"I went shopping for things they didn't have!" was the wonderful bit of Irishness uttered by my partner's mother after a visit to the supermarket. "Well that was a waste of time wasn't it!" I ironically and perhaps unkindly observed.
Of course we all grasped what she meant and we were teasing. But it is another reminder of how the meaning of words is so easily misinterpreted. And another opportunity for me to have a quick rant about the importance of preparation when it comes to presenting.
It is the case though that the meaning of what others hear often differs from the meaning of what we say. As well as that. How many times have you made a presentation only to think afterwards..."I wish now that I had said it this way!"
We spend a lot of time putting together written documents such as a business proposal. We wouldn't dream of submitting it without reading it through and making those inevitable tweaks. Yet we're so often happy to "busk" a presentation.
And yes, you are probably guessing where I'm heading with this? Rehearsal! There really isn't a good enough excuse for not properly rehearsing those important presentations. There are several options to go with:
- From the old favourite and the simplest...standing in front of the bathroom mirror.
- To the "High tech" options of voice recording software. Free downloads are out there and the additional benefit of this method is that you can listen to your presentation and see how it synchronises with your speaker support slides.
- Or as a 3rd option, why not ask a colleague to present to you. You will see things with greater objectivity because somebody else is delivering the message. It is also especially useful if you can sit and listen with the assumed mindset of the prospective audience and feel how the message impacts on you.
Bob Howard-Spink is a Partner in Persuadability. For more tips and advice on improving the presentation of your business messages visit http://www.persuadability.co.uk/
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