The Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE)

On Tuesday last week, Jayne Peirce attended the Boardroom Ready: Getting to Grips with Presentations seminar which was packed with insights, tips, techniques and real-life stories on how to boost women's confidence when presenting.

Expert trainer Trisha Proud delivered some excellent tips on opening and structuring a presentation, and offered some thought-provoking ideas on who delegates believed to be good presenters and why - so they could challenge their own mind-set when it comes to presenting.

Debbee Dale, director of Debbee Dale Development, explained how to use body language, tone of voice and language in a positive way to leave a lasting impression on the audience. She gave delegates her top tips for preparing, structuring and delivering a presentation - plus a personal action plan to assess their individual skills and techniques and put them into practice.

Professional singer and actress Laura Armstrong gave delegates vocal and breathing exercises to help project the voice, use range, pitch and tone - and, importantly, to take away some of the vocal wobbles that can reveal nerves.

Lorraine Barnes Burton, chief executive of the British Travel Awards, gave an honest and open insight into her journey in the past few years when it comes to presenting; how she prepares for big speeches. Here are Lorraine's top tips:

• Research your content.
• Practise your speech: video yourself and be constructively critical.
• Be natural, but don't try too hard, because that's not natural.
• Smile, pause and breathe.
• Make sure you have a glass of water.
• Don't assume anyone else on the podium is more confident than you - they're not.
• Accept every invitation to speak in a roundtable forum situation it helps you to understand and embrace your specialist areas, and women are naturally great in conversational speaking environments.
• Believe in yourself - we are usually our own harshest critics.

AWTE offer fantastic networking opportunities to meet many other women in management in the travel industry. Take a look at their website for more information http://www.awte.org.uk/index.html

Forthcoming Legislation

5 June 2011 - The Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees (Amendment) Regulations 2010 come into force, with the aim of increasing the use of European Works Councils.

1 July 2011 - Bribery Act comes into force. The Act creates several new offences for which employees, directors and commercial organisations can be liable. The Ministry of Justice has now published guidance on the procedures that should be put in place to prevent bribery.

1 October 2011 - The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 take effect, giving agency workers the right, after a 12-week qualifying period, to equal treatment with permanent employees in matters of pay and conditions.

4 January 2012 - The last day on which an employee under 12 months’ notice of retirement can make a valid request not to retire, under the transitional provisions phasing out the default retirement age