What To Do When You Stumble
One of the participants at a recent corporate workshop asked this question:
How do you recover from a presentation blunder?
Here are a few options to help you gracefully handle those unplanned moments:
Ignore it and keep going, chances are no-one else will notice.
Acknowledge it. You might say: “I forgot to tell you something important so I’m going to back up for a moment.”
Use humor. Humor can go a long way to bring your audience along with you so don’t sweat it. You might say “That might have looked like a mistake, but I actually planned it that way.”
Improv. Find a creative way to incorporate the blunder into your talk.
Be kind to yourself. You’re allowed to make mistakes and being human gives your audience permission to do the same.
Some tips to help ward off some common fumbles:
Print your notes so you have backup if technology fails.
Pause if you lose your place, forget a word, or need a moment to think about your answer.
Remember that your audience is cheering you on so treat them like friends, not the enemy.
Be prepared. Know what you want to say and practice out loud ahead of time. Use my 4 step process to clarify your message. It helps you stay on topic even when you stumble.