Most Challenging Communication 8: Leading Groups (Pt. 1)
Over the past 30 plus years I’ve faced thousands of groups as a leader, manager, preacher, teacher, speaker, trainer and facilitator. From small to large and informal to formal groups, I’ve had many wonderful and a few horrible learning experiences in front of audiences.
Leading groups is one of the big challenges we face as executives. Most people don’t like to speak in front of groups. Over the years many surveys have identified what people fear most. Speaking in front of groups always ranks at or near the top of those results. Fear of death usually ranks lower. I suppose that indicates people would rather die than speak in front of groups!
Some of the negative feelings we experience, when facing a group, include self-consciousness, embarrassment, nervousness and even nausea. There are many things, however, to be gained by learning to communicate in front of groups, including confidence, recognition and respect.
Many other positive characteristics will be attributed to you if you can lead confidently, talk intelligently and field questions effectively in front of groups. The following information will help improve your perceived authority and credibility with groups.
Working Different Size Groups
In Live for Success (1981), John T. Molloy identified five sizes of audiences we can face when leading groups or making presentations, including: small group, boardroom, classroom, small formal, and large formal. Much of what follows is drawn from Molloy’s work, which I have found incredibly useful over the years.
As a general rule, smaller groups are more intimate in nature, and larger groups will expect you to be informative and entertaining. As group size changes, you must consider your visibility, how you express yourself and what audio-visual tools you will use to enhance your message.
Positioning & Visibility
As group size grows, you must remain well positioned and highly visible to the audience. In a small intimate setting, you have to stand or sit back a short distance from the group so everyone can see you. In a boardroom setting, you are better off standing than sitting, and always at one end of the table. Being placed in the middle of a group, where you constantly have to turn your head back and forth while speaking, will reduce your perceived authority with participants. As you graduate to larger settings, make sure you are positioned in front of your audience so everyone can see you, even if this means standing on stage for a large formal audience.
Expressing Yourself
As you move from smaller to larger groups, in order to be perceived favorably, you must make sure you can be clearly heard, and that your gestures shift from less to more exaggerated.
To best convey your message in an intimate gathering, use a normal conversational tone and refrain from exaggerated gestures. When addressing people in a boardroom setting, speak up and maintain a personable, conversational tone. Refrain from overly exaggerated gestures.
When facing a group of seated people (as in a classroom setting), and standing on the same level as the group and working without a microphone, make sure you speak up. Speak with more formality and emphasis than in a small group or boardroom setting. Gesture, but keep movements somewhat restrained. Keep words and non-verbal signals on a more personal level.
In small formal settings, participants can see your face and read your expressions. Speakers in front of this size group are sometimes on raised platforms or behind podiums. Your audience expects a more formal presentation. Wear a microphone to allow for movement and move from behind the podium to break down the barrier between you and your audience. Present in an upbeat manner and use pronounced gestures to enhance your perceived credibility.
When facing an audience of 200 or more people, the expectations shift. You’ve now graduated to entertainer. You must recognize each audience has a personality of its own. Humor can help, but you must entertain the large formal audience with the subject matter. The audience will expect more exuberance and longer pauses from you, so throw restraint out the window. Those perceived as good speakers are actors and entertainers. Raise your voice when you speak. Raise your arms when you gesture. Become an actor. The larger the group the more animated you will want to become with your gestures and expressions and more theatrical with your delivery.
Audio-Visual Tools
With small groups, minimize mechanical aids such as a flip chart or projector. Use a handout if you have visual material. In a boardroom setting you may need to use a flip chart, marking board or projector to share the visual aspect of a presentation. With a classroom audience, your visual tools could include a flip chart, marking board or projector. With a small formal audience, use a projector if you have a visual presentation to share. With a large formal audience you will need to use a microphone and you will need a projector if you have a visual presentation.
Always do tests to make sure your equipment is working properly. When you use PowerPoint or projected visuals keep them simple. Make them heavier on the visual by using pictures, illustration or graphic material and lighter on the verbiage. If you must use text, use no more than seven lines per screen and use seven or fewer words per line. Words need to be sizeable enough to be read from the back of a larger room. Use color to enhance learning. Most meeting participants do not want a speaker who reads the visuals to them. They would prefer the visual materials make a statement, illustrate a point or highlight key information.
