding the subject of slavery in the United States. These debates were crucial in shaping the future condition of slavery across the country at a time when it was already declining in popularity. These two men, as well, were competing for a singular position in the US Senate as the representative of Illinois, and these debates would largely impact the result of that election.

The debates took place in seven parts around the state of Illinois between the dates August 21st and October 15th.  

What Did Lincoln Argue?

Abraham Lincoln ran on the philosophical premise that the government “cannot endure permanently half slave and half free” and that the entire country must be united on this issue in order to function. He attacked slavery by calling it a gross moral injustice and attacking the popular sovereignty for its shattering results in Kansas.

What Did Douglas Argue?

Douglas, on the other side of this debate, countered Lincoln by branding him as dangerously radical, thus disrupting the Union. He said that Lincoln was trying to destabilize the Union, and supported nationalizing slavery and racial inequality.

What Was the Outcome?

The immediate outcome of these debates resulted in Douglas’ victory and the victory of his party. The Democrats won 40 seats in the state house of Representatives, while the Republican party only attained 35. Stephen Douglas was also re-elected by the legislature in a 54-46 vote, even though Lincoln’s Republicans won 50.6% of the popular vote.

Years later, however, Lincoln went on to defeat Douglass in the 1860 Presidential election, attributed in part to the attention he received from the Lincoln-Douglas Debates.

 

Three ways to end your fear of debate

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Just like athletes prior to a big game or musicians prior to a large show, debaters are no strangers to pre-performance nerves. To an extent, these feelings are warranted — after all, debate is, at times, an unpredictable and intense art. There is little room for error once contentions and counter-arguments are flying back and forth at breakneck speed. Some even suggest that a healthy dose of fear can be beneficial, as manageable levels of adrenaline can keep one focused on the task at hand.

However, if left unchecked, pre-debate fears can spiral out of control and spawn a full-fledged phobia of competing — especially if early experiences turn sour. If you find yourself sweating over your next debate — or if you are nervous for your overall debate debut — it is important that you nip these feelings in the bud to maximize your chances for success.

The good news is that your fears are fixable — here are three quick tips.

Be confident

This tip is easier said than done — especially when you are in a place of seemingly irreversible anxiety — but confidence is a highly important part of facing and ending your debate-related fears. If you are not feeling confident at this point in time, try your best to at least look the part. The more confident you act, the more likely you are to feel that way come competition day.

Be prepared

With the previous section in mind, an easy way to boost your self-esteem is to be well prepared. Regardless of your nerve levels, a strong knowledge of your debate topic and position will all but guarantee you are ready for a top-level performance. This notion can be relaxing, and the sense of security it brings will put you well on your way to mental and emotional stability.

Remember: it’s normal

By nature, humans tend to find comfort from communal hardship and challenge — it is better to face an obstacle when you know you are not alone in your endeavor. Pre-debate anxiety is a great example of this notion, and there are many other debaters like you currently wrestling with unfounded fears and stressors. If possible, seek out teammates or other peers who may be in a similar situation (or, better yet, ones who have mastered their fears) and talk out your anxieties. Either way, always remember that your feelings are warranted, to an extent, and that you will be ready when the time comes.

The easiest ways to lose a debate (Pt. 2)

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Preparing for a debate can be a stressful and nerve wracking experience — especially if you have never participated in one before — but the upside to that notion is that there are many ways to ensure victory over your opponent.

However, there are arguably just as many ways to lose a debate, and many of these mistakes are unfortunately common. I previously explored a few of these common pitfalls, but here are several more — along with tips for avoiding them.

 

Completely succumbing to proven faults

If an opponent succeeds in cornering you with proven faults on your record, you must act quickly and efficiently to maintain both your integrity as a rhetorician and your rhetoric’s integrity as a balancing force in the debate itself. If the assertions are irrefutable, the best approach is to find a middle ground between acceptance and fluidity. In other words, admit your faults, but work to bridge these sentiments back to your key message. For example, if the debate is part of a political race, discuss how a potentially tarnishing past mistake, such as a DUI, was used as a learning experience, and perhaps explore the ways you converted this mistake into positive productivity (such as community service or philanthropy). This path must be navigated delicately, but if traversed effectively, it can help establish you as unflappable in the eyes of your audience.

 

Using the “shill gambit”

Perhaps one the biggest temptations in debate — especially amongst newcomers — is to commit the “shill gambit,” or to accuse your opponent of being paid off by an external party to formulate their arguments against or in favor of an issue. An example would be one debater accusing his or her opponent of advocating for gun   This tactic is basically an extension of the ad hominem concept explored in my previous blog, and therefore it should be avoided at all costs; a red herring fallacy will only put the burden of proof on your shoulders.

 

Ignoring non-verbal components

Debate is obviously an art rooted in strong oratory skills, but a debater’s rhetoric is not exclusively based on this aspect of his or her performance. In reality, many debates include a variety of non-verbal components that must be taken into consideration to ensure a strong presentation. In most cases, it is not enough to have your facts in a row and your speaking skills honed; you must also look the part to complete the image. Stand up straight, engage in regular eye contact with your audience and your opponent, and do your best to maintain your physical composure. Certain external habits, such as incessant sighing or visible trembling, can quickly undermine your credibility and set you up for failure.

 

Bouncing back from a poor debate performance

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Debate is a passionate art, and therefore it can be easy to feed into strong emotions when reflecting on a past performance. There are no hard and fast rules with which to determine a debate’s “winner,” but it is usually pretty obvious when a debater has underperformed, or if he or she has been outperformed by his or her opponent.

If you find yourself in this situation, you might feel down on yourself. After all, you likely poured your heart into your performance, straining every ounce of your rhetorical skill and reactionary ability in the process. However, tempting as it may be to spiral into self-doubt, it is imperative that you pick yourself up and regroup; otherwise, you cannot hope to do any better next time.

Here are some quick tips for bouncing back following a poor debate performance.

 

Analyze what went wrong, but not for too long

When rectifying a bad debate showing, the best and most obvious rule of thumb is to first identify what went wrong in your performance. Did you come on too strong, depleting yourself of all your tricks early? Perhaps you got caught off guard by too many arguments and ended up looking ill-prepared. Maybe you simply did not study the opposing viewpoint enough. Whatever the reason, take a moment to determine your tragic flaw(s), make record of it, and move on in a relatively timely fashion. A common mistake is to spend too much time focusing on these matters, which can quickly become a portal into more unconstructive self-doubt.

 

Change up your regimen

If you determine that your shortcomings stemmed from a lack of preparation, take a moment to reevaluate your current regimen. There are a variety of ways to effectively prepare for a debate, and there may be some you have yet to explore or tailor to your unique style. A shake up, in this regard, can actually bring a fair amount of stability when applied properly — just make sure to keep the parts of your approach that clearly worked in the past.

 

Leave the past behind

After you have revisited your poor performance, identified the reasons it went wrong, and made the changes necessary to your improvement, it is highly important to leave matters as they are. Do not wait too long to get back in the game, though a period of inactivity may be helpful in getting your head back on straight. Once you are ready to face down another opponent (or, perhaps, the same opponent), do your best to detach yourself from any insecurities lingering from your past performance. You should be a sharper, more seasoned orator now, and this time should yield better results.