by John J. Walters
It’s okay. Everyone does it from time to time. It usually happens when you are talking about some topic that you care about more passionately than the conversation’s other participants, like that time you did that thing in that place with those people. It gets even harder to be interesting in a business setting, when all the dirty jokes and crazy stories are off limits.
The tricky part is, sometimes we have to impart some information that is not interesting in the least. This is a sad fact of life in the business world, and one that is not likely to change no matter how slick our technology may get. Even when we have those holographic briefing centers from science fiction films, it will still be hard to keep people interested in a presentation on TPS reports.
So what to do? First of all, you need to know when you are being a bit of a bore. There’s lots of ways to tell this, from body language and averted glances to a lack of participation. Sometimes just the awareness that you’re boring the other parties is enough to make you change your tune. Ask some more questions, try to wrap things up faster, or toss a joke in there from time to time. Don’t get frustrated but learn from your experience being the (boring) center of a meeting. Work to improve.
The other piece of the puzzle is to consider carefully what the best mode of presentation might be for the particular information that you need to convey. PowerPoint might be the preferred option, but it’s not really suited to every type of lecture. Indeed, not everything needs to be a lecture. If you need to teach people something, then make an effort to include some interaction. If you need them to listen carefully to a lot of details that you know they won’t remember, give them a brief overview verbally and then distribute a handout that they can consult only when they need it. Be creative.
Think about one of your favorite professors from back in your college days (or teachers from your high-school days). What made their classes more interesting? It might have been the subject material, but more than likely they were also an interesting orator who varied their style regularly and encouraged participation. These aren’t just good ideas for teachers — we can use them quite effectively during business meetings if we’re willing to practice and pay attention to our audience.