professional development presentation skills

Ideas and insights from Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning

Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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6 presentation skills and how to improve them

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What are presentation skills?

The importance of presentation skills, 6 presentation skills examples, how to improve presentation skills.

Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety

Learn how to captivate an audience with ease

Capturing an audience’s attention takes practice. 

Over time, great presenters learn how to organize their speeches and captivate an audience from start to finish. They spark curiosity, know how to read a room , and understand what their audience needs to walk away feeling like they learned something valuable.

Regardless of your profession, you most likely use presentation skills on a monthly or even weekly basis. Maybe you lead brainstorming sessions or host client calls. 

Developing effective presentation skills makes it easier to contribute ideas with confidence and show others you’re someone to trust. Although speaking in front of a crowd sometimes brings nerves and anxiety , it also sparks new opportunities.

Presentation skills are the qualities and abilities you need to communicate ideas effectively and deliver a compelling speech. They influence how you structure a presentation and how an audience receives it. Understanding body language , creating impactful visual aids, and projecting your voice all fall under this umbrella.

A great presentation depends on more than what you say. It’s about how you say it. Storytelling , stage presence, and voice projection all shape how well you express your ideas and connect with the audience. These skills do take practice, but they’re worth developing — especially if public speaking makes you nervous. 

Engaging a crowd isn’t easy. You may feel anxious to step in front of an audience and have all eyes and ears on you.

But feeling that anxiety doesn’t mean your ideas aren’t worth sharing. Whether you’re giving an inspiring speech or delivering a monthly recap at work, your audience is there to listen to you. Harness that nervous energy and turn it into progress.

Strong presentation skills make it easier to convey your thoughts to audiences of all sizes. They can help you tell a compelling story, convince people of a pitch , or teach a group something entirely new to them. And when it comes to the workplace, the strength of your presentation skills could play a part in getting a promotion or contributing to a new initiative.

To fully understand the impact these skills have on creating a successful presentation, it’s helpful to look at each one individually. Here are six valuable skills you can develop:

1. Active listening

Active listening is an excellent communication skill for any professional to hone. When you have strong active listening skills, you can listen to others effectively and observe their nonverbal cues . This helps you assess whether or not your audience members are engaged in and understand what you’re sharing. 

Great public speakers use active listening to assess the audience’s reactions and adjust their speech if they find it lacks impact. Signs like slouching, negative facial expressions, and roaming eye contact are all signs to watch out for when giving a presentation.

2. Body language

If you’re researching presentation skills, chances are you’ve already watched a few notable speeches like TED Talks or industry seminars. And one thing you probably noticed is that speakers can capture attention with their body language. 

A mixture of eye contact, hand gestures , and purposeful pacing makes a presentation more interesting and engaging. If you stand in one spot and don’t move your body, the audience might zone out.

3. Stage presence

A great stage presence looks different for everyone. A comedian might aim for more movement and excitement, and a conference speaker might focus their energy on the content of their speech. Although neither is better than the other, both understand their strengths and their audience’s needs. 

Developing a stage presence involves finding your own unique communication style . Lean into your strengths, whether that’s adding an injection of humor or asking questions to make it interactive . To give a great presentation, you might even incorporate relevant props or presentation slides.

4. Storytelling

According to Forbes, audiences typically pay attention for about 10 minutes before tuning out . But you can lengthen their attention span by offering a presentation that interests them for longer. Include a narrative they’ll want to listen to, and tell a story as you go along. 

Shaping your content to follow a clear narrative can spark your audience’s curiosity and entice them to pay careful attention. You can use anecdotes from your personal or professional life that take your audience along through relevant moments. If you’re pitching a product, you can start with a problem and lead your audience through the stages of how your product provides a solution.

5. Voice projection

Although this skill may be obvious, you need your audience to hear what you’re saying. This can be challenging if you’re naturally soft-spoken and struggle to project your voice.

Remember to straighten your posture and take deep breaths before speaking, which will help you speak louder and fill the room. If you’re talking into a microphone or participating in a virtual meeting, you can use your regular conversational voice, but you still want to sound confident and self-assured with a strong tone.

If you’re unsure whether everyone can hear you, you can always ask the audience at the beginning of your speech and wait for confirmation. That way, they won’t have to potentially interrupt you later.

Ensuring everyone can hear you also includes your speed and annunciation. It’s easy to speak quickly when nervous, but try to slow down and pronounce every word. Mumbling can make your presentation difficult to understand and pay attention to.

6. Verbal communication 

Although verbal communication involves your projection and tone, it also covers the language and pacing you use to get your point across. This includes where you choose to place pauses in your speech or the tone you use to emphasize important ideas.

If you’re giving a presentation on collaboration in the workplace , you might start your speech by saying, “There’s something every workplace needs to succeed: teamwork.” By placing emphasis on the word “ teamwork ,” you give your audience a hint on what ideas will follow.

To further connect with your audience through diction, pay careful attention to who you’re speaking to. The way you talk to your colleagues might be different from how you speak to a group of superiors, even if you’re discussing the same subject. You might use more humor and a conversational tone for the former and more serious, formal diction for the latter.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses when it comes to presenting. Maybe you’re confident in your use of body language, but your voice projection needs work. Maybe you’re a great storyteller in small group settings, but need to work on your stage presence in front of larger crowds. 

The first step to improving presentation skills is pinpointing your gaps and determining which qualities to build upon first. Here are four tips for enhancing your presentation skills:

1. Build self-confidence

Confident people know how to speak with authority and share their ideas. Although feeling good about your presentation skills is easier said than done, building confidence is key to helping your audience believe in what you’re saying. Try practicing positive self-talk and continuously researching your topic's ins and outs.

If you don’t feel confident on the inside, fake it until you make it. Stand up straight, project your voice, and try your best to appear engaged and excited. Chances are, the audience doesn’t know you’re unsure of your skills — and they don’t need to.

Another tip is to lean into your slideshow, if you’re using one. Create something colorful and interesting so the audience’s eyes fall there instead of on you. And when you feel proud of your slideshow, you’ll be more eager to share it with others, bringing more energy to your presentation.

2. Watch other presentations

Developing the soft skills necessary for a good presentation can be challenging without seeing them in action. Watch as many as possible to become more familiar with public speaking skills and what makes a great presentation. You could attend events with keynote speakers or view past speeches on similar topics online.

Take a close look at how those presenters use verbal communication and body language to engage their audiences. Grab a notebook and jot down what you enjoyed and your main takeaways. Try to recall the techniques they used to emphasize their main points, whether they used pauses effectively, had interesting visual aids, or told a fascinating story.

3. Get in front of a crowd

You don’t need a large auditorium to practice public speaking. There are dozens of other ways to feel confident and develop good presentation skills.

If you’re a natural comedian, consider joining a small stand-up comedy club. If you’re an avid writer, participate in a public poetry reading. Even music and acting can help you feel more comfortable in front of a crowd.

If you’d rather keep it professional, you can still work on your presentation skills in the office. Challenge yourself to participate at least once in every team meeting, or plan and present a project to become more comfortable vocalizing your ideas. You could also speak to your manager about opportunities that flex your public speaking abilities.

4. Overcome fear

Many people experience feelings of fear before presenting in front of an audience, whether those feelings appear as a few butterflies or more severe anxiety. Try grounding yourself to shift your focus to the present moment. If you’re stuck dwelling on previous experiences that didn’t go well, use those mistakes as learning experiences and focus on what you can improve to do better in the future.

Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety 

It’s normal to feel nervous when sharing your ideas. In fact, according to a report from the Journal of Graduate Medical Education, public speaking anxiety is prevalent in 15–30% of the general population .

Even though having a fear of public speaking is common, it doesn’t make it easier. You might feel overwhelmed, become stiff, and forget what you were going to say. But although the moment might scare you, there are ways to overcome the fear and put mind over matter.

Use these tactics to reduce your stress when you have to make a presentation:

1. Practice breathing techniques

If you experience anxiety often, you’re probably familiar with breathing techniques for stress relief . Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine can help you stop worrying and regulate anxious feelings. 

Before a big presentation, take a moment alone to practice breathing techniques, ground yourself, and reduce tension. It’s also a good idea to take breaths throughout the presentation to speak slower and calm yourself down .

2. Get organized

The more organized you are, the more prepared you’ll feel. Carefully outline all of the critical information you want to use in your presentation, including your main talking points and visual aids, so you don’t forget anything. Use bullet points and visuals on each slide to remind you of what you want to talk about, and create handheld notes to help you stay on track.

3. Embrace moments of silence

It’s okay to lose your train of thought. It happens to even the most experienced public speakers once in a while. If your mind goes blank, don’t panic. Take a moment to breathe, gather your thoughts, and refer to your notes to see where you left off. You can drink some water or make a quick joke to ease the silence or regain your footing. And it’s okay to say, “Give me a moment while I find my notes.” Chances are, people understand the position you’re in.

4. Practice makes progress

Before presenting, rehearse in front of friends and family members you trust. This gives you the chance to work out any weak spots in your speech and become comfortable communicating out loud. If you want to go the extra mile, ask your makeshift audience to ask a surprise question. This tests your on-the-spot thinking and will prove that you can keep cool when things come up.

Whether you’re new to public speaking or are a seasoned presenter, you’re bound to make a few slip-ups. It happens to everyone. The most important thing is that you try your best, brush things off, and work on improving your skills to do better in your next presentation.

Although your job may require a different level of public speaking than your favorite TED Talk , developing presentation skills is handy in any profession. You can use presentation skills in a wide range of tasks in the workplace, whether you’re sharing your ideas with colleagues, expressing concerns to higher-ups, or pitching strategies to potential clients.

Remember to use active listening to read the room and engage your audience with an interesting narrative. Don’t forget to step outside your comfort zone once in a while and put your skills to practice in front of a crowd. After facing your fears, you’ll feel confident enough to put presentation skills on your resume.

If you’re trying to build your skills and become a better employee overall, try a communications coach with BetterUp. 

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Home Blog Education Presentation Skills 101: A Guide to Presentation Success

Presentation Skills 101: A Guide to Presentation Success

Getting the perfect presentation design is just a step toward a successful presentation. For the experienced user, building presentation skills is the answer to elevating the power of your message and showing expertise on any subject. Still, one can ask: is it the same set of skills, or are they dependable on the type of presentation?

In this article, we will introduce the different types of presentations accompanied by the skillset required to master them. The purpose, as always, is to retain the audience’s interest for a long-lasting and convincing message.

Table of Contents

The Importance of Presentation Skills

Persuasive presentations, instructional presentations, informative presentations, inspirational presentations, basic presentation skills, what are the main difficulties when giving a presentation, recommendations to improve your presentation skills, closing statement.

Effective communication is the answer to reaching business and academic goals. The scenarios in which we can be required to deliver a presentation are as diverse as one can imagine. Still, some core concepts apply to all presentations.

 We define presentation skills as a compendium of soft skills that directly affect your presentation performance and contribute to creating a great presentation. These are not qualities acquired by birth but skills you ought to train and master to delve into professional environments.

You may ask: is it really that evident when a presenter is not prepared? Here are some common signs people can experience during presentations:

• Evasive body language: Not making eye contact with the audience, arms closed tightly to the body, hands in pockets all the time.
• Lack of interest in the presenter’s voice: dull tone, not putting an effort to articulate the topics.
• Doubting when asked to answer a question
• Irksome mood

The list can go on about common presenter mistakes , and most certainly, it will affect the performance of any presented data if the lack of interest by the presenter is blatantly obvious.  Another element to consider is anxiety, and according to research by the National Institute of Mental Health, 73% of the population in the USA is affected by glossophobia , which is the fear of public speaking, judgment, or negative evaluation by other people.

Therefore, presentation skills training is essential for any business professional who wants to achieve effective communication . It will remove the anxiety from presentation performance and help users effectively deliver their message and connect with the audience.

Archetypes of presentations

Persuasive presentations aim to convince the audience – often in short periods – to acquire a product or service, adhere to a cause, or invest in a company. For business entrepreneurs or politicians, persuasive presentations are their tool for the trade.

Unless you aim to be perceived as an imposter, a proper persuasive presentation has the elements of facts, empathy, and logic, balanced under a well-crafted narrative. The central pillar of these presentations is to identify the single factor that gathered your audience: it could be a market need, a social cause, or a revolutionary concept for today’s society. It has to be something with enough power to gather critiques – both good and bad.

That single factor has to be backed up by facts. Research that builds your hypothesis on how to solve that problem. A deep understanding of the target audience’s needs , concerns, and social position regarding the solution your means can offer. When those elements are in place, building a pitch becomes an easy task. 

Graphics can help you introduce information in a compelling format, lowering the need for lengthy presentations. Good presentation skills for persuasive presentations go by the hand of filtering relevant data and creating the visual cues that resonate with what your audience demands.

One powerful example of a persuasive presentation is the technique known as the elevator pitch . You must introduce your idea or product convincingly to the audience in a timeframe between 30 seconds and less than 2 minutes. You have to expose:

• What do you do 
• What’s the problem to solve
• Why is your solution different from others 
• Why should the audience care about your expertise

For that very purpose, using engaging graphics with contrasting colors elevates the potential power of your message. It speaks professionalism, care for details, and out-of-the-box thinking. Knowing how to end a presentation is also critical, as your CTAs should be placed with care.

Therefore, let’s resume the requirements of persuasive presentations in terms of good presentation skills:

• Identifying problems and needs
• Elaborating “the hook” (the element that grabs the audience’s attention)
• Knowing how to “tie” your audience (introducing a piece of information related to the hook that causes an emotional impact)
• Broad knowledge of body language and hand gestures to quickly convey your message
• Being prepared to argue a defense of your point of view
• Handling rejection
• Having a proactive attitude to convert opportunities into new projects
• Using humor, surprise, or personal anecdotes as elements to sympathize with the audience
• Having confidence
• Be able to summarize facts and information in visually appealing ways

You can learn more about persuasive presentation techniques by clicking here .

