Define the Objective of Your Speech (Chapter One, Video 2: Speak in Public)

Summary

This guide outlines key steps for preparing a presentation. Start by understanding who requested the presentation, their role, and your relationship with them. Then, ask critical questions: Who is the audience? How familiar are they with the topic? What are the presentation's logistics—face-to-face, remote, with or without slides? When is the presentation, and how long will it be? Lastly, why were you chosen to present? This approach helps structure content, adapt to the audience, and maintain engagement. A helpful tip: bridge the knowledge gap by listing what the audience knows before and what they should know after.

Takeaways

• 🧐 Understand the audience: Consider the relationship with the requester and the audience's role to tailor your presentation.
• 🗣️ Define your audience: Adapt your language and content based on the size and familiarity of your audience with the subject.
• 🔧 Adjust to the format: Prepare differently for face-to-face, remote, or online presentations, and consider the available equipment.
• ⏰ Be aware of timing: Know the presentation's date and duration to manage your content and preparation time effectively.
• 📝 Focus on the content: Keep your speech well-structured and relevant by focusing on the main points and avoiding unnecessary details.
• 💡 Know your purpose: Be clear on why you are giving the presentation and what you aim to achieve with your audience.
• 📋 Use the 5W1H approach: Answer the questions 'who,' 'how,' 'when,' 'what,' and 'why' to guide your presentation planning.
• 📝 Create an outline: Write down the information and ideas that stem from your answers to the 5W1H questions to form a draft outline.
• 📈 Bridge the knowledge gap: Use a 'before' and 'after' column strategy to determine what the audience knows and what you want them to learn.
• 🎯 Aim for retention: Ensure your presentation is designed to leave a lasting impression and key takeaways for the audience.

Q & A

Question 1: What is the first step to take when preparing a presentation?

The first step is to ask yourself who has requested the presentation and what your relationship with them is.

Question 2: Why is it important to define your relationship with the person requesting the presentation?

Defining the relationship helps you understand their expectations and adapt your presentation accordingly.

Question 3: What are the key questions you should answer when preparing a presentation?

The key questions are: Who, How, When, What, and Why.

Question 4: How does the size of your audience affect your presentation style?

The size of the audience influences how you express your content. You may need to adjust your communication style depending on whether you are speaking to a large or small group.

Question 5: How should you adapt your vocabulary for different audiences?

You should adapt your vocabulary based on the audience's familiarity with the subject. For beginners, simplify your language; for experts, you can use more technical terms.

Question 6: Why is it important to understand the audience's background and knowledge level?

Understanding the audience’s background prevents you from losing them with jargon or assumptions that they share your knowledge, helping you keep their attention.

Question 7: What factors should you consider regarding the format of the presentation?

You need to consider whether the presentation will be face-to-face, remote, live, or pre-recorded, and what equipment, such as microphones or slides, will be available.

Question 8: How does the format of the presentation influence your body language and gestures?

The format determines how you can use hand gestures and whether you can carry notes. For example, holding a handheld microphone limits gestures compared to a worn microphone.

Question 9: Why is it important to define the length of the presentation?

Knowing the presentation length helps you plan your content accordingly and manage time efficiently during preparation and delivery.

Question 10: What is the purpose of identifying the 'why' behind your presentation?

Understanding why you were asked to give the presentation helps you clarify your role, whether it's to inform, teach, or inspire the audience, and highlights why you are the best person for the job.

Question 11: What method is suggested for organizing your presentation content?

A suggested method is to create three columns: 'Before,' listing what the audience knows before the presentation; 'After,' listing what you want them to know after; and 'Middle,' which outlines the content bridging the two.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Presentation Preparation Strategy

The paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding your audience and the context of your presentation before preparing it. It suggests asking yourself about the relationship with the person requesting the presentation and their role. It then outlines a series of questions to answer: who will be in the audience, how familiar they are with the subject, how the presentation will be delivered (face-to-face, remote, online, live, or pre-recorded), what equipment will be available, when and for how long the presentation will take place, what exactly will be discussed, and why you are the best person to give the presentation. These questions help in tailoring the content and delivery to the audience, ensuring relevance and maintaining their attention. The paragraph also advises creating a draft outline based on the answers to these questions, with a 'before' and 'after' column to bridge the knowledge gap between the audience's current understanding and the desired takeaways from the presentation.

Keywords

💡Presentation

A presentation refers to a formal discourse or show, often delivered to an audience, that aims to inform, persuade, or entertain. In the context of the video, the presentation is the central focus, with the speaker advising on how to tailor the content to the audience's knowledge level, size, and expectations. The script mentions adjusting the vocabulary and content based on the audience's familiarity with the subject, which is a critical aspect of effective presentations.

💡Audience

The audience is the group of individuals to whom a presentation is directed. The script emphasizes understanding the audience's size, expertise, and demographic to customize the presentation effectively. For instance, the speaker should consider whether they are addressing beginners or experts, which influences the language and depth of the material covered.

💡Demographic

Demographic refers to the statistical data of a population's characteristics, such as age, gender, and occupation. In the video, understanding the demographic of the audience is crucial for adjusting the presentation's vocabulary and content. The script suggests that knowing if the audience is tech-savvy, managers, or students can help the speaker avoid jargon and maintain engagement.

