How to Connect with Your Audience by Moving Closer

How to Connect with Your Audience by Moving Closer

Dec 22, 2022 | Public Speaking

Most presenters start out by gratefully clinging to the lectern’s sides, content to hide behind it for a little additional security in a tense scenario. But you already know that you should not remain in front of the podium. Yet why?

How should you move in relation to the audience as you become more proficient at public speaking and at ease on stage? Is it advisable to saunter deeply into the crowd or not? What about circumstances in which it seems difficult to communicate with the audience at all, whether because of the design of the room or the placement of your listeners?

Zones for Human Interaction

Several important findings from research on non-verbal communications will be helpful in formulating a few principles for the efficient choreography of a speech. The first quotation is taken from Edward T. Hall’s seminal book The Silent Language. He outlined four areas of distance between individuals:

  • Public space is defined as twelve feet or greater.
  • Social space is from twelve feet to four feet.
  • Personal space is between four feet and a foot and a half.
  • And intimate space is from a foot and a half to zero.
  • Although these zones differ slightly in size from one culture to the next, they exist in all cultures.
  • Audience To connect, personal space is essential.
“Tell the audience what you’re going to say, say it; then tell them what you’ve said.”
Dale Carnegie

Sharing public space is low-key for us since the individuals there are simply too far away to be significant for us to be particularly interested in them. The social environment is a little cozier, but we do not really start to pay attention until someone enters our personal space. Of course, when someone is in our personal space, we are completely focused on them.

"Unless you can invade their personal space, you can't really have an impact on people."

The bottom line is that only in private and intimate spaces can important things between individuals occur. Personal space is left when public speakers are not allowed in intimate spaces because doing so violates a very deep principle. Here is how you approach it: Unless you can into someone’s personal space, you cannot really have an impact on them.

You might be thinking by this point that this zone research causes a problem for public speakers. You certainly cannot invade everyone in the audience’s personal space because if you did, you would be running around like a crazy person. Most of the audience might feel excluded.

Emotions are Shared by Your Audience

I will get to the mechanics in a moment, but first, here is some interesting new brain study that clarifies the situation. Researchers from Italy have investigated mirror neurons (See: Mirrors in the Brain: How Our Minds Share Actions, Emotions, and Experience). According to research, a unique type of neuron called a mirror neuron fire in our heads, causing us to feel whatever emotion the person next to us is feeling. It is the reason we can care for others, experience their joy and grief, and be empathic as a species.

Pro Tip

Look at people a bit longer.

In this instance, it means that everyone seated close to the lucky audience member will feel the same rush of attention if the speaker pays particular attention to them. Although the effect weakens with distance, it is still potent and eliminates the need to circle the room to pay attention to most of the audience.

As distance decreases, trust (and connection) rises

The third phenomenon is that we trust people more when they are close to us and less when they are farther away. This third phenomenon can be added to these research findings.

The only efficient approach to get beyond bland and leave an impression on people is to move into the crowd and into the personal space of chosen audience members.

By this point, you should have a clearer idea of why it is so crucial to approach an audience to connect with them and why you should not hold to the erroneous belief that doing so will make other audience members feel excluded. The only way to get beyond bland and leave an impression on people is to move into the crowd and into the personal space of chosen audience members. And changing the world is the only purpose to give a speech, right?

Action Item

Tell listeners what the topic has to do with them.

Okay, but how can you approach the audience more closely?

Okay, but there is still the coordination, you object.

  • How would I maneuver in a ballroom with numerous round tables and people facing all directions while giving a speech?
  • What happens if I am standing on a stage and leaping down would be bad for my health?
  • What about when I am being recorded for the back row and the AV crew tells me not to leave the stage because they cannot follow me? So, what do I do?

"To make your speaking more impactful and clearer, use your body as a punctuation mark."

I have worked as a speaker and a coach of speakers for more than 20 years, and I have seen about every imaginable room arrangement. Many of these make it incredibly challenging for presenters to enter the crowd. You simply must function as best you can in those circumstances. 

