Many people believe that good presentation is all about the oratory skills that the speaker possesses. This is so untrue. Oration is just a small element in the overall presentation framework. There is much more to presentation than the speaking skill itself.
Presenting is a work of art, an art that can be the factor for success or failure. There are five principles that I personally stick to during presentations. The principles are not comprehensive, but they work every single time, be it in an IT environment or not:
- Presentation must be about the audience and not the narcissist in you
- Connection with your audience is a must for presentations to be effective
- Good speaking skills help in presenting, but it is not the alpha and the omega
- Slides employed are a guide to remember topics but not a reading list
- Preparation is key for any presentation to work
If you break down the end-to-end activity of presentation, you can observe that there are basically four major aspects that you need to master in order get presentation right—every time. The four major aspects are the pillars that erect the presentation from the roots branching towards the sky. The following image lists the four pillars of presentation:
