High Impact Presentation Skills in Asia | How to Deal with Disasters During the Presentation
What’s the worse that could happen during your presentation? If you can think about potential disasters and be mentally and emotionally prepared, you’ve got less reason to fear them.
Here are some examples of disasters your list might include:
You find out that the time allotted has been reduced.
The equipment fails.
You tell a joke that falls flat.
You get nervous and flustered and lose track of where you are.
You stumble over a chair or trip over a cord.
A fire alarm goes off.
You suddenly become ill.
These are just a few things that could go wrong. After you’ve completed your list, go through the situations one by one and think about strategies for handling each situation.
The first part of any disaster strategy should be to not panic. Usually, a good laugh will break the tension—especially if some of the members of the audience react to the disaster with nervous laughter or an anxious silence.
So, let’s consider the disasters listed above, as examples, with some suggestions for surviving and recovering.
You find out that the time allotted has been reduced. At the very worse, you can make your main points, support them with the essentials, ask and answer the most likely questions on your list, and then open it up for additional questions.
Allow just enough time to do your conclusion.
The slide equipment fails. You know the saying, “The show must go on.” Apologize to the audience and then add something like “Now, return with me to a distant past, before PowerPoint, when all we had for presentations was our notes and perhaps a blackboard or flip chart.” Then, make the most of your primitive tools.
You tell a joke that falls flat. Ouch! Just shrug your shoulders and apologize: “I’m sorry. I got that joke at a clearance sale.” (You can choose your own comedian.)
You get nervous and flustered and lose track of where you are. Figure out where you are from your slides and notes. If you can’t, just be honest: “My brain has derailed. Who can back me up so I can get on the track again?”
You stumble over a chair or trip over a cord. Just get up, dust yourself off, summon up what remains of your dignity, and laugh at your misfortune, with a comment such as “And the entertainment is free” or “This is the last time I work with a choreographer!”
A fire alarm goes off. File out according to the established procedure, just like back in elementary school, or use your common sense. As you and the participants wait for the official word, conduct a Q&A. Some may groan and resist, but it’s a good opportunity for you to find out about their major concerns or areas of interest. Take notes, so you’ll be sure to cover at least those concerns and areas if you lose some of your allotted time.
You suddenly become ill. Maybe it’s a sudden case of the 24- hour flu or you had some bad seafood for lunch. The key question is whether it’s best to stop (and later reschedule) or to try to carry on. Be honest and be smart. If you decide to continue, minimize your movements and conserve your energy. The participants should empathize with you and appreciate your commitment to them and your determination. They’ll also under- stand if you suddenly make a mad dash for the door.
These are just a few disasters and a few suggestions for dealing with them. After you try this exercise with a few disasters, you’ll probably feel more comfortable and confident that you can deal with almost any disaster.
If you’re prepared for anything that could happen, you’ll be confident and maintain your poise—and probably impress your audience with your professional manner.