In the case of instructional presentations, we ought to differentiate two distinctive types:

• Lecture Presentations : Presentations being held at universities or any other educative institution. Those presentations cover, topic by topic, and the contents of a syllabus and are created by the team of teachers in charge of the course.
• Training Presentations : These presentations take place during in-company training sessions and usually comprise a good amount of content that is resumed into easy-to-take solutions. They are aimed to coach employees over certain topics relevant to their work performance. The 70-20-10 Model is frequently used to address these training situations.

Lecture presentations appeal to the gradual introduction of complex concepts, following a structure set in the course’s syllabus. These presentations often have a similar aesthetic as a group of professors or researchers created to share their knowledge about a topic. Personal experience does tell that course presentations often rely on factual data, adequately documented, and on the theoretical side.

An example of a presentation that lies under this concept is a Syllabus Presentation, used by the teaching team to introduce the subject to new students, evaluation methods, concepts to be learned, and expectations to pass the course.

On the other hand, training presentations are slide decks designed to meet an organization’s specific needs in the formal education of their personnel. Commonly known as “continuous education,” plenty of companies invest resources in coaching their employees to achieve higher performance results. These presentations have the trademark of being concise since their idea is to introduce the concepts that shall be applied in practice sessions. 

Ideally, the training presentations are introduced with little text and easy-to-recognize visual cues. Since the idea is to summarize as much as possible, these are visually appealing for the audience. They must be dynamic enough to allow the presenter to convey the message.

Those key takeaways remind employees when they revisit their learning resources and allow them to ruminate on questions that fellow workers raise. 

To sum up this point, building presentation skills for instructional presentations requires:

• Ability to put complex concepts into simpler words
• Patience and a constant learning mindset
• Voice training to deliver lengthy speeches without being too dense
• Ability to summarize points and note the key takeaways
• Empathizing with the audience to understand their challenges in the learning process

The informative presentations take place in business situations, such as when to present project reports from different departments to the management. Another potential usage of these presentations is in SCRUM or other Agile methodologies, when a sprint is completed, to discuss the advance of the project with the Product Owner.

As they are presentations heavily dependent on data insights, it’s common to see the usage of infographics and charts to express usually dense data in simpler terms and easy to remember. 

Informative presentations don’t just fall into the business category. Ph.D. Dissertation and Thesis presentations are topics that belong to the informative presentations category as they condense countless research hours into manageable reports for the academic jury. 

Since these informational presentations can be perceived as lengthy and data-filled, it is important to learn the following professional presentation skills:

• Attention to detail
• Be able to explain complex information in simpler terms
• Creative thinking
• Powerful diction
• Working on pauses and transitions
• Pacing the presentation, so not too much information is divulged per slide

The leading inspirational platform, TEDx, comes to mind when talking about inspirational presentations. This presentation format has the peculiarity of maximizing the engagement with the audience to divulge a message, and due to that, it has specific requirements any presenter must meet.

This presentation format usually involves a speaker on a stage, either sitting or better standing, in which the presenter engages with the audience with a storytelling format about a life experience, a job done that provided a remarkable improvement for society, etc.

Empathizing with the audience is the key ingredient for these inspirational presentations. Still, creativity is what shapes the outcome of your performance as people are constantly looking for different experiences – not the same recipe rephrased with personal touches. The human factor is what matters here, way above data and research. What has your experience to offer to others? How can it motivate another human being to pursue a similar path or discover their true calling?

To achieve success in terms of communication skills presentation, these inspirational presentations have the following requirements:

• Focus on the audience (engage, consider their interests, and make them a part of your story)
• Putting ego aside
• Creative communication skills
• Storytelling skills
• Body language knowledge to apply the correct gestures to accompany your story
• Voice training
• Using powerful words

After discussing the different kinds of presentations we can come across at any stage of our lives, a group of presentation skills is standard in any type of presentation. See below what makes a good presentation and which skills you must count on to succeed as a presenter.

Punctuality

Punctuality is a crucial aspect of giving an effective presentation. Nothing says more about respect for your audience and the organization you represent than delivering the presentation on time . Arriving last minute puts pressure on the tech team behind audiovisuals, as they don’t have enough preparation to test microphones, stage lights, and projector settings, which can lead to a less powerful presentation Even when discussing presentations hosted in small rooms for a reduced audience, testing the equipment becomes essential for an effective presentation.

A solution for this is to arrive at least 30 minutes early. Ideally, one hour is a sweet spot since the AV crew has time to check the gear and requirements for your presentation. Another benefit of this, for example, in inspirational presentations, is measuring the previous presenter’s impact on the audience. This gives insights about how to resonate with the public, and their interest, and how to accommodate your presentation for maximum impact.

Body Language

Our bodies can make emotions transparent for others, even when we are unaware of such a fact. Proper training for body language skills reduces performance anxiety, giving the audience a sense of expertise about the presented topic. 

Give your presentation and the audience the respect they deserve by watching over these potential mistakes:

• Turning your back to the audience for extended periods : It’s okay to do so when introducing an important piece of information or explaining a graph, but it is considered rude to give your back to the audience constantly.
• Fidgeting : We are all nervous in the presence of strangers, even more, if we are the center of attention for that moment. Instead of playing with your hair or making weird hand gestures, take a deep breath to center yourself before the presentation and remember that everything you could do to prepare is already done. Trust your instincts and give your best.
• Intense eye contact : Have you watched a video where the presenter stared at the camera the entire time? That’s the feeling you transmit to spectators through intense eye contact. It’s a practice often used by politicians to persuade.
• Swearing : This is a no-brainer. Even when you see influencers swearing on camera or in podcasts or live presentations, it is considered an informal and lousy practice for business and academic situations. If you have a habit to break when it comes to this point, find the humor in these situations and replace your swear words with funny alternatives (if the presentation allows for it). 

Voice Tone plays a crucial role in delivering effective presentations and knowing how to give a good presentation. Your voice is a powerful tool for exposing your ideas and feelings . Your voice can articulate the message you are telling, briefing the audience if you feel excited about what you are sharing or, in contrast, if you feel the presentation is a burden you ought to complete.

Remember, passion is a primary ingredient in convincing people. Therefore, transmitting such passion with a vibrant voice may help gather potential business partners’ interest.  

But what if you feel sick prior to the presentation? If, by chance, your throat is sore minutes before setting foot on the stage, try this: when introducing yourself, mention that you are feeling a bit under the weather. This resonates with the audience to pay more attention to your efforts. In case you don’t feel comfortable about that, ask the organizers for a cup of tea, as it will settle your throat and relax your nerves.

Tech Skills

Believe it or not, people still feel challenged by technology these days. Maybe that’s the reason why presentation giants like Tony Robbins opt not to use PowerPoint presentations . The reality is that there are plenty of elements involved in a presentation that can go wrong from the tech side:

• A PDF not opening
• Saving your presentation in a too-recent PowerPoint version
• A computer not booting up
• Mac laptops and their never-ending compatibility nightmare
• Not knowing how to change between slides
• Not knowing how to use a laser pointer
• Internet not working
• Audio not working

We can come up with a pretty long list of potential tech pitfalls, and yet more than half of them fall in presenters not being knowledgeable about technology.

If computers aren’t your thing, let the organization know about this beforehand. There is always a crew member available to help presenters switch between slides or configure the presentation for streaming. This takes the pressure off your shoulders, allowing you to concentrate on the content to present. Remember, even Bill Gates can get a BSOD during a presentation .

Presentations, while valuable for conveying information and ideas, can be daunting for many individuals. Here are some common difficulties people encounter when giving presentations:

Public Speaking Anxiety

Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, affects a significant portion of the population. This anxiety can lead to nervousness, trembling, and forgetfulness during a presentation.

Lack of Confidence

Many presenters struggle with self-doubt, fearing that they may not be knowledgeable or skilled enough to engage their audience effectively.

Content Organization

Organizing information in a coherent and engaging manner can be challenging. Presenters often grapple with how to structure their content to make it easily digestible for the audience. Artificial Intelligence can help us significantly reduce the content arrangement time when you work with tools like our AI Presentation Maker (made for presenters by experts in presentation design). 

Audience Engagement

Keeping the audience’s attention and interest throughout the presentation can be difficult. Distractions, disengaged attendees, or lack of interaction can pose challenges.

Technical Issues

Technology glitches, such as malfunctioning equipment, incompatible file formats, or poor internet connectivity, can disrupt presentations and increase stress.

Time Management

Striking the right balance between providing enough information and staying within time limits is a common challenge. Going over or under the allotted time can affect the effectiveness of the presentation.

Handling Questions and Challenges

Responding to unexpected questions, criticism, or challenges from the audience can be difficult, especially when presenters are unprepared or lack confidence in their subject matter.

Visual Aids and Technology

Creating and effectively using visual aids like slides or multimedia can be a struggle for some presenters. Technical competence is essential in this aspect.

Language and Articulation

Poor language skills or unclear articulation can hinder effective communication. Presenters may worry about stumbling over words or failing to convey their message clearly.

Maintaining appropriate and confident body language can be challenging. Avoiding nervous habits, maintaining eye contact, and using gestures effectively requires practice.

Overcoming Impersonal Delivery

In virtual presentations, maintaining a personal connection with the audience can be difficult. The absence of face-to-face interaction can make it challenging to engage and read the audience.

Cultural and Diversity Awareness

Presenting to diverse audiences requires sensitivity to cultural differences and varying levels of familiarity with the topic.

In this section, we gathered some tips on how to improve presentation skills that can certainly make an impact if applied to your presentation skills. We believe these skills can be cultivated to transform into habits for your work routine.

Tip #1: Build a narrative

One memorable way to guarantee presentation success is by writing a story of all the points you desire to cover. This statement is based on the logic behind storytelling and its power to connect with people .

Don’t waste time memorizing slides or reading your presentation to the audience. It feels unnatural, and any question that diverts from the topic in discussion certainly puts you in jeopardy or, worse, exposes you as a fraud in the eyes of the audience. And before you ask, it is really evident when a presenter has a memorized speech. 

Build and rehearse the presentation as if telling a story to a group of interested people. Lower the language barrier by avoiding complex terms that maybe even you aren’t fully aware of their meaning. Consider the ramifications of that story, what it could lead to, and which are the opportunities to explore. Then, visualize yourself giving the presentation in a natural way.

Applying this technique makes the presentation feel like second nature to you. It broadens the spectrum in which you can show expertise over a topic or even build the basis for new interesting points of view about the project.

Tip #2: Don’t talk for more than 3 minutes per slide

It is a common practice of presenters to bombard the audience with facts and information whilst retaining the same slide on the screen. Why can this happen? It could be because the presenter condensed the talk into very few slides and preferred to talk. The reality is that your spectators won’t retain the information you are giving unless you give visual cues to help that process. 

Opt to prepare more slides and pace your speech to match the topics shown on each slide. Don’t spend more than 3 minutes per slide unless you have to introduce a complex piece of data. Use visual cues to direct the spectators about what you talk about, and summarize the principal concepts discussed at the end of each section.

Tip #3: Practice meditation daily

Anxiety is the number one enemy of professional presenters. It slowly builds without you being aware of your doubts and can hinder your performance in multiple ways: making you feel paralyzed, fidgeting, making you forget language skills or concepts, affecting your health, etc.

Meditation is an ancient practice taken from Buddhist teachings that train your mind to be here in the present. We often see the concepts of meditation and mindfulness as synonyms, whereas you should be aware that meditation is a practice that sets the blocks to reach a state of mindfulness. For presenters, being in the here and now is essential to retain focus, but meditation techniques also teach us to control our breathing and be in touch with our body signals when stress builds up. 

The customary practice of meditation has an impact on imagination and creativity but also helps to build patience – a skill much needed for connecting with your audience in instructional presentations.

Having the proper set of presentation skills can be quite subjective. It goes beyond presentation tips and deepens into how flexible we can be in our ability to communicate ideas.

Different presentations and different audiences shape the outcome of our efforts. Therefore, having a basic understanding of how to connect, raise awareness, and empathize with people can be key ingredients for your career as a presenter. A word of advice: success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes dedication and patience to build communication skills . Don’t condition your work to believe you will be ready “someday”; it’s best to practice and experience failure as part of the learning process.

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Mastering Presentation Skills: A Comprehensive Guide

Presentation skills are an essential aspect of professional development and personal growth. Learn to convey your ideas clearly and compellingly.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding the importance of effective presentation skills in professional and personal growth.
• Learning how to utilize body language and visual aids to keep the audience engaged.
• Strategies to overcome pre-presentation jitters and improve overall presentation performance.

Presentation skills are an essential aspect of professional development and personal growth. Whether you're addressing a small group or a large audience, the ability to convey your ideas clearly and compellingly can make a significant difference in your career. This comprehensive guide will delve into the most effective presentation skills, offering practical advice to help you improve your presentation skills and deliver successful presentations.

The Foundation of Good Presentation Skills

Good presentation skills are rooted in the ability to communicate effectively. This involves not only what you say but also how you say it. Your body language, voice modulation, and the clarity of your message all play a crucial role in delivering a good presentation. To master these skills, one must practice regularly and be open to feedback from other presenters and audience members.

Body Language: Your Silent Communicator

Your body language can speak volumes before you even utter a word. Appropriate gestures, facial expressions, and maintaining eye contact are crucial components of effective presentations. They help convey your message and keep the audience's attention. An experienced presenter knows that a positive enthusiasm and a confident stage presence can significantly impact the delivery of their presentation.

