Delivering Culturally Sensitive Presentations in English
Global working teams are an increasing reality in today’s business world. It is no longer unusual for members of the same project or even departmental team to be located simultaneously in California, Germany, Singapore and Ireland. Likewise, as companies seek to expand their reach beyond national borders, global customer acquisition is becoming standard operating procedure.
Clearly, doing business globally presents complexities on many fronts. In this blog, I will zero in specifically on presentations, and how cultural awareness of your audience can ensure you get your message across as you intended.
1. Accomodate each other on the emotional – factual spectrum: German audiences like facts. Lots of them. A convincing presentation lays out the background as well as every data-supported aspect of a problem, building to the introduction of a sensible and well-grounded solution. The facts are the star of the show, the presenter is merely a vehicle for the message.
In contrast, American audiences are impatient with detailed background analyses and an abundance of data. Even if copius data are relevant for decision making, they will prefer to receive and digest this separately; an effective presentation moves the audience on an emotional level first and a factual one second. The central message can be bold, creative and risky. The American audience prefers presentations that are less about analysis and more about a call to action. A charismatic presenter with a big personality and a dramatic touch is looked upon positively.
A German presenting to a mixed or American audience will need to strive to make a bigger emotional impact. Data and facts need to be kept to a minimum, and the main message needs to come sooner rather than later in the presentation. Involving the audience is another strategy for keeping attention and inspiring action. A good place to start to see how presenters play to emotions to get the message across can be found here.
Americans presenting to Germans will need to reign in the charisma and come to the presentation armed with factual details. Starting the presentation with a bold or risky proposal will strain credibility and not inspire the way it would with an all-American audience. German audience members will ask detailed questions and look critically at your conclusions; keep in mind that this is a sign of respect for the subject matter. Do not become flustered or discouraged and answer the questions as thoroughly as possible.
If you are German or American presenting to a mixed audience, bring detailed data in the form of a handout while keeping the presentation itself concise and the slides clean and easy to follow. Strike a balance between emotional and factual; avoid being too charismatic or too dry.
2. Accomodate each others’ attention spans: As you might guess, Germans—with their thirst for background and data—have a longer attention span for detailed presentations This attention dissipates quickly if you come across to them as a „Selbstdarsteller“ (self-promoter) and will be difficult to win back. Conversely, an American audience needs to have their attention grabbed quicky, and a business presentation needs to be as concise as possible while still covering the essentials clearly. Americans love TED talks —presentations by speakers who are well-known in their respective field or who have compelling stories. The talks clock in at under 20 minutes and use visual media sparingly.
3. Use clear, non-idiomatic language: Since this post deals with English-language presentations, obviously this point is directed to English native speakers. We often use idiomatic expressions in private and business conversations without batting an eyelash (did you catch that?). Loading your presentation with idioms—consciously or not—will confuse your audience and cloud your message. If you are not sure how infiltrated your language is with expressions, record yourself rehearsing your presentation and play it back. If you find yourself usings these expressions, make sure you find more clear and concrete alternative phrases.
Knowing how to tailor your presentations to meet the cultural expectations of your audience is an indispensible step to doing successful international business. Schedule a presentation training to make sure your message connects with your audience.
1 Response
[…] Presentations […]