[speaker001:] Okay, a course on presentation skills. How many have been on a on a training course before? I know has so several of you have already been on a training course so you'll know the sort of er way in which we work and the way things happen. erm let me just let me just ask you first of all what [sigh] is the value for you and for the company of of developing skills on presentations. What's the value?
[Tony:] Respective clients
[speaker001:] Indeed, indeed so that's what you might use, yep... What's the value, I mean what does it do what does it do for the company first of all?
[Jeff:] Promotes it
[speaker001:] Promotes it, so it's about image isn't it? It's about because the company after all is you it's a group of people and so er it's about putting over the right image so quality presentation to a client the image. What's the value to you as individuals?...
[Mike:] More confidence
[speaker001:] It gives you more confidence, yeah, what's it do for you within the company?
[Bob:] Pushes your standing up [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] oh that's what I thought yeah yeah yes
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] well I mean you're right in a way Bob [] those people who seem to get on within a company some of them are people who seem to be able to say the right words at the right time don't they? They seem to be able to put their point of view over. They they're able to by by the way they present themselves they're able to demonstrate their value within the organisation and as Bob says hopefully then it increases your status. Yeah although the tape's on I'll still say [LAUGHTER] I'll still say I mean there are people within the company as within any company I'm sure who you when you get to know their technical ability or lack thereof you think well how have they managed to get where they have but they just seem to be able they seem to have this ability to be able to be in the right place at the right time. Well yes but also say the right words at the right time yeah? yep. So being able to present effectively and put your point of view across is very important within within the company context for the company in order to to project the right image and also to pro project your own right image. To show your value, to demonstrate your worth for the organisation.... Now as you probably know this is a level nine course it's a it's a course on which a platform is erected for other courses as Gordon said then the the introduction to management you have to make a short presentation don't you but it doesn't concentrate just on this. This concentrates on it but builds builds the platform on which other courses on advanced presentation skills and negotiation skills team presentation skills are all founded and so you're able to er continue through er the courses. [cough] Now we we just mentioned Tarmac's Tarmac's objectives let's just go through them er after the course you should be able to make clear logical and well organised case presentations, fine. er you should be able to display more confidence, I mean that's what Mike suggested it gives you more confidence to be able to do this. To make more effective preparation for speaking, to maintain a higher standard of discussion at all times and to display a more positive reaction to questions. Okay so those are the objectives that Tarmac have. Now I hope that by tomorrow afternoon you're able to say yes all those objectives have been met but it may well be and I'm sure it is that you as individuals have other objectives, you have other issues that you want to address er or put more emphasis on during these two days. So what I'd like you to do if you just turn to page one sort of a couple of pages in the first one that's numbered. You'll have the opportunity to write down your objectives. You see towards the bottom er we pose a few questions there, I'm going to ask you in a few minutes to introduce yourselves and to say what what sort of presentations you make at the moment. Now don't think in terms of presentations just as standing up in front of an audience. It may well be that you don't actually do that, it may be that you have one to one meetings with people or group meetings er which could be when you have to put across your point of view. Those could be classed as presentations. So when was the last time you made a presentation and then what I'd like you to do and there are three lines there you may only have one you may have two, three, four objectives
[speaker006:] [cough]
[speaker001:] just spend a couple of minutes now and jot down what it is you would like to get out of this course by tomorrow afternoon what you would like to say you've achieved on this course.... Just just er pop those down. Right, erh what I'd like to do then is er I say could you just introduce yourself or what you're working on at the moment where you work and then the sort of presentations that you make er and then give us one of your objectives so that by the time we've got right round the room we'll er hopefully have everybody. Tony would you start us off?
[Tony:] erm I work for
[speaker001:] Alright
[Tony:] erm which is quite management at
[speaker001:] right
[Tony:] erm I suppose one of the er things I'd like to er get out of this would be a bit more
[speaker001:] Okay so putting all the that positive
[Tony:] Yeah sort of ums and ahs
[speaker001:] Oh right okay okay so I mean are are you saying that's about confidence? Is it or?
[speaker006:] Well maybe, maybe, maybe thinking ahead too much
[speaker001:] er right, okay okay so better preparation so that when you make the presentation it's more effective, yeah?
[Tony:] Yeah I mean you're trying to think ahead, you're umming and ahing...
[speaker001:] So effective preparation
[Tony:] yeah
[speaker001:] effective preparation so that you so that when you you stand up here you're more confident you're more
[Tony:] yeah
[speaker001:] Good, do you do you make present any sort of presentations?
[Tony:] Well I meet clients quite a bit erm the last one I actually made was last week
[speaker001:] Oh really
[speaker006:] To Tarmac financial directors directors
[speaker001:] How do you how do you feel it went?
[speaker006:] It went pretty well actually, the feedback I got from my immediate boss fairly pleased with it was pleased with it
[speaker001:] Good
[Tony:] Obviously
[speaker001:] Right yeah, good okay good. So effective preparation. Mike.
[Mike:] I'm a senior with South West I management course I cover site planning right the way through. erm been in the game now for something like forty years. Started as an apprentice and worked my way through to management. Erm this course or mainly my presentations are written
[speaker001:] Okay
[Mike:] er we in fact have a tender
[speaker001:] Mm
[Mike:] frequent the main discussion er was in fact erm internally with our director
[speaker001:] right
[Mike:] information or what have you
[speaker001:] right
[Mike:] and also to our site teams cover successfully the job and explain to them how the teams were built up
[speaker001:] right, okay
[Mike:] the main thing I suppose. This was dropped on me out of the blue, I must admit this course
[speaker001:] Was it, okay? Right
[Mike:] erm would be more confidence in presentation
[speaker001:] Okay... How to deal with
[Mike:] How to project and verbally
[speaker001:] How to give how to give an image of confidence
[Mike:] yes
[speaker001:] Okay
[Mike:] Verbally not written, written
[speaker001:] Yes sure, yeah
[Mike:] written
[speaker001:] yes yes absolutely, oh yes this this course is entirely about verbal presentation
[Mike:] yep
[speaker001:] great thanks. Jeff
[Jeff:] erm my name is and I work for my objective of this really is to reappraise my presentation skills. I did this course erm about ten years ago
[speaker001:] right
[Jeff:] so this is very much a refresher course
[speaker001:] okay so you're you're wanting some some feedback
[Jeff:] yes
[speaker001:] er right... Was that with with Jeremy?
[Jeff:] yes
[speaker001:] yeah fine, okay great thanks. Sarah.
[Sarah:] I work my main aim on this course is to gain confidence
[speaker001:] right
[Sarah:] I don't do many presentations mainly because I work in a small team
[speaker001:] right, right so it's about confidence Great thanks. Bob
[Bob:] Senior Midland area and I've been working on a job in Coventry which is basically work er what I hope to get mainly out of this course is an increased level of personal confidence so I can overcome basic nervousness when speaking.
[speaker001:] how to handle the nerves, I'll say right now and half of you may want to walk out of the room. I don't have a magic wand I do not have a magic wand that you know take three deep breaths turn round twice and your nerves will disappear yep. [LAUGHTER] So if that's what wanting [] we've got problems straightaway erm but certainly we will discuss what to do about that yes and to recognise them and to understand why, yes, fine but I don't have a magic wand.
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] I'd I'd be a millionaire if I did wouldn't I? Rob [].
[Rob:] Senior Engineer for Midlands area I'm er presently on seventeen million pound office development the job's completion erm my presentations are basically from site labour to erm professional engineers and architects
[speaker001:] yep
[Rob:] on a one to one basis or or to small meetings
[speaker001:] Mm
[Rob:] What I hope to gain on the course is to be able to speak more confidently and to get over the nerves.
[speaker001:] right, great thanks. Gordon
[Gordon:] Senior Engineer for Midlands region, currently been working on the developments which is design built and development gangs of which
[speaker001:] yep
[Gordon:] erm I have er one to one dealing with subcontractors engineers the architects and site meetings not a great preparation but there is
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[Gordon:] more or less every day to day
[speaker001:] right
[Gordon:] erm I hope to get out of this more personal confidence and more talk more clearly
[speaker001:] So it's to be clear in what you're saying to be able to explain yourself clearly so it's about clarity
[Gordon:] right...
[speaker001:] The need to make it clear so that people understand without having to sort of keep coming back and asking again and again, yep, great, thanks. John
[speaker006:] I'm I'm the senior south west I currently work schemes my main aim on the course is er to gain more confidence
[speaker001:] right okay what sort of. Do you make presentations now?
[John:] meetings
[speaker001:] yep so it's it's about meetings?
[John:] yep
[speaker001:] great, thanks, Tom
[speaker006:] erm, my name's from Edinburgh a couple of jobs one which is the sort of presentations I do tends to be one to one the hardest one for me as I say meetings with quite a lot of people there
[speaker001:] right
[speaker006:] erm, I think I want to try and improve my presentation
[speaker001:] right, so it's the actual presentation skills themselves
[speaker006:] that's right...
[speaker001:] and what we actually do when we're standing up so that it becomes more effective yeah? Great. my name's I'm from Tarmac Construction Plant at depot I'm office manager and I'm also in charge of the stores hiring all the plant and equipment for all the sites in our area right
[speaker006:] I also as many stores as possible
[speaker001:] of course
[speaker006:] erm I don't make presentations as such but erm I do have one to one discussions with on the sites on what plant they need and stores
[speaker001:] right, yep basically I hope to be more effective in talking to as I can right, so it's about persuasion isn't it? yeah right,... Mike
[speaker006:] I'm I'm a site agent for Tarmac Construction at erm I attend quite a few erm presentations really, tender interviews often going to the clients management meetings, site meetings and then like a lot of you the one to one situation.
[speaker001:] sure
[Bob:] apart from most of those
[speaker001:] right
[Bob:] erm I'd like to be able to present something in front of me which prompts me a bit better than I do at the moment I tend to get lost in what's in front of me.
