How
do prepare yourself to take on the task of making a presentation? Here are 5
guidelines for you to consider. How
do prepare yourself to take on the task of making a presentation? Here are 5
guidelines for you to consider.
1. Unblock your Fear
Do any of you have fears about standing in front of a group of people? Here's an acronym Zig Zigler, the motivational speaker, told us the word FEAR represents:
The question you have to ask yourself is, "What am I afraid of?" That is closely related to "What's the worst thing that could happen?" When we understand what it is we are afraid of it is not too difficult to develop strategies to overcome those fears.
I'm a strong believer in the "Fake it 'til you make it" presentation style. For me, that means I have lots of planning to do because I can't fake it if I haven't prepared well. Preparation is key.
You have to know what it is you want to say and keep your notes ready. Then be sure you know your information thoroughly so you don't keep your nose in your notes.
Check out your equipment to make sure you know how to use it and that everything is in working order. With technology, anything that can go wrong will.
You need to know where you will be delivering from and how that feels. Check it out to make sure you don't trip over risers or cables.
You need to know what you are going to wear. If you are comfortable in your clothes you can focus on your presentation.
If you have prepared well, when the time comes, just take a couple of cleansing breaths, whisper a silent prayer for support and begin. As you settle into your presentation, you will relax and your confidence will show through.
It is a good idea to ask someone to give you feedback on your presentation skills so you can improve. If you know a Toastmaster or someone who has had training in this area, connect with them.
2. State the Objective
Before I accept leadership for an event, I have to be clear about the objective of that event. In a church setting, it is about connecting with others who are exploring questions of faith and what Christ means for their life. Your presentation has to model what it means to be in a place of acceptance and searching, a place where it is okay to be your honest self.
I often work with groups where I suggest I have one objective - "To have them as participants learn something new, to have a new question, or to have an aha moment."
Be sure and write it down. If you record what it is you want to accomplish you can check back to see that you have achieved that goal. You can also identify the resources you are going to need.
I begin every presentation by creating an outline and checking that with a mentor. Then you can build with confidence, knowing you are on the right track.
3. Name the Needs
Your message has to be relevant to the community today. I have often heard clergy say that when they deliver their Sunday meditation and deal with a real problem that they know someone in the congregation has, they get several people who respond by saying how helpful it was. Worship can't be abstract; it has to meet the needs of the people who are participating. You won't touch everyone every Sunday, but you should be able to identify who it is you are trying to connect with.
For me, sermons also need to give me some idea of what I can do with the information. I don't like to be left hanging. If you want me to provide support or share or make better decisions in my life back up the message with ideas and support.
Today, we also have to recognize that a group or congregation might be made up of many different cohorts - people of different ages or different interests. It was Bill Easum who advised us that the church of his mother and the church of his daughter were very different, and the generational differences continue to widen. We all have the same basic need for love and community, but that need is served differently and the context is not the same. As leaders, we have to be aware of the different audiences we are communicating with and ensure that we are using a language and style that provides opportunities for as many as possible to connect.
4. Tell the Story
Story telling, or Story Catching" as Christina Baldwin labels it, is the best way to connect and share with people. Your presentation needs to model what it means to have an environment where it is safe to share story. Share where you see God at work in your life, and it will give people permission to talk about where they see God at work in their lives. It may stimulate some to ask why it is they don't feel God's presence.
We are a people of story. The bible is a collection of stories that people have remembered and often passed down orally for years. They are full of meaning.
As anthropologists uncover more about this process, we are discovering just how much information stories convey. All any of us can do is tell our story from our own perspective, and trust that there is a message there. There is nothing perfect about a story, so you don't have to feel that it's the only or the best story ever told.
The other way to connect with people is through symbols and rituals, but they have to have real meaning for you. Lighting candles, sharing communion, passing the peace, reading scripture, showing a video, playing music - all of these are ways of creating a mood and grounding your presentation. It is important to use symbols or props that are meaningful for you. Authenticity is key.
When you are planning a presentation - whether it be a sermon or a bible study or a talk to a group - you need to provide an opportunity for every person present to be touched at some point in the event. Not everything you do will feed every soul, but the goal should be to provide enough diversity so there is the possibility for everyone to feel the presence of God at some point.
5. Reveal your Passion
You have to share the experiences that feed your soul. If you don't have passion in your heart you can't feed the passion in another. When we speak from our heart, others listen. It is attractive and inviting.
The topic you choose must be one that you are passionate about. If you find your subject interesting, others will too. You don't want to bore yourself and others.
I have to be engaged enough in the topic to do the research that is required to create a solid foundation for my presentation. I am not preparing a presentation, I am exploring a question of great interest to me - and I assume to others. Odds are if I'm asking the question so are others. I'm not saying I have the answer for your life, only for mine. If it applies for you, then so much the better, but that is for the listener to decide.
Don't be afraid to introduce new ways of engaging people. Just know that not everyone will like it. New music, Power Point or video, and art are ways to engage people. Read dramatically. Share the stage with anyone who can open the door for creativity and diversity. I think surprises are engaging. I don't think God intended for us to be bored! Reveal the times when you experience God - that will open the door for others.
So there you have five guidelines - Unblock your Fear, State the Objective, Name the Needs, Tell the Story, and Reveal your Passion. If you build from this foundation your presentations will be engaging for those listening, and fun for you to create.
Congregational News February 2009 Vol. 15 No. 2