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When giving a presentation, there always seems to be so much to focus on. That focus can be directed into almost countless areas. For instance:
- What should I wear?
- Where should I stand?
- What if I get nervous?
- What content would be the easiest for me to deliver?
- What materials would best support my presentation?
If you’ve ever stood in front of an audience, I have no doubt that you’ve asked yourself these questions, and more. Do you notice a trend here? Look where the focus tends to almost always be; on us. The problem is this; this focus is misplaced.
I happen to be a movie buff, and to help illustrate where the focus must really be placed, take a moment and watch one of my favorite movies, Gladiator. With a powerhouse cast led by Joaquin Phoenix and Russell Crowe, Gladiator is the story of a once-powerful general who is sold into slavery and forced to become a common gladiator. And yet, it’s neither Phoenix nor Crowe who delivers one of the most powerful lines in the movie; it’s a lesser-known actor named Oliver Reed.
Reed plays the role of Antonius Poximo, a former gladiator himself, and now an old, gruff gladiator trainer who buys Maximus, (Russell Crowe,) and trains him to fight. In a powerful scene, Proximo tells Maximus, “I was not the best because I killed quickly. I was the best because the crowd loved me. Win the crowd and you will win your freedom.”
Sitting in a movie theater, that line sent chills down my spine and resonated with me because of its connection to what we do when we are in front of a crowd. No, we’re not fighting for our life, we are fighting to achieve our objective and win over an audience. We are fighting for our moment.
In a corporate or professional environment, it’s a different environment than in a school. There are rarely tests, and if the presentation is not delivered in a dynamic manner, it matters… a lot! One bad presentation can cost someone a promotion, or, even a job. So, let’s call back that list presented earlier of what to focus on, and most importantly, let’s take the focus off of us, and put it where it really belongs:
- What should I wear? That depends on what the audience is wearing. A great presenter will dress at, or slightly above, what the people in the audience are wearing. When I left Xerox and became a professional speaker, I was often asked not to wear a suit to an offsite meeting. They even pleaded with me, and still, I couldn’t let go of my dark suits and white shirts. Eventually my resistance wore down and I realized that their requests would actually help me. By matching the attire of the people in the audience, I was able to bond faster with that audience.
- Where should I stand? That depends on what works best for the audience. A great presenter will walk the room hours before a presentation to check for angles and sightlines that will best suit the audience. If a microphone is used, they’ll be looking for areas of feedback as to not distract the audience. Where he or she stands depends on what’s best for the audience.
- What if I get nervous? That doesn’t depend on the audience, but focusing on the audience can sure help you out here. Taking the focus off of yourself, and placing it on the audience, will most definitely reduce your anxiety.
- What content would be the difficult for me to deliver? That depends on what the audience needs to hear, and it really has nothing to do with what’s the most challenging for you to deliver. A great presenter will do his or her homework to make sure the information delivered is relevant to the audience’s needs. They’ll also work tirelessly to make the most difficult parts of the information easier to understand by connecting the unknown to the known.
- What materials would best support my presentation? Once again, that depends on what that audience needs. A great presenter will study what has worked in the past, and also, what hasn’t worked in the past. He, or she, will then create visual aids, exercises, and job aids to support these challenges.
In conclusion, the next time it’s your turn to take to the stage or boardroom, place that focus on your crowd. It’s interesting to note how Maximus responded to Poximo’s lesson with a statement of his own. He said this: “I will win the crowd. I will give them something they’ve never seen before.” Put your focus where it needs to be, give them something they’ve never seen before, and you will win the crowd… and the moment.