Public Speaking

Reading the Room

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Some people just know how to read a room. They have this seemingly uncanny ability to perceive and understand the emotions, attitudes, and dynamics of a group of people in a given setting — and tailor their communications and behaviors in real time to make the most of the moment. 

Guess what? Those who do it well aren’t unicorns. They’ve honed the skill over time. 

Still, some leaders struggle with reading the room effectively. Why? Well, sometimes the issue is that it involves keen observation, empathy, and intuition. It means paying attention to, and honoring, emotions, and moods. In other words, it involves many things that old-style leadership used to tell you to check at the door. 

The truth is that being able to sense the unspoken cues and underlying sentiments in a room give you great power in influencing interactions and outcomes. 

Want to boost your room-reading ability? Here are a few things to focus on. 

  • Active Listening: Pay close attention to what is being said and how it is being said. Notice the tone, pace, and body language of your team members. 
  • Observe Non-Verbal Cues: Non-verbal communication, like facial expressions, gestures, and posture, provide significant insights into how people are feeling. 
  • Ask Open-Ended Questions: Encourage open dialogue by asking questions that invite detailed responses. This helps you understand perspectives and emotions more deeply. 
  • Practice Empathy: Put yourself in others’ shoes to better understand their feelings and viewpoints. Empathy is key to connecting with others on a human level. 
  • Stay Present: Be fully engaged in the moment. Avoid distractions and focus on the interactions happening around you. 

Reading the room requires practice, and mindfulness. Mastering this skill can lead to more effective communication, stronger relationships, and a more cohesive team. 

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Michael Piperno is a communication coach and executive presence expert. His insights empower leaders to communicate effectively and authentically.

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TMI During Q&A

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You’ve seen it. Maybe you’ve even done it. Providing too much information (TMI) when answering questions.

It’s painful for the audience, and it erodes your credibility.

“But they need all of the details in order to understand!”

Wrong. What they need is the answer to their question. As brief and concise as possible without it sounding curt. It should be tailored so that they hear only what they need to hear to be satisfied — and not a data dump of everything you know on the topic.

The curse of knowledge affects us all. We often know much more than a questioner needs to hear. That’s why when I coach clients on handling Q&A after a presentation or during a high stakes meeting, I teach a visual aid that helps every time.

The Answer Sandwich. Here’s how it works.

Visualize a sandwich in your head. It might look something like this:

Yum. Now, remind yourself before Q&A that for each question, you’re going to make the questioner a sandwich with your answer.

  1. You’ll start with the top bun, which is your short answer. The direct answer to their question. “Yes, we looked at that and I’m happy to share what we found.”
  2. Next, you’ll serve up the “meat” and condiments, and other central elements of the sandwich. These are your supporting points. The trick here is to make them the right sized sandwich. What’s their appetite? Do they need a lot of details? Maybe just a few highlights so they understand? In other words, be audience-centric and consider what this specific person needs from you to be satisfied. Give them that, no more.
  3. Finally, and this is especially important if you’re making them a large sandwich, is to finish off with your bottom bun. This can be a summary of your answer (helpful if you went long) or a restatement of your key message. People are most likely to remember the first and last things you say, so finish strong.

Make sense? Good. Try it. Ask yourself, “What size sandwich does this person need?”

And remember, some people only need a piece of toast.

Clear, concise, and audience-centric answers are your secret weapon when you’re in the Q&A hot seat.

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Michael Piperno is a communication coach and executive presence expert. His insights empower leaders to communicate effectively and authentically.

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Quick Tip: The Power of the Pause

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In the fast-paced world of leadership, it’s easy to rush through conversations. However, pausing before responding can be a powerful tool.

It allows you to gather your thoughts, consider your words carefully, and demonstrate thoughtful leadership.

And trust me, the pause feels longer to you than it will to others. Need proof? Record yourself and test out some pause lengths.

So, next time you’re in a conversation (especially if it’s a challenging one), try pausing before responding. You’ll be surprised at the impact it can have.

P.S. Pausing is also your friend when you’re speaking in meetings or to a crowd. It helps you catch your breath, keep a good pace, and when used strategically can let that brilliant point you just made resonate with the audience before you move on.

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Michael Piperno is a communication coach and executive presence expert. His insights empower leaders to communicate effectively and authentically.

