We are proud of our specialist, hard-working, driven team and thought it was about time we let them meet you!
Our ‘SVMA Stories’ are about the trials and tribulations, the successes, the lessons, and the fun, that we have as a team.
Personal Development and Continuous Learning are one of the keystones of SVM Associates and one of the reasons that we are able to provide such a unique, innovative service to our clients that think outside of the usual box.
For our very first SVMA Story, we are handing over to Ellen, our Graduate Lift Engineer. Always expecting a lot from our team, we encouraged Ellen to step out of her comfort zone and take part in the Materials, Minerals, and Mining Young Person Lecture Competition. Here she tells her story and what she has learned.
Over to you Ellen…
Recently, I took part in the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining Young Person Lecture Competition. I decided to talk on the very topical subject of COVID-19 – ‘Will COVID-19 Cause us to Re-think our Materials Application?’.
The use of antimicrobial surfaces for everyday touch surfaces – like lift buttons – is currently underwhelming. As research shows that installing antimicrobial materials to touch surfaces reduces the transmission of viruses and bacteria, I decided this would be a good topic to explore.
The only problem was the thought of public speaking (even over Zoom) absolutely petrified me! How did I overcome this? I did what any rational person does in the face of a problem – I Googled it!
Luckily, it turned out that the internet had some good advice. For anyone finding themselves in a similar situation for the first time, here are my My Top Tips for Presentations (& how it went!):
Concentrate on your Core MessageThe Aim: When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question: What is the key point for my audience to take away? You only have limited speaking time, so make sure you can get your core message across. Ask yourself if your content helps to clearly communicate the message and add substance, or does it add fluff?
The Reality: It was hard to concentrate on my core message when the judging panel kept leaving the virtual judging room! However, they did stay long enough to give me feedback on my topic – it was an interesting topic, but I needed to be more confident. As I said earlier, I was petrified!
Tell Stories
The Aim: Stories help us to pay attention and remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, the audience is more likely to connect and to remember your points later. You could start with your presentation with a personal anecdote that helps introduce the topic and the problem organically.
The Reality: Having been given a VERY long 15 minutes to fill, I managed to speak for only 12 minutes and 30 seconds – a two-minute anecdote would have been a good idea. If anyone out there has a funny story about anti-microbial lift buttons please let me know!
Tie Everything Together at the End
The Aim: You’ve put a lot of time and effort into choosing a core message and constructing your presentation around it. When you get to the end, it’s time to tie up.
This is the last thing your audience will hear. It’s the last chance you have to drive home the point you were trying to make. Remind your listeners why they came to hear you. Reference things you talked about and how they relate to the overall message.
The Reality: Yes, this is a great idea – timing is everything. Perhaps that’s why the judges chose this part of my presentation to tell me that my camera had been off since I introduced myself!
Effective Visual Aids
The Aim: Only write down the key points in your slides. Try to avoid long detailed sections of text and bullet points. There are so many other more engaging and visually appealing ways to design your presentation slides that aren’t bullet points.
The Result: I wholeheartedly agree with this one and, as you’ll see from the slides included here, I tried to stick to this advice…and yes, they might not have been able to see me, but the judges could see my slides!
Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse
The Aim: While you don’t want to sound like you’ve just memorised the lines you do want to be completely comfortable with your material and be able to deliver your message with confidence. Practice makes perfect.
And do not forget to relax, breathe, and enjoy!
The Result:
- Relax – I definitely did not
- Breathe – I tried
- Enjoy – the challenge yes, the experience – not so much!
Thank you, Google, helpful as ever but a little way off the mark in some areas.
I learned a lot from the competition, not least from my competitor’s subjects such as nuclear reactors smart learning programmes that can detect material corrosion. It was a huge learning experience, from researching antimicrobial materials and their efficacy to delivering a presentation to an online audience presentation.
I was very pleased to be placed as Regional Runner Up but will I be entering again? Maybe….
Thank you Ellen & congratulations.
We are very proud of you and definitely think you should enter next year!
We hope Ellen’s experience helps anyone facing the daunting task of public speaking for the first time.
Would you like to meet the rest of our team? Click here and say hi. We look forward to sharing a new SVMA Story with you soon.
Established in 2004, SVM Associates pride ourselves on our industry expertise, persistent attention to detail, personable working style and unique approach to all aspects of building services, including; Lifts, Escalators and Facade Access, Mechanical Electrical and Public Health and Facilities Management.
For more information or to talk to one of our expert team, get in touch today.