[speaker001:] right, right so that's that's partly to do with you your preparation isn't it but it's if I put the word script
[Bob:] yeah
[speaker001:] we'll I know what we mean yep... how do you prepare what what you physically have in front of you so that you're able to put the point over effectively yeah right yep great, Dave
[Tony:] morning, I'm I'm a Site Agent for Tarmac Refurb based in Birmingham
[speaker001:] yes
[Tony:] erm, the bulk of my presentations are obviously site based, site meetings, meetings meetings. I have been involved in meetings
[speaker001:] right
[Tony:] for a variety of different contracts er my last presentation was a site meeting last Thursday
[speaker001:] right
[speaker006:] last week and er what I want to get out of course is obviously increased confidence and skill at sort of maintaining the aims of the meeting or the presentation
[speaker001:] so it's getting your point across and achieving your objective
[Tony:] keeping the meetings as precise because I tend to my meetings wandering and
[speaker001:] Ah, okay now that's that's
[Tony:] keeping to the theme of the meeting
[speaker001:] yes, okay now that's about meetings as such isn't it which is a which is almost another subject but I know what you mean it's about timing in a way yes, that's what you're saying? We're not gonna get into anything about chairmanship of meetings on this course, there is a meeting's course [LAUGHTER] that does that so I don't want to promise you something that I'm not gonna I'm not gonna be able to deliver I know what you mean certainly in terms of timing of your presentation keeping t time with your presentation we'll be looking at that and help you achieve that. So can we can we keep it to that?
[Tony:] yep, fine
[speaker001:] okay, I ju as I say i don't want to promise you something that that I know I'm not going to be able to achieve in these two days because that's not yep... certainly if you want to talk about that you know as a separate thing outside the time then then we'll be able to help you do that, okay?
[Tony:] Okay yep
[speaker001:] As I say I don't want to [LAUGHTER] promise you something and and then and [] then at the end you say well hang on we didn't look at that because that's not within the agenda of of these two days. Okay, so what we're looking at over these two days and what in order for you to be able to say yes we've achieved the objectives er by tomorrow is how to use that time that we have to prepare to to the most er efficient and effective so that e the preparation you know when you've prepared it that yes when I stand up to speak I'm gonna be able to put these points over effectively and make the presentation memorable. Confidence and in a way that attaches to also nerves, how to be able to stand up and appear confident, appear that you know what you're talking about and you are you can confidently put your message across.... Some feedback now Jeff said okay he's done this course before and he's looking for feedback to to see the level of his competence at this point, but everybody er I'm sure you will agree by the end of tomorrow will have got feedback. Feedback on how effective you are and how your effectiveness has increased over the two days. Because when all said and done if at the end of two days you don't feel that you're any better at making a presentation then when you started then why have you been here for two days. So certainly in terms of feedback erm and how to deal with these nerves. What to... understand to understand what they're about. To make sure that we're able to put our point across clearly so that we speak in a clear way so that people don't have any er doubts as to what you actually mean. When we've prepared how do we then effectively present. What are the skills we need to stand up and be able to present effectively? How to put a point over persuasively. Persuasion is about changing people's minds. So how to put over a point that supports the point of view that you have when you want to change something. What to do in terms of scripts, what do we physically have here that we're going to read from or not read from as the case may be. Erm and how we can speak to time and how we can control that time and make sure that even with interruptions which is what in a way what a meeting is about a discussion, that we're able to stick to the time that we've allocated for the particular meeting or presentation that we've got. So if by the end of tomorrow we can say yes we've achieved all that have have we got a course? Yep okay. These these are a measure aren't they they're a measure of the quality of what we're going to do over the next two days and therefore I will come back to these tomorrow afternoon I will check through them and if everybody can say yes yes I'm satisfied with that then we've achieved what we set out to achieve today. Okay Now as those of you who have been on a course will know er on a training course one thing I particularly ask you and we all do is to be open minded. We're here for two days and I'm going to present to what to some of you will be some new ideas some new concepts that you've perhaps never come across before. So I ask you to be open minded they may seem a little bit off the wall to start with, but everything that we do is done for a purpose to achieve er what we're wanting to achieve and what I do want to achieve is by the end of tomorrow is to have given you a system. Now you might think presentation and a system do they go together? What I'll do is give you a system whereby even at the drop of a hat you will be able to put together a few words and speak with clarity, speak coherently and be able to put your point of view across. You know the situations where you're in a I don't know a meeting in some presentation and somebody wants you to give a vote of thanks have you ever had that, I had that Birmingham University one time. I'm a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers and er because I'm by background an electronics engineer and I was at a meeting there where a chap was giving a talk on design express lifts you know at Northampton and the Chairman stood up and introduced doctor whoever he was sat down turned round to me in the second row and said could you give a vote of thanks at the end. So I'm hoping that this system that I give you will allow you to do that, anybody been a best man at a wedding? What do you say at a wedding. Oh dear me so I'm hoping that the system that I give you will allow you to deal with all those situations as well as make a longer presentation where you do have some preparation time. So be opened minded. I take on board these ideas for these two days. At the end of two days you say well fine but it's not for me I can't do anything about that when you walk out the room but I hope my objective is to convince you that here is something that like lots of other people in time I can it's a very very useful system... Try it out when you leave here, try it out in the meetings and the presentations that you have to make I encourage you to do that, to try it out in your day to day working and for those people who have either already been on this course or are coming on this course after you that you meet encourage them to do the same, because there's nothing like encouragement and feedback from each other to be able to use these new ideas. And of course if you've got any questions in the two days I'm not just going to er at you all the time you know it's participation is this so any questions that you have any comments you want to make please feel free to make them at any time it's not going to throw me. You have a set of notes here now I'm not gonna start at page one and work right through to page whatever it is erm they are there for you to take away for you to make notes during these two days er and for you to take away so that they're they're for revision and er there are as Bob's just discovering pages where a I'll ask you to make make specific notes er that I'll supply to you as we go along. Okay then [cough] let me just by way of er introduction er to the concepts and the content of what we're going to do over the next two days let me just put a very small fraction of a picture up here. I don't know if anybody's seen this before. Anybody want to stake a month's salary on what this is a picture of?
[speaker006:] A church
[speaker001:] A church, possibly yeah. I think as I as I reveal a bit more you'll get it....
[speaker006:] Tower Bridge Tower Bridge, right absolutely, yeah gives it away doesn't it? Now a daft question in a way but how do we know it's Tower Bridge? seen it before
[speaker001:] You've seen it before yeah that's right you you recognise it from the shape and and er because you've either seen pictures of it before or you've been there. Anybody like to guess roughly when this was drawn, fifties, sixties, forties, seventies?... Seventies you think, sixties
[Tony:] fifties to sixties
[speaker001:] Possibly something like that, yeah. How do we how do we guess that? Mike I mean
[Mike:] Because knowing London and knowing Tower Bridge those buildings over the far side aren't there any more
[speaker001:] Right absolutely, so it's about the horizon isn't it? So we we we recognise by the horizon possibly when when this was drawn. If you went and stood in the same place now then obviously it would look different in that sense, wouldn't it so the background if you like would be different wouldn't it with high rise and maybe a different. So the horizon the background would be would be different, but what would be the same?
[speaker006:] the bridge
[speaker001:] The bridge itself wouldn't it? The two towers and the bridge itself would be the same, and in a way that that's what we can look at an analogy to do with er presentation skills. We've got two towers two things that are fundamental and don't change. They're the same now as they were in the fifties when making presentations and that's about the skills you need when you stand up to speak and the skills you need in the preparation phase so the two towers of presentation skills are about the preparation and the presentation itself. The design and the delivery. The background changes and in a way the background is about things like the visual aids, flipcharts and er the use of video and er even these peripherals you can put on a on a overhead projector now that plug into a computer. I don't know if anybody's ever seen those but you can actually have a computer at the side and a thing that sits on there and you can change and up on the screen it will appear what's on the screen on the computer. Things like that. So those are all if you like the background, the things that do change but the fundamentals that stay the same are the design and the delivery and although we'll look a little bit although we've er I have to say with the numbers we've got here today it will only be a little bit about things like question and visual aids and because of the time factor if you think about it if we've twelve people to make four presentations or we've eight people to make four presentations time is a little bit different and with with twelve we don't perhaps have the luxury of time that we would with eight people which is what the course was originally designed for. So but nevertheless we will look at a little bit at those peripheral things, but we're going to concentrate mainly on the design and on the delivery of a presentation so that's what we want to what we want to look at over the next two days.... But of course if we're going to do that we need somewhere to start and where we're going to start is that I'm going to ask you to each to make a presentation, a very short presentation. So what I'd like you to do if you haven't got some paper there's stacks of paper here and what I'd like you to do is grab a piece of paper and write down what I'm going to tell you. Okay... I'm going to ask each of you to speak for three minutes so you might like to jot that down. A three minute presentation Okay. Okay here we go then. Well the first question I want to ask you is how do you feel you got on in those presentations.
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER] Got it over and done with
[speaker001:] Got it over and done with yes, yes somebody somebody dried up did they nobody sort of er I wish it was true [LAUGHTER] Well okay. The the first question is this is this thing about nerves isn't it because that's the first feeling you have when you got up get up here is and as said I'm dry already and I haven't even been up there and done it yet the voice is dry and you know then you feel a bit shaky and all that sort of thing and why do we why do we feel nervous? a fool of ourselves Sorry
[speaker006:] in case we make a fool of ourselves
[speaker001:] Well that's right it's that fear isn't it of of
[speaker006:] getting it wrong lack of confidence
[speaker001:] getting it wrong, it's a lack yes that's right that's right it's it's probably a slightly unusual situation as well isn't it here you this isn't something you do every single day is to stand up. Quite so it's about feeling you're going to make a fool of yourself, I mean what's the feeling when you come in and you sit down first thing in the morning you look all round at the other eleven people You don't want to stand out That's right you want to blend in but what's the real feeling what's the thought in your head? They're all cleverer than you are Everybody's better than than yeah, are we I mean you know you've seen you've seen twelve presentations well you've seen eleven presentations plus you've done your own now there is that fear isn't there. Everybody's bound to be better than I am, yes. There's some sort of standard that we think we ought to have in order to do this thing right and we're we're below everybody else, yes. Isn't that true, is that
[speaker006:] yes
[speaker001:] the real feeling and we feel we've got to come up to some sort of a standard. Now when somebody else stood up here if somebody had totally dried up or been so nervous they couldn't do it what would you have felt.
