Great speakers take the time to guide their audience through their thoughts. It’s an art to deliver new information to an audience without overwhelming them. However, there are subtle things speakers do that can sometimes inhibit information from being easily processed. 

These include:
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1. Too many images or text at the start

When a new visual appears, an audience needs to have a moment to register it. During that opening moment, your audience might miss the first part of your sentence or message. You don’t want to begin with a visual that’s too distracting. You want to bring ideas up as you talk about them. Otherwise, the audience can look ahead of you and won’t hear your explanation of each point. That’s why I recommend animating your visuals as you go. When your audio matches your visuals, it helps people feel connected to you and your message.

2. Talking over slide changes

Many speakers start an idea and then continue to speak as they advance to a new slide. While the intention may be to keep up the momentum in a talk, it’s not always a useful tactic. That’s because an audience needs a moment to absorb a new visual, and if the speaker talks over that moment, the listener falls behind. Instead, it’s better to pause between slides. That way you give your audience a moment to connect with a new image, the speaker has a moment to slow down, and everyone can start the next slide on the same page.

3. Phrases that highlight the lack of time
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Time is talked about in most meetings and presentations. And although saying, “I know we don’t have a lot of time but…” might seem like a useful phrase, it actually makes it harder for your audience to pay attention. When people feel rushed, they don’t process information as well. That’s why I recommend avoiding mentioning “time” in a presentation. Instead, it’s better to highlight the main point and then move on to your next one.

Having your audio match your visuals, pausing between slides, and avoiding phrases that discuss time will help your audience stay focused on you and your message. 

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA 
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

People may give many speeches during their careers, but there is something special about giving a talk as you accept an award. It’s a unique moment to be asked to share what this honor means as you talk about the events that led up to this point. While folks may have an idea of what they’d like to highlight during their speech, how to start it can be overwhelming. I’ve found the best way to begin an award talk, is to start by reflecting on what this moment means. Reflection is a powerful tool and it can be used in a variety of ways.

That’s why you could open your talk with:

When I found out I got this award, I started to reflect on everything it’s taken to get to this point.

When I first started (this project, my career, learning this skill)... I never envisioned I would end up here.

I remember attending this conference early on in my career and seeing someone else get this award. I was so inspired by that person’s journey… and it’s amazing to be standing here today.

I never imagined I’d be up here accepting this award. I remember when I was first starting out I thought I would be…

Inspiration is unpredictable. You never know what you’ll be doing when an idea comes to you. I remember being in…

I may be the one getting this award, but I did not get here alone. There were some very important people I was lucky enough to work with, and it’s with their partnership that I am standing here today.

When I was younger, I always wanted to be… I dreamed of…

This is an amazing honor. And I have to say that getting here has been quite an adventure. When I think back on it, a few key moments really stand out.

If you have the rare opportunity to give a talk as you receive an award, try opening the speech by reflecting on what this moment means. It’ll help you connect with the audience as you share your important work.


Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Certain phrases tend to get repeated often—in meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Over time, we start to echo them in our own communication, often without thinking.

But some of these familiar phrases are less effective than they seem — especially those that draw attention to what we don’t want people to focus on. When we highlight what’s not important, we risk distracting our audience from what truly matters. It's far more effective to guide their attention to the key points you want them to take away.

That’s why I recommend rephrasing the following:

Original: I won’t read this all to you, but…
Rephrased: I’d like to direct your attention to…

Original: You don’t need to remember everything here, but…
Rephrased: What’s important to remember is…

Original: I know there’s not a lot of time left, so…
Rephrased: Right now, I’d like to emphasize…

Original: I’m not going to go through all of this, but…
Rephrased: I’d like to highlight…

Original: I won’t discuss all of these details, but…
Rephrased: The main point is…

If you want your audience to focus, don’t draw attention to what you’re skipping. Instead, emphasize what matters. These subtle shifts in language can make your message more impactful and help your audience engage with the important details you’ve shared.

