Public speaking, dream or nightmare?
The curse of the Powerpoint-terror
Public speaking. A dream for some, a nightmare for most. Reality for a ‘happy few’?
On TV it often looks pretty cool, as long as the teleprompter plays the text neatly, and as long as the speaker (m/f/+) is not short-sighted, staring with squinted eyes just next to the camera.
The average professional performs even worse, and torments the audience with a shipload of screens and a tidal wave of texts. The audience will need no more than ten seconds per ‘slide’ to work their way through the porridge of words on screen, but the professional stubbornly continues to speak, reading the texts as if the projection screen has the monopoly on the truth and as if the audience has nothing else to do than to listen to the tsunami of text, which is all on the screen anyway. But hey… the professional is paid handsomely, so it must be good for something, right? And after the speech, the free lunch often awaits, so they just leave it that way. The curse of the PowerPoint terror. The average amateur video on YouTube is better designed, more attractive and more informative.
Yet it is not all that complicated. But it does take effort. Compare it to learning to swim, ride a bike, cook, drive a car. And finally, most important: know, better than anyone, what you are talking about. After all, your audience has come for you.
Where did it go wrong?
When I was at school, primary school was still called elementary school. Teachers knew a lot and could explain well, with little background text. They had to. Their only aid was a blackboard with chalk. Colored, if they were lucky, but usually white. And with geography perhaps a map. Yet, or maybe because of that, I learned to read and write without too much effort. And geography and history.
About fifteen years later, it suddenly appeared: the overhead projector. Public speaking was now called presenting, which usually resulted in the endless projection of pieces of transparent plastic full of text, the sheets, which the presenter recited word for word to the point of boredom, getting a stiff neck from looking back at the screen behind, so as not to miss his own text, stubbornly ignoring the restless shuffling of chairs and the background noise of chatting attendees. And as if that wasn't enough: the real enthusiasts could also get a paper printout of the word salad, a handout, afterwards.
The introduction of Powerpoint was promising, but for most speakers a missed opportunity. Sure, some colors were introduced. And pictures, which looked fancy on the screen, but which the presenter then chattered on about endlessly. Besides that, everything remained more or less the same, or it even got worse. Changing the plastic sheets had now been replaced by clicking, which helped to destroy the last barrier to keep the number of pages limited. Form over substance, became the amateur mistake of many professionals.
Almost 40 years of Powerpoint terror
A random person from 1987 who would be flashed forward to the present would no longer recognize the world. Globalization, digitalization, health care, but also: population explosion, urbanization, inflation, environmental pollution and temperature rise. “But one thing remains the same after 38 years,” the time traveller would tell his contemporaries upon his return, with a mixture of enthusiasm and disgust. “They still abuse Powerpoint.”
And so it is. Despite all the innovations… the Powerpoint terror is still omnipresent. We ‘present’ endlessly, often completely unhindered by even the elementary principles of speaking skills. The ‘presenters’ continue to rattle off their ‘presentations’, sheet after sheet, while the audience waits for the time ticking away, cringing, at best playing with their smartphones or, if it really gets too bad, taking a pee break, never coming back, and calmly waiting outside the hall for the free lunch afterwards.
In the meantime, the presenters calmly continue to present, until the bitter end that, sometimes to their own surprise, still comes unexpectedly, when suddenly the words ‘Thank you’, or ‘Q&A’ appear on the screen and the audience lets out a deep sigh of relief. The torment is over.
Can't this be done differently?
Of course it can be done differently. But it’s going to hurt.
Not so much for many who rise up out of idealism to speak in public. Idealism is one of the strongest and most beautiful motivators, so they will be all right. Idealists are often the better speakers anyway. Teachers, union leaders, fundraisers for the underprivileged, environmental frontfighters. Whether or not we always agree with their goals, that doesn't matter: enthusiasm and idealism are extremely strong forces and permeate their way of speaking. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Emma Watson. They all understand (understood) the art of enchanting their audience with their enthusiastic way of speaking. Unfortunately, this gift was, and still is, often abused, with Adolf Hitler as one of the tragic low points. But even that does not detract from what is at stake here: the ability to win over a large audience with enthusiasm and idealism.
No, I am mainly talking about the highly paid. Bank directors, consultants, Government officials. Too often they fall into the pit-deep Powerpoint trap, probably without realizing it. For more than a generation now. Normally, new generations overthrow the sacred cows of the old. This has been painfully neglected in the realm of public speakers. The Powerpoint terror maintains itself through the safety of the 'clicker' and the screen, and through everyone who assures the speaker afterwards that it was 'another top-notch presentation'. Of course: 'Rather him/her on stage, than me,' most people will think. And the young people, who are perfectly aware that the average amateur video on YouTube is much more digestible, will never even think of telling their bosses the truth about their sky-high egos and their pit-deep lack of empathy. “Get out of your comfort zone,” the consultants preach, while they themselves continue to swim around in their own cozy comfort circle, in the comforting knowledge that the text is always on screen behind them. Or in front of them, for those who can afford a teleprompter. And above all, the hope that the questions won’t be too difficult.
