The presentation is Monday.

You know your story. Inside and out.

You’ve rehearsed your delivery. You’re like a jungle cat. Feeling unstoppable.

You have a keen understanding of your audience and are prepared to deliver a powerful talk along the lines of empathy.

Your idea will change the world.

Easy, tiger.

Where will this meeting take place?

Around what table will your audience convene?

If you answered “The Board Room,” I have bad news… That’s where ideas go to die.

Dramatic? Maybe.

True? Absolutely.

Give your idea a chance.

Consider moving your meeting to a room more conducive to inspiration. To helping your audience understand your idea.

There’s just too much risk in the traditional board room setup. So before you commit to presenting in there, weigh the following considerations against what you aim to accomplish:

1. All eyes on who?

If you expect to command attention in the board room, think again. The board room setup encourages audience sight lines (except for one) to be everywhere BUT in your direction. Your group is likely to look at each other, their phones, the dry erase board, the drapes… Any other fixture in the room as often as (or less than) they look at you.

2. A/V = MIA.

Again with the sight lines. Imagine how easy it will be to see your content through the back of someone else’s head. For the majority of participants on the long edges of the table, this setup requires leaning either in or out, which can be uncomfortable. Discomfort is motivating, but not when it’s distracting them from you and your story.

3. Hide, no seek.

Keeping in mind your number one job as a presenter – connecting with your audience on the lines of empathy – consider the disadvantage of being denied eye contact. An emotional connection requires eye contact for 60% - 70% of a conversation, so how will you navigate that? Since most audiences report losing interest within the first 20 seconds of a presentation, where could you host this meeting to better capture attention?

If not now, when?

Now that we know why NOT to occupy the board room, is it ever okay to use it? Of course it is. Just not for most persuasive communications, like presentations.

Here are a couple of examples of when it’s best to book it:

Cross-Functional Updates

Status meetings, daily stand-ups, jeep-bonnets, round tables… However you might refer to these sessions, have them in the board room. Imagine the passing of the torch from one chair to the next as audience members assume the role of presenter. The board room enables them to address each other as peers, which taps into its original purpose: Aligning people from different perspectives to a common goal.

Team Discussions 

If reaching your meeting’s goals requires people to talk openly with each other, the board room is a solid choice. Kickstart the discussion by standing and walking all the way around the table a couple times (not more than twice or you’ll make them dizzy), subliminally asking the audience to follow you until you sit. This not only provides a great transition into their roles in the meeting, but also avoids those pesky sightline pitfalls.

Okay, then. Where to?

If the medium is the message, the atmosphere is the idea. Great presenters don't distinguish between the two. And they don’t leave anything to chance.

When you’re deciding what kind of experience you want your audience to have, consider these common room setups and the messages they send.

For more on how to make the most of your space, download our free eBook, “Everything That Isn’t You: Designing a Persuasive Environment.”

When Audiences Attack

In last week’s installment of A Matter of Life and Decks, Libby and I took a spin through some of our more frustrating moments in audience behavior, including zoning out, heckling, and Q&A that goes off the rails.

Give it a watch if you’ve ever wondered what to do when it’s not going as planned 😬.

🔥 Hi, I’m Eric, and every week, I share insights, observations and tools so you can ditch decks and light a fire in your high-stakes presentations. If you like what you see here, follow me on LinkedIn.