I gave the biggest presentation of my life last week, in terms of numbers, at least:
- An audience of 1500, perhaps 2000 people, as you can see from the picture, above.
(If you zoom in, the tiny blue blur of a blob on the stage in the far distance is me.)
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I knew I would be facing a large audience, so I did all my usual preparation when teaching public speaking skills:
I made sure the presentation was ready well in advance.
Next, I practised, polished, and perfected.
Then I got to Copenhagen the day before, and went to the arena to stand on the stage, rehearse, and get the feeling of speaking in that vast space.
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But there was one other very important reason for being sure to get to the hall early…
Which brings us to the point of this blog:
- To meet the technical team
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No matter how much you prepare and practice, it all comes down to the delivery when we’re talking public speaking.
Which means the people behind the scenes, however unseen (if you’ll excuse the pun) are critical.
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And I was being my full primadonna, pop star, Mr. Demanding self:
I wanted a Madonna-style headset microphone, so I could wander the stage.
I also wanted a laser pointer type thing, to highlight certain areas of text on the screens.
On top of which, I wanted roving microphones in the crowd, to invite audience participation.
In short, I was a classic me, me, me type presenter, with an extra helping of ME thrown in.
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Despite all these requests, the technical team could not have been more helpful.
They smiled, were patient, kind, and provided everything I asked for.
They made sure the presentation worked perfectly…
And the audiovisual was impeccable.
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These gods of the tech were the first people I spoke to when I got to the hall.
I wanted to build a sense of teamwork and togetherness between us.
So I took the time to talk, let them to know how important they were to the success of the presentation, and how much I appreciated their support.
I reassured them I wasn’t really that much of a pain to work with...
And if they had any observations about how I was planning the session to please raise them.
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Which they duly did:
We realised the audience would be so big that roving microphones would be difficult, so instead we came up with a different solution.
I asked volunteers to join me on stage when I ran a few quick fire exercises.
And that worked much better than it otherwise would.
It was also wonderfully empowering for our volunteers.
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In fairness, the tech team were so brilliantly professional I doubt they needed my appreciation and efforts at establishing a relationship when we first met.
But I’m glad - very glad - I did so.
It meant we bonded from the start, trusted each other, actually enjoyed working together…
And the results were - without being too immodest (well, you know me!) - superb.
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I’m pleased to say everything went beautifully in both the sessions I presented, and I got some lovely feedback.
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) are one of the most wonderful groups you could wish to meet.
Warm and welcoming, charming and kind, energetic and talented, simply a delight to work with.
(No wonder I look so at home!)
And, amongst that great group of lovely people, perhaps less heralded, but no less important…
For the success of the EAHP's annual Congress, and for helping presenters like me perform at their best…
Here’s a big and very heartfelt thank you to the fantastic technical team.
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The moral of the story being, even if your presentation is only to a handful of people, rather than thousands:
- It will still be every bit as important
For your professional reputation, for the outcome, and for your self-worth.
Whether it’s a job interview, asking your bosses for their backing, or pitching for investment.
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So, wherever you're presenting, whenever, and to whoever…
Make sure the people who look after the tech are on side, know they’re loved, and are there to help.
They are far more important for sweet success than is often appreciated.
