In presentation context, APOLOGIES are almost always unnecessary. NEVER APOLOGIZE for anything, except perhaps if you step on an audience member’s foot or if you have so much energy that your booming voice blasts in their ear. Even then, your APOLOGY should be framed positively… “I am sorry. I am so excited to be here, I nearly broke microphone!”

“PARDON ME,” AND OTHER LAME EXCUSES YOU HATE TO HEAR

EXCUSES are things we say to eliminate responsibility we have for our success (or lack there of it). Like APOLOGIES, EXCUSES tell your audience not to expect a lot from your presentation because you have very good reasons (i.e. EXCUSE) for not being able to deliver.

“I just found out about this presentation yesterday so I didn’t have much time to prepare,” is a common and frankly, over used, EXCUSE. Other then telling audience NOT to expect a lot from you because you aren’t prepared to deliver, what positive purpose does this EXCUSE serve?

Before you make another EXCUSE, remember what it feels like to be on receiving end of someone else’s excuses. If that doesn’t stop you, I don’t know what will!

“FORGIVE ME FOR I HAVE SINNED” AND OTHER CONFESSIONS TO AVOID

The CONFESSION is what happens when presenter tells audience something they have no business knowing. My favorite confession goes something like this…

“I’m really nervous today.”

The CONFESSION “I’m really nervous today” lets audience know right off bat that you will probably be a disappointment because you aren’t a very good presenter. It’s our strange attempt to set bar really low.

So why do we make CONFESSION? CONFESSING your nervousness to your audience lets you off hook for performing well! While audience may chuckle politely at your CONFESSION, many audience members stop listening carefully because they know that you are probably too “nervous” to meet their needs.

NEVER CONFESS to audience your nervousness and chances are, they will not know. Remember that while anxiety feels bad, truth is, it rarely shows. In fact, while you are worrying about your anxiety, audience is concentrating on your message and whether or not you are meeting their needs. I challenge you to live by vow, NO APOLOGIES, NO EXCUSSES, NO CONFESSIONS. Your audience will thank you!

For much more about this and other Presentation Secrets, check out book "15 Presentation Secrets: How to WOW Even Toughest Audience," by Debbie Bailey available at trainer2go.com/ebooks.html.

2. Tell everyone ASAP Feedback to all those affected should take place at earliest possible opportunity —- preferably first thing next morning, before rumour mill has had too much time to gear up. A useful strategy is to have planning meetings on weekends, with staff briefing occuring first thing Monday morning.

3. One meeting to bind them all Aim for one single briefing or feedback session, rather than multiple sessions where watering down or distortion of original message might occur. Thankfully, technology largely allows such a singel session to occur, even across multiple timezones. In such an instance, scripting of communication would prove a valuable tool to consistency, especially where text of session will appear on a company intranet.

4. Follow up and re-purpose A follow-up message (via audio, video or even simple written) to all from CEO, emphasing key points, is very useful. It too can be re-purposed to appear on company intranet, or as a briefing to investors and marketplace.

All of this might seem like overkill, a tremendous amount of effort for very little gain. But such a view must be evaluated against fact that long-term strategic plan will drive company for anything from next five to fifteen years.

Investing time at beginning to 'get it right' will pay massive dividends over longer term.