Presentations
Get up to speed fast on essential business skills. Whether you’re looking for a crash course or a brief refresher, you’ll find just what you need in HBR’s 20-Minute Manager series— foundational reading for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives. Each book is a concise, practical primer, so you’ll have time to brush up on a variety of key management topics. Advice you can quickly read and apply, from the most trusted source in business. Titles include: Creating Business Plans http://hbr.org/product/creating-business-plans-20-minute-manager-series/an/16998PBK-ENG Delegating Work http://hbr.org/product/delegating-work-20-minute-manager-series/an/16999-PBK-ENG Finance Basics http://hbr.org/product/finance-basics-20-minute-manager-series/an/16864-PBK-ENG Managing Projects http://hbr.org/product/managing-projects-20-minute-manager-series/an/16862-PBKENG Managing Time http://hbr.org/product/managing-time-20-minute-manager-series/an/17001-PBK-ENG Managing Up http://hbr.org/product/managing-up-20-minute-manager-series/an/16863-PBK-ENG Presentations http://hbr.org/product/presentations-20-minute-manager-series/an/16865-PBK-ENG Running Meetings http://hbr.org/product/running-meetings-20-minute-manager-series/an/17003-PBKENG
Presentations Sharpen your message Persuade your audience Gauge your impact
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW PRESS Boston, Massachusetts
Copyright 2014 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the publisher. Requests for permission should be directed to
[email protected], or mailed to Permissions, Harvard Business School Publishing, 60 Harvard Way, Boston, Massachusetts 02163. The web addresses referenced in this book were live and correct at the time of the book’s publication but may be subject to change. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Presentations. pages cm ISBN 978-1-62527-086-3 (alk. paper) 1. Business presentations. HF5718.22 P74 2014 658.4'52—dc23 2013024774 ISBN: 978-1-62527-087-0 (ebook)
Preview It takes more than personality and PowerPoint to give an effective presentation. But you can learn how, whether you’re presenting for the first time or you just need a refresher. This book walks you through the basic steps: • Articulating a clear message. • Tailoring it to your audience. • Organizing your content. • Gathering relevant, persuasive data. • Choosing the right tools and visual aids. • Rehearsing and getting feedback. • Delivering your talk with clarity and confidence. • Fielding questions and following up. • Making improvements for next time.
Contents The Key to Presenting Why Give a Presentation? Define Your Goal Your broad objective Your desired outcomes Your measurement of success
Know Your Audience Craft Your Message Step 1: Define your core message Step 2: Identify relevant arguments and data Step 3: Organize the content
Identify Your Resources What’s your venue like? How much time will you have? What equipment will you use?
Plan the Visuals Choosing the appropriate media Creating effective visuals
Practice Your Delivery Rehearsing your content Preparing yourself mentally
Deliver Your Presentation Keeping your audience engaged Being flexible
Manage the Response Timing the Q&A Preparing for tough q