Presentations and Plans

Effective presentations require serious planning and yet there are times when the plans should be adjusted or abandoned. Some examples are:

• You planned on a particular room arrangement and then, for whatever reason, that is not possible. Solution: Adjust the presentation to fit the room.
• You discover that the in-house person who was advertising your program has, in fact, announced that you would be discussing a different topic. Solution: Be candid about what took place and, along with the audience, explore how to alter the presentation so you can address their needs. You can flog the in-house person later on.
• The program begins on time and on topic but as the morning proceeds, it is apparent that a new and unexpected subject is of intense interest. Solution: Shift to the new subject. Odds are, the presentation will be far more casual, but the change will connect with the primary interest of the group.

The above "surprises" should not happen often, but when they do, it is better to adjust to the new reality.

When the choice is between effective and smooth, choose effective.