I attend a lot of virtual and in-person presentations. I see a lot more than the average person, because it's my job. There are five things I hear during these presentations that presenters and speakers should stop saying, and here are the reasons to change those habits.
- My next guest needs no introduction.
The irony here is that the host or master of ceremonies will introduce this guest anyway once this time-honored sentence has been spoken! It is therefore useless. If the intention here is to point out to all listeners and spectators that this distinguished guest has such a remarkable track record that this introduction will not do him justice and that the audience is fortunate to be able to attend his presentation, why not simply say, "We have the honour and pleasure to welcome our next guest who... ". Follow a simple script like the one proposed in this article: Introducing a guest or speaker like a pro. The magic recipe. - Last but not least.
If there's one phrase that doesn't bring any value when hosting a meeting as a master of ceremonies, it's this one. Every time I was the last speaker or presenter of the day and I heard this outdated cliché, I felt uneasy and I had the impression that the host was trying to raise my profile as if the last place made me fall back to the bottom of the ranking! Why not just say, "To conclude this day or..." Our last guest of the evening''...Nothing more. Being the last to speak is not relegation. On the contrary, it is often the chance to mark the minds and memories of the listeners. - Basically, honestly and other word crutches of little value.
These word crutches are often a symptom of a speaker's nervousness, lack of experience, and preparation. We all have our own word whiskers when we speak, but when these words are repeated several dozen times in a speech, listeners perceive these words as the sound of nails on a blackboard in the long run. The fix? Imagine a punctuation mark in place of this crutch word and replace it with a pause of one or two seconds. Take the opportunity to breathe and look around the audience to make sure your listeners are following you. You will find other remedies here: Um, ok, like, you know' and other public speaking hesitations. 5 ways to eliminate these oratory crutches - Good question.
Another cliché of little value that we hear too often. There is no need to grade the question. Tell yourself that all questions are good questions, even if, at first glance, one might judge that some are more interesting than others. In the mind of the person who asked the question, the intervention is justified and required a certain amount of courage. Thank the person for asking their question, repeat the question in your words so that all listeners understand the question, and answer briefly. Other ideas for the question period: 6 ideas to help you answer tough questions at your next presentation - Have I answered your question correctly?
And if you have not been able to answer the question in a way that fully satisfies the expectations of the listener who asked the question, do you try again a second or third time until that person is satisfied? This path is strewn with pitfalls. You may have to accept the person's disappointment; It is possible that this exchange will take some time that wears out the patience of the rest of the audience. If that listener does not seem satisfied with the answer, they will let you know. Arrange a time after the presentation to discuss the issue and give other listeners a chance to ask questions.