Chapter 1: Its Not What You Say Explains the principles behind the book: To transform presentations, we need to stop writing them like school essays. School essays are almost entirely about content how much you know. And the meaning of a school essay? Im clever and knowledgeable. Please give me a high mark. Totally inappropriate for adults in the workplace. This is the underlying reason so many presentations are so bad. Most of us prepare them using the techniques we learnt for preparing essays at school. Instead, we need to prepare them by focusing first on our objective. Not as easy as it sounds. But thats where the GOER process comes in. As this is a practical book, readers are encouraged to select a presentation to which they can apply the GOER method. The GOER method is summarised in brief: Stage One: establish the Goal. Stage Two: develop an Outline. Stage Three: Elaborate. Stage Four: Refine. Chapter 2: A Goal Worth Achieving If a presentation is not about content, whats it about? Two things: what your audience wants, and what you want. Ascertain, firstly, what the audience want from the presentation and secondly, as a separate exercise, what you want to achieve from it How to establish an audiences objective using two magic questions; who to speak to and how to interpret their answers. Illustrated with real examples from the authors clients. How to clarify your own objective a useful tool for this: the Five Whys. More case studies to illustrate this working in practice. Establishing the other key parameters you need to determine at this early stage: duration (not the same as the length of the meeting!); deadlines (not the date of delivery); approval and allies. Other vital considerations at this stage: tips for managing time, questions and answer sessions and late starts. What deadlines to set for yourself or team. A Goal form is provided for readers to complete. Chapter 3: An Outline is the pathway to your Goal Establish the four key messages you want to convey. Some techniques to help with this: 3-level listening, a set of three Mind Maps Dump, Dig and Clarify plus an original tool the Meaning Generator. The most effective order in which to present this information. Before going any further, collaborate with the audience in the right way to check you have set the right Goals in the correct order Chapter 4: Elaborate To create something unique, personal and compelling, add the flesh to your outline in whatever way suits you best: make notes, draw pictures, talk it through to yourself, or write it all out if you prefer How to get the first draft completed. How to Elaborate by expanding on your Outline. Various ways to record notes to help readers establish which suits them. The way to achieve unity, zip and flow. Techniques for maximising creativity. Chapter 5: Refine Ways to refine and reduce your raw material killing your darlings (editing out the bits that you included because they sounded good rather than contributed towards your Goal). More guiding principles for restructuring and rewriting. Using some of what you cut to create handouts. Visual aids alternatives to PowerPoint slides. Benefits of memorising your material and tips on how to do this trigger words, images and placing it in a journey. These trigger words are also the ideal points in your presentation for PowerPoint slides if desired. Common PowerPoint presentation mistakes. Being prepared to reduce the presentation length if the meeting starts late. Chapter 6: On the Day Reasons to feel confident The audience are usually on your side at least they are at the outset and the confidence that comes with GOER Nerves the difference between good nerves which all performers have and bad ones, which degrade performance. How to use your raised energy: the memorised presentation as a meditation, breathing control, voice control. Questions and answers the shift from virtual to real dialogue. Why you should relish rather fear them. Chapter 7: In an Emergency The reality of todays workplace is that you need to be flexible. You may well be asked to produce a presentation in very little time. This is a fantastic opportunity to flex your new creative muscle. GOER is particularly suited to this situation How to trim the whole process to less than forty minutes. Two phone calls to members of the audience to establish audience objective. 5 Whys to discover Personal Objective; Meaning Generator for words the audience will remember. Clarifying Mind Map. Call to the audience member to finalise your Outline. Such a presentation is, of necessity, spare and to the point. This will, in itself, delight your audience. Your team will be amazed at your ability to produce a presentation so fast Chapter 8: The Best Presentation Never Heard Those who use GOER and become skilled presenters, often discover something paradoxical: that presentations become a less, rather than a more, important part of their communication mix. Thats because, while people fear them, being good at presentations seems to be the answer. Want to motivate a team? If only I could do a good presentation. Want the go-ahead on a project? Ditto. However, once they can do presentations, people discover that few decisions are made just because of a presentation, however powerful and well-constructed. Ideally, presentations are just a part of the process of communication. And GOER helps with the whole of that process: dialogue, emails, telephone calls, meetings. Case Studies show how the research, dialogue and thought that goes into GOER have helped people transform the idea of a presentation into something far more effective: a quasi AA meeting, an Open Day, a workshop. A Case Study ends the book. Paul, an ambitious executive in a worldwide company, had to present to the main board a revolutionary proposal that required the Board to make a critical decision. He had an hours slot, and presentations had to be with the Board members ten days before the meeting. Using GOER helped him stay focused on his Goal which was to get that decision. This is how he began on the day. I assume youve read my presentation? Nods all round. Excellent. Any questions to help clarify your decision-making process? The whole of the rest of the time was spent in dialogue. He got his decision, much praise for his expert use of time, and a major promotion.
