BY MICHAEL A. TERPAK
Regardless of the rank being evaluated, skills assessors will evaluate a test candidate’s ability to organize and express his thoughts, ideas, and actions in an assessment center exam. The ability to clearly and persuasively present information to a group or an individual can be difficult to masterbut if you do, it will pay great dividends. Test candidates who can express themselves well during their exercise will not only score well within the oral communications dimension, but they will also make it easier for evaluators to identify whether they have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to carry out the responsibilities of the position to which they are aspiringin other words, get promoted.
A number of methods and techniques can be used to prepare candidates for oral assessment exercises, but for many who are new to the assessment process, the challenges could be significant. We often see the most difficulty in the oral communications area among candidates studying for their first promotional exam. The primary reason for this is that the firefighter position and the responsibilities generally don’t require members to possess many of the skills outlined in the oral communications dimension. Firefighters need to develop and practice many of the oral communication skills measured for the company officer position. These facts and the anxiety of taking their first promotional exam will often interfere with firefighters’ ability to perform well in this test area if they are not adequately prepared.
PREREQUISITES
Oral assessment exercises for any position within the fire service necessitate that you verbally express your knowledge of the test material. This is no easy chore. To do well, you need to understand and master a few prerequisites.
Solid foundation and knowledge base. The first approach to developing and delivering an effective oral presentation is building a solid foundation and knowledge base within the test subject areas. This is critical for delivering your presentation with confidence, conviction, and clarity. If you are uncertain, it will definitely show in your lack of eye contact, use of a soft monotone voice, poor body language, and unorganized approach. Preparing and developing a significant knowledge base with the test material and format will embolden you. But, that, by itself, is not enough.
Know what the assessors are looking for.This may seem sneaky and even difficult to attain, considering the vast areas within this scoring dimension. But it isn’t. Much of it comes down to preparation and practice. Candidates who have scored well in an oral assessment exercise will tell you that they practiced their delivery or presentation numerous times well before their exam date. This is a must; there is no way around it. You have to practice your presentation in the format in which you will be tested. Whether it is a fire scene simulation, a subordinate coaching and counseling session, or a training exercise, you must practice, practice, and practice some more. However, as important as practice is, it must come with a creditable and measurable evaluation.
“What to do and what not to do.”To assist you with your preparation, Table 1 represents scoring sheets I use to evaluate a student’s oral communication skills in a preparation seminar. Note that many of the measurable areas listed, for the most part, are easy to recognize but are often difficult to exhibit. Make a copy of the table and use it as you practice your exercises.
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“Video Game Exercise.” This approach is a simple, but effective, strategy used to improve a candidate’s oral communications skills. It offers a simple technique for further analyzing verbal and nonverbal skills. It involves a video camera and a practice oral scenario. Videotape a performance of your sample oral scenario. After the taping, the following two-step process is recommended to gain a true perspective of the areas that need improvement.
Step 1: After viewing the videotape in its entirety, rewind the tape and play it again, but this time view it with no volume. The objective of this viewing is to observe your body language. Viewing the tape with no volume will enable you to get a clear picture of the positive or negative images you present as you respond to the questions. Look for such things as little or no eye contact, distracting mannerisms, and unorganized pacing, to name a few.
Step 2: Rewind the tape again. This time play the tape, but put your back to the TV so you can only hear, not see, your presentation. By simply listening and not viewing the tape, your senses will be forced to concentrate on your oral communication skills. Attempt to focus on your organization and flow, as well as word usage, clarity, and the conviction in your voice. Listening without seeing sends an entirely different message.
As simple as this game/technique may seem, it is a great tool that I have used and continue to use in promotional seminars to assist students. Try it.
USING GRAPHICS
Depending on the assessment center’s design and the particular exercise being measured, candidates may also be given the opportunity to incorporate an audiovisual aid into their presentation. Some of the more common examples may include paper and easel or a chalk board. A common graphic used for an oral assessment would be a diagram created by the candidate on a blackboard. In the case of cutting the roof of a fire building, for example, the candidate would use the graphic to explain how he would proceed. The candidate might also chart the delegation of resources on a command tracking and accountability board. The obvious advantages of using a visual aid is that it can enhance your presentation if it is planned, practiced, and organized; otherwise, it will detract from your presentation and adversely affect your score.
