Public Speaking, Presentation & Leadership Skills

  Let’s be honest giving a talk or presentation can be nerve-wracking. For ages, I believed that if I packed in loads of facts and spoke with enthusiasm, my listeners would remember everything. Fast forward a few years and, with a bit of bumped ego, I discovered the hard way: people forget most of what we say. Maybe you’ve felt the same sting—wondering afterwards, “Did anyone take anything away from that?” Well, let me share some stories (yes, the ones where I went wrong!), what I learnt, and how you can make your sessions stick in people’s minds.   Why Do Audiences Forget So Much?   Before we dive in, here’s a bit of science (but don’t worry, no jargon—lesson learnt, as you’ll see). A German psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, discovered over a century ago that people forget almost “ 70% of new information within 24 hours ”. That’s right: most of your precious presentation will just float away by tomorrow!   Why? Because our brains can only take in so mu...

Have you ever felt your heart beat really fast, your hands shake, or your stomach twist into knots before you have to speak in front of others? Maybe you worry you’ll forget your words, or that people will laugh at you. If you feel this way, you are not alone! Even well-known speakers and actors get nervous before talking to a crowd. The good news is, there are some very simple things you can do to help yourself feel brave and calm. Let’s learn these easy tricks together, so the next time you need to give a talk or presentation, you can shine! 1. Take Deep Breaths When we get nervous, our bodies react by breathing quickly and feeling tense. An easy way to stop this is to take deep breaths. Close your eyes if you want. Breathe in slowly through your nose, counting to four. Hold your breath for two seconds. Breathe out gently through your mouth while counting to four. Doing this a few times tells your body to relax, and your mind starts to feel calm too. 2. Prepare and Practise, Practise...

Hey there! Have you ever found yourself sitting through a technical presentation, struggling to stay focused? Maybe the slides were packed with tiny text, or the speaker rattled off jargon that left you scratching your head. We’ve all been there. But what if you could be the presenter who makes everyone lean in rather than zone out? Today, let’s talk about how you—yes, you—can use audio-visual (AV) tools to breathe life into your technical presentations. Whether your audience is full of industry pros, new learners, or an international crowd, the right AV choices can make your message clear, memorable, and even fun. Why Should You Care About Audio-Visuals? Let’s be honest: technical subjects can be intimidating—or even boring—if presented badly. But you have a secret weapon at your disposal! Audio-visuals are more than just eye candy. They help break down tough ideas, keep everyone on track, and appeal to different learning styles in the room. Some of us are visual thinkers,...

  A technical presentation can be a daunting task, especially when you have to explain complex concepts or ideas to your audience. While well-crafted slides and a confident delivery are essential, the use of props can elevate your presentation to the next level. Props provide visual aids that enhance understanding and engage your audience on a deeper level. In this blog post, we will discuss the art of selecting suitable props that can make your technical presentation more impactful and memorable.   Understand Your Message and Audience Before you start searching for props, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of your message and your audience. Consider the purpose of your presentation and the key points you want to convey. Identify the core concepts or ideas that might benefit from visual representation. Additionally, analyse your audience demographics, their knowledge level, and any potential cultural or language barriers. This understanding will guide you in sele...

In today's fast-paced world, effective communication is vital for success, particularly when it comes to delivering technical presentations. Engaging a larger audience requires a thoughtful approach that combines technical expertise with powerful presentation skills. In this blog post, we will explore valuable tips and techniques to help you deliver captivating technical presentations that resonate with a bigger audience. From structuring your content to utilizing visual aids and fostering interaction, we will cover essential strategies that can elevate your presentation skills and leave a lasting impact on your listeners.   Know Your Audience: Understanding your audience is fundamental to delivering an engaging technical presentation. Before crafting your content, take time to research the demographics, interests, and knowledge levels of your target audience. This information will enable you to tailor your presentation to their specific needs, ensuring that your message reso...

How many times have you gone into a presentation and within couple of minutes have said “Oh no! Not another of those boring Power Point presentations….!!!!!!!!!!!” The truth is, bad Power Point happens to even good communicator and quite often the person giving the presentation is just as much a victim as the poor audience. Here are few tips which help you to add a bit more spice to your presentation and make it interesting. By all means this is not a comprehensive tips but a start feel free to share your tips also. The Skeleton It has been a common phenomenon for presenters to make their presentations first and then work on the speech. They align their speech according to the slides. But honestly it should be other way round. The slides are the tools to aid in your presentations.  Unless you are an expert in improvising, make sure you write out the script of your presentation even before thinking about the slides. Your script should follow good storytelling...

Most people would undergo a surgery without  anesthesia  than standing up in front of a crowd and make a speech, even if it is among the spears. Though the most efficient and effective way of getting noticed (or  recognize ) is to make a presentation or speech in front of a group of people that supports your knowledge, intelligence, and strengths. If the presentation is good people will not only notice your intelligence, also your presentation skills. The biggest fear a person faces is “What if I make a fool of myself?”   To be honest every speech is a prime opportunity to do something or say something that may come across as foolish, and this is true for every speaker to the novice to the most experienced. A joke may tank, a remark may be delivered incorrectly or you may take a false step. The experienced speaker just has some tools in their arsenal to  minimize  the risk of this happening. In this article, I am attempting to list f...

As a speaker there are few questions which we all face What is the correct speed in a speech? Is your pace of delivering speech fast,slow or just right? And what is a normal speaking pace? The answers are not straight forward. The most common way to express one speaking pace is in words per minute (wpm). To calculate this one has to simply divide the number of words spoken by number of seconds. Speaking pace Studies suggest that the pace of a speaker depends on multiple of things like his/her culture, geographical location, subject matter, gender, fluency to even their emotional state.  However there are some guidelines which are widely accepted Slow speech is usually regarded as less than 110 wpm, or words per minute. Conversational speech generally falls between 120 wpm at the slow end, to 160 - 200 wpm in the fast range. People who read books for radio or podcasts are often asked to speak at 150-160 wpm. Auctioneers or commentators who practice speed s...