Book Details:
- Author: James Caplin
- ISBN: 9781841128092
- Year Published: 2008
- Pages: 212
- BISAC: BUS060000, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS/Small Business
About the Book and Topic:
Chapter 1: Its Not What You Say Explains the principles behind the book: To transform presentations, we need to stop writing them like school essays. School essays are almost entirely about content how much you know. And the meaning of a school essay? Im clever and knowledgeable. Please give me a high mark. Totally inappropriate for adults in the workplace. This is the underlying reason so many presentations are so bad. Most of us prepare them using the techniques we learnt for preparing essays at school. Instead, we need to prepare them by focusing first on our objective. Not as easy as it sounds. But thats where the GOER process comes in. As this is a practical book, readers are encouraged to select a presentation to which they can apply the GOER method. The GOER method is summarised in brief: Stage One: establish the Goal. Stage Two: develop an Outline. Stage Three: Elaborate. Stage Four: Refine. Chapter 2: A Goal Worth Achieving If a presentation is not about content, whats it about? Two things: what your audience wants, and what you want. Ascertain, firstly, what the audience want from the presentation and secondly, as a separate exercise, what you want to achieve from it How to establish an audiences objective using two magic questions; who to speak to and how to interpret their answers. Illustrated with real examples from the authors clients. How to clarify your own objective a useful tool for this: the Five Whys. More case studies to illustrate this working in practice. Establishing the other key parameters you need to determine at this early stage: duration (not the same as the length of the meeting!); deadlines (not the date of delivery); approval and allies. Other vital considerations at this stage: tips for managing time, questions and answer sessions and late starts. What deadlines to set for yourself or team. A Goal form is provided for readers to complete. Chapter 3: An Outline is the pathway to your Goal Establish the four key messages you want to convey. Some techniques to help with this: 3-level listening, a set of three Mind Maps Dump, Dig and Clarify plus an original tool the Meaning Generator. The most effective order in which to present this information. Before going any further, collaborate with the audience in the right way to check you have set the right Goals in the correct order Chapter 4: Elaborate To create something unique, personal and compelling, add the flesh to your outline in whatever way suits you best: make notes, draw pictures, talk it through to yourself, or write it all out if you prefer How to get the first draft completed. How to Elaborate by expanding on your Outline. Various ways to record notes to help readers establish which suits them. The way to achieve unity, zip and flow. Techniques for maximising creativity. Chapter 5: Refine Ways to refine and reduce your raw material killing your darlings (editing out the bits that you included because they sounded good rather than contributed towards your Goal). More guiding principles for restructuring and rewriting. Using some of what you cut to create handouts. Visual aids alternatives to PowerPoint slides. Benefits of memorising your material and tips on how to do this trigger words, images and placing it in a journey. These trigger words are also the ideal points in your presentation for PowerPoint slides if desired. Common PowerPoint presentation mistakes. Being prepared to reduce the presentation length if the meeting starts late. Chapter 6: On the Day Reasons to feel confident The audience are usually on your side at least they are at the outset and the confidence that comes with GOER Nerves the difference between good nerves which all performers have and bad ones, which degrade performance. How to use your raised energy: the memorised presentation as a meditation, breathing control, voice control. Questions and answers the shift from virtual to real dialogue. Why you should relish rather fear them. Chapter 7: In an Emergency The reality of todays workplace is that you need to be flexible. You may well be asked to produce a presentation in very little time. This is a fantastic opportunity to flex your new creative muscle. GOER is particularly suited to this situation How to trim the whole process to less than forty minutes. Two phone calls to members of the audience to establish audience objective. 