The best might merely be advancing to the stage’s edge. But even that will strengthen the audience’s sense of closeness and trust in you because people are quite perceptive about whether others are moving near or far from them, even in tiny movements.

“Never treat your audience as customers, always as partners.”
James Stewart

Knowing how mirror neuron’s function enables you to see why engaging the audience is beneficial even if you only interact with a small number of people. However, you do not want to spend too much time ensconced in an audience and turn your back on a sizable portion of your audience. The act of turning away from someone delivers a keen sense of disinterest or disengagement.

"Closing the distance and moving closer the audience indicates, 'This is significant.'"

This is particularly true in an area with lots of those round tables where it feels like everyone is turning their back on you. With that set up, you should spend most of your time moving toward the tables you can easily access from the front of the room. Try to visit every corner of the space. 

The audience will be grateful that you tried to connect with them and that you did not spend a lot of time getting lost in the maze of tables. Additionally, you do not want to focus too much attention on a single audience member. The precise timing will depend on the content of your speech and the nature of your interactions, but as a rule, aim for no longer than a minute. 

“To have great poets, there must be great audiences.”
Walt Whitman

If you focus on one person for too long, the rest of the audience will feel excluded. It requires (1) tact and (2) fast decision-making on the spot. Consider the size of the space, how you will move around it, and how hard you can work the audience.

When you want to accentuate a point in your speech or when you want to engage with audience members, the objective should always be to walk toward them—even if it is just a few feet. This is vital, he or she says as they close the distance and go approach the audience. Moving away implies the contrary. 

Use your body as a punctuation mark to enhance the impact and clarity of your speech. The dance should support the message being conveyed. Always.

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Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique 9

Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique 9

Dec 19, 2022 | Public Speaking

We’ll explain what it means to bookend your speech in this post, along with some advice on how to use this effective tactic.

Your Speech's Bookend: A Definition

Imagine a set of bookends, which are matched items used to bind a collection of books on a shelf. Practically speaking, bookends hold the books in place and provide support. But they perform a lot more in terms of aesthetics. 

For the books on display, bookends neatly (and frequently aesthetically) create visual symmetry. By doing this, they highlight the row of books and convey the idea that they are unique and deserving of admiration.

Similar support is given to the body of your speech when you “bookend your speech.” You can efficiently (and frequently creatively) create cognitive symmetry for the speech you just gave by beginning and ending with a shared element. You make your words stand out more and convey the idea that your message deserves to be heard.

The exquisite approach of bookending your speech gives the impression that it was written with great care and attention to detail. This increases your credibility since your audience is more likely to think that your entire speech was carefully produced and can be trusted as a result.

“Like bookends, we have learned to support each other when the stuff in the middle pushes us apart.”
Liane Holliday Willey

There are numerous methods you can use to bookend your speech. Pick the one that best complements your speech. Whatever method you choose, be sure that your bookending element is directly tied to your theme. It would be like putting a pair of baseballs at the ends of a collection of classic literature novels to close your speech; it would be practical but not particularly meaningful.

Pro Tip

Bookending With the Use of Visual Presentations.

1. Tell a tale in two parts.

  • Start off your speech by telling a tale. You shouldn't give the entire tale... A character and some conflict are introduced at precisely the right amount of the story. You continue with the main part of your speech after that.
  • Pick up the story where you left off and finish telling it at the conclusion of your speech.
  • Make sure the narrative has a strong connection to the speech's subject. If your speech is about following your dreams, for instance, you may share a narrative in which the main character does so. She would explain in the first part of the story why she is pursuing her dream; the second half would describe how it came out.

2. Pose a query and provide a response.

  • Asking a question to the audience will help you to start your speech.
  • Finish your speech by offering the solution.
  • You can make a hint that the solution will be provided at the end for greater impact.
  • An alternative to the question-and-answer format is to provide a challenge or solve a riddle.

3. Employ the same or comparable quotations.

  • Your speech should begin with a quotation.
  • Your speech should end with this quotation.
  • This works best if your voice message gives the quotation new vitality. You want the audience to reconsider the quotation in light of what you said.

