COURSE TITLE: COMMUNICATION SKILLS

CLASS: POLITICAL SCIENCE (3RD SEMESTER)

PREPARED & DELIVERED BY: FAISAL HABIB AFRIDI,
LECTURER IN ENGLISH, GC HAYATABAD

TOPIC:
PRESENTATION SKILLS

1
 A presentation is a mean of
communication which can be adapted
to various speaking situations, such
as talking to a group, addressing a
meeting or briefing a team.

2
 A presentation concerns getting a
message across to the listeners and
may often contain a 'persuasive'
element, for example a talk about the
positive work of your organization, what
you could offer an employer, or why you
should receive additional funding for a
project.

3
 “The biggest problem with
communication is the illusion that it
has been accomplished.”
-George Bernard Shaw

4
 What is your vision of
the ideal presenter in
our environment?

5
 Who is my audience (how much do they know
about my topic?)

How am I going to organise my topic? (it

needs to tell a story)

How long should my presentation be? (you

will have time limits and you need to say
everything within that limit)

What visual support shall I use? (PowerPoint,

transparencies, models, objects...?)

6
 The Key Elements of a Presentation

Presenter
The presenter communicates with the audience
and controls the presentation.

Context
When and where will you deliver your
presentation? Will it be in a setting you are
familiar with, or somewhere new? Will it be within
a formal work setting, or a less formal, social
setting? Will the presentation be to a small group
or a large crowd? And are you already familiar
with the audience?
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 Audience
The audience receives the presenter’s
message(s). However, this reception will be
filtered through and affected by such things as the
listener’s own experience, knowledge and
personal sense of values.

Reaction
The audience’s reaction and success of the
presentation will largely depend upon whether the
presenter’s message was effectively
communicated.

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 Method
Presentations are usually delivered direct to an
audience. However, today they are delivered
from a distance over the Internet using video
conferencing.
Impediments
Many factors can influence the effectiveness of
your message to the audience, for example
background noise or other distractions, an overly
warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of
audience alertness can all influence your
audience’s level of concentration. As presenter,
you have to be prepared to cope with any such
problems and try to keep your audience focused
9 on your message.
 Message
The message, or messages, are delivered by the
presenter to the audience. The message is
delivered not just by the spoken word (verbal
communication) but can be augmented by
techniques such as voice projection, body
language, gestures, eye contact (non-verbal
communication), and visual aids.

10
 “I always think a great speaker
convinces us not by force of
reasoning but because he is visibly
enjoying the beliefs he wants us to
accept.”

-W.B. Yeats

11
 Top 10 Global Fears

12
 Podium Panic
For some people, the thought of
giving a presentation is more
frightening than falling off a cliff,
financial difficulties, snakes and
even death.

13
“
“There are two types of speakers: Those
that are nervous and those that are
liars”
(Mark Twain)

“So first of all let me assert my firm belief

that the only thing we have to fear is
fear itself”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
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 Dealing with Podium Panic

◼ Audiences are forgiving

◼ Nervousness is usually invisible

◼ Be yourself

◼ Practice deep breathing

◼ Begin in your comfort zone

15
 Eye Contact
◼ Never let them out of your sight.
◼ Looking them in the eye makes
them feel that they are influencing
what you say.
◼ Eye contact allows the presentation
to approximate conversation—the
audience feels much more involved.
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 Body Language
NO-NO’s
◼ Lean on or grip the podium

◼ Rock or sway in place

◼ Stand immobile

◼ Use a single gesture repeatedly

◼ Examine or bite your fingernails

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 Body Language
NO-NO’s
◼ Cross your arms in front of your chest

◼ Use obviously practiced or stilted

gestures
◼ Chew gum or eat candy

◼ Click or tap your pen, pencil or pointer

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 Body Language
NO-NO’s
◼ Lean into the microphone

◼ Shuffle your notes unnecessarily

◼ Tighten your tie or otherwise play with

your clothing
◼ Crack your knuckles

◼ Jangle change or key in your pocket

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 CONSIDER
Controlling your environment and handling
pressure
◼ Practice using any equipment
◼ Plan B if technology fails you – eg. PPT
formats
◼ Pace yourself – most people speak too fast if
nervous
◼ The more you practice and run through it, the
more natural it becomes
◼ Use crib cards with brief notes if you need to
remember lots of information
◼ Practice under pressure
◼ Deep breathing
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 Questions & Answers

“Does anyone have any

questions for my
answers?”
-Henry Kissinger

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 Questions & Answers
◼ Beginning of a whole new
interactive presentation
◼ Opportunity to make a point

◼ Most presentations are won or

lost here

22
 “Make sure you have finished
speaking before your audience
has finished listening.”
-Dorothy Sarnoff

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 References
Antonakis, J., M. Fenley, and S. Liechti. 2012. “Learning Charisma. Transform Yourself
into the Person Others Want to Follow.” Harvard Business Review 90, no. 6, pp.
127–30.
Beilock, S. 2014. “Why Talking with Our Hands Helps Us Think Better.” Psychology
Today, July 2.https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/choke/201407/why-talking-our-
hands-helps-us-think-better
Björkman, S. 1995. Woody Allen on Woody Allen. London: Faber and Faber.
Boundless. 2014. “Movement and Gesture.” Boundless
Communications.https://www.boundless.com/communications/textbooks/boundless-
communications-textbook/delivering-the-speech-12/effective-visual-delivery-
65/movement-and-gesture-261-10649/
Campbell, J. 1949. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Princeton: Princeton ...

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