By Kent Sipes, Training, Communications, and Change Management Consultant, Io Consulting
“I don’t know why we’re seeing all these pictures of cows!” My boss, the director of the small boy’s home for which I was in charge of public relations, was increasingly frustrated and confused by the images on the screen. His annual presentation to our church, which was supposed to be a narration of significant slides showing vignettes into the work we did with young men in trouble, had been one livestock image after another.
Unfortunately, he didn’t know the presentation had been hijacked—the slides had been chosen by an ex-staffer who either dearly loved animals or was out to sabotage the presentation. I had to watch this poor man struggle for 20 minutes, until the presentation mercifully came to a close, then I tried to explain that someone else chose the slides. This all happened more than 20 years ago, but I still remember my horror and embarrassment for my boss.
In my professional life since then, I’ve often been the presenter dealing with mishaps like these. What should you do, as a speaker, when faced with the unforeseen events that mar your efforts to communicate effectively? Although specific situations dictate somewhat different responses, here are a few principles that can help you get through the rough patches:
- Take a breath. Re-focus for a moment. Most of your audience probably will think you’re just pausing for emphasis. If your presentation already has been moving at a conversational pace, this will seem perfectly natural.
- Don’t apologize. At least half of the audience probably has no idea anything went wrong. Don’t point it out to them by explaining or excusing it. If you have to say something about the mishap, thank them at the end of your presentation for their patience.
- Don’t let the problem obstruct communication. Remember the purpose of your presentation and the main idea your audience needs to understand. This is another reason to keep your presentation, outline, and notes as simple and clear as possible.
- Find the friendly faces. Has someone in the audience been nodding, smiling, looking thoughtful, or otherwise let you know that he or she is on your side? Focus on that person for a moment—draw strength from him or her. It’s easier to do this if your presentation is a conversation between you and the audience, rather than a monologue.
- Remember that most of the audience is on your side. At least half of any audience is thinking, “I’m so glad it’s not me up there!”
- Take control. If something must be changed, change it immediately, without comment. Turn off lights, plug in a microphone, unplug a projector—remove the distraction. It’s your stage, and your responsibility.
- If your time suddenly has been cut short, don’t try to cram in your last three points—reiterate the main point and close your talk. Cramming information gives the audience nothing and, in fact, takes away from what already has been said.
You must assume, for any presentation, that one or more things will go wrong. Technology issues, difficult audience members, faulty memory…the list of possibilities is long, and it’s impossible to prepare for every eventuality. Obstacles happen—what’s important is how you choose to respond to them. What will you do about the cows on the screen?
Kent Sipes is a training, communications, and change management consultant for Io Consulting. He has more than 20 years experience in communications and training, and has taught subjects as diverse as PeopleSoft applications and pole climbing. His passion is to help people communicate their messages more effectively.
