As I write this on my birthday, one can only imagine the mixed feelings and thoughts going through my head. For starters, shouldn’t I be doing something else, rather than penning (or typing as the case may be) out yet another blog post? But this in itself reflects the fundamental essence of ES2007S: this module is important.
A Stanford Research Institute and Carnegie Melon Foundation study found that 75 percent of long term job success depends on soft skills and only 25 percent on technical knowledge (Posthuma, 2002). Additionally, an overwhelming majority (93 %) of HR managers surveyed said technical skills were easier to teach than soft skills.
According to a Job Outlook survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE) in 2008, the top characteristics employers look for in hiring are all soft skills: communication ability, a strong work ethic, written and oral communication, interpersonal skills, and teamwork (Klaus, 2008).
From the above, it’s pretty obvious that the demand for soft skills in the workplace is immense, and surpasses that of actual technical knowledge. But we already knew all that. That's why we're in this course. To put things into relative terms, the life skills taught in ES2007S are well worth the entire sum of my university tuition fees –maybe more.
But ES2007S has been more than just the-most-useful-module-offered-by-NUS; it has been a catalyst for inter-cultural exchanges, for open discussions on the most pertinent issues in society today, an avenue for peer-teaching and learning, plus the sharing of ideas and feedback, a conducive environment for the experiential learning of presentation, corporate writing, interview skills, and above all –a place where I have found real friends. At the end of the day, all I can say is that I have indeed gained immeasurable benefit from this course.
I would like to thank Brad for leading us along on this wonderful journey throughout the semester, conducting the classes with his unique brand of humour and unconventional teaching methods. I would also like to thank Alicia, Alvin, Billet, Elgin, Guo Chen, Nanhai, Shivam, Sylvester, Vinod, Wenlue, Wyhow, Xiaoshi, Xi Xi, Xing Quan and Yanling for being the most supportive, dynamic, cooperative and sincere classmates I’ve ever known here in NUS. In every single class discussion, project group, blog assignment and role-play activity, you guys have made this module truly unforgettable. It has been an honour to be your classmate. Thank you.
References:
1. Klaus Peggy (2008) The Hard Truth About Soft Skills – Workplace Lessons Smart People Wish They’d Learned Sooner. Collins.
2. Posthuma, R.A., F.P. Morgenson, and M.A. Campion (2002) Beyond Employment Interview Validity: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Recent Research and Trends. Personnel Psychology.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Bite-sized learning points from the Oral Presentation
In light of the fact that my previous (partial) reflection on my oral presentation, written by one who was feeling down and binging on chips, generated so many responses (such that it became quite a marathon replying them all) I shall now present the main presentation tips I’ve taken away from this whole experience in bite-sized sections for easy, light reading (as opposed to writing an analysis of my OP experience in essay-length paragraphs).
Preparation
1. Have a clear outline of what you’re going to cover in your speech.
This is not to say memorize a scripted speech. Instead, know your points well (it gets easier with multiple rehearsals) so that you don’t risk blank-outs or accidentally missing out points.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice
Rehearsals are vital; have as many of them as possible.
3. Simulate the actual presentation settings as far as possible during rehearsals.
Our group practiced with the video camera, as we didn’t want the presence of a camera on the actual day to unnerve us. We also tried practicing in an area that was about as large as our presentation venue, to ensure our voice-projection would be effective on the actual day.
4. Ensure your presentation slides are standardized.
Sigh. I guess this one goes without saying, and we all know why by now: standardized slides look professional; slides which are ‘customized’ to each presenter’s ‘style’ don’t.
Delivery
1. Stance/Posture
Having a firm stance (planting my feet firmly in the ground) actually helped me slow down my speech and THINK better. Since my words weren’t scripted, I sort of needed to buy time to mentally process the next point. There have been mixed reviews regarding the reduced speed of my speech, so exercise due discretion in adopting this one yup.
