What do you do if your speech encounters unexpected challenges?

“Research4Life runs like oxygen through our library” I have been working at the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) as a Library & Information Officer since 2008. “Moreover, I provide them with access to Research4Life and train them to use it. In 2018-2019, Nepal was one of the most active users of Reserch4Life!” At age 17, he played his first game as part of Nepal’s national cricket team. After moving to the capital of Kathmandu in the ‘90s, however, Bhushan decided to get a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science at Tribhuvan University. “I wanted to help people and felt I could do that by being a librarian.”

Stay calm but breathe Take a few breaths Stick to your scripts and collects your thoughts And you will be fine But you’ve to take a deep breath to calm your body.

As a teacher since 1993, a writer/journalist/editor since 1982, a former BBC radio reporter/presenter & a Gemini, who thrives on social interaction, I've made many presentations over the years in different environments. Be able to laugh at yourself & your situation. The audience are keenly aware of your body language & how you react, will determine the ultimate success, or failure of your speech. If it's technical, a projector, or power point issue, then ask someone to come up & help. Surprise those watching. Don't panic, make a joke, tell a quick anecdote while a technician helps to fix problem. If asked a difficult question you can't answer, acknowledge that, say you'll follow up after. Always have a plan B. Keep your focus, & stay calm!

Try to say something humorous but related to your topic or to the environment in the hall or throw a question to the participants or share a headline of a newspaper that could be of interest to the participants

Those butterflies in your stomach never stop however, you can learn to get them flying in formation! I always try and tell a very short joke to catch attention of at least one person in the audience. Pause, Smile and remain calm. Remember the power of silence. You can introduce a relevant question to engage the audience to allow yourself some time to adjust. Keep focussed on your objective for the session. Visualise a positive outcome and it will come.

I had a lecture at a bar in Tel Aviv. On the way to the lecture, there were alerts due to missiles. Most of the participants didn't make it to the lecture, so we decided to broadcast it online for the rest. This decision turned out to be a wise one, creating a combination of an intimate and high-quality lecture for those who attended, while those who stayed at home still enjoyed the content.

Having a presence of mind and witty words can be a lifesaver in such situations. Adapt yourself quickly and make it part of the plan . Connect with audience in an interactive and engaging manner till the glitch is fixed. Preparing your speech and having talking points handy can save you from embarrassment.

Absolutely, adaptability is key in public speaking. Being prepared for unexpected challenges like technical difficulties or difficult questions can make a huge difference in how well your speech is received. Having a backup plan, such as printed handouts or the ability to continue without visual aids, can help you maintain your composure and deliver a successful presentation. It's also important to be honest with your audience if you encounter a question you can't answer or a topic you're less familiar with. Offering to follow up after the presentation shows that you're committed to providing accurate information and can help you maintain credibility.

The Mantra is only one "Prepare Prepare & Prepare". Adapt quickly will only come with experience, lets face the truth. therefore, its vital that preparation also covers contingency planning. Embrace transparency and offer post-presentation follow-up. Gracefully pivoting under pressure showcases not only resilience but also earns audience admiration.

In a recent closing keynote delivery, while I was going on stage, the organizer asked me to cut my time by half. The experience helps, it is not the first time an event is running late and I am asked to take less time. Because of prior experience, my keynote is build on "modules" and I can decide in real time to skip some of them. This is the way I adapt to such a "common" situation : the only difficulty is to chose what you will keep and what you will discard. The good news is that you are the only one to know !

When your speech hits a snag, turn it into a golden opportunity to connect more deeply with your audience. Embrace interruptions with humor or a smile—transform them into interactive moments. Engage directly by asking questions or inviting thoughts, making everyone part of the solution. Such challenges aren't setbacks but openings to showcase your adaptability and deepen audience involvement. Remember, it's not about avoiding bumps, but how gracefully you navigate them.

Involving your audience can indeed be a great way to handle challenges and maintain engagement during a disruption. Using humor or making a light-hearted comment about a noise interruption, for example, can help break any tension and refocus the audience on your presentation. Asking questions or encouraging participation can also help keep their attention and bridge any gaps that the challenge may have caused. This approach not only keeps the audience engaged but also shows your ability to think on your feet and adapt to unexpected situations, which can further enhance your credibility as a speaker.

Presenting means the speaker has an upper hand on the topic/ data or the theme he is presenting. On crisis, internal unrest is going to spark on. silencing it, buying time till crisis is over is an simple solution. Thus engaging audience on the understanding of topic, Q & A or few insights will ensure the audience does not loose grip on the subject and transition is as smooth as possible.

Right! I do not have a story but possible some events that required to engage with the public. If you are truthful to yourself you are naturally relax and calm in any situation and able to engage with your audience. With sincerity one cannot act up simply if you know its a yes if not it a no.

Acknowledging the disruption & distraction can calm the audience. The key is finding a way to do it for the right amount of time. Not too long or too little.

I have probably had most things go wrong that can go wrong over the years. Mainly technical issues. Though once I fell off the back of the stage, not realising there was a big gap between it and the wall, and totally disappeared. I climbed back up, made a joke about it, and it gave a nice boost to the proceedings.

