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BYSCOTT
                               SCHWERTLY




         50
  TOP
THE




                                “Our third-quarter
                               earnings are truly
GOOD, BAD & LAME
STUFF PRESENTERS DO EVERYDAY
                                WHACK,
                                           YO!“
Introduction........................................................................ iii


                                                                                                                     01 The Clinton Thumb ....................................................................... 2
                                                                                                                     02 Van Gogh ...................................................................................... 2
                                                                                                                     03 Spielberg ...................................................................................... 3
                                                                                                            pg.      04 H2O .............................................................................................. 3
                                                                                                                     05 Rewind ......................................................................................... 4
                                                                                                              THE    06 Water Slide ................................................................................... 5
                                                                                                                     07 Ripple ........................................................................................... 5
                                                                                                              GOOD   08 Crush ............................................................................................ 6
                                                                                                                     09 Goose ........................................................................................... 6



                                                                                                                     10 Gangsta Lean ................................................................................ 8
                                                                                                                     11 Lip Syncing .................................................................................... 8
                                                                                                                     12 Mouth-breathing .......................................................................... 9
                                                                                                                     13 Break Mistake ............................................................................... 9
                                                                                                                     14 Smoke Signal .............................................................................. 10
                                                                                                                     15 Igloo Jiggle................................................................................... 11
                                                                                                                     16 Jousting ....................................................................................... 11
                                                                                                                     17 Bullet Wounds .............................................................................. 12
                                                                                                            pg.
                                                                                                                     18 Knee Bounce ................................................................................ 12
                                                                                                                     19 Flyby ............................................................................................ 13
                                                                                                                     20 Q-tips ......................................................................................... 14
                                                                                                                     21 Butterfacts .................................................................................. 14
                                                                                                              THE    22 Evisceration Presentation ............................................................ 15
                                                                                                                     23 Froth ............................................................................................ 15
                                                                                                              BAD    24 Mercy Killing ............................................................................... 16
                                                                                                                     25 Nap time ......................................................................................17
TableofContents




                                                                                                                     26 Yawn ............................................................................................17
                                                                                                                     27 ZZZs ............................................................................................ 18
                                                                                                                     28 Zoo ............................................................................................. 18
                                                                                                                     29 U-Turns ....................................................................................... 19
                                                                                                                     30 Oh Shiz! ...................................................................................... 19
                                                                                                                     31 Brow Wipe ................................................................................... 20
                                                                                                                     32 Headlight .................................................................................... 20



                                                                                                                     33 Prom Queen ................................................................................ 22
                                                                                                                     34 Headlame ................................................................................... 23
                                                                                                                     35 Bullet Points ............................................................................... 23
              Public domain illustrations by Jonny Doomsday, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.




                                                                                                                     36 Writin’ Dirty ................................................................................ 24
                                                                                                                     37 Awkward Arm ............................................................................. 24
                                                                                                                     38 H.A.G. ......................................................................................... 25
                                                                                                            pg.      39 Comic Sans ................................................................................. 25
                                                                                                                     40 Abra Cadabra.............................................................................. 26
                                                                                                                     41 Laser pointer ............................................................................... 27
                                                                                                                     42 Waffle ......................................................................................... 27
              Copyright ©2010 by Scott B. Schwertly. All rights reserved.




                                                                                                              THE    43 Qbert .......................................................................................... 28
                                                                                                                     44 Xzibit .......................................................................................... 28
                                                                                                              LAME   45 Old School .................................................................................. 29
                                                                                                                     46 Diamond Transition .................................................................... 30
                                                                                                                     47 Peter Brady ................................................................................. 30
                                                                                                                     48 Sam Kinison ................................................................................. 31
                                                                                                                     49 Vay-cay ........................................................................................ 31
                                                                                                                     50 Screen Beans .............................................................................. 32


                                                                                                                     About Scott Schwertly.......................................................... 33
                                                                                                                     How to Be a Presentation God.................................................34
Introduction

                                                                             I’ve spent years dealing with presentations in my role as CEO of Ethos3, a presentation design and
                                                                             training agency. In that time, I’ve come to believe that the study of presentations is the study of
                                                                             motivations—of audiences, of speakers, of society at large. Humans are deploying presentations
                                                                             (loaded weapons, really) all over the globe, at events big and small, with every level of proficiency
                                                                             from great skill to profound incompetence. Like the universe, it is staggering, frightening, and
                                                                             awesome.

