You are the Message

Roger Ailes wrote a book on speaking called You are the Message and he has some very helpful advice on speaking in this book.  I never really appreciated the title of this until 2 nights ago. 

I was asked to speak at a dinner meeting for an industry specific association.  I arrived early, set up my projector and laptop, tested it with the screen and lighting, and then sat at the head table until I was called up to begin my talk. 

As soon as I approached the front of the room I had a strange feeling about my projector becuase it was turned on but when I popped the cap off there was no light coming out of the lens.  I turned it off and on and the only thing that came out was black and white stripes on the screen behind me.  After 3 minutes passed of fiddling with this equipment in a room of total silence with 60 sets of eyes watching and waiting I slammed my laptop shut and began my presentation. 

I talked for 45 minutes without any notes and any slides.  Instead of slides I used gestures to try to paint the picture in the audiences mind.  The audience was very engaged the entire time and as I wrapped up they gave me a generous applause.  I had more than 10 different people come up to me individually after to tell me that they were so impreseed that I did not seem phased at all when the projector died.  A few said they would have died right then and there if that had happened to them.  Many said it was one of the best presentations they have had in their association in a long time.  One man even suggested it was better that I did not have slides becuase the audience could focus on me and my delivery of the message.

Now if it sounds that I wrote this entry to toot my own horn it is quite the contrary.  I wrote this entry so that someone out there could gain confidence from my experience. Back in August I wrote about ways to prepare for the unexpected when presenting and how we need to have contingency plans in place.  My bullet point #3 even describes what to do when technology fails.  I am convinced that because I wrote this post I had this event occur as a test.  Serously, as speakers we need to remember that we need to really be the content and have the slides and demos there as add-on features versus critical components of our talk.  If I was using my slides as a crutch or an outline to follow I would have been toast! Instead it went off without a hitch and I will be presenting at a few more dinner meetings for their other chapters in October. 

Comments

[Mel]

I believe that by just being a part of “Priscilla’ Palmer’s Personal Development list obligates each of us to also post this list. You like me (Killeris at “Attitude, the Ultimate Power”) are on this list. If you have already posted it, THANK YOU. If you have not posted it, I am officially putting out a challenge that you add additional sites that fit the theme and post it. This list can be found at: http://mondaymorningpower.blogspot.com/2007/09/personal-development-list-challenge.html.

[Mel]

The correct link is:
http://mondaymorningpower.blogspot.com/2007/09/personal-development-list-challenge.html

[Matthew Roberts]

Great post... but can I just say one other thing?

I love the title of your blog!

I can't stand it when people say that something is impossible... or that nobody will be able to do better.

Thanks,

Matthew
http://www.InspirationToAchieve.com

[Jeff Collins]

It sounds like preparation and opportunity met up at that moment. Had you taken your information from another source or planned on giving them a bunch of stats you pulled from an industry study you wouldn't have had all that knowledge in your subconscious mind. Having done the prep work allowed you to pull from your knowledge, experience and memory to make for a thorough presentation. Great job.

[Personal Growth]

Real nice, keep up the goodwork...!.

[Jean Browman--Cheerful Monk]

I can imagine how impressed the audience was. Just goes to show that you can gain respect and authority if you can handle it when things fall apart. Great job!