NFIB

Making a Presentation? Avoid These Four Classic Errors
01/ 02/ 2004

by Charles R. McConnell

An elected state official spoke about the need to reform the state's workers' compensation system at a recent gathering of business people. But rather than worker's compensation, the speaker consistently and repeatedly called it workmen's compensation. In private conversations after the presentation it was evident that the speaker's use of an archaic and inherently sexist label registered more prominently with some of the audience than did his ideas. As one listener said, "All I could hear was men's, men's; hasn't he wised up to the fact that women are workers too?" Several others noted the same reaction, and a number of people who picked up on it remembered this labeling error better than they recalled any of the speaker's ideas for reforming the system.

In one concise phrase -- workmen's compensation -- the speaker from state government committed two of the four significant speaking errors that can derail a presentation to the extent that many in the audience hear the error while missing a large part of the message. Anyone who has occasion to give a presentation, say at a sales meeting, conference or convention, would do well to avoid the four fundamental errors that can obscure the message. These errors are:

The use of incorrect terminology (as in workmen's rather than workers');

Sexist language (same example);

Incorrect or careless use of names of people, places and occupations;

Deliberately trying to be funny.

Perhaps the use of workmen's instead of workers' spoke of a degree of carelessness on the part of the speaker. But whether carelessness or ignorance, such an obvious error that resounds with a number of people at the same time is certainly not going to do any good for the listeners' regard for the speaker's intellect. Some might indeed think: is this person this thoughtless in other ways as well?

The matter of sexist language is one we might think should no longer present problems. Nevertheless, it continues to raise barriers to understanding in both speech and writing. Long gone are the days when one can take refuge in the use of the male term as a generic "understood" to encompass all people. In most instances the continued use of sexist language in both speech and writing is no more or less than laziness in communication; however, more often than not it is taken as an affront that is certain to alienate a portion of any audience.

Surely everyone has seen one of the television bits in which a musician or comedian, receiving enthusiastic cheers and getting wild applause, says something like: "Thank you, thank you! It's great to be back here in lovely Cincinnati!" The crowd goes from happy enthusiasm to silent hostility in the blink of an eye; it seems the entertainer is actually in Cleveland, not Cincinnati. The incorrect or careless use of names of places, people and occupations is another sure-fire turnoff for members of an audience. It may not be common to make a slip as obvious as confusing Cincinnati with Cleveland, but if you introduce Mr. Henderson as Mr. Anderson it's going to be noticed, and not fondly.

People in any audience will be sensitive to the names of people they consider "theirs," and they will be sensitive to the use of occupation titles in which they have a proprietary interest. In one particular presentation at a professional conference a speaker managed to irritate several listeners by referring to pharmacists as "druggists." And one might discover that referring to accountants, even in good humor, as "bean counters" will alienate some of the accountants in the audience. Best by far to be up on all applicable names and titles before speaking.

Frequently one of the deadliest of speaking errors occurs when someone is deliberately trying to be funny. Humor is an elusive quality that defies precise definition. What is funny to one person may be decidedly unfunny to another person and even offensive to another person. Humor does have its place in almost any presentation, but it should arise from the subject and should never be forced. And if as a speaker you feel inclined to try for a laugh at someone's expense, make it your own. All digs at others -- and of course all "jokes" that are in any way ethnic, racial, religious and sexual -- are out. (These days a so-called "dirty joke" told before a mixed-gender group can be found to constitute sexual harassment.) And you can be sure that almost any joke you tell will displease someone, if only by making somebody feel that your frivolity is out of place.

Before making even the briefest of presentations to any group, bone up on the names and terminology you will be using, remember to keep sexist language out of all comments and don't try to be funny.

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