Presentation Skills for Engineers
Engineers are not normally applauded for their presentation skills. Maybe that’s why they got into engineering. They don’t want to talk to people.
On the other hand do you want a person who designs bridges or rockets with a communication problem?
Perhaps more engineering schools should teach and emphasize presentation skills.
Kudos to The School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials at the University of Newcastle on Tyne for this webpage of links to articles about presentation skills.
Looks like some helpful links to good articles. Maybe we can expect better presentation skills from engineers.
__________________
As engineers, it is vitally important to be able to communicate your thoughts and ideas effectively, using a variety of tools and medium. You will need to develop and use this skill throughout your years in University; when you attend job interviews and especially when you start working in the big wide world. But, it is often said that engineers do not possess the ability to communicate well. Of course that is a load of b*&%@ks - not enough coaching and practise that's all!
This page contains links to material that is designed to improve your presentation skills. Most of the links are to the Web sites of business consultants, so they should know what they are talking about. If you are a member of the IChemE, you should have received a little booklet entitled "Communication Skills for Engineers and Scientists". Nevertheless, you may still find these links useful.
_________________
Read more about presentation skills for engineers.
George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives
Presentation Skills for Engineers
Public Speaking : Tips for Speaking on Television, Videotape,
Great Public Speaking: Public Speaking : Tips for Television, Videotape,
Public Speaking Tips for Television and Video from Tom Antion
When you are speaking before television or video cameras, what tips should you keep in mind so you can look your best?
Tom Antion covers it nicely in this post on his blog about public speaking. He has listed some practical advice. When you are speaking before the camera, read these speaking tips from Tom Antion.
Enjoy the tips and “break a leg”
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
Public Speaking Tips for Television and Video from Tom Antion
When you are speaking before television or video cameras, what tips should you keep in mind so you can look your best?
Tom Antion covers it nicely in this post on his blog about public speaking. He has listed some practical advice. When you are speaking before the camera, read these speaking tips from Tom Antion.
Enjoy the tips and “break a leg”
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
Power Presentations: Hold Attention
Hold the attention of your listeners
First be aware that you will never hold 100% of everyone’s attention. It is extremely difficult to hold 100% of the attention even when you are talking to one person. Because our brain processes information much faster than you can speak – we will often be starving for input. When we don’t receive enough input we daydream. So forget about holding the attention 100% of the time. Instead focus on grabbing their attention back. Sprinkle your presentation with attention grabbing techniques – especially just before the important parts.
How to grab attention
The first key to grabbing attention is “changes”. Change helps to fight boredom. Other keys are relevance and being real.
- Change your pace of speaking – faster or slower
- Deepen your voice
- Change your posture
- Ask a rhetorical question
- Ask a question of the audience
- Make a bold statement
- Say “This is important.”
- Use the word “you”
- Do or say something unexpected
- Tell a personal story
- Admit a personal flaw or failure
- Make them laugh
- Issue a warning or reveal an unnoticed threat
- Pause, look at the audience and smile
- Speak to their specific needs and circumstance
- Use the name of the group or individual audience members
The Speech Coach for Executives
The above is an excerpt from "Secrets of Power Presentations" by Peter Urs Bender.
Association Speaker
Association Speaker
Do you need a powerful speaker for your next association conference or convention?
George Torok speaks regularily for association events.
Is George Torok the right speaker for your professional association?
You decide. Review the list of associations and comments from them. When you are ready contact him directly to discuss your specific speaker needs. 905-335-1997
Does George Torok understand association needs?
Yes. He has been an active member of many associations. He has served several on committees, project teams and on the association board. He has served on both local and national association boards. George has arranged special events for his association and he has selected, hired and managed speakers.
He often is a guest speaker for association meetings, conferences, workshops and national conventions. Many associations bring him back for another conference, seminar or special event. George Torok is the association professional speaker. For associations, George Torok is the combination of Mr Inside and Mr Outside. That means he brings both humble insight and brash perspective to your members.