[speaker006:] Sorry for them
[speaker001:] Absolutely, we all want want each other to do well don't we? And it's it's true in any presentation there's nothing more uncomfortable is there than somebody in the middle of a presentation that you're watching struggling that's right you really feel sorry for them. So standing up here there aren't eleven twelve people ready to shoot you down are there. They all want you to do well. That's right they're all with me, yeah that's right because you know that you've just been there or you're going to be there yourself. But this this nervous thing is a very primitive instinct and I'm just coming up to a word I never can pronounce so you're going to have to help me with this one. This is where I get nervous because I know I've come into a word I know I can't pronounce. In the br at the back of the brain there is the pi pituitary thank you pituitary gland biology
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] well done, I never can get that word out I stumble with it every time and that gets a signal from the brain that says this is a difficult situation this is something I'm not used to this is some I it's very primitive it's it's from the days in the jungle or whatever er a fear of fright over absolute it's fight or flight, and that's why you start breathing quicker because the blood wants more oxygen because it's ready to run or to fight because the muscles, it is it's true it's absolutely true and this shaking is the limbs are ready to spring into action one way or another and this gland injects adrenalin
[speaker006:] [blowing nose]
[speaker001:] or sorry it sends a signal to the adrenal glands which sit on the top of the kidneys yeah, and pumps adrenalin into the blood which again is something that makes you ready and that's what all these things about about a dry throat a wonky voice a shaking limbs is all about a very primitive instinct of fight or flight. Now trying to think of a situation where you might come up here and have no nerves whatsoever. I mean I know it's difficult When nobody else is here Sorry When nobody else is here When nobody else is here but I mean one definition of that is that you're asleep yeah. If there's no sort of arousal of any sort yep. Let's just plot a graph... When we stand up here we're wanting to perform right we're wanting to do an activity... we have some level of anxiety. Now we've just said there needs to be some level somewhere if you're right down this end of the curve here you're either asleep or dead so there's some peak performance at some level of anxiety or arousal and as the anxiety increases the performance drops off. Okay. But you have to have some level of arousal has to be something pumping round you round your blood your brain has to be working in some way to be able to perform. So we have some peak okay at which we are performing. Right down this other end of the curve the level of anxiety is so high that performance is zero, that's when you freeze. I mean there was a classic case a couple of years ago of a lady who was pushing a baby in a pram across a zebra crossing and as she was half way across out of the corner of her eye she saw a truck thundering towards her which was quite clearly wasn't going to stop and that you know a sort of fairly anxious situation, and she froze. She could not move. She absolutely could not move because her level of arousal was so high she had no performance her performance being walking in that case Well but I mean that's an example and as I say at this end where you've no arousal you're either asleep or dead, there's no sort of performance performance of any sort and we talk about having those butterflies in the stomach don't we? We talk about the butterflies and that that's to do with this this effect of the the adrenalin in the system. Now the professional presenter is the one who can get them to fly in formation. It's it's not about being able to get rid of them totally and we agree that we need some sort of level of arousal it's being able to perform despite them to use that arousal to put into an effective presentation, and that's what this two days is about is getting those butterflies for you to fly in formation. To be able to actually present effectively whilst still having those butterflies whilst still having that that slightly anxious feeling. I get it, I get it every time I come into one of these but I I hope that I've got it in got them in formation. Now the purpose of therefore of this training course and any any training course is to do this... is to be able to handle the arousal and increase your level of performance and even get the peak to move that way so for any level of arousal you're getting better performance but you're also able to handle a bit more butterflies a bit more of the nerves in order to perform effectively, and apart from a training course like this how do you achieve that?
[speaker006:] Experience
[speaker001:] Experience, which is based on
[Sarah:] Practice
[speaker001:] practice, doing it yep. So when I said to Bob this morning was it Bob, I said don't I don't have a magic wand that's gonna get rid of them but what I hope I'm gonna give you over these two days is a system whereby you can use that and can support you so you're able to effectively present despite having the nerves and be able to put over your point of view effectively, yeah? How do you feel about that yeah okay.
[Mike:] Yeah
[speaker001:] Everybody everybody happy well I you just sort of went like that and I wasn't quite sure whether you was sort
[Mike:] it was an early morning
[speaker001:] Oh sorry [LAUGHTER] so that's that's what it's what it's about so what we want to do then over these next two days is to develop the skills of design and delivery and will allow us to do that allow us to improve our performance despite the fact that we do have the nerves and by practice by doing it by putting yourself in the situation where you have to make a presentation and almost as one chap said one time sitting there actually with your sitting there remembering he said actually volunteer to make presentations to the other people there. [LAUGHTER] But it's it's about about doing that and about being able to practice and use these skills and techniques so that we can improve performance. So let's let's look at what we can do then. Well okay this morning what I'd like to do in the half hour or so that we've got before lunch is to talk about the skills we need when we actually come up here to deliver then this afternoon we'll look at that feedback from the video and what you did and then we'll move on to the skills of design, the preparation skills. So when we come up here to make a presentation let's put aside at the moment the content of what we actually say what do we what do we need to think about? What are the areas that we need to think about, the skills that we need to develop?
[speaker006:] The way you look
[speaker001:] The way you look, your appearance in a way is what you're saying, yeah
[Sarah:] Your stance
[speaker001:] Your stance, the way you stand that's right, those sorts of things
[Tony:] Body language
[speaker001:] Body language, yes we'll talk a little bit about body language and take that just a little bit further
[speaker006:] The people who you're delivering to delivering the presentation to and whether they understand
[speaker001:] Right okay, whether they understand yes so how you get the contact with them, yes. How you maintain their interest and how you get feedback from them. Okay let's let's put those sorts of ideas, you turn to page three in the notes you'll see there's a proforma there Okay, so we're going to concentrate on the left hand side for the moment.... The delivery skills thing. Okay now we talked about things like as Tony said body language er we talked about things like er contact with the audience but what fundamentally are we doing when we stand up here?
[speaker006:] Talking
[speaker001:] Talking right. So what's that about? Well I mean what's er what do we have to think about
[speaker006:] Communication
[speaker001:] Yeah, communication in general possibly about breathing about the way we use the voice yes, and of course the words we actually use Accent Accent possibly yeah. Well we'll talk about that because Joanne you and I er have accents don't we? Yeah [LAUGHTER] That are not the standard English shall we say something like that. So let's think of all first of all then about the voice. Now there's a word I'm going to use right now which is a technical term in a way and that is is er the technical term for the study of language and how we speak the word what we say and how we say it. It goes under the lovely title of paralinguistics Para yeah that's right yeah. Paralinguistics is is the study of the words we say and how we say them.... So quite obviously the how we say things is all to do with the voice isn't it?... Now I've got four letter Ps to do with the voice er and what I want to do is is think about the comparison of aspects of the voice when we have a normal one to one conversation and compare that with the same aspects when we're making a presentation standing in front of a group. First of all power. The power of the voice.... How do we need to adjust the power when we're making a presentation?
[speaker006:] To the size of the audience
[speaker001:] To the size absolutely, to the size of the audience so if we say a one to one we've got a certain level of conversational power if you say so with a group like this it has to be Just raised slightly doesn't it yes and obviously if you've got fifty people and you don't have a microphone or anything then it becomes even more so. You get much above about fifty people you perhaps do need a some technical assistance with the power. So the power needs to be just slightly slightly raised okay. Now another P, anybody think of other Ps to do with the voice.
[speaker006:] Pitch
[speaker001:] Pitch, that's that's yes.... Now pitch is to do with er technically to do with the frequency isn't it the the high or low pitch like on a piano from high notes to low notes? What do we need to ensure in terms of pitch when we're speaking to a group of people?
[speaker006:] Variety
[speaker001:] Sorry
[speaker006:] Variety
[speaker001:] Variety that's right there has to be variety because because if you talk in a monotone all the time then it all becomes rather boring doesn't it? So there's got to be variations in the pitch. Power, pitch, there's one I want to squeeze in between but I mean it doesn't matter.
[speaker006:] Pace
[speaker001:] pace, pace, yeah. In a way projection is sort of with power. Pace that's right you've been cheating and looking on looking on the next page
[Sarah:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] That's right. The pace okay. The speed at which we speak okay. yeah
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Power and pace and pitch and pause. Yes okay. let's just go back to the pace then. How does the pace want to be compared with normal con one to one conversation perhaps?
[speaker006:] slightly slower
[speaker001:] Slightly slower just so that the words come over a bit clearer yes, so so people can actually take in what you say okay. Now the pause, how about the pause?
[speaker006:] To get attention
[speaker001:] You do don't you
[speaker006:] it gives emphasis it attracts people's attention
[speaker001:] sorry
[Sarah:] Pregnant pause
[speaker001:] Pregnant pau that's right a pregnant pause isn't it? I mean
[Sarah:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] But it's perhaps one of the most difficult things when you start out doing presentations isn't it. Because you get that silence in the room and mmm you want to fill it [LAUGHTER] so but you're right the use of the pause effective and particularly with a variation in pitch that gives that emphasis the two combined together can be very very effective. Okay so the power the pace the pitch and the pause all to do with voice and slight variations on those compared with normal one to one conversation [cough] Okay. So that's about the voice itself now under paralinguistics also comes that the concept of words.... Words are are I mean what are words? A simple thing to say but what are words?
[Bob:] Expression
[speaker001:] Yes er but what do they express then Sorry
[Bob:] Feelings
[speaker001:] could express feelings yes.
[speaker006:] Facts thoughts
[speaker001:] Facts feelings yes thoughts absolutely there there there a code aren't they? I mean if you speak three different languages you could use three different words to put the same sort of thought of a picture dog, chien, hound there's probably an Italian and a and that but if you speak the languages then different words different codes if you like are for the same idea. So that's what words are about. Now brr any anybody here like me from Yorkshire? No you're from slightly further north. You're from Yorkshire?