Visual Aids: Enhancing Your Message

Visual aids, such as Microsoft PowerPoint slides, charts, and videos, can greatly enhance your presentation by providing a visual context to your words. They should complement your speech, not overshadow it. Use bullet points to summarize information and high-quality images to illustrate points more vividly. Remember, the visual aids are there to support your presentation, not to be the main focus.

Overcoming Stage Fright

Stage fright, or pre-presentation jitters, is a common challenge for many presenters. Breathing techniques, such as taking deep breaths before stepping onto the presentation stage, can help calm your nerves. Arriving early to familiarize yourself with the environment and practicing your speech with note cards can also reduce anxiety. Remember, even TED Talk speakers feel nervous; what sets them apart is their ability to manage and channel that nervousness into a compelling presentation.

Engaging Your Audience

Keeping the audience engaged is one of the most important aspects of a successful presentation. This involves understanding the needs and interests of your target audience and tailoring your content accordingly. Use a personal story or a relatable example to make your points more relatable. Encourage questions and interactions to create a two-way dialogue and maintain audience interest throughout your talk.

The Role of Public Speaking in Presentation Skills

Public speaking is an integral part of presentation skills. It's about delivering your message with clarity and confidence. To improve your public speaking abilities, focus on articulating your ideas clearly and at a pace that is easy for the audience to follow. Practice your speech in front of a mirror or record yourself to evaluate your voice modulation and body language.

Leadership Skills and Presentation

Effective presentation skills are closely linked to leadership skills. A leader must be able to present their vision and ideas in a way that inspires and motivates their team. This requires a combination of self-confidence, clear communication, and the ability to connect with audience members on a personal level. By honing your presentation skills, you also enhance your leadership capabilities.

Pre-Presentation Preparation

Preparation is key to a killer presentation. This includes researching your topic thoroughly, organizing your ideas into a coherent structure, and rehearsing your delivery. Use note cards to remember key points, but avoid reading from them verbatim. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will feel when it's time to present.

Presentation Tools and Technology

Leveraging presentation tools and technology can take your presentation to the next level. Familiarize yourself with software like Microsoft PowerPoint or other presentation platforms to create visually appealing slides. However, ensure that technology enhances your presentation rather than becoming a distraction.

The Importance of Practice

Practice is essential to improve your presentation skills. Rehearse your presentation multiple times, ideally in the actual room where you will be presenting. Seek opportunities to present in front of others, such as a small group or even a mirror, to gain confidence and receive constructive feedback.

Crafting a Killer Presentation: The Art of Preparation

The significance of thorough research.

Before stepping onto the presentation stage, it's crucial to invest time in researching your topic. This not only ensures that you are well-versed in your subject matter but also boosts your self-confidence. A presenter who is confident in their knowledge can engage the audience more effectively. Harvard Business Review emphasizes the importance of understanding your target audience's needs and expectations. Tailoring your content to address these points makes your presentation more relevant and compelling. Remember, a well-researched presentation is a foundation upon which successful presentation skills are built.

Structuring Your Content for Maximum Impact

Once your research is complete, the next step is to structure your presentation in a way that flows logically and keeps the audience's attention. Start with an outline that includes an introduction, key points, and a conclusion. Use bullet points to distill complex ideas into digestible pieces of information. This structure helps you maintain focus while delivering your presentation and aids the audience in following your narrative. A clear structure is a hallmark of good presentation skills and is essential for a compelling presentation. Think of your outline as a roadmap that guides both you and your audience through the journey of your talk.

Enhancing Delivery Through Rehearsal Techniques

Enhancing delivery through rehearsal techniques is crucial for ensuring effective communication and presentation skills. By dedicating time to practice and refine delivery methods, individuals can significantly improve their ability to convey information clearly and confidently. Rehearsal allows speakers to familiarize themselves with the material, anticipate potential challenges, and adapt their delivery style to engage and captivate their audience effectively. Moreover, through repetition and feedback, speakers can fine-tune their delivery, refine their message, and enhance overall performance. Whether preparing for a presentation, speech, or any form of public communication, investing in rehearsal techniques is essential for achieving impactful delivery and maximizing audience engagement.

Mastering the Use of Presentation Tools and Technology

Presentation tools and technology are integral to delivering a successful presentation. With the advent of software like Microsoft PowerPoint, presenters can create visually appealing slides that support their message. The key is to use these tools to enhance, not overshadow, the content. For instance, incorporating bullet points for clarity, using high-quality images to illustrate points, and embedding videos for dynamic examples can make a presentation more engaging. However, it's crucial to ensure that the technology serves the presentation and not the other way around.

The vast majority of presentation tools offer features that can help maintain the audience's attention. Interactive elements such as polls, animations, and transitions can keep the audience engaged, but they must be used judiciously to avoid distraction. Experienced presenters recommend rehearsing with the technology beforehand to ensure smooth execution. Arriving early to test equipment and familiarize oneself with the setup can prevent technical glitches that might otherwise disrupt the flow of a presentation. Remember, the goal is to use technology to deliver a compelling presentation that resonates with the audience.

The Power of Body Language and Eye Contact in Presentations

Body language and eye contact are among the most effective presentation skills that can significantly influence the success of a presentation. Appropriate gestures, facial expressions, and posture convey confidence and enthusiasm, which can be contagious to the audience. A presenter who stands tall, makes eye contact, and uses hand gestures effectively can command the room and keep the audience engaged. It's not just about what you say, but how you say it; your body language speaks volumes about your self-confidence and belief in your message.

Moreover, maintaining eye contact with audience members is a powerful way to connect on a personal level, making your presentation more compelling. It signals to the audience that you are focused on them and interested in their reaction. However, it's important to strike a balance; too much eye contact can be intimidating, while too little can make you seem disengaged. Practice varying your eye contact throughout the room, making sure to include even those in the back or on the sides. This inclusive approach helps ensure that all audience members feel acknowledged and valued during your presentation.

Integrating Effective Visuals in Presentations

Visual aids are not just supplementary elements; they are integral to delivering a successful presentation. When used appropriately, they can transform a good presentation into a compelling one, capturing the audience's attention and reinforcing your message. The most effective presentation skills involve the strategic use of visuals to clarify complex information and illustrate points vividly. Whether it's a simple pie chart or an intricate infographic, each visual should be designed with the target audience in mind, ensuring that it adds value rather than distracts.

Incorporating visuals into your own presentation requires a balance between content and aesthetics. Slides should not be overcrowded with bullet points; instead, they should support the speaker's words with impactful imagery or key takeaways. Remember, the vast majority of audience members are more likely to remember information that is visually stimulating. Tools like Microsoft PowerPoint or other presentation tools offer a range of options to create these visuals. By practicing the integration of visuals in your rehearsals, you can ensure that they complement your delivery rather than compete for attention.

Overcoming Pre-Presentation Jitters

Pre-presentation jitters are a common experience, even for the most seasoned presenters. Good presentation skills involve recognizing these feelings and implementing strategies to manage them effectively. One of the most important things to do is to arrive early, allowing yourself time to become familiar with the presentation space. This can help reduce anxiety and provide an opportunity to troubleshoot any issues with presentation tools or visual aids. Taking deep breaths and engaging in light stretching or breathing techniques can also help calm nerves before taking the stage.

Another key strategy is to focus on the message you want to convey rather than on your own nervousness. By shifting the focus to the value you are providing to your audience, self-confidence naturally increases. It's also a great idea to have a personal story or anecdote ready to share; this not only makes the presentation more relatable but also serves as a comfortable starting point for many speakers. Remember, the goal is not to eliminate nerves entirely but to harness that energy into positive enthusiasm that enhances your stage presence and keeps the audience engaged.

The Role of Practice in Polishing Your Performance

Practice is, without a doubt, the most important thing you can do to improve your presentation skills. Repeatedly rehearsing your speech allows you to refine your delivery, work on your timing, and ensure you are comfortable with the material. It's a great idea to practice in front of a small group or even alone, using a mirror to observe your body language and facial expressions. TED Talks and other presentations by experienced presenters can serve as excellent examples to emulate. By the time the big meeting or event arrives, you should feel as though you know your presentation inside and out.

Utilizing Feedback to Hone Your Skills

In addition to self-rehearsal, seeking feedback from others can be invaluable. Whether it's from colleagues, friends, or a speaking coach, constructive criticism can provide insights into areas of your presentation that may need more detail or a different approach. Use this feedback to adjust your content, delivery, and even your visual aids. Remember, the goal is not to memorize your presentation word for word but to be so familiar with the material that you can speak about it conversationally. This level of preparation helps to reduce pre-presentation jitters and sets the stage for a successful presentation.

Handling Questions and Feedback

Be prepared to handle questions and feedback during and after your presentation. Listen carefully to the questions, provide thoughtful answers, and use the feedback to improve future presentations. Remember, questions are a sign that the audience is engaged and interested in your topic.

The Power of Storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool in presentations. A well-told story can captivate the audience, make complex ideas more understandable, and create a memorable experience. Incorporate stories that are relevant to your message and resonate with your audience.

Maintaining Audience's Attention

To maintain the audience's attention, vary the tone of your voice, use hand gestures to emphasize points, and move around the stage to engage different parts of the audience. Make eye contact with various audience members to create a connection and keep them involved in your presentation.

The Role of Confidence

Confidence is the cornerstone of a compelling presentation. It reassures the audience that you are knowledgeable and passionate about your topic. Build your confidence by mastering the subject matter and practicing your delivery until it feels natural.

Incorporating Humor

Humor, when used appropriately, can be an effective way to connect with your audience and make your presentation more enjoyable. Be mindful of your audience and the context of your presentation when incorporating humor to ensure it is well-received.

Using Personal Experiences

Sharing personal experiences can make your presentation more relatable and authentic. It allows the audience to see the real-life application of your ideas and can help illustrate your points in a way that facts and figures alone cannot.

The Art of Persuasion

A successful presentation often involves persuading the audience to accept a new idea or take action. Use logical arguments, credible evidence, and emotional appeals to persuade your audience effectively. Be clear about what you want them to think, feel, or do after your presentation.

Adapting to Different Audiences

Every audience is different, and adapting your presentation to fit the specific audience you are addressing is crucial. Consider the audience's background, knowledge level, and expectations when preparing your presentation. This will help you connect with them more effectively.

The Use of Non-Verbal Cues

Non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, gestures, and posture, can reinforce your message or contradict it. Be aware of your non-verbal communication and ensure it aligns with what you are saying. This consistency will enhance your credibility and the impact of your presentation.

Continuous Improvement

The journey to improve presentation skills is ongoing. Seek out opportunities for public speaking, ask for feedback, and reflect on your performances to identify areas for improvement. Continuous learning and adaptation are key to becoming a master presenter.

Effective presentation skills are vital for professional success and personal development. This guide has explored various aspects of presentation skills, from body language and visual aids to overcoming stage fright and engaging the audience. By incorporating these strategies and continuously practicing, you can improve your presentation skills and deliver compelling presentations that captivate your audience.

FAQ Section

How can I overcome my fear of public speaking?

Overcoming the fear of public speaking involves preparation, practice, and employing techniques such as deep breathing and positive visualization. It's also helpful to start with smaller, more familiar audiences and gradually work your way up to larger groups.

What are some effective ways to engage my audience during a presentation?

Engaging your audience can be achieved by asking questions, encouraging participation, using storytelling, incorporating humor, and making eye contact. Tailoring your content to the audience's interests and involving them in the presentation can also keep them engaged.

How important are visual aids in a presentation?

Visual aids are very important as they can help illustrate and reinforce your points. They should be used to complement your message, not replace it. Ensure that your visual aids are clear, professional, and relevant to the content of your presentation.

Related Topics

• Public Speaking
• Storytelling in Business
• Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
• Nonverbal Communication
• Audience Analysis

Recommended Reading

Click on the link to purchase the book.

• Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo
• Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery by Garr Reynolds
• The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmine Gallo
• Slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations by Nancy Duarte
• Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences by Nancy Duarte

Teach This Topic

• Practice Sessions: Organize regular practice sessions where team members can present on various topics and receive constructive feedback.
• Workshops on Nonverbal Communication: Conduct workshops focusing on the importance of body language, eye contact, and voice modulation in effective presentations.
• Storytelling Exercises: Implement storytelling exercises to enhance the ability to convey messages in a more engaging and relatable manner.
• Tech-Savvy Presentations: Provide training on the latest presentation tools and software to create visually appealing and interactive presentations.
• Public Speaking Clubs: Encourage participation in public speaking clubs or groups to build confidence and improve presentation skills in a supportive environment.

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Mastering Effective Communication: Strategies and Techniques

Mindful communication: a comprehensive guide.

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11 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills (& Free Training)

Written by: Heleana Tiburca

Are you looking for ways to completely level up your presentation skills? We’ve rounded up a list of the 10 best tips to help you deliver and create an effective presentation .

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the tips you’ll find inside:

• Create an audience journey roadmap
• Use proper and confident body language
• Meet your audience before presenting to better connect with them
• Focus on your presentation design to engage your audience

... and a whole lot more!

So, if you want to take your presentation skills to the next level, then this list will show you exactly how to do so.

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

Tip #1: define the purpose of your presentation., tip #2: create an audience journey map., tip #3: keep your slides short and sweet., tip #4: focus on your presentation design., tip #5: visualize boring numbers and data., tip #6: practice in front of a live audience., tip #7: meet your audience before presenting., tip #8: channel nervous energy into enthusiastic energy., tip #9: use proper and confident body language., tip #10: allow your personality to shine through., tip #11: take courses to improve your presentation skills., free presentation skills training.

Behind every successful presentation, there was carefully crafted planning that went into it beforehand. To ensure that you’ll have a powerful presentation, you need to consider your message.

