SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd - Building Professional Competencies: Career Management Strategies

The first commandment for planning a presentationDevelop a positive attitude to presentations.

Before the concept of MAS can actually be internalized, a question automatically springs to mind: History is replete with examples of powerful leaders who were also superb orators and presenters. Did they also exercise control over the MAS? Names like Napolean and Hitler come to mind when we think of gifted orators, who had the ability to address a large crowd, without the slightest hesitation or nervousness. Unfortunately, leaders of a similar calibre are few. While it is easy to follow them, it is difficult to emulate their qualities. Acquiring or learning the same skills is tough and requires intensive training which will set the trainee apart from the rest of the crowd. The first step in the learning process is to exercise control.

Domain knowledge and subject expertise are an advantage but the game of presentation does not end at this point. Knowledge of the subject and the content are important but equally important is the control over the self and the audience. A scientific approach to planning is the best possible strategy. There is no research to corroborate the fact, but roughly speaking, adhering to scientific techniques of planning upgrades the quality of the presentation, enhances confidence and brings success 80 per cent of the time.

Let us draw an analogy to understand the need for planning. Why did the Titanic sink? Many reasons have been attributed for the tragedy. One of them was the inability to gauge the magnitude of the iceberg against which the Titanic collided, as only one-tenth of an iceberg is visible on the surface, a grim fact which was overlooked.

A presentation is like an iceberg. In other words, the delivery is only a tiny part. The major chunk of the presentation, visible only to a sensitive audience, is the time and effort spent in planning and preparing the presentation.

The second commandment for planning a presentationPreparing thoroughly for the success of the presentation is contingent on the enormous amount of preparation that precedes it.

To create and deliver a successful presentation, you can and must take the support of the six helpers commonly referred to as the five W's and the one H.

Six Helpers

The prime objective here is to identify the factors that help in effective planning, designing, and delivering of a presentation.

Simple though it sounds, a presentation involves lots of research, thought and structure. Beginning on the premise that the six helpers (i.e., the five W's and one H) promote and enhance the quality of the presentation, we need to build further on this proposition for better comprehension and satisfactory results.