Overview

Are you the sort of person who gives three presentations: the one you prepared; the one you delivered; and the one you wish you had delivered? Facing any audience can be a daunting experience, even for experienced speakers.

Purpose of Coaching

Enhance your professional impact when presenting to a large formal group, a small meeting or one to one. Coaching sessions can help you to acquire:

• Fresh thinking on structure
• Insights into and practice in using language to persuade
• Techniques from the world of drama to produce an ‘interesting' voice
• Ideas about key moments in any presentation which make or break.

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Format
Coaching sessions can take place on an individual basis or within a small group.

Your Presentation Style
If you need to convert technical, professional language into something which engages your audience, possibly in preparation for a particular event, as part of the normal preparation time, as a ‘dry run' or getting ready for an important pitch, work towards:

• Finding the convincing tone
• Distilling the dense content
• Getting to the heart of the message

First, give a short presentation which will be filmed for individual critique and to enable you to work on your own particular strengths so that you deliver in your own style, not to some formula.

This will be followed by input, instruction on and practice in any of these key areas, working with your own presentation, which will enable you to ‘raise your game'.

Prepare to Present
Time is precious for professional people. Learn how to make the most of your available time and concentrate on the most important aspects of your presentation.

Rapid Preparation Techniques

Preparing the Material
Useful techniques will ensure you focus on key points, create a clear structure, use key moments to best advantage and use visual aids which really do add to your personal presentation. Coaching will enable you to:

• Create a clear structure; using signposts and headlines
• Formulate effective opening and closing
• Get the tone and language right for the audience
• Practise techniques for enlivening dry or technical material
• Use notes appropriately
• Use visual aids

Putting Yourself Across

Make a strong personal impact, demonstrating sincerity and conviction by working on verbal, vocal and visual aspects of your presentation. During the coaching session, you will learn how to:

• Explore verbal, vocal and visual dynamics
• Make a personal impact
• Produce an ‘interesting' voice
• Deal with vocal and physical mannerisms
• Make your adrenaline work for you
• Read your audience and building rapport
• Deal with questions

This is normally followed by one (or more, if necessary) session to practise the most appropriate techniques for you to raise your game.

Consultant Profile: Fiona McLaren

Fiona McLaren MA, MSc, FCIPD is a coach and organisational consultant. She holds an MSc in Organisational Psychiatry and Psychology from King's College London and is a visiting lecturer in organisational psychology on two Masters courses at King's College and Brunel universities. Her first degree is in modern languages from Edinburgh University. She is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.

Fiona is an experienced and engaging corporate trainer who is at ease working with all levels of managers and staff in the Private, Public and Education sectors.

Since working as HR Director in a City law firm, she has been a free-lance consultant, working for a considerable time with top members of the legal profession, as well as senior people in other professions and businesses, for example:

• Top QCs, High Court Judges and other members of the judiciary where she has for several years coached individuals and helped them present effectively in their appointment competitions
• She has coached solicitors who are specialists in their fields, for example a Partner in top-rated charity law firm, a commercial Queen's Counsel, an international specialist in medical ethics when presenting to international audiences
• Members of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office preparing for posts in foreign embassies and City bankers making new business pitches to clients

Fiona's style is direct but encouraging and motivating. She does not ‘duck' difficult areas, for example recently working with an individual with high-functioning autism who needed sensitive handling and help in communicating with others. Her training in organisational psychiatry was particularly useful here.

Fiona is also an amateur singer and is particularly interested in performance, use of voice, engaging with the audience and dealing with nerves.

If you would like further information about Coaching to Enhance Professional Impact please contact Alastair Taylor on Tel: 0131 476 5027 or e-mail: alastair@in-equilibrium.co.uk

 

 

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