The very first step to any good presentation is to define its purpose. This goes on in the very beginning during the planning process where you consider your message.

Your presentation’s end goal can be any of the following:

• To entertain
• To persuade

Your presentation’s end goal might even be a combination of the four purposes above. Consider the fact that you may need to inform buyers of your product and what problem it solves for them, but you also need to persuade them into buying it.

This is where engaging storytelling and proper visual aids will come into play to help you achieve your goal, and will either make or break your presentation.

Once you pinpoint the purpose of your presentation, you can then begin to work on the subject matter and your audience journey map.

An audience journey map is a visual representation of all the steps you need to take your audience members through, from first to last and everything in between, to achieve the goal of your presentation.

There are a few steps to creating your audience journey map.

First, you need to start your explanation at a low point — the current state of an issue. Maybe there’s a problem that you are able to solve. Describe the current situation before you lay out the undertaking ahead.

Once you lay out the problem, you can then start showing your audience the process of solving this problem. To not overwhelm your crowd, give them an actionable roadmap to follow.

With great verbal communication skills, you can tell them how you plan to take the first step.

This is many times the hardest part of the presentation, but once you have the foundation for your first step, you can easily lay out the next stepping stones and take them to your end goal with ease.

Creating an audience journey map will be a major success factor in a compelling presentation and needs to be done before writing and creating your slides.

Having a clear audience journey map will also help ensure you take your audience on a smooth journey with all your main points in line and achieve your end goal with no bumps in the road.

When giving a presentation, make sure that you keep it short, sweet and as informationally-condensed as possible. All of your slides should be easy to digest and understandable at a glance.

Let's take a look at an example. The slide below is part of Visme's simple presentation theme , which is designed to have maximum impact with minimal text.

You can customize this slide and others like it in Visme's presentation software . Or, you can apply the same concept of minimalism to any other presentation tool, such as PowerPoint.

To make sure that you stay on topic and won’t overwhelm your crowd with too much information, you need to have a plan. When you have a solid plan to go by, you won’t go off track and begin rambling about things unrelated to your presentation.

Another practical way you can stay on topic and not overwhelm your audience with too much information is to have your main points written in bold somewhere on your slides.

Here's another example of a Visme slide template that does that well:

As you can see above, you don’t need to write out all the information surrounding the main points, as this will cause your audience too much confusion.

An experienced presenter will be able to quickly glance over at their own presentation slides, see the main points and continue on with their presentation, engaging their audience without going off course.

This, of course, comes with a lot of rehearsing out loud, which we will cover more in tip number six .

Another great way to keep your presentation short is to set a specific time for asking questions.

By reserving a few minutes during your presentation for your audience to ask questions, you can present your main points and achieve your goals, without going into too much detail.

Your audience can then ask for clarity on anything that interests them and you can answer their questions in however much detail you need.

Picture this: you’re gathered around the conference table with all your colleagues early Monday morning and your manager pulls up a lifeless, colorless, text-filled Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

You’re trying your best to pay attention and understand what he’s trying to convey, but staring deep into your coffee cup seems much more interesting at this point.

Sound familiar?

This is why it’s so crucial to understand how your presentation design will affect the outcome.

By having a messy and overloaded presentation, you’ll lose your audience almost immediately. On the flip side, if it’s so mundane and boring, you will also lose their attention.

One design presentation tip that we suggest you implement is to make sure you don’t overcrowd your slides with too much text.

This is a risky thing to do because the moment you flip to the next slide, your audience’s attention goes from what you’re saying, to your slide.

They’ll begin to read everything presented on the slide and completely tune you out. This is why a minimal text approach with a maximum of 2-3 different yet complementary fonts on your slides will be ideal, like in the example below.

You can use visual aids like images, animated graphic design elements, videos and more to convey the same message that boring text would.

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea to design a presentation from scratch, and that’s why it can be incredibly helpful to use a tool that offers presentation templates to help you get started.

Visme has hundreds of handcrafted presentation templates for public speakers to use for any occasion. Each presentation template is fully customizable and you’ll be able to add your branded content to your slides to make it your own.

Presenting your data can be an incredibly tricky and difficult task.

Instead of adding a bunch of tables and numbers to your slides, try switching things up by using charts, graphs and other data visualization types .

When creating a chart for your presentation, you need to be mindful of several things.

First, you need to choose the right chart to begin with. Not every type of graph is suitable for all data sets. The chart you choose will depend on the nature of your data and your unique purpose of using that chart.

Here's an infographic to help you understand what type of chart to use depending on your unique needs and nature of data.

Image Source

For example, if you're drawing a comparison between two or more items, a bar graph might be suitable. But if you're breaking down composition, a pie chart might be a better idea.

Also, make sure that you can fit all of your information into a chart without overcrowding the visual and also have your audience understand that information at a glance, like in the example below.

Other data visualization tips to keep in mind include choosing a pleasant, cohesive color scheme, sticking to max 2-3 fonts, incorporating a legend, and keeping your data as simple as possible.

Learn more about data visualization best practices to help you create engaging charts for your presentations and reports.

If you're using Visme, you can also import your data directly from Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Survey Monkey, Google Analytics and more.

Practice, practice and practice again.

Some would argue that writing up and designing a presentation from scratch is the easiest part. Delivering the presentation in a way that it engages your audience — that's the tricky part.

When it comes to public speaking, it’s only natural that one would get a little nervous and stumble upon their words.

That’s why practicing your public speaking skills in front of others will be vital to how well you present and connect with your crowd during your actual presentation.

It’s one thing to practice in front of the mirror, but it’s something completely different when people are waiting for you to deliver information that will improve their business or life.

So gather up some friends, family members or even your pets, and present your presentation from start to finish as many times as you need.

By presenting your slides out loud, you might even catch some mistakes in your presentation or find you need to add in some missing information.

By shaking your attendee’s hand before a meeting, you’ll begin to make connections and become more approachable and likable by your audience.

Meeting your audience will help break the ice and make them more likely to listen to what you have to say. They will also feel more comfortable asking you questions later, which will increase the value they get out of your presentation.

Plus, you’ll also feel more relaxed speaking to your audience if you've met them already. When you can put a name to a face, you’ll automatically feel a sense of comfort when you make eye contact with them while presenting.

Even the most famous movie stars and popular public speakers will still get nervous before a public presentation.

It’s human nature to get butterflies and perspire a bit before having tons of eyes on you, critiquing every word you have to say.

So, if you’re feeling nervous before a presentation, instead of emotionally shutting down, take that nervous energy and transform it into enthusiastic energy.

Before getting up on stage, listen to your favorite hype music, maybe have a coffee (if it won’t make you jittery) or get a pep talk from a friend.

By being confident and using your enthusiasm to your advantage, you’ll have your crowd on the edge of their seats, completely engaged, following every word you say.

Enthusiastic presentations will much better received by listeners, rather than monotone informational presentations. So, as important as your presentation design is, the way you present it will determine a big part of the outcome.

According to Allan Pease , an Honorary Professor of Psychology at ULIM International University, you can convince almost anyone to do anything for you if you use proper body language.

He has an entire Ted Talk dedicated to the subject, which you can watch below.

The proper use of hand gestures, a power stance, a confident smile and an authoritative yet kind voice are all techniques that you can leverage to get your crowd listening to and agreeing with what you’re saying.

According to Allan Pease, when using hand gestures, you’ll want to make sure that you’re using open palm gestures. This makes you look like a great leader that is right there with the team, ready to lead and take charge.

By using open palm gestures, people will automatically be inclined to listen to you.

The moment you turn your hand over and start using your pointer finger, you will lose your audience. They won’t accept any information from you and they will believe you have an authoritative and hostile attitude.

Body language is everything, so make sure to use open hand gestures, smile, take a deep breath and believe that you’re not nervous, even if you are.

As soon as you believe that you’re not nervous, your brain and body will follow suit and you’ll feel more confident on stage with your presentation, which will make your audience trust you more.

We’re convinced that with the right tone of voice and allowing your personality to shine through, you can take any boring presentation, and turn it into an entertaining and engaging one for your audience.

While it is good to meet your audience where they are, it’s never good to fake your personality for the sake of a presentation.

Everyone can tell when someone isn’t genuine, and if you’re trying to suppress your personality, you’re only hurting yourself and your presentation by doing so, as what you’re saying can then begin to sound disingenuous.

So, don’t be afraid to use your personality to your advantage. Let a joke out and entertain your audience. By making your audience laugh, you’ll have them more in tune with what you’re saying.

Chances are if you’re giving a business presentation, many of your peers will be there and they'd want you to let your personality show. So, be yourself and use that to your advantage!

Finally, our best tip that we can offer you in all areas of life is to never stop learning.

The only way to improve is to continue learning and practicing. That’s why we recommend you take presentation courses that will help improve your communication skills and presentation skills.

You can brush up on your presentation, communication and public speaking tips by taking online courses on Udemy or Coursera . Look for specific courses on storytelling, body language and more to focus on your problem areas.

Or, if you're looking for a free course that packs all the good stuff at zero cost, our team at Visme has put together an incredible presentation course that will help you smash your next presentation!

When it comes to creating and giving presentations, many times it seems like it’s just something that’s expected of us to do, without receiving any type of proper training or qualifications.

Here at Visme, we want to see everyone succeed.

That’s why we combined our years of knowledge and experience to create a free course to give everyone the tools and confidence they need in order to create effective and successful presentations.

There are dozens of benefits and skills you’ll gain in these training sessions. You'll learn how to:

• Effectively brainstorm and create audience personas and audience journey maps
• Use visual communication to inform, engage, inspire and persuade your audience
• Design your presentation as a professional designer would in minutes
• Use colors, fonts, pictures and videos to increase the impact of your speech
• Present your data through compelling charts and graphs that tell a story

You’ll also receive a Visme Versity certificate of completion once you complete the online course — you can add this to your LinkedIn profile to set yourself up for success.

If any of these benefits sound like something you want to add to your tool belt, then you can take our free presentation skills course for professional development right now.

This course is broken down into easily digestible sections, yet it’s jam-packed full of readily applicable information. The best part is you can take the course and complete it at your own pace.

There are engaging educational videos for you to watch and learn from, informational content for you to read and at the end of each session, there is a quiz for you to take to assess your progress.

By the end of this course, you’ll have an abundance of skills that will help you succeed in all types of presentations.

Sign up today and learn how to become a great presenter in no time!

Level Up Your Presentation Skills

You’ve now learned 11 amazing tips on how to improve your presentation skills, but there’s still so much more to uncover and learn in the realm of presentations skills.

If you want to overcome your fear of public speaking, improve on your business presentations, become a better communicator and transform good presentations into great presentations, then this free presentation course by Visme is for you.

Want to create stunning presentations of your own? Sign up for our presentation software and start using hundreds of pre-made slides, animated effects, free graphics, charts and more.

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21 Ways To Improve Your Presentation Skills

Published: April 07, 2023

You know the feeling of sitting through a boring presentation. A text distracts you. A noise outside pulls your gaze. Your dog begs for attention. By the time the presentation ends, you question why you needed to sit and listen in the first place.

Effective presentation skills can stop you from boring an audience to oblivion. Delivering strong presentations can help you stand out as a leader, showcase your expertise, and build confidence.

Table of contents:

• Presentation skills definition
• Importance of presentation skills
• How to improve presentation skills
• Effective presentation skills
• Presentation skills for executives

Presentation Skills Definition

Presentation skills include anything you need to create and deliver clear, effective presentations to an audience. This includes creating a compelling set of slides , ensuring the information flows, and keeping your audience engaged.

Speakers with strong presentation skills can perform the following tasks:

• Bring together different sources of information to form a compelling narrative
• Hook audiences with a strong beginning and end
• Ensure audiences engage with their content through questions or surveys
• Understand what their audience wants and needs from their presentation

Importance of Presentation Skills

At some point in your career, you will present something. You might pitch a startup to a group of investors or show your research findings to your manager at work. Those in leading or executive roles often deliver presentations on a weekly or monthly basis.

Improving your presentation skills betters different aspects of your working life, including the following:

Communication: Improving your presentation skills can make you a better communicator with your co-workers and friends.

Confidence: 75% of people fear public speaking. By working on your presentation skills, you can gain confidence when speaking in front of a crowd.

Creativity: You learn to understand how to use imagery and examples to engage an audience.

Management: Presentations involve pulling together information to form a succinct summary, helping you build project and time management skills.

How To Improve Presentation Skills

1. create an outline.

Before designing slides and writing a script, outline your presentation. Start with your introduction, segue into key points you want to make, and finish with a conclusion.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

Almost 8 in 10 professionals practice their presentations for at least an hour. So, practice your presentation in the mirror or to a close friend.

3. Start With a Hook

When presenting, grab your audience with a hook. Consider starting with a surprising statistic or a thoughtful question before diving into the core information.

4. Stay Focused on Your Topic

You might want to cover everything under the sun, but information overload can overwhelm your audience. Instead, stay focused on what you want to cover. Aim for key points and avoid including unnecessary details.

5. Remember To Introduce Yourself

At the beginning of the presentation, introduce yourself. Kill any tension in the room by mentioning your name, your role, and any other helpful details. You could even mention a fun fact about yourself, putting the audience at ease.

6. Work on Your Body Language

55% of people look to nonverbal communication when judging a presentation. Straighten your back, minimize unnecessary gestures, and keep your voice confident and calm. Remember to work on these aspects when practicing.

7. Memorize Structure, Not Words

You might feel better knowing exactly what you want to say. But skip the script and stick to memorizing the key points of your presentation. For example, consider picking three to four phrases or insights you want to mention for each part of your presentation rather than line-by-line memorization.

