May 9, 2008

Bluetooth headset



Please take it out of your ear when giving a presentation. I don't care if your phone is turned off. It's like wearing a clown nose. I can't think of anything more distracting.

Besides turning your back to the audience and reading off the PowerPoint slides (because I think we can all agree that that's right up there with the headset/clown nose), what other rude or distracting speaker behaviors drive you crazy?

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12 comments. Please add yours! :

Anonymous said...

well, umm, umm, well, you know, umm, like, umm, like, you know, umm

Unknown said...

"Good morning..." (silence)..."I said GOOD MORNING!"

And the ever popular..."I said HOW ARE YOU THIS MORNING!!!"

It's insulting to the audience to try to force interaction...I think you have to earn that kind of participation from your audience. It always seems like the easy way out...I didn't prepare anything engaging for the beginning of my talk...so I'll yell at you...

Bill Reichart said...

Take your keys out of your pocket. People play with them because they are nervous and it sounds like a rattle.

Lisa Braithwaite said...

You guys are cracking me up.

Brandon reminded me of a guy I saw on a video who kept asking the audience questions, then demanding "YES OR NO?! YES OR NO?!" Not at all audience-friendly.

Anonymous said...

"Let me leave you with one last story..."

(Tells story - but it's not the last)

"Finally..."

(Adds something else, then something else still - but neither of them are final)

"And just before I go, I would like say..."

(WELL, WE WOULDN'T LIKE YOU TO SAY IT! PLEASE, PLEASE - JUST GO!!!)

It's that fear of not finishing on the ultimate high note that makes speakers keep adding more and more 'closing remarks'.

Anonymous said...

I'm nodding my head in agreement with all of the above, but have a hunch that those who SHOULD be reading these are blissfully unaware.

Lisa Braithwaite said...

Jane, that is too often the case, isn't it?

Unknown said...

One more...
"Let me be honest with you..."

Why...were you lying up to this point?

Hee hee...If only I was perfect!

Unknown said...

Not using the mike due to microphobia.

Instead, the speaker says,

"Everyone can hear me fine, right?"

And when people scream "No!" -- the speaker says,

"Well, I'll talk a little louder. Or you can come sit closer..."

Go ahead. Degrade your message by yelling or being unclear, or making your audience feel like they are infirm, hard-of-hearing, or whiners.

Just don't use that mike!

Lisa Braithwaite said...

You guys are killing me!

Anonymous said...

"Please take it out of your ear when giving a presentation."

I have a better idea. Take it out of your ear when you're not on the phone. Period. Bluetooth headsets are not jewelry.

Lisa Braithwaite said...

I'm right with you on that one, Mike.

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