Imagine the following common scenario.
There are several speakers at an event.
You are one of the speakers.
But you are not the first speaker.
Before you stand up, there’s one simple step worth taking.
Remove all evidence of any previous speaker.
Scan the presentation area before you stand up.
Is there a flipchart still showing someone else’s notes?
Is there writing left on a whiteboard?
Turn the flipchart page over.
Wipe the whiteboard clean.
This principle applies to any other evidence of prior speakers.
When you stand up to speak, all the focus is on you – but only briefly.
As the presentation continues, attention can drift.
Eyes wander.
They land on the flipchart.
They’re reminded of the previous presentation.
And just like that, attention shifts away from you.
You may notice attention slipping without understanding why.
Before you speak, you’re seated just like your audience.
You see what they see.
Observe.
Remove.
Then begin.
Clear the space, and you clear the way for your message.
For simple, easy to follow tips on improving your next presentation why not check out the following article – an unexpected discovery helping to overcome one of the most common presentation problems.
