What’s Your Signal Strength When Presenting Online (Hint: We Don’t Just Mean Your Wi-Fi)?
From a delivery standpoint, a challenge for each of us is to strike a balance between authenticity and professionalism. Another way to say it is, are you professional and accessible? Participants want to get to know you—the professional version of you, of course, but also what you might be like outside of presentation mode. This can be a difficult balance. At times, some presenters come across as technically perfect, but also robotic. Other times, their authenticity shines through, but in a less-than-professional manner. On this front, National Champions of Public Forum Debate (2020) Maggie Mills and her debate partner, Sasha Haines, shared a few comments about their practice and competition experiences that stood out to us:
“We knew that we prepared well, and we were having a lot of fun. So we went into each round and we had the mindset of ‘Okay, whether we win or whether we lose, we’re here. We’re having fun, it’s fine.’ And then we did really, really well at that tournament.”
“Simultaneously being ourselves and doing what feels comfortable and having a good time with it makes it exponentially easier as well as more enjoyable to watch.”
Each of the statements hints at the balance Maggie and Sasha intentionally struck between being well-prepared and professional, and displaying their authentic selves. In our opinion, they are wise beyond their years. Scott will often use a Wi-Fi metaphor when discussing this topic (see image above for reference, which depicts the wi-fi signal strength you will see on your devices).
What’s Your Signal Strength?
When using the image, Scott explains that you, the presenter, are the circle at the bottom, and your goal is to connect at full signal strength (the best level of connectivity). We all know what it feels like when connectivity is poor—it’s frustrating. Similarly, poor connectivity with a presenter is equally frustrating. So let’s return to the metaphor; here’s how it works. Again, place yourself as the circle looking out at the bands. When we work with a presenter who displays:
one bar of signal strength – the presenter is often so consumed with their nerves and “just getting through” that they can do little else than make their body go through the motions.
two bars of signal strength – the presenter manages their nerves well, and may even be a good presenter, but there’s something missing. They are going through the motions, but not connecting at full signal strength. It’s quite like watching an automaton; you are not sure who the person is in there.
three bars of signal strength – the presenter has overcome their nerves, is technically proficient, and their soul, personality, and sense of humor shine through. They are comfortable in their own skin and have a nice balance between humility and confidence.
What’s the goal? For each one of us, it’s having the ability to present at full signal strength. Of course, there may be times and contexts where two bars is the appropriate level—this may depend on your audience, the time of day, the topic, and the tone of the occasion. Your personality and sense of humor are not what’s important. What is important is that you have the ability to move between the two, and to do so with great skill.
Even for tried-and-true professionals, though, there is a learning curve in getting to a point where you truly understand how well you are connecting in an online environment. We are reminded of the words of Lillian Powell, Accountant at Defense Finance and Accounting Service, who reflected, “There is a difference in presenting to an audience face-to-face versus using an online platform. I could not determine how well I connected with the audience.” Judging your signal strength is different when you are staring into a camera or speaking to an online audience that could include any of the following: black boxes, a person looking the other way, the top of someone’s head, someone logged in while driving/walking, and so on. Regardless of who is in your audience and what they are doing during the session, full connectivity between you and that audience can be achieved. Lillian’s statement underscores the importance of obtaining honest and authentic feedback. Be open and inviting about requesting feedback, and you will become more and more aware of how you are connecting and how you might improve that signal strength.
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We explore this topic and others in our new book Captovation: Online Presentations by Design.