Any graphics used in your presentation must be neat and organized. You don’t have to be a graphic artist to effectively use a chalk board or a piece of paper, but you have to be aware of what will enhance your presentation and what will take away from it. It all starts with knowing what tools will be available for your use, as well as the environment/room in which you will be presenting.
On an average, assessors could be as little as five feet to as much as 10 or more feet from your delivery area. With that in mind, make lettering, numbering, and diagrams large enough so the assessors can see and understand them. Depending on the assessment exercise, the diagram should be simple and describe the operation. You can make periodic gestures or references toward the displaynothing more. Many times, unprepared or uncertain candidates use their graphic as a crutch, constantly looking and talking toward it. This will obviously produce a negative, distractive effect and cause you to seem unprepared; you will lose valuable points in your presentation. When graphics are allowed and used, assessors will be looking at your planning, organizational, and presentation skills associated with the graphic. Short, neat, and brief graphics, with periodic references to them, are more than enough.
PACING STRATEGIES
Unless your oral presentation needs to be delivered in a seated position, you should not stand in one place during your entire presentation. In any oral presentation that allows you to stand, understanding the dynamics of effective movement is a great technique to enhance a presentation. Staying in one place for the entire presentation can seem boring and will limit your chances for a spirited/animated presentation. Effective movement can assist you in drawing attention to detail, persuasiveness, and overall visual dynamicswhich will add interest and motivation to your presentation. However, like any technique, you have to understand when, where, and how to employ it.
The first criterion to consider is the setting or environment. In large rooms or settings where it is difficult to hear, or where the assessors are set back from your presentation area, your movement may be restricted to a sound-equipped lectern. If these restrictions don’t exist and movement is allowed, limit and time pacing to emphasis key points, to elicit a specific response, or to create a more professional environment.
For example, during the body of your presentation, you should occasionally pace toward the audience or the individual posing a question, making sure that you stay in front of the assessors at all times. Additionally, if you are using graphics, splitting your presentation time to the left and then to the right side of your graphic gives the impression of a professionally controlled and organized environment. During the limited presentation time often associated with an oral exercise, you should move to the opposite side of your graphic only once. That is why it is suggested that you split the time to the left and right equally. Any more than that may make you seem unorganized and nervous and may be distracting.
It is also important to note that your pacing should be “organized”: It should be at a speed that is in sync with the pace of your voice and in concert with your hand gestures and eye contact. To do otherwise will adversely affect your score. The following are pacing maneuvers to avoid:
- Frantically moving back and forth.
- Favoring one side of the graphic or presentation area compared to the other.
- Invading the assessors’ space or getting too close (maintain a distance of five to 10 feet).
- Moving too far from your graphic or presentation area (maintain a maximum distance of five feet from your graphic).
EYE CONTACT/FACIAL EXPRESSION
You can make a good first impression by establishing eye contact early with the assessment team. Start when you enter the room, and maintain it throughout your presentation. This doesn’t mean that you need stare down the assessors as soon as you enter the room and never take your eyes off them. This is obviously intimidating as well as a little scary. When you enter the room, glance toward the assessors. Let them know you are there. Show them that you are confident, ready, and enthusiastic about being there.
Do not focus on only one assessor when others are present. In many exercises, there will be more than one assessor evaluating your presentation. Depending on the exercise, its design, and the number of measurable dimensions, there are at least two assessors you must consider within your presentation. Each will evaluate a certain list of assigned dimensions while listening and responding to your presentation. To achieve the optimum results, alternate eye contact between the assessors, giving each equal attention and respect. Fixing your eyes on just one of them could be perceived as a sign of uncertainty or a lack of confidence relative to the material and subject matter and may taint your overall performance. Strong eye contact and a confident oral presentation, combined with skillful and properly timed facial expressions, can be great positive influences.
Regarding facial expressions, a common school of thought is that they will come naturallyyou can’t rehearse or time them. I disagree. If you are aware of them, their meaning, as well as their effect on your presentation, they can definitely enhance your presentation. It is best to start with two of the most common ones:
- Smiling. Use a smile when you enter the room as you meet and greet the assessment teamremember first impressions. Periodically use it within your presentation, especially when you are focusing on an accomplishment by you or a role player. Also, end the presentation on a positive note. When closing or summarizing, take advantage of the timing and attempt to lighten the moment and soften your expression. Smiling will demonstrate interpersonal skills, composure, and confidence to the assessor.