                                                                             We live in a world that bears almost no resemblance to the one our grandparents lived in.
                                                                             Everything is available, always, no matter what. We communicate through interactive social
                                                                             media outlets like Facebook and Twitter; we do business with partners in Asia, Europe, and South
                                                                             America—all from the comfort of a rural country home in Alabama (sometimes; I’ve heard of it,
                                                                             at least). Yet, when it really counts, we step on stage, the lights go down, people ‘shh’ each other,
                                                                             and we get down to business. When it counts, we present.

                                                                             Like print, TV, radio, and the Internet, presentations are a means of communicating. The
                                                                             corresponding concerns, then, are the same: what do they want to hear, what do they want to see,
                                                                             how do they want to feel, and so forth. At best, such conjecture is exploration, like mapping the
                                                                             sea floor; at worst, it is witchcraft. As public speakers reach blindly in the dark for answers, and
                                                                             audiences for anything of worth in what they’re saying, funny happens.

                                                                             The fact that the presentation environment, at its core, has not changed in the last 50 years (let
                                                                             alone 10,000) speaks to the enormous weight of this scenario in our society. Despite so many
                                                                             technological advancements, we still fundamentally value this in-person, in-depth approach to
                                                                             information. No other form of communication can make that claim. Plus, as Jerry Seinfeld points
                                                                             out, people are more afraid of public speaking than of dying. Indeed, the study of presentations
                                                                             has more in common with deep-sea exploration than marketing or mass communications. Who
                                                                             knows what makes audiences tick? For that matter, who knows what makes presenters tick, or
                                                                             think those clip-art adorned slides are perfect for a roomful of staunch financiers?

                                                                             Some of the happenings in the presentation realm are astonishing, but they happen over and over
                                                                             again, every day. It’s my business, and I see a lot of presentations, so over the last couple of years
                                                                             I’ve started collecting some of the cardinal sins, as well as the sainted virtues and purgatory-
Copyright ©2010 by Scott B. Schwertly. All rights reserved.




                                                                             entombing half-baked ideas, that plague, bless, or sideline presentations, respectively. The
                                                                             following 50 terms define the hilarious occurrences happening on stage and in audiences every
                                                                             day. Because it would be rude not to, I’ve also included easy-to-implement steps you can take to
                                                                             bring your presentation game to the next level. I hope you enjoy; in fact, I hope you, too, become a
                                                                             curator of presentation hilarity. If you do, send your observations my way—scott@scottschwertly.
                                                                             com. I’d love to hear what you’re seeing.




                                                                                               STUFF PRESENTERS LIKE |                                       iii
THE


GOOD
1                     THE CLINTON THUMB
                                                                                        [klin-tn thuhm] Popularized by former President Bill Clinton; a sincere and persuasive hand
                                                                                        gesture characterized by a subtly protruding thumb.
                                                                         Both Clinton’s friends and enemies alike report a unique mental phenomenon while listening to him
                                                                         speak: a gentle pressure that builds in the frontal lobe of the brain until the entire head begins to nod up
                                                                         and down in agreement, regardless of what is being said. That pressure is Bill Clinton’s thumb.
                                                                         The Clinton Thumb exists in a rare class of human hand gestures--indeed, the only comparable
                                                                         alternative is the Jedi hand wave—that seem to endow the presenter with temporary mind control
                                                                         capabilities. As such, its use should be very much limited to communicating the most crucial elements
                                                                         of any given presentation. The Clinton Thumb never points, nor does it enumerate mundane lists. It is
                                                                         never a fist, nor a thumbs-up. If the thumb turns white as the blood drains from a nervously clinched
                                                                         hand, cease use immediately. As demonstrated by its namesake, the Clinton Thumb pairs nicely with
                                                                                                                your most sincere face.
                                                              THE TAKEAWAY                                           Clinton Thumbs should be practiced prior to use at the podium. Do
                                                                                                                     you have kids? Try saying, “Making your bed is important,” with
                                                              You’ll get a lot of mileage out of natural,
                                                                                                                     your best Clinton Thumb. If they believe what you say and do it, you
                                                              sincere hand gestures that emphasize
                                                              key points without distracting your                    are ready to wield the Thumb on stage.
                                                              audience, or yourself.



