Where Do You Stand?

Whenever you make a presentation, one of the questions you have to ask yourself is, “Where should I stand for most impact with the audience?”

There are three basic positions:
#1. Behind the lectern
#2. In front of the lectern, but still able to see the entire audience
#3. Roaming around the space in front of the lectern

If you’re stuck behind the lectern it creates a divide between you and your audience and it also probably means that you are going to rely extensively on your notes.

If you are in position #3, you have the advantage of getting very close to your audience, but it also means that many times some members of your audience are looking at your back and not your face.

In the picture above, Carl shows us position #2 which is one of the ideal positions. He’s in front of the lectern, but everyone in the audience can still see him easily. You can still roam a bit, but only for effect and 95% of the time you want to go back to this position.