Avoiding Presentation Chaos - Articles - Andrew Schwartz

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Avoiding Presentation Chaos
by Andrew E. Schwartz

Imagine attending an unrehearsed Broadway show. Anything short of mass confusion is pure luck. Lighting is out of focus, cues are missed, lines are forgotten. As a member of the audience, you leave feeling annoyed and angry about the time and money you’ve wasted. As a presentor, you wouldn’t want your audience to feel the same way. Rehearsing is an essential part of any presentation and a major key to smoothness of delivery.

Rehearsing, however, will not promote this smoothness unless you understand the right ways to rehearse. Developing a workable system for doing so will eliminate most bugs and faux pas in the actual delivery.

What is Rehearsal? A good rehearsal, is a procedure of practicing in private what will be done in public. More than anything else, it is a verbalization of directed thinking. Yours should never consist of mechanical memorizing and repetition. The rehearsal should be extemporaneous. The only thing which should be memorized is the thought pattern of the presentation. This does not signify that you speak "off the cuff." It means that rather than memorizing word for word, you utilize key words written in an outline so that you can relive the experience of thinking about your topic with the audience. Each time you rehearse with these key words, the presentation will evolve. Some things may be said almost identically, but will still be expressed in language which is spontaneous and fresh to the moment. This is the most personal and real form of communicating.

“Divide and Conquer” This method of rehearsing will help to build your presentation. Many of its elements can be practiced almost anywhere, at any leisure moment. The net result will be a pre-thought presentation.

First make preliminary note cards for various portions or sub-divisions. Carry them in your pocket or purse and mentally rehearse them whenever possible—while traveling, on a break, etc. In your spare time, go over your objective thesis.

Second, repeat and mentally picture stories and anecdotes in your mind until they can be recounted without referring to a single note. Relive the thought processes which originally triggered a particular conclusion, premise, or idea in your own thinking.

In working with this outline and pre-thinking your presentations — you may find imagining your presentation to be a picture or pathway helpful. Repeatedly travel this mental pathway, reviewing your objective and thesis. Become totally familiar with each “signpost,” that is, your sub-points, supportive devices, aids and so forth. Understand the significance of each key word. As you come to each point along the pathway, envision yourself actually reliving and retelling what you are mentally experiencing to your audience. The goal to keep in mind at all times is to make your audience also “see” your pathway develop. Test yourself after each point to see if a key word will trigger your recall of that point, an anecdote, or a list of details. Retell the details in your own words without further reference to written notes. Commit your first and last statements and any special material to memory. Memorize special quotations or similar material that you want to quote verbatim. If part of your material feels awkward, it probably is—change it.

Lastly, repeat to yourself quotations, statistics, and similar parts to be recalled by key words, while deciding how they will be presented and or where you will put the emphasis. During casual phone conversations, doodle illustrations which will be drawn in the presentation. It is possible, however, to run yourself “dry” on the topic. Rehearse at varied times of the day and several days apart.

At the end of this process, you should be thoroughly familiar with your material and realize why key words are sufficient in the outline. In addition, being comfortable with each portion of your presentation will enable you to clearly see which ones need particular emphasis and clarity.

Rehearsing a Manuscript Presentation: If you must use a manuscript as opposed to speaking extemporaneously, have the final copy retyped and completely clean. Just because it is to be read does not mean that it doesn’t need to be rehearsed. The aim is still to make it appear as little like reading as possible. Silently read, absorb, and ponder each thought several times as you would for any other form of presenting. Also, read the manuscript aloud several times. Find where voice inflections, and particular emphasis sounds best but do not over-dramatize the reading. Learn to lift your eyes from the paper as often as possible to maintain audience contact. Be sure to pause between important ideas and at transition points. The natural tendency is to read too rapidly. Make a conscious effort to read slowly and deliberately. Use a colored pencil to make cue marks during the rehearsal, underscoring words that need additional emphasis, inserting pauses where they are required (… for example).

See that the manuscript is placed on a surface high enough to avoid having to bend over or strain to see the print. Also try not to turn the pages, rather slide them aside. Make sure the surface is large enough to allow you to do so. Use the manuscript like an open book, keeping two unread pages up at all times. This prevents stumbling, and breaking of thoughts.

“Rehearsing” the Impromptu Presentation: A presentor is rarely asked on the spur of the moment to present a subject about which he or she knows nothing. Usually the contrary is true, and this is exactly why they are asked to “say a few words” .Whether it be a request to answer a simple question, or to speak for 10-20 minutes, a presentor should always be prepared for a brief presentation.

As a prospective impromptu speaker, find out as much as possible about the subjects to be discussed. Carry a notebook or blank note-cards or a few cards with generalized outlines.

Listen actively to everything being said. Form opinions, think of ideas or facts which have been missed by the speaker and keep a brief list of notes on them. Watch for patterns and outline points emphasized by the regular speakers. Be alert for comments made by the speakers, which could be used to introduce and tie in impromptu remarks.

When called upon, there will almost always be a few minutes of advance warning. Utilize this time fully. Quickly scan the notes just taken and attempt to extract a central idea and jot down a key word for it. Rise slowly, and glance around the audience. Keep a repertoire of “canned” introductory comments, and choose one which seems appropriate. Begin with something from your personal repertoire, perhaps a story or a joke which can be told with ease, allowing additional time to become composed and to glance at the notes just made.

Finally, do not be afraid to decline the invitation. It is far better and wiser to do so than to fumble in a completely unprepared manner.

The essential key to impromptu speaking is to be always prepared and expecting to be called upon. A wise prospective speaker sitting in an audience will always be preparing “a few remarks.” In short, for the real professional, there is no such thing as completely impromptu speaking.

Whether it be extemporaneous, manuscript, or impromptu, rehearsals are one of the keys in training to delivering an effective presentation. The more often you do it, the better your presentation will be. A presentor interested in the topic will keep their audience’s interest as well.

Andrew E. Schwartz, CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates of Boston, MA a comprehensive management training and professional development organization offering over 40 skills specific programs and practical solutions to today's business challenges.

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