                                                                                                                                        VAN GOGH
                                                                         [van goh] A perfect presentation or masterpiece, particularly one
                                                                                                                                                                                        2
                                                                         with universal appeal; a succession of slides that that inspires, uplifts, and
                                                                         advances humanity.
                                                                         You know when your presentation is a Van Gogh: maids, janitors,
                                                                         and facility employees line the back wall of the room, misty eyed.
                                                                         A canvas sheet has to be pulled off the projection screen. Bidding
                                                                         placards are flying up in a frenzy during the presentation: $100,000!
                                                                         Do I hear $150,000? Your quota for a 30% increase over last year’s
                                                                         sales is met with the sale of the presentation about your quota for a
                                                                         30% increase over last year’s sales.
                                                                         There is some debate as to whether a Van Gogh presentation is any
                                                                         more effective than a regular presentation. Recent studies show that
                                                                         93% of presenters giving Van Gogh presentations were carried off                  THE TAKEAWAY
                                                                         stage at the end on the shoulders of exultant audience members. The               Only this: the student has become the
                                                                         other 7% reported a fear of heights and warded off the advancing                  teacher. Use your powers for good, not
                                                                         multitudes. 76% received raises immediately after their Van Gogh,                 for evil.
Copyright ©2010 by Scott B. Schwertly. All rights reserved.




                                                                         while the other 24% received only bonuses. The research is clear: if
                                                                         you like money, you should be presenting Van Goghs.
                                                                         Of course, everyone wants to present Van Goghs. But not everyone is willing to endure the absinthe
                                                                         stupors, mental illnesses, prison terms, self-inflicted otectomies and untimely death that are part and
                                                                         parcel of the artistic process. That is why it is always better to pay someone for a Van Gogh presentation
                                                                         rather than attempt one yourself.




                                                                                                                       THE GOOD |                    2
SPIELBERG
                                                                    [speel-burg] a presentation master who, plucking the masses’ heartstrings as though they were a golden
                                                                                                                                                                                                 3
                                                                    lyre, creates presentations that alter the course of peoples’ lives, of history, and of the very laws of nature itself.

                                                                                                     Let me disappoint you: the Spielberg is an ideal that is aspired to; it does not yet
                                                                                                     exist. All presentation attendees are sitting in firmly padded chairs, breathing
                                                                                                     manufactured air, and writing with hotel pens as they wait for the Spielberg to
                                                                                                     appear. The Spielberg, it is said, will change the world: whales will be saved,
                                                                                                     raises will be given, cubicle walls will crumble to the ground, etc. The Spielberg
                                                                                                     will motivate us with a perfect blend of humor, substance, and emotional
                                                                                                     appeal so that, perhaps for the first time, we will be able to walk away from a
                                                                                                     presentation thinking that we liked that guy.
                                                                                                Of course, the Spielberg can’t take all the credit. The Spielberg will have so many
                                                                                                people to thank. His spouse, for lying awake each night for weeks listening to the
                                                                                                strained comfort of a speaking voice, the same punch lines, and the same “stage
                                                                                                laugh” again and again and again. The Spielberg will like to thank the intern for
                                                                                                63 trips to Starbucks without ever botching an order for a iced-triple-grande-soy-
                                                                                                              sugar-free-vanilla-light ice-two-raw-sugar-latte, and for collecting
                                                                                                              facts and figures for the presentation from three uninterested and

                                                                                                                       BUY THE
                                                              THE TAKEAWAY                                    “busy” intercompany departments, client testimonials, and the
                                                              Revolutionizing an industry starts with         Library of Congress… you get the point.




                                                                                       FULL TODAY!
                                                                                            VERSION
                                                              the trenchant efforts of every presenter               It will take a village to raise the Spielberg, a village that knows
                                                              to settle for nothing less than an                     presentations backwards, forwards, and side-to-side. It is hard to
                                                              excellent presentation.                                imagine the Spielberg ever even dropping by until bullet-point lists
                                                                                                                     are kept in museums like the Smithsonian, right next to papyrus
                                                                                                                     parchments with hieroglyphics on them.