What associations has George Torok helped as a professional speaker, seminar leader or consultant?
What articles are available for reprint in your association publications?
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Do you need a powerful speaker for your next association conference or convention?
George Torok speaks regularily for association events.
Is George Torok the right speaker for your professional association?
You decide. Review the list of associations and comments from them. When you are ready contact him directly to discuss your specific speaker needs. 905-335-1997
Does George Torok understand association needs?
Yes. He has been an active member of many associations. He has served several on committees, project teams and on the association board. He has served on both local and national association boards. George has arranged special events for his association and he has selected, hired and managed speakers.
He often is a guest speaker for association meetings, conferences, workshops and national conventions. Many associations bring him back for another conference, seminar or special event. George Torok is the association professional speaker. For associations, George Torok is the combination of Mr Inside and Mr Outside. That means he brings both humble insight and brash perspective to your members.
What associations has George Torok helped as a professional speaker, seminar leader or consultant?
What articles are available for reprint in your association publications?
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Presentation: Argument
Presentation: Argument
If you have a strong case – clarity is the key
If you have a weak case – persuasion is the key
Are you clarifying or persuading?
How strong is your case? What do you need to do to get the message across?
George Torok
If you have a strong case – clarity is the key
If you have a weak case – persuasion is the key
Are you clarifying or persuading?
How strong is your case? What do you need to do to get the message across?
George Torok
Presentation Disaster
Presentation Disaster
To ensure that your presentation is a success you must prepare for presentation disaster. It might sound strange – but a good way to prepare for success is to be prepared for disaster.
How can you ensure that your presentation will be a success? List the possible disasters then plan how you will deal with them. They might never happen but when they do – you will be prepared. And nothing showcases a leader more than taking charge during a disaster.
Presentation disasters can be both minor and major. Consider too that disaster is all a matter of perspective. When it is happening to you it feels like a disaster.
What are some of the presentation disasters for which you might be prepared?
You might feel nervous.
The fear of public speaking is fairly common. So if you experience it – don’t worry. Learn how to combat speech anxiety. Read more about dealing with speech anxiety in this article by John Robert Colombo.
You might verbally stumble on a word.
When we are numerous we can mispronounce a word. You can pause and say the word again. If you still fail in getting it right – find another word that means the same or smile at your audience and say, “You know what I mean.”
No one laughs at your funny line.
There are many possible causes. But don’t worry about it. Pause to let the message sink in. Smile to show that you enjoyed the funny line. As long as they got the message they don’t need to laugh out load. Consider that they might be laughing inside.
Your computer or projector dies.
This is common so you better be well prepared for this technology disaster. Have a backup system ready to go. And be prepared to present without the computer show. Remember the presentation is about your message – not your computer.
An audience member keeps interrupting you.
Depending on the circumstances you could say, “Thanks for your help, but I work alone,” Or you state, “Please hold your questions until I call for them.”
These are five common presentation disasters. If you want to be a successful presenter then don’t be surprised, instead be prepared to deal with these disasters. Do that and you will shine like a leader.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
To ensure that your presentation is a success you must prepare for presentation disaster. It might sound strange – but a good way to prepare for success is to be prepared for disaster.
How can you ensure that your presentation will be a success? List the possible disasters then plan how you will deal with them. They might never happen but when they do – you will be prepared. And nothing showcases a leader more than taking charge during a disaster.
Presentation disasters can be both minor and major. Consider too that disaster is all a matter of perspective. When it is happening to you it feels like a disaster.
What are some of the presentation disasters for which you might be prepared?
You might feel nervous.
The fear of public speaking is fairly common. So if you experience it – don’t worry. Learn how to combat speech anxiety. Read more about dealing with speech anxiety in this article by John Robert Colombo.
You might verbally stumble on a word.