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Making a mistake is hard. It’s even harder when someone publicly points it out. Perhaps you misremembered a fact, reordered a timeline, or defined a term incorrectly, and someone stops you and brings attention to it. When someone calls out a mistake you made, I believe the best response—is to thank them. 

However, this has to be more than a quick, yet polite, brush-off in order to move on to your next point. Your response has to be genuine. If someone corrected a potentially foundational miscommunication, thank them for helping clarify your message. By pausing, thanking the person, and acknowledging the misstep, you show your colleagues a few things:

1. You can handle mistakes with ease

A great way to build trust on a team is by handling missteps graciously. For projects to succeed, we rely on being able to work well with one another, and part of that comes from feeling safe enough to step in when a mistake is made.

2. You are open to collaboration

Great teams work because they can share ideas. If one person can’t acknowledge another person’s help, then it’s not really a team atmosphere.

3. You are comfortable acknowledging issues
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Many issues in organizations are preventable, but sometimes people aren’t able to acknowledge when they mess up. This creates mistrust in the team, the project, and organization. It’s much better when you work with people who can admit mishaps to help avoid issues in the future.

When someone steps in to say you misspoke, they aren’t trying to point out how you failed, they are trying to help you succeed. Especially if it’s a foundational oversight, it’s important that someone corrected you early on. Real leaders are able to graciously acknowledge their mistakes. It helps build trust within the team and in your leadership capabilities.

​Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Many speakers get thrown off when their presentation doesn’t match their rehearsal. Maybe they say something out of order or forget to mention a specific detail. While this might feel like a big deal to the speaker, the audience usually has no idea a mistake even occurred. That’s because they have no reference point since they don’t know how the presentation was originally planned. The only way they’ll notice an error, is if the speaker draws attention to it.

If you make a small mistake, just move on. If you realize you forgot an important detail, avoid saying, “Oh, I forgot to mention…” or “I meant to say this earlier…” Instead, seamlessly introduce the information with phrases like, “And something I’ll add is…” or “I’d also like to point out…” This helps the narrative move forward smoothly.

If you do make a bigger mistake, try not to wince or react negatively. Instead, calmly say, “I’ll clarify that…” and continue. Try to handle presentation mishaps the same way you would in a regular conversation—with ease. Mistakes only become a big deal if you make them one. The more dramatic the reaction, the more memorable the mistake. 

Rehearsals are a preparation tool, not a rigid script. They help establish a strong foundation, but a live presentation is more dynamic. Factors like the audience, the room’s energy, and the moment itself make each talk unique. Part of what makes public speaking exciting is its unpredictability. Embracing these nuances allows for a more natural, engaging experience.
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In order to prepare for a presentation, remember to stay flexible and present. The audience isn’t there to judge whether everything goes exactly as planned—they’re there to connect with you and your story.

​Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Subtle details can significantly impact the effectiveness of a presentation. One of the details that has a huge influence on a presentation, are the titles in a slide deck.

Titles serve an essential function in presentations. As the largest text on the slide, they naturally draw attention, making them a powerful tool when used effectively. Here are a few ways to leverage the power of titles:

1. Use Titles to Prompt Your Key Phrase

It’s common for presenters to click to a new slide, glance at the title, and momentarily forget what they want to say. This often leads to filler words like “um” or “uh” as they try to recover their train of thought.
To avoid this, place the key phrase or word you want to remember in the slide title. When you advance to a new slide, the title becomes your visual cue, guiding you to the right opening phrase. Not only does this create smoother transitions, but it also benefits your audience. When the words they see match the words they hear, it enhances clarity and keeps folks engaged from the start.

2. Avoid Questions in Titles

Unless your presentation directly addresses specific questions (such as a research aim or customer inquiry), avoid using questions in your slide titles. Repeated question marks can subtly imply uncertainty around the work.
Instead, it’s better to use statements. Statements convey confidence and stability, making your data or ideas feel more grounded. For example, a question like “Why is this important?” could be reframed as: “The Importance of This Work.” This shift reinforces certainty and strengthens the overall tone of the presentation.

