My technical knowledge is great but when it comes to presenting my updates to the team, I get flustered and ramble on.

Can you think back to the moments when you got flustered during the meeting?

Try to figure out what were the conditions that made you feel that way.

Could it be the intense concentration of your team mates on you?

Could it be you suddenly feeling self-conscious?

Could it be you watching your manager look at the clock?

Could it be you didn’t feel prepared?

There could also be other reasons.

Once you that out, you can better prepare for those triggers in future.

When working on any presentation, try this CDEF method

1. Content
2. The Delivery
3. Engagement with your Audience 
4. Feedback from your Audience 

Content

Keep it simple by just noting 3 points.

1. The main point
2. An elaboration on the main point
3. Your take / update on that point

For Example: 

Main Point: Website Copywriting

Elaboration: Copywriting does not speak to the target audience because … 

Your Take / Update: I believe / suggest that…

Delivery

Keeping in mind people’s shortened attention spans, your delivery can either make the information memorable or forgettable.

Articulation of Words: Do you mumble or pronounce your words?

Volume: Are you long-winded? or direct to the point?

Speed: At what pace do you go while speaking? 

Volume: Can your audience hear you without having to strain their ears or lean forward?

Pitch: Are you ending each phrase / sentence on a high pitch? It can leave people confused if you meant to close a sentence but instead made it sound like a question. 

Tone: Are you using a friendly, collegiate tone or an authoritative tone? 

Engagement 

Think about why your team mates would care to listen to the updates you have.

What do they have at stake?

Would your update affect their tasks?

Use that connection to draw them in and secure their attention. 

For example: The change in the copy writing will take an extra two days which will delay the Instagram advertising as Ad copy will also have to change. So do take note of that, Fiona. 

Feedback

Do you expect to open up for questions from your team mates after your presentation? 

If so, have a summary sheet or slide of the updates you’ve brought them through so that they can reference the information you’ve just shared.

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Hope this helps!

Would you like every message spoken and written by you to be effective but still reflect your personality? If you would like to learn to be a more effective communicator at work, let’s chat more. You can read about what I do here.

You can read more posts on relating to people here.