[John:] Sometime ago
[speaker001:] Sometime ago right so you may catch this, and you're from slightly further north than that I think? Right okay. Anybody from the Liverpool area? No no okay. If I said to John and Joanne erm that I saw a boy running up the ginnel no you understand? You do you do? Yeah I know what you said but I dunno what a ginnel is. Okay a snicket I don't know what a snicket is either No No Yes But I know what you're saying Alright yeah, okay you see the point that that it's it's words what the heck's he talking
[speaker006:] No no I know exactly
[speaker001:] Oh you did, yeah it's it's er no but I mean in terms of the actual word you don't know what it is
[speaker006:] No
[speaker001:] er it's it's about geography isn't it? er coming from different areas of the country. Right let me just explain then just just for the sake of completeness. erm in the days when they had terraced houses back to back terraced houses erm well anywhere in the country I guess but but where I come from it was fine for the people who lived with their doors on the on the road but the people who lived at the other side of the block they couldn't get from the road so every so often down the down the terrace they had a little alley way an entry I think you'd probably call it in Scotland, don't they? We talking about this and I was saying about coming from construction I says I've says I've to go up the cut like Oh the cut yeah
[speaker006:] Where I call the cut, and he's going the cut what cut that's the canal I says [LAUGHTER] up the cut between [] the two the two buildings she said no that's the alley
[speaker001:] That's the alley, yeah, or the ginnel or the snicket you know or in Liverpool they call it a jigger Or the cut Yeah so you see the point, if you're making a presentation and you use words like that based on where you come from the geography you know your regional variations then it's a bit it's a bit difficult for er effective communication isn't it? So we have think about making sure that we use or if we use a word and people don't understand it Explain it Explain it, absolutely... Now so that's about words based on geographical variations or regional variations within the country er er something to be avoided but what about in the industry you're in.
[speaker006:] Jargon
[speaker001:] Jargon. Absolutely yeah. Now [LAUGHTER] there's a word that covers that and that the the choice of words based on on getting it right for the audience particularly in terms of jargon is what is called wordsmith. Cho choosing words in if if you think of a parallel with blacksmith, a blacksmith takes base metal and sort of bends it and shapes it to the appropriate shape. Choosing the right words for the audience particularly based on jargon is what's called wordsmith.... Now somebody said they got involved in prequalification meetings, yeah. Mike who might you have as an audience in a prequalification er hang on er prequalification everybody understand prequalification? Let's make sure we didn't use any term that everybody understands yeah.
[Bob:] understand what
[speaker001:] Right exactly because you might you might have the client or a representative of the client as well as architects and people who would so you have to be careful don't you in terms of using the right words. So your presentation would be
[speaker006:] simplified
[speaker001:] Simplified that's right. Where the jargon might arise would be perhaps in response to questions from an architect for instance yes. Technical yeah the technical people but you have to ensure don't you that with with your audience that you understand who they are but if you don't then you have to keep it to a common denominator. Yeah and that's about wordsmith, choosing the right words for the for the appropriate to the audience and of course jargon the industry jargon erm is the thing you've got to watch. Okay so that's about paralinguistics about the way we use the voice in a presentation and the way we chose the words so that we have effective communication with our audience. Okay. Now was it Tony who said about body language yep?
[Tony:] Yep
[speaker001:] Now, body language if we move on to that. If you read books on body language then erm that says erm I'm not quite sure what I'm talking about yes, I'm not being truthful and that means that that I'm really not being really very sincere or again I'm unsure. But what could it also mean? itchy ear You've got an itchy ear or an itchy chin absolutely yeah. That it exactly that. So body language if you read a lot of the books on body language it takes one single action and it interprets it based on that. Now if we take it just one step further, there was a lady well there still is a lady called and she did some research, what she was trying to look at was the the sort of body language if you like the actions that people er use and associate that to their personality and she looked particularly at people who were open positive communicators truthful I suppose but people who were open communicators and looked at the sort of things they did and also at people who perhaps weren't quite so honest and open and truthful. And she didn't take individual actions what she took was what she called clusters. Clusters of actions so she looked at things like the use of the hands the use of the feet the use of the eyes erm and what she called the centre line. The body's centre line and she equated that and what she said was in terms of the hands that people who were open and positive communicators used on average more symmetrical open palm gestures than individual or closed palm gestures non-symmetrical. And if you look at there are certain er types of people in history who use very non-symmetrical hand gestures who perhaps you might say were not the most open communicators in the world
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] and if you take a film of of erm Hitler and er people of that ilk in the second world war and you analyse almost frame by frame you'll see that and count the number of non-symmetrical hand gestures you will find that they're quite high as a percentage. Now I'm not saying that we stand here and all we do is that because when you want to emphasise a point then sometimes a a single non-symmetrical a single hand gesture is more appropriate. But on average you will find er and you look at people in the pub you look in the bar tonight at the people having conversations and see how many symmetrical hand gestures there are. It's quite interesting. What I'm talking about here are not things that are unnatural but things that er will come naturally as you relax into your presentation.
[speaker006:] Are you suggesting that
[speaker001:] Absolutely, and you will find when we look on the video the number of people who held up a piece of paper if you hold things up and I'm holding this now because I'm about to write but if if you stand here and hold a piece of paper then it's very difficult to make symmetrical palm gestures, open palm gestures. So that is one thing as I develop this theme you'll you'll see. So of course the next question comes well well how do you manage to put it down, I guess?... hands we'll come on to that.... Okay? Now another thing as I said that she looked at in terms of clusters was the centre line. Now ladies and gentlemen we all know that there are certain parts of the body that it is quite natural that we like to protect
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Such as a direct free kick.
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] erm and and ladies perhaps would tend to do the same sort of thing. Now what that does of course is close off the centre line and what found was that people who were positive communicators as they spoke to somebody they presented the centre line to them. Now if I'm presenting my centre line to Tony and speaking to him that feels fine yeah, but if I talk to you Dave over my shoulder like that I mean how does that feel? Talk to you and tell you something you know
[speaker006:] [cough]
[speaker001:] It feels as though I don't care
[speaker006:] [cough]
[Tony:] lack of interest
[speaker001:] lack of interest that's right. So presenting the centre line and okay we're going to come on to the eye contact as well in a moment, presenting the centre line with eye contact means that it feels much more positive for the audience in terms of the delivery. So the centre line is an is an important aspect of... Now if you're holding your notes yeah I I mean that's not a very open sort of centre line is it because I've got this as a barrier. In a way this standing behind [knocking] and it's unfortunate we have to have something as big as this table er and if I stand behind it then you know Gordon's not getting my full centre line yep. So standing behind a barrier is another thing. The third aspect the third aspect that er noticed was movement of the feet whilst in this sort of a situation. In any communication and Mike used that term and this is what this is about in communication there is a gap it doesn't matter whether it's you know writing a letter making a phone call or just standing this sort of distance away. There's a gap over which these words have to flow. Yes, there's a gap in this communication. Now if I stood here all the time for two days and presented to you just standing here do your eyes move have to move if you're watching me all the time your eyes are fixed aren't they in one position? Yeah and the problem is that that because you have to look in one position it means that that the whole thing becomes boring and and your interest starts to drift. But if I'm moving around slightly like this and you're having to follow with your eyes as I'm making my presentation it brings variety to it brings that bit of variety like you said earlier that it brings some interest to it. So just just small movements of the feet I'm not talking well there's a classic one I had when I was at college we had a lecturer imagine a big lecture theatre you know two hundred people and there was there was a board and he presented his lecture like this, plenty of foot movement but he presented his lecture like and he just walked up and down. Well I mean what do you end up doing if somebody makes a presentation like that.
[speaker006:] Give up watching
[speaker001:] You either give up watching or you keep a score don't you, yeah?
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] How many times he's gonna walk in the next minute you know let's time. You don't listen to what he's saying because you know just it just becomes so it takes your attention away. But but small movement a little bit of movement around and some people did as we'll see when we look at the video this afternoon, but some people you know grew roots er it becomes that way. Again it's part of the nervousness yeah I'm gonna put me notes down there and I'm not gonna hold them I you know I don't want to be anywhere away from them so it's all tied up with the preparation as well. But some movement of the feet er is important to keep variety.... So that's what er worked on connection between the cluster of movements and sort of advanced body language if you like and the personality so someone who is perceived as using ja symmetrical palm gestures and open centre line and some movement in the feet is seen more as a as a positive communicator, a more open communicator, and it enhances the quality of the presentation. Now there was one other thing that was mentioned. The third aspect was contact with the audience, yeah. Audience contact. Why is it important to have audience contact in your presentation?
[speaker006:] Just to make sure that they think that you're talking to them
[speaker001:] Absolutely, so they feel involved don't they? They feel involved as part of the presentation. That helps the audience feel involved but what does it do for you as a presenter? What can it do?
[speaker006:] helps you get your point across
[speaker001:] Yes indeed it also gives you some
[speaker006:] Gauge the reaction
[speaker001:] yeah gauge the reaction some feedback. Gauge people's reaction you know as I said to you earlier are you with that Mike because of all I had contact and I thought I saw you
[Bob:] [LAUGHTER] I dropped off
[speaker001:] And you dropped off, well that that is the other important thing isn't it because part of the feedback is you know am I interesting everybody you know? Are they with me on this or am I boring the pants off them yeah? And you may then want to adjust the presentation. So audience contact.... What's the what's the primary method of of getting contact with the audience? Well the method
[speaker006:] Eyes looking at them
[speaker001:] Yeah using the eyes, yeah, okay.... Both to to to feel to make them feel involved and to er gauge the reaction gauge how things are going so you can er get some feedback on how you're doing. Okay
[Mike:] You need to keep their interest don't you?
[speaker001:] Oh absolutely, yes, I mean I mean
[Mike:] the effect
[speaker001:] Sure erm no amount of audience contact will compensate for a boring subject. Yeah, oh yes I erm erm I'm not saying that and that's when we come on to the the design and the content that we put in. Yeah, you're absolutely right [LAUGHTER] very important point yeah no amount of eye contact is going to compensate for something that that doesn't hold their interest. Okay. What else then what other methods do we have besides having eye contact what else might we do to involve the audience to make them feel involved?
