How did I do?
Well, my personal view on this was bad. Real bad.
I messed up the conclusion when when my mind went blank for a moment. At that instant, I suddenly panicked. Then everything was lost, from the composure to the subsequent points that I wanted to say.
At the start, when it was my turn to present, I was able to pick up from where Wan Ting left. I was able to capture the audience's attention (or so it seems). I was able to refrain from saying a habitual word "Ok". I think I was able to guide the audience through the flow of the presentation. I did not use excessive fillers while presenting.
However, I fumbled at the most important part, the conclusion. My actions had potentially jeopardised the persuasive power and credibility of the presentation.
Utterly disappointing.
This experience has led me to believe even more strongly that having a calm state of mind is extremely important. It will be easier to think and act accordingly with a calm state of mind. This is because an unsettled state of mind is not reliable. This reliability is important in today’s society as one’s actions affect everyone around. An important opportunity can be lost forever when this reliability of the mind is compromised, just for an instant.
Hey Berwyn,
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'm "not supposed" to comment on your post, but I just want you to know that you did a good job. You have high standards that you have set for yourself, and there is nothing wrong with that. The good that I see out of this is something that you have learnt, something valuable that you will utilise for a long time. It was not obvious that you went blank for that moment, it actually showed that you were able to respond fast enough. That is a perspective from someone that knows our presentation well. For the others, I am sure they did not know your mind went blank at that instant.
It has been awesome working with you and Wan Ting.
Thanks man. I do apologise for not being able to conclude the presentation with a bang. However, it was definately a wonderful experience working with you and Wan Ting.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Hey Berwyn!
ReplyDeleteI glad that you reflected and realised that just a simple short moment can potentially jeopardise a good presentation. Though I'm no expert in presentations (personally I frequently blank out due to stage fright)I think there are a few ways to deal with such situations.
Firstly, use a cue card. Running your fingers down your paper was an indication that you got lost. Cue cards will look more professional. Also, refering to it to figure what to say next will ensure that your 'blanking out' not be that obvious.
2ndly. Watch your pace of speech. If you have a tendency to blank out (like me)speak at a slower pace. This gives you time to think and recall what you need to say. Eloquent speakers like MM Lee and even our tutor Ms. Lim, speak at a relatively slow pace. Such a pace allows the audience to comprehend what is being said and allows them to gather their thought on their following points. I feel that a good rule of thumb would be think ahead twice as fast as you speak. If you cannot think ahead that quickly, reduce the pace of your speech.
Lastly, practice more. Be grateful that this is a classroom experience and not a real situation. Just this experience to ensure that future presentations will not have the same mistake again. :)
Having said all this, I must give you credit for what you have done right. Your presentation and delivery was really good, a big improvement from your peer-teaching.
Well done!
Hi Berwyn,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the concise post (and also for your patience - appreciate it).
I'm glad you saw the oral presentation as a good learning platform.
Even when we want to look at the performance objectively, we should not forget that the process is just as important. Such is the value of learning opportunities, allowing one to continually refine one’s skills so as to become a more effective presenter. Know that learning experiences like this will stand you in good stead in the future; so be disappointed now, and feel (real) bad about how you concluded (the presentation), but learn from the experience and make sure you don’t repeat the same mistake again.
I learnt (and still am learning) from my mistakes, and I can tell you honestly that this is one really effective method.
Back to your presentation, you did a great job with the pace, your volume, and your gestures. Besides knowing the content well, you also referenced your teammates’ sections – all in all a good performance.
If you could smile more, it would definitely have been an even better performance. Try this: stand behind a screen and say ‘How are you?” twice, one said with a smile and one not. Ask a friend to identify the greeting said with a smile, and I can guarantee you that your friend will be correct 99% of the time. That’s the difference a smile can make; not only can your audience see it, they can hear it and feel it. When you smile, your facial muscles loosen up, and you will naturally appear more positive and enthusiastic (compared to when you weren’t smiling), wining audiences over.
Another area you may want to work on is the emphasis of key points/phrases. I get the impression that the stresses were not placed appropriately, i.e. the emphasis were placed on the wrong words in certain sentences, and those may compromise the impact you’d intended the message to make. Some points were also repeated twice. If you’d wanted to highlight to the audience the importance of what you’d just shared, then that is fine. If not, then be aware that you may come across as long-winded, and/or rambling.
All said, it was a good presentation you put up, Berwyn. Good job! All the best for your future presentations, I am sure they will only get better.
Sorry for the late reply Ms Lim. Thank you for the tips. They will definately help me when I present in the future!
ReplyDelete