Whether you fall on either end of the spectrum or somewhere in between, Business 2.0's Jeff Wuorio offers some tips that may increase your effectiveness when you are called upon to make a presentation.
1. Don't wobble back and forth from one foot to the other.
"Nail your feet to the floor if you have to—or walk a few steps, stop to make a point, and return," writes Wuorio.
2. Don't try to be funny.
Most people aren't natural comedians, and while a bit of self-deprecating humor is okay—even helpful—every now and then, save your jokes for later.
3. Focus on the audience, not on your notes or the screen. This, of course, requires that you know your material well.
4. Acknowledge tendencies like occasional stuttering or sweating before they happen.
"It'll put you more at ease and subtly encourage your listeners to root for you," Wuorio says.
5. To establish rapport or make a powerful point, gesture with an open palm.
And whatever you do, don't point at your audience.
monthly e-newsletter: Leadership Wired available at www.INJOY.com.
John Maxwell grew up in the 1950s in the small Midwestern city of Circleville, Ohio. John's earliest childhood memory is of knowing that he would someday be a pastor. He professed faith in Christ at the age of three, and reaffirmed that commitment when he was 13. At age 17, John began preparing for the ministry. He attended Circleville Bible College, earning his bachelor's degree in 1969. In June of that same year, he married his sweetheart, Margaret, and moved to tiny Hillham, Indiana, where he began his first pastorate.
