Speaking to a group.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH FIRST
Who they are and what they need.
WHAT TO DECIDE
The single thing they should remember.
WHY ONE
Audiences retain very little.
WHAT STRUCTURE WORKS
What the situation is What the problem is What you propose What it requires
WHAT TO PUT IN THE OPENING
Why they should listen.
WHAT TO AVOID
Introducing yourself at length Apologising Reading slides aloud
WHY READING SLIDES FAILS
The audience reads faster than you speak.
WHAT SLIDES SHOULD CONTAIN
Little text
What cannot be said aloud: images, diagrams, figures
WHAT TO DO WITH DETAIL
Put it in a document, and say so.
WHAT TO PRACTISE
Aloud, timed.
WHY TIMED
Overrunning is the commonest failure.
WHAT TO PREPARE FOR
Questions, including hostile ones.
WHAT TO DO WITH A QUESTION YOU CANNOT ANSWER
Say so, and offer to follow up.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT NERVES
Accept them, and slow down.
WHY SLOWING HELPS
Nerves accelerate speech beyond comprehension.
WHAT TO DO IF TECHNOLOGY FAILS
Continue without it.
WHY
It is possible, and it is remembered favourably.
WHAT TO END WITH
What you want them to do.
