Here's how you can pinpoint areas to enhance your presentation skills.

To enhance your presentation skills, record and review your presentations for self-assessment, seek feedback for improvement, and practice regularly to build confidence and refine delivery. Additionally, learn from observing effective presenters and consider attending training workshops for targeted skill development.

An example of this is when I attended a presentation by a Navy Veteran. It was the simplest, yet most impactful presentation I have ever seen! A lot of us think that creating a visually appealing presentation eliminates the need to concentrate on the information. We assume our slides will convey all our viewpoints. However, from my experience, this is a significant mistake. It can prevent you from effectively expressing your ideas because too much energy is spent on the design aspect, neglecting the most crucial element: content. A presentation fails its purpose if the information is not easy to comprehend. My suggestion? Keep it simple, straightforward, and interactive!

You’re also telling a story, which needs to be tailored to your audience. For example, don’t bombard management with technical detail as they have limited time. Conversely, you should cover technical peer reviews with enough detail to answer difficult questions. Start by roughing out a storyboard. I usually find this quicker to do in pencil, but it can also be done with PowerPoint or similar software. Draw boxes to represent the slides, then write in each box the objective of that slide, together with a note on key items needed to illustrate your point. Make sure the message you convey is logical and makes sense. A preliminary run through the slides with a colleague is the best way to do this. Then work on what you’re going to say.

By simplifying and refining your visual tools, you ensure they serve their purpose—adding value and clarity. Craft an experience that leaves a lasting imprint!

Know your subject well, have your notes available but don’t read them - practice, practice, practice - for me the best way to manage nervousness and be reassured I can handle challenging questions.