Unit Standards :

12433 Level 5 Credits 8

Communication and Presentation Skills This course is accredited by the Services Seta and covers unit standard 12433 at NQF level 5 worth 8 credits. 2 Day course Course Objectives When you have completed this course you will be able to define the key concepts associated with Communication and Presentation Skills and you will be able to: • Identify the main obstacles to effective presenting • Understand the nature of the process behind being able to effectively present information to an audience • Understand a range of presentation tools and techniques • Use these techniques to build a process that will ensure professional presentations are designed and delivered on a consistent basis • Explain the benefits of having a professional approach to communication and presentations in the organization irrespective of the target audience The broad aim of this course is to develop effective verbal communication awareness, knowledge, skills and capabilities. This course is designed so that the learning activities require the participants to prepare and deliver a power point presentation within a simulated context. Each participant will be filmed during their presentation and given individual feedback on how to improve their verbal communication and presentation skills. This course will ensure you become a master communicator. This course will focus on four areas: • The Presenter • Preparation • Presenting • Visual Aids Below is an overview of the items that will be covered in the course: Communication and Presentation Skills and the Organization  Presentations are a part of most managers’ lives in today’s organizations  For internal presentations it is a valuable method for communication  For external presentations it contributes to the corporate image and it is a valuable method for communication  It is crucial that staff can present professionally  An organization which has poor capability for effective presentations can be damaged because of:  Loss of a very effective communication tool  Lack of professional presentation to customers can lead to loss of revenue - both actual and prospective  Poor corporate image Why Presentations? Presentations allow you to:  Show how strongly you feel on a topic  Gauge the audience reaction and get feedback in real time  Use a method that engages the eyes and ears of the audience  Interact with the recipients of the information Communication  Presenting is about getting a message across to an audience  How well the message is transmitted is heavily dependent upon the effectiveness of the presenter  Problems with the communication process can arise due to the  Sender - the presenter  Channel - the actual presentation  Receiver - the audience Barriers to Effective Presentations  Barriers can be listed as  Complexity  Jargon  Visibility  Poor sound  Bad listening  Prejudice and bias  Lack of clarity  Level of the audience  Timing Eliminating Barriers  Barriers can be reduced or eliminated by thorough preparation  Guide the preparation by asking:  Who is the presentation for?  Why is the message being communicated?  What exactly is the message being communicated?  Where will the presentation take place?  When will the presentation take place?  How will the presentation be delivered? The Presenter  First Impressions  Non-verbal Communication  Voice  Face  Eyes  Gestures  Bad Habits Managing First Impressions  For a presenter - the first impression an audience has is dependent upon two main attributes  Appearance  Grooming  Clothes  Surroundings  Behavior  Attitude  Communication style  Professionalism Non-verbal Communication Non-verbal communication also impacts on a presentation:  Tone of voice  The look on the presenters face  Posture  Distance  Eye contact  Gestures From the presenter’s perspective body language must not be seen as contrary to the overall message Using the Voice The voice carries messages that are not defined by the words used. This is called paralanguage:  Vocal quality  Volume  Pitch  Rate of speech  Enunciation / accent  Pauses Using the Voice Most people will respond to a voice that is  Interesting  Friendly  Pleasant  Natural  Alert  Distinct and clear  Expressive The Face Facial expressions are an integral part of any presentation as it communicates:  Emotion  Attitude  Feelings  As a presenter, you need to make sure that your face does not detract from your message! Learner Outcomes Learners should be able to: • Understand the function of communication through exploring its processes • Match the type of communication with the appropriate method • Apply assertive verbal skills for effective feedback strategies • Apply critical listening skills • Develop awareness of how effective non-verbal messages are communicated • Structure and compose a presentation using mind-mapping effectively for a specific function • Deliver an effective power point presentation professionally • Evaluate their own presentation skills by reviewing the video of their delivered presentation • Apply a rigorous communication checklist in evaluating presentations • Using effective visuals