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Livening a Business Presentation
How do you turn your message into one that excites the audience? How do you make your audience care about your subject?
First ask yourself what it is about your message that excites you and work on transferring that thrill over to your audience.
A powerful opening is critical. Jump right in and open with a "Bang". Pique the interest of the audience with an interesting story or startling statistic before telling them their purpose of being there and what they can expect.
Work at weaving your message into a compelling story. People do not remember mind-numbing data. They remember stories that stir their imagination. If they can remember your story, they will remember what your story illustrates. Understand the needs and interests of your audience and tell a story they can relate to.
Create pictures in the minds of your audience. Help them "see" in their minds what they are listening to. In this way, your message will have a deeper impact and you can be sure it will stick in their memory.
Use audio-visual aids to add vitality to your ideas. However remember that audio-visual aids are meant to enhance your presentation, not overshadow your performance. An excessive display of audio-visual aids can kill your presentation. Your audience is there to listen to what you have to say. They are not there to watch a display of modern technology.
End your speech on a high note. Be succinct. You can end by using a quotation or issuing a challenge, an appeal, or a call to action.
The audience needs you to make your presentation come alive. Talk to them directly. Establish eye-contact with them. Be spirited. Be enthusiastic. Connect with them both intellectually and emotionally.
Let them feel your energy.
Pauline Lau , Division of Communications & Media Management, TP
Tune in to Communicate Confidently. For other related articles, click here. |
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The Lexicographer's Dilemma: The Evolution of "Proper" English from Shakespeare to South Park By Jack Lynch
Who decides what proper English is and who decides what is right and wrong in the English language? This book attempts to provide the answers to these two questions.
The English language, as we know it today, evolved over many centuries and has been politely called 'a tangled mass'. Otherwise, why would cleave mean both 'stick together' and 'cut apart'; and bimonthly means both 'twice a month' and 'every other month'; or that 'flammable' and 'inflammable' are essentially saying the same thing.
This confusing state of the language was essentially fine with its speakers until the 1700s, when some people began to have the idea that certain usage of the language was incorrect and started publishing grammar textbooks with plenty of thou-shalt-nots.
However, this book chooses to delve into the reasons and the people who made up the 'rules'. They comprised a vast litany of characters: the poet John Dryden, Samuel Johnson, the writer of the Dictionary of the English Language (considered the best dictionary before the Oxford English Dictionary was published 173 years later) and Noah Webster, who is famous for Americanizing English, amongst others.
It is an interesting read, taking readers through the history of this language that we all wish we can speak well.
Contributed by Lim Lee Ping, National Library Board
To check availability online, click here. |
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Occur and Happen
When an event occurs or happens, it takes place, but not by arrangement. Something that you do not expect occurs or happens; something you have planned 'takes place'. Use 'take place' for planned events and keep occur and happen for the unexpected.
Source: Chambers terms to make you squirm: 200 words you shouldn't use [text by Elspeth Summers].
Contributed by Ng Cheng Soon, National Library Board |
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Q1 Should one say "personnel are" or "personnel is". What about "the police" and all such collective groupings?"
Collective nouns such as 'police', 'personnel' and 'staff' are treated as plural nouns and take a plural form of the verb. Thus the following are correct:
1. The police are checking the car for illegal modifications.
2. Well-trained personnel are an asset to any organization.
3. The staff have asked for a meeting.
Q2 Which is the correct usage? a) "Look to the front." b) "Look in front." Both of these are possible and, in fact, there is possibly a third: c) "Don't look back. Look forward."
The Cobuild large database of natural language has only isolated examples of each and none of the examples form complete sentences on their own.
Thus it is difficult to say which is more common in what context. However, sentence (a) seems to have more of a military character but that is a personal assessment.
Q3 What does "sic" mean and how/when do we use it? 'sic' is used in brackets when we quote a text that we feel might be erroneous in some way.
It indicates to the reader that this error was in the original text. Please look at the following made-up example to see how it is used:
Jones (1999) explained that 'all people needs (sic) to feel loved'.
Here the writer indicates that he or she feels that the original text by Jones contained a grammatical error. The purpose of the quote is to illustrate Jones's idea but, at the same time, the writer does not want to be accused of making the grammatical error.
Click here to email your questions.
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Many English words have consonants that must be written but not pronounced.
Common words with silent letters like "lamb" or "sign" will probably pose no trouble at all because we are so used to hearing them being spoken.
But there are quite a number of words with troublesome silent consonants. This list contains some of them:
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Parliament
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Blackguard
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Boatswain
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Poignant
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Mortgage
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Vehicle
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Click on the word to hear the correct pronunciation. |
Talking Books
by Michelle Martin
Your Next Move
by Michael D Watkins
We all have to make moves in our careers - from promotions to a jump to a new organisation.
Leadership guru Michael Watkins shows you how to survive and thrive in all major transitions.
How do you get up to speed after three months on a new job? How can you accelerate past the transition period as you settle in your new role?
This book is a vital resource for any manager or executive seeking to maintain career momentum.
If you've a book to recommend, email express@938LIVE.sg
Tune to Talking Books with Michelle Martin at 6.40 pm every weekday for more great book recommendations on 938LIVE.
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Money Talks Investment Outlook 2010
Sat 27 Feb 10am or 1pm
Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre (former Holiday Inn Parkview)
$25 per person
Global markets rebounded from the second quarter of 2009. Many economies recovered in its wake.Will the good times continue? Will year 2010 see more good news or are we now at the edge of a cliff?
Economist Dr Tan Kee Wee tells you about the obstacles facing us and what you could do with your money.
For more information, click here.
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