                                                                  4                     H2WWW.SCOTTSCHWERTLY.COM
                                                                                          0                  THE TAKEAWAY
                                                                                        [waw-ter] the best bet for hydration while presenting.                      On stage, it isn’t about pleasure: it’s
                                                                                                                                                                    about basic comfort and compassion
                                                                        Sometimes, it’s the little things that count. Presentations can
                                                                                                                                                                    for the audience. Use water to speak
                                                                        be nerve-wracking for many people, like a Bermuda Triangle of
                                                                                                                                                                    clearly, and save your pleasure
                                                                        emotions. You can do all the right things: be funny, engaging, and
                                                                                                                                                                    beverages for breaks.
                                                                        authoritative; give concise and pertinent information; and present
                                                                        it all with visually arresting slide design. But if you’re downing
                                                                        brewskies like it’s a game of corporate beer pong, you still run a slight risk of absolute failure.
                                                                        Of course, it isn’t just alcohol that has led to horror stories in the past. There’s coffee (how does slurping
                                                                        a hot beverage sound through a lapel mike?), milk (got maturity?), 7/11 slurpees (need I say it?), and
                                                                        sports drinks (you’ve got bigger problems than an electrolyte deficiency). All are acceptable beverages
Copyright ©2010 by Scott B. Schwertly. All rights reserved.




                                                                        somewhere, but the podium is simply not a place for consumption. Any beverage drinking should serve
                                                                        an express biological purpose, such as keeping you alive or keeping that awful peanut-butter-smacking
                                                                        sound out of the loudspeakers.
                                                                        So why water? Because it’s clear, odorless, and tasteless. In fact, it is so naturally nondescript that
                                                                        audiences will fail to notice your drinking at all. And that’s exactly what you want, because you’ve spent
                                                                        a lot time preparing a fantastic presentation—right?—and wouldn’t want anything to distract from the
                                                                        important message you have to give.



                                                                                                                       THE GOOD |                     3

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Stuff Presenters Like (eBook excerpt)

