Talk on Short Notice

A well-prepared presentation is possible at the last minute. It only takes a little practice. These principles can be applied whether you are speaking informally to five people or giving a formal speech to 50.
Impromptu vs. Unprepared Presentations
Impromptu presentations do not mean you do not prepare. Think through the following key points as well as how to best communicate what is necessary for the requested presentation.
A lesson taught early in presentation skills courses is to “treasure the threes,” which means create a presentation structure that has three main components: an opening, a body, and a closing. If you can manage those three, your presentation will be organized every time.
Getting Off On The Right Foot
An attention-grabbing opening is not difficult to develop. On short notice, no one expects you to be witty or humorous because last-minute presenters are usually expected to address a specific issue or concern.
Grab your listeners’ attention by beginning with the issue you are there to speak on. This can be done by asking a question that reflects back to the topic. For example, if you are asked to present the status of a project, begin your presentation with the question, “One of our current projects is Project X. Just where do we currently stand right with Project X and are we on track for our end goal?” This is exactly what everyone in the room is there to find out so you immediately have their attention.
Keep It Going
The body of your presentation – whether it’s five or 50 minutes – should then answer the question posed in your opening. You are giving valuable information to the attendees and you have their attention.
Plan to cover no more than three points in the body of your presentation. People best retain up to three pieces of information so list those three project points to the group up front. For example: this is where we stand, these are our budget concerns and this is the proposed process we are implementing to move the project forward.
Next, tell them in broader detail what you just outlined. If you are up-to-date with your project, you should already know this information and can expand upon it. The last statement in the body of your speech should then summarize the three points you just explained. You could say, “In summary, where things stand include Points One, Two, and Three. And we will overcome these concerns and move the project forward by doing actions a, b, and c”.
A powerful closing statement might start by addressing the opening question. This brings the presentation full circle and sums up why everyone has been listening. Then ask whether you have answered all concerns and field questions. Finish your presentation by calling the group to action or reaffirming everyone’s commitment to the project. Examples might include, “With the status I have just presented, I ask that you continue your commitment to move forward with the project”, or “With the concerns I have addressed, I ask that you commit another person to the task at hand.” These steps will reaffirm the commitment of the group members.
Public Speaking on Short Notice
If you burn this basic presentation structure into your mind, when called upon, you will be able to create a well-prepared impromptu presentation. You can apply this structure to almost any talk you give. To reiterate:
Remember the rule of threes – people remember threes best.
Follow a structure that includes an attention-getting opening that reflects the issue you’ve been asked to present; a body with no more than three points; and a closing that reaffirms, motivates, or calls to action.
Presenting on short notice is a strong, career-building skill.
- From an article titled “On Short Notice: How to Give Powerful Presentations When You Have Little Time to Prepare” in HR.com by Sylvia Henderson, who conducts experiential programs for people who want to communicate more clearly to achieve personal and more professional success. Refer www.SpringboardTraining.com.

Energy Saving

Synchronous belts save energy in HVAC
Reichhold Inc. is a global supplier to the composites and coatings industries, with 18 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries. Its facility in Durham, N.C., was spending about $80,000 per month in energy costs to operate this equipment during the summer.
The Company approached Gates Corp., maker of industrial power transmission belt drive systems, to survey the plant for potential energy savings. Gates found that there were 21 HVAC units with 30 hp motors, 44 fume hood exhaust fans with 5 hp to 10 hp motors, and four cooling tower fan drives with 50 hp motors, all V-belt-driven.
The Gates representative recommended purchasing two tools to accurately align and tension the belt drives: a laser alignment device and a sonic tension meter. When properly aligned and tensioned, a new V-belt drive operates at 98% efficiency. Mis-alignment of the pulleys and improper belt tension can cause efficiency to drop below 90%, wasting energy and shortening the life of the drive. By implementing these simple procedures, the Reichhold plant saved $60,000 in energy the first year.
As a second step, the Gates analyzed the existing belt drives on each piece of equipment. They performed the analysis using a belt-drive selection tool called Design Flex Pro, a free software program. In addition to designing belt drives, the program determines proper belt installation tension, calculates belt pull, determines the belt horsepower capacity, and estimates the energy savings of a synchronous belt drive over a V-belt drive.
The Reichhold facility had four cooling tower fan drives, each fitted with six-strand V-belts. With the motors running at 100% capacity, the drives were generating 26 hp. The software analysis recommended conversion to a 14-mm Gates synchronous Poly Chain GT Carbon belt drive.
Initially, only one of the fan drives was converted so results could be compared. With the motor operating at 100% capacity (60 Hz), the synchronous belt drive generated nearly twice the horsepower (51 hp versus 26 hp for the V-belt drive). This greater efficiency allowed the plant to operate the motor at 80% capacity (48 Hz) and still achieve the desired horsepower. With the motor drawing 20% less power to achieve the same result, energy costs were reduced. Estimated yearly cost savings is $12,595 by converting all four fans, including reduced downtime and maintenance costs.
A similar approach with the HVAC drive units and rooftop exhaust fans gave estimated savings of $10,608 and $11,000 per year respectively, for a total of more than $34,000 per year in reduced energy costs. In addition, the synchronous belts will run for years without re-tensioning or replacement, saving additional downtime and maintenance costs.-

Ref: www.plantservices.com/bestpractices