How to Present at Meetings E-Book

George M. Hall

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Serie: HOW - How To
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 151

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

Does the thought of presenting a paper make you go cold? There are so many things to consider: getting your message across clearly, making the PowerPoint easy to read, keeping to the right length and keeping the audience riveted – enough to induce nerves even without the thought of standing up in front of a crowd and delivering your talk fluently. How to Present at Meetings, 3rd Edition, gives you practical advice on all these aspects, and more. Written by high-profile public speakers in the health sciences, it includes chapters on the 10-, 20- and 45-minute presentation, how not to make a mess of PowerPoint, and how to appear on stage.

Leseprobe

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

List of contributors

Preface to the third edition

Preface to the second edition

Preface to the first edition

Wogan's wisdom: how to ‘read’ an audience

Chapter 1: Principles of communication

Preparation

Content

Delivery

Conclusion

Summary

Chapter 2: Preparation of the talk

The invitation

Preparation

Presentation

Visual aids

Summary

Chapter 3: The three talks

General principles

Day of the lecture

The 5-minute talk

The 15-minute talk

The 45-minute talk

Is it worth it?

Summary

Chapter 4: Visual aids

Board and coloured pens

Flipcharts

Overhead projector

Videos

Slides

Summary

Chapter 5: Poster displays

What is a poster?

Constructing your poster

Presenting your poster

Chapter 6: Data projection software: the hard facts

The basics

The clever bits

Closing comments

Chapter 7: How to appear on stage

Get there early

Sounds OK?

Looking good

Standing and moving

How to speak

Eye contact

And finally … a word about coping with nerves

Summary

Chapter 8: How to sell a message

Summary

Chapter 9: How to present a talk

Style of language

Use of the voice

Pronunciation

Use of notes

Controlling nerves

Summary

Chapter 10: How to deal with questions

Questions following a presentation

On being interviewed

The brains trust or panel

Summary

Chapter 11: How not to give a presentation

Preparing for a bad presentation

Aids to a bad presentation

Making your bad presentation

Winding down

Summary

Chapter 12: How to chair a session

What type of meeting?

First principle: get started early

Summary

Index

This edition first published 2012 © 2012 by George M. Hall and Neville Robinson

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

How to present at meetings / [edited by] George M. Hall, Peter Neville Robinson. – 3rd ed. p. ; cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-470-65458-3 (pbk.) 1. Communication in medicine. 2. Lectures and lecturing. 3. Communication of technical information. I. Hall, George M. (George Martin) II. Robinson, Neville. [DNLM: 1. Communication. 2. Congresses as Topic. 3. Professional Competence. 4. Speech. HF 5718.22] R118.H69 2012 610.69′6–dc23 2011024960

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This book is published in the following electronic formats: ePDF 9781119962090; Wiley Online Library 9781119962120; ePub 9781119962106

List of contributors

Martin Godfrey Public Relations, UK

Charlotte Green Newsreader BBC Radio 4 London, UK

Angela Hall Emeritus Reader in Clinical Communication St George’s University of London London, UK

George M. Hall Professor of Anaesthesia St George’s University of London London, UK

William Harrop-Griffiths Consultant Anaesthetist Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London, UK

Roger Horton Emeritus Professor of Neuropharmacology St George’s University of London London, UK

Sir Alexander Macara Public Health Physician Bristol, UK

Alan Maryon-Davis Honorary Professor of Public Health King's College London London, UK

Peter McCrorie Professor of Medical Education St George’s University of London London, UK

Mal Morgan Emeritus Reader in Anaesthetic Practice Imperial College London London, UK

Philip M. Sedgwick Senior Lecturer in Medical Statistics St George’s University of London London, UK

Richard Smith Executive Director, UnitedHealth Europe London, UK

Sir Terry Wogan Broadcaster London, UK

Preface to the third edition

We are pleased that Sir Terry Wogan has kindly agreed to write a foreword for the third edition and we are most grateful for his wit and wisdom. In this edition Philip Sedgwick has contributed a new chapter on the production and presentation of posters for scientific meetings and William Harrop-Griffiths has written a chapter that should enable all novice presenters to cope with the idiosyncrasies of PowerPoint presentations. We are most appreciative of all the other contributors who have revised their chapters and thank them for their continuing support.

