Hands-on Skills
The first presentation at work is rarely a speech. It is a five-minute update.
Students present to classmates and examiners, usually reading from crowded slides. At work, the common version is shorter and harder: five minutes in a team meeting to say what was done, what was found and what is needed, then answer questions from people who know the subject. This session has each participant prepare and give one.
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Short updates are where new joiners get noticed, or overlooked.
Team meetings, project reviews and client calls all include short updates. A clear five minutes tells a manager that someone understands their work and can be trusted with more. A rambling one, read from a dense slide, hides good work.
Nervousness is normal and does not go away completely. What helps is a structure, rehearsal and knowing what the audience actually wants to hear. All three can be learnt in a single practical session.
What the session covers
24 topics across 5 areas. Five parts, ending with every participant presenting.
What the Audience WantsStart from the listener.4
- What has changed since last time?
- Is anything at risk?
- Is a decision needed?
- What do you need from them?
If they remember one sentence, which one should it be?
A Structure for Five MinutesSimple enough to use under pressure.5
- The headline first
- Two or three supporting points
- Problems and what you propose
- The decision or help needed
- A clear finish
Slides That Support YouFewer words, bigger point.5
- One message per slide
- A title that states the point
- One chart instead of a table of numbers
- Nothing you will read aloud word for word
- A backup slide for likely questions
DeliveryClear rather than impressive.5
- Rehearsing aloud, against the clock
- Pace, pauses and looking at people
- Speaking from notes, not a script
- Presenting on a video call
- Managing nerves without pretending they are absent
Handling QuestionsOften more important than the talk.5
- Listening to the whole question
- Answering briefly
- Saying “I do not know, I will find out” and meaning it
- Following up in writing afterwards
- Staying calm when challenged
An honest “I will check” is better than a confident guess in front of people who know the answer.
What participants present
- An update on a college project, internship or part-time job
- Or a realistic work scenario provided in the room
- Five minutes, three or four slides, then questions
Feedback each participant receives
- Was the main point clear in the first minute?
- Did the slides help or distract?
- Was it on time?
- How were the questions handled?
- One thing to keep and one thing to change
Who teaches it
- Team leads and managers who run update meetings
- Consultants and client-facing professionals
- Project managers
- Founders who pitch and report regularly
How the session runs
The practitioner gives a short update of their own and then takes it apart: structure, slides, timing. Participants build a five-minute update with three or four slides, rehearse in pairs, and present to the group. Each person receives specific feedback and answers a question or two from the practitioner. The group is kept small so that everyone presents; nobody watches from the back.
What your students leave with
- A simple structure for any short work update
- Three or four slides that support the speaker rather than replace them
- A five-minute update given in front of the group
- Specific feedback from a practitioner on their own delivery
- A calmer way to handle questions they cannot answer
- A clear idea of what managers listen for
Scheduled sessions
Nothing scheduled yet
Sessions are arranged with a college once a date is agreed. Ask us and we will find the right person for it.
A student rather than a college? See what is coming up, or ask your placement team to host this.
Five minutes, one clear point, and an honest answer to the question that follows.
Tell us who your students are and what stage they are at. Sessions are free for participants.