8. Learn Your Audience

Before crafting a killer outline and slide deck, research your audience. Find out what they likely already know, such as industry jargon, and where they might need additional information. Remember: You're presenting for them, not you.

9. Reframe Your Anxiety as Excitement

A study conducted byHarvard Business School demonstrates that reframing your anxiety as excitement can improve performance. For example, by saying simple phrases out loud, such as “I’m excited,” you then adopt an opportunity-oriented mentality.

10. Get Comfortable With the Setting

If you plan to present in person, explore the room. Find where you’re going to stand and deliver your presentation. Practice looking into the seats. By decreasing the number of unknowns, you can clear your head and focus on the job.

11. Get Familiar With Technology

Presenting online has unique challenges, such as microphone problems and background noise. Before a Zoom presentation, ensure your microphone works, clean up your background, test your slides, and consider any background noise.

12. Think Positively

Optimistic workers enjoy faster promotions and happier lives. By reminding yourself of the positives — for example, your manager found your last presentation impressive — you can shake off nerves and find joy in the process.

13. Tell a Story

To engage your audience, weave storytelling into your presentation — more than 5 in 10 people believe stories hold their focus during a presentation. Consider ways to connect different parts of your slides into a compelling narrative.

14. Prepare for Questions

At the end of your presentation, your audience will likely have questions. Brainstorm different questions and potential answers so you’re prepared.

15. Maintain Eye Contact

Eye contact signals honesty. When possible, maintain eye contact with your audience. For in-person presentations, pay attention to each audience member. For online ones, stare at your camera lens as you deliver.

16. Condense Your Presentation

After you finish the first draft of your outline, think about ways to condense it. Short and sweet often keeps people interested instead of checking their phones.

17. Use Videos

Keep your audience’s attention by incorporating video clips when relevant. For example, videos can help demonstrate examples or explain difficult concepts.

18. Engage With Your Audience

Almost 8 in 10 professionals view presentations as boring. Turn the tide by engaging with your audience. Encourage audience participation by asking questions or conducting a live survey.

19. Present Slowly and Pause Frequently

When you get nervous, you talk faster. To combat this, remember to slow yourself down when practicing. Place deep pauses throughout your presentation, especially when transitioning between slides, as it gives you time to breathe and your audience time to absorb.

20. Start and End With a Summary

A summary at the start of a presentation can pique your audience’s interest. One at the end brings everything together, highlighting key points your audience should take with them.

21. Ask for Feedback

You will never deliver the perfect presentation, so ask for feedback. Talk to your managers about where you could improve. Consider surveying your audience for an unbiased look into your presentation skills.

Effective Presentation Skills

Effective presentation skills include communicating clearly, presenting with structure, and engaging with the audience.

As an example, say a content manager is presenting a quarterly review to their team. They start off with a summary. Their introduction mentions an unprecedented 233% growth in organic traffic — numbers their team has not seen in years. Immediately, the presenter grabs their team’s attention. Now, everyone wants to know how they achieved that in one quarter.

Alternatively, think of an entrepreneur delivering their pitch to a group of investors. They start with a question: How many of you struggle to stay awake at work? They then segue into an exciting product designed to improve the sleep quality of working professionals. Their presentation includes videos demonstrating the science behind sleep and surprising statistics about the demand for their product.

Both examples demonstrate effective presentation skills. They incorporate strong attention grabbers, summaries, and attempts to engage the audience.

Think back to strong presentations you viewed as an audience member. Ask yourself: What made them so memorable, and how can I incorporate those elements into my presentations?

Presentation Skills for Executives

Presentations take up a significant portion of an executive’s workload. Executives regularly showcase key company initiatives, team changes, quarterly and annual reviews, and more. Improving your presentation skills as a leader can help with different parts of your job, such as:

Trust: Delivering great, effective presentations can build trust between you and your team.

Confidence: Most people dread presentations — so a strong presenter projects the confidence needed by a leader.

Emotional intelligence: A great presentation taps into the audience’s perspectives, helping executives improve their emotional intelligence .

Expertise: Presentations help executives display their subject-matter expertise, making employees safe in their hands.

Delegation: At times, executives might need to pull information from different sources for a presentation — improving their ability to delegate as managers.

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The Importance of Presentation Skills: That You Must Know About

Uncover The Importance of Presentation Skills in this comprehensive blog. Begin with a brief introduction to the art of effective presentations and its wide-reaching significance. Delve into the vital role of presentation skills in both your personal and professional life, understanding how they can shape your success.

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Table of Contents  

1) A brief introduction to Presentation Skills 

2) Importance of Presentation Skills in personal life 

3) Importance of Presentation Skills in professional life 

4) Tips to improve your Presentation Skills 

5) Conclusion 

A brief introduction to Presentation Skills  

Presentation skills can be defined as the ability to deliver information confidently and persuasively to engage and influence the audience. Be it in personal or professional settings; mastering Presentation Skills empowers individuals to convey their ideas with clarity, build confidence, and leave a lasting impression. From public speaking to business pitches, honing these skills can lead to greater success in diverse spheres of life.  You can also refer to various presentation skills interview questions and answer to build you confidence! This blog will also look into the advantages and disadvantages of presentations .It is therefore important to understand the elements of presentations .

Importance of Presentation Skills in personal life  

Effective Presentation skills are not limited to professional settings alone; they play a significant role in personal life as well. Let us now dive deeper into the Importance of Presentation Skills in one’s personal life:    

Expressing ideas clearly   

In day-to-day conversations with family, friends, or acquaintances, having good Presentation skills enables you to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly. Whether you're discussing plans for the weekend or sharing your opinions on a particular topic, being an effective communicator encourages better understanding and engagement. 

Enhancing social confidence  

Many individuals struggle with social anxiety or nervousness in social gatherings. Mastering Presentation skills helps boost self-confidence, making it easier to navigate social situations with ease. The ability to present yourself confidently and engage others in conversation enhances your social life and opens doors to new relationships. 

Creating memories on special occasions  

There are moments in life that call for public speaking, such as proposing a toast at a wedding, delivering a speech at a family gathering, or giving a Presentation during special events. Having polished Presentation skills enables you to leave a positive and lasting impression on the audience, making these occasions even more memorable. 

Handling challenging conversations  

Life often presents challenging situations that require delicate communication, such as expressing condolences or resolving conflicts. Strong Presentation skills help you convey your feelings and thoughts sensitively, encouraging effective and empathetic communication during difficult times. 

Building stronger relationships  

Being a skilled presenter means being a good listener as well. Active listening is a fundamental aspect of effective Presentations, and when applied in personal relationships, it strengthens bonds and builds trust. Empathising with others and showing genuine interest in their stories and opinions enhances the quality of your relationships. 

Advocating for personal goals  

Whether you're pursuing personal projects or seeking support for a cause you're passionate about, the ability to present your ideas persuasively helps garner support and enthusiasm from others. This can be beneficial in achieving personal goals and making a positive impact on your community. 

Inspiring and motivating others  

In one’s personal life, Presentation skills are not just about delivering formal speeches; they also involve inspiring and motivating others through your actions and words. Whether you're sharing your experiences, mentoring someone, or encouraging loved ones during tough times, your Presentation skills can be a source of inspiration for others. 

Exuding leadership traits  

Effective Presentation skills go hand in hand with leadership qualities. Being able to communicate clearly and influence others' perspectives positions you as a leader within your family, social circles, or community. Leadership in personal life involves guiding and supporting others towards positive outcomes. 

Unlock your full potential as a presenter with our Presentation Skills Training Course. Join now!  

Importance of Presentation Skills in professional life  

Effective Presentation skills are a vital asset for career growth and success in professional life. Let us now explore the importance of Presentation skills for students and workers:  

Impressing employers and clients  

During job interviews or business meetings, a well-delivered Presentation showcases your knowledge, confidence, and ability to communicate ideas effectively. It impresses employers, clients, and potential investors, leaving a positive and memorable impression that can tilt the scales in your favour. 

Advancing in your career  

In the corporate world, promotions and career advancements often involve presenting your achievements, ideas, and future plans to decision-makers. Strong Presentation skills demonstrate your leadership potential and readiness for higher responsibilities, opening doors to new opportunities. 

Effective team collaboration  

As a professional, you often need to present projects, strategies, or updates to your team or colleagues. A compelling Presentation facilitates better understanding and association among team members, leading to more productive and successful projects. 

Persuasive selling techniques  

For sales and marketing professionals, Presentation skills are instrumental in persuading potential customers to choose your products or services. An engaging sales pitch can sway buying decisions, leading to increased revenue and business growth. 

Creating impactful proposals  

In the corporate world, proposals are crucial for securing new partnerships or business deals. A well-structured and compelling Presentation can make your proposal stand out and increase the chances of successful negotiations. 

Gaining and retaining clients  

Whether you are a freelancer, consultant, or business owner, Presentation skills play a key role in winning and retaining clients. A captivating Presentation not only convinces clients of your capabilities but also builds trust and promotes long-term relationships. 

Enhancing public speaking engagements  

Professional life often involves speaking at conferences, seminars, or industry events. Being a confident and engaging speaker allows you to deliver your message effectively, position yourself as an expert, and expand your professional network. 

Influencing stakeholders and decision-makers  

As you climb the corporate ladder, you may find yourself presenting to senior management or board members. Effective Presentations are essential for gaining support for your ideas, projects, or initiatives from key stakeholders. 

Handling meetings and discussions  

In meetings, being able to present your thoughts clearly and concisely contributes to productive discussions and efficient decision-making. It ensures that your ideas are understood and considered by colleagues and superiors. 

Professional development  

Investing time in honing Presentation skills is a form of professional development. As you become a more effective presenter, you become a more valuable asset to your organisation and industry. 

Building a personal brand  

A strong personal brand is vital for professional success. Impressive Presentations contribute to building a positive reputation and positioning yourself as a thought leader or industry expert. 

Career transitions and interviews  

When seeking new opportunities or transitioning to a different industry, Presentation Skills are essential for communicating your transferable skills and showcasing your adaptability to potential employers. 

Take your Presentations to the next level with our Effective Presentation Skills & Techniques Course. Sign up today!  

Tips to improve your Presentation Skills  

Now that you know about the importance of presentation skills in personal and professional life, we will now provide you with tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills .

1) Know your audience: Understand the demographics and interests of your audience to tailor your Presentation accordingly. 

2) Practice regularly: Rehearse your speech multiple times to refine content and delivery. 

3) Seek feedback: Gather feedback from peers or mentors to identify areas for improvement. 

4) Manage nervousness: Use relaxation techniques to overcome nervousness before presenting. 

5) Engage with eye contact: Maintain eye contact with the audience to establish a connection. 

6) Use clear visuals: Utilise impactful visuals to complement your spoken words. 

7) Emphasise key points: Highlight important information to enhance audience retention. 

8) Employ body language: Use confident and purposeful gestures to convey your message. 

9) Handle Q&A confidently: Prepare for potential questions and answer them with clarity. 

10) Add personal stories: Include relevant anecdotes to make your Presentation more relatable.   

All in all, Presentation skills are a valuable asset, impacting both personal and professional realms of life. By mastering these skills, you can become a more effective communicator, a confident professional, and a persuasive influencer. Continuous improvement and adaptation to technological advancements will ensure you stay ahead in this competitive world. 

Want to master the art of impactful Presentations? Explore our Presentation Skills Courses and elevate your communication prowess!  

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JHM Professional Development and Career Office Awareness. Preparation. Development.

Presentation skills.

In any career, clear communication is essential, and in academic research, one must be able to present their work effectively to many audiences. The resources below will help you create oral and poster presentations for conferences and seminars, scientific pitches for networking, and talks for general audiences.

Oral Presentations

• Dr. Doug Robinson provides tips on how to craft slides that are informative and complement your oral presentation.
• The Carey Business School’s Presentation Skills Workbook: A guide to preparing powerful presentations has advice on verbal and non-verbal presentation skills .
• Best Practices for Effective Presentations
• Creating and Presenting your Poster
• PowerPoint Design Concept-White Space
• PowerPoint Design Concept-Visual Hierarchy
• Designing Effective Presentations-Fonts

Poster Presentations

• The NIH presentation Creating and Presenting Dynamic Scientific Posters will guide you through making and presenting a poster, and includes examples.
• Ten simple rules for a Good Poster Presentation , PLoS Computational Biology

Empower Your Pitch

Empower Your Pitch is a doctoral communication competition that develops the research communication skills of participants, enabling them to deliver diverse pitches to diverse people. The competition empowers presenters to communicate the value of their research at any stage of development and across all disciplines – including STEMM, Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences – in a maximum time frame of three minutes. Presenters may rely on assorted strategies to capture the audience’s attention, convey the essence of their research, and explain its relevance to their listeners.

Unlock the power of communication to share the full potential of your ideas – click here to learn more and register!

Scientific Pitches - 1-minute talks

Drs. Damani Piggott and Caren Freel Myers share their tips for crafting short, persuasive talks about one's research—without the use of slides or visual aids!

• Presentation Skills
• Skills & Tools

Presentation skills can be defined as a set of abilities that enable an individual to: interact with the audience; transmit the messages with clarity; engage the audience in the presentation; and interpret and understand the mindsets of the listeners. These skills refine the way you put forward your messages and enhance your persuasive powers.

The present era places great emphasis on good presentation skills. This is because they play an important role in convincing the clients and customers. Internally, management with good presentation skills is better able to communicate the mission and vision of the organization to the employees.

Importance of Presentation Skills

Interaction with others is a routine job of businesses in today’s world. The importance of good presentation skills is established on the basis of following points:

• They help an individual in enhancing his own growth opportunities. In addition, it also grooms the personality of the presenter and elevates his levels of confidence.
• In case of striking deals and gaining clients, it is essential for the business professionals to understand the audience. Good presentation skills enable an individual to mold his message according to the traits of the audience. This increases the probability of successful transmission of messages.
• Lastly, business professionals have to arrange seminars and give presentations almost every day. Having good presentation skills not only increases an individual’s chances of success, but also enable him to add greatly to the organization.