G. M. Hall and Neville Robinson

Preface to the second edition

The call for a second edition of this book has enabled the authors to revise their chapters. I am delighted that Charlotte Green, a doyen amongst BBC Radio announcers and newsreaders, has contributed a chapter on how to present a talk. I have encouraged overlap between authors on the basis that repetition aids learning and understanding; a view supported by two eminent medical educationalists in Chapter . Once again I am grateful for the enthusiasm of the contributors; the book's success is their success.

G. M. Hall

Preface to the first edition

Many trainees in medicine, while competent in their speciality, struggle to give a good presentation at a meeting. The aim of this book is to provide a basic framework around which a proficient talk can be built. The content covers not only the essential parts of a presentation, preparation, visual aids and computer-generated slides, but also provides advice on how to sell a message, how to appear on stage and how to deal with questions. All contributors are experienced speakers and provide simple didactic advice. I am grateful for their enthusiastic cooperation.

G. M. Hall

Wogan's wisdom: how to ‘read’ an audience

The first thing to remember is that Audiences Differ and Presenters Die. Accept this, the first principle of public speaking, and you can move into the Circle of Fear. Make no mistake about it, if you agree to address a meeting, you will know fear, such as you have never known before… . So, my second word of advice is: Don't do it! What so-called friend conned you into doing it in the first place? You could be at home with your feet up and a nice cup of tea, enjoying ‘‘Strictly Come Dancing’, and here you are, already in a flop-sweat, with a baying crowd ready to rush the platform. That's the way I feel anyway, every time I'm foolish enough to agree to make a speech, at everything from a Rotarian gathering to a crowd of sneering conventioneers.

Mind you, there are audiences, and there are audiences. If you're addressing a Prayer meeting, there's no need for a racy gag to open proceedings. Just bring your rosary beads. If it's a Board meeting, as long as they have coffee and biscuits, all they'll want are the facts. Don't even bother smiling. If it's a Meeting of Minds, everyone will agree with every word you say anyway. But if it's a crowd, you'd better gird your loins… . I realise that you're expecting me to regale you with many a shrewdly-observed observation on how to worm your way into the hearts and minds of the numpties sitting expectantly before you, and I wish I could, but if it were that simple, the world and his wife would be at it. And you know as well as I do, having attended more than your share of gatherings, from lunches, to dinners, to bar-mitzvahs, that public speaking is an arcane art, and one bestowed on very few. I know of many comedians and presenters whose fame on TV and Radio is legendary, but who run a mile when asked to speak at a charity or celebrity lunch or dinner. For it's a completely different animal from standing on a stage, or in front of a camera, telling gags. It's much more difficult when they've had a few drinks… .

A couple of years ago, I was the ‘turn’ at a big ‘do’ at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, not known as an easy gig. It's a huge hall, the tables are all around you and even above you. You can't make eye contact with anybody, except those immediately in front of you, and they're talking to each other anyway. Still, it all went swimmingly; I played the audience like a stringed instrument and took away my brown envelope packed with crisp onecers with a light heart. There's no feeling like it, when you go down a storm. Just as there's nothing quite like dying like a dog in front of a couple of thousand disillusioned diners. Which is exactly what happened, the following year, at exactly the same ‘do’ in exactly the same blasted ballroom. The comedian who'd kicked things off hadn't gone well and, as ever with his ilk, couldn't let it lie, but continued to struggle well beyond his allotted hour. I came on a half an hour later than I had the previous triumphant year, the audience had had a couple of more drinks and it was Goodbye, Mr Chips… .

So, you see why it's not a bit of use me, or anybody else, trying to tell you how to interpret an audience's mood. There are too many imponderable factors beyond your control. They may not like the look of you, for a start. However, while you're there, here's a couple of tips that might save you from suffering too much:

Always go on first. If you follow an eejit, it's hard to pick up the pieces, and if you're following some unknown who's played a blinder, it's even worse.Unless you're completely confident and relaxed, don't smile. You'll frighten the horses.Open with an apposite quotation, not with a gag. It makes you look intelligent.If you must tell a joke, keep it short. One of your famous long routines may set the boys in the snug of your local in a roar, but, trust me, you're not Les Dawson.Brevity is not only the soul of wit, it's the secret of a good speech. Leave ‘em wanting more. They want to get back to the drink and talking to their friends anyway.If the audience is there to listen, rather than enjoy itself, you're leaning against an open door. Just don't rush it; deliberately speak slowly, pause occasionally and drink plenty of fluids. No, not alcoholic! Oh, I don't know though, it depends on how it's going… .

