In the spirit of sharing, here are three things I’ve learned in the last month about presentations.
1. Breathe.
There are two parts of your brain that compete for response in a stressful situation: one part is cave (wo)manly, the other is the thoughtful and intelligent you. Cave (wo)manly brain is there for a reason and can get you flown or fought out of very bad situations. Problem is, though, clients and/or co-workers don’t respond kindly to fleeing or fighting in a board room… usually. So, do yourself a favor and make it a point to breathe in stressful presentation situations. Oxygen is great.
2. Reserve the comedic routine.
The first thing you should do in a presentation, unless you are a comedian and/or you know your audience exceptionally well, is prove that you aren’t an idiot. Reserve your jokes until after an audience has a reason to respect and listen to you, then if it feels right, deliver the joke.
3. Be honest.
Sometimes you will be asked questions that you don’t know how to answer. Instead of making something up, just respond honestly. ”I don’t know, but I can tell that’s important to you and I’ll find out and send you the answer,” is measurably better than fumbling through or dancing around an answer you aren’t prepared to defend when you aren’t in the hot seat.