You’re halfway through your big important presentation, and suddenly you notice that one of the executives you’re speaking to even seems to be gently nodding his head. Great, you must really be resonating!
But then you realize he wasn’t nodding at all–he was nodding off. That’s right, your presentation is actually putting people to sleep. Noticing your listeners in the process of tuning you out can feel hugely embarrassing and stressful; wracked with sudden anxiety, now you need to get a hold of yourself and simultaneously get a hold of them. Here are a few reasons why your talk may have a sleep-inducing effect–and what you can do to avoid it.