Your presentation is interrupted. How do you adjust your pitch delivery on the fly?
Life throws curveballs, especially during presentations. Here's how to smoothly adjust your pitch when interrupted:
- Maintain composure and politely address the interruption.
- Quickly assess whether to incorporate the disruption into your pitch.
- Use humor or a related anecdote to transition back into your main points.
How do you handle unexpected interruptions during presentations?
Your presentation is interrupted. How do you adjust your pitch delivery on the fly?
Life throws curveballs, especially during presentations. Here's how to smoothly adjust your pitch when interrupted:
- Maintain composure and politely address the interruption.
- Quickly assess whether to incorporate the disruption into your pitch.
- Use humor or a related anecdote to transition back into your main points.
How do you handle unexpected interruptions during presentations?
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I try to add a touch of humor and spontaneity to handle the situation. I believe that showing vulnerability—acknowledging any glitches, whether they’re technical issues or even our own mistakes—keeps the presentation light and actually builds credibility and trust. It helps the audience connect with you, turning the interruption into an opportunity to engage authentically.
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When faced with unexpected interruptions during a presentation, I quickly decide if the disruption can be woven into my message or if it’s best to move past it. Sometimes, using a bit of humour or sharing a brief, relevant story helps me turn the moment into a smooth transition back to my main points. Staying calm and composed is key, and I always address the interruptions politely, which helps keep the audience engaged and focused. This approach allows me to handle interruptions confidently while keeping the presentation on track. :)
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Use a gentle approach like humor to regain attention and then steer the group back to the task at hand. If necessary, take a quick break and be clear on exactly when the presentation will resume.
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Lors d'une présentation, en cas d'interruption inattendue, je garde mon calme et reste souriant pour ne pas perturber le public. J’écoute attentivement l’interruption pour évaluer si elle mérite une réponse immédiate ou peut attendre la fin. Ensuite, je recentre l’attention avec une phrase de transition pour reprendre le fil. Si l’interruption est technique, je m’assure d’avoir des notes pour poursuivre sans perdre le fil. Cette approche me permet de rester professionnel tout en montrant mon adaptabilité face aux imprévus.
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When an interruption occurs, the most important thing is to understand whether it can help you with the topics of your presentation, if it will help you, controlling the time is very important to understand how many minutes you will be able to speak in sequence, keeping in mind the most important and relevant points of the presentation to return, because depending on your audience, a loss of attention can be fatal (Managers and C-Level)
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Depending on the source of interruption, there could be multiple ways in which to proceed. If it was just a technical snag, a subtle joke could be useful in getting the audience attention back. If the interruption was due to something else, it would be good to address the cause and read the room if the stakeholders are keen to return to the original topic. Once clear, you could quickly summarize what was discussed so far and quickly get back into your talk track.
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Interrupções são normais e precisamos nos adaptar. Tentar usar a interrupção de forma leve para de alguma forma incorporar no pitch, e caso contrário usá-lo para exemplificar os obstáculos no caminho.
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