- Raising and lowering your eyebrows. Lowered eyebrows combined with narrowed eyes will give the assessor the impression that you are lost, confused, and uncertain. You could exhibit this indirectly as you attempt to present the material, or it can be initiated by an uncertain or confusing question posed by the assessor. On the other hand, tactfully raising an eyebrow when highlighting a very important topic adds a dimension of enthusiasm and persuasiveness, as well as a mastery of technical knowledge.
HOW DRESS AFFECTS PERFORMANCE
There are many misconceptions about this subject. Does how you dress affect your scoring? The answer some professionals will give is no. There is no dimension within an assessment center that scores you on your type and style of clothing. It should not make a difference if you are wearing the classic blue suit, white shirt, and red tie; your fire department dress uniform and bell cap; or a pair of dungarees and a T-shirt. But guess what?It does make a difference not directly but indirectly. It makes a difference simply based on the impression you make. Other texts and consultants will immediately argue this. They will tell you it makes no difference at all, and they are rightit’s not supposed to.
As professional as most assessors can be and as disciplined as they are with their evaluating and scoring, your dressing neatly and professionally shows that you are committed and organized and pay specific attention to detail. You cannot dispute the impression a neatly pressed suit or uniform, a clean-shaven face, and a neat haircut make compared to a wrinkled suit, an unshaven face, and clothes that obviously don’t fit. It is very true that in a professionally designed and administered assessment center, you are scored directly on your knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the subject material and its measurable behaviors.
But with all the preparation you have to do, why would you even consider neglecting this part of your presentation? In many assessment centers, test designers often use active or retired fire officers from other cities and states who are educated and trained to assess candidates in their presentations. As scripted and as disciplined as they can be in their assessment of you, your appearing in a neatly pressed suit or dress uniform gives a different impression than less professional forms of dress. These officers have likely seen this type of neglected appearance before. You need to be neat and professional in your dress. Remember first impressions.
The conservative business suit and the fire department dress uniform are the two most widely worn candidate dress forms. Each is fitting for the environment, but each has limitations. If you are testing for a position in another fire department, wearing your current department’s uniform is not wise; wear a business suit. The other deciding factor has to be what will be comfortable for you to wear, given the assessment design, and what will empower you as you make your presentation. Some feel more confident and comfortable in a fire department dress uniform; others prefer a suit and a tie. In either case, make sure they fit properly and are neat and clean and nondistracting.
In preparation seminars, I often present a test simulation day when students come dressed the way they will dress on test day. This approach has two objectives: to recreate the testing environment in an attempt to quell the anxiety of test day and to have the candidates evaluate whether their appearance and comfort enhanced or took away from the day.
I am a fan of the fire department dress uniform; it is our business suit. I think it empowers an individual and presents a very professional image. However, I must remind you of two important items. Fire department dress uniforms are not designed and fitted to be worn in a seated position. They could become very uncomfortable and distracting during a seated exercise. Second, the day of your exam is not the day to see how your uniform fits. If it has been some time since you wore your dress uniform, chances are you may need to have it altered. The last thing you want to happen is to have a button hit the assessor in the eye as you attempt to sit down.
You need to evaluate your presentation as well as your appearance. To be able to compete and score well on your promotional exam, practice like you plan to present on test day. Practice does make perfect. It’s up to you.
MICHAEL A. TERPAK, a member of the fire service for 33 years, has spent the past 29 years with the Jersey City (NJ) Fire Department, where he is a deputy chief and citywide tour commander. Throughout his career, he has worked in the city’s Lafayette and Greenville areas with Engines 10 and 17, Ladder 12, and Rescue 1; as chief of the city’s 2nd Battalion; and as the former chief in charge of the city’s Training Division. Terpak lectures extensively around the country on fire/rescue and related topics and is the founder of Promotional Prep, a New Jersey-based consulting firm designed to prepare firefighters and fire officers studying for promotional exams. Terpak, who also has a B.S. degree in fire safety administration from the City University of New Jersey, is the author of Fireground Size-Up (Fire Engineering, 2002) and Assessment Center Strategy and Tactics (Fire Engineering, 2008).
