Many people are afraid to push the envelope when they present. When I advised one client to step a bit outside the box, he said, “I can’t do that” . . . because he’d never seen anyone do it before. Speakers who want to make a difference are willing to do whatever it takes to connect.
Connecting is the key to having an impact on your listeners, even if it takes you outside the norm.
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Excellent question, Greg. I have several suggestions for you to consider:
The first is . . . practice, practice, practice and make sure that at least one of those “rehearsals” includes people that are willing to give actionable feedback. That way you gather feedback on what is working and what you may need to modify.
Second is to arrive early, meet and greet your audience… get a sense of who they are. Those interactions will help guide you in your on-stage delivery.
Finally, be open and read the audience real-time and be flexible. If you realize what you are doing is ineffective, have a Plan B that you can revert to.
What are your thoughts?
Stephanie, I like your suggestion about stepping outside of the box. What do you suggest as far as how to tell, based on your audience’s live/in person feedback, when you’ve gone too far outside the box? Then, what do you suggest to become more aligned, while presenting.