4. Make use of quotes that contrast.

  • Your speech should begin with a quotation.
  • End your speech with a quotation that contradicts the opening one.
  • You want the audience to understand the opening phrase differently, just like when utilizing the same line as bookends. Perhaps the first quote expresses a widely held opinion, while the latter quote presents a radical notion that your audience is now more likely to adopt.

Action Item

Make use of Props to Bookend Your Speech.

5. Make use of opposing ideas.

  • Your speech should begin with an idea or theme.
  • Conclude your speech with a divergent idea or subject.
  • You might begin with a story about birth and end with a story about death, for instance.
  • Alternatively, you may begin with a narrative about your time as a student and end with a similar one about your time as a teacher.
  • Alternatively, you may begin with a tale from your youth and end with one about your own child that is related.
“The bookends of success are starting and finishing. Decisions help us start; discipline helps us finish.”
John C. Maxwell

6. Make jokes.

  • Start out your speech with a joke or witty statement.
  • Finish your speech with another light-hearted remark that either expands on or makes some reference to what you just said.
  • Use the same keywords twice when employing this bookending technique (and the others as well) to ensure that your audience understands the funny allusion. (For instance, don't end with a joke about a "ruby purse" if you opened with one about a "red handbag"

7. Employ a prop.

  • Your speech should begin with a prop.
  • Use the prop again to conclude your speech.
  • It is advisable to use this tactic in conjunction with other tactics. For instance, you might ask a question regarding the prop before introducing it. After that, you can respond to that query in your conclusion.

8. Employ a slide.

  • Your speech should begin with a graphic slide.
  • Use the same slide, or perhaps a slightly altered version of the first, to conclude your speech.
  • This is effective if your audience can interpret the image you are exhibiting differently as a result of your voice message.
  • To add a twist, you can crop your initial slide to only show a portion of the image while revealing the entire image on the final slide. This once more enables your audience to interpret the original image in new ways.

9. Use another universal component.

  • Mention a fact, a word, a phrase, a movie title, etc. to begin your speech.
  • Conclude your speech by making a significant reference to the same fact, word, phrase, movie title, etc.
“It's the fine balance of caffeine and alcohol that bookends my days.”
Tim Minchin

Whether you are an experienced speaker or a newbie, bookending your speech is a master technique that is simple to use. I recently went to a Toastmasters meeting where a new member gave his debut speech. He “confessed” that he hated umbrellas in the opening of his speech, which was funny. He then declared his desire for legislation to outlaw umbrellas as he concluded his remarks. (The speech was hilarious overall, and this particular joke worked nicely.)

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How to Use Quotes in Your Speech: 8 Benefits and 21 Tips

How to Use Quotes in Your Speech: 8 Benefits and 21 Tips

Dec 16, 2022 | Public Speaking

While not necessary in every speech, using citations in speeches requires speakers to understand why, how, and when to do so.

In this post, we will look at eight advantages of including quotes in speeches before going over twenty-one suggestions for employing quotes to their fullest potential.

The Advantages of Quotation in Speech

“Free speech means the right to shout 'theatre' in a crowded fire.”
Abbie Hoffman

Including quotations in your speech has several advantages, including:

  • The main benefit of using quotes in speeches is that they help to illustrate your points. A quotation provides a second voice supporting your assertions, but it has a greater impact than merely restating your own words.
  • Quotes typically provide a clear, memorable formulation of a concept. (Isn't that why people remember and use the quotation so often?)
  • By implying that the person you are quoting concurs with the remainder of your argument, using a citation increases your credibility.
  • Most people lack the capacity to produce pertinent quotes on the spot to back up their claims. Therefore, when you present a quotation, it illustrates your preparation and domain expertise.
  • Along with facts, figures, anecdotes, stories, metaphors, and other material, quotations are one approach to bring variety to your logical arguments. If you provide a one-dimensional string of identical arguments, audiences become disinterested.
  • You can elicit interest, suspense, or drama depending on how you present the quotation. For instance, if you start your sentence with "Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, once stated..." and then stop, your audience will undoubtedly anticipate what you will say next. Who said what? Who said what?
  • On the other hand, you may pick a quotation that, either because of its subject matter or possibly because of the person you are quoting, lends humor to your presentation.
  • You can decide to put the quotation on a slide and let your audience read it if you are presenting with visuals. Your voice delivery will pause naturally and purposefully as a result, giving you time to review your notes, sip some water, and gather your thoughts.