3. Focus on Empowering Words

Many slide titles inadvertently emphasize “effort” or “work,” which can unintentionally make the presentation feel like a list of challenges or burdens. Instead, highlight the goal or outcome in your title to create a more positive and motivational tone.

For instance:

• Change “Where We Need to Put Effort” to “How to Create Momentum”
• Reframe “Areas to Improve” as “Current Opportunities”

This adjustment can shift the focus from labor and effort towards empowerment and progress.

Using your slide titles strategically by incorporating key phrases, avoiding unnecessary questions, and highlighting empowering words can elevate the entire presentation. Thoughtful, intentional titles not only guide your delivery but also create a more engaging and impactful experience for your audience.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

People often ask me whether telling a joke during a presentation is a good idea. While jokes can be an effective way to connect with an audience, they come with risks. Audiences are unique, and their reactions can vary widely. When a joke falls flat, it can derail the entire presentation.

For this reason, I generally advise against using jokes in presentations. The challenge is that presenters have no control over how the audience will respond. Instead, I recommend focusing on having fun during your presentation. Unlike jokes, which rely on delivering a punchline and expecting a specific reaction, having fun doesn’t depend on audience feedback.

When a speaker genuinely enjoys sharing a story or laughs at a situation, it creates an inviting atmosphere. This approach allows the audience to relax and enjoy the moment without feeling pressured to respond. Meanwhile, the presenter remains in a positive mindset, regardless of how the audience reacts.

So, instead of aiming for a perfectly executed joke to engage your audience, focus on enjoying yourself. By shifting from relying on laughter to fostering joy, you create a welcoming space where the audience feels comfortable connecting with you and your message.

​Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

It’s a terrible feeling to “blank out” or “freeze” during a presentation. Everything comes to a screeching halt, adrenaline starts pumping throughout your body, and a small pause can seem like an eternity. To help presenters avoid this moment, I’ve identified three main things that can trigger a “blank out”.

1. When you click to a new slide
People often blank when they switch to a new slide because, even though they know the content they’d like to share, they don’t know what sentence to say as they begin. This often happens because the words in the title of the slide don’t match the transition phrase the speaker wants to use. That’s why I recommend putting the key words you want to remember in the title. That way, when you click to a new slide, you see the phrase you want to share and you can keep the narrative smooth.

2. Trying to remember a script
It’s common to blank out if you’re trying to remember a specific script. When people memorize something, they often read the script in their mind during the presentation. Unfortunately, if something happens in the room such as someone asks a question you weren’t expecting, or if you forget one word, the entire script can disappear from your mind. That’s why I like to think of my speeches as stories. Instead of visualizing the text in my mind, I visualize images in the narrative. I think of each slide as a piece of the story, not specific sentences I need to recite. By going into storytelling mode, you’ll be able to adapt to variables more easily, engage the audience more, and avoid moments where you freeze if you forget a minor word.

3. Replaying a previous rehearsal
Rehearsing a presentation is important. You want to feel prepared before an important event. However, on the day of a presentation, people often try to “replay” how they rehearsed it. When that happens, speakers stop paying attention to the present moment and “rewind” to a previous time. They try to share the presentation like they practiced in the past, which can cause a speaker to blank out. The purpose of a rehearsal isn’t to give you something to “replay”. Rehearsals are a way to build a solid foundation for a talk so that you can get familiar with the material. When you’re giving a talk don’t think back in your mind to a previous moment. Instead, focus on sharing your story with the people in front of you.

To help you avoid blanking out during a talk, add in key transition phrases on your slide, think of the presentation as a story, and trust that your rehearsals have prepared you for the present moment. 