When we are numerous we can mispronounce a word. You can pause and say the word again. If you still fail in getting it right – find another word that means the same or smile at your audience and say, “You know what I mean.”
No one laughs at your funny line.
There are many possible causes. But don’t worry about it. Pause to let the message sink in. Smile to show that you enjoyed the funny line. As long as they got the message they don’t need to laugh out load. Consider that they might be laughing inside.
Your computer or projector dies.
This is common so you better be well prepared for this technology disaster. Have a backup system ready to go. And be prepared to present without the computer show. Remember the presentation is about your message – not your computer.
An audience member keeps interrupting you.
Depending on the circumstances you could say, “Thanks for your help, but I work alone,” Or you state, “Please hold your questions until I call for them.”
These are five common presentation disasters. If you want to be a successful presenter then don’t be surprised, instead be prepared to deal with these disasters. Do that and you will shine like a leader.
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Speech Anxiety: Lawrence Olivier
Speech Aniety: Lawrence Olivier
Imagine Sir Lawrence Olivier nervous before his performance
Speech Anxiety experienced by Sir Lawrence Olivier.
There are many other approaches to the feeling of unease we experience when required to perform in public. For instance, Marshall McLuhan, the philosopher of communications, had a distinct "take" on this condition. It is well known that Sir Laurence Olivier, despite his standing as a great stage and screen actor, experienced profound stage fright throughout his entire performing career. He writes about the forms his panic took in his theatrical memoirs, and he puzzled as to why he continued to feel this way despite his vast experience appearing before audiences around the world. In later years he came to regard the excess sweat his body produced, the jittery nervousness, etc., as simply symptoms that his body was warning him that he would shortly have to appear before audiences and perform in public. He was able to ignore these sensations and feelings while on stage, but not before or after.
He was drenched in sweat.
Why did Sir Lawrence Olivier experience Speech Anxiety?
McLuhan's view of the matter is that of a social psychologist. Sir Laurence felt little or no anxiety prior to the performance. Anxiety levels spiked when he entered the dressing room and removed his regular clothes and stood there semi-dressed before donning his costume (the robe of King Lear perhaps). During this period of semi-dress, he had no role to play. He was no longer the man known as Sir Lawrence; he was not yet the character known as King Lear. Having no role to play, he had no way to deal with his fears and apprehensions. Once on stage, there was no problem. Techniques honed over years of training and decades of performing simply took over. After all, he was a consummate actor. The situation was reversed when he stepped off stage and entered the dressing room where he removed the robe of King Lear. Once again he was nervous and he found he was drenched in sweat. He was no longer the actor, but not yet Sir Laurence. He would never receive visitors in his dressing room before or after a performance. Once he had showered and changed into his regular clothes, he was himself again. It was as if he had been living a nightmare.
The above is an excerpt from an article about Speech Anxiety by John Robert Colombo.
Speech Anxiety
Fear of Public Speaking
Stage Fright
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Motivational Speaker
Imagine Sir Lawrence Olivier nervous before his performance
Speech Anxiety experienced by Sir Lawrence Olivier.
There are many other approaches to the feeling of unease we experience when required to perform in public. For instance, Marshall McLuhan, the philosopher of communications, had a distinct "take" on this condition. It is well known that Sir Laurence Olivier, despite his standing as a great stage and screen actor, experienced profound stage fright throughout his entire performing career. He writes about the forms his panic took in his theatrical memoirs, and he puzzled as to why he continued to feel this way despite his vast experience appearing before audiences around the world. In later years he came to regard the excess sweat his body produced, the jittery nervousness, etc., as simply symptoms that his body was warning him that he would shortly have to appear before audiences and perform in public. He was able to ignore these sensations and feelings while on stage, but not before or after.
He was drenched in sweat.
Why did Sir Lawrence Olivier experience Speech Anxiety?