Pro Tip

Ask yourself if the quote is the best tool for the job.

Advice on How to Use Quotations in Speech

Okay, so you now fully understand the advantages of using quotations in your speech. But how do you go about it? You should cite who. When should the quotation be given? Continue reading to get many suggestions for incorporating quotes into presentations successfully.

Conduct research

  • Make sure your phrasing is appropriate.
  • While quoting incorrectly detracts from your reputation, doing so should strengthen it. A poor quotation makes you seem unprofessional.
  • Find a trustworthy source.
  • Wikipedia is not considered. Your reputation is at stake.
  • Avoid quoting without context.
  • When citing literature on contentious subjects, use caution. Make sure you comprehend the speaker's intention as well as their words. A quotation that has been misinterpreted or taken out of context gives the impression that you are intentionally misleading your audience.

Quote People You Know in Your Audience

  • Cite a respected authority in the area.
  • Do not just quote someone because of their notoriety or accomplishment; instead, consider their level of authority on the subject at hand. Serena Williams on tennis or Aristotle on philosophy: saying the reverse will get you into trouble.
  • Cite a lesser-known subject specialist, but merely with background information. Be discerning.
  • Do not use a well-known quotation.
  • You will not gain very much by repeating a quote if your audience has already heard it.
  • Do not go overboard.
  • Although there is no restriction on the number of quotes you should use, using too many can lessen their impact. Keep in mind that you should be telling the story in your own words, not those of another person. Only the best quotes from your research should be kept; discard the rest.
  • You should introduce the speaker and establish their legitimacy before delivering their quote if the quote you want to use is from a non-recognized source.
  • Cite a previous speaker at your gathering.
  • Consider that you are delivering a speech at a gathering where a previous speaker made some points that are important to your message. In addition to impressing your audience, bringing up their comments will help you capitalize on the previous speaker's impact.
  • Your own words (playfully).
  • I have done this a lot, and the audience always responds well to it. One strategy I use to accomplish this is to declare a crucial idea to be "Dugan’s First Law of (whatever topic I'm lecturing about)" in the introduction.

To begin and end, use your own words; use a quote in the center

  • Use a quotation to begin your speech (sparingly).
  • It can be useful to begin with a quotation, but do not assume that any quotation will pique your audience's interest. I have seen speakers begin their speeches with a weak or even unrelated quotation to their message. Typically, there are more effective approaches to engage your audience.
  • Do not end your speech with a quotation.
  • I have heard speeches end powerfully with a quotation, typically when the quote alludes to the start. I would not, however, normally suggest it. The last words you say should be your own. Using a quotation as your final sentence frequently indicates that you lack trust in your own words.
  • The body of your speech is the finest place for quotations.
  • When you need extra evidence to support one of your arguments is when a quote is most effective. Near the end of a section is one place where it works especially well. A citation that supports one of your points of contention gives your argument a strong conclusion.

Action Item

If you’re quoting someone in a speech, make sure the audience knows where the quote ends and your words begin.

Make sure to emphasize the quote in your delivery.

