Speaking Over the Table

So many of my speeches, coaching sessions, articles, and posts are about speaking in front of groups on a platform of some sort. Today I'd like to take a different look at a type of presentation that we give almost on a daily basis: speaking over the table. We are in different meetings and situations constantly that require us to be our best when speaking over the table. We could be having a chat in the boss's office. We could be meeting with a team we're a part of. We often have casual meetings over coffee in relaxing cafés. And most importantly, we could be sitting across a conference table with a prospect or current client. So many situations in which we need to utilize presentation skills over the table.

Now, if you've read many of my articles and blogs, you've probably noticed that I am not a fan of putting barriers between you and your audience. I have said many times to do away with the lectern. Obviously in normal business settings there are barriers that you will have to work with - the ubiquitous table being one of them. Desks, conference tables, dinner tables, they're everywhere! So what is a business professional to do?

Here are a few tips that you can use at your next "over the table" presentation.

1) Be aware of your body language. You want to sit up straight and relax your shoulders. Also don't shake your leg or tap your feet. Some people have a tendency to shake their leg or wiggle their foot when sitting down. Nerves are the most prominent reason for this, but your colleague may think that you're agitated or bored. And the shaking movement can make the table that you're sharing shake as well, which can be extremely annoying to your colleague. 

2) Don't be afraid to compose your thoughts. If you are asked a question that you're not fully prepared to answer, you can always respond by saying, "Good question. Boy, let me think about that." There's nothing wrong with taking a moment to think through your response. It's much better than babbling through until you come up with something worth saying. (Your listener might think you're trying to hide something or dance around the issue.)

3) Jot down notes.  Sometimes the conversation may take a turn, but you have a question that you want to ask. Instead of breaking the flow of the conversation, simply jot 2 or 3 words down to remind you to ask it when it's the appropriate time. 

Those are just a few tips you can use. Keep reading future blogs to pick up more tips on how you can improve your business presentations!