And good luck – you're a brave little soldier.

Terry Wogan

Chapter 1

Principles of communication

Angela Hall and Peter McCrorie

Many readers of this book will have attended conferences and listened to doctors making presentations. Think about these presentations. Which ones were memorable and why?

Communication is, by definition, a two-way process – an interaction. Presentation tends to be one way only, so is there anything at all that we can take from research underlying communication and how people learn that is of any relevance to the topic of this book? Assuming that the intention of your presentation is to inform your audience, so that something is learned from you, what do we know in general about how people learn?

People learn best when [1]:

They are motivated.They recognise their need to learn.The learning is relevant, in context and matches their needs.The aims of the learning are clear.They are actively involved.A variety of learning methods is used.It is enjoyable.

Presenting at meetings is not of course just about giving information (‘I told them, therefore they know it’) but about imparting it in such a way that people understand and take something away from it. Can we draw a parallel with the information-giving process between doctors and patients? There is in fact much evidence from research into medical communication showing that the following behaviours result in the effective transmission of information from doctor to patient [2]:

Decide on the key information that the patient needs to understand.Signpost to the patient what you are going to discuss.Find out what the patient knows or understands already.Make it manageable – divide it into chunks.Use clear, unambiguous language.Pace the information so that the patient does not feel overwhelmed.Check what the patient has understood.Invite questions.

Adopting these behaviours means that, as a doctor, you are doing your best to ensure that your patient both hears and understands what has been said.

What can we take from these two sets of principles that is directly relevant to giving presentations at meetings?

Preparation

Know your audience

Decide what it is about your topic that you want your audience to understand. The presenter is usually in the situation of knowing a lot more about the subject than many of the people in the audience. Find out about your audience. What is their level of knowledge likely to be? How many are likely to be there? The smaller the number, the greater the potential for interaction. Is the language in which you are giving your presentation your audience's first language? Regardless of first language, will your audience have a feel for the technical/medical/scientific terminology with which you are so familiar? Above all, avoid the temptation to try to impart more information than your audience can possibly assimilate. Message – keep it simple.

Don't let yourself get too anxious

Anxiety on the part of either the giver or receiver can act as a barrier to effective communication. Most experienced presenters will tell you that they are always anxious before starting their talk and this does not necessarily get better over time. It is normal and can be advantageous – a certain amount of adrenaline actually makes for a more exciting presentation. Lack of anxiety often results in the presentation appearing a bit flat. On the other hand, too much anxiety is a problem not only for the speaker but also for the audience. An audience can feel embarrassed and show more concern for the state of mind of the speaker than for what is being communicated. Sometimes deep-breathing exercises can help. Most people find that once they get started, anxiety drops to manageable levels. As with an examination, the worst time is just before you turn over the paper.

Rehearse your presentation

An important key to anxiety reduction is to know that you are properly prepared. Not only should you be sure about what you are going to say but how long it will take to say it. This means practising your presentation, preferably in front of colleagues whom you trust and who will give you constructive feedback. It is highly unprofessional to overrun and encroach on other speakers’ time. A good chairperson will not permit this anyway, with the inevitable result that your talk will be incomplete or rushed at the end. Rehearsal is important.

Prepare prompt cards

What do you take in with you in the form of notes to your presentation? If all you do is read directly from a prepared script, there will be no effective communication with your audience. You might as well have distributed a photocopy of your talk and asked the audience to sit and read it.

Reading also removes any opportunity for eye contact, for judging how the presentation is being received, or for spontaneity. Have you ever laughed at a joke that has been read out to you? A far better solution is to use prompt cards. Prompt cards carry only the key points of your talk. They serve partly as an aide memoire and partly as a means of reducing the anxiety of drying up.

Check out the venue and equipment