How to Improve Presentation Skills

Development of good presentation skills requires efforts and hard work. To improve your presentation skills, you must:

• Research the Audience before Presenting: This will enable you to better understand the traits of the audience. You can then develop messages that can be better understood by your target audience. For instance, in case of an analytical audience, you can add more facts and figures in your presentation.
• Structure your Presentation Effectively: The best way to do this is to start with telling the audience, in the introduction, what you are going to present. Follow this by presenting the idea, and finish off the presentation by repeating the main points.
• Do a lot of Practice: Rehearse but do not go for memorizing the presentation. Rehearsals reduce your anxiety and enable you to look confident on the presentation day. Make sure you practice out loud, as it enables you to identify and eliminate errors more efficiently. Do not memorize anything as it will make your presentation look mechanical. This can reduce the degree of audience engagement.
• Take a Workshop: Most medium and large businesses allow their employees to take employee development courses and workshops, as well-trained employees are essential to the success of any company. You can use that opportunity to take a workshop on professional presentation skills such as those offered by Langevin Learning Services , which are useful for all business professionals, from employees to business trainers and managers.

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How to Improve Your Presentation Skills

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How to Improve Your Presentation Skills was originally published on Forage .

Presentation skills aren’t just for school PowerPoints — they’re necessary for various careers and a valuable soft skill for communicating information at work. These skills are vital to advancing your career and making your work stand out, whether you’re presenting data for an analysis project, projections in a finance role , or key takeaways in a team meeting. In this guide, we’ll cover:

Presentation Skills Definition

Presentation skills employers look for, presentation skills: the bottom line.

Presentation skills are all of the skills you need to deliver an informative and engaging presentation. There are three main types of presentation skills.

Verbal Communication Skills

Verbal communication skills are the skills you use when talking to someone else. When presenting, you use these skills to communicate information so your audience can easily understand. Verbal communication is both about speaking to your audience and speaking well. You should know your audience’s current knowledge level to understand how much information and context to give them; you should also communicate clearly, slowly, and articulately. Verbal communication presentation skills include:

• Storytelling
• Public speaking

Interpersonal Skills

You use interpersonal skills when interacting with others to build stronger relationships. While presenting, it’s unlikely you’ll forge a personal relationship with each audience member, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t interact with the audience. The best presenters engage with their audience by asking them questions, encouraging participation, making jokes, or telling stories you think will capture their attention. Interpersonal presentation speaking skills include:

• Audience engagement
• Body language
• Active listening

Visual Skills

Visual assets accompany almost every work presentation. These may be graphs with results or slides with key learnings in text. A good presenter uses visual aids to enhance their presentation, not distract or overwhelm the audience. Your slides should visualize what you’re talking about and summarize the key talking points you want your audience to take with them. Visual presentation skills include:

• Branding and design
• Organization
• Chart, graph, and data presentation

Almost any field — whether you’re in professional services or marketing — requires presentation skills. Employers are looking for team members who can communicate results, learnings, and key takeaways in presentations. They’re also looking for personable, authentic, engaging presenters who won’t robotically read off slides.

“Lead with your values and emotional intelligence [when presenting],” Megan Hamilton, speaking, visibility, and confidence coach, says. “This is counter to all of the rules we’ve seen about professionalism for the past several decades. Learning how to build your presence — a grounded body, a calm and relaxed demeanor, a resonant voice — comes easily with time, but fostering your true self will help you in every possible situation.”

With some of the workforce still working remotely or hybrid, using technology efficiently is also a critical presentation skill employers look for. On Zoom, knowing how to share your screen, navigate a chat, and present are the bare minimum. However, it’s a bonus to know how to use visual assets to enhance your presentation, use technology like breakout rooms, and make a virtual presentation that engages an audience.

Improving your presentation skills requires preparation before you stand in front of an audience or join a Zoom meeting. You’ll need to think about the context of your presentation, enhance your storytelling skills, and get creative with your practice.

Know Your Audience

“The first step of crafting an effective presentation is thinking about your audience and tailoring the presentation to their needs,” Colleen Stevenson, post-secondary transition coach and founder of Choose Your University, says. “What and how much do they need to know? You don’t want to provide too much or too little information. As an entry-level employee, this may be challenging because you won’t be as familiar with your audience. This means you will have to ask effective questions and do research in order to provide the best presentation. “

For example, a CEO might need more zoomed-out, high-level takeaways to make a decision on your work, while your team member might be able to understand nuanced details. Ask yourself:

• What information does my audience already know? Where are their knowledge gaps?
• Why am I presenting this information to this specific audience? Why right now?
• What do I want my audience to take away from this presentation?

Tell a Story

Sure, you might not be presenting on the most exciting thing, but practice framing your presentations as stories. Your presentation should give the audience clear context, show the journey of how you came to a conclusion, and give them an idea of what’s to come next. Finally, your audience should leave your presentation with a clear message and action items.

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Embrace Social Media

All those hours on TikTok might come in handy. Hamilton suggests using the “live” feature — one that you can find on Tiktok or Instagram — to help build your skills in a “low stakes way.”

“They’re deletable, you can watch them over again, and they give you some more stress to be able to work through (because people are watching!) than just recording to your phone camera,” she says. “Whatever it is that you’re passionate about, build a two-minute talk or presentation, practice it and record it, and then give it a go in a social media live setting. Keep trying until you figure out how to present in a way that feels good and authentic to you — it’s all the same skills!”

Make it Legible

Tech can be your best friend or worst nightmare when presenting. Getting comfortable with Google Slides, PowerPoint, and Keynote can help make your presentations smoother and more organized.

• Pay attention to branding. Keep your fonts and colors consistent.
• Don’t crowd. Too much text will confuse your audience and distract them from listening to you. Generally, try to keep your slides under six bullet points with sentences shorter than eight words.
• Keep it simple. While you don’t need to have “boring” slides, less is more. You don’t need flashy graphics and animations. Let your storytelling skills and personality shine through instead.

“Make sure that whatever you create is compatible with the systems you will be presenting on,” Stevenson advises. “There’s nothing worse than making the perfect slide deck only to find that all your fonts change when you open it on a different device! Any visual aids you create should contain as few words as possible, and should complement your verbal content by adding clarity rather than mirroring it.”

Practice Makes Perfect

Before any presentation, you’ll want to review your slides multiple times. This doesn’t mean just reviewing where your text boxes are and what your graphs look like. Practice presenting out loud, and if you’re presenting virtually, practice in a mock Zoom meeting to get the hang of screen sharing and making eye contact virtually.

Presentation skills are used in nearly every job to communicate information to other team members, managers, and key stakeholders. The better your presentation skills are, the better others will understand the impact of your work — and the more likely you are to advance your career.

Looking to bolster your professional skills? Check out Two Sigma’s Professional Skills Development Virtual Experience Program .

Image credit: Christina Morillo / Pexels

The post How to Improve Your Presentation Skills appeared first on Forage .

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Important Presentation Skills for Workplace Success

• What Are Presentation Skills?

Steps To Create a Presentation

Skills that help make an effective presentation, how to make your skills stand out.

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Whether you’re a high-level executive or an administrative assistant, developing your presentation skills is one key way to climb in an office-based job. Leaders make decisions based on information shared in presentation format, and hardly any business changes its mind without first seeing a persuasive presentation.

It is important for any office employee to know what steps go into creating an effective presentation and what presentation skills are most important to employers. Highlighting these skills will also help you stand out during your job search.

Key Takeaways

• Presentation skills are what you need to know to be able to give an engaging, effective presentation.
• The steps to creating a successful presentation are preparation, delivery, and follow-up.
• Employers want to know you have the necessary skills to research, analyze, and create a presentation, plus the communication skills needed to deliver it and field questions afterward.
• You can highlight your skills to employers through your resume, cover letter, and interview.

What Are Presentation Skills? 

Presentation skills refer to all the qualities you need to create and deliver a clear and effective presentation. While what you say during a presentation matters, employers also value the ability to create supporting materials, such as slides.

Your prospective employer may want you to deliver briefings and reports to colleagues, conduct training sessions, present information to clients, or perform any number of other tasks that involve speaking before an audience.

Giving engaging and easy-to-understand talks is a major component of the strong  oral communication skills  that are a  job requirement  for many positions. Not all presentations take place in a formal meeting. Many presentation skills are relevant to one-on-one consults or sales calls.

Any presentation has three phases: preparation, delivery, and follow-up. All presentation skills fit into one of these three phases.

Preparation 

Preparation involves research and building the presentation. Consider the audience you'll be presenting to and what most interests them. This may mean crafting the entire text (or at least writing notes) and creating any slides and other supporting audio/visual materials.

You will also have to make sure that the appropriate venue is available, properly set up beforehand, and ensure the projector (if you'll need one) works and connects with your laptop.

You'll also want to practice your presentation as many times as you need to to feel comfortable delivering it with ease and confidence within the time allotted for the presentation.

Skills related to preparation include conducting research related to your presentation topic, devising charts and graphs depicting your research findings, and learning about your audience to better tailor your presentation to their needs. You'll also need to create digital slides, using statistics, examples, and stories to illustrate your points and effectively to persuade the audience.

Preparing handouts or digital references is an added courtesy that will help the audience pay attention because they won't be preoccupied with note-taking.

Your delivery is the part of the presentation that the audience sees. A good delivery depends on careful preparation and confident presentation and requires its own distinctive  skill set . 

Skills related to delivery include giving an attention-grabbing opening for a talk, providing a summary of what will be covered to introduce the presentation and provide context, and using  body language  and eye contact to convey energy and confidence.

Make sure you pause to emphasize key points, modulate your vocal tone for emphasis, and articulate your speech clearly and smoothly.

Don't be afraid of injecting humor or speaking with enthusiasm and animation—these techniques can help you in projecting confidence to your audience.

Summarize key points at the conclusion of the presentation, and be sure to have a plan for how you'll field any audience questions.

Presentation follow-up includes properly breaking down and storing any equipment, contacting any audience members with whom you agreed to communicate further, and soliciting, collecting, and analyzing feedback.

In some presentations, you may collect information from audience members—such as names and contact information or completed surveys—that you also must organize and store.

Skills related to follow-up include creating an evaluation form to solicit feedback from attendees, interpreting feedback from evaluations, and modifying the content and/or delivery for future presentations. Other follow-up skills include organizing a database of attendees for future presentations, interviewing key attendees to gain additional feedback, and emailing presentation slides to attendees.

To create and deliver the most effective presentation takes a variety of skills, which you can always work to improve.

You must be able to look honestly at your performance, assess the feedback you get, and figure out what you need to do to get better. That takes  analytical thinking .

More importantly, you need to have a firm grasp of the information you are about to communicate to others. You need to analyze your audience and be prepared to think quickly if asked questions that force you to demonstrate that you are fully aware of the material and its implications.

The kind of analytical skills you need to be an effective presenter include problem sensitivity, problem-solving , reporting and surveying, optimization, and predictive modeling. It also helps to be adept at strategic planning, integration, process management, and diagnostics. With these skills, you'll be better able to objectively analyze, evaluate, and act on your findings.

Organization

You do not want to be the person who spends half of their presentation time trying to find a cable to connect their laptop to the projector. Many things can and do go wrong just before a presentation unless you are  organized .

Presentation preparation also means keeping track of notes, information, and start/stop times. You will want to proofread and fine-tune all the materials you plan to use for the presentation to catch any mistakes. Make sure you time yourself when you rehearse so you know how long it will take to deliver the presentation.

A presentation that's finished in half the time allotted is as problematic as one that's too long-winded.

Some key organizational skills to work on include event planning, auditing, benchmarking, prioritization, and recordkeeping. Make sure your scheduling is on point and pay close attention to detail. Quick thinking is an important skill to have for when things inevitably go wrong.

Nonverbal Communication

When speaking to an audience, the way you present yourself can be just as important as how you present your information. You want to appear confident and engaging. You can do this through good posture, the use of hand gestures, and making eye contact with the audience.

Practice your  nonverbal communication  by filming yourself doing a practice presentation and observing your body language carefully. Your physical bearing and poise should convey a degree of comfort and confidence in front of an audience, while active listening , respect, and emotional intelligence will help you in facilitating group discussions.

Presentation Software

Microsoft PowerPoint is the dominant software used to create visual aids for presentations. Learn to use it well, including the special features outside of basic templates that can really bring a presentation to life. Even if someone else is preparing your slideshow for you, it will help to know how to use the software in case of last-minute changes.

Other software that is good to learn includes Microsoft Office, Apple Keynote, Google Slides, and Adobe Presenter.

Public Speaking

You need to appear comfortable and engaging when speaking before a live audience, even if you're not. This can take years of practice, and sometimes  public speaking  just isn't for certain people. An uncomfortable presenter is a challenge for everyone. Fortunately, public speaking skills can improve with practice . Some skills to work on include articulation, engagement, and memorization. You should be able to assess the needs of the audience and handle difficult questions. Controlling your performance anxiety will help you communicate more effectively.

Research is the first step in preparing most presentations and could range from a multi-year process to spending 20 minutes online, depending on context and subject matter. At the very least, you must be able to clearly frame research questions, identify appropriate information sources, and organize your results. Other useful skills include brainstorming, collaboration , comparative analysis, data interpretation, and deductive and inductive reasoning. Business intelligence is a skill that will help you evaluate what information you need to support the bottom line, while case analysis and causal relationships will help you parse and evaluate meaning.