  • The conventional method is acceptable.
  • Most quotations begin simply: "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I remain with difficulties longer," said Albert Einstein. This easy formula is unambiguous, straightforward, and acceptable.
  • It is acceptable to read the quote from notes.
  • I would suggest reciting the quote from memory whenever possible. However, reading it can sometimes be preferable. It is preferable to read the entire quote, for instance, if you want to be sure you are truthful. It is possible to properly read from notes even a brief quote. I once witnessed a speaker read his notes reverently while pulling the paper out of his pocket. It may be claimed that in this situation, not reading it would have been disrespectful.
  • Alternately, have the audience read the quote.
  • Putting the quotation on display if there are visuals is an option. Do not read it out to your audience when you do this. Allow them to read it. (Keep in mind that you should never read something to an audience while they can see the words.) You can stylize the slide to increase impact with this technique, which is a bonus. You may, for instance, include a picture of the speaker or choose a font that evokes a certain feeling.
  • Before and after, pause.
  • Before and after the quote, you should stop briefly to create tension and draw the audience's attention (to allow the meaning of the quotation to be absorbed by your audience.) Respect the quote and allow it to have an impact.
  • Spice up the way you sing.
  • Of course, you ought to change your tone of voice as you go along. A quotation merits a little more vocal emphasis, just like other important points in your speech. Louder or softer. Happier or sadder. Your delivery should be guided by the quote's emotion.
  • Context-setting as necessary
  • While some quotations can stand on their own, others require the context to be established before they can be used effectively. A quotation that leaves your listeners in suspense is an opportunity lost. You need to clarify the historical setting or something specific about the speaker's life. Make sure the quote has as much effect as possible.
“If you don’t have a plan for your life, somebody else does.”
Michael Hyatt

Make use of reliable sources.

  • Compilations of quotations make them accessible.
  • Each serious speaker ought to have at least one collection of quotations. I have loved Bartlett's Familiar Quotations ever since I discovered a copy of an earlier version on my brother's bookshelf thirty years ago. A well-edited compilation offers multiple sort indices to make it easier to find the ideal quotation. The fact that these sources should be dependable is a bonus.
  • The biographies of well-known figures in your field are also excellent resources.
  • For instance, a biography of Steve Jobs is certain to have several statements that can be used to illustrate his business philosophies. Biographies, like collections of quotations, are typically dependable.
  • Online search engines for quotations have an unmatched breadth.
  • Utilizing a keyword or a certain speaker, quote websites assist you in finding relevant quotations. Although it is quick and simple, the sources are not necessarily dependable. I always look for a second source to corroborate everything I learn from these sites. (Caution: Several quotation websites may be using the same invalid source.)

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8 Key Points for Perfect Presentation Practice

8 Key Points for Perfect Presentation Practice

Dec 14, 2022 | Public Speaking

Does practice make perfect when it comes to giving presentations? Simply put, no.

The permanence of practice.

Not just practicing, but practicing perfectly, should be your aim. Whether something is right or bad, the more you do it, the more natural it feels. Therefore, when we rehearse our presentations, we must do it correctly. 

Understanding a subject does not ensure success. What matters is your ability to clearly communicate your point and engage your audience, and excellent preparation can help you do this.

Practice Has Helped Me...

A recent sales presentation about the potential of BRODY Professional Development that I was requested to give serves as a personal illustration of how effective perfect practice is. I gave my presentation to one of my account managers after arranging it. She made a few recommendations, one of which was that I begin with a tale.

Pro Tip

Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message.

I practiced my presentation with one of our facilitators who attended the meeting after I modified it. She collaborated with me to make the presentation more dynamic and sensitive to the client’s particular demands. We also practiced how she may lead some of the conversation. 

In addition to practicing our timing, we also practiced segues between the two of us to make sure they were seamless. Even our seating arrangements in the room were discussed to maximize audience participation. We practiced it three more times in the car on the way to the customer site in New York.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
Thomas Edison

The good news is that we achieved results (we closed the transaction) when we came because we were prepared, had anticipated their queries, and the time was perfect.

Practice Will Help You, too.

Presenting on the spot rarely yields the desired outcomes. Here is the strategy that, dare I say it, always produces positive results for me.

I’m going to assume that you have prepared:

  • Know your PALTM (Purpose, Audience & Logistics).
  • Gather information that is current, accurate, and pertinent.
  • When necessary, include examples, tales, emotive appeals, and some images to help illustrate the statistics.
  • Create a tale by arranging the resources in a way that the information flows logically and there are seamless transitions between the concepts.
  • Prepare a potent introduction and conclusion in advance.
  • Make the final draft user-friendly so that it is simple to refer to it without reading it.
  • Presenters frequently complete all the steps before visualizing their speech in their minds.