  • 1. BYSCOTT SCHWERTLY 50 TOP THE “Our third-quarter earnings are truly GOOD, BAD & LAME STUFF PRESENTERS DO EVERYDAY WHACK, YO!“
  • 2. Introduction........................................................................ iii 01 The Clinton Thumb ....................................................................... 2 02 Van Gogh ...................................................................................... 2 03 Spielberg ...................................................................................... 3 pg. 04 H2O .............................................................................................. 3 05 Rewind ......................................................................................... 4 THE 06 Water Slide ................................................................................... 5 07 Ripple ........................................................................................... 5 GOOD 08 Crush ............................................................................................ 6 09 Goose ........................................................................................... 6 10 Gangsta Lean ................................................................................ 8 11 Lip Syncing .................................................................................... 8 12 Mouth-breathing .......................................................................... 9 13 Break Mistake ............................................................................... 9 14 Smoke Signal .............................................................................. 10 15 Igloo Jiggle................................................................................... 11 16 Jousting ....................................................................................... 11 17 Bullet Wounds .............................................................................. 12 pg. 18 Knee Bounce ................................................................................ 12 19 Flyby ............................................................................................ 13 20 Q-tips ......................................................................................... 14 21 Butterfacts .................................................................................. 14 THE 22 Evisceration Presentation ............................................................ 15 23 Froth ............................................................................................ 15 BAD 24 Mercy Killing ............................................................................... 16 25 Nap time ......................................................................................17 TableofContents 26 Yawn ............................................................................................17 27 ZZZs ............................................................................................ 18 28 Zoo ............................................................................................. 18 29 U-Turns ....................................................................................... 19 30 Oh Shiz! ...................................................................................... 19 31 Brow Wipe ................................................................................... 20 32 Headlight .................................................................................... 20 33 Prom Queen ................................................................................ 22 34 Headlame ................................................................................... 23 35 Bullet Points ............................................................................... 23 Public domain illustrations by Jonny Doomsday, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. 36 Writin’ Dirty ................................................................................ 24 37 Awkward Arm ............................................................................. 24 38 H.A.G. ......................................................................................... 25 pg. 39 Comic Sans ................................................................................. 25 40 Abra Cadabra.............................................................................. 26 41 Laser pointer ............................................................................... 27 42 Waffle ......................................................................................... 27 Copyright ©2010 by Scott B. Schwertly. All rights reserved. THE 43 Qbert .......................................................................................... 28 44 Xzibit .......................................................................................... 28 LAME 45 Old School .................................................................................. 29 46 Diamond Transition .................................................................... 30 47 Peter Brady ................................................................................. 30 48 Sam Kinison ................................................................................. 31 49 Vay-cay ........................................................................................ 31 50 Screen Beans .............................................................................. 32 About Scott Schwertly.......................................................... 33 How to Be a Presentation God.................................................34
  • 3. Introduction I’ve spent years dealing with presentations in my role as CEO of Ethos3, a presentation design and training agency. In that time, I’ve come to believe that the study of presentations is the study of motivations—of audiences, of speakers, of society at large. Humans are deploying presentations (loaded weapons, really) all over the globe, at events big and small, with every level of proficiency from great skill to profound incompetence. Like the universe, it is staggering, frightening, and awesome. We live in a world that bears almost no resemblance to the one our grandparents lived in. Everything is available, always, no matter what. We communicate through interactive social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter; we do business with partners in Asia, Europe, and South America—all from the comfort of a rural country home in Alabama (sometimes; I’ve heard of it, at least). Yet, when it really counts, we step on stage, the lights go down, people ‘shh’ each other, and we get down to business. When it counts, we present. Like print, TV, radio, and the Internet, presentations are a means of communicating. The corresponding concerns, then, are the same: what do they want to hear, what do they want to see, how do they want to feel, and so forth. At best, such conjecture is exploration, like mapping the sea floor; at worst, it is witchcraft. As public speakers reach blindly in the dark for answers, and audiences for anything of worth in what they’re saying, funny happens. The fact that the presentation environment, at its core, has not changed in the last 50 years (let alone 10,000) speaks to the enormous weight of this scenario in our society. Despite so many technological advancements, we still fundamentally value this in-person, in-depth approach to information. No other form of communication can make that claim. Plus, as Jerry Seinfeld points out, people are more afraid of public speaking than of dying. Indeed, the study of presentations has more in common with deep-sea exploration than marketing or mass communications. Who knows what makes audiences tick? For that matter, who knows what makes presenters tick, or think those clip-art adorned slides are perfect for a roomful of staunch financiers? Some of the happenings in the presentation realm are astonishing, but they happen over and over again, every day. It’s my business, and I see a lot of presentations, so over the last couple of years I’ve started collecting some of the cardinal sins, as well as the sainted virtues and purgatory- Copyright ©2010 by Scott B. Schwertly. All rights reserved. entombing half-baked ideas, that plague, bless, or sideline presentations, respectively. The following 50 terms define the hilarious occurrences happening on stage and in audiences every day. Because it would be rude not to, I’ve also included easy-to-implement steps you can take to bring your presentation game to the next level. I hope you enjoy; in fact, I hope you, too, become a curator of presentation hilarity. If you do, send your observations my way—scott@scottschwertly. com. I’d love to hear what you’re seeing. STUFF PRESENTERS LIKE | iii
