The Effectiveness of Presentations in the Workplace

Paper Summary:

In this paper, the author evaluates how effective presentations are when applied at the workplace and attempts to gauge the necessity of these presentations. The paper is based on the premise that professionals in their day-to-day activities rely on oral, visual and written communication to carry out their duties and responsibilities. For this purpose, business schools and colleges emphasize the use of presentations to administer curriculum for preparation of students in the workplace. Specifically, this paper first looks at the overall effectiveness of of presentations in the workforce, then goes on to discuss types of presentations, concluding that presentations are critical. Effective presentations influence decision makers, impress upon buyers and sellers, persuade the public and communicate to workers, etc. They are important for communicating within and outside the company. The paper specifies that the efficacy, however, is largely based on the synergy of the oral, visual and written presentations.

Outline:
Introduction
Effectiveness of Presentations in the Workplace
Visual Presentations
Oral Communication
Written Presentation
Conclusions

From the Paper:

"Having said that, it is critical to emphasize that presentations whether at the workplace or elsewhere largely depend on the written content. At the end of the day, the audience will rely on the facts and figures to make a decision. They require the presenter to provide costs, benefits, reports, research and miscellaneous information before they make their decisions. This is especially true when presenting to the board of director or clients who are about to make finance based decisions. Mere oral presentations or visualization cannot really initiate the audience to take action (Bartusek 2006). Moreover, effective presentation are those that mitigate interaction with the presenter which is only possible if the presenter has backup information for responding to the audience in a timely manner. Beckwith (2006) for example is of the view that interactivity with the audience helps them to make the decision. It saves time for providing required information for decision making; it provide information about product features before the audience raises the question and it resolve conflict immediately before it results in breach of business relationship. However, this is not to say that the power of written presentation can overshadow oral and visual presentation. Written presentation without the presence of the presenter cannot stand alone to influence the audience though it may help in educating them. For example when a client goes to purchase a ship, he/she cannot rely on his/her visual interpretation alone to make the purchase decision. The seller has to guide the client through the benefits, features and significance of the product before the client can make the purchase decision (Beckwith 2006)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bartusek, L. (2006). Helping Staff Shine during Board Presentations. School Administrator. Volume: 63. Issue: 3. pp 6.
• Baskerville, D. (1994). Public Speaking Rule #1: Have No Fear; Workplace Presentations Are as Common as Computers. Black Enterprise. Volume: 24. Issue: 10. pp.76+.
• Beckwith, S. (2006). Let's Hear from the Audience: Group Response Systems Allow Real-Time Interaction with Your Presentations. Black Enterprise. Volume: 36. Issue: 13. pp72.
• Martin, L. (1995). The Fate of Business Often Comes Down to the Quality of the Presentation: Guidelines for Effective Communication through Graphic Slide Presentations. Public Relations Quarterly. Volume: 40. Issue: 1. pp44+.
• Rose, G. (2004). Communicate an Effective Message: Giving a Speech Can Be a Trying Experience, Even for Seasoned Pros. State Legislatures. Volume: 30. Issue: 10. pp. 32+.

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