I went to a business conference recently to see a colleague give a major presentation. During the course of the conference I saw speakers of every skill level. Some were dynamic, interesting and had good eye contact. My associate gave a particularly strong speech – one that was memorable for both its content and passionate delivery.
However, most of the speakers were deadly dull. Presenter after present stood up and read speech after speech. One person had all of her notes drop to the floor where they soon become out of order. Anther speaker awkwardly stopped and started a few times. Other speakers failed to get close enough to the microphone; hence the audience couldn’t hear anything they said.
All I all it was like any other business conference with dozens of middle-aged executives speaking about their companies. The speaking quality was no better or worse than other conferences that go on every day around the world.
But there was one significant difference. This wasn’t a typical business conference. In fact, it was a group of one hundred 7-year-olds at a 2nd Grade dramatic reading assembly. My ‘associate’ was my niece Melanie.
When you are seven years old, you should get credit simply for standing up in front of 100 fellow students, parents and teachers. So I am not criticizing any of the student speakers. As I mentioned, some were excellent (especially my niece).
What struck me is how many adult professional business people who haven’t seen the 2nd grade in 30 or 40 years have not improved their speaking skills one iota. The average 45 year old executive who gives presentations at business conferences would rather die than appear wearing the same clothes as he did when he was seven. He wouldn’t dare write the same way he did when he was seven. He wouldn’t want to take a school bus to work. He wouldn’t want to show his employer that he still had the match skills of a seven year old. In fact, in every area of his life he has tried to dramatically improve his skill level from when he was seven years old.
But for some reason, many people feel like their speaking skill level shouldn’t have to be any better at 47 versus 7.
Why?
This is insane! Yet it is common.
Are you still giving presentations the way you did when you were seven years old? Are you nervously reading and hoping that you can just finish and return to your seat before anyone notices?
If so, you are in a big club, but it is a club you can and should get out of NOW.
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