[speaker006:] Questions
[speaker001:] Yes, absolutely so questions er a very definite way of involving the audience and again it gives a measure of feedback doesn't it because if you get the right answer you know that they are with you and you know they are understanding what you have to say. But obviously if there's some hesitation over it then perhaps you just need to step back a stage in what you're saying and er er go over it again to for clarity, and Tony what's another way of involving the audience?
[Tony:] Well you've got to get them to participate but I suppose you would do if you question them
[speaker001:] Well yes I guess you would. Jeff what's another way that you might make the audience feel that they're involved? Mike Well yes okay that's a possibility and that's something that we'll come on to tomorrow. But in terms of audience contact, Sarah
[speaker006:] Jokes
[speaker001:] Well yeah yeah a bit of humour a bit of humour
[Sarah:] Smile at them
[speaker001:] Smile at them well yeah okay. Bob, another way of involving the audience making them feel part of it
[Bob:] Ask them to relate their experiences
[speaker001:] Yes okay but that in a way comes under questions doesn't it yes. Ask them yes Look directly at them Well yeah that's eye contact [LAUGHTER] Well well done thank you
[speaker006:] I got it with the fourth one [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Yeah that's right that's right you were just waiting for me to say Tom weren't you yes yes that's fine. And some of you some of you did that this morning although you may not have realised it er but you said well well like Rob said and er just just making people feel part of it by by using their names and that's exactly the purpose of having these plaques in front and why I asked you to to use erm to put your name on them is so that we can do that. So that we can use people's names as part of the presentation and yeah yeah you know he actually noticed what I said and that sort of thing. So they feel really part of er part of it. [LAUGHTER] Sometimes I've er [] Okay so it seems like it seems like a terrific amount to think about while you're standing here doesn't it as well as thinking about what you're actually the content of what you're actually going to say. But a lot of these things come quite naturally er I hope we'll see on when we look at the video that really I don't think anybody had a major problem with the voice er and the words as well when you're talking about two million pounds so in terms of the voice I don't believe anybody has any major problems. There may be one or two when we might just say well perhaps just a little bit more volume but it's not perhaps just er slacken off on the pace a little bit. So I don't think in terms of paralinguistics anybody here has a major problem. But when we come to look at the cluster and the and the audience contact then then you know we may see something a little bit different, Okay but er those are the important aspects things like things like whoops the use of the hands you know several people put their hands in their pockets or put them behind their back or something like that. Now that is you know what do you do with these things I mean they're a nuisance when it comes to making a presentation. The secret I find and you may over the next day or day and a half to a couple of days you may well see me just do that occasionally I'll just throw my hands back down to me side. If they get in if they start getting in the way the best thing to do is just let them relax to the side and try and forget about them, I know it's difficult to forget about them but just to the conscious effort with the hands is just to put them at the side. Then as you start to make the point you'll find your hands will come up naturally and bend from the elbows it sounds crazy to say but if if you suddenly go coo I've got everything in me pocket but
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Just do that that, that's what I find is the best thing to do and then carry on with what you have to say and then the gestures become quite natural because all of this this is is not I'm not trying to six pairs of opposites and then expanded by Okay now that that's fine but how do you move on and where do you move on to in order to get that structured thought pattern? If you're going to come and stand and present something to somebody there's got to be a reason for it? Yes, there must be be a reason and as I'm sure, I mean like like the objective, and then what you can do at this stage in the design process is once you've got the objective then you select those themes or ideas from your what you've done just now to support that objective, so that when you come up my objective is to convince you or my objective is to inform you then the information that you're going to give out supports that objective. So one thing that was mentioned this morning was somebody wanted to be able to be more persuasive in order to put a point of view across. If you can clearly state what your objective is what you're trying to persuade the audience to then everything you say supports that and you stand a better chance of being persuasive. Yes? It seems fairly obvious, so what do we do? Well we've got to select a number of themes to support a given objective. How many themes do we select? So what you've got there is a mass of you've got six twelve words on the first circle and then you've got twenty four words on the outer circle are you gonna dump all that information on to the audience to try and persuade them of your objective? There's only so much that anybody's brain can handle at any one time so let's just do a little experiment because there was a chap called George Miller an American psychologist who worked on this idea of what is the capacity of the brain, how many bits of information can the brain hold on to at any given time. If you turn to page eight [paper rustling] what's that John?
[John:] I'm useless at this,
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker006:] I know what's coming.
[speaker001:] You you know what's coming. George Miller called this the span of conception. The capacity of the brain to conceive or hold on to any information. You'll see there we've got three boxed a six number a ten number and a twelve number. What I'm gonna do is just speak out a six digit number. What I want you to do is try and hold on to it in your brain then when I've finished write it down in the appropriate box and see if you can hold on to it long enough to do that. So the first number, listen to this the first number and try and hold on to it. Three eight one five six two. Just write that down..... Okay? Let's try and ten digit number then. Listen to ten digits try to hold on to them and then write them down. Seven, four, two, nine, eight, one, three, four, seven, six....
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] I've gone wrong Okay, try a twelve digit, just for the experiment. Try and hold on to twelve numbers, here we go. Listen to these. Nine, O, five, one, six, two, four, seven, three, eight, two, seven..... Now that's it's interesting what Joanne said that you you lost it in the middle somewhere, yeah? I mean er let's just read them just see how you got on. Three, eight, one, five, six, two. Okay, Seven, four, two, nine, eight, one, three, four, seven, six.
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] I've got the mixed up Yeah and nine, O, five, one, six, two, four, seven, three, eight, two, seven say that one again nine, O, five, [LAUGHTER] one, six, two, four, seven, three [], eight, two, seven. Nearly got it. So but I mean where was it. Was it generally in the middle or at one end or
[speaker006:] The first, the first two numbers
[speaker001:] yeah okay After the first five numbers That's it because what you well you either hold on to the first five or six and then you lose the rest or sometimes you remember the beginning and the end and you lose the bit in the middle, ah. It's like that game that they used to play on Crackerjack for those of you old enough to remember Crackerjack
[speaker006:] Crackerjack Crackerjack
[speaker001:] pencils, yeah, erm that's. a cabbage. There was a game wasn't there that they played
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Cabbage So long as you got the question wrong you got a cabbage if you got it right you got a prize Right that's right and that's what the brain's like, you've got to try and hold on to Cabbages all these cabbages yeah. You've got to try and hold on to so much information that something eventually has to drop. Because some people do get the ten and some people can get to twelve but guess how they do it. They chunk it up into pairs or groups of three or something like that so four groups of three or two groups of six or whatever, because what Miller actually found was the span of conception was and is... seven plus or minus two. People can hold on to seven plus or minus two bits of information and the plus or minus two he called the local factors which are you know whether it's warm out whether you feel warm or cold or whether or what time of day it is have you just had a heavy lunch whatever it might be. Something that effects even the time of the year all sorts of things. So the maximum is nine that people can hold on to and the thing about nine of course is... it splits up into three threes and that's why I say some people will group a twelve number into four threes or something like that or three fours because they're all well within this span of conception. So as it says at the bottom of page eight there's a golden rule for presenting is use three themes. Okay? So the number of themes you use to support your objective is three and then for each of those themes you divide it into three subthemes. Remember what I did there I got three themes and for each one I got three subthemes so that what you put over to them to the audience are those three themes. They're able to hold on to that for the duration of the talk and be able to understand them as concepts and therefore it helps to put over the ideas. So we'll have a coffee break and then what I want you to do when you come back is I'll give you an objective for the talk that you're going to give based on that you've just done and then I want you to select three themes and three sub-themes that will support the objective that you'll then be able to use. Okay? Right
[speaker006:] Start again
[speaker001:] yes. the Aldershot method it goes under the nice little saying tell them what you're going to tell them then tell them and then tell them what you've told them. Now you think about News at Ten, bong, you get the headlines yeah and you get the headlines, and so it prepares you it emotionally prepares you for what's coming. Give you headlines and then they start and they go they expand on each headline, don't they? And then at the end they give you the headlines again, they summarise it. Absolutely, and it does because it a it what Dave says it's an emotional whole and you start off and you come back to where you started. It's a whole a complete, and so it it emotionally prepares with the headlines, tell them what you're gonna tell them then you tell them it and then it satisfies them by coming back to where you started. So in other words it's about an introduction... an expansion and an end... Now as I've said tomorrow I'll fill in a bit more detail on those so if you leave some some gaps there between those three sections. So an introduction
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Do you remember what I said about the the er structured thought pattern you've now got in front of you, let me go to mine which is all blank. [LAUGHTER] The introduction is good afternoon ladies and gentlemen my name is I'd like to talk to you about flying and I hope to persuade you to come along on Saturday and take part in some flying. And I'm going to talk to you about three things about the safety of flying, about the cost aspects of flying and the enjoyment that you're going to get out of it when you take part. And that's my introduction, I've told you what I'm gonna tell you. And then expand on it, and so I go into each of these and I go to the and I say a few words about each of these particular themes. I won't go all through that again. And when I've expanded and I've told you then I then come back to my ending and I say, okay so what I've done I've told you about three aspects of flying, about the safety of it,ab about the costs involved in taking part in flying and about the enjoyment you're gonna get out of flying and I hope that I've persuaded you that you will come along on Saturday to take part, and that's the ending. So it's use the red obviously the title and the red's for your introduction to say what you're going to say then say it by using your greens and then say what you've said by going back to the red and coming back to your objective. Now coming back to the objective I say it leaves you on a high note then rather than the and that's all I'm gonna say tell them what you're gonna tell them then tell them then tell them what you've told them. Okay? So that in a nutshell is is what it's about. [cough] So you've all got your structured thought pattern now, yeah?
