CATEGORY: BUSINESS

GROUP: 3. AT THE WORKPLACE

Topic: 8. Presentations
Introduction:
Most employees have to give some kind of presentation at some point during their
careers. It might be to a small group of people or to a large audience. What is
considered a good presentation might differ according to the culture of the country you
are in or to the company you are with.

Dialogue:
Mandy works for a company in the United States. She has to give her first presentation
at work next week, and she is a little bit nervous. Shes talking to her husband, Jim, to
get some ideas on how to give a good presentation.

Mandy: So, Jim, Im really nervous about this presentation I have to give at work next
week.
Jim: Yeah, I always get nervous too when I have to give a presentation. How many
people will it be for?
Mandy: I think there will be about 50 people in the audience.
Jim: Thats a pretty big crowd!
Mandy: I know. Thats whats making me a little nervous.
Jim: What kind of presentation is it?
Mandy: What do you mean?
Jim: You know. Is it a demonstration, a briefing, a workshop, etc.?

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Mandy: Oh, its a demonstration.

Jim: Why are you so nervous?
Mandy: Well, Ive never given a presentation to such a large group of people before. I
gave presentations at school, but you know this is my first one at work.
Jim: Have you been preparing already?
Mandy: A little bit. Ive made an outline of what I want to say and wrote down some
notes. What else should I do?
Jim: You should definitely prepare some kind of visual aids. Things like a power point
or a model of the product youll be demonstrating.
Mandy: OK. Ive got both of those things. I just need to finish up the power point
presentation.
Jim: You should check the venue too. That way youll know what it looks like, and you
can check on all the AV equipment.
Mandy: Oh, thats a good point. I guess I should make sure the microphone, computer,
and projector work.
Jim: Definitely. You dont want to get in there and have technical problems. How are
you going to start the presentation?
Mandy: I was thinking of telling an anecdote first to get the audiences attention and
then just introduce myself and give an overview of what Im going to talk about.
Jim: That sounds good. Dont forget to tell the audience whether they should hold their
questions till the end or if they can ask them during the presentation.
Mandy: I didnt even think about that. Thanks. Ill add that. Is there anything I should
remember for during the presentation? Its been so long since Ive given one I
cant remember.
Jim: Well, I guess first of all make sure that the audience can hear you. Make sure you
talk loud enough or use a microphone.
Mandy: I could do a sound check at the beginning.
Jim: Thats a good idea. Then, remember to make eye contact with the audience. You
want to remember to speak to them, not the equipment or the screen.

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Mandy: I remember I used to turn my back to the audience sometimes when I was
nervous giving presentations.
Jim: Yeah, dont do that. The only other thing I can think of is to smile and try not to
move around or fidget too much.
Mandy: Ill have to try to remember not to do that.
Jim: Thats pretty much all I can think of. Why dont you finish preparing the
presentation this week and then you can practice it with me, and Ill pretend to be
the audience.
Mandy: Oh, that would be great! Thanks, Jim!
Jim: Sure. Once you practice it a few times, youll feel more comfortable and less
nervous.
Mandy: I hope so!
Jim: Youll do fine, I know.

Vocabulary
a demonstration: a showing of the merits of a product or service to a prospective
consumer
a briefing: an act or instance of giving precise instructions or essential information
a workshop: a usually brief intensive educational program for a relatively small group
of people that focuses especially on techniques and skills in a particular field
an outline: a preliminary version of a project, paper, or speech
the venue: a place where events of a specific type are held
AV equipment: audio-visual equipment
technical problems: problems with AV equipment
an anecdote: a short, amusing story
fidget: nervous movement

Discussion Questions:
1. Have you ever given a presentation? What type was it? Tell me about it.
-Sure. Ive given lots of presentations before. Usually, I just gave short
informational speeches or workshops. I gave employment workshops for
international students. I usually had 5-15 students in the audience. I stood and
talked as I went through a power point presentation. I preferred if students held
their questions until the end of the presentation.

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2. In your opinion, what makes a good/bad presentation?

-To me, a good presentation is one where the presenter is smiling and relaxed.
They speak slowly and clearly. Also, a good presentation has some kind of
visual aid to help the audience follow along. A bad presentation is one that is
boring, confusing, or delivered in a monotonous or unenthusiastic manner.
3. Do you get nervous giving presentations? Why not? How do you deal with the
nervousness?
-Yes. Before a presentation I am usually nervous. To deal with this, I try to
prepare myself as much as possible. I practice my presentation and arrive early
at the venue to ensure that everything is in order. I try to take deep breaths
during the presentation, and this helps me relax.
4. How are people expected to dress for presentations in your country?
-Generally, for work presentations people dress in formal work attire. They wear
suits or nice work clothes. Presentations are usually a time when people try to
look very professional.
5. Do you think visual aids help or hinder a presentation? Why?
-I think visual aids help a presentation. I think they are helpful for the presenter
because it helps them remember what they are going to say. Its also helpful for
the audience because they help them follow along and can make the
presentation more interesting to watch.
6. Have you ever experienced technical problems during a presentation? What
happened?
-Yes I have. On a few occasions I went to give a presentation and the power
point projector or laptop that I was using wouldnt work. I had to call in other
people to help fix it. Thats why I always set up far in advance!
7. Is it customary for people to ask questions during a presentation, after a
presentation, or not at all in your country?
-In the U.S. I think its most customary for people to ask questions after a
presentation. In some informal situations they might ask questions during a
presentation, but usually they hold them until the speaker is finished.
8. What would you do if someone asked you a question during a presentation that
you didnt know how to answer?
-If this happened, I would just tell the person that I didnt know the answer to their
question. I would let them know that the question was out of my area of
expertise or that I would need to do more research in order to answer it. I think
its better to admit that you dont know the answer than to try to make something
up.

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9. How often do you give presentations at your job?

-Im a teacher, so I give presentations every day. Usually, theyre very brief
presentations.
10. What happens to you when youre nervous?
-When Im nervous my face turns red, and I get butterflies in my stomach.

Copyright 2007 English 1 on 1 Corp. All rights reserved. No reproduction without expressed written permission of English 1 on 1.