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

People often have a hard time starting a speech in an authentic and organic way. It can be difficult to transition smoothly from the opening of the talk to the main content. This transition is incredibly important, because the way you begin and continue a story should feel seamless. That’s why it’s helpful to have a few techniques to captivate an audience’s attention in a conversational and engaging way. I’ve found that the most powerful techniques can be broken down into three categories:

1. Location
Commenting on the trip to a conference, the location of an event, or the area everyone is currently in, is a great way to open a talk because it helps focus everyone’s attention on the present moment. For example someone might open their speech by saying:

“As I was sitting on the plane yesterday, I started thinking about how excited I was to meet with you all today.”

“This conference is always one of my favorite events to attend.”

“This is such a beautiful venue to be in with all of you.”

Bringing up the location helps people focus on what is currently happening so they absorb the content you are about to share.

2. Reflection
Another great way to open is through reflection. This can happen by sharing thoughts about what an event means, how you prepared for this moment, or thinking back to an earlier time in your career. For example, you could share:

“It’s wonderful being with you at orientation today. It’s interesting because I remember when I first started graduate school…”

“It’s truly an honor to welcome you all. The first time I ever attended this event was almost a decade ago.”

“As I was preparing for this keynote, I started thinking back on my career and what moments had the biggest impact on me.”

By being vulnerable and sharing something personal, the audience can easily connect with you on a deeper level.

3. Gratitude
Being grateful is a wonderful and easy way to bring positivity into the room. People can comment on what the event means, how it’s nice working with a particular group, or how fun it’s been collaborating with the team for a certain project. For example you could open with:

“I’m so glad that we get to have this yearly retreat. It’s important to get the opportunity to chat and connect with the wonderful people we have on this team.”

“This is one of my favorite groups to collaborate with. I always appreciate how creative and passionate everyone is about the work we do.”

“We are doing a lot of important work right now and the reason we’ve been able to make such a large impact is because of everyone in this room."
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Bringing appreciation into the room is an easy way to help set the tone for the rest of the speech.

Finding an organic way to open a talk or a meeting is important. Talking about the location, reflecting on the moment, or sharing some gratitude, is a great strategy to easily connect and engage with an audience.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Time is one of the most important factors presenters need to be aware of during talks. People usually have packed calendars and it’s critical to respect their schedules. However, even though speakers are given a time limit for their presentations, it’s easy for timing issues to arise. Either the meeting is running behind, other speakers took too long, or tech issues prevented the talk from starting on schedule. That’s why many speakers find themselves having less time for their presentation than they originally planned for.

When this happens, it’s important to alter your message to help get the schedule back on track. You don’t want to be the person who prevented someone from leaving on time to pick up their kids, shortened a coffee break, or made someone late for another meeting. Plus, once your talk goes over the allotted time, people aren’t even paying attention to your message. Instead, they are watching the clock and thinking about the next activity they have planned.

Therefore, if you realize you have to cut your presentation down, I recommend shortening the beginning of it since that’s usually when the supplemental information is shared. Instead of giving all the background that leads up to your point, state the main point of the slide in one sentence and then move on. Even if you have a lot of information on the slide, don’t explain it. Instead, relay the main point and continue on to your next idea. That way, you’ll still have enough time to spend on the important part of your talk. You don’t want to run out of time or attention on the message you’re actually there to share.

For example, instead of explaining all the past research, simply say, “We’ve conducted a lot of research to reach this point.” Or, if you have a slide with all the different programs offered to students or employees, instead of going through all of the details you could say, “We have a lot of programs available.” Then, move on to your next point. Of course it would be more ideal to explain everything on your slides, but if you have to cut out information, omit the part that isn’t critical for this moment.

The same tip can be applied if you find yourself over-explaining your slides in the middle of a presentation. If you suddenly realize you’re running low on time, simply state the point of the slide you have up, perhaps add in one detail, and then move on.

