Handling Unexpected Problems

What can go wrong? Nearly anything. You could lose power, or your computer could lock up on you. You might have someone break a chair and fall on the floor. You might be interrupted by jack-hammering outside the presentation room's window. You can practice and plan all you want, but you can't avoid everything that might go wrong.

What you can do, however, is have a backup plan ready to go. A short anecdote or joke can help diffuse tension that comes from interruptions. A visual handout could help in the case of a loss of power. For the most serious interruptions, you have to decide whether it's worth continuing. If you're not in charge, the decision might be made for you, but if you are, you should consider postponing or pausing until the source of disruption ends. It's hard enough to communicate when you're in control, but fighting against outside disturbances is a losing battle.

You should also remain calm. Getting upset, cursing at the equipment, and yelling at the tech support person who shows up don't make the show go any better or faster and serve to alienate the audience. Getting the audience back on your side becomes doubly difficult. However, if you show the audience members calmness under pressure, they'll likely be willing to listen to you when the problems are solved.

Finally, and most importantly, take seriously the suggestions offered in this chapter to minimize potential problems. I've had my share of unexpected problems, but when I've followed my own advice, I have been lucky enough to make some perfectly smooth presentations. And you can, too!

The Absolute Minimum

In this chapter, you have learned about the requirements for adequately preparing the room and equipment for making a presentation. In particular, you did the following:

• You found out how important lighting is and ways to make it work for you.

• You learned how to set up equipment properly.

• You explored ways to make a presentation more natural, including the use of a remote-controlled mouse.

• You learned how to move around a room so as to make the presentation more effective.

• You looked at ways to deal with unexpected problems.

Chapter 16, "Learning the Elements of Effective Presentations," reviews and brings together all the important elements of an effective presentation.