Rolling to Presentation Success

By Hilari Weinstein

In business as in life, learning a new skill takes you through several different stages of expertise. As you polish your presentation techniques, your abilities will grow through the following five levels.

Interviewing is one of the ways that architecture/engineering/construction firms get business. As a result, presenting has become a necessary evil. Unfortunately, it is a well-known fact that some people fear public speaking worse than death.

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Many of us were around in the late 1970’s when roller skating was big. For many, learning to present is a lot like learning to roller skate -- pretty rough until you get the hang of it. Once you get the hang of it, you can begin refining your skills to maximize effectiveness. The more we do it and the more comfortable we get, we graduate to more advanced levels. At each level, overcoming new challenges and hurdles brings a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Yet within each of these five levels there is much opportunity for growth and progress.

Level 1: Am I going to die?

This is the level where one feels totally off-balance and awkward. Death is looking like a viable outcome and they can’t wait to be done. You can see the pain in their face and the tension that fills their body. This presenter is exceptionally uncomfortable and often easily intimidated by those at levels four and five. Stuck to their notes or to the PowerPoint™, they avoid eye contact with members of the selection panel for fear that they will totally lose it.

Level 2: I’m rolling sort of

Level two presenters are still highly dependent on notes and slides, but are a little more comfortable than those at level one. They may not stop very gracefully, often going off on tangents. They come across a little nervous and bit stiff. On a positive note, they no longer fear presenting more than death.

Level 3: Getting the hang of it

The more you do it, the easier it gets. Level three presenters are no longer attached to the slides and they can get the words out with relative ease. There may be an occasional misstep but they can get themselves back on track without taking a major tumble.

Level 4: Hey, this is fun

This is the level when interview presenters become skilled, agile and effective competitors. Q & A is a breeze. They are engaging and their message is on target. They connect with the audience and make their presentation more like a structured conversation. But there are still opportunities for refinement.

Level 5: Superstar

You consistently impress and blow others away. This is a level few ever reach but the truth is that few ever need to reach this level of mastery. Presenters at this level are fluid, flawless, and mesmerizing.

Interview success is not dependent upon each member of your team presenting at level five. However, the most effective teams include presenters in levels three and four. Getting to that level is one thing, staying there requires regular practice. That can be difficult since many of your project managers and superintendents present infrequently. Therefore, create opportunities to have them present to their peers on a regular basis. It can be as simple as a five-minute discussion of a project they have been working on or best safety practices.

Regardless of the level you are at, becoming a more skilled presenter requires the four P’s:

Practice-The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Persistence-You will mess up. We all do! Don’t give up.

Perspective- If you mess up, don’t beat yourself up. Get back up on your skates and roll. There is no such thing as the perfect presentation. Presenting is both a science and an art neither of which is perfect.

Patience-Be kind to yourself as you grow and know that growth requires time and perhaps a little help along the way.

Hilari Weinstein, co-author of the book, “Selection Success!”, is a consultant and presentation coach for A/E/C professionals nationwide. She is president-elect of the National Speakers Association’s Arizona Chapter. Contact Hilari at hilari@highimpactcommunication.com or visit her website at www.highimpactcommunication.com for more tips.

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