The digital age has improved many areas of human activity. It has affected the processes of learning, receiving, and delivering information. Presentations have become an integral part of human’s professional and educational lives. Therefore, it is very important to pay due attention to the process of preparation for them in order to achieve appropriate results. This essay is aimed at describing how I got ready for the introduction of my work “Strategic communication plan” to the audience.
According to the Cambridge dictionary, a presentation is “a talk giving information about something” (Cambridge Dictionary, 2021). Public speaking is comprised of three main stages: the first stage is pre-communicative, which determines the topic and purpose of the speech, assessing the audience and the situation, selecting material, creating a text, and rehearsing. The second stage is communication, in other words, the delivery of the speech to the public. This step includes writing, answering questions, and conducting polemics. The final phase is post-communicative- a terminal analysis of the presentation.
The preparation of my oratorical monologue began with the definition of the topic and purpose. The goal was not only to explain the importance and relevance of my message but also why the thematic is important to me personally. The general aims of my oration were communication and impact, which would attract the listeners’ attention. After understanding the purpose, it was easier to form a clear and interesting speech.
The rehearsal is the utterance of the text mentally or aloud. As I am rather afraid of talking to the public, I chose to rehearse in front of a mirror. It is necessary to find a pose, in which one can feel easy and comfortable, and try to memorize the text. I attempted to study my own facial mimics- to straighten the furrowed eyebrows, think through gestures in order to establish contact with the people. It is crucial to understand that the audience is inclined to listening to a confident and calm speaker, other than one who monotonously talks with a complete lack of passion. Another step of rehearsal is knowing the text by heart because reading from a paper during a conference is a sign of a low-quality speech.
However, it is often difficult to introduce something to the public perfectly. In my case, I still remained nervous during the monologue and finished it rather quickly. It would be also an advantage if my topic was covered in a more detailed way. Moreover, during the speech I found myself standing still and forgot to gesture. These shortcomings require improvement and can be fixed by gaining more experience.
After the presentation, I received valuable feedback from my colleagues. Every comment describes my presentation in a positive and admiring way. They state that the work was “very well presented”. Moreover, my colleagues asserted that I did not seem nervous, rather “calm and knowledgeable”. By virtue of such feedback, I can conclude that hard work put into the process of preparation for the presentation was effective, however, there is always something that needs to be improved, for example, eye contact, gesture, posture, and self-confidence.
In conclusion, it is of primary importance to conduct a proper preparation for any type of presentation or performance in front of the public. My personal experience was based on two main stages: first, the drafting of a deliberate and informative text, which includes an understanding of the topic and the purpose of my speech. Second, the rehearsal step, which I chose to conduct in front of a mirror by operating my facial expressions and mimics. The valuable feedback on my final presentation from associates will lead to further improvements in my future work.
Reference
Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). Presentation. In Cambridge dictionary. Web.