Timing is important. That’s why it is crucial to have a plan in place for any scenario. It’s nice to be known as a speaker that people can count on no matter how much time you have.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Sometimes when people give keynote speeches, commencement addresses, or conference talks to large audiences, the presenter’s delivery can sound too formal or rehearsed. The speech may sound great on paper, but when it’s delivered in real time, it’s missing that personal connection. The wonderful nuances of a speaker’s voice, that normally occur during conversations, are replaced with a formal tone. This often happens when people are speaking to large groups. It can be harder to have that personal connection, when the speaker feels overwhelmed by hundreds of people in a room.

That’s why, when a speaker’s delivery sounds too ‘generic’, I recommend thinking about a specific person, or small group of individuals, and imagine talking directly to them. The larger the group, the more important this is. Having an individual in mind allows the speaker to have a conversation with someone in particular, instead of reciting a speech to bodies in a room. It allows the presenter to personalize their delivery.

Actors who record for voice overs do this all the time. When an actor records for a commercial, they think about someone that they are talking to. Even though they are recording alone in a small soundproof booth, they pick out someone specific and imagine having a conversation with them. That’s why commercials, animated films, and podcasts feel so personal. The speaker is connecting to someone, which allows the audience to connect with them.

So when you are crafting and delivering a large speech, imagine someone who needs this information. Talk to them. Don’t think of the large mass of people in front of you. Think of someone specific. It can even be different people during different moments of your talk. Then instead of sounding generic, your speech will feel authentic, and sound like the real you.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

People often find themselves giving resource-heavy presentations. These presentations are incredibly important, whether you’re leading a campus orientation, onboarding new employees, or sharing a new administrative process with a group. However, with an information-rich session, it can be harder for speakers to keep their audience engaged. If you’re going to be sharing a resource presentation, I recommend keeping these tips in mind:

1. Animate as you go
When you reveal a slide and a long list of information appears, it might be visually overwhelming for your audience. When presented with a long list, most people will read ahead and just look at the last message. Then, by the time you get to that point, people aren’t actively listening. It’s easier to keep an audience’s attention if you animate the information as you share it. Plus, since people have short attention spans, it can help folks stay engaged if something changes about every minute.

2. Variety of visuals
Most people use bullet points to list out resources. Unfortunately, when numerous slides look similar, it’s harder for an audience to recall the information later on. Instead, I recommend having the visual match the type of information you’re sharing. For example, if you have a list of campus resources, instead of putting the specifics in bullet points, have a map of the campus with images of each building. Or, if you are sharing important contacts within a company, have profile pictures with each of the department representatives. If you are talking about a timeline, use an image of a path and map out various time points to be aware of. It’s easier for people to recall information when visuals are used.

3. Share stories
If you are going to be talking about a process, I recommend sharing a story of how a process works.

For example, instead of:
You go here to file a travel summary document. You can use this for budget approvals for conferences and other work trip costs.

I recommend:
Many people will be traveling to conferences this year. So let’s pretend you’re booking a trip to New York. First, you will need to file a travel summary document to get budget approval. To do that you’ll go to this site to access a travel summary document. Then, you will upload your expected costs here. Then you submit it for approval.

It’s even better if you can use images of the sites/buttons/forms on your slide as you share your example. Then, when folks find themselves in these situations, they will recognize the documents and process.

Resource presentations are important, that’s why you want to do everything you can to captivate people’s attention. If you animate as you go, use a variety of visuals, and add in stories you make it easier for your audience to retain the information.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

In presentations, conferences, and meetings, people often don’t have enough time to cover all the content they want to share. That’s why we often hear phrases like:

“I’ll go through this quickly…”
“To give you a ‘brief’ overview…”
“I just have a quick question to ask…”

However, even though these types of sentences are common, it’s important to understand the effect they actually have on an audience.

“I’ll go through this quickly…”
When someone says they will do something “quickly” it usually means the presenter will be speaking at a rapid pace. In order to keep up, the audience will have to put in more effort to track the details. Usually, this is when the audience decides to tune out. It’s more productive to simply omit that phrase and then share the corresponding content.

