When having a Script can be a Lifesaver
The holding of the 2024 Republican National Conference in Milwaukee this July brings to mind a similar occasion just over a hundred years ago.
On the 1912 campaign trail, seeking a third term in office, former US President Teddy Roosevelt was leaving the Gilpatrick Hotel on his way to give a speech at the Milwaukee Auditorium. Suddenly, a 36 year old man, John Shrank, stepped forward and shot the presidential candidate from point blank range.
Shranks’ aim was true (well, he was only 5 feet away) and Roosevelt would have died instantly. But the former President was known for speaking at length. And that evening was no exception. Inside his left jacket pocket, he had a 50 page speech folded in half. Aided also by his coat and his spectacle case, the bullet failed to reach his heart, coming to rest lodged in a chest muscle.
Roosevelt refused to go the hospital and continued on to the Auditorium. He began by telling the crowd that he’d been shot, had a bullet in him, and would have to keep his speech short.
He then proceeded to talk for 50 minutes before being taken to hospital!
Whilst recognising that technology has evolved dramatically since 1912 – no teleprompters back then – this event does give rise to the perennial question facing all presenters: should I use notes?
Should I use Notes for Presentations?
On the one hand notes can be extremely useful:
Not forgetting what to say
Not overrunning
Avoiding mistakes, not saying the ‘wrong thing’
Controlling nerves
On the other hand, simply reading a presentation is unlikely to inspire an audience. When delivering a presentation, it must be heard and seen to be coming from the speaker (otherwise, just pop the message in the post, or send an email).
Many speakers recognise this dilemma and react in a variety of ways. Some try to memorise the whole thing. This can be very stressful and lead to the speaker focussing on what to say next, rather than audience reaction. Other speakers have their notes with them, but only to use if they ‘get lost’. By definition, this is almost certainly too late!
Then there are those – pretending not to have notes – who put all the words on PowerPoint slides. The fact that no-one can read the slides and listen to the speaker at the same time does not deter them. These presenters are setting out to impress the audience, whereas the aim of any presentation should be the opposite – to express.
It needn’t be this way. The solution to using notes and still be interacting with an audience lies in the understanding of natural eye-contact. In a relaxed conversation, the speaker does not look at the listener all the time they are talking. That would be far too intense. Only when speaking in anger – or perhaps when inebriated - does the speaker hold full eye-contact.
Because it’s completely natural to look away when speaking in a conversation, that’s when a presenter can be reading their notes, provided they engage the audience when they pause. So it’s when they stop talking that they must hold eye-contact.
Using notes or scripts is particularly helpful in more formal occasions. When addressing large audiences, it often involves multiple sheets of paper. Don’t forget to number each sheet (in case you drop them). And don’t worry how many bits of paper you have – it might just save your life!
Presentation Skills Myths and Realities #3:
‘The more you know about a topic, the less you need notes’
This is a commonly held belief, especially by senior executives. That feeling of having been in a job for many years, absorbing a wealth of knowledge and experience along the way. No difficulty in talking about it.
Our Managing Director Mark Loasby debunks presentation myth number 3 on the blog this month:
Myth 3: ‘The more you know about a topic, the less you need notes’
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The Connect Family
