“Listen to me – I’m a doctor!” Such words may never have crossed your lips. Many patients, however, with expectations of expertise, the perception of authority and feelings of trust will subconsciously hear this phrase at the end of every sentence spoken by their medical professional. They will therefore usually at least try to listen – whether they can comprehend, recall or follow their doctor’s advice is a different matter altogether.
But what if the audience which you are trying to engage is made up of other doctors?
In the course of your work you may well find yourself presenting to your peers, to those less experienced than yourself and even to others, who are vastly more experienced or senior to you. This may even form part of your medical interview.
Why should other doctors listen to you?
The skill set of the outstanding presenter is multi-facetted and, although some elements may come more naturally to some people than to others, there is much to be learned. In a recently posted 10 minute talk on TED.com, “How to speak so that people want to listen,” sound consultant Julian Treasure first outlines some of the common things which stop people from listening. He then concentrates upon the way which we can use our voice to improve our ability to hold the attention of others, exploring the importance of register, timbre, prosody, pace, pitch and volume.
Intelligent use and projection of the voice is one topic which we cover during our Teach the Teacher Presentation Skills Course for Doctors, where we also explore how to prepare effectively, handle post presentation questions and manage difficult audiences. There is plenty of opportunity to practise, receive feedback and refine your techniques.
Improving as a presenter takes dedicated time and deliberate practise. I hope you enjoy this 10 minute video talk.
