Too Much Noise?

IT’S GETTING THICK THIS WEEK, with all kinds of advice out there on tips, tricks, techniques, and mechanics of giving a presentation. And it’s all good and well-meaning — and works, to a point. Just as all those golf and tennis magazines are packed with good advice.
        But when you go out to play (or present), if you get caught up in all that stuff — the “shoulds” and “remembers” and “don’ts” — your effort could come off as mechanical and, ultimately, less effective. I’m not saying don’t practice or don’t prepare. ALL the technique things you’ve read or heard have their value. But when it’s time to be “on”, you need to forget all that stuff and just tune into your audience (or the ball, if you’re on the course).
        And if you have a story or idea that is incredibly compelling for your audience, most all that technique stuff becomes secondary. You could burp the Gettysburg Address if your audience is really with you. Hell, they’d probably applaud it.