You Don't Need a Lectern as a Good Presenter
Coaching, individual tuition and group trainings for your successful communication

Overview

• You Don't Need a Lectern to be a Good Presenter

You can have the greatest idea in the world  but if you can’t convince enough other people, it's only a nice idea.

Karsten Noack

You Don't Need a Lectern to be a Good Presenter

Some speakers like to make their presentations from behind a table and others prefer to work from a lectern.
As far as a table is concerned, it does provide the speaker with a feeling of security but also creates a barrier between the speaker and his or her audience.
Tables and lecterns should only be used as a place on which to rest your notes.

Okay, there are occasions when it will be not that easy to give a speech without a lectern.
I agree!

But most of the time they are not that helpful and can even be contra productive so it is better to avoid them.

I have seen it many times in the past; some speaker seems to hide themselves behind the lectern as some kind of a protection.
Whatever you do behind it will show up in one way or another and the audience will get it - sometimes unconsciously!

For example many speakers use the lectern as an object to grab hold of or to lean on. 
Both of these actions clearly send out body language signals that you neither feel comfortable nor in control.

A lectern is like a protective barrier.
Do you need protection?
How does that influence your relationship with the audience?
In my opinion using a lectern is not a good way to improve the presenter's rapport with the audience.
This way you are not an integral part of the crowd, but rather you separate yourself.
A good speaker wants to engage the audience!
A secure and confident speaker is in touch with the audience at all times.

Remove the lectern and go out into your audience!

Just in case you nevertheless want to or have to use a lectern; learn how to use them properly.
Remember to stand up straight and don't touch the lectern unless you need to adjust your notes or the microphone.
Ask for a small lectern and try never to speak from behind a table.
If there is no lectern available, select the smallest possible table and preferably speak from one side of it rather than from directly behind it.
If you have never used a lectern before, practice.
Lecterns are not there to be leant on.
If you do this you will appear to be preaching, which is only acceptable in a church when you are a clergyman.
If necessary start behind a lectern for the first few minutes and then gradually move away from it as your speech progresses.

Keywords

Coaching, management, lectern, speech, speaker, speak,  audience, barrier, rhetoric, rapport, relationship, charismatic, charisma, presentation, meeting

Copyright

© 1998 - 2012 Karsten Noack: Consulting, Coaching & Training Berlin
How to present yourself and your offer successfully
Updated 05/10/12 - LBR