Presentation Tip: Michael Bay’s Exit – ARTiculate: Real&Clear

Michael Bay’s ungraceful exit – bailing in his short speaking moment is all through the news. Why? It touches on the fear that so many of us have had at some point – we will freeze, panic, and have to exit mid-speech, in other words, “fail.”

Some of us might get panicky even reading about it. He came on stage seemingly nervous already – many of us would be, especially if we tend to be behind the scenes and not in front. Being nervous is the not the problem, it’s how we deal with it that is.

What he did do: mentioned the problem with the prompter – being transparent with the audience about what was going on.

What else he could have done:
1. Focused on what the audience wanted to hear (not on himself)
2. Paused. Exhaled – and then let in a new breath so his brain could function.
3. Let his host save him as he was trying to – be present to the helping hand.
4. What would you add?

(In the end, he did get more publicity for the product this way…. but not in a way that was fun, comfortable, or a choice many of us would make.)