“To give you a ‘brief’ overview…”
Telling people something will be “brief” draws an audience’s attention to the time the content is taking, rather than the details of the content. This can invite critique because the audience starts to analyze whether the summary was succinct or if it dragged on too long. Eliminating that word is more direct and helps your message stand out.

“I just have a quick question to ask…”
When you’re already running low on time, saying something will be “quick” actually has the opposite effect. You don’t want to spend precious time adding in extra phrases when it would be better to spend that time on the discussion. That’s why I recommend avoiding that phrase and simply asking the question. This creates a smoother narrative which is a better use of everyone’s schedule.

While it’s common to comment on how “quick” something will be, it’s not always effective. Instead, omit those phrases and simply share the content. This can help your audience connect with the information which will be a more effective use of everyone’s time.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

The Q & A session of a presentation can be a great way to engage with an audience. However, sometimes a presenter may freeze in a situation where they are receiving more rigorous or abrasive questions. That’s because when we feel attacked, our brain goes into defense mode and it inhibits our ability to calmly analyze the question. Therefore, try these tips when encountering more "persistent" queries from audience members.

1. Reframe their aggression
When someone’s delivery is more aggressive, it’s important to remember that they probably aren’t focusing on how they are asking the question. Instead, they are feeling confused and require assistance. This helps reframe the situation from an “attack” into an opportunity to help.

2. Relax your body
When we are bracing for a question, we often tense before we respond. When you’re tense, you’re not able to think as easily. Instead, try exhaling before answering. Or, if you notice your jaw or shoulders are tight, try relaxing them. The more physically at ease you are, the more you’ll be able to think on your feet.

3. Remember you have options
When we put a lot of pressure on a moment, it’s harder to think creatively. That’s why it’s important to remind yourself that there are options to follow up with someone. For example, you could email them and say, “Thanks for your interest in my work. I wasn’t able to come up with the response on the spot yesterday, but now that I’ve had some time I wanted to reach out.” Just because the event is over, doesn’t mean the opportunity to respond has ended.

Whenever we have one of these moments, it’s tough. Try to reframe, relax, and remind yourself that you have multiple options to follow up with folks. Keeping these things in mind can help you feel more at ease and ready for questions.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC

Asking questions during a presentation can be a great way to engage your audience. It helps the speaker connect with the room and allows the audience to guide the narrative around topics they’d like to explore more. However, it’s becoming increasingly popular for speakers to ask rhetorical questions during presentations. Rhetorical questions, or questions where the speaker doesn’t actually need an answer from their audience, can undermine the power of a presentation for a number of reasons.

1. Disrupts flow
Instead of making statements that connect to form a cohesive story, rhetorical questions disrupt the flow of a presentation. For example when a speaker says:

So why did we do this? Well, we did this because…
What is the new product? The new product is…

Rhetorical questions create a choppy tone throughout a presentation. This stop/start pattern can also make it harder for the audience to follow along, since we tend to remember narratives that connect and flow together. Therefore, it’s better to avoid questions and make statements instead. For example…

We did this because…
The new product is…

Making statements is a stronger way to connect ideas in a presentation.

2. Gives your audience permission to stay silent
Rhetorical questions don’t require answers. Thus, when a speaker asks a lot of them, the audience gets accustomed to not answering or sharing a response. Then, when a speaker asks a question where they do want to elicit a response, the audience might not engage because they have fallen into a passive pattern and stay silent.

3. Questions can add in a hesitant tone
When a speaker asks too many rhetorical questions, it can affect how solid their idea sounds. If an audience is going to trust that a new project or idea was well thought through, it’s better to make statements about how everything came together. Then, if someone does have a question it stands out as an avenue to explore. Having too many rhetorical questions can create a doubtful undertone throughout a presentation.

Rhetorical questions can disrupt flow, make your audience disengage, and can add hesitation to your content. Instead, I recommend only asking questions when the audience can actually respond. By asking active questions, speakers show they value engagement by opening up a meaningful dialogue with their audience.

Author: Bri McWhorter
​© Activate to Captivate, LLC