Projecting Professionalism in Presentations

Introduction

As Jerry Seinfeld jokes, “According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy” (Good Reads, 2023, para. 1). It is true that there is more truth said in jest. Although speaking in front of others (presenting) is often a great fear for many, it is common as a professional. As a professional, it is important and beneficial to learn how to effectively give presentations. You may be in a position where giving a presentation is not part of the job description, but you may find yourself needing to present to others in more ways than you expect. These days, a professional that works independently can often find themselves in a position to train new hires, share new information, or present products to a client or consumer. Giving a strong and successful presentation is a great way to show employers that you have the sought after career readiness competencies, including career and development of self, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, and technology (NACE, 2021).

Presenting can come naturally, or with hard work. No matter our level of presenting, it can be a benefit to continue to develop and improve our presentation skills. Some ways to improve presentation skills include planning what is needed to successfully present, practicing our presentation multiple times, exuding confidence (‘fake it until you make it’), and refocusing any nerves that are associated with presenting. This should help with presenting, when interviewing, working towards a promotion, networking, and interacting with others.

This chapter will explore what presentations are, the purposes of presentations, the types of presentations, the two main types of presentations, what to do in all presentations as a professional, and how to be successful when presenting professionally. Learning and applying the art of presenting can only help a professional in today’s workplace.

What Are Presentations?

To be able to project a professional presentation, it is important to understand what a presentation is. There are numerous definitions to describe what a presentation is, but it is helpful to have one clear definition. For the purposes of this book, a presentation will be defined as a speech put together by one or more individuals that is designed to provide details to an audience in a manner that is both memorable and clear. Presentations will vary, depending on the purpose, the type, the content, the time, the audience, the speaker(s), the format, and the size of the audience. A presentation can be as short as 30 seconds, or infinitely long. In fact, it is a great skill for a professional to be able to perfect a brief speech. It is important for a professional to be aware of, and have prepared, an elevator pitch. This is a brief speech (30 to 60 seconds on average) where one makes an introduction to another while getting across brief points in order to make a connection with another. It is titled an elevator pitch because it takes about the same time as an elevator ride with someone. Practice this speech by preparing and sharing the following four things in 60 seconds or less: start by introducing yourself, provide a summary of what you do, explain what you want, and finish with a call to action (Herrity, 2023, p. 1). Presentations can be helpful tools to share information with large groups, provide information with additional resources, and present ideas in a manner that helps with recollection. Giving presentations are often required at the workplace, including those a speaker has ample time to prepare for (new policy changes) and those a speaker has to do with little to no preparation time (unexpected inspection briefing). Presentations can be done formally (boardroom meeting), or informally (a manager sharing new information with a small team), and this can change within the presentation. A strong presenter is able to adapt to what is happening during the presentation (feedback, distractions, mistakes), and keep the presentation moving forward. To understand presentations, it first helps to consider the main purposes often found as a professional.