We Shape Tech: “How to make sure our voices are heard”
How to make yourselves be seen
During every presentation or public speech, people are “hyper-visible”. Being visible is much more than just your words. A good presentation is about language, non-verbal communication, apparel, pictures, eye-contact… it’s basically flirting with many. And a lot is at stake! Even if every single gear flawlessly interlocks with the others, your audience will only remember 20% of your message. But there are some tricks on how to create the perfect circumstances, making it easier for the audience to remember.
1. Become a Pro
Nobody is born a pro at presenting! Public speaking or presenting is a very distinct skill, one that is learned by doing it and by doing it often. One cannot learn how to give a powerful presentation from a piece of paper. In order to deliver a great performance, you need to know yourself; find out how you appeal to others, become aware of your non-verbal communication and most all use the very first impression. Already walking onto a stage or into a room will determine how people feel and think about you, so make sure you leave an impression!
2. Reduce to the max
Don’t underestimate the preparation of your presentation. Take the time to think yourself into your audience; Why are they here? What motivates them? What do they know? Make sure that your messages are tailored for your audience and remember that the absorbing capacity of your audience is very limited. If you don’t know what you want your audience to take away from the speech, how should they?! Reduce, repeat and recycle your messages and use a considered dramaturgy to keep your audience’s attention.
3. Walk it through, Talk it through
Presentation is about being present. The more concentrated you are, the more you will be able to be present: to stay with yourself and your words. The goals is to reach a level of concentration where nothing can distract you. Skip the networking before the event, if you can, and take a moment to fully zone into your body and mind. Do it like an athlete: Physically and mentally prepare for your appearance. By completely walking through the procedure (when do I pick up the mic, how will I hand it over, where will I stand, etc.) you will be able to reduce your insecurities and your brain will be able to focus on what really matters: your speech. Prepare your speech by actually saying the words out loud forcing your brain to really use language to form your content. A nice side effect is that you will actually know how much time it takes to bring your point across and thus improve your time management.
Make yourselves heard!
Becoming a good presenter is all about getting to know oneself and actively handling it. You need to sensitize yourself to these topics and understand how you function, how you affect people, how you hold yourself and how you articulate your messages in order to fully reach your potential. The women of the future need to be heard! And that needs to be practiced.
Impact Hub Zurich, written by Céline Tykve