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Quick Tip: The 6 x 6 Rule

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When designing presentations, the 6 x 6 rule serves as a valuable guideline to keep your slides clear and concise.

While not a strict rule, it’s a great reminder to avoid overcrowding your slides with too much text. Here’s what you need to know:

What is the 6 x 6 Rule? 

The 6 x 6 rule suggests limiting each slide to a maximum of six bullet points, with each bullet point containing no more than six words. This helps maintain focus and clarity.

Why Use the 6 x 6 Rule?

  1. Guidance: It encourages you to distill your message, ensuring that your slides are easy to read and understand.
  2. Engagement: By reducing text, your audience will stay more engaged. They’ll listen to you rather than read ahead of you!
  3. Simplicity: Clean, uncluttered slides look more professional and are easier for your audience to follow.

Tips for Using the 6 x 6 Rule as a Guide

  • Highlight Key Points: Focus on the most critical information you want to convey.
  • Incorporate Visuals: Use images, graphs, and charts to support your points and add visual interest.
  • Be Flexible: Remember, the 6 x 6 rule is a guideline, not a hard-and-fast rule. Adjust as needed to suit your content and audience.

By using the 6 x 6 rule as a guide, you can create presentations that are not only informative but also visually appealing and easy to follow.

It’s a handy reminder to keep your slides from becoming too wordy, ensuring your message is clear and impactful.

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Michael Piperno is a communication coach and executive presence expert. His insights empower leaders to communicate effectively and authentically.

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On Nervousness & Anxiety When Speaking

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This is a much younger me on a stage singing and dancing in a musical. Honestly, this was so long ago I can’t recall which one. Maybe How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying or The Music Man?

That 17 year old was almost paralyzed by stage fright. Not when we would rehearse — that was always fine, and quite fun.

But when there would be actual people in the seats? Oh my. Hands shaking, voice trembling. Heart rate stratospheric.

Not a good feeling.

I see a lot of advice for reducing nervousness and anxiety on LinkedIn and other social sites. Some of it is good. Some… not so much.

The truth is that there is no list of tips or tricks that works for everyone. You need to figure out what the root of your anxiousness is, and do the work to minimize it.

Breathing exercises work for some. Others need to work on their confidence overall — not just when speaking.

Some people force themselves to speak in a certain style because they think they should, and it throws them off because that’s not their style. Sounds silly, but I see it all the time.

Some people have past negative experiences with presenting that haunt them.

Figure out what’s really got you nervous. Name it, and make a plan to work through it.

And… practice always helps. With a coach? Even better. But you know, I’m partial. 😉

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Michael Piperno Presenting with Screen Sharing On

Remote Presenting Quick Tip: Screen Sharing

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Too many presenters leave slides or visual aids on the screen when they’re no longer being used. That’s a missed opportunity to connect with your audience.

When you’re facilitating discussions (or answering questions after a presentation) it’s best to stop screen sharing so you can see your audience better — and so they can see you.

Of course, if a response to a question requires a slide or visual by all means use one, but if not your audience will appreciate seeing you, your body language, and your facial expressions while they interact with you.

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Does Public Speaking Make You Anxious?

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If so, you’re not alone. In fact, a fear of public speaking affects anywhere from 40 to 75 percent of the population, depending on what studies you look at. There’s even a medical term for it: glossophobia.

Here are some tips that will help:

  • Don’t try to be perfect. The fear of public speaking often stems from a fear of imperfection. The fact is that no one ever gets it 100 percent right every time, and neither will you. And that’s okay.
  • Know your stuff. The more prepared you are when it comes to the topic of your presentation, the more confident you will feel. Don’t forget to also consider (and practice answering) the questions you’ll likely get from your audience.
  • Use your audience to your advantage. When you can get your audience involved in your presentation, it’s much easier for you to deliver and much more engaging for them. Win-win.
  • Practice until you’re sick of practicing. And do it out loud! Recruit colleagues to give you feedback on your presentation. You can also record yourself giving the presentation and watch it back. I do this with every speech or workshop I create.

And finally, remember that being nervous is actually a good thing. How so?

Well, it means you care — about your audience and about your topic.

That’s good stuff.

Want some more tips? Send me a note through Comvia Group’s contact page and ask me for my favorite breathing exercises for settling nerves and preparing to speak. I’ll send them to you.

