I ask the audience what I should do! Once the AV disconnected mid-way through a keynote, so I looked at the screen then looked at the audience, held my pause for 10 seconds and then said / asked, "Well that's unexpected! I'm going to continue without my slides - is that okay?" Everybody said, "Yes!" and I replied, "Great! I then took pressure off the AV team and requested they take their time, and that I don't need my slides. It calmed the situation and made everybody feel confident in whatever I was doing :)

1.Preparing the content deeply helps you to curb the nervousness as then you don't rely on external forces to run the show. 2. If you have researched well about your audience, their demographics, then you know what energizers and apt questions to use to get them engaged. 3. Rather than creating panic, use humor out of that situation, sing a song, say a movie dialogue to get the attention back from the audience. 4. Take this as an opportunity to let people know that you are unstoppable in any glitches too. Hence practice deep breathing everyday helps you stay calm. 5. Most importantly keep the smile on your face all the time. Because that's reciprocal.

When faced with delays on stage, it's important to stay calm. I focus on connecting with the audience—perhaps by sharing a relevant anecdote or engaging them with a question. This keeps the energy positive and demonstrates adaptability. Being prepared with backups is crucial. I have my presentation accessible in multiple formats and am ready to proceed without slides if needed. Flexibility allows you to turn setbacks into opportunities to connect more deeply with your audience. Remember, audiences empathize with technical issues, and how you handle them can enhance your credibility. By staying poised and engaging, you can effectively navigate delays and keep your presentation impactful.