1. Formality
The biggest mistake I was making when I started out trying to deliver stakeholder meetings was making them too formal. When giving presentations, or just in general, I like to use humour, be a bit informal and make a lot of analogies. But when I was in these meeting, specifically, I felt like the importance of the meeting for my project and the amount of content I had to cover, put pressure on me to make a really serious formal presentation. This just doesn't work for me. I'm not that kind of person and it just doesn't work. Now that I've started presenting how I would at a conference, everything goes a lot better, conversation is more flowing and the atmosphere in general is just really helpful and constructive to my project.
2. Length
One other mistake I was having was to try and fit everything in. I felt like all of my research was important and I wanted to tell them all the exciting things I had been learning. Wrong! Assume 1-2 minutes per slide and cut it down if it's too long. Be ruthless!
3. Lateness
I was frequently frustrated when people were arriving to my meetings early and leaving late. It's not personal. It just happens sometimes. Put key info fairly near to the beginning, leaving enough time if people will likely be late.
4. Content
The most important thing to think about about your steering group meeting is why are you doing it? What do you want from it? It can't just be to update your stakeholders. You are having this meeting to help your project.
For my most recent meeting, what I wanted out of it was to get a supervisor to write me a letter of support for my request for a PhD extension. I also wanted to give a prompt to someone who was going to sort something out for me but hadn't yet.
My 1h30 presentation consisted of:
- Slide 1 Title
- Slide 2 Agenda
- Slide 3 Project aims and objectives
- Slide 4 Work completed so far during the project
- Slide 5-6 Brief recap of experimental details
- Slide 7 Gantt chart of future project progression
- Slide 8-11 What the experiments look like/current challenges and successes
- Slide 12-16 A recap of the science behind my project (requested by attendees last meeting)
- Slide 17 Larger experimental plan/Gantt chart
- Slide 18 Thanks
When updating the stakeholders, assume no prior knowledge. Assume they have forgotten the aims of your experiment and briefly recap them at the start. The very basic why you are doing the work and why it is important that they're in the room.
In terms of experimental details, only tell them what they need to know so your meeting aims are fulfilled. They might want to go into greater detail but leave that to them. Don't go into the detail about any experimental problems unless you want them to do something to solve them.
Summary
So, doube check you're avoiding these mistakes. If so, your presentation will be up, running and ready to roll! Now all you have to do is relax as best you can and present in a way that is most comfortable to you. If you still feel really nervous, just do the classic fake it until you make it. You could also plan a treat for yourself when it's over and done with to rewsrd yourself. Celebrate the small wins.
