#4

I think the two key points to remember from this week's readings were:

1.The context and delivery of the presentation
2.Working as part of a group

Presentations are an essential aspect of public relations. Presentations are not merely just an avenue for the transmission, and exchange of information. Rather, presentations play a crucial role in the way receivers view the information via the different types of delivery methods.

The proliferation of technology today has aided the delivery of presentations, heightening the level and value of presentations. However, it should be noted that a good presentation does not only rely on technology, but rather the synergy between group members, the ability to capture the attention of the audience, yet be able to adequately put your point across to your audience.

The readings made me think more about public relations theory/practice in that it is desirable for a public relations personnel to possess good presentation skills. As a PR person is constantly meeting new people in order to boost their/ company's profile, it is important to have good presentation skills as it affects the way others perceive them.

However, even though it is easy to say that PR people should have good presentation skills, it is not easy to acquire it. Good presentation skills might be a natural quality of some people, but for most people, achieving good presentation skills require practice and time.

On the same note, the improvement of presentation skills are not only through constant practice, but also require the PR person to read up on skills needed, discover their strength and weaknesses and to put into practice what they have learnt through interaction between people.

It should be noted that in a society which values teamwork and social skills, most presentations are done in a team rather than individually. As such, the execution of presentations become more complex as it involves different people with diverse personalities and working styles. It is essential to identify the qualities of group members and allocate roles according to their capabilities.

Perhaps it is important to pick someone in the group with leadership qualities to guide the group in the right direction towards the completion of the task. The leader can also be the mediator and decision maker when the situation arises, as different people have conflicting opinions and viewpoints.