how to make a great talk by dina f. mandoli designed for the mcb graduate program at university of...

HOW TO MAKE A GREAT TALK

by Dina F. Mandoli

Designed for the MCB Graduate Program at University of

Washington

Modified for ASPB

HOW TO VIEW THIS PRESENTATION

• Hi! Please view this presentation in edit mode so that I can narrate to you via the notes feature in the panel directly below the slide image. When there is an animation that I would like you to look at, I will direct you to go into slide show mode.

Dina Mandoli

DESIGNING A GREAT TALK

I. TYPES OF TALKS

II. STRUCTURAL FEATURES

A. MECHANICS

B. TONE AND FLOW

DESIGNING A GREAT TALK

I. TYPES OF TALKS

II. STRUCTURAL FEATURES

A. MECHANICS

B. TONE AND FLOW

DESIGNING A GREAT TALK

I. TYPES OF TALKS

• Formal

• Informal

• Spontaneous

• 12 minute

• 45 minute

• Job….arghhhh!!

TYPES OF TALKS

• Formal - practice timing!

• Informal - no rambling allowed…

• 12 minute - has one punch line

• Spontaneous - important, overlooked

• 45 minute - has 1 or 2 themes

• Job - practice, practice, practice

DESIGNING A GREAT TALK

I. TYPES OF TALKS

II. STRUCTURAL FEATURES

A. MECHANICS

B. TONE AND FLOW

DESIGNING A GREAT TALKII. STRUCTURAL FEATURES

A. MECHANICS– Audience rapport– Organization– Flow of ideas– Crystallizing ideas– Style

B. TONE & FLOW – Adapting to the circumstance– Personal appearance– Audience rapport– Pace of the talk

DESIGNING A GREAT TALKII. STRUCTURAL FEATURES

A. MECHANICS– Audience rapport– Organization– Flow of ideas– Crystallizing ideas– Style

B. TONE & FLOW – Adapting to the circumstance– Personal appearance– Audience rapport– Pace of the talk

AUDIENCE RAPPORT

Say “hi”.

Say “bye”.

Earn their trust.

Keep their trust.

ORGANIZATION

• Share your organization;

• transitions…;

Introduction…Rationale…Results…Summary

• sub-summary slides mark sections, define logic, crystallize ideas;

• have a clear ending…”Thank you…”

ORGANIZATIONAL AIDS

• Their thoughts stray during a 45 minute talk.

• They need repetition both to remember things…

• …and to crystallize & integrate new information.

• They need to trust a speaker to learn.

Facts about people:

FLOW OF IDEAS Make what you want the audience to know OBVIOUS

from the start of the talk - tell them the punch line first.

Remind the audience of where you have been, where you are going and why often enough that they follow your train of thought.

Remember to…

WHY CRYSTALLIZE IDEAS?

• Cements concepts and integrates data. • Gives the chance for folks who drifted off or

were drawing a cartoon to catch up.• Relieves stress of folks who “didn’t get it”.• Allows folks with different learning styles or

from different backgrounds to “see” where you are going.

CRYSTALLIZING IDEAS

Simple slides help the audience:

• Hypothesis “If…then,…”;

• logic “We reasoned that…”;

• titles that are informative;

• sub-summary;

• overall summary.

You know the work better than anyone!

STYLE…

Jokes…

Sunsets…

Backgrounds…

Font…

Colors…

Show and tell…

Bullets… Transitions… Movies… Animation.

Depends on the audience you are addressing.

Depends on your comfort zone & personality.

TRACING THE ROOTS OF THINGS IS NOT OBVIOUS…

Science, 1993, Random Samples, 161:679

DESIGNING A GREAT TALKII. STRUCTURAL FEATURES

A. MECHANICS– Audience rapport– Organization– Flow of ideas– Crystallizing ideas– Style

B. TONE & FLOW – Adapting to the circumstance– Personal appearance– Audience rapport– Pace of the talk

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE, KNOW YOUR ROOM,

KNOW YOUR TIMING, KNOW YOURSELF.

Kindergarteners versus adults

Big versus little

Short versus long

Reminders & transitions

GETTING THE ATTENTION OF THE AUDIENCE

• Please guess the amount of time that you have to get the attention of your audience and what you should wear for a talk.

• Now, please go into slide show mode to see some answers. Do take the time to look at the URLs. They are amusing if nothing else…

THE 11 SECOND RULEWhat is the occasion?

What is the message?

What are the consequences?

Men - dress suit with tie - slacks & a jacket ± pipe - jeans and T-shirt

Women - dress with heels

- suit with skirt- suit with pants- coordinates with jacket

- jeans and T-shirt - power accessories

http://www.quintcareers.com/dress_for_success.html

http://www.quintcareers.com/dress_for_men.html

Please exit slide show mode now.

THE 11 SECOND RULEWhat is the occasion?

What is the message?

What are the consequences?

Men - dress suit with tie - slacks & a jacket ± pipe - jeans and T-shirt

Women - dress with heels

- suit with skirt- suit with pants- coordinates with jacket

- jeans and T-shirt - power accessories

http://www.quintcareers.com/dress_for_success.html

http://www.quintcareers.com/dress_for_men.html

WHY SHOULD I CARE?

Be enthusiastic

Be present (“Puzzled?…”)

Be interactive (violate borders)

AUDIENCE RAPPORT

• Establish rapport with body language;

• keep it with a loud, clear voice… ;

• … and open body language;

• keep eye contact with audience,

• give them space to think;

• match the depth/breadth of the information to their needs.

Interact at many levels:

THE RELATIVE VALUE OF WAYS OF COMMUNICATING

What is the relative impact of your body language, your tone and your words? On the next slide you will

see the answers so get your guesses in mind and then go to

slide show mode. Again, do take the time to look at the URLs.

PACE OF THE TALK

• body language ( )

• pauses;

• slow down or speed up delivery ( );

• an extra slide;

• the words you choose ( ).

Memorize…

Pick highs & lows, then emphasize with:

Intro sentence, transitions, summary

55%

7%

38%

http://entrepreneurs.about.com/cs/marketing/a/uc062003.htm

http://skepdic.com/neurolin.html

Please exit slide show mode.

PACE OF THE TALK

• body language ( )

• pauses;

• slow down or speed up delivery ( );

• an extra slide;

• the words you choose ( ).

Memorize…

Pick highs & lows, then emphasize with:

Intro sentence, transitions, summary

55%

7%

38%

http://entrepreneurs.about.com/cs/marketing/a/uc062003.htm

http://skepdic.com/neurolin.html

AND ONE LAST THING…

Mind your manners!

In words … (“Tommy, …”)

In physical displays! (gender based interactions and self-stroking)

In tone… (matching the context)

POWER asymMETRIES

Mirroring level of interaction (emails…)

Always err on the side of politeness

Avoid fawning

Avoid self-erasure

Avoid sliding into another mode near the end of the interaction.

DESIGNING A GREAT TALK

I. TYPES OF TALKS• Formal• Informal• Spontaneous• 12 minute• 45 minute• Job….arghhhh!!

II. STRUCTURAL FEATURES

• Audience rapport• Organization• Pace of talk• Flow of ideas• Crystallizing ideas• Style