Successful Presenting to People from Different Countries

Do your homework

Make sure you understand your audience. How fluent are they in the language you will be using? What are their needs, concerns, and attitudes? What cultural differences do you need to take into account

Speaking slowly is useful for good public speaking in any situation and vital when your audience isn’t familiar with the language you are using. If you naturally speak quickly and think you’ve adapted your pace you probably still need to slow down even more. Most people fear they will slow down so much that they will patronise their audience but this is rarely the case.

Pause

Some of the world’s greatest speakers are masters of the ‘pause’. They use this technique to create impact and to draw their audience’s attention to key points they want to emphasise. Pausing is also invaluable when it comes to presenting to multi-cultural groups. When you stop speaking it gives your audience time to think and take in what you are saying. Use simple language . Avoid colloquial expressions that can't be easily translated.

Pay attention to their  body language

This is important in any presentation because it gives you vital clues about how your audience is responding. Be alert to small signals – facial expressions and body posture. If you sense something you are doing isn’t quite working for everyone do something different. This may mean slowing down or explaining a point in a different way.

Be aware or your body language and voice

As a rule of thumb the further north you go the less exuberant people’s body language becomes. In Finland, for instance, gestures are very small whereas in Latin America the pace is faster, gestures are bigger and voices have more energy and variety.

Enjoy yourself

Presenting to multi-cultural groups requires effort and can be extremely rewarding. If you take time to plan your approach and pay attention to these simple tips for success you will start to relax, feel confident and comfortable with the group. Every audience responds to a presenter who is ‘in flow’, in touch with their audience’s needs and enjoying the process.

(Adapted from https://blog.speak-first.com/successful-presenting-to-people-from-different-cultures)