[VIDEO] - Stories of our Speaking Fails
We love bringing fun, and in this case, embarrassing, topics onto Between 2 Speakers. In this week’s segment, Randy and I share a few stories about our worst speaking fails to date.
Why do people often “hate” public speaking? They fear failure!
However, as a public speaking and workshop coach, making a mistake is much more common than you’d think. Listen to our stories, and take away from the lessons we’ve learned so you can avoid them!
Watch our stories below, or keep scrolling to read a synopsis.
Lesson #1: Ask questions
Randy shares a story from a few years back when he was given a very vague topic to present on. Despite asking the host, repeatedly, “What specifically about X do you want me to speak about?” The host insisted, repeatedly, “Whatever you want.” So Randy did just that.
And Randy completely flopped.
In hindsight, he acknowledges that he may have been much more successful if he knew more about who was in the audience and how to catch them at the beginning of the presentation.
Vague prompts are never good because they leave too much room for error. If needed, continue to press the organizer for more information on what they are looking for. Ask deep and purposeful questions to get to the soul of a presentation that will captivate that particular audience.
*Don’t forget, these failures are only memorable to you. The audience will definitely not recall your fail in 5 years time – so don’t dwell on it.
Lesson #2: Don’t rush in
A few years ago, I spoke for exposure* (and the promise of many new clients) at a conference in the suburbs. First, let me throw in that exposure is (almost) never worth it – this instance certainly speaks to that point.
The speaker before me cut waaaay into my timeslot, pushing the entire conference back. I was forced to present to a room full of heads that were bowed down to their lunch. I really stood no chance next to the (free) strawberry salads. Unfortunately, I didn’t even meet any new clients from this experience. It was a day wasted.
From this experience, I learned to slow down. Before accepting the offer, I should have asked about the structure of the event, the businesses that would be in attendance, and of course, the time slots. Always brainstorm questions ahead of time that will reveal whether the opportunity is worthwhile for your time and goals.
* “Exposure” = “free.” Exposure is a cause of death, not a source of income. If someone asks you to work for “exposure,” run for the hills.
“Never talk for long when people are about to eat or graduate.”
Lesson #3: Find out the setup of your stage (or space) ahead of time
Randy tells another story about an instance where he was prepped to speak - with visuals from his laptop - for about 15 minutes during a networking event in a bar. However, once he got there he found out that there was only 1 AV plug – meaning he could either use the microphone or the laptop - but not both.
The sudden nerves from this last-minute change, coupled with the crowded space and hot tacho (“tater tot nacho”) bar immediately next to him, caused Randy to begin sweating profusely.
There are a few lessons Randy learned on this day:
Don’t rely on technology to work during a presentation. While it definitely makes an excellent supplement, you should be able to run through the gist of your speech without it in the event that, say, the venue doesn’t have two AV cords.
Be sure to check out the space you are to be presenting at ahead of time, if possible. This may give you a chance to foresee any issues that may arise – but then again, maybe not. After all, who could have predicted a tacho bar?!
Lesson #4: Own your mistakes
Back in the day, before phones were smart, they were an interruption – all they did was ring and take jobs. Many years back, I was giving a talk to an electric utility company on a stage. Prior to the presentation, I emphasized the importance of the audience turning their phones on silent out of respect.
I’m giving my lecture at the podium, and I hear my ringtone go off from the other side of the stage. Obviously, I know it’s mine, but I just keep going (and hope they will think it’s one of them). 11 rings later, I finally cop to my mistake.
I learned a few lessons on this day. For one, I decided to back off the silent cell phone lecture. Having this line of communication is important, and you never know when a call from a boss or a family member may be urgent.
I also learned to own my mistakes. If you mess up in a presentation (or in life!) there is nothing wrong with admitting: “Oops! My bad.” In the long run, acknowledging your mistakes will make you more credible and human.
As embarrassing as they may be, we’ve all had our fair share of experience with public speaking fails. That’s normal. What is important, is to learn from these mistakes. We’d love to hear about your experience: what was your worst public speaking fail that haunts you? Let us know in the comments.
About Me…
Hi! I’m Marianna. I make the process of public speaking easier for my clients. I help with everything from preparation to managing anxiety and nerves to speaking with strength and confidence. Need some coaching, or a workshop? Get in touch.