[speaker006:] yeah
[speaker001:] Right, erm three minutes again so you can spot your timing now, it's under a minute on each of those red things because you've got your introduction and your ending as well, okay? So three minutes, set the clock again as you did before and er one other thing I'd like you to do is as you come up is do something that athletes do huh and that is to er give an affirmation. Now you may see athletes you know when you see the Olympics there's the the lady with er erm
[speaker006:] javelin
[speaker001:] javelin, thank you, there's the lady with the javelin
[speaker006:] [cough]
[speaker001:] then you see or somebody you know looking at the long jump and they're muttering away to themselves. Well there're not normally saying will you get out the way before I throw this thing or I'll stab you with it. What they're actually doing is they're affirming to themselves they're verbalising the performance improvement or the performance they're going to give. Remember I asked you this morning to just just after lunch to jot down what it was that you need to improve on just as you're setting the clock just say something like by the end of this talk I'd like you to congratulate me on having moved around a bit more having not put me hands in me pockets, whatever it might be. Yeah so just an aff an affirmation of of what you intended. Okay morning everybody
[speaker006:] morning
[speaker001:] let's a what are we going to be doing today then as Dave's already observed because he's seen my notes it's going to be a very full day er so we need to crack on. What I'd like to do first of all is just to summarise wha what we did yesterday. Just very quickly summarise that and what I'd like you to do is take notes in the new form that we've got now with er a thought pattern so if you, morning okay
[speaker006:] excuse me
[speaker001:] Okay we've only barely started if you take a a fresh piece of paper then, a fresh sheet of paper and and er the orientation that you now know we need to do if we're going to do if we're going to do a thought pattern
[speaker006:] this morning
[speaker001:] Tom, we're jus just gonna summarise what we did yesterday by means of a a thought pattern. so if in the middle of the page you write day one... let's just summarise er what we did yesterday. Well it was twenty three hours I was going to say twenty four hours ago, but twenty three hours. We started off with er some introductions... and er the introductions, you introduced yourself... and we discussed the the objectives that the company have and also the objectives that you have for the course.... The objectives give us a way of er measuring at the end of the course whether the course has achieved for you what you wanted from we'll come back as I said to those this afternoon and and just review them to see that you got out of the course what you. Okay having done that we discussed what the content of the course was going to be and then I asked you to make a first presentation.... Pres presentation one... and it was to last three minutes... and the subject was what would I do if I won two million pounds... and we recorded that er on the C C T V for later playback. [cough] Having done that we then talked about the problem that we all have on these sorts of occasions which is the problem of nerves... and we talked about the symptoms of dry voice and the shaking limbs the the wonky voice... and the reasons why we have er these nerves... and we also talked about the causes of the the primitive instinct of fight or flight er how we get get our body ready to handle this unusual situation.... And we we discussed the the difference between anxiety and arousal and how we can turn our anxiety into arousal to ensure performance and I plotted a little graph if you remember.... Of performance against arousal levels and we agreed that the the purpose of training like this and also putting these principles into practice is to be able to handle more and more arousal er more and more nerves [LAUGHTER] and still and still be able to perform in a confident manner.... We then talked about the first of those two towers of Tower Bridge if you remember which was... about the skills that we need for er delivery. What are the skills that we need when we stand up in front of people to actually deliver what we have to say
[speaker006:] [cough]
[speaker001:] and there were three aspects we looked at I wonder why it was three? I wonder why it was three? Erm three aspects, first of all there was that little word I gave you er to describe pa paralinguistics Thank you [LAUGHTER] the voice and and the words that we said paralinguistic is correct. The study of the voice what we say and how we say it [cough] I then introduced you to if you like advanced body language and based on the work that Marion North did and rather than take an individual movement of the body we took a cluster... and how many aspects where there to cluster I wonder [LAUGHTER] there were three weren't there. Hands, feet centre [] level. Okay so paralinguistics, the cluster and the other one was the need for audience contact.... the way we get feedback from the audience the way we ensure that we involve the audience as well through the use of the eyes the names er and asking questions.... And then we had the moment that a lot of you er weren't looking forward to which was playing the video back, yes.... and this gave you an opportunity to see yourself to see others... and to take part in some coaching... something that we did again yesterday and we shall be doing again today [cough] We then talked about the the design aspect first of all we talked about er the way the brain is involved in this communication and some of the aspects of the brain.... So the brain we talked about the two hemispheres the left and the right hemisphere... [cough] the fact that the left is very much involved in a a linear way... whereas the right is involved in spatial way, anybody remember the relative contribution of the two halves? yeah ten for the left and ninety for the right... and the reason we talked about this and the way that's involved in communication is that we said well if there's a lot more power or a lot more contribution to the design of what we're doing of a spatial nature and that is how the the audience's brain work more powerfully in the spatial nature let's present what we have let's design it and then deliver it as close to a spatial nature as we can okay. That was the purpose of talking about about the brain and the two the two aspects of it. And of course the left brain is very much involved in the words the right brain with the ideas, so that's the creative side. Okay then we used this er in a way that we're using it right now to er produce our design for what we were going to say through thought patterns. Now nice abbreviation for thought patterns is thop [spelling] T H O P []... when we talk about thought patterns or thops... a method of gathering ideas a meth a method of getting things down on paper so we don't lose them but not in a linear way in a spatial way a right brain activity. And what we did we created a framework first of all with six pairs of opposites... pairs of opposites [cough] and er if you remember this happened in a fairly slow and methodical way very much a left brain activity saying well okay is this a valid pair of opposites to do with that. So that was that was a very much a left brain activity. We then moved on and expanded... we expanded we brought with with a minimum of two words to do with each of those twelve words that we generated and we did this in a much faster way a much more creative way a right brain activity. When I say a right brain of course it doesn't mean that the left brain's just shut down completely but it's predominantly a a right brain activity it's the the creative part.... [cough] and then we use this method to then go a stage further to prepare for the second presentation.... [cough] So I gave you a topic sport or a hobby or an interest that you had and you produced a thought pattern for that just as we'd done in the practice one with the subject of water, but then we moved on a stage further to get what are called a structured thought pattern.... Structured thought which had as its main attributes three themes of course before you had that you had to have a clear objective which helped you to choose what those three themes were, and why why did we choose three as a based on yeah yeah, yes verbally yes if we're writing we'd actually be six but it was it was the span of conception wasn't it the capacity of the brain... The span of conception says that if you deliver your presentation in groups of three in three themes and three subthemes then the audience is able to hold on to that and the way in which we set up the delivery or the way in which we delivered the structured thought pattern was through method
[speaker006:] Aldershot
[speaker001:] Aldershot method yeah... [cough]... which goes under the little the little rhyme words can anybody remember that's it that's it as Dave described it it's an emotional whole it's it's er satisfying er to the listener.... it's complete in itself and er people by human nature like things to be complete or whole it is it is emotionally satisfying. So basically that was er... an introduction... an expansion and an ending. The Aldershot method.... Got through quite a bit yesterday didn't we? [cough] Quite a bit there er when you lay it out like that in a pattern a thought pattern which shows just how much er we did actually get through er from where you started at ten in the morning or just after with the presentation right through to the second presentation. There were a lot a lot involved there er and some of you actually found that that there was quite a lot that you really had to almost worry about and think about and and er yesterday for the first time of doing it with this this new method it does take quite a bit of thinking about and as we agreed practice is is what's what's important.. Incidentally everything I'm I'm doing here whoops everything I'm doing here with you all the two days here is in thought patterns. So it does get used ha ha in a practical way. It would be very strange if I stood here saying don't use a linear script use thought patterns and yet I was reading everything off a linear script wouldn't it? You sort of wouldn't really believe that er I was serious about it. Okay right what I'd like you to then select red on your pen. Now in a way what you could say what we have here is a trunk of a tree and the branches and then the leaves and the fruit at different levels on this. What I'd like you to do is put put a rectangle round three words, it doesn't matter where they are on on the whole thought pattern, three words that are the highlights what were the three things that were the highlights or the most important thing for you yesterday. For instance I might go erm that one... that one and er that one. Okay just a rectangle round three three er things that were the highlights for you yesterday the most important things that er came through to you yesterday.... So... he knows what's coming
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] the eyes don't ya. Some a lot of you said yesterday that you don't always get in this formal situation having to stand up in front of people. But what if you have sort of meetings one to one or even even in three or fours. So you know when you get in a meeting sometimes you've got a point of view on an agenda item and you think how where am I gonna get support for for my point of view on the meeting? Or you know you're in a meeting and the chairman what's your opinion John on this where you what do you think about this? A good way of doing it is the Aldershot method, how to your put your point across very very clearly but also succinctly you know short and to the point. So if somebody said to me what what were the highlights for you yesterday, Aldershot method tell them what you tell them just list them. So what are the three important things for me yesterday were the Aldershot method the arousal curve and the need for audience contact so I told them what I'm gonna tell them. Now I tell them why if you're gonna tell somebody why why your opinion is something the word because is bound to come into the sentence soon. So I've said I've listed them well the important points for me were the Aldershot method the arousal curve and the [cough] need for audience content. The Aldershot method was particularly important for me because I realised that it's something we use every day or we see every day er and it emotionally prepares the audience the listener for what I'm going to say. Tell them what you're going to tell them before you tell them, and then summarise it at the end and tell them what you told them. It's emotionally satisfying it's a very important method to get a point across. The need for arousal thought well should I be absolutely calm when I'm giving a presentation but I never am so is it right and now understanding that you need a certain level of arousal to be able to perform at all is is satisfying for me because at least I understand the situation now and able to work with it rather than against it. And audience content when you're making a presentation I feel that's very important because you need to have feedback as to how well things are going. If you don't look people in the eye if you don't involve them then they're not with you and if the audience aren't with you then the presentation doesn't. So for me the three points were the Aldershot method er the importance of understanding arousal and the need for audience contact. Do you see the Aldershot method there you list then expand on each one saying why and then just summarise by listing again. Yep. So can we try that just to from a seated position not from from up the front. The best thing to do because having said that then I might say Mike what's your opinion what was important to you and and pass it on? So obviously if Mike's been chosen once or he's done it he doesn't want somebody asking him again. So just jot down at the side of the page the other eleven names in the room okay everybody's Tony, Mike, Jeff, Sarah, Bob, Rob, Gordon, John, Tom, Joanne, Mike Dave. Just jot the other people's names down and then obviously when they've been they've said their piece just strike their name through so you don't go and. Tony, Mike, Jeff, Sarah, Bob, Rob, Gordon, John, Tom, Joanne, Mike, Dave. You should have eleven names down there [LAUGHTER] Are you alright can you see where have you got to Rob []
[speaker006:] Rob yeah Gordon, Rob, Gordon... John Joanne Mike and Dave
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] okay right let's the meeting. So you've you've got your three points so remember the er the Aldershot just list what they are then expand briefly on them then list them again and then invite somebody else to to give their er their opinions. Okay? Morning everybody erm the three points that were important for me yesterday were the Aldershot method the the arousal curve and the need for audience contact. I particularly found the Aldershot method important because what it gives you is a clear structure to what you have to say when you stand up if you're going to introduce by saying what you're going to say before you expand and then at the end summarise and bring it all back to a nice conclusion. It actually gives you a framework on which to to base any any few words or any talk that you you have to give. Arousal curve well understanding the need for arousal for me helped because I now understand that having nerves while you're speaking is not unnatural it isn't something that you're able to get rid of but you need to be able to work with it and practice to improve performance. And the need for audience contact I found particularly important because if you get feedback from the audience looking them in the eye involving them then you're able to know how your talk is progressing and whether you need to modify it in any way to be able to maintain the audience's interest. So in summary the three points for me were the Aldershot method the arousal curve and the need for audience contact. Bob what did you find yesterday?
