Information Technology Reference
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Also consider the personality you present. As a speaker you want to be taken
seriously, but this does not mean that you cannot be relaxed, vivid, even amusing.
Show your enthusiasm. Avoid sudden movements or distracting mannerisms such as
pacing, bouncing, or gesticulating, but don't freeze; gestures should be natural. Vary
what you are doing: move away from the computer to talk to the audience directly, for
example, spend a couple of minutes with a non-technical slide after working through
complex material. Make frequent eye contact with the audience; find some friendly
faces to check with every now and again. Above all, be yourself—don't adopt a false
persona and don't show off. The right note to hit is of a conversation with friends.
Showing off, swagger, or vanity of any kind, is if anything worse in a talk than in
a paper. Be modest. Don't talk down to the audience or make aggrieved statements
such as “people all said it couldn't work, but my work proves them wrong”. Maybe
the work is indeed remarkable, but that doesn't mean that the speaker is too; keep
the distinction between presentation and presenter clear.
At the same time, you shouldn't diminish your achievements. Avoid excess humil-
ity, don't suggest that the outcomes are unimportant or uninteresting, and don't begin
by saying that the talk will be dull or that you are nervous. Too many talks begin
with a disclaimer such as “the talk was only written last night” or “I haven't had time
to prepare”. The intention is to lower the audience's expectations and thus mute any
possible criticism, but the effect is to diminish their interest; and, if the talk turns out
to be excellent, the disclaimer is then an unfortunate boast.
Beware of irritating habits. “Umming”, pacing, and gesticulating were mentioned
above. Consider taking off your watch; if it is on your wrist you cannot check the time
inconspicuously. Only drink if you absolutely have to; if you have to drink, don't
gulp. Don't read directly from slides or written notes, or stand behind the projector
so that your face can't be seen and you cast a shadow on the screen. When referring
to the screen, use a stick or laser pointer rather than the computer's mouse. Don't
overact, use slang, or laugh at your own jokes. Don't act nervous, mumble, look
at your feet, face the wrong way, scratch, fiddle, or fidget. If you think you might
be tempted to rattle the coins in your pocket, put them somewhere else. And don't
change slides before the audience has had a chance to read them.
Handle distractions tactfully. If someone persistently interrupts, or excludes the
rest of the audience by asking too many questions, offer to talk to them afterwards.
Expect to be nervous—adrenaline helps you to talk well. Even experienced speak-
ers can be nervous, despite their appearance of cool calm on the podium. The best
cure for serious attacks of fright is to give a preparatory talk or two, so if possible
practice before a friendly (but critical) audience. A constructive attitude is to view
each talk you give as training for the next one. Don't be too ambitious; master the
basics of getting a clear message across before, for example, attempting to tell jokes
or make advanced use of presentation tools.
Standing in front of an audience of your peers or superiors can be intimidating,
particularly if the audience is silent. But silence is a good sign; it means people are
paying attention. Even yawning isn't necessarily a disaster; lecture halls are often
stuffy, and nobody stays focused indefinitely. A typical listener's attention drifts away
momentarily now and again, no matter how good the speaker is.
