Topic 12
Oral Presentation
and Public Speaking
“Wise men speak because they
have something to say; Fools
because they have to say
something.”
-Plato
Common Traps to Avoid in Public
Speaking or Oral Presentation
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The sales pitch
The ramble
The org bore
The inspiration (self) performance
Describe the audience!
Start with the idea!
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An invention
A how-to guide
A human insight
A beautiful image
An event you wish might
happen in future
• A theory
• A story
[have grounding & depth]
(Anderson, 2018)
Purpose of Oral Presentations
Purpose
To inform
To persuade
To entertain
Strategy
Present facts; be objective
Utilize the power of rhetoric to explain
and influence; use valid evidence
Humor, satire and anecdotes might help
Educational but relevant jokes might
help, too
Types of Oral Presentations
• prepared speeches
• extemporaneous or
impromptu speeches
• manuscript speeches
• memorised speeches
• oral briefings
• team briefings
• seminars and webinars
• podcasts
You cannot talk a lot
without conveying a main
point.
– “What am I trying
to say and why”?
– “What is the
relevance of what
I’m saying to
them?”
– “Why am I here?”
Group Presentation – Tips
Ask
questions
Transitions
Moving,
vivid visuals
Interest and
Attention
Coherence,
conciseness
Bretag et al. (2007) [Ch9]
Planning the Oral Presentation
Purpose
Audience
Context
Main
idea/
Argument
/ Story
Evidence
Organization
Analysing the audience
• Basic questions when analysing the audience
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
How much does the audience know about the topic?
How much do they know about me and what do they expect from me?
What positions do the audience occupy in the organisation (power to
make things happen or influence on others)?
How involved is the audience in the topic or issue and how can the
topic be related to audience interests?
What is the audience’s educational, cultural, ethnic, religious or
economic background?
What are the audience’s shared values, preferences, likely prejudices
and attitudes towards the topic?
Delivering the Presentation
A peep
behind the
curtain;
stimulating
examples
Texture;
visuals
Attention
curve
Impact;
interest;
curiosity
Audience
participation
or
involvement
Casting/
Roles
Structure/Flow of the Message
Problem
Cause
Solution
Action
Fears
• Fear of public speaking is
the number one source of
apprehension in the United
States.
• This was first pointed out in a
survey of 3,000 Americans by
the Sunday Times of London
in 1973.
• The findings have been
verified by countless other
surveys and studies in
subsequent years.
Some of the types of people who ask questions
Others are genuinely interested, enthusiastic and wanting to learn more
How do you manage your nerves
when speaking in Public?
Stress Management
Don’t Stress
• Take a deep breath prior to the presentation
• Listen to music to relax your mind
• Practice positive self talk
• Redirect audience gaze & face the situation!
• SMILE!
• Drink water
• Arrive early
• Turn the strange into familiar
• Check if equipment are working
• REHEARSE, be prepared
• VISUALISE SUCCESS & IMPACT
Eunson (2012) [Ch11]
Patterns of Organizing Ideas
Comparison and
contrast
discuss the gaps/differences and commonalities in
your research
Cause-effect
identify the patterns of causes and explain the effects
Chronological
focus on historical events and time/epoch
Topical or thematic organise according to different key themes in order
of importance
Spatial
use key places and spaces
Semiotic
discuss metaphors, signs and symbols
Problem-solution
identify a pattern of problems and propose a solution
or call to action
Strategies of Delivery
Once upon a time
in Tibet…
The image (medium) is the
message (McLuhan, 1967).
Tell a Story – share your journey
“Like all good movies or books, a great talk is
transporting. We love to go on adventures, travel
someplace new with an informed, if not quirky, guide
who can introduce us to things we never knew existed,
incite us to crawl out windows into strange worlds, outfit
us with new lenses to see the ordinary in an
extraordinary way… enrapture us and engage multiple
parts of our brains simultaneously. So, I often try to
fashion my talks around embarking on a journey.”
–Tierney Thys
What makes a good story?
Base it on a
character the
audience can
empathize
with
Build tension
thru curiosity,
social
intrigue or
danger
End with a
resolution –
funny,
moving,
revealing
Offer the
right level of
detail
Read your
audience’s
facial
expressions
Let me tell you a story about the lost son…
Questions
• What is the moral of the story?
• How would you situate this story in a business
setting?
• What business issues would this story seem
fitting to tell?
27
Delivering the Presentation
Eyes
Mouth
Head
Shoulders
Arms/ hands
Legs/feet
Body
Orientation
Clothing
Establish contact with audience
Normal/slightly raised eyebrows
Open (clear projection)
Minimal movement
Tilted to show concentration when listening
Lowered
Open arms; use appropriate gestures
Hands beside body, on lectern/podium
Minimal movement
Erect, relaxed posture
Mainly towards audience
Neat / Appropriate for occasion
Eunson (2012) Table 11.4
How do you connect with the
audience?
Make eye
contact
right from
the start
Show your
vulnerability
Make them
laugh but
not squirm
Park your
ego
Tell a story
Park politics
somewhere
The Power of Cartoons
To learn about
the world
To learn new
emotions,
social issues
To understand
things that
matter
To form public
opinions and
discourse
Create
opportunities
to critique
The Power of Cartoons
Reports from Eat
Drink Politics in
the UK exposes
McDonald's
charitable activity
as a marketing tool
to deflect critics
(The Huffington
Post, 2013).
Add facts to give
weight to your
presentation!
The Power of Cartoons
The Power of Cartoons
The Power of Cartoons
Capitalism
Employee
maltreatment
Cheap
labour
The Power of Cartoons
Influx of
tourists
Infrastructure
development
Illegal logging
Depletion of
natural
resources
A call for change…
Call for action = social
policy formulation
and implementation
The Power of Flow Charts
What is the
destination
and what does
it do?
Who are the
competitors?
How is the
destination
performing?
What is its
competitive
advantage?
The Power of an Image
If jumping makes a leap forward, why fly?
The Power of an Image
The Power of Words
Words = idea, emotion
Believe.
Listen.
Care.
Words Matter!
“You can only use the tools and
language that you audience has
access to.”
-Chris Anderson, Head of TED &
TED Talks
The Power of a Quote
“To know your Enemy, you must
become your Enemy.”
― Sun Tzu, Art of War
The Power of a Quote
“Never run for a bus, train, or
man. When one leaves, another
arrives.”
― Anonymous
Use Graphs
In the 2018 APA survey, teens
reported worse mental health and
higher levels of anxiety and
depression than all other age
groups.
The Power of
Drawings or
Sketches
Let’s discuss: How would you present
these topics?
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Artificial intelligence in business: Boon or bane?
Managing difficult employees
Managing mental health of employees
Creativity of entrepreneurs during a pandemic
What can children teach about feedback?
How to build resilience in the university
Understanding compassion and care at work
Becoming a more patient leader or manager
Managing passion in the real world of work
In Oral Presentations or
Public Speaking…
• What is the problem or
issue?
• What is your main
point/argument/thesis
• Be mindful of
flow/structure/ organization
• Who is your audience and
what is the context?
• What idea matters?
• Why are you sharing what?
• Use visuals, graphs,
sketches, mind maps, etc.
• Present data/evidence
• Present a solution to a
problem, if possible
• Cast your roles for the
presentation
• Be convincing and truthful
• Use relevant humor
• Tell a story