In our Executive Seminars and presentation workshops, we hear some questions rather frequently. Each month this year, we'll provide some answers to those public speaking FAQs.
“Not only do they write about these boring topics, many of my students usually claim their ‘boring paragraph’ is one of the best things they’ve written all year! It shows them that boredom is in the eye of the beholder, and that with the right attitude, any topic can be fascinating.”
– David Lee Finkle for movingwriters.org
We had this come up in a recent Executive Seminar, made as a statement (or excuse) rather than a question:
I can't think of anything good to say, because I don't care about the topic.
Okay, we’ll allow: It's easier to speak about the things that excite us, to deliver information we believe in. And we can acknowledge the feeling: It IS hard to present something when you believe it will be boring to your audience. Employee policy talks, anyone?
Still, we have yet to find a topic that's not engaging—once the speaker tells us the significance behind the message. Maybe that financial data, on the surface, seems off-putting. But when we learn what it's telling us, then it's quite interesting.
What can you do if you're stuck with a topic that's not making your heart soar?
We Googled "boring topics for a presentation" and at the top of the list? The manufacturing process for concrete. First, we beg to differ. But what if we were going to present this process? And what if we did find the material, at first looked boring? How could we get on board?
Find value
As you contemplate your topic, ask yourself what's at stake here? What happens if I don't deliver this message? Or How can this information help the people hearing it? Often we get so down in the details of the what we forget about the why.
We can imagine that the manufacturing process of concrete can be interesting on several fronts—where the materials come from, what happens when it's not done right, ways to improve the process, or even why we use this process and why it's important for the builders who use it—just to name a few.
Connect
How can you relate to the topic? And in thinking about that, how can your audience also connect with it? For example, concrete is used all around us. Maybe you've used it yourself in a project. Maybe the building you work in is built of concrete. Or perhaps, you know a story of concrete gone bad.
Engage your curiosity
When our gut reaction is that we don't care about a topic, we might want to stop and reconsider it more closely. What are our assumptions? Do they need to be challenged? What don't we know about the topic? What piques our curiosity?
On the topic of concrete, for example, we were interested to learn that though the words "cement" and "concrete" are used interchangeably, they're not describing the same thing. We also learned that watching concrete set, though it sounds like a metaphor for boredom, can be a complex task.
Now, make it interesting for others
Once you’ve started to find a way into the topic, build your message with your audience in mind. Here are some ways you can do that:
- Establish the stakes—what’s at risk if they don’t know fully understand the information you’re presenting? Let your audience know why this information is important for them to have.
- Explain the benefit—why does paying attention to your message help the audience? Let them know how the information specifically helps them!
- Avoid an information dump—instead of giving everything, evaluate and present information that’s most helpful. Put that information in context, so the audience knows why it matters and where it fits.
- Tell a story—a story can help to illustrate the value of information, the benefits, or the stakes. You can show them what it looks like in the best-case scenario or what could go wrong.
- Use an analogy—this can be a short-cut to understanding and make the information you’re giving more fun to consider. Can you explain a process as if it’s a football play, for example? Can you connect a process to the plot of popular movie?
- Give examples—examples of how an abstract policy or process applies to the work the audience is doing can be incredibly helpful and makes dry information come to life.
- Make it interactive—you can ask rhetorical questions to help you audience consider, give a quick quiz to see what they know or challenge assumptions, create an activity that lets them think through how to apply the information you’re presenting.
- Involve other presenters—for a long presentation, consider getting others involved to deliver segments. This lets you draw on expertise, and it also brings some variety to the presentation that your audience might enjoy.
Keep it brief and speak simply
When you feel your topic is a dud no matter how hard you've tried, make it better by making it briefer. Decide how you can condense. Challenge yourself to speak in simple, clear language without a lot of jargon or terminology. (By the way, this is good advice even when your topic is naturally fascinating.)
Audiences take cues from you
Remember, your energy and engagement with your material can go a long way to making any topic more interesting for your audience. At The Buckley School, we call that working for your audience. By using the energy of your delivery and the hard work you invest in your message, you are showing the audience you value their time and want to earn their attention.
LEARN MORE
Read teacher David Lee Finkle's comic showing what happened when he challenged his students' ideas about what's boring.
Find our tips for how you can find a place for stories in your presentations.
For some ways to overcome the "boring" label, see these tips from a high school science teacher.
See why our founder said, "There's no topic under the sun that cannot be made interesting."
