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Description

Public Speaking: Capture Attention, Hold the Room and Leave a Lasting Impression

Turning a presentation into a session the room genuinely follows to the very last minute

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • All levels
  • Up to 6 participants

Solid content is no protection against boredom. After a few minutes eyes drift down towards screens and the message no longer lands. An audience's attention has to be won and then sustained: it depends on the pace of the delivery, the images used and the relationship built with the room.

Two days in person to work on what holds attention: openings, storytelling, changes of pace, visual support and interaction with the audience. Each participant reworks a real presentation and delivers it several times in front of the group, which observes the moments when attention drops.

Learning objectives

  • Build an opening that captures attention within the first few seconds
  • Pace a presentation so that attention is regularly revived
  • Illustrate ideas through stories and concrete images
  • Create interaction with the audience during the presentation
  • Close on a message that stays with the audience afterwards

What makes this programme different

Each participant delivers the same reworked presentation three times
Group feedback focused on the moments when attention drops
Work carried out on the participants' own visual materials

Programme

1Winning the First Few Minutes

Attention is won straight away

  • Build an opening that frames what is at stake for the audience
  • Announce your message and your route through it
  • Establish your presence before you speak
  • Create first contact with the room
  • Avoid openings that lose attention

2Telling Stories and Illustrating Ideas

Ideas that can be seen

  • Turn a figure into an image that can be grasped
  • Build a short story in the service of one idea
  • Use analogies and examples drawn from the field
  • Simplify and prioritise your visual materials
  • Let a diagram speak rather than a bullet list

3Holding the Pace

Reviving attention

  • Vary pace, volume and the use of silence
  • Alternate sequences and registers
  • Move and occupy the space with intent
  • Spot the signs of disengagement in the room
  • Re-energise an audience that is fading

4Interacting and Closing

Right to the last minute

  • Ask questions that get the room to respond
  • Handle interventions and objections
  • Answer without losing the thread of your plan
  • Build a conclusion that calls for action
  • Finish at the time announced

Who is it for

This programme is intended for anyone who presents in front of an audience, whether clients, colleagues or internal committees.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Dates & locations

24 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.