McLuhan's view of the matter is that of a social psychologist. Sir Laurence felt little or no anxiety prior to the performance. Anxiety levels spiked when he entered the dressing room and removed his regular clothes and stood there semi-dressed before donning his costume (the robe of King Lear perhaps). During this period of semi-dress, he had no role to play. He was no longer the man known as Sir Lawrence; he was not yet the character known as King Lear. Having no role to play, he had no way to deal with his fears and apprehensions. Once on stage, there was no problem. Techniques honed over years of training and decades of performing simply took over. After all, he was a consummate actor. The situation was reversed when he stepped off stage and entered the dressing room where he removed the robe of King Lear. Once again he was nervous and he found he was drenched in sweat. He was no longer the actor, but not yet Sir Laurence. He would never receive visitors in his dressing room before or after a performance. Once he had showered and changed into his regular clothes, he was himself again. It was as if he had been living a nightmare.
The above is an excerpt from an article about Speech Anxiety by John Robert Colombo.
Speech Anxiety
Fear of Public Speaking
Stage Fright
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Motivational Speaker
Speech Anxiety: Freud, Jung & Alder
Freud:
We are born naked and helpless.
Sigmund Freud on anxiety.
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, placed great emphasis on the fact that we are born naked and helpless. From birth we experience panic and we express it in cries and in tears. As adults we may not express the panic directly by crying out loud or weeping in public, but we still feel this initial sense of dread when we have to "expose ourselves" before the eyes of others. Freud saw the level of anxiety to be a reversion to infantile behaviour.
Jung:
We assume our enemies--our listeners--are aware of our secret weakness.
Carl Jung on human frailty and public speaking fears.
Carl Jung, the analytical psychologist, noted that human beings display the characteristics of archetypal figures, especially heroes of Ancient Greece. The warrior hero Achilles is one such figure. Achilles was invulnerable to his enemies except for one part of his anatomy: his "Achilles heel." Except for this tendon, he was invulnerable and impervious to the attacks of his enemies. Achilles resembles the 20th-century comic-book character Superman, the caped superhero who is all-powerful except in the presence of Kryptonite, rocks from his home planet Krypton. Each of us has an Achilles heel or fears Kryptonite. It is our zone of vulnerability. According to Jung, we assume our enemies--our listeners--are aware of our secret weakness. They know we are vulnerable and hence we feel fear.
Adler:
We are powerless before powerful people.
Alfred Adler on why we fear public speaking.
Alfred Adler, the Austrian psychiatrist, made many contributions to individualistic and humanistic psychology. After examining the nature of neurosis, he popularized the concept of the "inferiority complex." It was Adler's view that, when we "present" ourselves before others, we stand "." We project our talents and abilities, our information and knowledge, onto other people. We empower them, but at the same time we disempower ourselves. We elevate them as we lower our sense of self. This projection leaves us feeling uneasy, uncanny, and vulnerable.
This is an exerpt from an article on Speech Anxiety by John Robert Colombo.
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
We are born naked and helpless.
Sigmund Freud on anxiety.
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, placed great emphasis on the fact that we are born naked and helpless. From birth we experience panic and we express it in cries and in tears. As adults we may not express the panic directly by crying out loud or weeping in public, but we still feel this initial sense of dread when we have to "expose ourselves" before the eyes of others. Freud saw the level of anxiety to be a reversion to infantile behaviour.
Jung:
We assume our enemies--our listeners--are aware of our secret weakness.
Carl Jung on human frailty and public speaking fears.
Carl Jung, the analytical psychologist, noted that human beings display the characteristics of archetypal figures, especially heroes of Ancient Greece. The warrior hero Achilles is one such figure. Achilles was invulnerable to his enemies except for one part of his anatomy: his "Achilles heel." Except for this tendon, he was invulnerable and impervious to the attacks of his enemies. Achilles resembles the 20th-century comic-book character Superman, the caped superhero who is all-powerful except in the presence of Kryptonite, rocks from his home planet Krypton. Each of us has an Achilles heel or fears Kryptonite. It is our zone of vulnerability. According to Jung, we assume our enemies--our listeners--are aware of our secret weakness. They know we are vulnerable and hence we feel fear.
