The Art and Psychology of Effective Presentations

Effective Presentations

“Effective” – having the power to produce an effect or effects;

“Presentations” – that which is presented – could be a reading of a poem, a video clip on tv, a recipe, a PowerPoint, a written document, a speech.

Goal for this session:

To provide 7 key ideas for effectively communicating information – whether it is written, oral or visual (in other words an Executive Summary, a verbal presentation to a Board, or a PowerPoint presentation for class or a conference.)

7 key concepts

KISSThe Magic Number 7 and its corollaries of

Primacy and RecencyThe Power of 3 (or the hamburger method of presentation)Synchronicity and left/right brainHumor (LOL)TimingUrgent Does Not Equal Important

KISS

KISS

Keep it Simple Sam

Einstein could explain relativity to his grandmother.

Hawking can explain the theory of everything and 16 dimensional space in a book of less than 200 pages.

“Stay on target” – Star Wars A New Hope

KISS

In writing, keep it to one page – front and back if you have to. Never give a 40 page document to anyone without a summary or abstract. It could be earth shattering, but no one will read it.

KISS

Oral presentations and meetings should last no more than an hour.The average attention span of children is 5 minutes; teens is 25 minutes; adults 50 minutes.And this may be decreasing with new technology that encourages sound bytes, 15 second commercials, text messaging etc.

KISS PowerPoint

Less is better.

Not too many colors.

Not too much animation.

Don’t distract from the main point.

Don’t introduce anything that can distract the audience from your message – if they can get distracted, they will get distracted.

Bad graph

The Content of the Report

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Don’t make your audience search for the answer

The Magic Number Seven (7)

The Magic Number 7

Psychological research has shown that our brains max out with more than 7 bits of information in a short period of time.

Organize your presentation to only 7 points. Or better yet, fewer. KISS.

The following facts are vital:

Mary had a little lamb.Joe only wore socks on Tuesday.Hannah ate only American cheese.Harry’s soccer team practices at 5.Molly had braces.Jill went up the hill.Happy was grumpy.Dale’s shoes don’t fit.Too many cooks spoil the broth.Wednesday’s child is full of woe.

What do you remember?

The Magic Number 7

When writing or speaking, organize your points so that there are only 7 or less.If there are two points that are similar, group them. For example, “There was an increase in headcount in Art, History and Philosophy.” Parallel construction of grammar helps organize points.

The Magic Number 7

Primacy and recency are psychological terms.

In a long list of items, a person tends to remember the items in the beginning of the list (primacy) and the end of the list (recency) and are less likely to remember the middle items.

Primacy and Recency

Therefore, put the most important things in a list either FIRST or LAST.

This goes for written, oral or PowerPoint.

Start or finish a meeting with the important things.

The Power of 3

Say it 3(three) times

Tell them what your going to tell them.

Tell them.

Tell them what you just told them.

Hamburger method of communication

Writing and speaking is like a hamburger.Introductory bottom bun prepares the audience for what comes next.The main points – the meat of the hamburger are placed on top one at a time.The conclusion or summary top bun finishes off the hamburger.

Hamburger Method

This applies to dissertations, Executive Summaries, newspaper articles, PowerPoints, class lectures and meetings.

All good meetings have an agenda, cover a select few points, and the minutes are written up.

The power of 3(three)

Don’t repeat yourself.

An introduction sets the stage and focuses the audience.

The main points provide more detail.

The conclusion or summary needs to put the details in perspective – “and this is important because….”

Synchronizing messages

Synchronicity

Be consistent in your message.

When talking about headcount, don’t have a write up about FTE.

Everything that is in your graph should also be in your write up or in your speech.

Don’t introduce loose ends.

Multi Medium

Go after all the senses – visual graph, oral presentation and written words.

Let your audience hear the choir, feel the brick of the new sidewalk, taste the soggy French Fries, smell the locker room.

Left versus Right Brain

Left brain deals with words.

Right brain deals with art, music, colors, pictures etc.

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

1 picture = 1000 words

Left and Right

People are more likely to remember and react to information that is presented to both halves of the brain.

Words (left) and pictures/graphs (right) together are more effective than either separately.

Humor (LOL)

Humor

Avoid it, if the presentation is just in writing, because as everyone knows…”timing is everything”. What could be funny out loud, can be misread by a reader.

However, every good speech or oral presentation starts with humor or a story….

Do you want his job?

Humor

Humor is a right brain kind of thing. It jump starts that part of the brain.

The very best speakers have not only a really good message, but are also entertaining…

Learning and life does not have to be boring.

Timing is Everything

Timing – Know Your Audience

Timing requires perspective – knowing your audience and what is happening.

Don’t make a call for a new program in Tiddlywinks, when department budgets have been cut.

Friday 4pm is not a good time for anything, except cleaning the desk.

Timing

Summer is a bad time to propose anything.

Be first or last on the agenda (primacy and recency).

Timing and Importance

Good Idea

Bad Timing

Good Idea

Good Timing

Bad Idea

Bad Timing

Bad Idea

Good Timing

Timing

Consider not only calendar year, but day of the month, day of the week, and time of day.

This is true for meetings, oral presentations, emails, and memos.

Urgent Does Not Equal Important

NOW+NOW+NOW < important

The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf

Urgent vs Important

This requires perspective.

Important issues, even ones with bad timing, will re-emerge.

Pareto’s Principle of 80 to 20 is true. Of 100 items, 20 will be important. Don’t write 100 emails about the 100 items.

A pile of beans….

In summary…

NOW !!! < IMPORTANT

7 key concepts

KISSThe Magic Number 7 and its corollaries of

Primacy and RecencyThe Power of 3 (or the hamburger method of presentation)Synchronicity and left/right brainHumor (LOL)TimingUrgent Does Not Equal Important

And this is important because…

IR folk have lots of data, that they spend an enormous amount of time converting into information.

Effective presentations allow us to share our information and make change.