Grahame Hall, Director, Power Advertising For Profit
"This is an excellent course. Anyone who ever has to make a presentation of any description will gain immensely from attending. As someone who makes presentations for a living, and who has done presentation skills courses before, I found much food for thought and discovered many areas for improvement - well done Paul and thanks."
Background - Our research has shown that :
Exposure leads to awareness, and perhaps to understanding.
Experience leads to internalisation.
Practice leads to confidence and desired performance.
By reading a book or listening to a speech you become aware of what it takes to drive a car, but you have not yet acquired the skills to drive. By getting behind the steering wheel and driving - once, twice or three times, you get to experience what it's like to drive, and you then gradually internalise what needs to be learned and perfected until you can drive with the required skill. By repeatedly driving, the critical skills are eventually acquired. With increasing experience, you become so adept that you may even have the confidence to attempt an advanced driving course.
This metaphor explains our approach to teaching our delegates how to present in such a way that their efforts achieve the desired results.
Our Approach
Presentation Skills training is conducted by experienced experts in the field of presenting. The introductory course comprises 2 or 3 full days in which delegates absorb the required theory pertaining to preparation, practice and performing a presentation. The three days are divided into two sections. The programme ideally runs on consecutive days, but it is possible to split them up. During this initial phase, delegates learn to present in small teams, enjoying a supportive environment. At least three presentations are prepared and conducted on course and everyone participates and delivers. Presenters are required to give feedback on their own presentations with facilitator guidance. At this stage participants do not evaluate one another.
Assessment
Assessment is scheduled 6-12 weeks later. Pre-work documentation is available here and is also printed in section 4 of the course manuals. It may also be emailed upon request. The assessment can be aligned to a registered unit standard. Delegates prepare an eight minute solo presentation in advance. Accompanying slides, if applicable should be brought on computer or a flash drive. A preliminary "warm up" presentation is delivered that morning, and later the pre-prepared presentation is delivered. Delegates who are not presenting are actively involved in the critique and feedback of other delegates. A significant benefit of this phase is that delegates can prepare and practice their presentations at their own leisure.
