How do you prepare a presentation worth €10.8 million?
The desk and bookshelves in her office are lost under the piles of scientific journals. “Still, the content itself is not enough to receive a grant,” explains Britta Redlich, the director of a prominent scientific institute. She was given 15 minutes to present her ideas. “The most important lesson I learned was: think about a surprising opening and your take-home message.”
Pitching your research
The chance of good news after an interview with the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and European Research Council (ERC) is less than 50%. In the short time you are allowed to speak, your presentation and answers make all the difference. These are all reasons to optimally shine a light on yourself and your research and, in doing so, increase your chances. With targeted coaching, you will come out well prepared.
Scientific spark
“How can you stand out in the interview?” my trainer asked me, continues Britta. “Not through the content. We’ve already written a 50-page proposal on that.” With this proposal, she had already earned an access pass for the next round: the interview. The panel not only comprised experts from her field. “It is about the spark that you generate,” she describes. “But,” she immediately adds, “we are not that used to this. Usually, we scientists keep everything professional and scientific.”
In preparing for the moment of truth, she called in the help of Wageningen In’to Languages. At different moments throughout the process, trainer Inez Zondag shared her ideas about the presentation and interview. The sessions were about a surprising opening line, story threads, building tension and the take-home message. As well as about being persuasive without words: smiling, looking at people directly, being enthusiastic.
Practicing listening
The director gave the 15-minute presentation while her three colleagues looked on. “We even practiced how my colleagues had to listen. If someone would look away or seem uninterested, it would take the power out of my story. It is about these sorts of details. How do you sit actively? How do you ensure that you radiate interest and enthusiasm?”
The fine-tuning paid off. The presentation went well. The second part was the question round, lasting 45 minutes. The questions that were fired off were not known in advance. They could be about anything: from communication to staffing. “Of course we formulated and answered all potential questions in preparation. In this, too, appearance and teamwork are very important. We made simple and effective agreements. For example: if you wanted to say something, you had to lean forwards slightly. In that way, we could prevent speaking over one another.”
Core messages
Merely responding is a passive approach. That is why Britta also considered her core messages in advance: the elements that had to become embedded in the minds of the panel members. “Take the international character of our labs as an example. Each year, they handle over 200 projects. That makes us unique. I wanted the panel members to consider this in their evaluation.”
The result: a grant worth €10.8 million. In the bookshelf in her office, space has been made for congratulations: greetings cards and a bottle of wine. Does the scientist have any more tips for other researchers? “I think everyone knows how important it is to set out yourself and your project well. But it is not a theatre production. You must be yourself and work with your own strengths.”
And the take-home message?
“With your support, we can develop from a hidden treasure to a scientific crown jewel in the Netherlands.”
The first step towards this has been taken.
Would you like to follow training sessions on presenting or pitching successfully yourself and, in doing so, strengthen your presentation skills even more? Then please contact us or find out more about our tailor-made courses for scientific communication.