Action Item

Ensure to Practice your presentation ahead of time.

Although visualizing is helpful, speaking aloud exercises should still be done. Too often, practice is postponed until just before a presentation, by which time it is already too late. The purpose of practice sessions is to make presenters completely at ease with the material, the slides, and the timing so they can focus on engaging the audience during the actual presentation.

8 Recommendations for Effective Presentations

While visualizing is helpful, speaking aloud is still necessary.

Here are my top eight suggestions for flawless practice:

  • Exercise aloud.
  • The presentation should be spoken aloud three to six times.
  • Use a range of exercises.
  • Keep your presentation personable; don't remember precise sentences; instead, vary how you say it each time.
  • Be mindful of the time.
  • Allow time during your practice session for questions from the audience, etc.
  • Practice in front of a live audience that resembles your intended market.
  • Practice in front of a group that is representative of your "actual audience." It's best to find out in front of this group rather than the "real audience" whether there is any terminology you're using or concepts you're trying to explain that they don't understand.
  • Include impromptu Q&A in your routine.
  • Make sure your practice audience is doing the same if you expect to get questions or interruptions during the presentation.
  • Give the speech's start and closing additional time.
  • The commute is a wonderful time to practice your opening and closing.
  • Develop your timing.
  • Depending on how much interaction or questions you anticipate, the rehearsal shouldn't run more than 18 to 25 minutes if the entire presentation is 30 minutes long.
  • Try recording yourself to practice.
  • If the presentations are extremely important, record yourself on camera. It's simple to operate the brand-new Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera. You can instantly connect to a computer's USB port to do a self-analysis.

Is this something I would want to sit through? is an excellent question to ask. What must you do to alter the presentation if the response is “No”?

The executive I mentor, who works for a sizable pharmaceutical company, had a big “town hall” meeting coming up to introduce new company policies. He anticipated that the audience would be tense and possibly hostile. His presentation’s outline was heavily data-driven when we first discussed it. 

He was in no way connecting with the feelings that people were experiencing. He started to practice and “own” the material once we changed the presentation’s structure. 

He claimed that this repetition made him feel at ease during the meeting and completely in the moment, which allowed him to connect with the audience on an emotional and psychological level. He now demands that all his direct reports follow the eight practice standards I advised him to follow.

“If something is important enough, even if the odds are stacked against you, you should still do it.”
Elon Musk

I don’t think practice is enjoyable. But there isn’t a replacement for it.

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How to Dress for Public Speaking

How to Dress for Public Speaking

Dec 12, 2022 | Public Speaking

Sweater or a suit? Dress or pants? Does your appearance affect how well you speak? How, if so? In this post, we look at appropriate and inappropriate attire for public speakers.

Dress to the standards of your audience

Different speaking circumstances call for different dress codes, but as a rule, you are quite safe if you are neat, clean, and dressed in the same way as your audience. Why? The third pillar of persuasion is ethos, which refers to your credibility. You accentuate your resemblance to your audience to develop ethos.

Dressing similarly to them is a useful technique to accomplish this. How can you determine what your audience will wear, then? Analyze your target audience! 

Consider the attire that attendees wore the last time if the location is a recurring conference or setting. Ask the event organizer what the typical dress code is if you are giving a presentation at a location that is unfamiliar to you. Follow the dress code if it is strict!

Pro Tip

Don’t Try to Be Hip if You’re Not.

This does not require you to dress in the same suit or outfit as the rest of your audience. There is a lot of room for interpretation. The key is to avoid either significantly under or significantly over-dressed. But I have heard I should present myself more formally than my audience? 

“It’s important that you appear respectful and professional. They should not notice what you are wearing once you start speaking, though.

According to conventional thinking, you should dress one notch higher than your audience. Why up it a notch?

