Listeners Pay Attention in Exchange for Information

When we start a conversation, we enter into an unspoken contract to politely wait for the other speaker to finish their turn before we say something.

Although a presenter’s speaking turn is much longer and the listeners’ listening turn is much longer, presentations have the same unspoken contract: the listeners agree to listen quietly and pay attention in exchange for the presenter’s useful information.

However, presenters who are not well prepared – having no contents page, long silences, confusing explanations – break this contract. 

The listeners do not receive useful information and what’s more, good manners forces listeners to stay seated until the presentation time is finished.

As the presentation becomes less and less followable, listeners start to feel their time is being wasted. Then they too break the contract and stop paying attention. 

This situation becomes a “lose-lose” situation all because the presenter is not well prepared.

Presenters lose their audience and their chance to make an impact and the listeners lose their time and their chance to learn useful information.

So, I tell my Japanese presentation students, being completely prepared — a good structure, a clear story, attractive slides and especially well-rehearsed explanations — is good manners just like in conversations.

Being completely prepared ensures that their presentations are “win-win” presentations.