This is where your presentation gets REAL critiques. Prepare for this audience and the rest is a breeze!
When I’m in town, I like to attend my local Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapter meetings. These are a great place to network and you can certainly learn from the topics that are presented.
At the end of each session, there is a little card on the table that you fill out with feedback for the speaker and the event. Most people scribble a few notes and check the boxes and then head out the door. I’m sure the cards are useful, but what really matters is what people say about your presentation in the bathroom shortly after.
I’m always amazed at the critiques speakers get when audience members are in the safety of the bathroom. I hear criticism of the topic, the slides, the speakers themselves, etc. People feel a bit more candid I guess when in this unique, sacred place.
Now you can fear this phenomenon if you’re a speaker or you can simply use it as a tool to better prepare for your next presentation. Here are some of my suggestions:
Your Topic: If you’re going to present, be sure to present on a topic that’s timely and relevant. Of course you need to know your audience for this one. Find out their experience level. Inquire about some of the “pain” they experience. Then deliver solutions with a “how to” theme. Make sure they leave with tangible takeaways. Avoid subjects that are dated (Generations in the Workplace), stereotypical and divisive (Generations in the Workplace), fads (Generations in the Workplace), or that have been beat-to-death in numerous other presentations (Generations in the Workplace) – You see a theme here don’t you?
Your Command of the Subject: Make sure you present on a topic where you are either a recognized authority or at least a strong, proven subject matter expert. If you can’t intelligently answer hard questions at the end of the presentation (and this is common criticism in post-presentation bathroom critiques) then find another topic to present on.
Your Visuals: Be different and ditch PowerPoint® or minimize the amount of slides you need. Use relevant videos and debrief them clearly. If possible, use a flip chart and talk while writing down your points. Even consider tools like Prezi for a different visual approach. AND, have a backup plan if you can’t get Internet, sound for videos, or a correct connection from your laptop to the data projector. Just so you know, I’ve never had a person complain that I didn’t have a PowerPoint® presentation.
Your Style: Have someone evaluate your style before you present. Pay attention to the amount of times you use fillers such as “um” and “ok.” Don’t start off every statement with “So” (“So today we’re going to talk about how to deal with generations in the workplace.” “So you know all those Millennials want a trophy for just showing up.” “So you know you should always tell Gen Z how their job relates to a clean environment and workplace harmony”). Unless of course you’re pitching a product on Shark Tank. Then you look weird if you don’t start off every statement with “so”.
Your Appearance: In my experience, women don’t have issues here but men do. Guys, spend some money and get a suit that actually fits you. Shine up your shoes. Brush the dandruff off your shoulders if you wear a dark jacket. Take a long look in the mirror before leaving the house. If you look there and see Andy Rooney staring back, take a beard trimmer and shear those eyebrows. Start with the highest setting and work your way down. Don’t ask me how I know this. Look up your nose and trim out all of those nose hairs. Then look at your ears. Same thing here. You want people to talk about your amazing presentation, not your lack of style and personal grooming.
I know this is a lot to think about but it’s the little details that make your presentation a success. Plan out the presentation and prepare for those inevitable bathroom critiques. They happen whether you like it or not but preparation before will certainly give them something positive to talk about, while they’re hopefully washing their hands.