 |
Don't Go Blank During Your Presentation
You have your audience following intently along.
You are going like gangbusters, but then all of a sudden you lose your train of thought. You
can't quite remember where you are or where you are going . . . O.K., now you are beginning to
panic . . . The first thing to remember is that this situation happens to everyone at some point
in time! The key to solving this problem is knowing how to recover, without losing a beat.
Here are some sure-fire ways to get your presentation back on track.
1. Don't Freak Out
First and foremost, relax. Don't go into a panic.
Audiences can sense panic, and, like sharks, they look for it. Take a deep breath and relax!
2. Always Have Notes
Speakers should always have their speaker notes
within reach. After you take a breath and relax, glance at your notes for an idea or trigger
to get you back on track. Don't rapidly flip through them like you are searching for the
winning lotto numbers; just glance over them in a way that will refresh your memory!
Once you have what you need, pick up where you
left off. Audiences don't mind when you refer to your notes. The trick to using notes well
is to make it look deliberate. Don't try to get a frantic glimpse of them. Just look at
them when necessary and then put them aside.
3. Have "Lifeboat" Questions
The other way to buy some time is to have back-up
"lifeboat" questions. These questions should relate to your topic and be broad enough to take
some time for your audience to answer, yet not so specific they need to review your presentation.
While the audience is working on answering your question, you will have time to get back into
the groove of your presentation.
Sample Questions
- Reviewing the points just covered, how do they relate to the top projects in your department?
- Identify how these points could have helped you in your last project. What would you have done differently?
- Select the point you feel is most valuable and explain how you will integrate it into your current project.
|
|
|
Basics
Delivery
