Art of Speaking Science

If you don’t already think I’m a geek…then this post will surely convince you of that.

Today, I was listening to NPR’s Studio 360. The host, Kurt Andersen, was doing a segment with Gary Hustwit, the director of the recently released documentary “Helvetica.” (It’s a feature-length film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture.)

At the end the segment, Kurt asks, “Do you have any strong feelings about fonts? How much do you hate Comic Sans?” (Ok, here’s the geeky part, ready?) I actually responded by looking in the general direction of my stereo speakers, rolling my eyes up (as if the host could actually see and hear me) and I said aloud, “Don’t get me started!”

Just last week I had been invited to the School of Medicine at Harvard University to work with postdoctoral researchers. One of the PowerPoint presentations that I reviewed used Comic Sans. I politely explained that this font was originally created for cartoon text and in general, communicates silliness and fun.

I suggested instead that she pick a more neutral, professional font - like Helvetica - to communicate her very serious scientific work. It’s simple, well-proportioned, and modern (even though this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of this typeface). For PC users, I should mention that Arial, is Microsoft’s version of Helvetica (although there are differences).

It’s not that I dislike Comic Sans, or think that it should be banned, it’s just that I believe that the characteristics of a font convey tone or meaning (like the tone of your voice) and I think for presentations (or any visual display of information) it is important that the tone match the content.

If you are communicating serious, significant, scientific findings, then a serious, neutral font should be chosen so that the content itself is concentrated on (not the feeling communicated by the font). If someone asks you about the font you are using and not about the science, something has gone wrong!

What I don’t understand is the increased use of this silly font among scientists. With each passing month I see more and more presentations using the font. I don’t get it? What is the attraction? Is it just the novelty? Can’t they see how this how this font can create a negative impression and impact their credibility? (Comic Sans users, I invite you to comment below because I really don’t get understand this increasing trend.)

So, do I think there is ANY use for Comic Sans? Sure, it can be used, but sparingly and thoughtfully. When communicating in a casual manner or in an effort to communicate fun and frivolity then I say- go for it! (In fact, I admit I have used it when communicating with young students in online forums.)

Here’s the bottom line for you, my clients and regular blog readers:

You are a very smart person who is communicating very important, complex ideas, please, don’t EVER use Comic Sans for work. If you do, it will just make you appear unprofessional or worse, not serious about your work.

Yep, Kurt, I guess I do have a strong opinion about a font, I suppose I just didn’t realize it until you asked!

After many years of working one-on-one with private coaching clients, I have noticed that some mistakes are very common. I would have say the number one top delivery mistake is not enough direct eye contact.

Many studies indicate that making eye contact is the most powerful mode of establishing a communicative link between humans. It has been shown to be vital to human social development, important to information recall, and important for persuasion. Your goal should be to have direct eye contact with someone in your audience at much as possible. I usually tell clients, 90% of the time you should be gazing directly into the eyes of an audience member. Yep, that much!

The specific problem that I see the most is that people tend to rely on their slides as their notes so they turn to face the screen and end up talking to the screen–not to audience members. The best thing to do is to practice so that you don’t need to rely on the slides. If necessary, you can print out your some brief notes that you can keep in front of you. In any case, if you feel the need to sneak a peek. Keep this advice in mind…”look, lock, and talk”. That is, “look” quickly at the notes/screen to remind yourself where you are heading, then “lock” in on someone’s eyes in the audience and “talk” to them directly.

I have noticed with overachievers (most of my clients) they often know the material very well, yet still feels the need to look at the slides just to be “sure they don’t leave anything important out.” However, in this case, the “looking” is just an unnecessary distracting habit and it significantly detracts from the presentation. It is always better to connect with your audience talking (eye to eye) in a comfortable conversational manner…even if you do accidentally leave something out.

Don’t worry, really. An interested person can read the missing detail in your paper or simply ask you during the Q&A. Again, making the connection with your audience is MOST important and eye contact is essential to achieving that.

Finally, since many of my clients are foreign nationals, sometimes this problem with eye contact simply stems from cultural differences in the social meaning of eye contact. In Native American, many Asian, and some Hispanic cultures, looking down and avoiding direct eye contact is a sign of respect. However, most scientific conferences are held in English and follow North American communication standards. In this style of communication, trust is developed through eye contact and it is eye contact that allows you to make a connection with your audience.

“And now I am going to talk about …”

This is probably the most common “transition” that I hear, especially when a scientific speaker moves from one slide to the next. The problem with this is approach is that it really doesn’t transition at all.