That hurts, doesn’t it? Well, I have good news: we’ve only just begun. Close your eyes and imagine. You are about to start your ‘presentation’. You are standing at the front of the room, where the audience will determine within a minute at most whether you are interesting enough, or whether they will mentally zap you away. Then there is the sound of a loud tap. A small smokey cloud comes out of the projector. It smells a bit burning. Against your better judgment, you look behind you at the screen. It is eerily empty and, oh… so dark. The audience finally looks up from their smartphones. All eyes are now on you. Other ‘presenters’ can only be jealous of so much attention.
What are you going to do with this attention? Mentally sinking through the floor? Stuttering excuses that your ‘presentation’ has to be postponed? Or cancelled, perhaps? The handouts are at the exit. Thank you. And have a nice lunch, too.
Or are you going to treat your audience? Treat them to an enthusiastic, inspiring speech about everything you have to tell them, what they came for. Treat them to an unforgettable experience, taking advantage of the fact that the screen is now really empty and that their eyes are now 100% focused on you.
Something has to happen before something happens
Johan Cruyff, the most famous Dutch soccer player ever, was also known for his legendary statements. “Often, something has to happen before something happens,” he said in an interview in 1989. Only very few people caught the wisdom of this statement, which only became clear to me a few years later.
At an international conference I had an hour and a half of ‘presentation’ time. The trick with the overhead sheets was, as was usual in those days, firmly hammered into our brains. 90 minutes equalled 30 sheets, which I had sent to the organizer on the other side of the ocean by email, which was revolutionary at the time. No worries, we will print your sheets, they assured me, which saved me some hand luggage.
The morning that I stood in the room in front of about 50 listeners, ready for my American debut, started like a nightmare, but for real. No sheets. Not in the room, not in the office by the printer, nowhere, the logistics assistant told me. ‘This isn’t really happening,’ I still hoped, while I already knew better. I looked into the room, where 50 pairs of eyes were staring at me expectantly, and I looked behind me, at the white board with four colored markers. ‘It can’t get any worse, only better,’ I said to myself, ignoring the knot in my stomach. ‘And I didn’t fly all that way, just for a big embarrassment.’ Then I made a decision. With the blue marker, I wrote the five main points of my speech on the board at the top left. ‘Follow this,’ I told myself. ‘And watch your time.’ Then I took a deep breath, looked around the room, exhaled calmly, put on a smile, and began. My experience in amateur theatre came in handy.
Of course, I didn’t start out too brightly, but they forgave me. A flying Dutchman thrown to the lions in faraway America, with only a board and four markers. But after about five minutes I got going. I had something to tell them, and I would succeed! And when the first question came a few minutes later, the ice was broken. I had prepared myself for a long monologue of an hour and a half, with perhaps a few questions at the end, which had scared me the most, but it turned out to be a fantastic open discussion. I was able to finish my five points on the board, alternating with questions, but also contributions from the audience. “Awesome, what we learn from each other here,” I said from the bottom of my heart, then apologizing for the fact that I really wanted to finish the last item on my agenda. With five minutes to go, we ended up exchanging each other’s email addresses, just as the logistics assistant came to bring in the sheets and handouts. A newsgroup had been born, in the early days of the internet.
Johan Cruyff had been right, I realized that morning. Something had to happen to pull me out of the cocoon of the sheets and the overhead projector. From that moment on, public speaking really became fun. Until this day.
Are you telling me, that everyone can do it?
Anyone who can speak, can transfer knowledge. Furthermore, it is a matter of a lot of practice. And yes… one person will pick it up faster than another. But that is also the case with learning to bake, to embroider, to apply wallpaper and to play billiards. We don’t learn it from a book. We really have to get to work. Let me give you some tips and tricks:
Know what you are talking about. Always! Otherwise: don't start. Don't even think about it. Your audience is listening to you, because you have something to tell them. Don't disappoint your audience.
Prepare. Most people's preparation is: 90% Powerpoint and 10% practice. That's why many 'presentations' resemble a slide tsunami, with someone telling their little story around it. It should be the other way around! 80-90% should be practice. Practice without slides! In front of the mirror, between the sliding doors in front of your family, in front of the camera... it doesn't matter, but: practice! Make a broad outline of your speech and learn it by heart. When practicing, use a cheat sheet with a maximum of 10 key words. If necessary, write them on the inside of your hands. Make a limited number of pictures, just for illustration, but: practice under the assumption that the Powerpoint cannon will collapse.
Prepare a flawless introduction and learn it by heart, just like we used to learn the tables from two to ten at school. Your audience, thoroughly spoiled with a hundred TV channels, Netflix, Amazon and YouTube, will decide within a minute whether they will mentally zap you away. Maybe (much) sooner. Introduce yourself, tell what you are going to talk about, and explain what your audience will learn from it. Within one minute.
Do the same for the end. Your ending must be state of the art. A one-minute summary of the main points is the least your audience deserves.
Speak from the bottom of your heart. Never, ever try to convey a message that you do not support yourself.
Make sure you look neat, with clothing that is appropriate for the occasion. If necessary, ask the organizer in advance.
