It’s bound to happen in your civilian career.
Maybe you’ve been asking your boss for more responsibility, or perhaps you raised your hand to volunteer to give a presentation because you seek visibility with senior company leaders. Whatever the reason, this is a great opportunity to highlight your skills, talent and personal brand.
Being visible to the right audience in the right way can be a tremendous career-builder. The key is that your boss, your boss’ boss and others can see you delivering a well-crafted message that achieves an intended result.
Unlike a briefing you may have given in the military — the goal of which may have been simply facts and brevity — giving a presentation at a civilian job often involves nuances that may feel intimidating.
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Fear of public speaking is a common anxiety. “But it also can be motivating,” the Mayo Clinic notes.
Here’s how you can get there:
1. Decide the Goal of the Presentation
Are you sharing information (“here’s why the product won’t ship on time …”) or demonstrating a new tool or system? Is your intent to educate the audience on a new process or idea? Do you want to inspire and motivate?
Knowing your goal or desired outcome is critical to the next step.
2. Choose How to Best Communicate Your Ideas
A motivational speech might be best delivered without any visuals, while a demonstrative presentation might require graphic slides and charts.
3. Know Your Audience
You must understand your audience so your message can be received as intended. Research the people to whom you’ll be presenting. Try to find out how familiar they are already with the topic of your presentation.
If you have an ask — such as a budget increase or project extension — determine whether the decision-makers will be part of your audience.
Then focus on what your audience needs to know about your message, such as when the product will be shipped and whether potential delays may arise. Cater your presentation to what you want them to feel, such as respect or confidence in you.
Do they appreciate brevity, or will they like a lot of details? Will they respond well to humor, or are they more serious? It’s vital to deliver your message in a tone and language catered to your audience.
4. What Conditions Will Be Present?
If the audience will be eating lunch while you talk, don’t ask them to move around the room. If the program will be outside, consider a microphone and amplifier. Will the audience be able to ask questions at the end of your program? Will you have an hour or 15 minutes to make your presentation? (Hint: More time isn’t always better, because it can be easy to ramble.)
5. Organize Your Message
Format your presentation with a clear opening, middle and end.
Your opening is the hook, or setup, and sets the stage for why the audience should care about what you’re telling them. Your opening can be a story that makes an impact, a creative question, a provocative statistic or something else that makes the audience think, “I need to hear this!”
The middle is the “meat” of your presentation. Here, you’ll share key points and supporting points. Make sure this section is well-organized, paying attention to the needs and cares of your audience.
Finally, don’t make the common mistake of forgetting to plan your ending. Don’t just thank the audience and walk offstage, which can be a letdown. Instead, recap the important highlights of what you shared, end with a story that puts a fine point on your message or share something personal. And don’t forget your ask (if there is one).
Presenting at work can be intimidating, but it can also be a terrific opportunity to highlight your confidence, clarity and wisdom to individuals who might not otherwise interact with you. Seize the opportunity to present, get prepared and deliver with poise to make a great impression and share a message you care about.
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