2. Articulation
I actually felt that slowing down the pace of my speech helped me articulate my words better. If one’s presenting in a language which isn’t his/her mother tongue, it’d be advisable to seek clarification on the pronunciation of certain words, for the sake of ensuring clarity in making the presentation.
3. Voice Projection
Fairly self-explanatory, right? Ensure that your speaking volume is loud enough to be heard by all present. Of course one shouldn’t be talking too loudly, as that might seem rude, but we all know how to exercise moderation here (:
4. Hand Gestures
The use of appropriate hand gestures can actually help emphasize your points. In my OP, some of my hand gestures actually helped me remember my points (sort of a psycho-motor association thing?)
5. Eye-contact
As Brad has reiterated time and time again, good eye-contact is vitally important. The technique of ‘sweeping’ one’s gaze across the room, giving each and every member of the audience a few moments of attention, is something I very much need to learn.
6. Be aware of your body language
7. Don’t be overly reliant on audio-visual aids
A presenter who does not rely much on his/her slides, etc. really does exude so much more confidence than one who constantly casts furtive looks towards the audio-visuals.
8. Tell stories and use quotes
Stories and quotes, when used well, really do work wonders in grabbing/sustaining audience attention and helps them better connect with you. Again, be aware of your audiences' expectations and apply this tip with due discretion.
Slides
1. Take a minimalist approach
This is actually what Brad explicitly taught in class. Reducing the number of words/amount of information on your slides diverts the audience’s attention away from your visual aids, and focuses it all on you, the speaker.
**Please do not feel obliged to comment on this blog post, it has been written primarily to consolidate my thoughts on the Do’s and Don’ts of giving an oral presentation; just a little something I’d like to share with you guys. (:
Preparation
1. Have a clear outline of what you’re going to cover in your speech.
This is not to say memorize a scripted speech. Instead, know your points well (it gets easier with multiple rehearsals) so that you don’t risk blank-outs or accidentally missing out points.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice
Rehearsals are vital; have as many of them as possible.
3. Simulate the actual presentation settings as far as possible during rehearsals.
Our group practiced with the video camera, as we didn’t want the presence of a camera on the actual day to unnerve us. We also tried practicing in an area that was about as large as our presentation venue, to ensure our voice-projection would be effective on the actual day.
4. Ensure your presentation slides are standardized.
Sigh. I guess this one goes without saying, and we all know why by now: standardized slides look professional; slides which are ‘customized’ to each presenter’s ‘style’ don’t.
Delivery
1. Stance/Posture
Having a firm stance (planting my feet firmly in the ground) actually helped me slow down my speech and THINK better. Since my words weren’t scripted, I sort of needed to buy time to mentally process the next point. There have been mixed reviews regarding the reduced speed of my speech, so exercise due discretion in adopting this one yup.
2. Articulation
I actually felt that slowing down the pace of my speech helped me articulate my words better. If one’s presenting in a language which isn’t his/her mother tongue, it’d be advisable to seek clarification on the pronunciation of certain words, for the sake of ensuring clarity in making the presentation.
3. Voice Projection
Fairly self-explanatory, right? Ensure that your speaking volume is loud enough to be heard by all present. Of course one shouldn’t be talking too loudly, as that might seem rude, but we all know how to exercise moderation here (:
4. Hand Gestures
The use of appropriate hand gestures can actually help emphasize your points. In my OP, some of my hand gestures actually helped me remember my points (sort of a psycho-motor association thing?)
5. Eye-contact
As Brad has reiterated time and time again, good eye-contact is vitally important. The technique of ‘sweeping’ one’s gaze across the room, giving each and every member of the audience a few moments of attention, is something I very much need to learn.
6. Be aware of your body language
7. Don’t be overly reliant on audio-visual aids
A presenter who does not rely much on his/her slides, etc. really does exude so much more confidence than one who constantly casts furtive looks towards the audio-visuals.
