Do NOT start your presentation with this trashy opening, “How
is EVERYBODY today?” After the audience responds the speaker yells, “I can’t
HEAR you!”
It’s insincere, manipulative and offensive.
The old “motivational speakers” used to do this (some still
do) and it was corny then. It’s even more offensive today.
If you want to connect with your audience treat them with
respect. Just imagine having coffee with a friend. He asks, “How are you today?”
After you answer he prods you with, “IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO?”
Join the US Marines and they demand that you yell everything
– “YES SIR”
If you want to connect with people – treat them like equals –
not marine recruits for your drill sergeant.
Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives
Oh Dear Lord... You are not kidding! It comes off as so disingenuous and artificial, and homestly, it does more than annoy me (your word choice is far more polite).
ReplyDeleteMy preference is to gauge where my audience is actually at in terms of their energy and engagement, and then meet them where they are, and then and only then begin moving them to where I'd actually like them to be.
That 'rah rah is everybody excited???' nonsense gets old very quickly.
Ian