“Read” your audience. Are they looking at you? Are they playing with their phones, or are they having private conversations with each other? Shift up a gear if you think you are going too slowly, or schedule a question moment if you feel your audience is losing interest.
Be open to questions. Make it clear whether questions can be asked immediately, or whether you would rather wait until a certain moment. This could be at the end, or at other scheduled moments.
Always be honest. If, despite your knowledge and preparation, you do not know the answer to a question, say so honestly, and offer to come back to it later.
Thank your audience. After all, they have taken the time to listen to you.
Finally, realize that no speech runs 100% smoothly. It doesn't have to. Or maybe I should even say: It shouldn’t. Your audience must realize that there is a human being in the room, not a robot. A human being, just like themselves, with the only difference being that this person knows a little more about a certain subject.
Tips against stage fright
Stage fright is caused by a lack of self-confidence. So, boost your self-confidence. Some people will pick up sooner than others, but doesn't that apply to everything? Let’s get started:
Make sure your knowledge of the subject is spot on. Do you need to do further research? Then start with that.
Start small. Ask a colleague if you can join in, during which you can speak for five minutes. This could be a small topic, answering a question, or working out an example. The next time, those five minutes can become ten, then half an hour, and so on.
Practice, practice and practice! This is about routine, not perfection! Especially practice improvisation. Get your family or friends to fire questions at you. And ask them what they think about the development of your speaking skills.
Before you begin, take five seconds to take a big, but not too deep, breath, straighten your back, and look out at the audience in the room while smiling and exhaling slowly. Welcome your audience, introduce yourself, and start off calmly with your well-rehearsed introduction.
Realize that many of your audience have never spoken in public before. They will appreciate you for being there.
Don’t let yourself be distracted by little mistakes or slips of the tongue. That’s part of it! It actually makes your speech more natural. You’re a human being, not an AI avatar.
Make sure you take the opportunity to speak in public regularly. Every opportunity, big or small, builds your routine and your confidence.
FMMs - Frequently made mistakes
Here is a list of beginner mistakes, although it would be good for many professional speakers to read through this little list again. Do this yourself, too: go through this list thoroughly once every three months. It will help you to erase ingrained bad habits. And feel free to add your own experiences (or others’) to the list below:
Not arriving on time at the location. In this context, ‘on time’ means: half an hour to an hour before your own speech starts. If you are the first speaker, you will want to check the equipment. If you are one of the following speakers, your extra time is an excellent opportunity to ‘read the room’. What kind of audience is in the room? And if you are one of the speakers at an event around a certain theme, it may be better to attend the entire event. What could be better than being able to join in with one of the previous speakers?
Not knowing your own storyline inside and out, and therefore (still!) abusing PowerPoint too much. You would not be the first person who, to his or her own surprise, suddenly sees ‘Q&A’ appear on the screen, the sign that the speech has apparently ended.
Abusing Powerpoint as the main medium, while just telling a story around it. In that case, it would have been better to just put the whole thing on YouTube and send the audience the link.
And if you really want to make useful use of Powerpoint: it has to be readable. “You probably can’t read the picture, but the meaning is…”, the speaker said without batting an eyelid, and without any shame about the disappointing preparation, losing a good deal of credibility.
Even if you’ve done your homework: looking at the screen too much. “My name is…”, I’ve heard quite some speakers proclaim, staring at the screen, apparently afraid of forgetting their own name.
Not ‘reading’ the audience. If the smartphones come out, the room gets noisy, or people even walk out of the room, then the story is clearly not interesting enough. Doggedly continuing is a choice, but changing your strategy is probably a better one.
Not anticipating questions. Many questions can be predicted in advance. Prepare your answers for these questions. Your audience deserves clear language.
The magic of clear language: from the bottom of your heart
“If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself,” is a quote usually attributed to Albert Einstein. I don’t even know whether it’s true. I haven’t been able to find any evidence for it. It seems a bit exaggerated to me, but the message is obvious: speak clearly!
Clear language is only possible if you understand it yourself and if you believe in it yourself. Only then does your language come to life. My parents didn’t raise me with ‘presentations’. And I am well able to explain whatever I want to my friends in the café without a slideshow. The doctor, the dentist, the plumber, the garage, they never torment me with PowerPoint. Their language is clear. Usually straight away, or I ask what they mean and I just get an answer. Otherwise, I walk away, and they know that all too well.
Clear language comes from the bottom of your heart. So, by definition, you design your speech yourself. Too often, I have seen speakers stumble with speeches that their subordinates have cobbled together, with or without ChatGPT or Copilot. That may be OK for a first, rough version, but then, as the speaker, you will really have to get to work, and you will need the courage to go through it thoroughly with a fine-toothed comb. If necessary, you may need to rebuild the entire design, until you, the speaker, are satisfied for the full 100%. And the final story may look entirely different.
Dear readers, bankers, CEOs, consultants, other professionals, Your Majesty… we all have so much to say, to share and to teach. I hope I have provided you with some useful tips to make your next public appearance even better. I wish you all the best!