5 Whys to discover Personal Objective; Meaning Generator for words the audience will remember. Clarifying Mind Map. Call to the audience member to finalise your Outline. Such a presentation is, of necessity, spare and to the point. This will, in itself, delight your audience. Your team will be amazed at your ability to produce a presentation so fast Chapter 8: The Best Presentation Never Heard Those who use GOER and become skilled presenters, often discover something paradoxical: that presentations become a less, rather than a more, important part of their communication mix. Thats because, while people fear them, being good at presentations seems to be the answer. Want to motivate a team? If only I could do a good presentation. Want the go-ahead on a project? Ditto. However, once they can do presentations, people discover that few decisions are made just because of a presentation, however powerful and well-constructed. Ideally, presentations are just a part of the process of communication. And GOER helps with the whole of that process: dialogue, emails, telephone calls, meetings. Case Studies show how the research, dialogue and thought that goes into GOER have helped people transform the idea of a presentation into something far more effective: a quasi AA meeting, an Open Day, a workshop. A Case Study ends the book. Paul, an ambitious executive in a worldwide company, had to present to the main board a revolutionary proposal that required the Board to make a critical decision. He had an hours slot, and presentations had to be with the Board members ten days before the meeting. Using GOER helped him stay focused on his Goal which was to get that decision. This is how he began on the day. I assume youve read my presentation? Nods all round. Excellent. Any questions to help clarify your decision-making process? The whole of the rest of the time was spent in dialogue. He got his decision, much praise for his expert use of time, and a major promotion.
Most books about giving presentations do not cater for the way business life has changed over the past decade. Presenting is no longer a skill reserved for special occasions and senior management; in fact presentations today are more often informal events given by people at almost all levels. I Hate Presentations helps you shine in all types of presentation situations Most people find presenting a nerve-wracking experience, so they cram everything they know onto PowerPoint and try to muddle through achieving nothing but a dull speech that overruns. This book helps put a stop to that and gives you an alternative way of presenting yourself and your ideas. James Caplin, author and business coach, has developed a successful new method of preparing and giving presentations which turns much received wisdom on its head. Using a simple 4-stage formula with genuinely new insights, this book offers refreshing answers for those who just hate presentations I Hate Presentations has been developed from a hugely popular course James Caplin has been running as part of work as a freelance executive coach running communication skills workshops for corporates. Recently launched blog, I Hate Presentations: www.ihatepresentations.com The site has been tipped by Stacy Brice, a major US blogger
About the Author
James Caplin became a coach after a five-year campaign to clear his housing area in West London of its long-standing sex-and-drugs market. The campaign, which involved many residents, a great deal of community activism, and much work that was new to James, resulted in a peaceful neighbourhood and a heightened sense of community. It was from this experience that James realised the importance of presenting yourself powerfully especially, when in an apparently inferior position. From this, James coached a CEO to do a presentation, which has led to a wider practice of one-to-on coaching, workshops and group coaching where current clients include Notting Hill Housing Trust, MorganStanleyQuilter and DaimlerChrysler UK. James has a degree in English Literature and worked as a freelance scriptwriter of training and information videos and other multimedia. In 2003, he became a full-time, freelance executive coach, running several communication skills workshops, including one on presentations that proved so popular that it has inspired him to avail it to a wider audience in book form.