Specifically, it fails to make a connection, which is the main purpose of the transition. Worse, it forces the audience to try to ferret out the connection which means they can’t give you their full attention. It also means they may make the wrong connection or just leave them with a fragmented, choppy view of your work.
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Tip: Always request to use a wireless microphone it helps you to focus and connect with your audience without worrying about being heard.

Recently, I was fast-forwarding through a video tape of a conference proceeding trying to find “my” speaker –the person who had scheduled a one-on-one private coaching session. Because it was in fast-forward I happened to notice something; a similar interaction occurring just before every presentation.

It seemed the host must have been offering each speaker the use of a wireless microphone because after each private huddle a few speakers were handed a wireless unit, while most others just nodded or pointed toward the build-in microphone on the lecturn. Hmm…that’s odd, I thought.

Why would a speaker give up the opportunity to use a wireless microphone? Did they realize exactly what they were giving up when they made the decision NOT to use the wireless microphone? Did they realize they were giving up freedom? Did they realize they were limiting their ability to make a connection with the audience? Did they realize that they were potentially lessening the overall impact of the presentation?

Based on these questions I am sure you can guess that my advice is to NEVER refuse the use of a wireless microphone. In fact, my advice is even stronger than that…if it’s possible you should ALWAYS specifically REQUEST the use of a wireless microphone, even if one isn’t typically used or offered.Why, you ask?

Well, first, in general, a microphone is always a good idea. The goal is for you to always speak in your normal conversational tone of voice. You should never strain your voice just to be heard because the strain can limit your vocal variety.

Secondly, for some speakers, their normal tone is perhaps quieter than average and by using a microphone your voice can be artificially amplified allowing everyone to hear you, again, without you having to strain your voice or make you feel uncomfortable. For those that are naturally “loud” speakers, you can also have your voice artificially adjusted down to a happy medium level.

I know, I know, any microphone can solve that problem, so why a wireless microphone? Because most people have never trained/practiced using a built-in lectern microphone. Most speakers become frozen behind the built-in microphones, never moving their head or body fearing they won’t get picked up by the microphone. Or worse, they do move around and the volume of their voice fades as they move away from the microphone.

So what’s the trick? Obviously, if you turn your head away from the microphone you won’t be heard. So, the idea is to pivot or swivel around the microphone always keeping your mouth exactly the same distance away from the microphone.

If you want to move off to the left, move your entire body left but leave your head angled right toward the microphone. As you shift positions again, just remember to always keep your mouth angled toward the microphone and approximately the same distance away. For most, this requires regular practice in order to look smooth and natural with your movements.

Obviously, a wireless microphone frees you from having to remember to pivot your body and head exactly so. You simply put the microphone on and you can move and look wherever you want without having to worry about the sound quality. More importantly to me, though, is the ability to completely move away from the lectern all together. Yes, I almost always recommend that speakers try to move away from the lectern; if not for the entire presentation at least for part of it.

I have been doing this long enough to know that some of you are saying, “but in our field we ALWAYS present from behind the lectern”. To that I say, well, are you sure? Think back to the very few times you saw truly excellent speakers, I’d bet a paycheck, that the majority of these excellent speakers did not present from behind the lectern, at least not for the entire presentation.

I often suggest to my clients to make little changes, not big ones, and let the feedback (not your comfort level) be your guide for future changes. If you NEVER leave the lectern and EVERYONE presents from behind the lectern, then try to present just one small section front and center.

Maybe you can start the presentation out front, or perhaps when you get to your most important slide, you move to the side of the lectern, or better yet, walk a few steps forward toward your audience. Without a wireless microphone, not of this is really possible.

The wireless microphone lets you focus on connecting to your audience and not worry about being heard.

The biggest advantage of a wireless microphone is that you have the freedom to deliver your entire presentation without the obstacle of the lectern in front of you. The lectern limits your ability to make a direct connection with your audience, in fact, research supports this. The physically closer you can get, the more likely you are to persuade your audience. Your goal for all presentations should be to make a conversational connection with your audience and a wireless microphone facilitates your ability to do this.

So here’s this presentation skills quick tip in a nutshell…

If you are offered a wireless microphone, you should always respond with a cheerful, “Yes, absolutely”. Better yet, request one ahead of time so you can be assured of your freedom to make the connection with your audience!

Do you want to learn more? Sign up for the next small group presentation skills workshop, consider one-on-one coaching, or ask your organization to sponsor a large group seminar. After all, you didn’t learn to ride a bike by reading a book–you needed an expert coach (your Dad) to show you how to do it and then you needed lots of encouragement and practice, right? That’s what I can offer.

Don’t agree with me? As always, I am interested in your feedback. Please leave a comment here or feel free to call our listener line to leave a recorded comment. Oh and be sure to let me know if it’s OK to use your voice on an upcoming podcast or your words and a name on blog posting.