  • 5. 1 THE CLINTON THUMB [klin-tn thuhm] Popularized by former President Bill Clinton; a sincere and persuasive hand gesture characterized by a subtly protruding thumb. Both Clinton’s friends and enemies alike report a unique mental phenomenon while listening to him speak: a gentle pressure that builds in the frontal lobe of the brain until the entire head begins to nod up and down in agreement, regardless of what is being said. That pressure is Bill Clinton’s thumb. The Clinton Thumb exists in a rare class of human hand gestures--indeed, the only comparable alternative is the Jedi hand wave—that seem to endow the presenter with temporary mind control capabilities. As such, its use should be very much limited to communicating the most crucial elements of any given presentation. The Clinton Thumb never points, nor does it enumerate mundane lists. It is never a fist, nor a thumbs-up. If the thumb turns white as the blood drains from a nervously clinched hand, cease use immediately. As demonstrated by its namesake, the Clinton Thumb pairs nicely with your most sincere face. THE TAKEAWAY Clinton Thumbs should be practiced prior to use at the podium. Do you have kids? Try saying, “Making your bed is important,” with You’ll get a lot of mileage out of natural, your best Clinton Thumb. If they believe what you say and do it, you sincere hand gestures that emphasize key points without distracting your are ready to wield the Thumb on stage. audience, or yourself. VAN GOGH [van goh] A perfect presentation or masterpiece, particularly one 2 with universal appeal; a succession of slides that that inspires, uplifts, and advances humanity. You know when your presentation is a Van Gogh: maids, janitors, and facility employees line the back wall of the room, misty eyed. A canvas sheet has to be pulled off the projection screen. Bidding placards are flying up in a frenzy during the presentation: $100,000! Do I hear $150,000? Your quota for a 30% increase over last year’s sales is met with the sale of the presentation about your quota for a 30% increase over last year’s sales. There is some debate as to whether a Van Gogh presentation is any more effective than a regular presentation. Recent studies show that 93% of presenters giving Van Gogh presentations were carried off THE TAKEAWAY stage at the end on the shoulders of exultant audience members. The Only this: the student has become the other 7% reported a fear of heights and warded off the advancing teacher. Use your powers for good, not multitudes. 76% received raises immediately after their Van Gogh, for evil. Copyright ©2010 by Scott B. Schwertly. All rights reserved. while the other 24% received only bonuses. The research is clear: if you like money, you should be presenting Van Goghs. Of course, everyone wants to present Van Goghs. But not everyone is willing to endure the absinthe stupors, mental illnesses, prison terms, self-inflicted otectomies and untimely death that are part and parcel of the artistic process. That is why it is always better to pay someone for a Van Gogh presentation rather than attempt one yourself. THE GOOD | 2
  • 6. SPIELBERG [speel-burg] a presentation master who, plucking the masses’ heartstrings as though they were a golden 3 lyre, creates presentations that alter the course of peoples’ lives, of history, and of the very laws of nature itself. Let me disappoint you: the Spielberg is an ideal that is aspired to; it does not yet exist. All presentation attendees are sitting in firmly padded chairs, breathing manufactured air, and writing with hotel pens as they wait for the Spielberg to appear. The Spielberg, it is said, will change the world: whales will be saved, raises will be given, cubicle walls will crumble to the ground, etc. The Spielberg will motivate us with a perfect blend of humor, substance, and emotional appeal so that, perhaps for the first time, we will be able to walk away from a presentation thinking that we liked that guy. Of course, the Spielberg can’t take all the credit. The Spielberg will have so many people to thank. His spouse, for lying awake each night for weeks listening to the strained comfort of a speaking voice, the same punch lines, and the same “stage laugh” again and again and again. The Spielberg will like to thank the intern for 63 trips to Starbucks without ever botching an order for a iced-triple-grande-soy- sugar-free-vanilla-light ice-two-raw-sugar-latte, and for collecting facts and figures for the presentation from three uninterested and BUY THE THE TAKEAWAY “busy” intercompany departments, client testimonials, and the Revolutionizing an industry starts with Library of Congress… you get the point. FULL TODAY! VERSION the trenchant efforts of every presenter It will take a village to raise the Spielberg, a village that knows to settle for nothing less than an presentations backwards, forwards, and side-to-side. It is hard to excellent presentation. imagine the Spielberg ever even dropping by until bullet-point lists are kept in museums like the Smithsonian, right next to papyrus parchments with hieroglyphics on them. 4 H2WWW.SCOTTSCHWERTLY.COM 0 THE TAKEAWAY [waw-ter] the best bet for hydration while presenting. On stage, it isn’t about pleasure: it’s about basic comfort and compassion Sometimes, it’s the little things that count. Presentations can for the audience. Use water to speak be nerve-wracking for many people, like a Bermuda Triangle of clearly, and save your pleasure emotions. You can do all the right things: be funny, engaging, and beverages for breaks. authoritative; give concise and pertinent information; and present it all with visually arresting slide design. But if you’re downing brewskies like it’s a game of corporate beer pong, you still run a slight risk of absolute failure. Of course, it isn’t just alcohol that has led to horror stories in the past. There’s coffee (how does slurping a hot beverage sound through a lapel mike?), milk (got maturity?), 7/11 slurpees (need I say it?), and sports drinks (you’ve got bigger problems than an electrolyte deficiency). All are acceptable beverages Copyright ©2010 by Scott B. Schwertly. All rights reserved. somewhere, but the podium is simply not a place for consumption. Any beverage drinking should serve an express biological purpose, such as keeping you alive or keeping that awful peanut-butter-smacking sound out of the loudspeakers. So why water? Because it’s clear, odorless, and tasteless. In fact, it is so naturally nondescript that audiences will fail to notice your drinking at all. And that’s exactly what you want, because you’ve spent a lot time preparing a fantastic presentation—right?—and wouldn’t want anything to distract from the important message you have to give. THE GOOD | 3