Verbal Communication

Public speaking is one form of  verbal communication , but you will need other forms to give a good presentation. Specifically, you must know how to answer questions. You should be able to understand questions asked by your audience (even if they're strange or poorly worded) and provide respectful, honest, and accurate answers without getting off-topic. Use active listening, focus, and empathy to understand your audience. Skills such as assertiveness, affirmation, and enunciation will help you restate and clarify your key points as it relates to their questions or concerns.

You may or may not need a written script, but you do need to pre-plan what you are going to say, in what order you will say it, and at what level of detail. If you can write a cohesive essay, you can plan a presentation.

Typical writing skills apply to your presentation just as they do to other forms of writing, including grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and proofreading. The ability to build outlines, take notes, and mark up documents will also be useful.

More Presentation Skills

In addition to the skills previously mentioned, there are other important skills that can apply to your presentation. The other skills you need will depend on what your presentation is about, your audience, and your intended results. Some of these additional skills include:

• Summarizing
• Providing anecdotes to illustrate a point
• Designing handouts
• Recognizing and countering objections
• Posing probing questions to elicit more detail about specific issues
• Awareness of ethnic, political, and religious diversity
• Receiving criticism without defensiveness
• Refraining from speaking too often or interrupting others
• Anticipating the concerns of others
• Product knowledge
• SWOT analysis format
• Supporting statements with evidence
• Multilingual
• Working with reviewers
• Consistency
• Developing and maintaining standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Developing a proposition statement
• Creating and managing expectations

Include skills on your resume. If applicable, you might mention these words in your  resume summary  or  headline .

Highlight skills in your cover letter. Mention one or two specific presentation skills and give examples of instances when you demonstrated these traits in the workplace.

Show your presentation skills in job interviews. During the interview process, you may be asked to give a sample presentation. In this case, you will want to embody these skills during the presentation. For example, you will want to demonstrate your oral communication skills by speaking clearly and concisely throughout the presentation.

PennState. " Steps in Preparing a Presentation ."

Harvard Division of Continuing Education. " 10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills ."

Northern Illinois University. " Delivering the Presentation ."

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15 Professional Development Ideas, Topics & Activities

By: Grace He | Updated: September 07, 2023

This is a list of professional development ideas.

Professional development ideas refer to topics and activities for employees to improve their skills and advance their careers. This growth may help employees gain more confidence in their abilities and improve their contribution to the company. Example topics include workplace conflict resolution, communications, and critical thinking.

This concept is an employee engagement best practice and a worker engagement strategy .

This article includes

• professional development topics
• professional development activities
• professional development ideas
• professional development workshops
• personal development ideas for work

Here we go!

List of professional development topics

Companies invest in their workers’ education and training to keep up with the competition and increase profitability. A team with a fantastic work ethic, problem-solving abilities, amicability, effective job prioritizing, and the ability to adapt to new situations will record high productivity and success. Professional development ideas for work include:

1. The Art of Storytelling (Top Choice)

Persuasive storytelling is a valuable ability for every employee who has to inspire action. In The Art of Storytelling, participants will learn to share personal narratives that both inform and entertain their audiences.

The Art of Storytelling offers the following features:

• a 120-minute session led by an expert facilitator
• the five essential elements of a captivating story
• effective strategies and techniques to maintain audience interest
• dedicated practice time for participants to refine their skills
• in-depth feedback provided by the hosts

For added convenience, we will meet you at your preferred venue with all the necessary materials. If you want to have a lasting impression in the workplace, then knowing how you may exert your influence and advocate changes is crucial. Companies looking for professional development activities that help their staff share engaging narratives should consider The Art of Storytelling.

Learn more about The Art of Storytelling .

2. Environmental sustainability

Environmental sustainability means using natural resources wisely now so that future generations can still meet their needs without problems. Sustainably conscious workers consider the environmental impact of activities, products, and processes. Then, these individuals find ways to reduce negative effects on the environment.

Environmental sustainability includes reducing waste, conserving energy, using eco-friendly materials, and adopting renewable energy sources. Businesses can be more sustainable by using eco-friendly practices, like reducing waste and saving energy. Firms should also be ethical in their sourcing, get involved in community projects, and regularly check how they impact the environment and society. This process is essential for fighting climate change, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring a healthier planet for future generations.

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• icebreaker games
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3. Time management ideas

Employees will be more productive and less stressed by learning time management skills. There may be more time to attend conferences and other training events after finishing projects on time if all team members have excellent time management abilities. Time management skills also directly affect an employee’s work-life balance.

Professionally and individually, time management skills are essential. Improved time management is necessary to meet deadlines, manage your workload, and reduce stress. An excellent time management tool is an in-depth awareness of your habits and routines. This process starts by noting how much time you spend on different tasks each day. Afterward, determine the tasks you can outsource, procrastination tendencies, and utilize tools for workload prioritization.

Check out this list of books on time management .

4. Professional certifications

Professional certifications are credentials individuals earn once they have demonstrated a specific level of knowledge, skills, and competence in a particular field or industry. Professional organizations, industry associations, or certification bodies typically grant these certifications. Certifications serve as formal recognition of an individual’s expertise and can enhance career prospects. Examples include the Project Management Professional certification for project managers, the Certified Public Accountant designation for accountants, and the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification for cybersecurity professionals. Earning professional certifications can validate one’s qualifications and often requires passing an examination and meeting specific experience or education requirements.

Professional certifications are a highly beneficial addition to any professional development plan. These courses provide proof of expertise and skill in a specific field or industry. These certifications often require difficult training and exams, ensuring that individuals have up-to-date knowledge and skills.

5. Communication skills

Communication is the lifeblood of every company. Lack of communication means there is no shared knowledge, ideas, or diversity among employees. As the economy shifts and becomes more unpredictable, most forward-thinking organizations are emphasizing the need to have employees who are proficient communicators. The most crucial goal is to create an environment that encourages open communication among all team members.

As part of the professional development course on communications, workers will learn vital skills such as:

• Teamwork: Handling group efforts, team-building events, and shared objectives. Employees will get to work as a team instead of focusing on individual contributions. Our perspectives, abilities, and expertise are all unique. You can take advantage of this detail by promoting a diverse approach to problem-solving.
• Clear writing: When it comes to interacting with customers and employees, effective digital communication is often the only viable option for today’s companies to prevent miscommunication.
• Active listening: Open communication with coworkers and superiors is effortless when employees learn to listen attentively and comprehend the viewpoints of all parties.
• Conflict management: The ability to deal with difficult situations professionally. The application includes handling salary negotiations, complaints, or the departure of employees.
• Discretion and confidentiality: These skills demand being trustworthy and fair in all interactions with coworkers, from the lowest levels of the organization up to the highest levels. You should always maintain a professional demeanor while dealing with sensitive or private material.

Career success relies on your ability to communicate effectively with coworkers. As part of your professional growth, you can learn strategies to strengthen communication with coworkers, supervisors, suppliers, and customers. You should learn to adapt your discussion depending on the individual’s attitude and how to communicate using multiple means, such as in person, via email, or over the phone. Knowing how to read and being aware of body language are essential for effective communication. Additionally, employees can use communication skills outside of the office, so working on these skills is among the top personal development ideas for work.

Check out this list of communication-building activities .

6. Conflict management and resolution in the workplace

In the workplace, disagreements are a normal part of the team development process and can be beneficial. Leaders and workers should manage conflict effectively so it does not negatively impact corporate operations or the team’s relationships. Understanding the other party’s viewpoint and coming up with solutions that benefit both parties is vital in conflict management. Taking a stand for what is morally correct and ethical might lead to conflict in the workplace.

A manager’s ability to deal with sensitive issues is crucial, and this training will help them learn:

• Proper communication in stressful circumstances and being courteous yet persistent to reach a peaceful resolution.
• Self-assessment of an issue to devise tactful solutions
• Vital qualities like self-discipline, fairness, understanding, tolerance, and empathy to handle difficult circumstances while also demonstrating a strong work ethic.

Managers that are proficient in these three areas will be able to cope with more complex problems that need collaboration, interpersonal skills, and clear communication.

Here is a list of conflict-resolution activities .

7. Financial literacy

Financial literacy is the ability to understand and manage your finances effectively. The understanding involves having the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions. Financial literacy encompasses a range of topics, from understanding personal finance basics like creating a budget to more advanced concepts like investment strategies. Employees may learn about budgeting, saving, investing, and planning for the future. Being financially literate  empowers individuals to make wise financial choices, achieve their financial goals, and secure their financial well-being.

Financial literacy is an important topic for professional development because it helps individuals make smart financial choices, both in their personal lives and at work. Being financially literate helps individuals manage their own money better and helps them assist with financial planning and decision-making at their workplace. In today’s complex financial world, financial literacy is crucial for career growth and financial security.

8. Performance evaluations

Most times, a manager’s role includes doing performance evaluations. Therefore, every manager should understand performance management for workers. This ability entails assessing your team’s members, grasping their qualifications and experience, and placing them in roles that make the most of their abilities. Performance management may also include addressing any performance issues, developing an improvement plan, and addressing any bad conduct occurring in the workplace.

Regardless of one’s position in a company’s hierarchy, providing and accepting constructive criticism is essential. Your professional career will benefit if you become more adept at giving assessments to workers. An effective appraisal or feedback shows your appreciation for their efforts and your desire to see team members flourish in the future and offers improvement tips.

Although a manager handles performance evaluation, employees may sometimes need to provide constructive criticism to their colleagues during peer review. Employees will learn more about how to give and receive constructive criticism as part of the professional development program.

Here are tips for giving employee feedback .

9. Flexibility

In today’s dynamic corporate environment, individuals must continually improve their skill sets and be able to adapt to ever-changing working conditions. Employees in today’s fast-paced corporate environment benefit from this area of professional development. However, adaptation to a new environment and training needs many resources.

Some techniques to promote employee flexibility in professional development include network support, cross-training, business trips to other offices, peer learning and knowledge exchange, and switching departments.

Almost all companies experience change or transition, but a successful change implementation relies on the cooperation of all workers and supervisors. As the manager, it may be beneficial for you to learn how to prepare your team for change better. In addition, you, as an employee, can learn how to effect positive change or how to prepare for negative change.

10. Better customer service

Customer service training is one excellent example of employee development activities. Your firm and its customers will benefit greatly from your efforts to improve your customer service competencies. Customer service skills include patience, understanding, empathy, adaptability, and calmness under pressure. Professional development in customer service can equip employees with the skills needed to deal with difficult clients or how to make a customer’s bad experience better. Examples of training activities include conflict resolution and de-escalation training and courses in emotional intelligence and active listening. These skills include empathy, clear communication, excellent work ethic, and thick skin.

Here is a list of books about customer service .

11. Leadership

As a manager or a senior executive, developing strong leadership abilities is a worthwhile investment of time and money. People’s self-esteem and career prospects may improve and benefit from formal leadership education. Successful leaders in your company are likely to have the following characteristics:

• Determination
• Team Management
• Strategy Development
• Decision-making

If you want to hold a management position one day, you will benefit from participating in professional development training on management. This training will help you better understand leadership styles and expectations. Employers also do well to invest in leadership development to ensure future managers are confident and ready to lead.

Here is a list of leadership skills .

12. Hard and soft skills

Hard skills often correlate with the employee’s position. These skills are important for talent acquisition, payroll administration, and disseminating ideas from upper management to lower-level staff. Digital technology eventually pushes you to develop even the most competent people in these disciplines, regardless of their expertise. Short and in-depth seminars and courses are the greatest ways to learn. Staff members are more likely to embrace shorter and concise training, and the relevance lasts longer.

Soft skills deal with the way you go about your job. Communication, listening, and time management are a few examples of the many critical soft skills in today’s workplaces. Employers prioritize soft skills when looking to fill open positions because they contribute to an employee’s success at work.

13. Human resources software

HR departments benefit significantly from different people management tools. Individual employees benefit from this form of software, which helps disseminate and organize their personal and professional data. Corporations are increasingly relying on technology to arrange their workers’ personal information. Learning this skill will help HR personnel learn to integrate HR software in your department. You will have an advantage over your competition if you have some software experience. Also, managing paperwork and communicating with staff will be easier if you use specialized software.

Check out this list of HR software .

14. Legal and compliance

Legal and compliance training can be a valuable professional development idea for individuals and organizations.   Legal and compliance refers to adhering to laws, regulations, and industry standards that cover various aspects of an organization’s operations. For instance, companies may need to follow employment laws, intellectual property regulations, contractual obligations, data privacy laws, and industry-specific regulations. Organizations must have systems in place to ensure that they meet these legal requirements and maintain ethical business practices. Failure to do so can result in legal consequences, fines, reputational damage, and other negative consequences.

It is important to stay updated on relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards. Professionals can minimize legal risks, ensure ethical business practices, and maintain their organization’s reputation. Training in legal and compliance matters can also lead to career advancement. This training equips individuals with the knowledge to navigate legal issues and make informed decisions that protect both their interests and their organization’s bottom line.

15. Talent management

To be an effective leader, you must be able to motivate and manage. An influential manager must encourage their employees to go above and beyond the call of duty, solve challenging issues, and establish a high-performance work environment. Impactful leadership may significantly influence productivity and staff morale, ethics, and company-worker relations. Managers can improve their people management skills by addressing their emotional quotient, ensuring team collaboration, promoting effective communication and transparency, and learning empathy.

The importance of professional development

Professional development is honing your abilities and collecting more knowledge. These skills can help you succeed in your current position and even help you get a promotion or a new role in the future. Therefore, it is critical to engage in ongoing professional development throughout your career to stay updated in your field. Professional development comprises degree programs, certifications, training courses, seminars, or finding a career mentor.

