|
The speaker was dressed elegantly and had started off with aplomb. Her colorful Power Point slides were fading
in and out seamlessly on the screen, the music was soft in the background and her voice carried well in the room. In the gloom
she looked and sounded knowledgeable and professional. Suddenly, the screen went dark and there was a gasp from the speaker
– the computer had fizzled. With a quick apology, she asked for the lights to be put up. Visibly upset, she brought
the overhead projector to the center for the sheaf of acetates she had brought as backup. With another apology and a tremble
in her hand, she slapped the next slide on.
There were impressed murmurs in the audience and the presentation picked up its pace and moved forward again.
She was starting to settle down when suddenly the rest of the acetates next to the projector slid off on to the floor in a
jumble. As she turned to grab them, her foot caught the wire and pulled it out of the wall socket. The screen went dark again
and there was dead silence- the presentation had come to a complete stop As she summoned enough courage to tell the audience
that she had covered most of her main points and thank them, she realized that all her credibility had been lost. The audience
kindly applauded her courage. Everyone would remember the event, but hardly her message.
The Illusion of Wings
That day, the speaker had relied on her ‘Speakers’ Wings’. This term is borrowed from swimming
- most of us first learned to swim by wearing water wings, inflated arm bands, a life jacket or holding on to floaters, but
eventually we learned to swim alone, without any help. Many speakers continue relying on their Speakers’ Wings long
after they’ve learned to speak alone, believing that audiovisual equipment and other gadgets will ‘make’
the presentation. As equivalents to life jackets, speakers use electronic pointers with red dots, power-point programs, video
clips and a host of other methods designed to hold audiences’ attention and impress them with their “professionalism”.
You: The Main Attraction
'Audiovisual water wings’ should only be used to enhance a presentation, NOT to make it successful. The
success of a presentation comes from the speaker: your ability to deliver your message effectively, the passion you transmit
when communicating it to your audience and the enthusiasm and commitment you demonstrate toward your topic, not from the equipment
you use when delivering the message.
Speakers should remember that nothing is more endearing to an audience than a presenter who speaks from the
heart, looking directly at the audience, without relying on dramatic images behind her. Audiences want someone whose facial
expressions and gestures can be seen clearly, unmasked by a power point presentation. Establishing a personal relationship
with your audience is much more powerful than an electronic, so-called “professional” presentation. If an audience
has the chance to concentrate on YOU rather than on how colorful or slick your audiovisual tools are, they will be much more
supportive and receptive to your message.
Flying High Without Wings
Presenting can of course be quite scary, so it’s OK to have your ‘wings’ on hand. However,
it is important to remember that they are only there to ADD to your presentation. Relying on anything other than your own
abilities opens the door to potential disaster, as we saw in the story above. Audiences can sense when a speaker is jumping
in without her ‘water wings’. A genuine personal effort will receive more applause than an electronic performance.
Letting your true personality, talent and courage shine through with minimum gadgetry to cloud your presentation will always
ensure a successful performance. The audience will see and hear YOU - without superfluous distractions. After all, isn’t
this why they came in the first place?
|
