At some point in one’s career, you are bound to deliver a presentation for some assignment or work project. And when this occasion arises, you don’t want to be caught off-guard. Being able to give an effective presentation can be a bonus for your career and your position at work. Eric Niyitanga, author and CEO of Genius Africa, an education consulting organisation believes that presentation is more than just educating. When you present, you don’t just communicate what you know, you also communicate who you are, he says. He mentions that in most cases, people judge our capabilities and character based on our communication and that when good ideas aren’t communicated appealingly and attractively, they’re not any better than average ones because they can’t have any impact. Niyitanga goes on to explain that this is why effective communication matters so much in personal and professional life, noting that there is no relationship whatsoever without effective communication and no professional success short of effective communication. “It all begins with understanding that effective communication is not determined by just communication, but by the response from the audience. You ask yourself, how can I present such that people can get exactly what I mean? and take the action I want them to take,” he says. What to put into consideration Dr Alphonse Uworwabayeho, a lecturer of mathematics at University of Rwanda’s college of education says presentations are a great way to speak directly to people who are interested in your field of study. For this reason he deems it vital that one puts in the time and effort to ensure that they deliver what their audience wants. This way, he believes that one is able to sell themselves as far as their field of study is concerned. The educator notes that before presenting, one should get to know their audience first. This, he says will ensure a successful presentation and should carry on throughout the presentation time. “By identifying whom you are talking to and sharing your knowledge, there is no doubt that you will be providing an appropriate amount of detail when explaining your work,” he observes. For Niyitanga, to succeed, one needs good preparation and good delivery. When it comes to preparation, he says it’s all about organising your ideas in a logical pattern that people can easily follow and remember. He goes on to note that, when you for instance use a PowerPoint presentation (which is recommended), what you are sharing should be easily readable and memorable; following standard principles of professional PowerPoint design. Meanwhile, for conveyance, he says this involves the use of voice appealing techniques and that one shouldn’t be monotonous. “Use appropriate and effective language; use the right body language and visual aids (PowerPoint or others) effectively.” David Ntambiye, founder and executive director of Aspire Debate Rwanda believes that when you present quite often, it helps you improve your public speaking skills. He notes that good preparation and practice will give one confidence, as this will make whatever you are presenting easier, therefore finding it easy to pass across your point. He goes on to add that it’s ideal for anyone making a presentation to always find time to prepare what they are going to share for it helps them be organised. “Preparedness is the single most important part of making a successful presentation, and the most important thing is that this skill can be applied in other areas, be it at work or when carrying out your daily routine,” he says.
