Speaking Survey says: Speaker DO’s and DON’Ts
Ever wonder what the audience really wishes you would do better when you speak?
Chris Brogan conducted a quick and informal survey asking the question:
Quick: Give me YOUR 3 things you wish speakers would do better, or not do at all!
The raw results are interesting to look at, but not very accessible. So I did some further analysis:
- First, I stripped out all the noise, and divided it up into three columns so it was easier to read.
- Then, I began looking for sets of responses which were identical or closely related.
- I grouped these under a single phrase which collectively described them.
For example, I grouped four responses — “have great take-home notes“, “give a deliverable“, “use handouts“, “give me more than PP as their handout” — under the collective description: “Provide useful handouts (not just slides)” - This process involved some interpretation, but I tried to make reasonable assumptions.
Do’s and Don’ts: Time to Change Your Speaking Strategies?
The results of this analysis are:
- 19 responses: Be engaging; Involve the audience; Conversation not presentation
- 14 responses: Do not read the slides
- 9: Focus on the message; avoid lengthy self-promotion
- 8: Better(more) visuals/diagrams/stats/other media
- 8: Show passion; Show enjoyment; Smile; Relax
- 8: Clear, simple, and useful messages and language
- 6: Do not use Powerpoint (or “bullets”) at all
- 6: Do not go over time
- 6: More time for Q&A / Answer questions thoughtfully
- 5: Use stories / metaphors
- 5: Challenge the audience; Don’t “dumb it down”
- 4: Know your audience
- 4: Better takehome handouts (not Powerpoint slides)
- 3: Make your presentation fun
- 3: Use humor (but only if you are funny)
- 2: Answer “what’s in it for me”
- 16 other responses which didn’t “match up” with others, such as “be confident“, “practice“, and (one that I’ll certainly remember) “Don’t wear ties with horrible patterns and mismatched colors“
The top two are particularly telling. It would be hard to imagine any speaker could be engaging if they were reading their slides.
Not satisfied yet, I continued looking for patterns among these groups. After some juggling, I massaged them into three meta-groups.
Presentation Techniques (47 responses)
- 14: Do not read the slides
- 8: Better(more) visuals/diagrams/stats/other media
- 8: Show passion; Show enjoyment; Smile; Relax
- 6: Do not use Powerpoint (or “bullets”) at all
- 5: Use stories / metaphors
- 3: Make your presentation fun
- 3: Use humor (but only if you are funny)
Audience Focus (37 responses)
- 19: Be engaging; Involve the audience; Conversation not presentation
- 6: Do not go over time
- 6: More time for Q&A / Answer questions thoughtfully
- 4: Know your audience
- 2: Answer “what’s in it for me”
Content Focus (26 responses)
- 9: Focus on the message; avoid lengthy self-promotion
- 8: Clear, simple, and useful messages and language
- 5: Challenge the audience; Don’t “dumb it down”
- 4: Provide useful handouts (not just slides)
Viewed under this light, I believe the survey provides a wealth of information. I’m always looking for ways to improve my presentations, and the numbers above provide excellent clues as to where I should focus my efforts.
How about you? What are YOUR 3 things you wish speakers would do better, or not do at all?
Raw Survey Data
Responses to the survey are given below. Each row corresponds to three responses from one person.
| Not repeat speeches | have great take-home notes | be genuinely engaging |
| create metaphors | relate to the audience in the room | add humor |
| Don’t read off the fscking slide |
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| extend past the preso | give a deliverable | inspire |
| Don’t hide behind a podium | Learn to use your voice | follow presentationZen |
| actually answer questions with real info, not high level, been-said-a-million times, fast responses |
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| dont read the slides | provide practical application | Tell me how *I* can use it/do it |
| assume the audience is intelligent | less text, more action | tell me why you are the best |
| provoke me | be confident | bannish bullet points |
| Eliminate the following words from their vocabulary: 1. Resource (referring to people). 2. Monetize. 3. Leverage. |
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| I wish presenters wouldn’t read off powerpoint | give me more than PP as their handout | not go over time |
| speakers should spend less than one whole sentence on their own credentials. I didn’t pay to hear a resume. |
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| Tell stories | show statistics | keep my mind energized |
| use diagrams | use handouts |
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| Meet the people in the room | Allow participation from the start | Show pretty pictures |
| Not read the presentation slide to me | Allow time for questions | Talk to the whole room not just the front row |
| manage time better | use visuals | not give a lecture, engage people instead |
| practice | relax | listen |
| Don’t read long text slides to me | Don’t make me hold my question until the end | Don’t run out of time |
| Not chew gum. It is very distracting |
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| Be passionate about what they’re talking about | Not use lousy powerpoint presentations | Engage the audience |
| be more engaging | add an element fo FUN to the presentation (esp if subject is dry) | Talk to me not at me |
| smile | engage the audience | be simple & clear w/points. like don’t assume the audience knows current catch-phrases |
| Make Presentations FUN | Speak Clearly | Have Great – CLEAR – Takeaways |
| not use Powerpoint slides as notecards | Not start by saying they won’t talk too long | tell more stories less theories |
