Personal development

**KevinS** · 4 July 2008, 13:33

Do a 'Presentation Skills' course.. Normally a day or two, but well worth it.. Did one when I was a permie, and it has seriously helped me while contracting (especially those pesky presentation to the board thingies)..

**ace00** · 4 July 2008, 13:43

Originally posted by KevinS View Post

Do a 'Presentation Skills' course.. Normally a day or two, but well worth it.. Did one when I was a permie, and it has seriously helped me while contracting (especially those pesky presentation to the board thingies)..

I always adopt a very dry, mono-toned, technical style when presenting to high-ups.
This lulls them into a temporary hypnotic state.
At the end of the presentation they remember only that there was lots of techies stuff and you must be very clever to understand it all.
This is a trade secret and I wouldn't give it away normally but I am very, very bored.

**KevinS** · 4 July 2008, 13:44

Originally posted by ace00 View Post

I always adopt a very dry, mono-toned, technical style when presenting to high-ups.
This lulls them into a temporary hypnotic state.
At the end of the presentation they remember only that there was lots of techies stuff and you must be very clever to understand it all.
This is a trade secret and I wouldn't give it away normally but I am very, very bored.

Class!! I'll have to remember that!!!

**chris79** · 4 July 2008, 13:47

Getting in there and experiencing it first hand is probably the best way I don't think reading books will tell you how to conduct yourself. Also the ability to 'adapt' to the environment quickly is a bonus as the culture tends to differ a lot from place to place. Confidence is a big thing, a balance between conservative and confidence I say.

**DaveB** · 4 July 2008, 13:51

A few things that work for me.

Keep it simple. No Jargon, no acronyms, no esoteric technical concepts.

Tell them everything three times.

]This is what I am going to tell you.
]Now I'm telling you what I said I was going to tell you
]This is what I just told you.

Wherever possible relate what you tell them to how it will affect them financially.

Dress well, but don't dress better than the Directors.

**original PM** · 4 July 2008, 13:53

NLP has been mentioned before - does this fit in with this?

NLP is Neuro Linguistic Programming/Profiling (I can never remember which or it may be something totally different)

Not really that relevant tbh.

I guess you would need to expand on what areas you feel you may struggle with to find the correct kind of asistance

remember everyone else is just a person to nothinjg to be scared off - and a lot of high flyers do not neccesarily have that great people skills

**Clippy** · 4 July 2008, 13:57

Apologies, should have clarified.

Meant how one presents oneself as opposed to presentation tips.

**original PM** · 4 July 2008, 14:01

firstly ensure you have the dress code correct

if everyone else is suited and booted so should you be!

be polite ensure you have something relevant to say do not waste peoples time and make sure you listen to them

two ears one mouth use them in that ratio

sometimes people maybe short with you do not take this personally they may be under pressure from a completely different area - always offer to come back at a more convienient time but stress it is important you speak to them about so and so subject

be prepared to make mistakes but ensure you learn from them

**Incognito** · 4 July 2008, 14:13

Linky

Personal development