Having your sense of humour intact can be a blessing in tough situations as it lightens the mood and environment. Give you time to gather your thoughts ?? and make audience connect with you.

When faced with unexpected hiccups during a speech, lean into humor. A light-hearted comment can quickly turn the tide, easing tension and drawing your audience closer. Remember, the key is timing and sensitivity—humor should be a bridge, not a barrier. Use it wisely to transform a stumble into a stride, making your presentation even more memorable. After all, it's not just what you say, but how you make them feel that leaves a lasting impact.

Turning events in your favour is easiest through humour. It not only lightens your stress levels, it makes a great impact on the audience. It shows your confidence level and gives you time to gather yourself again for the flow you had in mind for your speech.

Absolutely, humor can be a powerful tool in public speaking, especially when facing unexpected challenges. A well-placed joke or witty remark can help to diffuse tension, create a connection with the audience, and make your presentation more engaging and memorable. However, it's crucial to use humor judiciously and consider the context and mood of the audience. What's funny in one setting might not be appropriate in another. It's also important to ensure that your humor is inclusive and doesn't offend anyone in the audience. When used effectively, humor can turn a challenging situation into a positive and memorable experience for both you and your audience.

I always tell my clients to hope for the best, plan for the worst. As a speech professor for over 20 years, I have seen unexpected challenges derail a presentation. I warn against over relying on technology. Technology can be a great visual aid, but when it fails, have a backup plan. Once I was giving a full day training on avoiding conflict in communication. We tested out the slides, the videos, the audio, and everything was good, until five minutes before we were to start. The internet went out for the entire area. Luckily, I printed out a handbook for each participant and was able to proceed. I knew how to engage the audience and create impromptu activities from my years as an educator. Later in the day, the internet was restored.

Being over-prepared can indeed be a lifesaver when unexpected issues arise during a presentation. Having additional material or anecdotes ready to fill any unexpected silences or to replace content that you might have to skip over can help you keep your audience engaged and maintain the flow of your presentation. This could include related stories, interesting facts, or even a short activity for the audience to participate in. Having this extra content prepared allows you to adapt to unforeseen circumstances and ensure that your presentation remains engaging and informative, even if things don't go exactly as planned.

Prepare for the slides not to work. Prepare for the clips not to work. Get to the venue early so you know what could happen. I think it’s important to never be see tied to media for a talk.

Anticipation of the possible things that could go wrong helps prepare materials or content that rescue the situation effectively. Anticipation of such should not be seen as being negative but as preparedness for challenges that can occur. Because they always do, in different ways , manner and levels.

Remain calm and confident through slow breathing! Regardless of what happens, it is important to show that it is not impacting your confidence as unfortunately, whether we like it or not, someone showing a lack of confidence will start losing trust in other people's eyes, too. Sometimes addressing the issue directly and bringing humour into it will help you and others to ease and relax. And it will show that you are a true expert in what you do and really good at how you do it!

Murphy's Law states: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong" Practice: - a few jokes for technology and situations (comedians do this) - state change exercises to reset your audience - which parts of your rehearsed talk to cut A great public speaker can recover and create a memorable experience for everyone in the room. They do these three things intentionally.

Have Plan B C and D. Plan for something to malfunction so you're not surprised and less likely to get rattled. Have a few corny jokes to get the audience either groaning or laughing. Know your bullet points so well you can talk about them blindfolded and you may have to if the power goes out. Encourage the audience to stay calm and reassure them that the AV folks are trying their best and acknowledge them when you do get back on line. Remind the audience that they expected a speech and what they got was an experience.

Preparing own presentation and working on it gives us confidence and also helps in data collection. Thus in eventuality of crisis, recovery is faster as well as data can be recollected. its not easy and will come with only experience and practise.

A situation like this highlights even more the critical importance of understanding your audience and their relationship to your material. Understanding their comfort level, personal and professional experience, and authority level within their home organizations forms and influences all facets of your presentation. If you are presenting to a room of experienced peers, it is very likely that they have similar histories and will enjoy humor. Conversely, if you are providing an orientation or initial education into the career field, your ability to initiate an open and personal conversation on the topic while addressing the challenge will keep your attendees on track and focused to maximize their learning potential. Be Prepared to succeed.

While going for a week long tour of keynotes on the country side of France, and arriving for the first keynote, I discover that my laptop is not anymore in my bag. It is the only item missing, the power adapter and the rest of my technical gear is here. My guess is that it is stolen. Fortunately, my visual aids (PowerPoint) are always backed-up on a thumb drive and in the cloud. I will be using the computers of my customers. Coming back home, I discover my laptop has not been stolen, but I forgot it... I have been distracted while preparing my trip. Lesson learned, I double check now.

The best offense is a good defense - schedule yourself before people are wicked drunk ??????. If you’re the last speech of the night or hitting a stage on the Saturday night of an event, you should expect this stuff. If that makes you uncomfortable, book a better slot.