You know by now that the absolutely worst thing that a presenter can do to the audience is bore them. Better to forget what you were going to say, trip over your spiel, or stick your foot deep into your mouth, but don't bore them.
If you don't have a compelling message, send a memo.
Here are some ways you'll know if you're trespaasing into the dangerous land of audience boredom:
1. You notice everyone staring, as if transfixed, out the window. And then you realize there is no window in there.
2. Everyone is snickering while you're presenting information on an impending explosion of deadly illnesses.
3. You hear a low-level noise in the background, then you realize it's the sound of snoring.
4. You see people hiding their Blackberries behind their knees. And contorting themselves to text so that supposedly you don't notice.
5. Everyone starts doing the wave. It's a wave of yawning.
6. You see people taking notes while you're telling jokes. And then they start showing each other what they've written.
7. You finish your presentation, and nobody notices.
Take the time to be interesting to your audience. Otherwise, why are you there?
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