Imagine that you’ve prepared your presentation for months. You’ve been assured you have 30 minutes. You practiced out loud and your timing is to the minute. The delivery is conversational and your humor is perfect.
And then it happens. Before you’re introduced, the first speaker goes over the allotted time by 10 or 15 minutes. What do you do?
Prepare for It. Always have a full version and a shorter version of your speech or presentation. By anticipating a time dysfunction, you’ll be able to switch to the shorter version with less stress. Best bet is to always end a little early. If your keynote is 60 minutes, end at 55 minutes. One of my clients had a 15 minute webcast. He prepared to end at 13 minutes. The audience is not holding a stopwatch. Nobody will complain if you finish a few minutes early.
Cut on the Fly. This is harder to do in the moment. Determine the critical points and pare down the examples. Say less for each point or slide. Skip the video clip. Tell a streamlined version of your story or eliminate it all together. If you planned to start with a long story, begin with a purpose statement instead.
Eliminate Q&A. At the end of a presentation, 15 minutes of Q&A is often allotted. Let the audience know there won’t be time for Q&A but they can email their questions.
Make an Offer. Acknowledge that the time was cut and offer to talk to the audience after the presentation. Or invite them to your website for additional information.
Remember the Rule of Three. In rare cases, where you have only a few minutes, instead of passing up the opportunity, offer to talk about 3 major points even if it’s 5 minutes.
In an ideal world, all the speakers respect the time limits which allows the meeting to flow. Next time you encounter a time thief, follow these tips.