💡Equipment

Equipment in the context of the video refers to the tools and devices available for the presentation, such as microphones, projectors, and remote controls. The availability and type of equipment can affect the speaker's delivery and the use of visual aids, as highlighted when discussing whether a microphone will be worn or handheld, and if slides will be used.

💡Hand Gestures

Hand gestures are the movements of the hands used to communicate non-verbally. The script mentions that the type of equipment available can influence hand gestures, as a speaker might need to adjust their movements to operate a remote control or to gesture without a handheld microphone. Effective use of hand gestures can enhance the delivery of a presentation.

💡Notes

Notes are the written or printed information that a speaker refers to during a presentation. The script discusses the possibility of carrying notes, which can be essential for staying on track and ensuring all points are covered, especially in longer presentations where memorization might not be feasible.

💡Duration

Duration refers to the length of time something lasts. In the video, the speaker is advised to consider the duration of the presentation, which can range from a few minutes to several hours. Knowing the duration helps in planning the depth and breadth of the content to be covered and in managing the audience's attention span.

💡Structure

Structure in this context refers to the organization and arrangement of the content in a presentation. The script stresses the importance of a well-structured speech to avoid getting sidetracked on irrelevant details. A structured presentation ensures that the audience follows the speaker's train of thought and retains the key messages.

💡Relevance

Relevance is the state of being closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand. The video script underlines the need for a presentation to be relevant to the audience to maintain their attention. This is achieved by understanding the audience's background and tailoring the content to meet their needs and interests, as exemplified by adjusting the vocabulary and content based on the audience's expertise.

💡Expertise

Expertise refers to a high level of skill or knowledge in a specific area. In the script, the speaker is encouraged to consider their own expertise and why they are the best person to give the presentation. This could be due to their deep understanding of the subject, relevant experience, or the ability to bring unique qualities like humor to the presentation.

💡Purpose

Purpose is the reason for which something is done or created. The script highlights the importance of understanding the purpose of the presentation, whether it is to inform, teach, or inspire the audience. Knowing the purpose helps the speaker to focus the content and delivery style to achieve the intended outcome.

Highlights

First ask who has requested the presentation and what your relationship is with them.

Adapt your speech to your audience by considering their demographic and familiarity with the subject.

Always adjust vocabulary based on whether your audience is beginners or experts.

Assess the format: whether the presentation will be face-to-face, remote, live, or pre-recorded.

Prepare for the equipment: microphone, slides, projector, and control of the presentation.

Hand gestures will vary depending on whether you can carry notes or not.

Determine how long the presentation is to plan preparation time accordingly.

Make sure your content is well-structured to avoid irrelevant details.

Know why you were asked to give the presentation: are you the expert or sharing experience?

Establish whether the goal is to inform, teach, or inspire the audience.

Create two columns: before (what the audience knows) and after (what you want them to retain).

Bridge the before and after by building content in the middle of your presentation.

Understanding the audience's technical knowledge helps maintain their attention.

If the presentation is for beginners, avoid jargon to keep them engaged.

Use humor or personal qualities to bring life to your presentation.

Transcripts

when preparing your presentation the

first thing you should ask yourself is

who has requested that I give this

speech or presentation what is our

relationship and what is their role for

example are they your manager a

colleague or an acquaintance once you

have done that you need to get as many

answers as possible to the following

questions who how when what and why

answering these questions will allow you

to have a defined plan it will also make

it easier to adapt your speech to your

audience making your presentation as

relevant as possible will help you

maintain your audience's attention let's

start with the first question who who

are you going to be speaking to will it

be a group of 200 people 20 people or

five depending on the size of your

audience the way you express your

content will be different you should

also ask yourself how familiar is my

audience with the subject I'm going to

present are they beginners or experts

will you be speaking to a tech-savvy

crowd a roomful of managers or students

by determining the demographic you'll be

able to adjust your vocabulary

accordingly there's nothing worse than

attending a presentation where the

speaker assumes that the audience has

the exact same background and knowledge

as them inevitably you get lost in the

jargon lose your concentration and stop

listening to the speaker the second

question you to ask yourself is how how

will your presentation be made will it

be face to face remote or online live or

pre-recorded you must also consider what

equipment you will have at your disposal

will you have a microphone and if so

will it be worn or handheld also will

you be able to use slides for your

presentation will they be a projector

will a remote control be available or

will you have to get one depending on

these answers your hand gestures will

differ you'll also know if you have the

possibility of carrying notes the third

question is when when do I have to give

this presentation more importantly

long does the presentation have to be

will it be 2 hours 1 hour or 5 minutes

by defining the date and length of the

presentation you'll know how much time

you have to prepare yourself the next

question is what what are you going to

talk about exactly

it might sound obvious but it's

important to be able to prepare a

well-structured speech this means not

getting sidetracked on details that

aren't relevant finally the most

important question is why why have you

been asked to give this presentation

what makes you the best person for the

job are you an expert on the subject do

you have any experience to share maybe

you've got certain qualities that can

bring life to the presentation such as a

good sense of humor the point is you

need to know why you were there is it to

inform teach or inspire your audience

write all this information down your

ideas and plans will stem from the

answers to these questions it will also

serve as an outline for your draft

here's a trick for getting started make

two columns a before and an after

under the before column you can write

down everything you think your audience

will know before the presentation in the

after column know everything that you

want your audience to retain from your

presentation from here bridge the before

and after by creating a middle column

this will be the content of your

presentation try it out for yourself