Awful Presentations: Why We Have Them and How to Put Them Right

How many awful presentations have you attended? How many have you given?

Awful presentations are too often the norm, with swathes of text on the screen, presenters speaking over everyone’s heads, little interaction, no stories, poor images and a bored audience. Why?

In this book, presentation specialist Barry Brophy explains why competent people give hapless presentations. And it’s not because of nerves. Most of what you thought you knew about presentations is wrong; successful presentations are not about speaking but listening. They are not about your knowledge but the audience’s needs. They are not about ditching PowerPoint but using it properly. They are not about overcoming fear when speaking but overcoming caution when preparing.

The truth is you already have the skills to present – your conversational skills – and anyone can craft a spellbinding presentation. Conversations work whereas presentations invariably fail, and this book explains the hidden mental habits which can lead you to misuse your already-perfected speaking skills when presenting.

You will learn to:

> Make your presentations zing. A presentation is not facts, it’s an interpretation of facts. Your job as a presenter is to advise and guide your audience.

> Communicate knowledge to an audience at any level. A presentation fits into a wider communication chain. Understanding this will help you to figure out what works in a presentation – stories, images, videos, examples, analogies, demonstrations, interaction – and, crucially, what should be left out.

> Make your presentation audience-centred not presenter-centred. Don’t define your presentation based what you know but rather on what the audience needs to hear.

> Connect with your audience. Content is the dominant factor in a presentation, not delivery. You already know how to deliver; you do it every time you open your mouth. The key is to tap into this conversational energy and fluency.

> Embrace PowerPoint to make your presentations first class.

About Barry Brophy. Barry Brophy has nearly two decades of experience helping people make presentations in both the private sector and as a lecturer at University College Dublin. There he has developed specialist Masters Courses that run across all disciplines and has carried out research on how oral presentations work. He is also the author of The Natural Presenter – Turning Conversations into Presentations, which was published in 2007.

1126995382
Awful Presentations: Why We Have Them and How to Put Them Right

How many awful presentations have you attended? How many have you given?

Awful presentations are too often the norm, with swathes of text on the screen, presenters speaking over everyone’s heads, little interaction, no stories, poor images and a bored audience. Why?

In this book, presentation specialist Barry Brophy explains why competent people give hapless presentations. And it’s not because of nerves. Most of what you thought you knew about presentations is wrong; successful presentations are not about speaking but listening. They are not about your knowledge but the audience’s needs. They are not about ditching PowerPoint but using it properly. They are not about overcoming fear when speaking but overcoming caution when preparing.

The truth is you already have the skills to present – your conversational skills – and anyone can craft a spellbinding presentation. Conversations work whereas presentations invariably fail, and this book explains the hidden mental habits which can lead you to misuse your already-perfected speaking skills when presenting.

You will learn to:

> Make your presentations zing. A presentation is not facts, it’s an interpretation of facts. Your job as a presenter is to advise and guide your audience.

> Communicate knowledge to an audience at any level. A presentation fits into a wider communication chain. Understanding this will help you to figure out what works in a presentation – stories, images, videos, examples, analogies, demonstrations, interaction – and, crucially, what should be left out.

> Make your presentation audience-centred not presenter-centred. Don’t define your presentation based what you know but rather on what the audience needs to hear.

> Connect with your audience. Content is the dominant factor in a presentation, not delivery. You already know how to deliver; you do it every time you open your mouth. The key is to tap into this conversational energy and fluency.

> Embrace PowerPoint to make your presentations first class.

About Barry Brophy. Barry Brophy has nearly two decades of experience helping people make presentations in both the private sector and as a lecturer at University College Dublin. There he has developed specialist Masters Courses that run across all disciplines and has carried out research on how oral presentations work. He is also the author of The Natural Presenter – Turning Conversations into Presentations, which was published in 2007.

9.99 In Stock
Awful Presentations: Why We Have Them and How to Put Them Right

Awful Presentations: Why We Have Them and How to Put Them Right

by Barry Brophy
Awful Presentations: Why We Have Them and How to Put Them Right

Awful Presentations: Why We Have Them and How to Put Them Right

by Barry Brophy

eBook

$9.99 

Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers

LEND ME® See Details

Overview

How many awful presentations have you attended? How many have you given?

Awful presentations are too often the norm, with swathes of text on the screen, presenters speaking over everyone’s heads, little interaction, no stories, poor images and a bored audience. Why?

In this book, presentation specialist Barry Brophy explains why competent people give hapless presentations. And it’s not because of nerves. Most of what you thought you knew about presentations is wrong; successful presentations are not about speaking but listening. They are not about your knowledge but the audience’s needs. They are not about ditching PowerPoint but using it properly. They are not about overcoming fear when speaking but overcoming caution when preparing.

The truth is you already have the skills to present – your conversational skills – and anyone can craft a spellbinding presentation. Conversations work whereas presentations invariably fail, and this book explains the hidden mental habits which can lead you to misuse your already-perfected speaking skills when presenting.

You will learn to:

> Make your presentations zing. A presentation is not facts, it’s an interpretation of facts. Your job as a presenter is to advise and guide your audience.

> Communicate knowledge to an audience at any level. A presentation fits into a wider communication chain. Understanding this will help you to figure out what works in a presentation – stories, images, videos, examples, analogies, demonstrations, interaction – and, crucially, what should be left out.

> Make your presentation audience-centred not presenter-centred. Don’t define your presentation based what you know but rather on what the audience needs to hear.

> Connect with your audience. Content is the dominant factor in a presentation, not delivery. You already know how to deliver; you do it every time you open your mouth. The key is to tap into this conversational energy and fluency.

> Embrace PowerPoint to make your presentations first class.

About Barry Brophy. Barry Brophy has nearly two decades of experience helping people make presentations in both the private sector and as a lecturer at University College Dublin. There he has developed specialist Masters Courses that run across all disciplines and has carried out research on how oral presentations work. He is also the author of The Natural Presenter – Turning Conversations into Presentations, which was published in 2007.


Product Details

BN ID: 2940154516133
Publisher: Bennion Kearny
Publication date: 08/21/2017
Sold by: Smashwords
Format: eBook
File size: 2 MB

About the Author

Barry Brophy has nearly two decades of experience helping people make presentations in both the private sector and as a lecturer at University College Dublin. There he has developed specialist Masters Courses that run across all disciplines and has carried out research on how oral presentations work. He is also the author of The Natural Presenter - Turning Conversations into Presentations, which was published in 2007.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: Reading Off the Slides – Bullet Points and More Bullet Points

CHAPTER 2: Being a Hologram – Not Making Eye Contact

CHAPTER 3: Fear – Nerves Are Good, Caution Kills

CHAPTER 4: Running Out of Time – The Art of Zooming

CHAPTER 5: Doing All the Talking – Interaction Is Key

CHAPTER 6: Being Boring – No Topic Is Boring; Boredom Is Relative

CHAPTER 7: Talking Over Their Heads – Experts Who Lose the Room

CHAPTER 8: Telling no stories

CHAPTER 9: 2-D Presentations – Overlooking the Humble Demo

CHAPTER 10: Graph Death – Pain but also Power

CHAPTER 11: A Distinct Lack of Urgency

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews