How Not to be Boring

Whether in a one-to-one conversation or giving a presentation, you owe it to yourself and to your audience not to be boring.

The number one reason for boring your listeners is being too focused on yourself and or your topic. This could be because you are nervous and shy, or because you have not yet realized a fundamental truth that is attributed to Theodore Roosevelt:

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care"

3 Strategies for How Not to Be Boring

1. Be Curious

A great maxim for connecting with people and not boring them to death is, "if you want to be interesting, be interested." Be interested in the people you are speaking with, ask questions, and listen carefully to what they say. When you do this, you can connect what you want to say with their worldview.

Curiosity and open-mindedness will also mean that you can talk on multiple topics and have interesting perspectives.

2. Be Passionate

A guaranteed way to not be boring is to be passionate, but not too passionate. 

"People buy what you do, they buy why you do it"

This quote is from Simon Sinek, the author of Start with Why. Everyone has something they're passionate about, something that they feel strongly about and believe in. Your passion could be your career, a cause, or a hobby.

Sharing your passions with others can make you more interesting because it gives them a glimpse into what makes you tick. When you're passionate about something, you're more likely to be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about it, which can be contagious. 

3. Have Fun

An antidote to being boring is fun. People who are playful, and can find humor in situations are interesting. Developing a sense of fun and humor doesn't mean you have to be a comedian, but it does mean you're willing to laugh at yourself and find the funny side of things. When you stop taking yourself so seriously and are willing to have fun, you can connect with others and allow them to feel comfortable around you.

How Not to Be Boring as a Presenter

We have all been subjected to boring presentations, in person, or virtually. The photo above was taken when the conference speaker before me was so boring that they had put the sound guy to sleep.

The three strategies for not being boring will help you not to be the one putting people to sleep, and here are some tips to make your presentations or speeches engaging.

1. Storytelling

Our brains are hard-wired to pay attention to stories because that's how our ancestors communicated life-saving information. Incorporating storytelling into your speech or presentation will make it more engaging and memorable. Use anecdotes, personal experiences, or case studies to illustrate your points and make them more relatable to your audience.

The best speech opening starts with a story that transports the audience to a time, place, and emotion. 

"People won't remember what you said, they will remember how you made them feel"

Yes, another maxim. Maxims make your message memorable.

 2. Be Authentic

When you're authentic, you're true to yourself and your values, which makes you more relatable to your audience. Authenticity means being honest and transparent, even if that means admitting your flaws and mistakes. When you're authentic, people are more likely to trust you and pay attention to what you say. 

Presenters who project a sense of self-importance or arrogance are certain to bore, if not, alienate a large section of the audience. Don't be that person.

3. Keep it Tight

A common trait of boring presents is rambling on and on. You will not be boring if you keep your speech or presentation concise and to the point.

If you have a lot of information to cover, break it up into digestible chunks and use lots of visuals to engage the audience. 

In Conclusion

Of course, there's more to share and with nearly 25 years of experience as a Global Conference speaker, I could tell you lots of stories, but I wanted to practice what I preach and keep it tight. 

You may also notice that I broke my information into groups of 3. You might be curious as to why I did that, and I share the answer on my Youtube channel. 

So, now you know how not to be boring, and if you looking for a motivational speaker in London, Lisbon, Stockholm, or Singapore, feel free to contact me.