How Not to Present in Public: Lessons from Michael Bay

Public speaking lessons from Michael Bay.

People won’t throw knives at you, scratch your car, or storm out of the room during your presentation, and nobody has ever died from forgetting their words. The reality is that, whoever you are, most people want to see you succeed. No one wishes to witness your struggle or humiliation.

Many presenters, including myself have faced challenges and embarrassing moments when things don’t go as planned. This can include memory lapses, technological failures, or props that simply don’t work; it’s called being human. Most audiences appreciate human presenters who show vulnerability.

The key to overcoming these challenges lies in preparation preparation, and more preparation combined with a genuine interest in your topic and a passionate desire to make a difference for your audience. A sprinkle of humility and grace can help you navigate whatever comes your way.

In January 2014, renowned director Michael Bay faced an unfortunate moment at Samsung’s press conference in Las Vegas. The autocue failed right at the start of his talk, which visibly threw him off balance. The result? He walked away, abandoning his audience. Bay later apologised and made the following statement:

“Wow! I just embarrassed myself at CES—I was about to speak for Samsung for this awesome Curved 105-inch UHD TV. I rarely lend my name to any products, but this one is just stellar. I got so excited to talk, that I skipped over the Exec VP’s intro line and then the teleprompter got lost. Then the prompter went up and down—then I walked off. I guess live shows aren’t my thing.”

Though this was a regrettable moment for Michael Bay, he’s not the first, and likely won’t be the last, to encounter such challenges on stage.

Positioning Yourself for Success

What can you do to better prepare for unforeseen moments when speaking?

The prerequisite for any speech or presentation is having a crystal-clear message and purpose. This clarity allows everything you say to revolve around your core topic.

If you know your subject matter well and have a clear message, then if the unthinkable happens, like an autocue failure, a projector malfunction, or accidentally leaving your notes in a taxi, you will always have valuable insights to share. Granted, your impromptu delivery may be shorter or less polished, but it will undoubtedly feel more authentic—and who knows? It may resonate even better with your audience.

I wouldn’t take Public speaking lessons from Michael Bay but if you need help with your public speaking and presentation skills:

– Book yourself onto a powerful public speaking course.

– Invest in some really good one to one public speaking coaching.

– Get yourself some excellent presentation training

Image courtesy of Canva.com