Regardless of their individual skillset, specialty, or emphasis, all personnel benefit from ongoing professional development ideas. As employees’ duties and responsibilities evolve, they must adapt and grow. Soft skills are just as vital as hard talents. Organizations gain as much, if not more, from ongoing learning as do their workers.

Learn more about the importance of professional development .

Professional abilities tend to interconnect, and when you work on one skill, you are sure to enhance the others as well. Even if your primary goal is to improve your general skills, you may still advance your career by upskilling.

If you want to succeed in your career, you need to like what you do. Without this commitment, motivating others to do better will be difficult. Therefore, it is crucial to discover the satisfaction of learning new things and improving your job skills. You will be able to recognize your strengths and limitations more easily. Implementing a professional development program will help you and your employees develop, learn, and become better people.

For more references, check out training and development books  and career books .

We also have a list of the best corporate workshop ideas for employees .

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FAQ: Professional development ideas

Here are some frequently asked questions about professional development ideas.

What are professional development ideas?

Professional development ideas refer to specific training topics and activities for employees to improve their skills and advance their careers.

What are some good professional development ideas for work?

Good professional development ideas for work include management skills, communication, and performance management.

How do you hold professional development workshops for employees?

You can hold professional development workshops by performing a needs assessment to determine what areas require upskilling. You can then devise the training approach, perhaps through one-on-one or group sessions.

Author: Grace He

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.

Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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Executive Presentation Training Programs

Master the Art of Exceptional Presentations

For decades, Speakeasy has been at the forefront of transforming leaders into captivating speakers. Our executive presentation training programs are meticulously crafted to give professionals the tools they need to create compelling narratives, design powerful presentations, and deliver them with unmatched conviction.

With a focus on storytelling techniques, impactful slide design, executive presence , and assertive delivery, we bring out the unique speaker in every leader. We go beyond just technique – we help you find your voice, and ensure it resonates in any boardroom.

Increased confidence among presenters when using a well-designed slide - TechSmith

More persuasiveness for presentations paired with visual aids over those without. - Management Information Systems Research Center

of employed Americans believe presentation skills are critical for workplace success. - Prezi

Flexible Program Options for Any Schedule

At Speakeasy, we understand that life is filled with diverse commitments and schedules can vary greatly. That’s why we offer a comprehensive array of programs to accommodate every professional’s unique circumstances. Whether you prefer the traditional in-person classroom experience, the convenience of live online virtual sessions, or the autonomy of self-administered digital courses, we have the perfect fit for you.

What to Expect From Executive Presentation Training

A commanding presentation can be the defining factor in clinching deals, influencing stakeholders, and propelling your career forward. Here are five compelling reasons to invest in executive presentation training:

• Enhanced Presentation Skills: Our training polishes your ability to design striking slides, narrate compelling stories, and deliver with a clear, confident voice.
• Masterful Storytelling: Learn the techniques to weave stories that engage, captivate, and drive your message home.
• Robust Audience Engagement: Grasp how to read and respond to your audience, ensuring active participation and lasting impact.
• Strategic Slide Design: Make every slide count. Learn the art of creating visual aids that complement and amplify your message.
• Preparedness for Varied Scenarios : Be it boardrooms, webinars, or international

Let Us Match You With An Executive Presentation Training Program

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Discover the Speakeasy Difference

At Speakeasy Inc., we’re dedicated to helping high-potential professionals rediscover the art of conversation, create lasting connections, and elevate their personal communication style. In today’s fast-paced digital world, authentic, face-to-face communication is more important than ever before. Here’s why you should choose Speakeasy:

Expertise in Communication

Our team of experienced coaches are passionate about communication and its power to transform lives. We bring together the latest research and time-tested techniques to help you become a confident, engaging, and influential communicator in any situation.

Personalized Approach

We understand that each individual has unique strengths and areas for improvement when it comes to communication. That’s why our programs are tailored to your specific needs, ensuring that you receive the guidance and support necessary to achieve your personal and professional goals.

Interactive Learning Environment

We believe that the best way to learn is by doing. Our immersive workshops and one-on-one coaching sessions provide ample opportunities for you to practice and refine your communication skills in a supportive, feedback-driven environment.

FAQs About Speakeasy Executive Presentation Training Programs

What exactly is covered in the executive presentation training, how does speakeasy's approach stand out from the crowd, who is the ideal candidate for this training, what key skills can i expect to develop through this training, how is the training delivered are there virtual options available, start speaking the language of success today.

Ready to transform your organization’s communication skills and drive business success? Connect with us below and let our expert coaches help you chart the path to exceptional communication with our tailored executive coaching programs.

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How to harness the power of professional development goals

Feeling stuck? Professional development goals might be the remedy you need.

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Though it’s become something of a cliche, it’s probably not too often that we’re actually posed the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Some among us will have that five-year plan mapped out and memorized – they’d be able to answer without missing a beat. But for many more of us, even if we’re happy at work, there’s a distinct lack of ownership over our professional paths. 

A whopping nine in 10 workers say they feel stuck in their jobs. This can be true for a number of reasons, but one sure-fire antidote is setting professional development goals. Read more for the how and the why.

What are professional development goals (and why do they matter)?

Don’t underestimate the outsized impact of short-term goals

Professional development goals are objectives you set that benefit or improve your career in some way. While that might immediately make you think of landing a promotion, job growth is only the tip of the iceberg. There’s plenty of variety in the professional development goals you can set for yourself, including:

• Developing a look-forward plan focusing on advancing or growing in your career
• Improving your skills and knowledge, whether in a current strength area or an aspirational one
• Building a network of people who have the knowledge and/or skills you aspire to own
• Boosting your productivity and efficiency, so you have more time for what you like to do most
• Enhancing your well-being

While our focus here is on the professional goals you set for yourself, managers and employees can also work collaboratively to determine these objectives as part of a career development plan .

Rich Hurley, a Senior Program Manager for Team Anywhere at Atlassian, was part of the core team that rolled out our employee growth profiles. Each profile includes a list of career competencies – the skills, knowledge and behaviors that are specifically valued in a particular profession – and are connected to future career growth. They’re used in quarterly check-ins and assessment process, meaning that managers and employees are each held accountable for assessing, reflecting on, and discussing each employee’s career.

“To me,” Rich says, “the most impactful managers are the ones who take it one step further and focus beyond the role you currently hold and rather explore together where you want to be one, three, five years from now.”

But regardless of how heavily your manager is involved, setting these goals is more than a formality or a feel-good exercise. They significantly impact your motivation, commitment, and career satisfaction. Goals trigger dopamine , the neurotransmitter frequently associated with feelings of pleasure and gratification. And you don’t just get a dopamine spike when you achieve a goal — simply setting a goal triggers that neurotransmitter and pushes you toward that potential reward (hence the boost in motivation).

How to set professional development goals: 4 tips for meaningful missions

You likely have a few targets lingering in your mind, but bringing some structure to those loose objectives can help you transform them from ideas to action plans. Here are four tips to set meaningful professional development goals.

1. Consider your values

Your professional development goals shouldn’t just be meaningful — they should be meaningful to you . Achieving a goal isn’t satisfying if the outcome doesn’t align with your priorities, principles, and ambitions.

Rich says, “I think it’s imperative that we invest in ourselves. Too many times, we wait for the organization we work for to decide a topic or skill is important. I’d urge people to spend the time, effort, and resources on skill development that matters to them . Disentangling learning and development from your workplace is freeing; it puts you in the driver’s seat.”

Sure, that promotion might look good on paper. But if you’re ultimately seeking a better work-life balance or a fresh start down an exciting path, then greater responsibility at work may eventually feel more like a detour from that five-year plan than a success.

Not sure how to identify your core values ? Print these cards and then sort them into three piles:

• Very important to me
• Important to me
• Not important to me

Once you have a stack of cards that are very important to you, narrow it down to only 10 must-haves. Just like that, you have your core values.

Rich shares an experience from his own career: “During an interview for my grad school internship, a team member asked me three questions: ‘Who are you? Where are you going? Why?’ They’re incredibly hard to answer, but give you a lens into how someone views themselves, what aspirations they have, and why those aspirations matter to them. I would recommend that everyone be ready to answer these questions for themselves. They’re an introspective vehicle for discovering what truly matters to you.”

2. Use the SMART goal framework

How to write SMART goals

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Using this framework pushes you beyond vague objectives to ones that are detailed enough to motivate you (and they make it easier to monitor your progress too).

For example, maybe your goal is to improve your public speaking skills. Applying the SMART goal framework, your final goal could look like this: Improve my public speaking skills and my visibility within the company by taking a public speaking course and volunteering as a speaker for at least three company-wide events this year.

3. Identify relevant action items

Take another look at the example goal above and you’ll see that it doesn’t just state an objective, but also specific steps to get there: Professional development goal: Improve public speaking skills

Related action items: 

• Take a public speaking course
• Volunteer as a speaker for at least three company events

You can set long-term goals or short-term goals . Breaking your bigger objectives into smaller tasks or milestones makes the objective feel more achievable and the process more enjoyable — as you can celebrate those small wins along the way. 

4. Use the buddy system

Rich is a big believer in the power of having a partner to keep us company on our professional development journey. “Learning and developing is a team sport,” he says. “You can take in knowledge, listen to a workshop, and reflect on its relevance to your life – but processing alone will only take you so far. It’s uncanny how having a partner can open your eyes to what you missed.” A like-minded co-worker or friend can offer a frame of reference beyond your own,  allowing you to see how your mutual journey might look different from another person’s perspective.

5 examples of professional development goals to inspire you

Better together: 8 essential teamwork skills to master

One of the best parts about professional development goals is that you have the flexibility to identify and create the ones that are the most meaningful and best fit for you. But if you need a little inspiration to get started, take a peek at these examples.

1. Learn a new skill or improve an existing one

Professional development goal: Expand my proficiency in SQL programming by the end of 2025.

• Complete the Microsoft SQL Server Certification during Q4 of 2024.
• Complete a CRM database using SQL by May 2025. 

2. Achieve better work-life balance

Professional development goal: Improve my work-life balance and reduce my work-related stress levels over the next six months.

Related action items:

• Commit to a firm sign-off time of 5pm three days per week.
• Schedule and stick to a weekly hobby or self-care activity (such as a book club or workout class).

3. Land a promotion

Professional development goal: Move up to a manager position within the next two years.

• Draft a detailed career pathway or development plan with my supervisor by the end of this month.
• Volunteer to lead three large team projects over the next six months.
• Schedule a coffee chat with a team member (even better if it’s a manager) from another department every three months to gain exposure and understand different parts of the company.

4. Build your professional network

Professional development goal: Expand my professional network this year to stay connected to industry trends and career opportunities.

• Attend one industry networking event each quarter.
• Join one professional organization or association by the end of the year.

5. Increase your industry knowledge 

Professional development goal: Build more expertise, credibility, and name recognition within my industry.

• Register for and attend one industry webinar each month.
• Read at least one industry-relevant book every quarter.

Feeling overwhelmed? Your professional goals should be inspiring — not intimidating. If you just need an easy win to gain some momentum, try out some of these low-pressure, quick-win professional development goals:

• Dust off your LinkedIn profile and update it with recent skills, achievements, and experiences.
• Dedicate 30 minutes this week to learning and development, such as reading relevant articles, listening to podcasts, or watching webinars.
• Test out one new time management strategy this week.
• Reach out to one existing colleague or networking contact to check in or share a helpful resource.

Know what you want – and go for it

If you’re tired of feeling stuck or stagnant in your career, setting and working toward professional development goals can help. Put the above tips and examples to work and you’ll get out of the daily drudgery and start making meaningful progress on goals that matter most to you.

“Taking ownership of our path and how we get there is not only liberating, but necessary,” Rich says. “And the best time to start is always now.”

What are your professional development goals? Share with us in the Atlassian Community!

Advice, stories, and expertise about work life today.

AI Knowledge Bytes : Artificial Intelligence in Libraries Lunch ‘n Learn Series

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Quick Summary

The purpose of this series is to learn and explore the tangible applications and implementations of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across all types of libraries in the Minitex region. AI is fast developing and it is difficult to keep up with all the latest developments, let alone explore them all yourself! The format will be 20-30 minute bite sized presentations with Q&A or demonstrations on a variety of topics. Plus, your input will shape new topics as we develop the series into 2025!

Here are some things to know:

• Please register for each session you are interested in attending, reminders and Zoom links will be sent the Friday before each meeting.
• Sessions will be on Zoom, 12:00 pm CST, 40 minutes in length, on Tuesdays
• Sessions will consist of a 20 minute presentation on a specific aspect of AI in Libraries, with 15-20 minutes left for questions and comments. If there is robust conversation occurring, no need to end early, but no pressure to stay
• There will be no cost, sessions are open to any library worker interested in the topic, but registration is required

Dates and topics with registration links:

• August 6, 2024: The Promise and Perils of Generative AI: What You Need to Know with Laura Allen
• August 20, 2024: AI Research Tools Petting Zoo with Mozhdeh Khodarahmi
• September 10, 2024: Event Planning and Marketing with ChatGPT with Megan Bratten
• October 8, 2024: Data Analysis with Pinpoint and Considerations for your Audience with Cynthia Tu
• November 12, 2024: Cataloging with ChatGPT with Conrrado Saldivar
• December 10, 2024: AI Literacy with Undergraduate Students with Kate Peterson

This event is organized by the Minitex Artificial Intelligence (AI) Community of Interest. We are a group of Minitex staff from across different units who are all interested and enthusiastic about the intersection of AI and libraries. We create learning opportunities such as webinars, discussion forums, and articles, with an emphasis on tangible applications of AI at the local level. 

Strengthening the knowledge, skills, and efficiency of staff in libraries throughout the Minitex region

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