One of the things we should always keep in mind are the positive aspects and those we should avoid when we have the opportunity to speak in public, whether it’s because we need to develop a business presentation, present a new project, give a lecture in front of an academic or judicial tribunal, or lead a team meeting where an organized presentation of plans, projects, or ideas is required. By the way, this can also be applied to presentations in front of academic, political, or union assemblies.

These mistakes are very common and far too frequent. They are made almost with alarming regularity. On some occasions, I have said that some of these mistakes are – taking a bit of religious liberty – mortal sins or venial sins. As some readers may know, mortal sins are, to put it humorously, a direct elevator to Hell, while venial sins predict a stay in Purgatory, and finally, the accumulation of several venial sins places us in the realm of mortal sins. Beyond these comparisons, the mistakes we are talking about, in most cases, irreparably condemn the effect we are trying to achieve and the impacts we need on our audience. In the best case, it neutralizes the influence we want to have on the minds and thoughts of those we are addressing.

Let’s then take inventory. An inventory that does not necessarily have a ranking of major or minor mistakes. All should be avoided because, whether we commit one or several, their final erosive effect will be equally present, with the consequences we mentioned.

1.Not having a clear objective. If we don’t know what we want to achieve, how can we convince our audience? It’s essential to define an objective and keep it in mind and in action throughout the entire presentation.

Not knowing your audience. One of the most important things we should do before speaking in public is to understand our audience. It’s necessary to consider their level of education, interests, and expectations. This way, we can adapt our presentation and establish the so-called “communication bridge” to capture the interest of those listening to us.

Not preparing enough. One of the most common mistakes is not preparing adequately. Overconfidence is generally the downfall of many speakers. We must dedicate the necessary time to research and rehearse what we are going to say. This way, we can approach our audience with confidence and speak effectively.

Reading the speech. When you read the speech, you lose eye contact with the audience and it may appear that you lack confidence in what you’re saying. Furthermore, it’s very likely we might make mistakes if we read directly from the paper. At the very least, try to memorize some key points so you can refer to them without reading. There are other reasons to avoid this. The audience doesn’t like reading. If we were to mentally ask the audience, the result might be: “they could have just sent us the text, and we would have read it in the office or at home.” There is a significant loss of effectiveness. Not only do we lose eye contact, which is essential, but the posture of reading while seated, for example, constricts the glottis, preventing a full release of air, modifying the voice, and causing a loss of power, which plays a large part in credibility.

Using inappropriate language. It’s crucial to use language that is appropriate for our audience and avoid jargon or words that could confuse the audience. This is a consequence of what was previously discussed when mentioning the need to know the audience. A deep understanding isn’t always necessary, but at the very least, we should arrive early to familiarize ourselves directly or speak with someone organizing the event.

Not asking questions to the audience. Questions are an excellent way to engage the audience in the talk and maintain their attention. They also help check if the audience is really following what we’re presenting.

Using too many slides or visual aids. Using many slides can backfire, as people will focus on them rather than what we are saying. If we use slides, we should limit them to a few well-designed ones and only include the most important data. Always remember that visual aids are just that, aids. It’s not a good idea to “hide” behind them.

Speaking too fast or too slowly. It’s essential to control the pace of the speech to avoid speaking too quickly or too slowly. Try to maintain a natural and relaxed tone to avoid tiring the audience or losing their attention. This is also related to the duration of the presentation, considering the average attention span, which, as we know, has decreased in recent years.

Not taking the appropriate pauses. Pauses are important to emphasize certain points in the speech or simply to take a breath if we’re speaking for a long time, which is not advisable. Don’t be afraid to pause if you need to catch your breath or look for a specific point in your notes, if you are using them.

Not interacting with the audience. It’s not always easy to maintain eye contact with every member of the audience, but it’s important to try to do so throughout the presentation so that the attendees feel involved. A good practice is to occasionally address specific people and ask questions to encourage interaction with them.

With these tips, we hope to have contributed to a topic that is often recurring. In most cases, we don’t have many opportunities to squander, so we must make the most of them. With an eloquent presentation, we can make a significant difference and get closer to achieving our real objectives.