8. Tell stories and use quotes
Stories and quotes, when used well, really do work wonders in grabbing/sustaining audience attention and helps them better connect with you. Again, be aware of your audiences' expectations and apply this tip with due discretion.
Slides
1. Take a minimalist approach
This is actually what Brad explicitly taught in class. Reducing the number of words/amount of information on your slides diverts the audience’s attention away from your visual aids, and focuses it all on you, the speaker.
**Please do not feel obliged to comment on this blog post, it has been written primarily to consolidate my thoughts on the Do’s and Don’ts of giving an oral presentation; just a little something I’d like to share with you guys. (:
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
huddled in front of my laptop with a bag of chips
It's a Wednesday night, and Monday's presentation is still replaying itself in my head.
Sigh. I feel I under-performed and let my group down. Hence the big bag of potato chips. Comfort food, you know.
I mean, I guess in preparing for the presentation, I probably focussed too much on things like cutting down information into bite-sized pieces, both for my own, as well as for my group members' sections. Plus, I did not want to repeat mistakes of limited eye-contact and having a stiff, unnatural tone. This I felt had to be overcome through multiple practices/rehearsals, to gain confidence and polish up the whole thing. As a group, we worked really hard to prepare for the presentation. I actually feel very apologetic for pushing you guys so hard, for being 'fierce' with regard to quality and for nitpicking on everything from content to structure and delivery...only to let you guys down during the actual presentation by being too brief (and possibly too 'fierce') with the Benefits+Conclusion section.
I must have missed the forest for the trees. Feedback that my section had ended abruptly, that I had come across as being overly aggressive, that the audience had expected so much more...but had been disappointed, keeps replaying over in my head. Plus, I am really kicking myself for not ensuring our presentation slides were STANDARDIZED. Argh.
On the other hand, I am really glad certain things went well. And I've learnt a lot about what works in giving presentations, and what doesn't. Additionally, I've witnessed great positive changes in my teammates' presentation skills/styles. And I'm really grateful to be in a group of wonderful people who are supportive and hardworking. I have learnt a lot from you, Nanhai, Elgin and Shivam. And I really want to thank each and every one of you for your various contributions to our group. Plus, your excellent attitudes and diligence.
I will write up a full, detailed analysis of the whole presentation soon. Once I get my thoughts better sorted out, and my heart's less heavy. Plus, I've run out of chips.
Sigh. I feel I under-performed and let my group down. Hence the big bag of potato chips. Comfort food, you know.
I mean, I guess in preparing for the presentation, I probably focussed too much on things like cutting down information into bite-sized pieces, both for my own, as well as for my group members' sections. Plus, I did not want to repeat mistakes of limited eye-contact and having a stiff, unnatural tone. This I felt had to be overcome through multiple practices/rehearsals, to gain confidence and polish up the whole thing. As a group, we worked really hard to prepare for the presentation. I actually feel very apologetic for pushing you guys so hard, for being 'fierce' with regard to quality and for nitpicking on everything from content to structure and delivery...only to let you guys down during the actual presentation by being too brief (and possibly too 'fierce') with the Benefits+Conclusion section.
I must have missed the forest for the trees. Feedback that my section had ended abruptly, that I had come across as being overly aggressive, that the audience had expected so much more...but had been disappointed, keeps replaying over in my head. Plus, I am really kicking myself for not ensuring our presentation slides were STANDARDIZED. Argh.
On the other hand, I am really glad certain things went well. And I've learnt a lot about what works in giving presentations, and what doesn't. Additionally, I've witnessed great positive changes in my teammates' presentation skills/styles. And I'm really grateful to be in a group of wonderful people who are supportive and hardworking. I have learnt a lot from you, Nanhai, Elgin and Shivam. And I really want to thank each and every one of you for your various contributions to our group. Plus, your excellent attitudes and diligence.
I will write up a full, detailed analysis of the whole presentation soon. Once I get my thoughts better sorted out, and my heart's less heavy. Plus, I've run out of chips.
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