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Arriving at the Gig
:Feel
the Room
Have you ever noticed how all
rooms have their own feel?
There’s a facility in Ottawa
where I hold many events. This facility holds three
conference rooms. The room we’ll use for our event
depends on the expected number of guests, since the
rooms are in three different sizes. Not only are they
different in size, but each has a unique look and feel.
One of the rooms is small and
very bright. It’s beautifully decorated, with paintings
on the walls, a huge skylight, and large windows at one
end. The second room is the largest, also nicely
decorated, but not quite as elegant as the small room.
The third room is mid-sized. This room’s dimly lit, the
ceiling tiles are stained, and the carpet’s red. It’s a
very dark room.
I’ve spoken in all three of these
rooms on many occasions, and the experience is unique in
each room. When I watch videotapes of my presentations,
I notice there are very subtle differences in how I
present from one room to the next. For example, in the
small room, which is bright and elegant, I tend to be
smoother, because I feel more polished speaking is such
an elegant room. I’m more intimate with my audience,
because it would typically be a smaller audience and I’m
physically closer to them.
In the large room, there’s less
intimacy, and I feel more like a performer, because I’m
delivering my presentation on a larger stage. I seem to
be a little more animated and lively when speaking in
that room.
In the darker room, I seem to
have a little less energy. The dimmer environment, the
older carpets, and the stained ceiling tiles give the
room a tired feel, which ultimately affects its
occupants. Having noticed this on video, I deliberately
pick my energy up a notch when I’m speaking in that
room, in order to compensate.
What does all this mean? It means
that the feel of a room can affect how you present, in
subtle but important ways. If you’re aware of these
subtle differences, “feeling” the room can help you make
minor adjustments, in order to give your best
performance.
So, what’s the lesson? Be aware
of the feel of the room, and your response to it, so you
can give the audience your very best. |