Adapting to Everyday Environments

Not every performance takes place on the big stage. The majority of business presentations are done for smaller groups, and sometimes those talks take place in unique settings. So, you have to learn to adapt to different circumstances. The good news is that the skills we've been discussing translate well to the variety of situations you may encounter when delivering your message.

I always laugh when someone tells me, "Oh, the meetings I speak at are so informal that you don't really need great presentation skills to make your point." My response is something like, "I guess you don't need to wear clean clothes on those days, either!" Don't underestimate the power of the moment. If the meeting really is unimportant, then your time is wasted . Do you really have that luxury? Yet, given that the meeting is important, you want your voice to be heard and remembered . Presentation skills are universally adaptable to almost every circumstance in which you speak and someone else listens.

The goal is to use the same skills that work in a more controlled setting and apply them to the given environment. Most of your presentations are likely to take place close to your everyday work area. Believe it or not, these environments are the ones you least prepare for and take most for granted. At other times you may find yourself in situations that challenge even the most basic of your skills. In fact, one of the biggest challenges will be in the way you use your skills in a highly visual setting, such as TV.

The good news is that the external and internal skills discussed in Chapters 26, "The Mechanics of Form ”Developing External Presentation Skills," and 27, "The Mechanics of Function ”Developing Internal Presentation Skills," apply to a variety of situations. In this chapter, we examine the use of these skills in various situations.