How NOT to Use Whiteboard in Public Speaking

Video Transcript

"DON VARNEY: Hi, I'm Don Varney, founder of Varney Speaks, and I'm here on behalf of Expert Village. The thing that is probably the biggest, biggest problem with people on a board is that they want to write it and then they want to read it to you. Most people in these corporate environments are educated people that really don't need to be read to, so don't do that. Couple of points to consider, don't turn your back to the audience as you're writing and continue speaking. If you're going to have to write something and you face the board, let there be a pause so that they can just observe what you're writing and always be off to the side so that you're not blocking it. This way, it allows them to actually be reading as you're writing down--not speaking, but as you're writing down points to start formulating the ideas. Do short phrases, turn, face your audience again, and bring to life the points that you just wrote down."