distractions « The One Minute Presenter

You can read Part 1 on Ground Rules here and Part 2 on Incentives here.

Extreme Examples to Stop Mobile Phone use
While these suggestions will help most business settings, sometimes a presenter will adopt an extreme position to make their point. These high risk approaches can really make an impact but when done well add to the overall impact of your presentation.

For example, one presenter started a presentation by pulling out a mobile phone, placed the phone into a padded envelope, dropped the envelope to the floor, stomped on it repeatedly, picked the envelope back up, and then threw it to the back of the hall. He smiled politely and asked if anyone in the room had another device he could practice on. If so, all they had to do was let it make any noise during his presentation.
The outcome was that with over 200 people in the room for a two-hour presentation, there was not a single instance of a phone ringing, beeping, or even buzzing. The key to these extreme approaches is a certain sense of humour so choose them with care.

Remember as a presenter you need to keep the audience on your side, so while mobile phones ringing in meetings are an irritation, they are a fact of life. Set ground rules, keep a sense of humour and don’t react to a phone ringing in an angry way.

RESOURCE BOX

Warwick John Fahy is the international executive speech coach for senior executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs who need to influence clients, investors, shareholders and team members. His highly practical approach and deep cross cultural intelligence have made him a sought-after business presentation coach throughout the world.

Warwick is the author of the acclaimed book, The One Minute Presenter – 8 steps to successful business presentations in a short attention span world. For free executive speaking tips visit http://www.oneminutepresenter.com/blog

To arrange presentation skills training or coaching to build your executive presence visit this web site.

For a media interview call +86 1391 786 7502.

For anyone who has run a meeting or given a presentation to a group, the sound of a mobile phone going off is one of those annoying but common interruptions. What can business presenters do to minimize these distractions?

This article will look at setting ground rules.

Ground Rules
Although you may never completely stop the use of mobile phones in larger meetings, you can let the audience know what the meeting’s expectations are. This can be done by the host or MC of the meeting, written on a flipchart or computer slide. A simple ground rule can reduce the number of distractions.

At the beginning of the presentation, take out your mobile phone, show it to the audience and ask them to switch it to vibrate or silent mode. Explain that when an important call is received, they should step outside the room to take the call.

Good presenters also take this opportunity to explain that the purpose of this ground rule is not to stop the audience conducting their important business but to show respect and politeness for the other audience members. This not only reduces resistance to your ground rule but also elevates the audience to a higher place where they show respect and courtesy for other participants.

Explain to the audience that there will be a ten minute break every hour, and so they can take calls and call back then. This will also reduce the need for immediate calls.

RESOURCE BOX

To arrange presentation skills training or coaching to build your executive presence visit this web site.

For a media interview call +86 1391 786 7502.

Tag Archive for 'distractions'

How to handle mobile phones during presentations Part 3 of 3: The Extreme Approach

How to handle mobile phones during presentations Part 1 of 3: Set Ground Rules

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