[Bob:] The cluster I found particularly er important and so like yourself the Aldershot method and structured thought patterns er the cluster was important er because as you say when people have got nerves they need to get some basic guidelines for overcoming the problem er we all tend to put our hands in our pockets and stand rooted to the spot and all the rest of it but there are ways of overcoming it, it's just a matter of practice erm the Aldershot method is er obviously a very effective method erm if you get into the habit of doing it in threes er erm you see every day you use the news at ten news at ten analogy obviously
[speaker006:] [cough]
[Bob:] obviously identifiable it's a very effective one and also the structured thought patterns idea er before you go into something to actually sit down and prepare something er your thoughts in a developing from there er it's a very simple thing to do but very effective. Those are the three things the Aldershot sorry the cluster the Aldershot method and structured thought patterns yesterday
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[Tony:] You were looking at me I knew you were going to say that
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[Tony:] Again the three things that came out for me yesterday were the structured thought patterns obviously the arousal and the need for audience contact. I found the erm structured thought patterns and the span of conception is very interesting in the fact that you do things in threes and obviously that gives a certain logic net to everything that you do and the way that you prepare your presentation. The arousal I've always thought that er that you shouldn't be nervous but you always are but obviously as you're nervous when you do a whole host of things and nerves as you become more skilled at it go away er and I'd assume that like most things that the nerves will totally disappear and was somewhat surprised to find out that you're always aroused
[speaker001:] that's right
[Tony:] when when you do that, and obviously the need to gauge the erm presentation against audience contact to see that they're involved and they're obviously understanding what you're saying and pick them up and grab them. So for me the three things were the structured thought patterns plus the arousal and the need for audience contact. What did you think Sarah?
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[Sarah:] I found the three most important things for me yesterday were the span of conception the clusters and the whole subject of nerves. The span of conception useful to gather that three is the best number and dividing it up into threes and threes again was simplest and effective way of setting it up. Clusters and nerves well again I always felt that nerves were supposed to go away when you got good at things, now I'm pleased to discover that isn't true. I also found that the clusters was useful for we all said guidelines
[speaker006:] [cough]
[Sarah:] what to do when you stand up there like an idiot so to sum up that the three most important things the span of conception nerves and clusters. [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] erm from yesterday er I think meself personally I'm very methodical sort of person and I felt what was most important the revelations meself was thought patterns and the use of most structured structured in a presentation and also the importance I couldn't believe how that using them made such a difference actually to yourself when you're standing there and the audience participation erm thought patterns well I've always used that was just a revelation I mean I've never
[speaker006:] [cough]
[speaker001:] thought it could be so easy to put me thoughts on a piece of paper could help me so much I think that's what I thought patterns structured
[Tony:] Well yesterday the three things that I felt that were most useful to me was one the delivery two the coaching and the thought patterns. Erm thought patterns being actually understanding laying it out and seeing the way it works which obviously structured thought patterns but it's the basis of and grasping erm actually delivering it your delivery erm of it using the cluster but the coaching was invaluable, it was constructive criticism we all know what was wrong and it it just helped yesterday for someone not to be coaching just to help you through it erm and I think all those three things became invaluable really mean because most of those leads on to the other ones structured erm so the sort of thought patterns the coaching and the was very good
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER] Well, things that I learnt yesterday was erm Aldershot method the structured thought patterns and the coaching erm the Aldershot method is tremendous I liked that a lot for expansion editing summarising and first class and I will use it from now on. Erm the Aldershot method works or appears to work very well with structured thoughts the two merge together very well and erm again that's the putting down on paper I didn't believe that had actually talk at all and yet it works and as you read it things come into the brain and when you combined all that with the coaching and you can see what you're doing wrong the rest of it. Again that's excellent but it's also also to see yourself video [LAUGHTER] erm and realise that no you don't sound quite as bad as you think you might. So the three things that really got me yesterday was the Aldershot method the structured thoughts and the coaching they all went together very well and Rob let's see what he thinks
[Rob:] Well the three things that er were most significant for me yesterday were the cluster the thought patterns and the Aldershot method. Erm the cluster makes you realise how you presented things to people what you can improve them having things in your hand that it it just makes you erm more nervous because you're fumbling about what makes me more nervous you're fumbling about with something trying to to do something that you don't really need to do. Erm moving around er feet movement I didn't quite master that yesterday but it it's something that er I know that will come with time and er it'll it'll all come together. The thought patterns like Joanne and others the the concept of putting a little circle down and one word in it and expanding that out and being able to stand around and talk erm for three minutes or ten minutes or whatever for a significant amount of time erm that that was also a revelation to me. And along along with that erm the Aldershot method erm an introduction and expansion and an ending all on the same subject erm makes it a nice concise er little parcel erm for you to talk through. So the end the three things for me yesterday cluster, thought patterns and the Aldershot method
[Bob:] Thank you very much
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER] Well for me exactly the same as Bob sorry Robert, the Aldershot method plus er the thought processes. The Aldershot method because er it it sort of explained to me the most effect way of getting across whatever you want to say so that made me a feel a bit happier about that. It also made me think that perhaps I had more control over the whole presentation generally which is my biggest concern so get up there and just do some and therefore it's going to go on to the confidence side of it. The cluster erm I was always very aware of this bit so it made me you know aware that there are things you can do and watching everybody just seemed just the answer inside you. It didn't look er odd it looked okay so that would make me a bit more confident I think a bit less self conscious. But the most important thing I thought was the thought process I mean just just saying this while you were just going on I just jotted down in the same way you could come off with three ideas that around and I felt that was that was ideal. It keeps the your your presentation and it stops those pregnant er pauses you know suddenly you realise Christ I've forgotten lost the thing. So for me Aldershot method, cluster but most important was the thought patterns. Gordon [clears throat] Er yes there the three things I got out of erm yesterday's course was the thought patterns the Aldershot method and the delivery. The thought patterns allow me to erm put down what I wanted to talk about, expand on it and at the same time break it down into areas and on the other and spend some time on each area. The Aldershot method erm because it showing you how you broke that subject down allows you to erm introduce it expand on it and summarise at the end. Er the delivery part it was more the cluster but the overall delivery allowed me to prepare how I was going to be standing er how to get the audience in contact with me the eye the eye contact and also the way I spoke. So to summarise the thought patterns the Aldershot method Jeff
[Jeff:] The three things that came out of yesterday for meself were the the Aldershot method the delivery. The Aldershot principally because it gave a structure to what I had to say at least went up there fairly confident of what I had. The delivery because it gave me what I had to think about when I was up there language body language and then the playbacks I could look at the two things that Mike just highlighted as one and two. The Aldershot method the structure of what I said and the way the delivery had come across. The feedback gave me a review of those questions. So out of yesterday it was how to put the structure together as the delivery of how it came across and what the audience's reaction was to it.
[Mike:] Morning ladies and gentlemen
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] carry on Mike and then to John
[Mike:] good morning ladies and gentlemen the three main items I got out of yesterday was the er structured thought patterns the cluster and the playback
[speaker006:] [sneeze] the structured thought patterns I found that the most important because when I was up at the table on the second presentation I was able to have my thoughts relating to the layout already and with in fact just the single element of the subject shown on my paper I could immediately focus on that and in fact give the details of that right the way through. On the cluster erm not having in fact had any erm work on this type of thing before I didn't realise that holding a paper could close you down and in fact without moving my feet I wasn't getting movement I was just static and with no use of the hands you were to express yourself sufficiently. With the playback that in fact erm as has said it showed me what in fact I was doing right and wrong, erm I've been on television before once when I was running the London marathon but this time it was actually me and me alone in a work element and I could in fact see what I was doing and why I was doing it and understand in fact the corrections from the morning to in fact the afternoon presentation when I came back for the second one. So the main elements for me were the thought process the cluster and the playback. Now let's
[speaker001:] John
[Mike:] John
[speaker006:] Erm the three things I I er got most out of yesterday were the structured thought patterns, playback and the audience contact. The structured the structured thought patterns gave me [clears throat] an actual er organisation to my talk be it only just a few words on a piece of paper it was simple yet er gave the organisation to the actual talk while you stood up in front of an audience. er the audience contact when you were actually stood up in the front and you're there on your own just getting a little bit of feedback from the audience itself er does help and then the playback which erm I think it helped a lot to see how you faired particularly on that fir first attempt what areas you had to concentrate on to rectify your problems. So in summary the three main things I got out of yesterday were the structured thought patterns the playback and the audience contact.
