Situation: Jennifer
is going to give a speech on Global Warming, and she is quite nervous about the
whole process. Mary is trying to calm Jennifer down by giving her some tips on
how to deliver a good speech.
Jennifer: I will have to give
a presentation on global warming on Friday, and I am so nervous.
Mary: There are a lot of
things you can do to make you feel more confident and less nervous.
Jennifer: What should I do,
Mary?
Mary: First of all, you
need to understand the subject matter thoroughly. You need to know what is
global warming, what causes global warming, and what people should do to abate
the effects of global warming.
Jennifer: I have done a lot
of research on the subject, and I know I can answer any questions I will
receive from the audience.
Mary: The next thing that
you need is an outline of your presentation. You should think about how to
effectively present the subject matter.
Jennifer: You mean what I
should talk about, or more precisely the sequence of my presentation?
Mary: Yes, what you
should present first, second, third…
Jennifer: If that is the
case, then I already have an outline. To make it easy for my audience to follow
the presentation, I intend to post the outline on the board at all time during
my speech.
Mary: Good idea! By the
way, do you have any facts to back you up? For example, change of climate,
yearly disasters…
Jennifer: No, I have not
thought about that. I better get some statistics from the Internet. I should
not have any problems since the Internet has all kinds of data.
Mary: Good. It is easier
to convince people and to hold their attention with actual data. It would be
even better if you show some pictures along the way. Do you have any?
Jennifer: No, it is another
thing to add to my To Do list. I guess I will need at least two or three pictures
to persuade people about the dangers of global warming.
Mary: Pictures will keep
your audience from being bored. In order for you to succeed, you need to keep
them interested and involved.
Jennifer: What else do I
need? Is there anything else I can do to help me relax and be at ease during my
presentation?
Mary: You need to
practice your presentation. Just pretend that you are standing in front of your
audience and start to give your speech.
Jennifer: Pretending is one
thing; actually giving a speech is another thing.
Mary: Think positive.
Tell yourself that you can do it without any problems.
Jennifer: I guess I can look
at this as a presentation of my point of view to my friends. I mean a lot of my
friends. I mean all the friends that I have made since kindergarten, plus all
the relatives that I have on both my mother and father’s sides.
Mary: If you are really
prepared, it will be a piece of cake. You will be able to speak with ease and
confidence, and you will be amazed by how well you can express yourself.
Jennifer: I need to do this
presentation really well. This is my first presentation in front of a big audience,
and it is so important to me.
Mary: This is only the
beginning, Jennifer. Being able to express your ideas with confidence and clarity
is one of the best skills to possess.
Jennifer: You are absolutely
right. I will take time to practice and to learn to relax and express myself
really well. Wish me luck, Mary!
Mary: I know you. You can
do it. Good luck, Jennifer!
