The Goof
Presentation Mistakes to Avoid #1
At times people misspeak. A word, name, or place might be mispronounced. Or a fact is misstated. Even a new word is sometimes created. A speaker can be distracted, for a split-second forget his or her place. It happens to everyone from students to leaders of nations.
If, and when, you misspeak KEEP GOING.
If you make a mistake when speaking in public, move past it immediately. A presentation which is properly prepared builds momentum as it is delivered. Stopping abruptly to address a mistake destroys your momentum. And it can even create a more negative impact than the mistake itself.
You have practiced your presentation (right?). Stay with where your plan. Reasons for this are:
Stay within time allocated for your presentation
Get the information or message delivered to your audience.
In the presence of adversity, demonstrate a professional demeanor by keeping your wits
DO NOT self-identify a goof! Keep talking. Odds are other people will not notice or may and let it go. Unless it’s a credibility killer. Then see the below i
Recovering After A BIG Goof
Mistakes are going to happen. If the mistake in questions cannot be glossed over, something must be done. If the mistake is obvious, others will probably recognize it as well. The more obvious a mistake is, the more likely it is to negatively impact your credibility.
Should you lose credibility with your audience, you are done. And the impact of this could reach far beyond the audience in the room. People will speak about it. Other clients or prospects may hear of it. The mistake could even make its way online.
The Best Option…
Identify the mistake yourself. If you have committed a large enough error that it could impact future work, recognize the mistake. This is best done one of two ways:
Use self-deprecating humor while acknowledging the mistake and correcting it.
Be embarrassed (which you should be). Correct the mistake sheepishly and move on.
If you are not funny, go with option two. Never try to force funny, much less in a crisis or recovery situation.
When You Get Called Out…
Getting called out is more prevalent today, largely due to smart phones. Fact-checking is near instantaneous. You have three options on handling getting called out and they depend on your confidence of being right (or wrong).
You Get Called Out and You Know You’re Wrong
Someone has you dead to rights. It can happen. Maybe you mispronounced an important customer’s name and that person is in the audience. Or you cited an incorrect figure, only to say in your mind that was not right.
There is good news. This is the easiest call out to respond to in front of an audience.
Own It.
Recognize the person that called you out and acknowledge that correction. Be gracious. Perhaps even give that person a gift for having a quick mind. Maybe it’s a book or something else you can provide. Then move on.
You Are Not Sure You’re Are Wrong, But You Are Not Sure You’re Right
Welcome to presenter hell. A place you have solely made for yourself by being unprepared and not knowing your material. This is an awful position you can be in while in front of an audience.
The more important the fact in question, the more damaging it can be to your perceived expertise and credibility. The best thing that can be done is say you will review the contested information and let the audience know the results. Or, you can offer to speak with the challenger after the presentation.
Then keep going. Don’t get bogged down. If the person keeps bringing it up, repeat you will verify the information. If someone is still challenging you, consider having them removed from the room.
You Know You Are For CERTAIN Correct on the Contested Information
Stand your ground. Plant your flag on that mountain and defend it. Offer to explain how to the other person AFTER your presentation. Then carry on with your performance. If different information can result from different situations, it is fine to acknowledge that, but stand by the information you delivered when it is correct in the context in which you have described it. Remember, you are on the stage because you are the expert.
Like any other activity, mistakes happen. Don’t let it bog you down.
Handle it. Learn from it. Move on. The more you prepare and practice, these incidents are less likely to happen.