Page 301 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

everyone, but many people can learn to control their public behavior if they visualize themselves as acting.10–13
All movement should be meaningful. Do not pace. Presenters should look for opportunities to break the

invisible barrier between themselves and their audience. Walking toward the audience, walking around the
audience, walking in and out of the audience, and walking among the audience are all acceptable ways of
delivering a presentation. What is not acceptable is pacing back and forth, particularly with eyes down, as the
speaker pulls his or her thoughts together before uttering them. Movement into an audience is a
communication vehicle in itself. When presenters penetrate that invisible barrier between themselves and the
audience, they are nonverbally indicating their desire to connect, to be closer, to better sense what it is the
audience is feeling about the speaker and the content. In fact, as speakers walk among the audience, the
audience can begin to be seen from a different perspective. The speaker may gain new insights into how better
to clarify particular points and issues from this experience.10,13,15

Environmental Control

Take control of seating the listeners before everyone settles down. It may be their boardroom, gymnasium, or
meeting hall, but it is the presenter’s “show.” Make conscious decisions about whether or not to pull the group
into a circle, half-circle, rows, sitting around tables, and so forth. When it is possible to know beforehand
which persons are the most influential, their seats should be reserved and placed in the best position to see,
hear, and appreciate visual aids as well as the speaker. Box 13-1 provides a final checklist for presentations.

Presenters do best when they omit all barriers between themselves and their audience. Avoid using a
podium, if possible. Sometimes, due to the room setup or requirements of other speakers, this cannot be
avoided but the speaker can stand next to the podium. Use of a table, which can feature handouts and other
materials, is preferred. Adults generally do not learn optimally through lecture the method. Unless the speaker
is extraordinarily talented, a straight lecture presented from behind a podium should be avoided. When
delivering a message while standing in front of a group without a barrier, the speaker is more disposed to stop
the talk to respond to the verbal or nonverbal feedback of listeners. Gestures and movement, too, can be
expansive and visible without the lectern barrier.6–8

Customizing and completing this checklist before presentations will help avoid last-minute problems.

• Do I have my presentation notes?
• Do I have all my supporting materials?
• Are handouts available for each of the attendees?
• Will the facility be unlocked and open?
• Are the tables and chairs arranged as requested?
• Do I understand how to operate the lighting system?
• Do I understand how to control the temperature of the room?
• Do I know the location of the electrical circuits?
• Is all the media equipment required in place and working?
• Do I have presentation accessories? (i.e., timer, business cards, laptop, laser pointer)
• Do I have backup accessories? (i.e., extra bulb, extension cord, marker, laser pointer)
• Do I have the type of audio system I require? Is it working?

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