Page 273 - Keys To Community College Success

this important workplace skill requires the risk of trying it over and
over again. To prepare for a presentation that will resonate with
your listeners, do the following:
■ Identify your audience. Because you give a presentation to
other people, you need to know who they are and why they
would want to listen to you. Understanding their motivation
will help you choose your topic, words, and tone.
■ Identify your goal. Get clear on the outcome you hope to
achieve. Do you want your audience to do something? Do
you want to change the way they think about something? Do
you want to solve a problem? This goal becomes the purpose
of the presentation and drives its content.
■ Identify your speaking points. To achieve your goal, what points
do you need to make? Certain information will be necessary to
inform, educate, or persuade your audience.
■ Add visual aids. Images draw people’s attention, explain complicated concepts, and
help people remember important information. You can use a flip chart or a white
board to draw or write as you go, or use prepared slides, videos, or animation—
anything that enhances your audience’s understanding of the topics in the presentation.
■ Keep text to a minimum. If you choose to use slides, do not put down every word
you plan to say. Simply note important points you want people to remember and
then elaborate on them with your own words. For helpful advice, check out www.
presentationzen.com.
■ Tell a story. If you really want people to remember what you say, weave in stories
throughout your presentation. People remember stories better than they remember
individual facts. Give real examples. Share personal experiences. Break up your
talk with humorous anecdotes. Your presentation will stick with people when you
tell stories.
Whether you work by yourself, one-on-one with individuals, or in large groups, a
primary goal of successful communication is to build and maintain good relationships
with family, friends, and others you encounter in your daily life. All the communication
and cultural competence strategies you’ve read about will contribute to that goal. Read
on for more ways to navigate your relationships successfully.

HOW DO YOU MAKE THE MOST
of personal relationships?

Personal connections with friends, classmates, spouses, partners, and parents can
be sources of great satisfaction and inner peace. Good relationships can motivate you
to do your best in school and on the job. Commitment requires risk, however, and the
reward doesn’t always last. When conflicts arise or relationships fall apart, it can affect
your ability to function in all areas of your life. Relationships have enormous power.
Following are some straightforward ways to make your personal relationships as
good as they can be, and to manage problems when things move in the wrong direction.

Use Positive Relationship Strategies

When you devote time and energy to education, work, and activities you enjoy, you get
positive results. The same is true of human connections. Here are a few ways to nurture
relationships: Diversity and Communication

■ Approach people and conversations with emotional intelligence. The more you can
notice feelings, understand what they mean, and handle them in ways that bring peo-
ple closer to you instead of pushing them away, the better your relationships will be.
235