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Microsoft Word as a Teleprompter?

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I don’t typically read from a script when I present. Often I will have some bullets for reference in front of me to remind me of my key points, and I’m pretty comfortable speaking without a script as long as I’m comfortable with my material. Many of my clients do the same.

However, there are times when a script is critical. For example, when I coach life sciences leaders to present at high stakes meetings like FDA Advisory Committee meetings or EMA Oral Explanations, we prepare and rehearse a word for word script. The stakes are too high for ad-libbing (everyone must stay on message), the presentation must adhere to strict time constraints, and a script is critical to ensure a backup presenter can step in at the last minute. Life happens, and sometimes a speaker gets sick or can’t present for some other reason.

Even if a presentation isn’t mission critical, some people are more comfortable speaking from a script. That’s fine — but the trick is to be able to present it well when reading. You want to make sure your delivery is conversational and engaging. That requires a lot of rehearsal. 

Here’s a tip that I teach my clients for when you need to read from a script. Setup Word to act like a teleprompter!

Watch this video to learn how.

This tip is especially helpful when you’re presenting remotely. You can scroll through the script while maintaining eye contact with your audience. If you’ve rehearsed and refined the script enough, the audience won’t even know you are reading.

Enjoy.

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Conver-Speaking

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When I led a brand communication agency, I had to do a lot of pitches. In preparation for each pitch meeting, my team and I would craft a presentation that would tell the prospect a story that we thought would resonate with them. It would include an assessment of their situation, our proposed approach to solving their problem, and samples of previous work and the results they created. Then, I’d rehearse the presentation to death. I was always confident and ready to present it by meeting day.

80 percent of the time, I would not present it as planned — and that was by design. 

My goal when walking into the room was always to get my audience talking first. If I could do so, the meeting would naturally become a conversation — an opportunity to share experiences, pain points, and potential solutions as real people genuinely interested in collaborating. Would I use the slides we had prepared? In most cases, yes. But I would jump around and bring up examples as the conversation warranted. It all depended on how the conversation went. A few times, not a single slide was shown and we still won the work.

20% of the time, the people in the room needed to see the traditional pitch, and I would give it to them. Still, I would try to treat the presentation as a conversation, getting them involved along the way as much as possible, and trying to make it a two-way dialogue instead of a monologue.

Next time you need to present, think about your audience and what they need to hear from you — and also why you both are there. Then consider how to make it more of a conversation than a speech or presentation. It’s not always possible, but when it is, a two-way dialogue will make it easier for you to build a stronger relationship from the start.

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An Example of an Overloaded PowerPoint Slide

Can One Slide Deck Really Do It All?

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When you give a presentation, your slides should be simple and clear. They should support you as you convey your messages, whether you’re persuading, entertaining, inspiring, or educating. They should never cause your audience to have to read or decipher too much information. If that happens, then you’ve lost them. They are no longer listening to you.

I teach people how to create and deliver powerful and engaging presentations. Part of that training is focused on the right balance of text and graphics on slides. It should not be a lot, and 95 percent of the presentations I see in the corporate world are too overloaded with content.

Often, the reasons for such jam-packed slides are:

“I need that content on the slides so I don’t forget.”

“The slides have to tell the whole story if I’m not there to present the deck.”

“I have to send the slides out as a pre-read before my presentation.”

“My audience needs to see all the data. I can’t omit anything.”

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Here’s why:

  • If you think you’re going to forget things, use slide notes instead. And rehearse more.
  • You are there to tell the story when presenting. If you need the slides to tell the story without you, it’s no longer a presentation. You need a separate slide deck or other leave behind that does that work.
  • Pre-reads are pre-reads, not presentations. You need a separate slide deck or another prepared document for the pre-read.
  • Your audience needs you to make your points as clearly as possible. If they want to see more data, they’ll ask for it, and you can have it ready as backup.

Sounds like you might need more than one slide deck.

More work? Yes. Worth it? You bet.

A presentation is not about you. It’s about your audience. If you want to truly achieve your goal of persuading, entertaining, inspiring, or educating, you must make sure your presentation is engaging, compelling, easily digestible, and memorable.

You can’t do that by asking your audience to listen to you while also slogging through overloaded visuals at the same time.

Originally published at https://www.wearecomvia.com on February 8, 2021.

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