You never know what can happen on social media…
and I thought I was going to blow up mine because the comments kept coming, and coming, and coming!
This was clearly a hot topic on my social media resulting in 247 comments when I asked this simple question:
How would you feel if a SPEAKER read their ENTIRE presentation… and you were in the audience?
Let me share some of the thoughts from the MANY responses…
- Waste of time. I could read it.
- It wouldn’t be as powerful.
- Bord and Disconnected!
- They are a reader and not a speaker
- I’d feel for the speaker
For those that like to read their presentations, it was a hard truth that the audience doesn’t love it when they do this.
Some responses were compassionate, and most were really frustrated by speakers who read their presentations.
Let me share my expert thoughts on this.
When a speaker reads their presentation, they lose 80% of their audience. Yes, 80%!
That is huge, meaning the audience is no longer paying attention to the speaker’s words when reading their presentation.
From an audience perspective, they could be reading the written information from the comfort of their home rather than sitting in an uncomfortable chair watching someone read their talk.
Every time a speaker reads their paper, note card or slide, the speaker disconnects from the audience and the audience disconnects from the speaker.
The audience needs and wants to connect with the speakers.
And Speakers should feel like they are having a conversation with the audience, and not reading slides, notes or a report.
Are their extenuating speaking circumstances such as first-timers?
Absolutely! If it is the speaker’s first time, and this is the only way they can speak to a group is to use notes, they should do it this way the first time.
I held a Speaking Contest for all levels of speakers, and several new speakers read their notes. They were celebrated because they got out of their comfort zones and did their best! But the intention was they could get some experience and significantly improve in the future.
Final Thoughts about Reading:
I feel like it is our responsibility when speaking to do what is in the best interest of the audience. It should be about the audience and not us.
For many speakers like myself, it is all about bringing our best and connecting with the audience. EVERY speaker gets to decide for themselves what that looks like.
Bravo to you, whether you are a new or experienced speaker because you are upleveling your speaking game every time you do it!
Thank you for showing up, sharing your thoughts with others and having a positive impact in your special way!!!
My new Speaker Personality Quiz is designed to help you understand the unique way YOU communicate with your audience.
By uncovering your “speaker personality”, you’ll be able to sell from the stage with ease and connect with your audience on a level that feels natural and authentic. You can finally start attracting an audience that “gets” you, and selling from the stage will feel like second nature.
As you might imagine, having this information is kind of a game-changer.
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