My podcast this week is from the Effective Public Speaking Book. (Since I'm teaching all day tomorrow and do not want to interrupt myself, you get the podcast and video early.)
Enjoy!
(Oh, if you watch the video and you're wondering about my eyes, think allergies. Yes, I appear to be having quite the fall. No problems, just allergies.)
Podcast:
Transcript:
I’m Johanna Rothman, and this is Johanna’s 60 Seconds of Writing WIP for September 13, 2024, where I read an excerpt of just a minute of some writing in progress.
This is from the Effective Public Speaking book.
Learn to Adapt to the Moment
Things Happen when you're the speaker. At a conference in San Francisco, I thought I felt the floor move while I was speaking. I asked the audience, “Did you feel that?”
All the people in the room laughed at me. One fellow yelled, “That was an earthquake! It wasn't The Big One!”
I said, “Thank goodness!” and laughed with them. Then I asked, “Is it okay if I continue? Is it safe?”
A local fellow explained that we were probably in the safest place in the city and everyone was fine with me continuing.
That was the most memorable Happening for me.
However, microphones stop working. Or the speakers screech when you walk and you realize you're confined to a small square of floor real estate. Or someone opens the door in the back and all the hallway noise makes your presentation impossible.
There are plenty more problems, especially if the power goes out. In that case, remember that the audience's safety is much more important than your presentation.
See the video, too.