Adler:
We are powerless before powerful people.
Alfred Adler on why we fear public speaking.
Alfred Adler, the Austrian psychiatrist, made many contributions to individualistic and humanistic psychology. After examining the nature of neurosis, he popularized the concept of the "inferiority complex." It was Adler's view that, when we "present" ourselves before others, we stand "." We project our talents and abilities, our information and knowledge, onto other people. We empower them, but at the same time we disempower ourselves. We elevate them as we lower our sense of self. This projection leaves us feeling uneasy, uncanny, and vulnerable.
This is an exerpt from an article on Speech Anxiety by John Robert Colombo.
George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives
Shyness: Zimbardo
The Shyness factor Zimbardo:
The Root of Speech Anxiety is Shyness.
Philip G. Zimbardo, the well-known cognitive psychologist, has devoted decades to the study of the "shyness factor" as it affects people of different ages, backgrounds, businesses, and cultures. He found that shyness figures in everyone's life. Most people admitted to him that when under pressure they experience symptoms of anxiety: the jitters, sweaty palms, knocking knees, facial flushes, watery eyes, leathery tongue, dry mouth, wild heartbeats, shortness of breath, memory lapses, mental confusions, high anxiety levels...to limit the list to one dozen symptoms of chronic shyness.
Zimbardo found that there are differences in the ways that shyness is handled by peoples of different countries and cultures. Such differences may account for variations in reporting levels of shyness and presumably in experiencing high or low levels. For instance, people he interviewed in Japan admitted to experiencing a greater degree of shyness when meeting with strangers than did people he interviewed in Israel. But across the board he found that everyone owned up to some degree of shyness, some people to an alarmingly high degree, even when being interviewed by Dr. Zimbardo! Shyness is thus a characteristic of human nature brought about by our physiology, neurology, psychology, and social conditioning.
No one should feel that nature has singled him or her out for a special affliction. No one should feel freakish because he or she panics when faced with the need to present in public. It is human to feel some anxiety. Some people experience more of it, some less. Successful speakers are men and women who have found ways to find relief from these sensations and emotions. They have found ways to make them "work" for them.
Execerpt from article by John Robert Colombo
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
The Root of Speech Anxiety is Shyness.
Philip G. Zimbardo, the well-known cognitive psychologist, has devoted decades to the study of the "shyness factor" as it affects people of different ages, backgrounds, businesses, and cultures. He found that shyness figures in everyone's life. Most people admitted to him that when under pressure they experience symptoms of anxiety: the jitters, sweaty palms, knocking knees, facial flushes, watery eyes, leathery tongue, dry mouth, wild heartbeats, shortness of breath, memory lapses, mental confusions, high anxiety levels...to limit the list to one dozen symptoms of chronic shyness.
Zimbardo found that there are differences in the ways that shyness is handled by peoples of different countries and cultures. Such differences may account for variations in reporting levels of shyness and presumably in experiencing high or low levels. For instance, people he interviewed in Japan admitted to experiencing a greater degree of shyness when meeting with strangers than did people he interviewed in Israel. But across the board he found that everyone owned up to some degree of shyness, some people to an alarmingly high degree, even when being interviewed by Dr. Zimbardo! Shyness is thus a characteristic of human nature brought about by our physiology, neurology, psychology, and social conditioning.
No one should feel that nature has singled him or her out for a special affliction. No one should feel freakish because he or she panics when faced with the need to present in public. It is human to feel some anxiety. Some people experience more of it, some less. Successful speakers are men and women who have found ways to find relief from these sensations and emotions. They have found ways to make them "work" for them.
Execerpt from article by John Robert Colombo
George Torok
Executive Speech Coach
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)