Published: Important Public Speaking and Presentation Skills for Data Analysts

I published “Important Public Speaking and Presentation Skills for Data Analysts” on @Medium

The Top Public Speaking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

 Public speaking is a skill that can make or break your professional career. Whether it's addressing a small team or a large audience, the impact of a presentation can be lasting. Additionally, there are various public speaking mistakes that can hinder a speaker's success. It's essential to recognize and address these mistakes to become an authentic and engaging speaker.

Being Too Scripted

While a well-structured presentation is crucial, being overly scripted or rehearsed can detract from the emotional engagement needed to captivate an audience. It's advisable to have an organized flow of ideas with bullet points for reference, allowing for natural interjections of emotion throughout the talk. Her

Relying on Filler Words

Filler words such as "um," "so," and "like" can diminish the impact of your message and emphasize any nervousness or inexperience. Practice and eliminate filler words by incorporating brief pauses to maintain a steady pace and avoid rushing through the presentation.

Using Question Inflections

In public speaking, confidence can be demonstrated by delivering assertive statements rather than using question inflections. Using rising intonation, which is generally interpreted as a question by Western speakers, can make a speaker sound unsure of themselves. This can be particularly detrimental during critical moments such as rate discussions. Direct, assertive statements can convey confidence and clarity.

Swaying or Standing Too Still

Nervously swaying or standing too still can distract the audience from the presentation. Controlled and purposeful movement can enhance a presentation, but it's crucial to ensure that it doesn't overshadow the content of the speech or presentation.

Lack of Preparation

Not preparing sufficiently can lead to a disastrous presentation. Conducting thorough research, structuring your speech, and practicing extensively are essential for building confidence and delivering a compelling presentation. Practice your delivery multiple times, aiming for clarity and engagement.

Unconventional Body Language

Maintaining a certain posture, making eye contact, and using appropriate gestures are crucial for connecting with the audience. Body language can convey excitement and confidence about the speech or topic. It is important to remember, particularly if you are neurodivergent, that many aspects of “good” body language are just as rehearsed as the speech itself.

Over-Reliance on Notes

Dependence on notes can hinder the speaker's ability to connect with the audience and deliver a natural, engaging presentation. Memorizing key points and using concise keywords as reminders can help maintain a smooth flow and build a genuine connection.

A Monotonous Voice

Speaking in a monotone can bore the audience and diminish the impact of the presentation. Varying your pitch, tone, and pace can add excitement and emphasize important points, making the speaker's voice a compelling instrument.

Failure to Engage the Audience

Engaging with the audience is crucial for maintaining their attention and interest. Encouraging participation, sharing relatable stories, and using visual aids can enhance audience engagement and ensure the message resonates effectively.

Mismanaging Your Time

Mismanaging your time or timing can weaken the impact of a speech or presentation and diminish its message's impact. Failing to time the speech appropriately can lead to going over time or finishing well before the allotted time. To avoid this mistake, speakers should practice timing their speeches, plan for potential cuts if necessary, and strive for a natural pacing to keep their presentations engaging and impactful.

Public speaking is a skill that can be honed through awareness, practice, and dedication. By avoiding these common mistakes, speakers can enhance their ability to deliver compelling, engaging presentations that leave a lasting impact on their audience. It's crucial to provide factual information and engage the audience effectively to ensure the message is well-received.

Published: Pursuing a Career As An Economist: Strategic Approaches

I published “Pursuing a Career As An Economist: Strategic Approaches” on @Medium

The Art of Making Impactful Presentations

 The ability to communicate information effectively through presentations is helpful in many fields. Strong presentation skills allow presenters to convey complex concepts and ideas to audiences in an engaging, memorable manner. Speakers can improve their presentation skills in various ways.

Audience engagement is vital in conferences such as the Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM) to share new findings, discuss analytical techniques, and advance the field of statistics. JSM is an annual conference for statisticians held in North America focused on applications of statistics in multiple fields, including business, academia, engineering, and the social sciences.

Presenters should understand their audience and customize engaging, relevant messaging to move such attendees. One tactic is showing how research applies to real work scenarios. For example, at a JSM presentation, narrating a typical day in the life of an office analyst may resonate well with the audience, from analyzing vast datasets to uncovering trends to collaborating across time zones with remote statistical teams.

Researching attributes such as age, background, profession, and interests allows speakers to tailor content depth, focus on applicable issues, and find common ground to foster connection. However, understanding alone is insufficient; speakers should skillfully involve audiences to inspire richer discussion. They can elicit the sharing of diverse perspectives and experiences through relatable anecdotes and open-ended questions that make each listener feel personally invested.

When researching an audience, speakers should understand their values, traditions, societal norms, and cultural influences for effective communication. Considering aspects like customary levels of eye contact, the formality of speech, acceptable nonverbal cues, and body language that may differ between cultural groups is equally important.

Speakers can build rapport and create a positive, inclusive experience while tailoring delivery to respect these variances while avoiding potential offenses. Connecting with and engaging the audience through a presentation style that affirms their way of life also helps.

Applying the "rule of three" helps audiences process and recall information more effectively when preparing a presentation. This presentation structure entails identifying the three most important takeaways and using supporting details, such as statistics or storytelling, to maximize the retention of these core messages. If the content encompasses more than three primary goals, consolidating or splitting into smaller, more focused modules with only three objectives each aids comprehension and reinforcement.

The titles speakers assign to presentation slides also matter, as audiences only have a few seconds to formulate initial impressions. For optimal impact and engagement, keep each slide title brief yet compelling, encapsulating the essence of the content. Speakers should also avoid overly verbose details in previewing the speech; a concise yet clear overview of what attendees can anticipate is ideal.

During the presentation, speakers should avoid reading slides verbatim, as it can bore the audience and come across as simply reciting information. To keep an audience engaged, speakers should maintain eye contact and use facial expressions and natural gestures as though naturally conversing with them rather than reciting text.

Adding relevant and well-designed visual aids supplements spoken content, especially when conveying complex information. Charts, graphs, tables, flow diagrams, and other visual elements help to explain intricate data, trends, processes, or products in an accessible, engaging format. If creating polished, attractive visuals that maintain audience engagement poses a challenge, some individuals benefit from outsourcing slide development to a design service; they can also seek help from colleagues or professional acquaintances.

Lastly, practice the presentation. Speakers who require help in fine-tuning the presentation can engage with experts. Otherwise, seek feedback from colleagues and trusted acquaintances who can spot blind spots or flow gaps.