PDA - Effective Presentation Techniques

Michael Piazza

At the urging of his Intermediate Accounting Professor, Michael began his instructing career as an accounting tutor at the University of Mississippi. Later, after a semester of successfully tutoring several of his own students through Accounting 101 and 102, he was recruited by the Ole Miss Athletic Association to serve as study hall accounting tutor, instructing all levels of college accounting. Two years later, as a graduate student, Michael began teaching university classes in accounting at Ole Miss then at Texas A&M University. This experience and his natural instructional ability brought him to the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) as one of the first staff instructors in the IIA's Seminar Department.

Under the tutelage of several seasoned internal audit presenters (including his mentors: Tom Capps, Robert Atkisson, Sam Newman and Larry Sawyer), Michael developed into a world class seminar leader and presenter.

He and Rick Balog, one of Michael's close friends and colleagues, jointly developed and presented one of the earliest versions of the IIA's Instructor Development Course (IDC). They expanded the use of videotaping new instructors during their presentations to aid them in understanding the pragmatic concepts of physical environment, body language and other effective techniques. A version of Michael and Rick's IDC is still offered by the IIA more than two decades later.

The Effective Presentations Techniques (EPT) course brings to the participants Michael's thirty plus years as an instructor and presenter. The course is centered around three major areas: Behavioral, Perceptual and Environmental Techniques, exploring in detail the aspects of successful and effective presentations and instruction. At the end of the EPT, Michael offers an optional one to one session with each participant to confidentially discuss the strengths and weaknesses exhibited in the presentations they delivered during the course. Any and all questions are entertained and approached. This type of sharing is invaluable for personal growth as a presenter and instructor.

Many of Michael's participants in the EPT course and the IIA's IDC course became successful and long term presenters, several of them developed into professional and consulting instructors. Anyone who wishes to seek and increase their skills in presenting will grow dramatically from participating in the EPT course. Especially those who wish to participate as an instructor in the IIA's seminar program and/or those seeking to instruct and consult as a second career.

Effective Presentation Techniques Course Overview

Effective Presentation Techniques Course Outline