We’ve found that even great speakers in their native language can be very uncomfortable giving a presentation in a SECOND LANGUAGE. These tips will improve the way you communicate more effectively in a second language.
Formality/ Register
Your boss & your Tinder date
You don’t communicate with your boss and your Tinder date in the same way. If you do, you are probably failing with at least one of them.
Appropriate register (formality or informality) is dependent on factors such as sector, generation, nationality, hierarchy, and general relationship.
For a formal presentation in a company, you should use formal vocabulary and expressions obviously.
Connect With Your Audience
Favourite animals and Disney princesses
On LinkedIn, a doctor recently posted:
«As a paediatrician, I always have to have a favourite colour, animal, super hero, and Disney princess because it is important to my clients.»
This guy REALLY understood the concept of audience!
Know who your audience is and give them what they want and need.
Know the Language level of your audience
Sorry, what did you say?
Something that you may not have thought of, and many people just take for granted is that if you’re giving a talk or presentation in English, everyone will understand you. NOT true! If you have a very high level, you may have to dumb down (simplify) your language so that everyone can understand you.
They say that a fleet is only as fast as its slowest ship. So, FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE before you start and pitch the speech at their level. I just hope you haven’t learned it by heart!!
Organization Language
Speed limits & Stop lights!
On streets and roads, «signs» are «posted» to control the speed and direction of traffic. In public speaking, we use «signposting» to control the speed and direction of information.
We have phrases for introducing, transitioning, reviewing, concluding, etc.
Examples: First off…, Moving on…, Having said that…, In a nutshell…, To sum up…
Therefore, use connectors to organize your presentation!!
How many do you know in English, apart from Therefore?!
If your team needs to present more effectively in English, contact us and we’d be delighted to find out your needs and how we can help you.