Points to Keep in Mind for Presentations That Reach Your Audience 2 [O-chan's Work Techniques 9] ~Leveling Up~
Greetings
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To all my followers,
thank you as always.
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In this series, I introduce work habits that I practice daily, aimed primarily at people in their 20s who are active in society. I address the concerns I once had about "how to become someone who is good at their job," focusing on things you can do right now without overreaching.
(Click here for the reason I started this series ☟)
Our motto is, "Look at the present and take one step to improve the quality of your work.".
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Previous discussion (Point 1)
Clarity in presentations
Do you ever worry about how to get your point across effectively when giving a presentation at work or explaining something to a client?
In my line of work, I have many opportunities to speak in front of others.
I also have many chances to watch others present, and while some feel "easy to understand," others feel like they "don't get the message across."
Everyone has their own way of doing things.
I have been given many opportunities to speak, and I am grateful that many people often tell me that my talks are "easy to understand."
I don't really think so myself, though...
So, this time, I would like to introduce one of the points I keep in mind when I give a presentation.
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2. Do not use difficult technical jargon
The second thing I keep in mind is to avoid using difficult technical jargon as much as possible.
When terms that are not commonly heard are used, the listener's understanding stops at that very moment.
"What did that word mean again?"
"I've never heard that before..."
The moment they think that, their minds drift away from the content of the talk. Their focus shifts to that specific term, and they lose track of the overall message.
Some people might even get curious and look it up on their smartphones, but by the time they finish and return their focus, the speaker may have already moved on to a different topic, causing them to fall behind.
For example,
"To make this project a success, it is important to build a collaborative system with stakeholders."
When hearing this, some people might pause for a moment, wondering, "Stakeholders?"
Using katakana terms can sound cool and somewhat smart. Some people use such words frequently.
You might think, "'Stakeholder' isn't really a difficult term, is it?" However, that is merely your own subjective opinion.
The term "stakeholder" means "people involved," but it is rarely used in everyday conversation. Therefore, when it is heard suddenly, the listener's thinking stops for a moment.
In written text, the reader can look things up at their own pace, but in spoken language, if understanding doesn't keep up on the spot, the information doesn't get through.
That is why I make an effort to replace words with those as close to everyday conversation as possible. In this case, I would say "involved parties."
When speaking in front of manypeople, you must choose words that will reach many people. That is precisely why choosing standard words that anyone can understand is important.
I have never been criticized for having a "childish choice of words" because of this.
"Do not use difficult technical jargon."
I believe that simply being conscious of this will significantly increase the clarity of your presentation.
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*This is written based on my own experience. If you are looking for professional know-how, I recommend referring to the advice of professional consultants.
Thank you for your time.
The comments I receive from everyone are a great source of encouragement and learning.