In today's networked world, a new manager's ability in presentation skill at expressing himself in persuading, influencing and capturing the imagination of his peer, subordinates, customers etc., can improve his chances in winning them over and finally his very success in the organization itself. Good presentation skill has now become the single most important factor for keeping organizations competitive, and hence it has become the most powerful tool for a new manager to increase his value not only to the employer but also to his marketability.

Key points to avoid for an effective presentation Why does one have trouble in presenting his ideas? Here are some blockages in effective presentations.

• Lack of clarity. Using imprecise and wrong words, which we understand, but the targeted audience may not. Being impatient without checking with someone knowledgeable, or referring to the dictionary and the thesaurus.
• Inability to understand the information overload. We compete with an avalanche of information the targeted audience receives today, which were non-existent sometime ago - minutes of meetings, memos, e-mails, voice mails, videoconferences, faxes, and messages coming from every direction.
• Inability to address the ideas to the intended audience.We present our ideas with our own goals in mind, without applying ourselves to use the ideas and the combination of words that will make the audience do what we want them to.
• Excuses for not developing the skills. Blaming for not having the talent, inability to face the crowd, and being fatalist in believing that nothing comes out of proper presentations.

Structuring an effective presentation

Have a goal in mind, stick to the point, and talk in an interesting, clear, and relevant manner. The following basic tenets are critical for developing good presentation skills.

1. Keep the objective in mind What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to give information, get support, and get action? What benefits can you offer? Why should the targeted audience pay attention?
2. Keep it focused. Avoid verbosity. Be precise and don't bore them to death. That's what you expect of others. Don't you? Never have more than two objectives in a presentation and not one or two themes in one page. If there are two themes, use separate paragraphs.
3. Keep it simple. Use simple words that everyone understands. Avoid jargons, if you still need them, explain those mysterious jargons, codes, acronyms etc.
4. Know the type of audience. The contents of any presentation vary with the type of audience. For example, if one is selling a software package to the top management team, presentation should focus on the macro issues, as to how the organization would benefit, in terms of employee productivity and the cost effectiveness. If the same software package is targeted at the middle management, focus on the implementation issues, how to buy the support within the organization etc. If it's at lower levels, focus on the nitty-gritty of using the software, and the way it makes their job much more manageable and effective.
5. Let presentation flow. An effective presentation has three key elements:

a) Open the presentation, with an interesting anecdote, story, or a brutal fact relevant to the presentation.
b) Body of the presentation starts with a clear one or two objectives and the main points of these objectives. Subsequently, develop the points with examples, statistics, anecdotes, quotes etc., to back each of the points. Be sure these points stick to the stated one or two objectives. Brainstorm ideas from the audience, if you are seeking solutions to some problems. You get not only quality ideas, but also ownership, if your ideas need to be implemented later.
c) Wrap up the presentation, and tell the audience as to what you want them to do, or expect them to do, or they won't do anything.

6. Be confident. Don't start off, 'The audience is more experienced and knowledgeable than me.' If you think, you are being humble, you are wrong. It gives an impression, that the audience should not be bothered to listen your presentation at all. And also, avoid, 'It may', 'I think', 'We could', 'If all goes well', weaken the ideas of the presentation.
7. Avoid gimmicks. Don't fool audience by ad gimmicks, they know it once they hear it. Many presentations have failed because of these gimmicks. Be honest, If you don't know something admit it. If you can't divulge some information say so.
8. Be receptive.When somebody has comments about the presentation, listen, and if you don't understand something, ask for clarification.
9. Visuals and charts. Use them only, if it supports the main points in the presentation

Behavioural skills for an effective presentation

During the presentation, don't "present" or "deliver" your ideas, converse naturally, as if you are talking to someone who you know closely. Look at them in the eyes, avoid fixing your gaze on the chart, or the notes, or the ceiling even if there is beautiful painting or chandelier.

Don't let grim looking faces in the audience unnerve you, may it is their nature, or they are listening to your presentation intently. If you want to bolster your confidence, look frequently at those who smile and nod at your presentation.

Nervous habits distract the audience, look at yourself in video recording and gradually and eliminate smaller mistakes initially like, 'er', 'um,' 'like', 'you know', constant pacing, scratching your nose or any part of your body.

Then, concentrate on eliminating robot like gestures - hand and arm movements, putting your hands in the pocket. Do whatever is natural and comfortable to you. Low tone, monotone, lack of emphasis gives an impression that you are not convincing in what you are saying.

CONCLUSION

It has now become a cliche to say there is no one correct way for implementing a managerial tool. Well, the same cliche applies here too. For an effective presentation, it requires a two-way communication between the presenter and the audience. No single set of tips will guarantee success in all situations. The success of a presentation is highly dependent upon the presenter, the audience, and what the presentation is about.

Finally, relax! After preparing for your presentation, you are more likely to know about the topic, than anyone else in the room. There is no reason to be nervous... You are the authority in the subject at hand.