I recently attended a lecture/discussion at a prestigious university. The speaker was explaining complex theories, illustrated by complex slides, which he had also printed and distributed. As he lectured, he paced gently back and forth while using a laser pointer to circle words or phrases he wanted to emphasize.
If I were this very bright man’s speech coach, the first thing I would do is wrestle that pointer right out of his hand!
Laser pointers are fun for the speaker to use. But for the audience, they can be as mesmerizing and distracting as fireflies on a hot summer night. They are difficult to use smoothly. The slightest quiver in your hand shows up like a gnat doing the twist on the screen. My advice: lose the laser.
The next thing I would do is simplify those slides (to 10 words or less per slide) and save them for distribution at the end of the lecture. Why? Because everything we give the audience to look at, read or otherwise engage in, takes their attention away from us and our message.
By giving the audience the three-ring circus of the laser's flight of the bumblebee, the text-intense slides both on the screen and in front of them and the speaker’s pacing, he had simply given the audience way too many ways to splinter their attention. What we risk when we do this is that they end up hearing very little of what we have to say.
Finally, I would make one small shift in the speaker's movement pattern. In general, it is an excellent idea for a speaker to move. But the most powerful way to do that is to move, plant, then speak. Once you have finished the point you were making or the story you were telling, you can then move, plant and speak again.
You will be amazed at how much more authority you will command by making these slight adjustments. You might just come off as brilliant and engaging as you are!
Do you have a presentation coming up? If you have PowerPoint slides, we’ll give you a free assessment and suggestions to improve their effectiveness. Contact us at info@gabbettgroup.com or 847-679-4604 and we’ll help you create a winning presentation.
Janie Gabbett is a communications strategist. She works with professionals to help them communicate their way to their own version of success – in meetings, behind the podium, or in critical one-on-one interactions. Find out more about how she can help you and your company at www.gabbettgroup.com.