  • To get noticed.
  • To be respected?
  • To allude to your success and wealth?
“You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.”
Edith Head

None of those are especially compelling justifications for dressing above your target audience. I believe the recommendation to “dress one notch higher” is given to provide you with some insurance if your audience analysis was inaccurate. If the crowd is dressed finer than you anticipated, and you dress one notch higher than your estimated audience dress code, you will still be protected.

Of course, you can arrive overdressed if your estimate is off in the other direction. In either case, I would not worry too much. The most important thing is to appear respectful and professional. They should not notice what you are wearing once you begin speaking, though.

Public Speaking Dress Codes

What would be the opposite of dressing at (or just above) the same level as your audience, if it is a reasonable rule of thumb? The worst thing you can do is dress in a way that draws attention to you—but in the wrong way.

Cyndi Maxey issues the following advice in Speak Up! A Woman’s Guide to Presenting Like a Pro:

  • Any topic you focus on will be noticed, usually in a negative way. […] Do you like the way your new wraparound blouse fits with its lower-cut neckline? Your cleavage will be seen, you can bet. As you dress, consider what you are emphasizing. Think about what you can highlight that focuses on your knowledge and professionalism rather than your sexuality.

Action Item

Make Sure to Always dress as well or slightly better than the audience.

T-shirts featuring slogans are another common no-no, especially if the slogan can offend someone in your audience. Once more, you want people to focus on the words you say rather than the ones on your shirt.

Exception: This can be acceptable if the shirt’s message ties into your presentation. For instance, wearing a “I’m a survivor” t-shirt while speaking to raise money for cancer research may not only be suitable, but also help to establish your credibility. 

As previously advised, make sure you arrive neat and organized. If you do not, it could be taken as disrespect for your viewers.

Prepare for Clothing Mishaps and Failures

Nobody wants to have a wardrobe malfunction. Several measures to prevent these unfavorable occurrences include:

  • If you are traveling or the presentation is very essential, you might want to have a backup wardrobe. You will need that insurance in case something unexpected occurs before your presentation, like a spill.
  • Before your presentation, watch what you eat and drink. Spaghetti sauce with grape juice are not the best ideas.
  • Avoid tempting fate by wearing restrictive clothing. Speaking should be a physically demanding activity; therefore, you do not want to trip over a button or shred a seam. (I have witnessed both.)
  • Like this, you might want to avoid wearing very loose clothing or accessories that could get stuck in unexpected locations, including on a flip chart stand or a lectern.
  • But what if clothes malfunction still occurs despite your best efforts?
“Decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.”
Gianni Versace

Just go with it. If you can, fix it quietly (e.g., an undone button, or an unzipped zipper). You may occasionally be the last one to observe in the space. Simply shrug it off and return to giving your audience value.

When is Going Against the Grain Acceptable?

It may be appropriate for you to disregard all conventional wisdom and draw attention with your wardrobe in some (rare) circumstances. You may consider wearing in (partial) costume that is connected to your theme, as Kristin Arnold advises in Boring to Bravo (the Six Minutes book review). The concept is that a piece of your clothing, or even an item, is used on purpose as a prop.

If you decide to do it, I advise doing it at the beginning of your presentation. You will be dressed “normally” once more by the time you are delivering the impactful messages, allowing the audience to take you seriously.

Additional Speaker Attire Considerations

Beyond how you appear while you are in front of the room, what you are wearing might have an effect. Avoid wearing or accessorizing loudly. If your shirt, jeans, or jewelry constantly draw attention away from your audience, that is not good. 

Comfort is also crucial. Wearing excessively uncomfortable clothing or shoes might have a detrimental impact on your energy level and delivery. This is crucial whether you are giving a lengthy keynote or a multi-day course. There is a gray area between respectable attire and pajamas.

“Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress in their days off that are the most intriguing.”
Alexander Wang

Will you have a microphone on you? If so, think about the location of the pin. What movements, gestures, or objects are you planning to use? 

How well do they match your outfit? Remove any potentially distracting objects before you are called upon to speak (e.g., ID badges, cell phones, sunglasses, hats)

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