| Not read Powerpoints verbatum | Not tell lame ‘icebreakers’ | Stay on Target’ |
| stay away from powerpoint | no rambling | ask questions and involve the audience |
| engage with the audience | forget the slides | mesmorise me |
| Anchor on 3 or less very clear points | Convey messages for these points via interesting and engaing stories |
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| Don’t read long text slides to me | Don’t make me hold my question until the end | Don’t run out of time |
| DON’T READ YOUR #$@#% SLIDES | DON’T READ YOUR #%#$# SLIDES | DON’T READ YOUR #$#$% SLIDES |
| Actually give useful information |
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| Engage the audience more | Better media in slides | Stop reading the slides |
| Stop telling us how wonderful something is, and how excited you are… get to the meat and potatoes | Don’t talk soft and slow, like we won’t get it unless you do | Don’t bring me down at the end (emotionally) to make a serious point… especially if you’ve been up-beat and funny unti |
| dont read from slides | dont use humor if you cant or havent practiced | dont give talks on things ur not passionate about |
| NOT give long, detailed biographies that I could have read in the program. Get on with the talk |
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| No more Bulletpoints | Dont read the script | Do involve the conversation and the community |
| no PP pls | ENGAGE, INTERACT, INFORM | USE RICH MEDIA APPLICATION – show some YouTUBEs |
| they should frame the speech better to lessen tangents |
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| Don’t try to be someone you’re not | don’t be stiff as a door nail | DO end when you’re supposed to |
| Not dumb down their presentation but challenge us instead | Look like they are enjoying being there even if nervous | Don’t wear ties with horrible patterns and mismatched colours |
| DON’T READ ME YOUR SLIDES! | Care about what you’re saying. Or pretend to. | Know your audience at least a little. |
| Give me the Why factor! |
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| Don’t give a speech I already saw you give on YouTube. | Don’t include the phrase “join the conversation” ad nauseaum | No pants. |
| lead with most relavant point | be engaged with that specific audience – don’t memorize | open up follow on conversations |
| Good speakers establish genuine rapport in the first few minutes | make points through story not text | finish early |
| people are there to listen, not read | Cut down on slide clutter |
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| Poor speakers hide behind facts, podiums, and accomplishments |
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| know your audience | be humble, be fun, be honest, informative, not advertorial | . leave lots of time for q & a |
| be more engaging | add an element fo FUN to the presentation (esp if subject is dry) | Talk to me not at me |
| show passion | have conversation not presentation |
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RT @hgroom: RT @6minutes Speaking Survey: Speaker DO's and DON'Ts http://bit.ly/3Wq1vL
— Tanya King Jun 17th, 2010
A must-read article for Toastmasters: Public Speaking DOs & DON'Ts http://bit.ly/3Wq1vL via @hgroom @6minutes
— CapitalCityTM Jun 19th, 2010
RT @CapitalCityTM: A must-read article for Toastmasters: Public Speaking DOs & DON'Ts http://bit.ly/3Wq1vL via @hgroom @6minutes
— Helen Groom Jun 19th, 2010
RT @6minutes Speaking Survey: Speaker DO's and DON'Ts http://t.co/2h4aQA7o
— Brian Simpson Nov 19th, 2011
Interesting survey on speaking do's and don'ts. I especially like the advice, "use humor (but only if you are funny)" http://t.co/lwnyH3ic
— Michael Edwards Feb 5th, 2012
Speaking this week? Check out some Dos & Don'ts….not a new survey but I'm sure none of the results would have change…http://t.co/cLZrcYgT
— Dee Clayton Sep 24th, 2012
Speaking this week? Check out some Dos & Don'ts….not a new survey but I'm sure none of the results would have change…http://t.co/cLZrcYgT
— Tara Clark Sep 24th, 2012
Speaking this week? Check out some Dos & Don'ts….not a new survey but I'm sure none of the results would have change…http://t.co/cLZrcYgT
— Once Upon A Job(s) Sep 24th, 2012
Check this link out class http://t.co/45IGSXgy #COM1010
— Tyler Haksluoto Oct 1st, 2012
Terrific ideas on what your audience wants in a speech: Speaker DO’s and DON’Ts https://t.co/RATvkLYSIh by @6minutes #publicspeaking
— @allisonshapira Mar 30th, 2016
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This is so awesome! Thanks for doing this analysis. Very cool stuff to read and observe. I appreciate that you took it the extra distance.
In corporate and technical presentations, it is difficult to avoid PowerPoint. So, the suggestion that we don’t use it all is not feasible.
However, minimal use of slides and most important, the thumb rule ” You are the show, not the screen !” will help us engage the audience.
cheers
Good reading and useful tips for everyone- whether novice or experienced!
Thanks Andrew and Chris! I’m going to be incorporating your survey results into a module on presentation skills in which I teach.
“# 6: Do not use Powerpoint (or “bullets”) at all” Hey…that’s a low blow. I get the bullet points, but PowerPoint itself isn’t the problem. I would accept it if they had said “Bad” PowerPoint.
That aside, this is a GREAT post and I appreciate the time you took to make the data more easily consumed. There are some great tips in there and anyone who presents in any way should know these by heart.
One response that jumped out at me when looking at the raw data was, “Talk TO me, not AT me.” So so important to realize that presenting is a two-way conversation.
Sadly, I think some people have never seen “good” PowerPoint, so the “bad” modifier is redundant to them.