PRINCIPLES OF
PRESENTATION
2008
CANADIAN
CANADIANCOAST
COASTGUARD
GUARDAUXILIARY
AUXILIARY- -PACIFIC
PACIFIC
What is Persuasion?
The art of persuasion is the art of finding
the best available means of moving a
specific audience in a specific situation
to a specific decision
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The Persuasion Triangle
Presenter
(Ethos)
Audience
(Pathos)
Subject
(Logos)
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Persuasion
in the Real World
Presenter
Audience
Your Needs &
Interests
Their Needs &
Interests
Subject
Your Program’s Needs &
Accomplishments
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Set Up
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Set Up
The whole training experience can be
compromised by:
•an inappropriate set up of tables and chairs,
•lack of knowledge of the audio/visual
presentation aids,
•the audience being any way uncomfortable,
•the audience being distracted by the
surroundings
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Set Up
•The room and equipment must be properly to
maximise the receptivity of the audience.
•Set up the seating in the room for the sort of
presentation that you wish to have, e.g. talk,
training, discussion.
•Set up so that the trainer has easy access to all
members of the audience.
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Set Up
Small Groups,
poor view of A/V
Small groups
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Small groups,
allows interaction,
good views
Set Up
Each table
works alone
Most formal,
speaker has
good access
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All participants
have good view
Set Up
Best for large groups, but not for note taking as there
are no tables
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Set Up
•Check the lighting in the room is correctly set.
•Close the shades on the windows if available to
reduce distractions.
•On a sunny day ensure that no one has sun in
their eyes or the sun overheating them and
making them uncomfortable, including yourself.
•Make sure heating or ventilation in the room is
adequate for the season.
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Set Up
•Where using audio visual aids, have them set
up beforehand and check they are working as
expected.
•Do not impose death by powerpoint.
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Leadership in Training
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Leadership in Training
•Rules
1. Be prepared.
2. Be honest.
3. Empower your class.
4. Set goals and map your key concepts.
5. Accept that you are human and can make
mistakes.
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Persuading is like making a
candle
• Melt
• Mold
• Harden
• Ignite
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Melt
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Melting Resistance
•Once set up, use the time before the meeting
starts, to mingle with the participants, and to
break down some of the barriers.
•This will make it easier to gain traction when the
meeting starts.
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Melting Resistance
•When working with volunteers from different
stations, start off with introductions of yourself
and them, and include:
Use name cards
1. Name
2. Station
3. Background
4. Station experience
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Melting Resistance
• To Melt Resistance
• To Raise Resistance:
– Be honest
– Be insincere
– Find common ground
– Shout “You’re
wrong!”
– Use humour carefully
– Use weak humor
– Appreciate what they
are already doing
– Guilt trip them
– Give realistic pros and
– Use improbable
cons
threats
– Ask them to make your
– Lecture them
case
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Molding Opinion
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Know your Audience
•
They are concerned about their stations’
issues and their crews/ colleagues
– Make local arguments
• They make decisions with both their minds
and hearts
– Appeal to both
• They feel pressured by time
– Show how your programs will save time,
and provide greater value for their time
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Know what moves your Audience
• What do they all commonly want?
– happy & healthy volunteers
– the respect of others
– to be responsible leaders
– a successful station and group
– to hear success stories
– to avoid pain and failure
• Show your programs meet their needs
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Present Professionally
• To trust you, your audience must believe you
are competent and professional person
• Accept the fact there may be someone in the
room who knows more than you
• Present information accurately
– The data
– The names
– The spelling & grammar
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Present Personally
• Never talk down to or over the heads of your
audience
• Tell your story simply
– Use short simple sentences
– Show rather than tell
– Illustrate with short stories of success
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Make Your Argument Clear
• Answer basic questions (Who, What, Where,
When, Which and How)
• Show the real, positive results achievable by
doing this classroom training
– Show how much clearer this training is
– Show what this training will achieve
– Show what the training will not do if not
bought into by the volunteers
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Ignite
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Ignite!
• By the end of your presentation, people may
believe in you and agree with you, but if they
do not act on your message, your
presentation fails its purpose
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Believe in Your Cause
• To ignite others to support your cause, YOU
must be on fire first
• Why should others care if you do not?
• You show your convictions by your
– Passionate presentation
– Confident presentation
– Positive presentation
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Summarize & Seek a Decision
• Summarize what you already agree on
– Smile
– Assume the best
• Make a specific request
– Be thorough but . . .
– Be brief
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Principles for
Powerful Persuasion
Melt Resistance
Mold Opinions
• Know your audience well
• Make your argument clear
• Present personally & professionally
Harden & Ignite!
• Believe in your cause
• Summarize and make a specific request
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Does it always work?
• Of course not!
• Some people come equipped with closed
minds (They’ve already decided)
• Some people come with busy minds (They
aren’t really listening to you)
• Some people will not agree with you (so if
you can’t convince them, at least help them
be sorry they can’t agree with you)
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Remember….
• Our volunteers expect us to be accountable –
that our training programs will show positive
results
• Inform them about the difference these
programs are and will be making in the
Auxiliary
• Show them that these programs are vital to
growing the Auxiliary
• Ask them for active support without apology
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