[speaker001:] Great thank you all very much indeed. So I hope you see, that this Aldershot method which several people have mentioned is is a very effective way of structuring what you do here it can also be used very simply in in a meeting just to be able to put your point across simply but effectively. So that's another situation and as we'll talk about and I hinted at yesterday er the dreaded vote of thanks situation and the the er giving of the gold watch and er and the being a best man at a wedding or even a bride or groom at a wedding [LAUGHTER] er again is a is a way of helping this [] Aldershot method is a way of helping you to to get your thoughts together and put them across effectively. So what else are we going to do today then. Two things I want to just touch on er fairly briefly er because of the time factor but I do want to touch on before you get into continuing with your er development for your third presentation. Er the questions of how to handle questions and also the use of visual aids. Let's do them the other way round let's talk first of all about the visual aids. Why do we why do we use visual aids like the overhead projector and the flip chart why do we use the things at all?
[speaker006:] About ninety per cent
[speaker001:] It is it is in a way isn't it well very much so not just in a way it's very much because we have what's that saying we say a picture is paints a thousand words yeah? If we can put something pictorially it saves probably half an hour's explanation doesn't it if you don't have that so very much er the use of the right brain getting the point across visually er gets it across er much more quickly. So that's one one benefit of using a visual aid is to is to put a point over er much more quickly. What others?
[Sarah:] going back to the same point again
[speaker001:] You could indeed, you could indeed it it reinforces a point doesn't it, so I mean I so went back a few times with the flipchart yesterday with things that we need to re reinforce yes? Jeff you've a lot of experience of doing lecturing what what does it do for you as a presenter?
[Jeff:] I've used it to erm to develop the lecture. I let the audience draw their own thought patterns
[speaker001:] yep
[Jeff:] That produces something that then moves on to discussions
[speaker001:] right
[Jeff:] I call it no notes at all
[speaker001:] right
[Jeff:] and they write the lecture for me
[speaker001:] they write yeah
[Jeff:] they write the lecture as it takes place
[speaker001:] yeah yes
[speaker006:] good preparation
[speaker001:] Well no there's actually there's a lot of preparation in that isn't there
[Jeff:] Well what I do it on is planning
[speaker001:] Oh yes
[Jeff:] and er control of sub contractors then you get a mixed group from Tarmac er different companies and their conception of what planning is and conception of what controlling sub contractor is
[speaker001:] yeah
[Jeff:] is totally different so I did the first lecture with what my idea of to find myself talking to a a contract housing guy whose biggest order was two thousand pounds
[speaker001:] right
[Jeff:] so I've have them produce the lecture and then we've gone on from like doing
[speaker001:] yep
[Jeff:] exactly the thing
[speaker001:] right
[Jeff:] pick out three things and we'll talk about them
[speaker001:] Mm, mm
[Jeff:] and that's how I use visual aids
[speaker001:] so it can actually be a stimulus can't it?
[Jeff:] so I then find myself doing nothing else but walking around so I go and ask
[speaker001:] right
[Jeff:] So it forces me
[speaker001:] yes
[Jeff:] out into the audience
[speaker001:] Well that's what you hinted at yesterday as well didn't it? I mean if if you're here even now you've got your notes down rather than in your hand and and you stand and read but you don't use that or you don't use that then there is that tendency isn't there to?
[Jeff:] So the focus of attention switches from people looking at me
[speaker001:] yeah, to the visual aid yes
[Jeff:] to this to actually looking at what they're producing
[speaker001:] right, yes, and that's an important factor that that if you feel everybody's looking at you it is important
[Jeff:] attention
[speaker001:] it does it moves attention away just takes takes the little bit of the tension off you so you can do that as well. So it's it appeals to the right brain that visual aspect it can take attention it can actually make the presenter move around... when it switches attention what does that do for the audience then?
[speaker006:] wakes them up
[speaker001:] er absolutely, yeah it keeps the interest going doesn't it? So it's it's an interest thing as well it keeps the interest it changes the emphasis switches the attention makes a break doesn't it it just changes er er a natural break that happens and it changes attention. So there's there's lots of reasons to illustrate the point then and another thing of course it does is if it's one you use on here it helps you remember you don't have to have that written down because it's there already produced if it's a pre-prepared acetate as we call as we call it. So and it can break up a long session it can it can maintain interest. So two two methods I'm going to talk about really is is the overhead and the flipchart. You may have caught me doing this some of you may have have noticed that I try to force meself not to and it's something to remember. If I'm writing something up here and I talk to you while I'm writing up here then what does it do?
[speaker006:] It loses impact
[speaker001:] It loses impact doesn't it because a the power of the voice is hit against there, b it's very rude to talk while I've got me back to you as well so people yes lose interest. So while you're writing on the board have one of those pauses. Now again it's oh there's silence in the room but while you're writing what what are the audience doing if you're not speaking?
[speaker006:] Watching
[speaker001:] Absolutely they're reading it with you so they're with you so you're you're holding their interest even though you're not actually saying anything, yeah, and again you may you may have noticed well another thing is once you've once you're written put the pen down and the easiest thing in the world to have a but if you want to make a point and you probably noticed once I once I put the red lines around the red boxes round there and I gave you the first demonstration of the Aldershot method I stood here okay. Now if I want to write something I can just turn like that and I'm not turning me back away. Okay if you're left handed then then I guess you're probably gonna feel more comfortable that way round erm but while you're using this and while you're making a point about what you've written just just stand to the side of it I usually put me hand up have done there just make the points to be made, yes. So that's that's the way to use that is not to talk to it but to have a silence while you're writing er and then to stand at the side while you making the points that are that are associated with what you've written up.... [cough] I would recommend for any talk that you give that you don't use more than two types of visual aid. I know we used the video but that was for a very specific reason but if you know have you ever been to one of those lectures where there's there's overheads going on here and then they go and they write on there and they you have some slides and then you have a video and then you know it's like being at Wimbledon. er if you stick to just just two as a maximum er ah an overhead and a flipchart or maybe a video and an overhead then it actually doesn't it really helps not to confuse the audience.... That's actually all I want to say about the flipchart unless anybody's any other comments I mean Jeff's you've obviously got a lot of experience in a do you feel there's any anything further than that I know I've covered it very briefly.
[Jeff:] Well the only one that comes back to me is you've got the ability to review
[speaker001:] that's right, that's right you can you can yep, good it has that creative element about it doesn't it because as you say if you get them to produce it get the audience to help produce it then again it's involvement and the whole thing is is erm more spontaneous than than pre-prepared. I mean if if I'd done that this morning and I'd written it all up before you came in and then said well what we've done is this and then we did that and then we did that but as as it was generated as we discussed then then you were with me I hope at the way it went
[speaker006:] It's quite important though to do it fairly neatly
[speaker001:] Oh indeed indeed and I'm not the neatest writer in the world I will say and erm
[speaker006:] I wasn't
[speaker001:] No I know you weren't getting at me
[speaker006:] I know I
[speaker001:] That's right
[Jeff:] the first time I get up well you see I cheat I have it lightly pencilled in
[speaker001:] Well that's
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] You can do that
[speaker006:] that's because that's [cough] you want to start suddenly you find yourself either
[speaker001:] I have I tell you I've done that before now and then that one ends up right down in the bottom corner
[speaker006:] and it's it's
[speaker001:] It just it just takes the edge off it so it is a good tip actually it's just if you've time beforehand is just even as you were saying producing a thought pattern like this even just doing the first level just in pencil. I've actually seen erm er been in a workshop as a participant where a chap who was excellent at this had what he did was while while the participants were doing some sort of an exercise he was actually making these tiny notes up in the top corner for himself so that when he when he came to the next sort of section that he wanted he'd he'd got he'd got the odd notes just up there in the corner. So again that's something you can do but yes good tips thank you Jeff
[speaker006:] [cough]
[speaker001:] just doing it in pencil lightly in pencil beforehand
[speaker006:] Rolf Harris does that
[speaker001:] Yeah he does doesn't he yeah that's right
[speaker006:] [LAUGHTER]
[Jeff:] I don't do it on that, I do it on a big blackboard
[speaker001:] that's right, that's right yeah there is that but
[Jeff:] well the way I do it is I I try and avoid the lecture lecturer
[speaker001:] yes,
[Jeff:] because I assume the audience knows as much about control and sub contractors as I do
[speaker001:] right
[Jeff:] but the idea is to to get their ideas so that you can tell somebody else how you do it on your side then you can tell somebody else
[speaker001:] yeah the need, I need to change information yeah
[Jeff:] it brings out some interesting ideas
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] I bet it does []
[Jeff:] and I the flipchart
[speaker001:] yeah
[Jeff:] and that's that's the only way it's amazing we ever get any sort of
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] right let me just then talk very briefly about this fella. Now we're fortunate with with this that if I turn it on it's very quiet but if any of you had and I'm sure Jeff you've probably seen it where you get some older machines and the fan in there rattles like mad and there's nothing worse than having that thing rattling all all the day. So the first point is if you're going to show something show it, let everybody deal with it let everybody look at it then when you've finished with that turn it off because you want the centre of attention to come back to you, presumably. Even if you've got a series of slides I recommend that you turn it off between each one so that you know the audience don't see the things being put into position or moved about because that can be a bit distracting so er it does mean that you'd obviously need to know where the on off switch is and and this is a nice one because it's it's right there. Now, this this material that we use technically called acetate and the nice thing about is that you can write on with if you get acetate pens so you can freehand to produce sketches, diagrams etcetera. Obviously you can have photocopies or laser prints copied on to this material, but I have here some pens and a box of blank acetates which you will have the opportunity later to use if you so wish. Now we've got a variety of colours there. We've got two four six eight colour, okay. If you want to make a point if something's you want to make more emphasis than others then there is a hierarchy to these colours on this transmitted light. Okay this is light being transmitted through these colours and up on to the screen. So I have a list here now it isn't in the notes so you might just want to make a note of this. The hierarchy of colours
[speaker006:] What's the theory behind that?
[speaker001:] It's it's the brain right brain response to colour and it's the response through the eye to the colour. Some things have more they have more emphasis and they appear more important than others. You'll be interested in some of these colours I I find the order of these quite interesting. So the hierarchy of colour, I'm going to just kneel down there I hope you can all see. Right at the top of the colours I have here are is purple, I often wonder whether that is the reason why royalty is asso or purple is associated with the royalty, purple robes etcetera. I don't know interesting. Interesting question. But of the colours we've got here in this list purple is the one that has the most impact, followed by blue