Mind mapping for natural presentation
As the participant’s fear decreases by doing the cognitive restructuring and imaginary exposure exercises, the desire to try speaking in public grows, which is something that, until now, he has often avoided. The participant will, therefore, have to become familiar with a technique that will help him tell a story or give a presentation in a natural way. Mind mapping is such a technique.
Mind mapping is a way of organising and recording information that well suits the human brain. With mind mapping, information is not linearly stored, as we are used to, but is stored in a logically structured and, as much as possible, visual manner. Neurologists agree that this is a better way of clearly organising and remembering information. By making a mind map, the presentation is actually recorded as a film in the brain. During the giving of a presentation, the speaker can link outlines and details in a very natural way. Presentations can be given confidently from memory because the information has been stored in an effective manner.
Below you can see a mind map of the training programme Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking. By making this simple mind map, I have logically structured the information I want to impart to you. And by making the map, I have its construction like a film in my head. Every time I give a speech or training course about overcoming the fear of public speaking, I follow this mind map for the logical structure of my story. And one thing is certain; at the end of my presentation everyone who has heard me knows how he can overcome his fear of public speaking in only 21 days.
Mind mapping combines writing and drawing. By using various colours, pictures and connections, you construct strong associations. And that fits well with your memory, which also works through associations. Mind mapping stimulates both sides of your brain; the left side for rational and logical thought, the right side for creative thought. Mind mapping stimulates the recording, processing and retrieving of information in images – visual thinking.
A mind map begins with a central word or concept in the middle of a piece of paper. From that central word, lines are drawn and on those lines the most important concepts are noted. And from those concepts, more lines are drawn, and in this way you can make the mind map as detailed as you wish.
By the making of a mind map for a presentation, you begin by noting the essence of the presentation in the centre of a piece of paper. The essence is the part of the message that your presentation is all about; the part that you want those hearing your presentation to remember, even if they forget everything else. Pay a lot of attention to the visualization of the essence. Use various colours for this.
Now think of the most import subjects that you want to share with your audience. Place them around the drawing of the essence. Connect the essence and the subjects with lines. It’s best if you also visually represent the main subjects. If you write them, be sure to use colours and alternate large and small letters. Underline the important parts, or make the letters bold. Construct the mind map clockwise – place the subject you want to talk about first at 1 o’clock and your closing subject at 11 o’clock.
Now fill in the main subjects. Think of what information you want to impart per subject. Which experiences do you want to share? Which examples do you want to mention? Place this information in catchwords or small drawings around the main subjects. Connect the main subjects with the relevant sub-subjects. Emphasise the examples that you particularly want to impart. Use different supporting colours.
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