Self-Study Workbooks - Prepare a Presentation | Page 11

Prepare a Presentation
POP
A simple but effective structure for presentations to persuade or influence is ‘POP’, which stands
for:




Position
Options
Proposal

–
–
–

to give a context
to demonstrate the actions that can be taken
to recommend a course of action

Position
Start by outlining the current state/issue. Tell everyone what is happening now, and the
problems/concerns associated with this. Be as factual as possible so that everyone is in
agreement with your assessment of the current position. If they are in agreement, they are more
likely to listen properly to what you have to say.
For example “We have experienced a 10% increase in equipment failure this month, which was an
8% increase on last month. Currently, our failure rate is 15% higher than it was this time last year.
This means there are delays in production, which is having a knock-on effect on customer
satisfaction and the wages bill, as people are being asked to work overtime once the equipment is
fixed.”
Options
Outline two or three ways that you think the problem could be solved. Providing a number of
ways shows that you have given proper thought to the process.
Either explain each idea and its benefits briefly, and then take each in turn to expose any
risks/problems associated with them. Alternatively, discuss each idea in full (its merits and
potential problems) before moving on to the next idea. Support each idea with facts or examples
wherever possible, but also include less tangible aspects if they are relevant.
For example “We could introduce a new shift system, which would mean that we always had
people available to do the work without resorting to overtime. However, that will mean
disrupting the workforce, and not everyone will be happy to change their hours, so there may be
some resistance”.
Proposal
Having outlined the options, be clear about which one you are recommending. Stress the benefits
that outweigh the pitfalls/risks, and ask for a commitment or some other action in support of this.
For example “So I’d like to re-organise the team along those lines” or “I think that we should get
some quotes in to look at replacing machines X Y and Z”.
Power Hour – Prepare a Presentation
www.power-hour.co.uk

Self Study Workbook

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Copyright Power-Hour 2012