Presentation Skills
- We provide basic presentation skills training for professionals in the Architectural/ Engineering/ Contracting community through our Effective Presentations by Design program. This program is tailored to each organization and to the team members who participate. In the basic program, participants learn how to tailor presentation material to the audience, develop compelling content in an easy, structured manner, design and use effective visuals, and answer audience questions. To date, we’ve provided this training to more than 2,500 hundred professionals from large and small construction, architectural, engineering, and environmental science firms.
- Our Advanced Presentation Skills program integrates group learning, individual coaching, and video-taping to engage participants and create lasting skill improvement. We recently combined this with helping firms develop in-house coaching and long-term follow-up programs to help participants continue the learning process after they leave the training. Participants learn how to integrate four stages of presentation development into creating winning short-list interview content, the development and delivery of six different types of presentations, and easy methods to create “chemistry” with an audience. In this program, we also provide one-on-one coaching with each participant to further tailor the learning environment and yield rapid, but lasting, improvement.
This program can also be tailored to different roles within an organization. For example, last year we provided the advanced program for interior designers who work as a part of larger design teams, but who also pursue their own work. We also designed and delivered a specific program for estimators.
- Our Explorations training program provides an opportunity for teams to practice short-list interviewing using a scenario project, complete with a Request for Proposal, visuals, and coaching. We even bring in a realistic selection committee to provide feedback and additional coaching. In this program, participants are divided into project teams to learn how to gather pre-interview information from the client, create a winning interview strategy, develop team content, choreograph participants into a dynamic presentation team, develop effective visuals, and anticipate and answer audience questions. Teams are filmed and a candid evaluation is provided by the selection committee.
“Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate the training you gave us. As I reviewed your tips and feedback with others, I was amazed how much I retained. I could go on and on, but I feel a greater confidence in going to an interview and now I know where I can find the tools for the process.”
Bob Witty, VECA Electric and Communications
“We needed a firm that understood the unique issues facing the construction industry in terms of winning in interviews. Meg Winch and her associates at Communication Resources fit the bill perfectly.
She and her team tailored their workshop to fit our needs making it both extremely interactive and informative.”
Libby Kuehl, Director of Education and Training, Lydig Construction, Inc.
“I now have a better understanding of the challenges that the BD staff face when trying to motivate technical staff to respond to RFPs and the importance of preparing for interviews. Also, I learned it makes sense to not waste interview time rehashing your qualifications; focus on how you can differentiate your firm.”
Gregg Creaser, PE/President/CEO, Speedie & Associates, Inc.
Meg’s latest thoughts on helping teams win new work.