Burn The Podium: Engaging With The Audience

Care to wager a guess how I feel about presentations given from behind a podium?  <insert sarcasm here>

There is something  about the podium that makes me feel disconnected from the person.  It hides their body language, it is often something they grip with great fervor.   When I attend an event of any kind and the speaker hides behind a podium as he or she reads a PowerPoint presentation to me I cannot help but be disconnected.

I spoke at Talent Net Live earlier this week and one of the best parts of the event for me was that no one stood behind the podium.  It was on stage, available should anyone like to lean on it, set a drink on it or if they needed to hide from the audience.  But, no one needed it.  Every speaker used the stage in a different way.  Bruce Morton gave the opening keynote and walked the stage like a pro.  Jason Seiden, the closing keynote, started his “Profersonal” presentation seated on a red couch.  The panelists in various sessions were seated talk show style.  Paul Smith stood at both the front of the room and at the back.  It was unique to see so many great speakers use the space given to them in the best possible way- to engage with their audience.

Whether you are someone who regularly gives presentations or someone who dreads it, I challenge you to shake up the way you present.  Walk around, use the space, break away from the dreaded podium.  And, check out events like Talent Net Live to see how the pros do it!

Thanks to Craig Fisher (@Fishdogs) the #TNL social recruiting forum  features big names in recruiting and social media covering the hottest tips and topics of the day for job seekers, social media enthusiasts, and talent professionals. Craig and his planning team did a fantastic job!