Why you shouldn’t script a presentation

Unless you’re a high ranking police officer, I’d question your need to script your presentation.

This was brought home to me in a rehearsed play reading.  The house was packed but I had no need to memorise the lines.

In theory, reading lines should be easy.  I mean, ‘easy’, if you don’t want to show your personality and you’ve no intention of moving much.

But adrenalin has a weird way of tripping you up.

I knew the lines well enough to read and move – at least half my body (the non-script holding bit) – at the same time.

What could possibly go wrong?

I stopped seeing the words.  That’s what could go wrong.

My eyes were OK but I was blinded by adrenalin.

If you’re going screw up, confess, apologise or play on it.  Opting for the latter, it reminded me of what I’m always telling my clients:

DUMP THE SCRIPT!!!

In most cases, reading from a script simply represses your message and your personality.

Here’s how THE SCRIPT IS LETTING YOU DOWN:

1. You can’t use gesture because you’re holding on to notes;
2. Eye contact with the audience is lost, because you’re looking at your script;
3. The way you write is different from the way you speak, so you’ve inhibited your personality, by not speaking naturally;
4. It’s very difficult to adapt the same speech to different audiences or make it more relevant as time passes;
5. When you need to adapt to time pressures, adjusting the presentation will be hard because everything is pre-written.

Forget the breadcrumbs

I understand the need to script but it stems from a lack of insecurity that will actually keep you insecure. It’s like putting breadcrumbs between you and your destination, when you only need landmarks.

“So what can I do instead?”

I’ll show you how to Mindmap your talk.  This 20 minute technique that will have you shape your business plan or pitch.

Not only is it a turbo way of drawing up your content but this one-pager will pin it in your mind and have you able to do 2 things at once:

STICK TO A STRUCTURE AND BE YOURSELF.

Here’s how to keep your point when presenting.