Ladies, we need to talk. I’ve been to many seminars over the years and have seen many women presenters make the same common mistakes. Below are the top 7 distracting elements that can take away from your powerful presentation.
- Falling Hair. Style your hair away from your face. It can be very distracting to an audience when the speaker is constantly brushing her hair out of her face during her speech. This is very common among younger speakers. Before you speak, make sure that your hair is securely pulled away from your face so that it won’t be a distraction.
- Noisy Bracelets. I was at a women’s conference a few months ago. One of the speakers had a wonderful, inspirational message and I couldn’t focus on it. She was wearing a beautiful charm bracelet that was terribly noisy. Every time she made a gesture with her hand, the bracelet would jingle. All we could hear was the sound of the jingling bracelet. Any time she placed her hands on the lectern, the bracelet would make a horrible loud thud. Even though this bracelet was very pretty and, I’m sure, one of her favorite pieces, it deterred from the message she was trying to share. Which is more important? The powerful message? Or the bracelet?
- Distracting Earrings. I once saw a woman speak who was very poised, but there was one problem. Her earrings were long and dangling. Not only did they make a sound whenever she moved her head, but one of them got stuck in her hair! The audience kept staring at the earring, waiting to see if it was going to let loose or wondering if someone was going to tell her. She easily could have avoided this awkward situation if she has chosen to wear simple earrings that didn’t swing on her ear.
- Shiny Jewelry. Not too long ago, I was at a convention and one of the speakers was a woman. She was speaking from a raised platform that was lit very well. She unfortunately was wearing a pendant necklace that caught the light very easily. As she moved back and forth on the stage, the necklace would blind her audience. If you notice that your jewelry is somehow a distraction to your audience, simply find an appropriate time in your speech to take it off and move on.
- Bad Microphone Placement. Lavaliere mics are now commonly used. Be strategic when placing your lavaliere microphone on your clothing. Make sure that your necklace will not be able to hit the microphone when you move. It is always wise to do a sound check before you speak to make sure the microphone isn’t brushing up against anything or getting knocked by any jewelry.
- Unprofessional Attire. Speaking in front of a group, whether it’s your peers, superiors, or strangers, is an honor. You should always be dressed at least one “notch” higher than your audience. If the meeting is casual, dress business casual. If the meeting is business casual, dress in full business attire. Women should avoid skirts that are too short and blouses that are cut too low. When you are speaking to a group, you are the expert on your topic, be dressed as such.
- Uncomfortable shoes. Be good to yourself and save your feet from unnecessary pain. If you are going to be speaking for any length of time, don’t wear your tallest, thinnest heals. Find something that’s appropriate but comfortable. If you’re constantly thinking about your feet when you’re speaking, something’s wrong. I’m pretty short and find my confidence is higher if I wear heels. But they’re not so high that it kills my feet. I have actually seen a woman, within the first 10 minutes of her presentation, sit down and say, “I hope you don’t mind if I sit down. These shoes are killing me.” I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
It all boils down to planning ahead. As women, we need to pay attention to our clothing and accessory choices. Don’t let these common mistakes get in the way of your wonderful speech.
