Manage your time wisely -it yields dividends!

Many think of time management as necessary for overworked executives and overstretched executives. Fewer, however, consider the importance of time management when making a presentation. How often do you think about the time allocated as soon as you have identified the key messages you want to share in your presentation?

I was reminded of this recently when I witnessed a five-minute presentation evolve into a 15-minute one. What made this quite overrun of time even more apparent was that while the presenter allocated the least time on the programme took the most. The other speakers managed their time wisely and in one case finished ahead of the time allocated.

Some suggestions for managing time wisely:

1. Develop your presentation and subdivide it into time blocks.

2. Be clear about how much time should be taken to present each section.

3. Decide which are the ‘must share points’, i.e., supportive of your key messages. Ensure you make those.

4. Be alert to realising when you are behind your planned time-frame for presenting, adjust the number and/or length of the examples you give or stories you tell during your presentation.

5. Be realistic in your use of visual aids. For example, if using Powerpoint slides, do not include more than one slide every minute unless the graphics are essential in explaining specific points. The slides may then be best viewed as a slide show.

6. Respect the Chair. Wrap up your presentation in the time allocated at best or at least soon after.

7. If sharing a platform, be respectful of other presenters. Do not force others to shorten their contribution because you are inconsiderate and speak long after the time allocated.

8. Ensure you give your close/conclusion. Do this even when you are forced to exclude one or more points from the main part of your presentation.

9. Reduce distractions towards the end of the meeting as people leave the gathering because of another engagement, as your presentation took much longer than scheduled.

10. Err on the side of caution and finish ahead of allocated time –if you must. You may then take questions (if the event allows) or give the Chair an opportunity to make relevant remarks.

Best,

Veronica

If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first four sharpening the axe. Lao Tzu