Yesterday, the class had to present their powerpoints and having been the few who had cleared earlier, I slowly saw how their weakness showed and I learn not to make their mistakes. Let me share them with you so that you make the same mistakes.
- Reading from scripts.
- It makes it very automated and doesn't look professional. You tend to keep reading from the script and hence no eye contact to the audience.
- You are not speaking on the poudim, people can see that you are reading from the script. A power point presentation should never have a script for reference.
- Reading line by line from your powerpoint
- If you have something to say, don't type it out for people to read.
- Put down the main point and vocally elaborate out the idea. There won't be a point for a oral powerpoint presentation.
- Putting up a big topic
- 'C' put up 'Sun Zi Bing Fa' or Sun Zi's Art Of War. If plainly that you find it interesting to share for the presentation, don't do it. It's too big a topic and you don't know the topic well. Who knows anyone in the audience could know more then you and shoot you right back?
- Not Acting what you preach
- 'D' put up a powerpoint on self-discipline and talked about will power. Throughout the presentation he was smoking through and when asked why he (really physically) smoked, and if he had self-discipline, he would know smoking is bad for him and quit.
- Putting up a flash/moving images as you present
- 'F' put up a moving flash that was so funny, everyone was laughing and he still continued to present.
- If you HAD to put that flash up, stop your speech, let others enjoy the flash first, then enjoy your speech
- Walking Back and Fro
- 'R' was walking up and down on the same stretch of the room, and it's very irritating to see someone presenting and walking up and down to distract you.
Basically these are the few easy pointers that you can avoid next time. Now let me share with you how I can turn a presentation over.
I personally take presentation very seriously, and today we were given a common questions in which, we had almost all the answers. Now if, there were four groups presenting and the previous three had been elaborating on the same points on the same prospective, do you think people bother listening to the fourth one?
Here's what I did. The topic was on 'Qualities of a EFFECTIVE Leader'. At the start, I introduced myself (This is a must!), and gave out the topic. Then I didn't go straight to elaborating my boring points.
- I started off by saying what is a effective leader.
- I raised examples.
- I used a role model - Avery Johnson, coach of the Dallas Mavericks
- Now, take note. Not everyone knows who is Avery Johnson or even what is Dallas Mavericks, so I introduced him to everyone. He was once an NBA player who had a championship ring with the San Antonio Spurs. I told him that he's short, 170cm as compared to the giants that he is coaching. Show the difference in stats that he made when he entered as coach.
- And so now, they got a little bit of idea who he is at least. Now I go to what makes him effective as a leader with my flipchart.
- I give examples like "When you give timeout in a critical time, you got to react fast, and communicate fast to the players that you trust to win and execute the plan that you are going to tell them". With that, I covered three points, trust, good communication and the ability to react to situation. I even gave hand gestures of timeout, and executing the play chart. Isn't this better than, "Trust. You must trust your players, if not they will not trust you and they will not help you. Good Communication Skill. If you don't communciate well, your people won't understand you. Therefore it is important. ....on and on"
- I ended my speech, asked if there were any questions, and closed my speech.
And there! The difference you could make!
And now the second part.
THE CASE OF THE BROKEN OAKLEY SPECS
I was invited to play ball with my friends and was very reluctant at first, but eventually i went to change and proceeded down to play ball. I was lazy to change to my other spec, as I couldn't see clearly with the scratched lens. And since I've been playing with that black scratched lens spec, I had not even dropped my specs, I ASSUMED THAT IT WAS SAFE.
At the first few sets, my team was winning so I took outside shots where the percentage was lower, but it's okay since we're leading. And suddenly we're trashed and so I had to do what i do best, and that is to drive. This is where the REGRET comes in.
You know what happen.
It broke for the fourth time.
Then I had to fix it, but i won't be free in any weekdays where it only opens, and I'm damn pissed already about my assumption. However I found out that I end at five and so I can reach there by six before it closes!
The best parts are kicking in.
- The lesson delayed till 1710
- Then I had to pack
- Then we got some delay till 1730
- Then I found out my dad was at the wrong venue to pick me up. (I said camp. And not what camp. This one is my mistake.)
- Then my dad reached at 1800.
- Before that i plead the shop to wait for me for ten minutes.
- But I reached at 1825. And I couldn't find the shop along the shophouses.
- I found that shop, but they have locked and they have on their answering machine.
- But I discovered........they didn't locked the door! They latched and waited for me!
And so I have to thank the pretty sales girl who patiently waited for me with the group of people who mend the store. Still I had to pay, not cheap though, $80 for a replacement spec, but of course it's better then buying a new one!
Lesson learnt. never assume when your playing with half a K on you.
-Chill out!-
