It's bizzarre! Just lately, virtually everyone I've spoken to has been fed-up, down-in-the-mouth or just generally restless, lethargic and demotivated. And I thought it was just me?
Of course, there's the argument that says you reflect what you're giving out, so maybe it IS just me, and at first I thought that was probably the case, but as the last couple of weeks have gone by and I've come across it more and more, I really don't think it is.
I'm beginning to wonder whether we're seeing the effects of S.A.D. on more people than it usually affects. S.A.D., for those who may not know, is short for Seasonal Affective Disorder.
The National Mental Health Association say it's a mood disorder associated with depression episodes and related to seasonal variations of light. First noted in the early 19th Century, it wasn't officially named until the early 1980s. Apparently, as seasons change, there is a shift in our “biological internal clocks” or circadian rhythm, due partly to seasonal changes in sunlight patterns which can cause our biological clocks to be out of “step” with our daily schedules (and there was me thinking I didn't have a biological clock!). Apparently, the most difficult months for SAD sufferers are January and February, and younger persons and women are at higher risk.
There are over 212m websites on the subject of S.A.D., so it's obviously affecting an awful lot of people but I can't say I've noticed it as being a problem before - not like this year, anyway. I wonder if it's the fact that at this time of year we're supposed to be heralding in the rebirth brought by Spring and rejoicing in the sight of bright flowers and wildlife awakening, when all we're seeing is snow, sleet and rain and we're all shivering in our boots! (No smug comments from those of you reading this on your laptop whilst laying in a hammock stretched between two palm trees on a Carribbean beach - thank you)
So what does this have to do with Presentations Tips? Well, a lot, actually, because when you're giving a presentation you absolutely have to be able to feel the mood of your audience and you have to pitch your presentation to where they're at. A good presenter will always be able to do this.
Interesting, isn't it, that many people think if they just learn their talk, they can go on and perform it the same way whenever and wherever. But that's only part of the story. Your audience also forms part of your presentation (which is why every presentation is different, even if your words and actions haven't changed). If you handle every presentation the same way, as novice presenters often do, sometimes you'll be good and sometimes you'll bomb. And you're left wondering where you went wrong because, after all, you just did the same thing you always did.
What you may not have had the knowledge to do was to read your audience. And even if you could read the audience, would you have the knowledge to know how to alter what you're giving them so you can change their mood?
That's what a good presenter can do and that's why you need to learn from the professionals if you want to be one.
P.S. One of the symptoms of S.A.D. is listed as "a craving for sugary or starchy foods", so there's my ready-made excuse then :-)
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